Vishnu Sahasra Naamam-Vol V-Rr-edit.pub - Ahobilavalli

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SrI vAsishTha indicates the derivation of the nAma from the root Nu – stutau
– to praise, to commend. pra- is a prefix, meaning 'in a special way'. praNauti
iti praNavaH, praNamayati iti vA – He Who is praised or worshipped is
'praNavaH'. Just as the root bhU becomes bhav, the root Nu becomes Nav
(pANini sUtra 3.3.57 – Rdorap). Pra + Nav = praNav. In interpretations below
that contain 'na' in the root, the na become 'Na' by the application of the
pANini sUtra 8.4.14 – upasargAt a-samAse'pi NopadeSasya, leading to the
change of the 'na' to 'Na'.
SrI BhaTTar's vyAkhyAnam for the nAma is: praNavena IdRSa sambandham
udbhodhya, "mAm namaskuru" iti sva-caraNaravindayoH tAn praNamayati -
"By means of the sacred 'praNava' mantra, bhagavAn reveals to His devotees
the true relationship between Him and them, and makes them understand the
need for surrendering to Him".
SrI rAdhAkRshNa SAstri quotes the yoga sUtra – tasya vAcakaH praNavaH
(1.27) – "The praNava mantra is a manifestation in words of paramAtmA".
This mantra reveals Him to us, when we understand the meaning of the mantra.
Again, when we understand the deeper meaning of the mantra, it will lead us to
worship Him.
praNava refers to the mantra represented by the three letters – a, u, and m –
"aum" or "OM". This syllable, which is considered a mantra that is the essence
of all veda-s, is considered as a manifestation of bhagavAn Himself in sound
form. Detailed vyAkhyAna for this mantra has been expounded by the great
AcArya-s, and this should be learnt from the AcArya-s. The mantra reminds
us, the jIva-s, of the eternal and inseparable relationship of the jIvAtmA to
the paramAtmA in a Sesha-SeshI relationship.
SrI V. N. Vedanta deSikan has translated SrI M. V. Ramanujacharya's
interpretation for the nAma thus: "BhagavAn informs the souls – if they can
understand – of the perennial bond of relationship existing between Himself
and the individual soul, as imbedded in the secret import of the praNava
mantra. The key is that "we should try and understand" this eternal
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