Three Minutes Please

There are more than thousand references on Vishnu Sahasranamam in the internet. There are
nearly half a million references on ‘Om’ or ‘Aum’ and an equal number of references on the
ancient scientists of India. There are hundreds of references on other related spiritual matters
and scriptures. Is this booklet, then, yet another one, to this already existing long illustrious
list? The answer is NO, because this booklet, as the title indicates is, ‘an attempt at alternate
analysis’.

Both religion, through its scriptures and science, through its theorems, make truth-claims, one
by a process of perception, and the other by the process of proof. Initially, the Karmakaanda
of the Vedas contained only detailed accounts of rituals. Intense questioning of , ‘why, how,
and what’, resulted in the Upanishadic doctrines, either by direct answers, or, where a direct
answer was not possible, by deductive negation (the famous ‘Na Iti, Na Iti’) logic. Strange as it
may seem, science blossomed forth in the scriptures in easily acceptable simple statements of
facts (without venturing with either proofs or deductive logic) when it was dealt with
artistically. Thus came the Itihaasas Ramayana and Mahabharata which Valmiki and Vyasa
respectively sculpted by words in a vast canvas of beautiful poetry. Vishnu Sahasranamam
forms part of the Mahabharata. There are a number of ways in which the relationship between
science and scriptures (read religion) can be approached.

i) Religious doctrines and scientific theories express the same truth about the world,
but in different formats.
ii) Both are not necessarily seeking to maintain the same point but, in certain
fundamental instances, science supports religion and needs religion for its
intellectual completion. We are aware that many scientific statements made early
on, or that we learnt in our schools are modified and changed later on, or as we
study in our university curriculum, to a more empirical relationship, by
conveniently using a Constant to validate the formula. For example, Newton
argued that the orderliness of the solar system is a witness to the skill of the creator.
Thus, science requires theological insight for its intellectual completion and what
science can explain is, in turn, taken as already perceived by the scriptures.
iii) One need not compare science and religion with each other because they are
different intellectual approaches, laying claims to truths in their respective fields of
enquiry. If this approach is carried to its logical end, we will end up in two
contradicting intellectual worlds, which will fail to realize that truth can be and is,
but one. Such a situation disappears only when the systems take into account all the
points which the other system has been stating and which was, perhaps, initially
ignored or not adequately understood.
iv) Religion (read scriptures) and science can be seen as involved together in producing
a single harmonious truth, which links together the creator, and the created. The
scriptures produce an overall understanding committed to the perception that every
valid insight into reality leads ultimately to a single unifying factor that is beyond
body, mind and intellect. Scientific discoveries are part of this data input in the
overall mosaic of religious statements through scriptures. Science has its own
dictum that a fact is not a fact until it has been repeatedly tried and failed to
disprove it, over a period of time.

We thus pass through cycles of statements of what is conceived as truth, then being questioned
by so called rationalists, resulting in acceptance or modification of what was stated, then a
period of renaissance and a final realization that both science and religion state and explain the
same truth and that the difference, if any, between the two are only apparent and not real, and
that they are indivisible one, the Advaitam.

Thus, we have the evolution of the Upanishads and the scientific philosophies enunciated by
great Rishis and the intense discussions on them during the Vedic period. Then, we have had
the great composers of the two Itihaasas, who extracted the scientific truths from them in a
more understandable statement of facts. This was further churned by the rationalists, which
resulted in great scientific development as by Aryabhatta, Kanaada, Nagarjuna, Charaka,
Sushruta, Varahamihira, Patanjali and others. Prosperity brings in complacency and a certain
 2

lack of faith in the concept of something beyond self. Thus, the cycle repeated and
came the period of Purvamimamsakas, Charuvakas, Vaiseshikas, Nyaya School of thought,
and other such rationalists. While this resulted in further scientific discoveries and finds, it
had also an ill effect on the higher religious philosophies, which could not be conclusively
established as truth. Prosperity also helps development of art and culture. When religion,
science and art combine, they produce some of the most beautiful composite mosaics. This
was the period of early renaissance when great philosophers like Adi Shankara, Ramanuja and
Madhvacharya, poets like Kalidasa, Dandini, Bhaaravi, Magha and Harsha and scientists like
Brahmagupta, Bhaskaracharya, Bharadwaja and others appeared on the scene. This period of
renaissance finds a beautiful expression of co existence and mutual support of science and
religion and that the ultimate goal is the same. Their contributions were acknowledged all
over the world.

Unfortunately, subsequent invasion of the country and later, the colonization of India resulted
in either ignoring or demeaning these great contributions and their further developments until
after independence.

As modern scientists discover more and more about the macrocosmic and microcosmic
phenomenon, the galaxy, the cell, the genome, the evolution, origin of life, plate tectonics etc,
one wonders how much and more of this have already been perceived in the scriptures
already. The glory of Vishnu Sahasranamam is that it appears to be a statement of these facts,
in the garb of 1008 names of Vishnu, that there is something beyond what is perceived by the
body, mind and intellect, even beyond what may still be discovered in the future centuries and
millennia. He is Vishnu.

This booklet is an attempt to carry the reader by a random selection of some of the 1008 names
through the understanding of this truth from the statement in the scriptures, then as revealed
by the understanding of ancient scientists of India, and as now understood by modern
scientific discoveries. At the end, when one realizes that what we have understood is only a
drop in the ocean as admitted by great scientists, one subjects oneself in all humility to the
greatness of the one beyond what is perceived.

In order to facilitate the readers, the text of Vishnu Sahasranamam in Sanskrit and English is
given in appendix 1.

Appendix 2 is a small compilation by the author in 2006 on ‘Vedas and Gayatri’, aimed at
enabling an youngster, at the time of Upanayanam (the holy thread ceremony) to understand
the significance and importance of Gayatri and some of the aspects of Sandhyavandanam.

Readers may please be cautioned that this is not ‘light reading’ material. But, the author will
consider himself blessed, if the reader goes through the whole booklet, slowly and carefully by
a second or even third reading. Happy reading.

“Sarve Janaah Sukhino Bhavantu”

 3

The Glory of Vishnu Sahasranamam

Some Glimpses and Scientific facts

1. Prologue

1. 1 Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram is credited to have been composed by Sanaka and
other Rishies. Later, when Bhishma, the grand sire of the Pandavas and Kauravas, was in his
last stage, on a bed of arrows, Lord Krishna adviced Yudishtira to seek upadesa, the words of
wisdom from the senior most of the Kuru dynasty, Bhishma. Lord Krishna further added that,
at this stage of his life, whatever words come from Bhisma, they will stay in the world like
nectar extracted from the Vedas. Bhishma agreed.

1.2 After hearing Bhishma on various Dharmas, the ethical codes of conduct and duties,
Yudishtra asked him six questions, in an order as occurred in his mind:-

(a) Who is the Supreme Almighty?

(b) What should be one’s goal, according to scriptures?

(c) Whom should the people worship to attain that goal?

(d) Chanting and praying whose name, will people attain exalted places?

(e) What is the best path of Dharma to follow, according to you?

(f) Which hymn should one chant to attain liberation from worldly life of bondage
of birth, death and this cycle?

1.3 The Anusasanika Parva of Mahabharata is considered as the heart for a deterministic
statement of all the ethical codes and duties (Dharma) and their secrets and these questions,
their answers by Bhishma and the subsequent compilation of the thousand names
(Sahasranama) by Sage Vyasa through the words of Bhishma find the most important place in
Anusasanika Parva of Mahabharata towards the end.

◊ Yudishtira asks six questions regarding the supreme almighty and what hymn one should
chant to attain liberation.

◊ Bhishma replies that THAT CHANGELESS BEING IS to be constantly worshipped by

chanting His thousand namas.

◊ He also promises to tell of the origin of all that is created and where everything goes to rest
at the end of each yuga.

1.4 Bhishma answered the six questions in the order he thought necessary to be addressed.
Yudishtra raised, “Kim Japan Muchyate Jantu Janma Samsara Bhandanat” as the sixth
question. Bhishma hastened to answer that first. “ The Lord of the universe, the God among
Gods, the infinite, that grandest of personage, is to be praised on his thousand names
ceaselessly”. Then, he answers the fourth question. He reiterates his previous answer.
“Chanting, meditating and worshipping that changeless being with devotion, is the only
answer”. “ It will be relevant here to see that Bhishma straight away hits the nail on the head
by referring to that “ Changeless being” (Avyayam). Management Gurus are familiar with the
famous saying that “ the only permanent thing in the world is “CHANGE”. Therefore,
 4

Bhishma directly refers to that CHANGELESS BEING, which is beyond all the perceptible
and perishable which the Upanishads reveal as “Atma”, the indestructible.

1.5 Then he answers the third question. “The one without beginning or end, the first among
all, the one who overviews the entire world, by praying constantly to that Vishnu, one
conquers all suffering. The sufferings are classified as three types:-

(a) Adhyatmikam-bodily suffering.

(b) Adhidaivikam-Natural Calamities.

(c) Adhibhowdikam- inflicted by animals, insects etc.

1.6 He then responds to the fifth question. “Yesha me Sarvadharmaanaam

Dharmodhikathamo matah”- If a person worships by meditation and chanting constantly the
names of the lotus-eyed God, that is the surest way for liberation from the cycle of birth and
death. (This is further strengthened by a quotation from Vishnu Puranam, which states that
the same results as obtained by meditation in Kruta yuga or by yoga/sacrifice in Tretaa yuga,
and by Archana/prayers in Dwaapara yuga, are obtained by mere nama sankeertanam,
repetetive chanting of the names of Lord in Kaliyuga (A yuga is equivalent to a geological era,
at the end of which major geological changes including major extinctions of animals and
species have been observed like Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras. Comparatively smaller changes
have been observed at the end of different ages within these eras, like Cambrian age or
Ordovician age of the Paleozoic era, Triassic age of the Mesozoic era etc. In scriptures, it is
defined as Pralaya or Deluge).

1.7 Bhishma then addresses the second question in the next five verses from “Paramam yo
Mahat tejaha………….. to yaani naamani Gaunaani ……………”. Bhishma tells “ I will tell you
about the origin of all that is created at the beginning of every yuga and where every thing
goes to rest at the end of every yuga, Listen to this thousand names of Lord Vishnu, describing
his wonderful attributes ………”.

1.8 The answer to the first question “Who is the Supreme Almighty, is obvious and
explained in the previous five responses themselves. It is significant that Bhishma did not
respond to the first question directly. It is clear that, if one has understood the answer to the
remaining five questions, one would have come to one’s own conclusion about the answer to
the first question.

