Yajña-kartrī (882)
Yajña means sacrifice. She is in the form yajamana’s wife. Yajamana is the one who performs the yajna or for whom the yajna is performed, or who funds the yajna. Wife of yajamana holds an important place in a yajna. She is known as yajamana-patni. In the house of yajamana three kinds of fires are kept. They are garahapatya, also known as the domestic fire; the second is ahavaniya where oblations are offered; and the third one is dakshinagni or the southern fire. All three fires are installed in altars made of clay. A person who keeps all three kinds of fires is known as agnihotri. Wife of yajamana is also empowered to maintain garahapatya fire during short absence of yajamana.
In a yajna, the performer is considered as Shiva Himself. His wife is Shakthi.
Yajamāna-svarūpiṅi (883)
She is in the form of yajamana himself. In the eight forms of Shiva, His Rudra form is the form of fire. Nama 769 ‘yajna-rupa’ said that She is the yajna itself. Krishna says (Bhagavad Gita IX.24) “I am the enjoyer and also the Lord of all sacrifices.” In Vishnu Sahasranamam there are many namas about yajna.
{Further reading: The eight forms of Shiva are Sarva – earth; Bhava – water; Rudra – fire; Ugra – mind; Bhima – akash; Pashupati – soul; Ishana – sun; and Mahadeva – moon.}
Dharmā-dhārā (884)
Dharma is the way of life prescribed by scriptures. Dharma of one place may not suit the dharma of another place. The origin of the dharma is based on the cultural heritage and living conditions in a particular place. Dharma is explained as the way of life lived by those who were devoid of evil qualities and the way of lived by sages and saints. Sages like Manu, Abastambar, Parasharar, Naradar have explained dharma more or less in an unified voice. It is said that dharma without following the prescribed guidelines do not yield desired results.
Vishnu Sahasranamam uttara bhag verse 17 says “achara prabhavo dharmo dharmasya prabhu Achutaha” which means that dharma is primary in all sastras. Achara means custom, practice, usage, traditional or immemorial usage as the foundation of law. Dharma arises out of customs and practice only. Dharma originates from achara and Lord of dharma is Vishnu or Achutan.
Mahanarayana Upanishad says that everything is established in dharma.
This nama says that She is in the form of Dharma.
Dhanādhyakṣā (885)
Dhanādhyakṣā is Kubera, the lord of wealth. He is one of Her twelve great worshippers. Since there is no difference between the worshipper and the worshipped, She is said to be the Lord of wealth.
Dhana-dhānya-vivardhini (886)
She is the increaser of wealth and granary. This happens automatically for Her true devotees.
Vipra-priyā (887)
‘Vipra’ means learned. She is fond of learned and wise. Knowledge alone is needed for Self realisation.
Vipra-rūpā (888)
This is an extension of the previous nama. After having said that She is fond of learned men, this nama goes a step further and says that She is the embodiment of knowledge itself. A quality existing in the self is always liked.
The one who is purified by certain rituals, knower of Vedas, knower of scriptures, follower of dharma and sastras and the one who has controlled his mind and senses is known as brāhmanā. She makes such brāhmanās become more learned. A comparison is drawn between a cow and a brāhmanā. The cow is nourished by fodder and a brāhmanā is nourished by japas and homas (fire rituals). One of the primary duties of brāhmanās is to help others by performing rituals for their upliftment. They should, by way of discourses should impart knowledge to others. Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita (IV.13) “The four orders of the society were created by me classifying them according to the mode of their prakriti predominance.” Krishna uses the order based classification in a number of places in Bhagavad Gita. This order system is based on the predominance of gunas, satvic, rajas and tamas. If a person is highly satvic in nature, it becomes one of the qualifications to become a brāhmanā.
The words of true brāhmanās are said to purify the sinners (possibly referring to the blessings of the learned, who are close to attaining the Brahman). They should not subject themselves to extolment, which could lead to egotism. If a brāhmanā is worshipped he turns out to be a milked cow. Brāhmanās do not mean a community, caste or creed. Brāhmanā is a qualification based on the knowledge acquired and its quality.
Viśva-bhramaṇa-kāriṇī (889)
Viśva means entirely and in this context all the universes or brahmāṇḍas (brahmāṇḍas mean more than one universe). There are many universes existing that are beyond human comprehension. Though universes are many, Brahman is One. She is always referred as ‘akilanda kodi brahmanda nayaki’ which means that She is the creator of number of universes. She manifests as (prakriti) and in (purusha or soul) different universes.
Shvetashvatara Upanishad (I.i.1) opens by asking, “Is Brahman the cause of this universe? Where have we come from?” The same Upanishad answers this question at the end by saying (VI.1) “Some scholars think this world came into existence naturally. They are wrong. Some again think time created it. This too is wrong. The power of Brahman is manifested as this cycle.”
Krishna says (Bhagavad Gita XVIII.61) “Brahman abides in the heart of all creatures, causing them to revolve according to their karma by His illusive power, seated as those beings are in the vehicle of the body.”
Vishnu Sahasranamam 1st nama is ‘Viśva’, conveying the same meaning as discussed above.
This nama means that She creates, sustains and dissolves the universes like cyclic motion. When a universe is created it has to be sustained to ultimately dissolve into Her.
Viśvagrāsā (890)
She devours universes. This refers to Her act of dissolution. This has been discussed in nama 752 ‘māhāgrāsā’ and repeated here.
Katha Upanishad (I.ii.25) says “the best among all people are like food to the Self. Death overcomes everyone, yet even death is a mere condiment for the Self.”
Brahma Sutra (I.ii.9) also says “The eater (the Brahman) on account of the appropriation of all that moves and does not move.”
She annihilates universes, as said in the previous nama.
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