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

It is very interesting to look at the derivation of the word pApa – it is derived
from the root pA – rakshaNe – to protect. The addition of the affix paH leads
to the word pApaH – that from which one should protect oneself is pApa, or
sin. SrI vAsishTha gives the derivation for the word pApa as "pAti asmAt
AtmAnam iti pApaH – That from which one should protect oneself is pApaH or
sin.
SrI BhaTTar explains the nAma by reminding us of the great value of
meditating on bhagavAn's leelA-s. By meditating on the nectar-like stories of
His stealing the butter and curd, by reminding ourselves of His rAsa-krIDA-s
with the gopi-s, etc., the sins in our minds are removed. In fact, this is one of
the ways that bhagavAn annihilates the internal flaws in the minds of SrI
vaishNava-s – those who meditate on Him with single-minded devotion. SrI
BhaTTar's words are:
atha dadhi-navanItastainya rAsa krIDAdi kathAmRtena pareshAm pApanASanaH
| avatAre'pi vaishNavAnAm bAhyAbhyantara Satru-nASanaH |
Even during His incarnations, He annihilates the enemies, both internal and
external, of SrIvaishNava-s (the devotees of vishNu inseparably associated
with SrI or mahA lakshmi). He annihilates the internal enemies when they
meditate on His kalyANa guNa-s, and he annihilates the external enemies
through the divine weapons that he carries for their protection (which is the
substance of the next and last Sloka).
SrImad SrImushNam ANDavan explains that ordinary thieves only steal
material objects, but bhagavAn steals the feelings of stealth itself from the
minds of the devotees – the Stealer of the thought of stealth itselfcauryasya
cauryam jagati prasiddham – He is well- known as the Stealer of the
very thought of stealth itself from those who meditate on His leelA-s of
stealing butter, curd etc.
SrI v.v. rAmAnujan refers us to nammAzhvAr's tiruvAimozhi pASuram 3.6.2,
where AzhvAr refers to bhagavAn by the nama "pApanASan":
mUvarAgiya mUrtiyai mudal mUvarkkum mudalvan tannai SAvamuLLana
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