1.9 It will also be worth while to dwelve a little into the history of that period. The
Samkhya Philosophy was the prevalent religion of the Mahabharata period. There are
extensive references to the Samkhya philosophy in Bhagwat Geeta. The Samkhya Philosophy
and the name of the principal sage who wrote the Sutra (code & conduct) for it, namely Sage
Kapila, find a mention in the Vishnu Sahasranamam itself. Sage Kapila is believed to have
been born around 3000 BCE to the illustrious sage Kardama and his wife Devahuti. His
concept on transformation of Energy and profound commentaries on Atma, Non-Atma and
the subtle elements of the Cosmos places him in a class, to be recognized as the father of
Cosmology. The Samkhya Philosophy explains the 24 Prakriti Tatwas (Dealt with a little later
in the article) and also about the Purusha (Atma) as distinct from them but does not talk about
Saguna Brahman or Eswara as the unifying factor between Prakriti (Primal matter) and
Purusha (Ultimate Soul). It does not talk about the methods of activating the Purusha or
intellect to interact with the otherwise inert Prakriti, to produce outstanding results by
procedures like Karma (action), Bhakti (devotion), surrender, intellectual search etc. Perhaps,
Bhishma was aware of the gap, even while following the Samkhya Philosophy and that is why
he did not answer the first question of Yudishtra directly. He may have thought that a person,
doing Atma Vichara (self-search) should be able to identify that unifying force between the
Purusha and Prakriti, as the Supreme.
 5

◊ Samkhya Philosophy, the prevalent religion of the Mahabharata period.

◊ Principal gap in Samkhya Philosophy which does not talk about Saguna Brahman or Iswara as the
unifying factor between Purusha and Prakriti and how this inter action produces astounding results.

◊ All six attributes of a prayer are addressed and satisfied in Vishnu Sahasranama.

1.10 It is a folk lore that Adishankara, before he wrote his commentary on “ Brahma Sutra”
wanted to write first on some other scriptures. Asked to bring the Bhoja-Patra book-let of any
scripture, his disciple repeatedly brought only Vishnu Sahasranama. He was probably
interested in Lalita Sahasranama and was therefore, exasperated. He was then ordered by
Goddess Saraswati to write his first commentary on Vishnu Sahasranama. It is likely that, in a
world dominated by the Samkhya Philosophy, supplemented by Nyaya and Meemamsa
sastras and tribes of Charuvaakaas and Kaapalikaas ruling the roost, Goddess Saraswati
wanted Shankara to establish the single unifying factor between Purusha and Prakriti and thus
the Adwaita Philosophy and sanaatana dharma. There is perhaps no single, simpler and
greater scripture than Vishnu Sahasranama to achieve this target. Adisankara understook the
responsibility.
This response of Bhishma would at once make it clear that Vishnu sahasranaamam, while
chanting the thousand names of Lord Vishnu, many of them apparently repetitive or
apparently with similar meaning, imports verily the creation of this universe from the largest
of the large to the smallest of the small bodies, their sustenance, self generation and self
destruction and interdependence of and independence from each other. Science suffers
because of its unforgiving nature of belief that a fact is not a fact until the scientists have tried
and failed repeatedly to disprove it, over a long period of time. It is because of this belief that
many Nobel Prizes and recognitions have been awarded many decades after a discovery. On
the other hand, Scriptures believe that “ Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence”.
Scriptures believe that Vedic Universe passes through repeated time cycles of Creation,
Preservation and Destruction. During the annihilation of the Universe, Energy is conserved to
manifest again in the new creation ( Sri Aurobindo). Problems came up when the Greeks and
Christianity converted this cyclic phenomenon to a linearity from Point A to Point B, never
returning again. Thus, the philosophic revelations of an earlier period, which were lost
temporarily, had to be proved again by scientific discoveries much later, during the last two
centuries. It is the endeavour of this article to see some of these hidden meanings and
perceptions (and certainly not all) and the wedding of the religious thoughts to the later day
scientific revelations.
1.11 There are six attributes given to a Stotra or prayer, namely:

(a) Namaskaaram or obeisance

(b) Convey blessing.

(c) Explain the philosophy/ facts/conviction.

(d) Praise the glory.

(e) Mention the strengths of the Supreme, and

(f) Prayer.

1.12 The Purva Bhaaga and Uttara Bhaaga, (the prologue and epilogue) of Shri Vishnu
Sahasranaama contain ample proof of (b) and (f) above, while the Archana, by adding Aum
and Namaha to every name or naamaavali, takes care of (a) above. The main body of the
Vishnu Sahasranaama Stotram composed of 108 Slokas or verses embellishes the Philosophy,
fact, conviction, glory and strength, of the Supreme Lord in the 1000 names and many
scientific facts (known to-day) revealed already to the saints of lore.
 6

1.13. Great commentaries have been written of Vishnu Sahasranaama by Adi Sankara,
Madhvaacharya and Paraasara Bhattar. More recently, Late Mukkur Sri Lakshmi Narasimha
Acharyar has created a Magnum opus by his series of lectures, and has seen Lakshmi
Narasimha Avatar being praised by the succinct meanings of the Vishnu Sahasranaama. “
Anna” on behalf of Raama Krishna Mutt, Chennai, has compiled in 1959, an exhaustive
commentary, by giving additional references to Bhagwat Geeta, Viveka Choodamani, different
Upanishads, Bhaagavatam and Vishnu Puraanam.

1.14 This book-let is merely a small supplement to these excellent spiritual commentaries, by
adding a few scientific facts known subsequent to the period of Mahabharata revealed by
subsequent scientific studies, as has been admirably summed up by Bill Bryson (A short
history of nearly everything), Matt Ridley (Genome) and a few others. This article quotes
extensively from Bill Bryson, Matt Ridley, V S Ramachandran, Anna’s, commentary, “Bhagwat
Geeta” commentary by Swami Chidbhavaananda, “Vivekachoodamani” commentary by
Swami Chinmayananda, “Deivathin Kural” collated lectures of Sri Chandrsekarendra Swami
of Kaanchi Mutt, “Kurai onrumillai” talks by Mukkur Lashmi Narasimha Acharyar,
Brihadaaranyaka Upanishad,Pancheekaranam of Adisankara and the Vartika on it by
Sureswaracharya, commentary on Mandukya Upanishad by Swami Lokeswarananda and
Swami Gambhirananda with Gaudapada’s Karika, innumerable cross references in the
imternet, besides other references. Therefore, separate references are not made for each of
these quotes. Whenever the number of the naamaavali is mentioned, Adisankara’s
classification of the naamaavali, as mentioned by Anna and Swami Tapasyananda in
Ramakrishna Mutt publication is followed. The allusions of the Naamas to scientific
correlations are my own and I am alone responsible for any mistakes in understanding or even
stupidity. Different spellings are used for the same Sanskrit words at different places, partly to
cater to the correct pronounciation to a nonsanskrit knowing reader and also to follow the
more accepted spellings for a Sanskrit knowing individual.

OM OR AUM

2.1 The Vishnu Sahasranaama Stotra is compiled in Anushtup Chandas, a metre

comprising of eight letters sixteen in a line and thirty two letters in a sloka. In fact, the Gayatri
Mahamantra is also composed in ‘Anushtup Chandas’. The entire Raamayana by Valmiki has
been composed in ‘Anushtup Chandas’. In music the ‘Adithal’, the most common of the
Thalas, consists of eight letters. Is this number eight then, only accidental ? Or, is it deliberate
to remind us of the atomic number of oxygen (8) and its atomic weight (16), an element so vital
for our existence? Oxygen is the most abundant element of the earth’s crust, accounting for a
little less than 50% of the total elements present, most of it as compounds. Oxygen is not
flammable but, without Oxygen, nothing can burn. Similarly Anushtupchandas is merely a
metre in poetry but one which can fire us to the understanding of the Supreme Changeless
Being .

2.2 ‘Om’ or ‘Aum’ is considered as single lettered and at the same time, three lettered,
(Akaara, oukaara and Makaara) Pranava Mantra. All worships and Naamaavalis commence
with the chanting of “ Aum”, which indeed transcends from Mantra to yoga by the way and
intonation with which it is chanted. Volumes have been written about this Mantra and its
efficacies by various commentators and in Upanishads. There are about half a million
references to OM or AUM in the internet.

2.3 Taittiriya Upanishad and Maitraayana Upanishad deal with Aum. The central theme of
Maandukya Upanishad is the syllable ‘Aum’ ,taking us through the three different states of
“Jagrat, Swapna and Sushupti”, (the waking, dreaming and deep sleep states) to the ‘Turiya’
or ‘fourth’ state, taking one beyond the Upanishad doctrines. .
 7

◊ Om as a monosyllable letter or Aum as a three lettered word, known as Pranava is the

Supreme of all Mantras.

◊ Pranava, the three Vyahrities and three eight lettered sentences each extracted as the essence
of Rig, Yajur and Sama Vedas, together constitute the Gayatri Maha Mantra.

2.4 “All the gates of the body closed, the mind confined with in the heart, having fixed his
life energy in the head, engaged in firm yoga, uttering the one syllabled Om Brahman,
thinking of Me, he who departs, leaving the body, attains the supreme goal” says the Lord in
Bhagwat Geeta (8.12 and 13).

2.5 There are definite instructions in the Vedas that Aum has to be chanted in 2 ½ or 3
Maatraas depending upon the results/benefits one wants to obtain, and neither too long nor
too short. It is believed that Sage Viswaamitra contemplated on the three Vedas, Rig, Yajur
and Sama, and extracted eight letters from each of them, which constitutes the Saavitri Mantra
(Part of Gaayatri). He further meditated upon them and observed that the three
‘Mahavyahritis’, Bhuh, Bhuvah, and Suvah’ contain the essence of ‘Tat Sa Vitur Vareniyam’,
‘Bhargo Devasya Deemahi’ and ‘Diyoyonah Prachodayat’, which, in turn contained in each
one of these eight letters, the essence of the three Rig, Yajur and Sama Vedas. When he further
contemplated on the Vyaahriti Mantra, the letter/word ‘Aum’ was perceived by him as
representing the essence of all the Vedas. Thus, the word Aum, the three Vyaahriti Mantra and
the Savitri Mantra, together constitute the unparalleled Gayatri Mantra.

2.6 The Mandukya Upanishad is found in the Atharva Veda. It is one of the shortest
Upanishads, with only twelve verses. Gaudapada, teacher of Govindapada, who was Adi
Sankara’s teacher, and touted by some to be a Buddhist, wrote a Karika (an auxiliary
explanatory work) on this Upanishad. The philosophy of the Karika sounds like subjective
idealism of the Buddhist philosophy, but Gaudapada warns that he is a strict non-dualist
(advaita ) himself.

2.7 Adi Sankara is attributed to have consciously modelled his treatise on ‘Panchikaranam’
on Mandukya Upanishad. According to the philosophy, the world exists as an ‘empirical
necessity, but not as a transcendental validity’. Suresvaracharya, the principal disciple of Adi
Sankara and the first peetadhipathi (pontiff) of Sringeri Mutt, has written a ‘vartika
prakarana’ on his guru’s work. (Vartika is generally a collection of explanatory verses where
things spoken of in the main composition are elucidated, things not spoken of , are illustrated,
and things imperfectly stated, are clearly shown. Prakarana is a small work, which deals
concisely with the main theme, avoiding detailed consideration of the subject).

