275. Ojas-tejo-dyuti-dharaḥ ओजस्-तेजो-द्युतिधरः

Ojas is the vitality, maintaining the warmth of the body and its actions. Tejas is the radiance of the human body. Dyuti means splendor. Dhara means sustaining.

Based on the above meanings, this nāma can be interpreted as follows. Ayurveda (Caraka Saṁhitā) says that ojas is the substratum of life which comprises of eight drops located in the heart. Because of this ojas, the body becomes radiant or tejas. Without ojas, existence is not possible. Because of the radiance of the body, the body shines. Therefore, ojas lead to tejas and tejas leads to dyuti. The cause of the ojas is the Brahman and hence He is said to be residing in the heart. This is the secretive meaning of this nāma.

It can also be explained that He is the possessor of all these qualities independently.

276. Prakāśātmā प्रकाशात्मा

It is prakāśa + ātma. Prakāśa refers to the Self-illuminating Light of the Brahman. Śiva Sūtra-s dwell at length about Prakāśa. Prakāśa is the nirguṇa Brahman or Brahman without attributes. The projecting and concealing power of nirguṇa Brahman is Māyā, which alone is the cause for all the effects that we see in the universe.

This nāma reaffirms the nirguṇa Brahman status of Viṣṇu. Ātma means paramātma, the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu. In a single nāma, His Supreme status is affirmed twice.

277. Pratāpanaḥ प्रतापनः

This nāma is an extension of the previous nāma. This nāma says that the illumination of the Brahman gives warmth to the body and once this warmth is lost, physical body ceases to exist.

278. Riddhaḥ (ṛddhaḥ) ऋद्धः

Repetitive nāma 351.

ṛddha means abundance in everything. Brahman is abundant in everything, which is passed on to the universe for its sustenance. He has passed on His abundance to His Consort Lakṣmī, who delivers from His abundance to those who seek wealth. It is also said that Viṣṇu is too difficult to approach directly, as He is always busy in taking care of His devotees, and hence one has to approach Him only through His Consort Lakṣmī, who diffuses His Light for His devotees to have His experience.

279. Spaṣṭākṣaraḥ स्पष्टाक्षरः

Spaṣṭākṣara means different sounds and syllables. This nāma says that He is in the form of Om ॐ, which is also known as praṇava. Spaṣṭa means distinctly visible and akṣara means imperishable. Secretively, this nāma says that He is in the form of praṇava or Om. The
Self is always imperishable and is distinct from others, as others are perishable. Om is always referred as the Brahman.

280. Mantraḥ मन्त्रः

We have to look at the beauty of the placement of this nāma, which comes after adoring Him as Om. From Om, other mantra-s originate. Mantra-s means the verses of the four Vedas. The verses of Vedas are known as mantra-s. Mantra is a tool available in the hands of a spiritual aspirant to meditate on Him. Purpose of mantra is control one’s mind and concentrate on Him through the recitation of mantra.

It is said that “mananāt trāyate idi mantraḥ मननात् त्रायते इदि मन्त्रः” Mantra-s enable an aspirant to meditate on the Brahman with ease as they give shapes and forms to the Brahman. Meditating on the Brahman as discussed in nāma 276 is difficult. Therefore, an aspirant by repeating a mantra controls his mind and fixes his consciousness on a particular form. But, this does not mean that Brahman has got forms. Since, it is difficult to concentrate on the formless Brahman in the initial stages of spiritual practice, shapes and forms of the Brahman are prescribed, merely to develop one’s level of concentration. This practice enables an aspirant to cleanse his mind thoroughly. A clean mind is a fundamental requirement for the logical conclusion to one’s spiritual journey.

281. Candrāmśuḥ चन्द्राम्शुः

Candrāmṛtarasa refers to the essence of the moon’s nectar, which is often discussed in kuṇḍalini meditation, as the nectar oozing into the throat from the cakra of the moon, above the ājñā cakra. The essence or nectar of the moon is meant for nourishment. Rays of the moon is soothing, when compared to the rays of the sun. Moon is not only sooting, but also has nourishing capacities. Only during moon shine, the herbal medicinal plants gain potency.

This nāma says that He nourishes a true aspirant by soothing him, by providing spiritual potency.

282. Bhāskara-dyutiḥ भास्कर-द्युतिः

Bhāskara means the Sun and dyuti means splendour. He is like the effulgence of the sun. There are two interpretations possible. The sun is the nourisher of the universe, hence it is said that He is like the splendour of the sun.

The subtle interpretation is different. As seen in nāma 275, Brahman alone is Self illuminating. The splendour of the effulgence of the Brahman cannot be explained. Even if one says that Light of the Brahman is several million times powerful than the sun, it also cannot be the right description of the Brahman. Brahman cannot be described by any means. Upaniṣad-s describe the Brahman with negations and affirmations. In order to make a common man understand about the Brahman, examples are drawn from the objects known to us to describe him. This nāma says that He is splendorous like the sun, an object to known to us.

Kṛṣṇa explains this in Bhagavad Gītā (XI.12). “If there be the effulgence of thousand suns shining all at the same time, even that would hardly compare to the splendour of the mighty Lord.”