2.8 While the Mandukya Upanishad initiated the tradition of regarding the three sound
elements of Aum as manifesting itself in the three phenomenal states as mentioned in para 2.3,
the Vartika by Suresvaracharya rescues the syllable Aum from the realm of the occult and
invests it as a vehicle of the highest Vedantic truth.

2.9.1 One of the profound insights that one begins to get is the way in which:

• The levels of personal consciousness

• The stages of the mental process and
• The levels of the universe
are functioning at the same levels of reality, which are none other than the levels of
consciousness themselves.
 8

2.10 A: In the Mantra ‘Aum’, the ‘Akaara’ is said to represent character of the
God who creates, protects and destroys the world, the letter ‘ah’ means ‘to protect’. Therefore,
the letter is said to address the ‘protector’, Vishnu.

◊ Akaara of Aum addresses the protector, Vishnu.

◊ Oukaara of Aum means Mahalakshmi, who resides with Vishnu.

◊ Makaara of Aum is interpreted as intellect which belongs to him and whose

sustenance He takes care of.

2.11 U: The next letter ‘oukaara’ is interpreted to mean Goddess Mahalakshmi, who is
always with him. It is also interpreted to mean that the letter belongs to him.

2.12.1 M: Who belongs to Him? The third letter ‘Makaaram’ explains this. The letter is
interpreted as ‘Intellect’ or “ Jeevaatma”, Which belongs to Him and whose sustenance, He
takes care of and ultimately, by negating each one of the ‘Vasanas’, the foot prints of the past
thoughts and actions, the Jeevan identifies itself as ‘Brahman’, one of the three Mahaavaakyaas
of the Vedas, ‘Tat Twam Asi’. (Thou Art That)

2.12.2 The deep sleep state is the level where deep impressions are stored in their latent
form. These impressions are like seeds waiting for water and a good soil to awaken them, so
that they may grow in the fields of dreaming (U of AUM), or waking (A of AUM). ‘Praagna’
means supreme knowledge. It is indeed odd that the domain of deep sleep (M of AUM) where
apparently nothing seems to be going on, should in reality be the seat of Supreme Knowledge.
The sub conscious (latent, dormant, inactive storage) aspects of mind (the samskaaras from
where the impetus for Karma or action springs forth) and the causal realm – ‘Ekibutah
Pragnanaghana’ says Mandukya Upanishad (verse 5) – there is only one undifferentiated
consciousness unlike in the waking or dream state. It is ‘Anandamayaha’ (full of bliss).
‘Prabhava apyayam’ (Verse 6). It is responsible for origin and destruction of everything. All
living objects come from the same source and they go back to the same source. The energy
level gets denser to the level of solids.
2.13 TURIYA State :
2.13.1 The Mandukya Upanishad and the Yoga Sastras talk of a fourth state, beyond A, U and
M called Turiya. Unlike the other states, this fourth state or Turiya is defined more by
negative statements – Na Iti, Na Iti, not this, not this, rather than by a positive
identification (verse 7 of the Upanishad). It is beyond perception, beyond thought, and
not to be indicated by any sound (unlike A, U or M) and by implication, only by
silence. There is only consciousness of the self (Ekaatma Pratyayasaaram). This
common self – consciousness is ‘Brahman’. ( The relevance of Jeevatma and Brahman,
with different adjectives occurring as 26 names of Vishnu and their scientific concepts
are attempted to be explained in a later chapter, while dealing with the text of Vishnu
Sahasranamam.) We realize this when the phenomenal world is negated, one by one,
by a process of ‘Na Iti’ – ‘Not this, Not this’!
2.13.2 Gaudapaada says that ‘delusion’ (Maaya) has been active from time immemorial and
under its spell, the individual self experiences different phenomenal states like Jagrat
(waking), Swapna (dreaming) and Sushupti (deep sleep) at the physical level, and as
vaiswanara, taijasa and praagna at the mental level of consciousness and at the
universal level of consciousness, the energy level tremendously increases from the
initial ‘bursting forth’ of the energy, and becomes denser from gaseous through liquid
to solid. This delusion ends, when the individual self, the ‘Jeeva’ awakens, differently
described as ‘ beyond samaadhi’, ‘yoganidra’, ‘transcendental meditation’, etc in the
yoga schools of thought and this is the Turiya or the fourth state when the self realizes
that it is ‘Ajam’ (without birth), which is a very important element of the Hindu
Philosophical thought.
All things are subject to changes because they are all the result of cause and effect. Everything
is dependent on something else. The whole universe is a combination of many things, each
 9

depending upon the other. It is like a continuous, non ending cause and effect chain
and the universe is held together by the chain. But, there is one thing which is independent of
this chain, unconditioned by these changes and that is called SELF. Some people call it the
fourth state of matter (beyond gas, liquid and solid), of high energy as PLASMA. When we
understand this, we seem to be a little closer to understanding the relationship between
Vedantic philosophy and science a little better.

2.14 Prakriti Tatwa. It may be worth while to deal with this a little more in detail. The
five great elements, Ether, Air, fire, Water and earth are described as first created in their
subtle form and then through a process of combination among themselves, by which they
became gross elements which we physically perceive. This process in Sanskrit is known as
Panchikaranam’, a Pentamerous self duplication and mutual combination. This process is
explained in Vedanta as taking place in four distinct stages of self division and mutual
combination. From the ‘Mahat Tatwa’, the first one to appear was ‘Ether’ or ‘Aakaasa, which
had the Tanmatra of only sound. But, it could not create any sound until it had a combination
in certain proportion with Air (sound does not pass through vacuum). Thus the element Air
has two qualities –Sound and Touch (Sparsh), but Touch as a Tanmatra only. Similarly, the
third element Fire has three qualities namely Sound, Touch and Roopa or visual presence.
Water has four Qualities namely Sound, Touch, Roopam and Taste. The fifth, the Earth, has
five Qualities namely Sound, Touch, Roopam, Taste and Smell. All these are only because of
the pentamerous self division and recombination of each of these five rudimentary
Tanmaatras. Tanmaatra is the unit of each of the element by itself. Each of the five elements, by
themselves, are considered as intransient, but in combination, become transient and
perishable. This combination is in specific units of one with the other, in different stages, in
much the same way, different number of atoms of different elements join together to form
molecules.

◊ Prakriti Tatwa explained.

◊ Pentamerous self division and recombination in certain proportion of the five basic
elements. Ether, Air, Fire, Water and Earth.

◊ 20 External organs of perception (Bahrikarana) and four internal organs of perception,

(Antah karana) together constitute Prakriti.

◊ Role of Jeevatma and Brahman

2.15 The effect of the five Tanmaatraas in the five elements, lead the five organs of
perception (ear, skin, eye, nose and tongue) to gain knowledge which in turn, lead the five
organs of action (the organs of speech, hands, legs, anus and the genital) to act and do their
duty. But, it is obvious that these external organs of perception and action do not function for
themselves but for certain subtler inner equipment, whose command they obey. These four
inner organs are called, according to their functions, as Mind, Intellect, Ego and Chitta,--- Mind
from its doubts and hesitations, Intellect from its function of determining the truth, the Ego
with which the vanity of the individual arrogates to itself both the doubts and the decisions as
its own. The awareness of the inter play of the above three and the process of constant
illumination of the personality to identify objects of interest is called ‘Chitta’.

2.16 Thus, the five elements, five tanmaatraas, five organs of perception, five organs of
action, Mind, Intellect, Ego and Chitta, totalling 24, are called ‘Prakriti Tatwa’ (or Bahir Karana
and Antah Karana). The jeevaatma, which is outside the 24, is the 25th Tatwa. It cannot be just a
coincidence that the ‘Makaaram’ of ‘Aum’ (Jeevaatma) (more of it later) is the 25th letter among
the consonants in Sanskrit! And, for those who have not reached that high level of intellect of
Adwaita Philosophy, to see that Jeevatma and Brahman are indeed the same, ‘Brahman’ stands
 10

as the 26th Tatwa. Can we then again say that the 26 alphabets in English are just not
coincidence?

2.17 We have just seen that the ‘akaara’ of ‘Aum’ represents the creation, preservation and
destruction of the universe, the ‘Oukaara’ lives with it and ‘Makaara’ is the sum and substance
of Jeevvatma. As we add more and more Energy to the atoms, they become denser and denser
from gas to liquid to solid and with still more energy added, the electrons break away, leaving
the nucleus by itself. Let us look at it a little from the modern scientific facts.

3. Modern Science Equivalents

3.1 Hydrogen as A: Our universe begins from nothing. In a single blinding pulse from a
dot of singularity, in less than a minute, the universe is a million billion Kilometers across, has
ten billion degrees of heat, enough to begin nuclear reaction, that create lighter elements,
essentially hydrogen and helium. And, what an extraordinary form it had been! Had the
gravity been a trifle stronger the universe might have collapsed. Had it been a trifle weaker,
nothing would have coalesced. For the universe to exist, it requires that hydrogen be
converted by burning to helium in a way that converts precisely 7/ 1000 th of its mass to energy.
If the value is lowered from 0.07% to 0.06% no transformation could take place; the universe
would consist only of hydrogen and nothing else. If the value is slightly increased to 0.08%, the
bonding would have been so prolific, the hydrogen would have been long before exhausted
and the universe, formed by a concept of ‘Big Bang’ would have collapsed by the concept of
‘Supernova’ a burning star, and perhaps, nothing would have been left behind. That brings out
the importance of Hydrogen, the Abja Vaayu in the universe for the creation, preservation and
destruction of this universe. Hydrogen is the only element which has one electron and one
proton and no neutron and is the smallest of all elements. With rapid depletion of
hydrocarbons, Hydrogen will be the pivot of future energy. Technology for use of hydrogen as
fuel is already known but the economy of scale and cost has still to be attained to make it a
commercial green fuel. Hence the, akaara ‘of’ ‘Aum’ could be a tribute to this marvel of
Hydrogen (as fuel for energy creation)

◊ Modern Science equivalents of AUM.

◊ Hydrogen the most prolific element of the universe as Akaara – Creation of the
universe and energy released while converting Hydrogen to Helium.

◊ Oxygen as U - Oukaara, - most prolific element on earth, combines with Hydrogen to

form water to start life on earth, even as Lakshmi joins Vishnu.

◊ Carbon as M - Makaara – this party animal in our body, in the forms of amino acids,
protein, cells and represents the Jeevaatma.

◊ Of every 200 atoms in our body, 126 are hydrogen, 51 are oxygen and 19 are carbon.

◊ Some of the Names in Vishnu Sahasranama could indeed be a tribute to these

elements, as explained later.
 11

3.2 Oxygen as U: Even as Hydrogen is the most prolific element in universe, and
even as sun burns its Hydrogen, converting it to Helium and releases enormous energy to the
rest of the Solar system, the earth’s crust is most prolific in Oxygen. Apart from sustaining the
life of living beings dependent on Oxygen (not all living beings are Oxygen dependent),
Oxygen and Hydrogen combine together to form the compound, water. 80% of the earth is
covered with water and life started in water. That then explains the ‘oukaara’ of ‘Aum’, where
Lakhsmi belongs to Him and lives with Him. Oxygen indeed belongs to Hydrogen and they
live together in the form of water (and other compounds constituting the earth’s crust). Is that
why Vishnu is called ‘Narayana’ one ‘Lying in Water’? We shall deal more with Oxygen while
trying to understand the different names of Vishnu, while dealing with the main text of
Vishnusahasranamam.

3.3 Carbon as M: Carbon is the 15th most common element accounting to only
0.048% of this earth’s crust but we would be lost without it. Carbon is the third most common
element in our body. Carbon is a party animal of the atomic world, latching on to many other
atoms, forming molecules of heavy robustness, the very trick of nature to build proteins,
amino acids and DNA. As Paul Daves writes, “If it was not for carbon, life as we know it
would be impossible”. And most of the human body is composed of amino-acids and proteins.
This would, therefore, explain the sustenance of Jeevaatma or the significance of ‘Makaara’.
The cleverness of this element will be discussed more elaborately, while discussing the main
text of Vishnusahasranamam.

3.4 Aum and Science: Of every 200 atoms in our body, 126 are hydrogen, 51 are oxygen
and though only 19, yet vital, are carbon. This may, then, give a little scientific explanation of
“Aum” being at once a single letter and three letters and what we are really worshipping and
praying, when we say “Aum”. Depending upon our level of intellect to understand this as one
single inseparable (Advaita), or partially apparently separable (because each of these elements
have separate unique functions but group together to achieve the common end, (Vishishtaa
dwaita) or the role of carbon as distinct from that of Hydrogen and oxygen (two distinct,
Dwaita), the three principal Philosophies of Sanaatana Dharma, and advocated by the three
great savants of the Hindu Religion, namely Adisankara, Raamaanuja and Madhwacharya,
may have evolved.

3.5 Turiya And Plasma :

3.5.1 ‘Pranava’ in Sanskrit means ‘humming’. Pranava, as ‘Aum’ is known, denotes God as
primal sound. The pronunciation of the word ‘Aum’ symbolizes the totality of all
sounds. The idea of totality with ‘Om’ exists in English language also in words like
omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient, all of which have the concept of totality in
their meanings. The most widely used of Buddhist mantras, ‘Om Mani Padme Hum’
has ‘Om’ as its root and hence, perhaps, is the close link between Buddhist and Hindu
philosophies in explaining the ‘Aum’ and writing auxiliary notes in ‘Mandukya
Upanishad’ by sages with Buddhist leanings. The constant chanting of this word is
credited to generate such energy level that one reaches the fourth state of ‘silence’
beyond A, U and M. How powerful is the sound of silence?
3.5.2 In a large cloud in the sky, the rubbing of ice crystals against each other librates
electrons. For some reason not yet understood, the negative crystals go to the bottom
and the positive ones to the top and this produces an electrical field. This electrical field
causes free electrons to accelerate and these ionize the air molecules. Thus we have the
positive and negative charges, creating a PLASMA. (Plasma is an electrically neutral,
highly ionized gas, composed of ions, electrons and neutral particles. It is a phase of
matter different from solids, liquids and gases and is called the fourth state of matter).
3.5.3 Now, things go very fast in the cloud. As the current increases, the plasma becomes
hotter, increasing ionization and the size of the plasma, reaching a temperature of about
25000 K. When you add so much energy to the atom, the electrons circling it move
faster and faster, pushing themselves away from the nucleus. At a critical point, they
break away, thus leaving the nucleus all by itself. If this happens to a lot of atoms, there
 12

would be many free electrons, and naked nuclei floating. In this dissociated
state, matter is known as plasma.
Hot electrons in a free state can excite atoms and molecules, causing them to emit light.
This is the visible lightning we see in the sky. Lightning is a beautiful manifestation of
the power of nature, a symbol of power and speed.

3.5.4 Thus, when the energy level is manifested beyond the phenomenal world, the
excitement of life ends and one reaches a dissociated state like Plasma, but with all that
latent quality of power and speed stored in, to strike again when required.
3.5.5 Plasma Physics is an important subject for the last about six decades and have many
useful applications. For example, plasma based rocket engine technology is under
development.

4. MAIN VISHNU SAHASRANAMA STOTRAM

4.1.1 Mukkur Lakshmi Narasimha Acharyar had given very detailed discourse running to
several weeks on the meaning of the thousand names of Vishnu. In fact, he contends that the
entire content of the Vishnu Sahasranama is summarized in the first three slokas themselves.

◊ Max 1000 names – significance of first three slokas.

◊ Essence of Upanishads, Purushasooktam, Gayatri, Ashtakshari and
Narashimha Mantra.
◊ Eight reasons to call this as Vishnu Sahasranama.

4.1.2 The first eight letters of the first sloka, Viswam, Vishnu and Vashat kaarah are known
as Ashtaakshari, preached by Nara Naaraayanaa in the holy Badrikasramam in the Himalayas
and is credited to contain the whole essence of the upanishads.

4.1.3 Together with the next eight letters of Bhuta, Bhavya and Bhavat prabhuh, the 16 letters
point to the 16 Riks of Purushasuktam, one of the most respected and chanted Suktas.

4.1.4 Together with the next eight letters of Bhutakrit, Bhutabrit, Bhavah, the 24 letters are
credited to contain the significance of Gaayatri Mahamantra, the 24 letters of which are said to
represent extracts of the three Vedas.

4.1.5 The last eight letters, of the first sloka, namely Bhutaatmaa, Bhuta Bhavanah, together
with the 24 already mentioned is said to be the Narasimha Mantra.

4.1.6 The nine names mentioned in the first sloka, 8 in the second and 7 in the third, together
24, is again said to represent the secrets of Gaayatri Mantra.

4.1.7 Thus, taking the very first sloka itself, it apparently contains nine names of the
Sahasranama. But, viewed deeply, these very nine names represent the Ashtakshari ( Om
Namo Naarayanaaya), Purushasuktam, Gaayatri and Narasimha Mantram. That is why,
perhaps, many commentators have all devoted great attention and importance to Vishnu
Sahasranama

4.1.8 Mukkur Lakshmi Narasimha Acharyar talks of the word ‘’Rama’ occurring as 394th
Naama (43rd sloka), in its concealed meaning, gets chanted 16 times in Vishnu Sahasranamam.
They constitute the Mritha Sanjeevani Mantram, the Mantra which can bring the dead back
alive, and known only to Sukracharya, the preceptor of the Asuras (those with demoniac
qualities) .

4.2 WHY CALLED ‘VISHNU SAHASRANAAMA’.

 13

4.3 Before getting to the significance of each Naama, let us see why this
Sahasranaama is called Vishnu Sahasranaama and not by any one of the other 999 names. The
great seers have attributed eight reasons for this (again reminds us of the atomic number of
oxygen)

◊ Vishnu is Jagat Kaarana, present in every thing from sub-atomic particles to the
Milky way.
◊ Vishnu is Sarvarakhshaka - Protects every thing and nurtures.
◊ Vishnu is Sarva Vyaapi, spread every where.
◊ Vishnu is Sarva Seshi, everything belongs to him.
◊ Vishnu is Sarvaantar Yaami - there is a difference between Sarva Vyaapi and
Sarvaantar yaami. While Sarvavyaapi signifies external presence,
Sarvaantaryaami means presence internally. He is present both inside and
outside (Antar Bahir Chatat Sarvam Vyaapya Naarayana Stitah).
◊ Vishnu is Veda Vedyah - He has to be understood only by the knowledge of the
Vedas. You can experience him only through the Vedas.
◊ Vishnu is Vedanta Vedyah – Vedanta literally means culmination of knowledge,
a Philosophy which enunciates the eternal principles of life. The world may be
roughly divided into two categories of people, one who are active without peace
of mind and the other peaceful but without any action. Vedanta provides the
answer of combining dynamic action with mental peace and this answer is
provided through the various Upanishads part of the Vedas.
◊ Vishnu shows us the Sriyah Patitwam – Constantly present with Sri that is
Lakshmi – the extraordinary electrical charges that are required to take the
hydrogen and combine it with oxygen by a process of rearrangement, to create
water. Vishnu is reclining with Lakshmi in this ocean and is called ‘Naarayana’.
Thus, He becomes ‘Vashat Karah’, one who makes things happen, like
Vajrayudah, an euphemism for the great electrical charges required for the
combination of Hydrogen and Oxygen to form water. The great seers have all
considered this “Sriyahpatitvam” as the greatest attribute of the eight, merited
to Vishnu and is, therefore, mentioned as the last.

4.2.2 It is said that one should try to understand the meanings of the different names
sequentially in the context of their appearance and not literally individually. Let us try now to
understand some of the names in the first three slokas.

4.3 Viswam (Viswasmai) and Vishnu Larger than the largest (Viswam) and smaller
than the smallest conceivable (Vishnu). According to the Cause and Effect concept, He, the
Lord, created His manifestation, the Universe as the Effect. The root “Visati” of the word
Viswam means “ enter or interpenetrate”. Having projected the Universe, He entered into it.
Similarly, the term “Vishnu” is derived from the root “Vis”,( indicating presence everywhere),
combined with the suffix “nuk”. Let us try to understand in the light of some of the modern
scientific concepts.
And, before that , a few words about ancient science in India. The Indian philosophers,
during the Upanishadic period, who argued for the existence of soul, developed the principles
of deductive and inductive logic. Between 1000 BCE and 4th Century AD, called the period of
rationalists, treatises in astronomy, mathematics, logic, medicine and grammar were
produced. The philosophers of the Samkhya school, the Vaiseshika school, the Nyaya and
related schools of thought and early Jain and Buddhist scholars made substantial contributions
to the growth of science. Advances in the applied sciences like metallurgy, textiles, dyeing etc
were also achieved. In particular, the rational period produced a fascinating series of debates
on sensory perceptions, dreams and hallucinations, when does an observation of reality get
accepted as fact, and as a scientific truth, etc.
4.3.a For example, Sage Gautama, who was called ‘the absent minded professor’ because of
his constant thinking, is credited as the author of Nyaya Sutra. Sage Kanaada wrote
‘Vaiseshika sutra’ in the Nyaya school of thought. Kanaada spent the entire daytime in
thinking and research and used to attend to his personal requirements only during the night,
 14

almost like a nocturnal animal. Because of this, the Vaiseshika was also called “Aulukya
Darsanam”, the ‘Revelations of an owl’. The vaiseshika school is credited with the earlier
knowledge and expression that all matter was made up of tiny indestructible particles, i.e.
atoms, that aggregated in different ways to form molecules and compounds that formed the
variety of matter existing on earth. (Kanaada is believed to have been born in Prabhas Kshetra,
near Dwaraka in Saurashtra. His statement ushered in the atomic theory for the first time in
the world, 2500 years before Dalton. The eminent historian, T.N. Colebrook has said
“compared to the scientists of Europe, Kanaada and other Indian scientists were global
masters of this field” ) Their philosophy was described through the enumeration of the
following concepts :
- Dravya, substance, combination of atoms in an unique way.
- Guna, quality that resided in the Dravya – 24 different qualities were described.
- Karma, action, unlike quality which was passive, Karma was dynamic – 5 types of
action were noted.
- Samanya, Generality, as a mental construct to create common classes or substances.
- Visheshata , particularity, to identify and separate individual specialized items from
the general class.
- Samavaya , Inherence, a relationship that existed in such things created that could
not be separated without destroying them (chemical compounds), and
- Abhava, non-existence, or negation, four categories of abhava were listed :
o Pragabhava – or prior non-existence – absence of an object prior to its creation
o Dhvamsabhava – absence of an object after it has been destroyed
o Anyanyabhava – mutual non-existence, referring to an object being distinct
and different from the other
o Atyantabhava – absolute non existence, indicating non existence in the past,
present and future – eg pure air has no smell or pure water has no taste.

Another important contribution of the Vaiseshika school was a careful study of the time
relation in a chain of causes and effects which paved the way for time – calculus and space –
calculus.

4.3 b The cause and effect study had led to further specialisation in causality and recognized
that effects may have more than one cause and may require a conjunction of causes to occur.
For example, for a plant to grow, it requires not only the seed which has the potential but also
the soil, fertilizer, sunlight and water all of the right type. It was also realized that a potential
for the desired effect must also be present in the causal agent. For example, a mango tree can
grow only from a mango seed, or conversely, a mango seed could produce only a mango tree
and not any other tree.

4.3 c The Nyaya school also recognized that a series of antecedents could cause a series of
effects, either successive and staggered in time, or near simultaneous. Nyaya texts indicate
that there was an awareness that light travelled at a very high speed, but the transmission of
light was not instantaneous (source – website – tripod – south asian history – pages for the
listing of Indian sub continent, rational and secular philosophy, logic and epistemology).

4.3 d Thus, while rapid progress was being made in scientific thinking by the rationalistic
schools of thought, a large section of population in different parts of the world, including
India, grew more and more conservative and the clergy resisted all attempts at change. In an
extreme view, it was felt that the real world was more an illusion and any effort to change it
was unimportant. Such was the period of charuvakas, purvamimamsakas, kapalikas etc when
Adi Sankara appeared on the scene to the rescue of humanity. It was unfortunate that India
did not fully encash the opportunity and allowed resistance for the transfer of theoretical
knowledge to practical application, grow in strength. The diversion of studies from
astronomy and vedic mathematics to fixations on astrology and on its superstitious aspects
only led to neglect of most of what was known till then and made it so much easier for the
industrialized nations to colonise India. India has now to reinvent the wheel or take off from
the progress made by other scientifically advanced nations. Hence the reference to modern
scientific facts.
 15

4.3.1 Viswam In 1905, considered as the miracle year of Physics, a young swiss technical
examiner in the National patent office in Bern, ‘perceived’, (much the same way as our ancient
sages were ‘revealed’ the Vedas and Upanishads) and published five papers in the German
journal ‘Annalen der physik”. His name is Albert Einstein and three of these papers are
considered among the greatest ever in the history of physics. They were as mentioned below.

4.3.2 One examining the photo electric effect by using Max Planck’s, Quantum theory.
Quantum theory posited that energy is not a continuous thing like flowing water but comes in
individualized packets, called Quanta. This demonstrated that light, need not be a wave, after
all. This led later to the discovery of television. Light can be converted from one form of
energy to another and transmitted and again reconverted for video observation. This is what
yogasastra says that if the inner space and outer space could be unified to synchronise by
focused concentration, then, one would be able to see what all transpires in the outer space .
This is what is known as ‘revealed’ to the ancient Rishies, attained by their concentration. Each
one of them were their own transmitting and receiving stations.

◊ Viswam – Larger than the largest.

◊ Einstein, three great publications and their significance to Viswam.
◊ Quantum theory – light need not travel as a wave only. Truth revealed – inner space and outer
space could be unified.
◊ Brownian Motion – Vibration observed in holy places of sanctity.
4
◊ Theory of Relativity and enormous energy in individuals.
◊ These theories make us aware of the realities beyond day-to-day action.

4.3.3 The second on the behaviour of small particles in suspension known as Brownian
Motion. Brownian Motion, first observed in 1827 by an English botanist Robert Brown, is the
ceaseless but small motion of small particles of matter (Pollen, dust etc.), say in a glass of
water, even when the water appears to be absolutely still. Some years later, after the atomic
hypothesis was accepted, it was shown that the small motion is due to the bombardment of the
piece of matter by molecules of water, moving about randomly, even though, at the level of
our observation, the molecules and their motions are invisible. These are indeed the
‘Vibrations’ that one often feels in presence of great men or in places of worship, before the
deity even when the mind is apparently calm. These vibrations establish a Superhuman link
between the devotee and the Lord, by a power of concentration and make individuals achieve
certain things, otherwise humanly impossible.

4.3.4 Einstein’s third paper outlined a Special Theory of Relativity. His famous equation
E=MC2 did not appear as a part of his paper but as a supplement to it, a few months later. E
stands for energy, M for mass and c2 for the speed of light squared. In simplest terms, the
equation says that mass and energy have an equivalence. Energy is liberated matter. Matter is
energy waiting to be liberated. Since the square of the speed of light is a huge number, the
equation says that there is really a very huge amount of energy bound in every material thing.
In concrete terms, an average sized adult will contain 7x1018 Joules of potential energy, enough
to explode with the force of thirty Hydrogen bombs, provided one knew how to liberate it.
Even the deadly uranium bomb releases only less than 1 % of the energy it could release! The
theory explained how stars could burn for billions of years without racing through their fuel !!

4.3.5 What was special about the special theory of relativity was that it dealt with things
moving in an essentially unimpeded state. But, what happens when a thing fast in motion, say
light, is impeded by an obstacle like gravity? This led to the publication of a paper in 1917
entitled “Cosmological Consideration in the General Theory of Relativity”. In essence, what
Relativity says is that space and time are not absolute, but relative both to the observer and to
the thing being observed, As Bertrand Russell put it to a layman, a super fast train would
appear to be shorter than it really is for a man standing on the platform and watching it and
everything would look distorted but, people on the train would themselves have no such sense
 16

of distortions. To them, every thing would appear normal. On the other hand, the people
standing on the platform would look to them as weirdly compressed and distorted. It is all to
do, with one’s position relative to the object in motion. The effects of relativity are real and
have been measured but are too small to make any difference to us. But, for other things in the
universe, light, gravity and the universe itself, these are matters of consequence, even as in the
case of sound, the well known ‘Doppler effect’ is perceptible to us and is of consequence,
merely because of the lower speed of sound. Everything is therefore relative. (Hubble
subsequently discovered that this is an expanding universe, in the form of Nebulae from a
centre and, therefore, what had a beginning should also have an end). The theory of Relativity
brings out not only the enormous store house of energy in each one of us but also both the
myth and the reality of ‘Maya’ or ‘illusion’ that the world is. These three theories make us
‘aware’ of the enormous ‘Reality’ beyond the day to day action (Viswam).

4.4 Vishnu Let us now pause for a moment and change from macrocosmic to micro-
the structure of the atom (Vishnu).

4.4.1 Every atom is made from three elementary particles:-

- Protons, which have a positive electrical charge.

- Electrons, which have a negative electrical charge and
- Neutrons, which have no charge.

◊ Vishnu, smaller than smallest.

◊ Atoms, Electrons, Protons and Neutrons and sub atomic particles.
◊ Things on small scale do not behave the same way as things on a large scale.
◊ Electrons are at once every where and no where; so is Vishnu.
◊ As isotopes are helpful, so is Vishnu.
◊ Nama Vishnu represented three times as 2nd, 258th and 657th names in slokas 1, 28 and
70. The additions of these numbers have their own significance.

4.4.2 Protons and Neutrons are packed into the Nucleus, while Electrons spin around,
outside. The number of protons give an atom its chemical identity. An atom with one proton is
Hydrogen and so on. The nucleus of an atom is tiny, only one millionth of a billionth of the full
volume of the atom, but fantastically dense. Physicists soon realized that electrons are not like
orbiting planets but more like the blades of a spinning fan filling every bit of space in their
orbit simultaneously. What it means in practice is that you can never predict where an electron
will be at a given moment. In other words, until it is observed, an electron must be regarded as
being at once everywhere and no where. It was soon realized that things on a small scale
behave nothing like things on a large scale.

4.4.3 When we talk about ‘large scale’ nobody knows how many stars there are in the Milky
way and how many such galaxies exist, how many of the stars have planetary system and how
many of them support life. Some estimates predict that the advanced civilizations just in the
Milky way alone could be millions. Lord Krishna required to bestow Arjuna with ‘special eyes’
to see his Viswarupa and unless we are also bestowed with similar favour, we may not know
the truth for a long time still.

4.4.4 On the other hand, on a small scale, the number of neutrons in an atom are generally
the same as the number of protons, but they can vary in some cases, upward or downward
slightly. We, then, have the isotopes. The isotopes can be extremely helpful as in the case of the
pharmaceutical field for curing deadly diseases and can also be helpful by their radioactivity
in imaging like X-ray, MRI scan etc. That is Vishnu. But, they can also be deadly as in case of
uranium isotopes, when an atom is spilt. That is what symbolically happened when Prahlada
prayed in the Narasimha Avatar. The entire branch of science, known as Nanotechnology,
which is expected to lead to path-breaking discoveries and technologies in 21 st century, is
based on the realization that things on a nanoscale never behaves the same way as things on a
large scale and are much stronger and more powerful.
 17

4.4.5 The name Vishnu is also repeated as Nama 258 (Sloka 28) and also Nama 657 (Sloka 70).
Nama 258 is commented upon by the seers as one who has measured the three worlds in His
‘Vamana Avatar’ and Nama 657 as one who’s spread all over the universe. There are also
certain interesting observations. If the number of the slokas where the name Vishnu gets
repeated namely 1, 28 and 70 are added, the total is 99. If we read the sloka 99, it speaks of His
great Qualities! (given below).
Uttaaranah: Liberates one from the mortal world
DushKritihaa : exterminates all sins.
Punya : bestows all Punya, goodness.
Durs Swapna Naasanah : saves one from bad dreams. Lifts one from the dream state of
existence.
Veeragna: Gives liberation (Mukti) to all who are revolving in the material world.
Rakshana: Protects.
Satbyah: Very incarnation of all those who are good.
Jeevanaayah: The life in every creature.
Paryavastitah: Omniscient and omnipresent.
What more do we require?
Similarly, if one adds the numbers of the Namas namely 2, 258 and 657, the total is 917.
The 917th Nama is ‘Dskshaya’ means one who is full grown, strong, does everything very
quickly and is “very clever”. If one is not clever, can we exist in this world?

4.5 Significance to Some of the Namas

4.5.1 Ploughing these scientific ideas back to the Naamaavali of the first sloka,

◊ He is the universe (Viswam).

◊ He is spread everywhere, like the electron in an atom (Vishnu).
◊ He makes things happen, by the vast amount of energy stored and released (Vashat
karah).
◊ He is the Lord of the past, the origin of the universe, the present, its evolution and
creation of life and its sustenance and of the future of what is going to happen to this
nebulae (Bhuta Bhavya Bhavat Prabhuh).
◊ He created everything conceivable (Bhutakrit).
◊ He bears them all (Bhutabrit) but does not form part of them.
◊ Like the blades of a spinning fan appearing to be present everywhere simultaneously,
as electrons, He is present at once everywhere and no where (Bhavah).
◊ He who dwells in all beings but is with in them, whom none of the beings knows,
whose body is all beings and who controls all beings from within your own self
(Bhutaatmaa). No where else this concept is better explained than in chapter 3, section 7
of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. At sea level, at a temperature of O 0 C, one cubic
centimeter of air (size of a sugar cube, contains 45 billion billion molecules and they are
in every cubic centimeter of air. Atoms are tiny. Half a million of them lined up from
shoulder to shoulder, could hide behind the thickness of a human hair. The atoms are
also long lived and durable. Every atom in our body had been earlier, parts of millions
of organisms before becoming part of us. We are each so atomically numerous and so
vigorously recycled at death that a significant number of our atoms, it has been
suggested, probably once belonged to a Prahlada, a Ravana and a Vikramaditya. And
that is how, we have a mix of the Satwa, Tamo and Rajoguna, all in one, albeit in
different proportions. This is also perhaps the reason as to why the ashes of a departed
soul are immersed in various holy rivers, seas etc so that some of the atoms of the great
 18

people could be recycled! Can the concept of ‘Bhutaatmaa’ be more scientifically

explained?
◊ He sustains all that has been created (Bhuta bhavanah).

◊ Significance to the names of Vishnu in first sloka.

◊ Vashatkaarah – make things happen.
◊ Bhuta Bhavya Bhavat Prabhuh.
◊ Bhutakrit Bhutabrit bhavah.
◊ Bhutatma- atoms are long –lived and vigorously recycled.
◊ Bhuta bhavanah-Sustains all that has been created.

4.5.2 If the very first sloka itself can have so much of spiritual and scientific import as now
understood, one can visualize the importance and implications of Vishnu Sahasranama as a
whole. It is, therefore, proposed to dwelve further only on a few more namas, at random.

4.6. AVYAYAH 2nd Sloka, 13th Nama.

4.6.1 The word, in a literal sense, means changeless. This is an important word in Sanskrit
grammar as well, not subjected to any gender, number or voice but yet of great usage in many
contexts and is immutable.

◊ Avyayam-Changeless.
◊ Quote from Viveka Choodamani.
◊ Thermodynamics is applicable at the atomic level of chemical reaction also.
◊ Entropy in physics and mutation of genes.
◊ Change is the only permanent thing in physics or biology.
◊ But God, who makes these happen is himself Changeless –Avyayam.

4.6.2. In Viveka Choodamani, in slokas 254 to 266, while dealing on aids to Meditation,
Adisankara defines Brahman as that which has no caste, creed, family or lineage, which is
without name or form, merit and demerit which is beyond space, time and sense objects which
is untouched by the six waves of sorrow, namely hunger and thirst, grief and delusion, decay
and death , which never reduces, hence immutable and changeless (Avyayah) and hence free
from the six modifications namely birth, growth, change, decay, disease and death. We saw in
the first sloka that He is the creator and sustainer of these very objects and senses but, He
himself is beyond all these and “ You are that Brahman, meditate on this in your mind “, says
Adisankara.

4.6.3. In 1875-78, Willard Gibbs of Yale University produced a series of papers elucidating the
thermodynamic principles of gases, mixtures, solids, phase behaviour, chemical reaction,
sedimentation and osmosis and showed that thermodynamics did not apply simply to heat
and energy on a large scale like a steam engine, but is also applicable at the atomic level of
chemical reactions. At the heart of thermodynamics, is a process, known as Entropy. Entropy
is a way of measuring just how disordered a pack of card is, when shuffled, and of
determining the likelihood of particular outcomes with further shuffles. Rutherford discovered
that atomic elements were transmutable and indeed that the Greek word ‘Atom’ which means
‘uncuttable’, was no longer so and, therefore, inappropriate. Henry Joe Muller, a Jewish
scientist discovered what was applicable in physics is also applicable in biology and proved
that genes are artificially mutable. This laid the foundation of a whole science of molecular
biology and the eventual identification of the structure of DNA and how it is unique to each
individual.

4.6.4. The short story is that, while change is the only permanent thing in both physics and
biology, the Lord, who makes all these things happen all the time, is himself beyond change,
and is changeless, Avyayah.
 19

4.7. Kshetragna and Akshara (Yeva Cha) (Sloka 2, Namas 16 and 17)
4.7.1. Kshetragna is translated as ‘knower of the field (Purusha). The whole of chapter 13 of
Bhagwat Geeta is called Kshetra Kshetragna Vibhaga yoga or the yoga of the discrimination of
the Prakriti and Purusha. Lord Krishna says “ the body is called Kshetra (Prakriti), the field
and he who knows it is called Kshetragna, by the sages”. Prakriti by itself is inert; Purusha on
its own does not function. But, when the two join, life results and functions in different ways
depending upon the type of Prakriti (body) where the Purusha (Kshetragna) has entered. The
Purusha functions, as ‘Upadrshta’ (spectator), ‘Anumanta’ (permitter), ‘Bharta’ (supporter),
Bhokta (enjoyer) ‘Maheswara’ (the Great Lord) and ‘Paramatma’ (Supreme Self), in that order,
depending upon the level of intellect of this relationship.

◊ Kshetragna and Akshara – Knower of the field and eternal.

◊ Examples of the field and Knower of the field.
◊ Akshara as alphabets , conjugation, pronunciation change and decay over time in
intonation.
◊ Alphabets themselves are eternal.
◊ 51 Sakthi peetas referred to as 51 Aksharas.

4.7.2 We may further illustrate this by two examples. Electricity by itself, cannot manifest as
light. But, when it passes through a bulb it is manifested as light. Similarly, a good seed is
only a potential tree and can germinate only in a good nutrient soil. At the other extreme, virus
is a strange entity, a piece of nucleic acid. In isolation they are inert and harmless. But,
introduced into a suitable host, they burst into life, afflicting us with hundreds of diseases
from flu through Small Pox to Polio and AIDS. Electricity, seeds, virus are different
‘Kshetragna’ (Purusha), inactive and inert by themselves but they know how and when to get
active, and so is the Lord.

4.7.3 ‘AKSHARA’ is defined as ‘eternal’ or ‘without end’. God could have been simply
defined as ‘eternal’ but, why add ‘Yeva Cha’ (and also) by bringing in a symbiotic relationship
between ‘Kshetragna’ and ‘Aksharah’. Let us see a little more in detail.

4.7.4 ‘Akshara’ in common parlance reflects the alphabets. All beings are perishable and the
‘Kutastha’ (the immutable) is called the imperishable (Akshara). As the screen is the
background for motion pictures in a Cinema hall, Brahman is the substratum, basis and
background of the panorama of this universe. The changes that take place in the world do not
affect the Brahman, even as the various scenes in a picture do not affect the screen. It is,
therefore, called Aksharam, the imperishable. The five elements, on the other hand, are
Ksharam or perishable. The physical structure of the Reality is made up of the elements. It is
with the aid of the element that the sentient is revealing itself. Beings require the elements for
their embodiment. For example, a nut is identified by its embodiment by the shell, both for its
existence and preservation. Similarly, in articulation, the part that the consonants play clinging
to the vowels is analogous to the function of the elements.
4.7.5.An important development in the history of Indian Science was the pioneering work of
Panini ( 6th century BCE) in the field of Sanskrit grammar. It had a profound impact on all
mathematical treatises that followed. He provided formal definitions and rules of Sanskrit
grammar (Vyakaranam) in his treatise called Ashtaadyaayi. Basic elements such as vowels and
consonants, parts of speech like nouns and verbs, and the construction of compound words
and sentences were all laid down. Ingermann, in his paper titled ‘Panini Backus Form” finds
Panini’s notation to be equivalent in its power to that of Backus Form used to describe the
syntax of modern computer languages. ( Source: Website tripod- South Asian History, History
of Mathematics in India “)

4.7.6 The conjugation of letters or the scripts in the form of words and its pronunciation is
very important in Vedas. The process is known as ‘Siksha’, the most important of the six
‘Angas’ of the Vedas. The very first chapter of the popular Taitareeya Upanishad deals with
the pronunciation of these words and the meaning each of these conjugations convey and is
called “Sikshavalli”. There are elaborate guidelines like Padam, Kramam etc laid down for
 20

pronunciation and intonation of each one of the words. When correctly done, they
produce the appropriate vibrations, in the different nerves which , in turn, produce the desired
effect in the overall health and personality of the individual.

4.7.7 Not withstanding this, each one of the Vedas and their practices got concentrated in
certain areas, over a period of time. They also got subjected to the local pronunciation,
intonation and nondifferentiation between certain letters in different places and also evolved
into a number of branches. For instance, Va and Ba are pronounced synonymously in Bengal
Ja and Ya in North and La and LLa in South. The Brahmi script , which is considered oldest
in India and in which many of the ancient eddicts are found, is totally different from the
current Devanagari script of Sanskrit. Similarly, the Grantha script, which is the mother of the
scripts of Dravidian languages like Tamil and Malayalam is more or less disappearing. Thus,
while the pronunciation, script and intonation over a period of time, got corrupted by local
influence, the Akshara remained the same. From the Vedic times till now, this Kutasta or the
cosmic Purusha, has undergone changes only of names, forms and attributes according to the
attitudes and attainments of the worshippers but Akshara remains eternal. Comparative
Philology of the different languages is an ocean by itself in this regard.

4.7.8 The 51 Aksharas or letters in Sanskrit came from the Vedas. They are called ‘Matruka’.
The Saakta Philosophy believes that these 51 Aksharas indeed depict the 51 parts of the
Goddess Paraasakti and the 51 Sakti peetas in our country depict these 51 Aksharas
represented by 51 parts of Her body.

4.7.9 Thus, the immutable ‘Purusha’ called ‘Akshara’ or the alphabets and the ‘Kshetregna
Purusha’ are verily the same and represent Lord Vishnu. The reconfirmation by ‘Yeva Cha-
and also’ has become necessary by the subsequent corruption in pronunciation intonation
and script of the immutable Aksharas”.

4.8 Mathematics, Zero, Infinity and Vishnu :

4.8.1 After discussing the macrocosmic and microcosmic phenomena, the immutable, the
knower of the field and his endless attributes, it is appropriate that we talk a little about
mathematics – how He is described as ‘Shunyah’ (emptiness) and Infinite, and their role
in development of mathematics, before we proceed further.
4.8.2 In the Vedic period, records of mathematical activity are mostly found associated with
rituals. Arithmetic operations (Ganitam) such as addition, subtraction, multiplication,
fractions, etc. are enumerated in Narada Vishnu purana, attributed to sage Vyasa.
Examples of geometric knowledge (Rekha Ganitam) are found in the Sulva Sutras of
Boudhayana (800 BCE) and Apastambha (600 BCE), which describe techniques for
construction of the ritual altars.
4.8.3 Space and time were considered limitless in Jain Cosmology. This led to a deep interest
in very large numbers and infinite numbers and to develop the notion of logarithms.
Buddhist literature also demonstrates awareness of indeterminate and infinite numbers.
4.8.4 Philosophical formulations concerning ‘Shunyah’, that is emptiness or void facilitated
in the introduction of the concept of zero (bindu). The importance of zero as an empty
place holder in the place value system of numerals is well known from ancient times.
The algebraic definitions of zero and its relationship to mathematical functions were
developed by Brahmagupta (7th century AD), though opinions are also on record that
zero was implied even earlier by Aryabhatta (476 BCE) in his treatise.
4.8.5 Be that, as it may, the recorded reference to shunya and infinity exists in Vishnu
sahasranama in the Namaavalis 742 and 743, of shloka 79. The Lord is praised as :
‘Vishamah”: (742) – One to whom there is no equal because nothing is comparable to
him. If there is none equal to him, how can anything be greater? – the concept of
infinite.
‘Shunyah’ : (743) – One who, being without any attributes, appears as ‘Shunyah’ (emptiness).
Closely follow three other names :
‘Dhritaasih’; - One whose blessings are unfailing, but how can emptiness confer unfailing
bliss?
 21

‘Achalah’ : - One who cannot be deprived of His real nature as Truth, Intelligence and
Infinity.
‘Chalah’ : - One who moves.

4.8.6 Let us see these in the context of zero. Zero before an integer has no value but after a
number, assumes any value depending upon its place. We all know that the smaller the
value of the divisor in the division function, the value of the quotient becomes bigger.
If the divisor is zero, then the quotient is infinite and that is ‘Vishamah’. Thus, we see
the concept of zero, infinity and its place value in numerals, have all been already
expressed in a small list of five names of Lord Vishnu.
4.8.7 This simple notational system conceived in Indian scriptures and its significance have
been appreciated and integrated later in the Western system. In the words of the great
French mathematician of Napoleon’s time, Laplace (of Laplace transformations fame) ,
‘ the ingenious method of expressing every possible number using a set of ten symbols,
each symbol having a place value and an absolute value, emerged in India. The idea
seems so simple nowadays, that its significance and profound importance is no longer
appreciated. Its simplicity lies in the way it facilitated calculation and placed arithmetic
foremost amongst useful inventions’.

4.9 Purushottamah: Sloka 3, Nama 24

4.9.1 We discussed Purusha above and saw his attributes and his relationship with Akshara.
Why call him again as “Purushottamah’ by the superlative form of Purusha, just after a few
Naamaavalis? Let us see.

◊ Purushottamah – Highest knower of the field.

◊ Proton accelerator- lead to postulate of even smaller particles like Muons, Pions etc all
transient.
◊ Superstring theory.
◊ Our Knowledge is still very limited, Feel humbled.

4.9.2 Again, a whole chapter 15 of Bhagwat Geeta is devoted to ‘Purushottama Yoga’. Sloka
15.18 says “As I transcend the perishable and am even above the imperishable, therefore, am I
known in the world and in the Veda as “Purushottama” the highest Purusha.

4.9.3. We saw earlier that the atoms are quite durable and that the electrons appear at the
same time to be present everywhere and no where, to explain one of His names. Lets us see
further.

4.9.4 Breaking up atoms is easy. We do it each time we switch on a fluorescent light. But it is
the breaking up of the atomic nucleii which cracks up the physicist. When they tried to
accelerate a proton or other charged particles at an extremely high speed and banged it to
another particle, they began to find or postulate smaller particles called Muons, Pions,
Hyperons, Mesons, Bosons and so on. They found that these transient particles can come into
being and gone again in as little as 10-24 second. “Every second, the earth is visited by ten
thousand trillion trillion massless neutrinos shot out by the nuclear reaction of the sun, while
converting its Hydrogen to Helium, and virtually all of them pass through the planet and
every thing that is on it, including you and me”.

4.9.5 In an attempt to draw things together, the physicists have come up with a ‘Superstring’
theory. They postulate “ that all these ‘small particles’ are actually ‘strings’, vibrating strings of
energy that oscillate in eleven dimensions, three we know already and seven others, yet
unknown to us”.
 22

4.9.6 The upshot of all this is that we live in a universe whose age one can not quite
compute, surrounded by stars whose distances from us and between each other, we do not
know, filled with matter we can not identify operating in conformity with physical laws,
whose properties we don’t truly understand (Quoted from Bryson 2003).

If this is not “Purushottama”, what else is?

4.10 Sivah Sloka 4 Nama 27

4.10.1 Meaning absolutely pure, pure because of the absence of the three inappropriate,
though logically correct, Gunas or characters:-

1. Avyaapti- a statement incorrectly considered as universal; eg all cows are white.

2. Ativyaapti– Unique observation justified as universal; eg, crows are black, crows
are birds, therefore, birds are black.
3. Asambhavam– Totally impossible; eg taking bath in a mirage.

This nama represents the Lord who is rid of these three myths.

4.11 Prabhavah, Prabhuh Sloke 4, Namas 34, 35.

Prabhavah : Source

Prabhuh : Lord

4.11.1 The goal of life may vary from person to person, but they can all be grouped into three
classes.

(i) Striving for long, efficient life (Sat).

(ii) Seeking after wider knowledge (Chit).

(iii) Searching for more happiness (Ananda).

They can be summarized as sat-chit-ananda or more famously the 3 L’s, Life, Light and Love.

4.11.2 Even as the sea is the origin for the waves, the Lord is for the entire creation.
Electricity manifests itself in different forms- heat, cold, light, breeze etc but the source of
energy for all these manifestations is the same (Prabhavah and Prabhuh).

5. Some Names Related to the Status of the Universe, its Creation etc and the Scientific
Significance.

5.1.1 A number of names that follow describe the primordial nature of the Lord and His
linkage with the universe. For eg,

SWAYAMBHU – (Sloka 5, Nama 37) origin without conventional reproduction as we

understand.

ADITYAH - Sloka 5 Nama 39 - Even as the sun illuminates the whole world, so is the
Paramatman who gives spiritual luminosity to the entire universe. The various uses to
which the intellect puts it, good or bad or indifferent, does not affect the luminosity of
the source of that light.
 23

MAHASVANAH Sloka 5 Nama 41 - One with a powerful voice- even as the

particular notes of a drum, conch or flute have no separate existence from the general
note of these instruments, but, when played in an order of sequence, produces
melodious music, so the knowledge of the existing universe in the waking and dream
states has no validity of its own, apart from the intelligence (Brahman) which pervades
it. As breath comes out of a man without any thought or effort, so too do the externally
existing Vedas with their various subdivisions issue spontaneously out of Brahman.
This differentiated universe, before its origin, is nothing but Brahman (Brihadaranyaka
Upanishad, chapter 2.4.7 to 10)

ANAADHI NIDHANA - Sloka 5 Nama 42 without beginning or end.

DHAATAA - Sloka 5 Nama 43 one who supports the world.

APRAMEYA - Sloka 6 Nama 46 beyond logical explanation.

PADMANABHA - Sloka 6 Nama 48 the lotus from the naval. Pushkaram,

Pundareekam, Padmam, Chakram are all counts of numbers like ten, hundred,
thousand, etc. Padmam is hundred thousand crores or a trillion. The age of the earth is
estimated at about 4.5 billion years. Clearly, one is symbolically talking a trillion years
before, the universe, the Milky way represented by the stem of the lotus and Brahma at
the end of it, as the Solar System.

VISWAKARMA - Sloka 6 Nama 50 one who created this universe.

MANUH - Sloka 6 Nama 51 (literally), one who thinks of everything – He who dwells
in all beings but is within them, whom none of the beings knows, where body is all
beings, and who controls all beings from within, the inner controller-your own self and
immortal. He’s never seen but is the seer, never thought but the thinker, never known
but the knower. He is the inner controller (Brihadaaranyaka Upanishad chapter 3.7 23).
Prakriti, by itself is inert. Purusha, on its own does not function. But, when the two join
life results and function in various forms depending upon the type of prakriti where
Purusha has entered. The Purusha functions in the body he has entered as a spectator,
permittor, supporter, enjoyer, the Lord and the Supreme self, in that order, depending
upon the level of intellect Brahma Gnanam, attained (Bhagwad Geeta, chapter 13,21 and
22).

TWASHTA : Sloka 6 Nama 52 – One who destroys everything at the time of deluge
(Pralaya).

◊ Namas related to the status of this universe, its

creation etc.
◊ All talk about origin of life from the primordial

5.1.2 And so goes an a number of Naamaavalis that follow. They all speak in general about
the origin of the universe from that unique source, the sustenance, the age and its destruction.
They also talk about the origin of life from this primordial source. Let us now see how far the
modern science has been able to unravel this mystery.

5.2. Scientific Significance

5.2.1. As we have seen earlier, amino acids and protein constitute the elixir of life. Amino
acids can be created in a chemical laboratory, but the problem is of protein. Proteins are
perhaps a million type in the human body and one needs to assemble the amino acids like the
building blocks, to make a protein, in a particular order, in much the same way as one has to
assemble the letters in a particular way to get a word. For example, to spell ‘collagen’, a
common type of protein, one needs to arrange eight letters of the English alphabets, in a
 24

particular order. But to MAKE the same collagen, a protein, one needs to arrange 1,055
amino acids in perfectly the right sequence. And the miracle is that it arranges itself,
spontaneously, without direction. Yet, we are talking about several thousand types of protein,
each unique and each vital to the sound maintenance of the body. A protein by itself, is no
good, if it can not reproduce itself and proteins can’t reproduce by themselves. For this, they
need DNA (De oxyribo nucleic acid).

◊ Scientific significance of Namas mentioned above.

◊ Amino acids as building blocks of protein.
◊ DNA and Protein as Kshetra and Kshetragna or Purusha and Prakriti.
◊ Conversion of monomer to polymer is alone not enough for creation of life and this
Awareness is Reality.

5.2.2 The complete set of human genes comes packaged in twenty three separate pairs of
chromosomes. Of these twenty two pairs are numbered in approximate order of size, from the
largest (number 1) to the smallest (number 22), while the remaining pair consists of the sex
chromosomes, two large X chromosomes in women, one X and one small Y in men. Each
chromosome is one pair of very long DNA molecules which are long chains of sugar and
phosphate, to which the bases are attached as side rungs.

5.2.3 DNA is adept at replicating. It can make copy of itself in seconds but can do virtually
nothing else. So, we have a paradoxical situation. Proteins can not exist without DNA and
DNA has no purpose without protein. Did they arise simultaneously with the purpose of
supporting each other? (Bill Bryson, 2003) – What an exemplary proof of Purusha and Prakriti
or Kshetra and Kshetragna!

5.2.4 There is something more to it. DNA, protein, and other components of life can not
prosper without some sort of membrane to contain them. If an atom from a cell of our body is
removed, it is no more alive. It is only when they are with in the nurturing cell, there is life.
Without the cell, they are just chemicals. But without chemicals, the cell has no purpose.
Everything needs everything else. And that is the great mystery of God. This Reality is indeed
the Awareness.

5.2.5 Every scenario concerning the conditions necessary for life involves water but, to covert
monomers to polymers (that is, to create protein), wet monomers alone are not enough. How
and why it happens except when creating life on earth is one of biology’s yet unanswered
questions. Yes, the protein and DNAs and their role for creation of life explain the significance
of such names as Swayambhu, Aprameya, Anaadhinidhana Vishwakarma and Manuh, just to
mention a few of the names.

5.2.6 The ‘Murchison’ meteorite, which crashed in Murchison in Australia in 1969, when
analyzed, was found to be 4.5 billion years old and contained 74 types of amino acids, eight of
which are involved in the formation of proteins found on earth. In 2001, it was also found that
the Murchison meteorites contained some complex strings of sugar, called polyols, unique till
then only to the earth. Such findings found supporters for the extra terrestrial origin of life,
Padmanabha, the lotus stem symbolically comparable to the Milky way, extending life from
extra terrestrial to earth!

◊ Extra terrestrial origin of life.

◊ Which organisms came first, Protozoan or Bacteria?
◊ Use of genetic code by organisms.
◊ Life is still in the realm of unknown and “watching the world” is really an illusion.
◊ Some of the namas mentioned in previous pages explain this philosophy beautifully.
 25

5.2.7 There are views expressed both for and against, which organisms lived first on
the surface of the earth, the unicellular protozoan or the bacteria. Columns of ‘stromatolites’
(bacterial columns) several meters thick present in very ancient rocks, or the blue-green
algae, called cyanobacteria, which have contributed to the formation of ‘Banded-Haematite
Quarzite’ of the Pre-Cambrian rocks, so commonly seen in North Karnataka (and
commercially mined) are considered much more evolved than the cellular organisms, whose
descendants we are. The blue green algae learned to tap into the freely available hydrogen
from water molecules and released oxygen as ‘waste’, and in the process, invented
‘Photosynthesis’, which is the single most important metabolic innovation in the history of our
planet. Gradually, life became more complex and created two types of organisms, those that
expel oxygen (like plant) and those that take it in (like human beings)

5.2.8 Wherever you go in the world, what ever animal, plant, bacteria or virus you look at, if
it is alive, it will use the same genetic code. The genetic code (barring a few aberrations) is the
same in every creature. This means that there was only one creation, one single event when life
was born and that all life is one. As Erasmus Darwin remarked. “one and the same kind of
living filaments has been the cause of all organic life”. (Matt Ridley 1999).

5.2.9 V S Ramachandran, the internationally well known neuroscientist concludes his book
on ‘Phantoms in the Brain (1998) by stating, “It seems somehow disconcerting to be told that
your life, all your hopes, triumphs and aspirations simply arise from the activities of neurons
in your brain. But far from humiliating, this idea is ennobling. Cosmology, evolution and the
brain science are all telling us that we have no privileged position in the universe and that our
sense of having a private non-material soul ‘watching the world’ is really an ILLUSION. Once
you realize that far from being a spectator, you are in fact part of the eternal ebb and flow of
events in the cosmos, the realization is very liberating”.

5.2.10 (How well this small treatise on the origin, age and evolution of life in this planet, nay,
the universe has been so succinctly explained in merely attributing some names to the Lord of
this universe is clear if the Naamaavali is again read, in the light of the above scientific facts
(admittedly yet limited) known so far and the mystery of biology of life itself is still in the
realm of the unknown and, therefore, in His jurisdiction).

6. Atman and its Adjectives

What is Atman? It is defined as the supreme self, the core of one’s personality. The Atman
enlivens the body to perceive and act, through its organs of perception and action. It enlivens
the intellect of the individual to THINK when thoughts of the world result. But when the
intellect CONTEMPLATES, thoughts of reality dawn on the individual. Thus, the anatomical,
physiological, psychological and philosophical functions of a human being are controlled by
the functions of the body, mind and intellect. If one has to reach the state of pure untainted
consciousness, one has to free oneself from attachment to body, mind and intellect.

This idea is portrayed in the picture of the chariot and horses in the Geetopadesa
chapter of the Mahabharata, with Lord Krishna as the charioteer, and Arjuna seated behind
him. In the metaphor, the charioteer represents the intellect (who has to hold the reins firmly
and not let loose), the reins represent the mind, the horses the senses, the passenger the
individual. When the intellect maintains a perfect control over the mind and senses, the
Antahkaranas and Bahirkaranas of the Prakriti Tatwas, the individual reaches the ultimate
goal.

The three spiritual disciplines recommended to achieve this goal are :

Karma Yoga – path of action for the body
Bhakti Yoga – path of devotion for the mind, and
Gnana Yoga – path of knowledge for the intellect.

6.1.1. In Sahasranama We had discussed earlier the Jeevaatma and Brahman as the
25 and 26 Tatwas and that both are indeed the same. As if to reinstate this, the word
th th
 26

Atma, either alone or with different adjectives, appear 26 times in the Naamaavali.
Let us look into them a little in detail. They are:

1) Bhutaatmah: Sloka 1 Nama 8 Life to the Lives.

2) Putaatmah: Sloka 2 Nama 10 Absolutely Pure and unattached.

3) Paramaatmah: Sloka 2 Nama 11 One who functions as the spectator, permitter,

Supporter, the Lord and the Supreme Self.
4) Aatmavate: Sloka 9 Nama 84 Standing on one’s own greatness without any other
support or roots.

5) Ameyaatmah: Sloka 11 Nama 102also Sloka 19 Nama 179 Immeasurable

wisdom.

6) Samaatman: Sloka 12 Nama 107 Embodiment of the ultimate Truth.

7) Chaturaatman: Sloka 15 Nama 137, also Sloka 82 Nama 769 Superficially, chatur
may mean four, but, in the context of the Naamaavali that follow,
may more appropriately be understood as clever or intelligent,
assuming forms according to need. According to Vishnu purana,
Brahma, Prajaapatis like Daksha, Kaala(Time) and Jivaas—these
are powers of Vishnu for purposes of creation. Vishnu, the
Manus, Kaala (Time) and living beings are the powers of Vishnu
for purpose of sustenance. Rudra, Time, Death (Mrithyu) and
living beings are Vishnu’s powers for purpose of dissolution.

8) Dhrutaatman: Sloka 17 Nama.160 Stable without birth or death.

9) Visrutaatma: Sloka 22, Nama 207, Worshipped in Srutis for his qualities like
Truth, wisdom etc

10) Vishwaatma:Sloka 24 Nama 225, the jeevaatma of the entire universe.

11) Nivrutaatma: Sloka 25 Nama 229, also Sloka 64 Nama 597 Detached from
the Karmas or their results.

12) Prasannaatman: Sloka 26 Nama 237, Clear, without likes and dislikes; never
contaminated by Rajoguna (Passion) or Tamoguna (Inertia).

13) Aprameyaatman: Sloka 27 Nama 248 Beyond the reach of human Knowledge.

14) Prakaasaatman: Sloka 30 Nama 276, Luminous everywhere.

15) Vruddhaatman: Sloka 38 Nama 352, The oldest.

16) Vimuktaatman: Sloka 48 Nama 452, Free from all bondages, by nature.

17) Naikaatman: Sloka 50 Nama 468 Not one body ( Took different forms on
different occasions)

18) Anantaatman: Sloka 55 Nama 518 Beyond comprehension; one who cannot be
determined by space, time or causation.

19) Vijitaatman: Sloka 66 Nama 620, One who has conquered the mind.

20) Avideyaatma: Sloka 66 Nama 621A Rupa or an expression not understood by

anybody.
 27

21) Visuddhaatman: Sloka 68 Nama 636, Crystal clear , beyond the three Gunas.

22) Trilokaatman: Sloka 69 Nama 646 The three worlds are none other than the
Supreme self.

23) Anivrutaatman: Sloka 83 Nama 774 At once, present everywhere and nowhere,
simultaneously, omnipresent.

24) Gabheeraatma: Sloka 100 Nama 937 Of immeasurable depth.

25) Ekaatman: Sloka 103 Nama 965 Only one Atma, and omnipresent. Taitareeya
Upanishad says, “ This Atman alone existed in the beginning. The Smriti says,” That is
known as Atman, which pervades every being and which remains always the same.”

26) Atmayoni: Sloka 106 Nama 985 Self reproductive. There is no material cause
other than Himself for the Universe.

◊ Nama Atman with its adjectives repeated 26 times in Sahasranama.

◊ An allusion to 24 Praakriti Tatwas, Jeevaatma and Brahman.
◊ Brahman misrepresented by our misconception is the world.

6.1.2. Thus, the five elements, five tanmatras, five organs of perception, five organs of action,
mind, intellect, ego and chitta, constituting the 24 Prakriti Tatwas and the Jeevaatama and
Brahman, whatever is manifested, is the Supreme Brahman itself. The world of object that we
see around, us, is in itself, by itself , nothing but Brahman. BRAHMAN, MISREPRESENTED
BY OUR MISCONCEPTION, IS THE WORLD. It is interesting to observe that the different
adjectives for Atman from the first sloka to the 106th are so chosen , as to explain first that the
Atman or Soul is different from life or body, through different levels of statements like, “
Atman is free from all bondages, beyond the three Gunaas ( Satwa, Rajo and Tama),
omnipresent etc to a final statement that there is only one Atma and that there is no material
cause other than Himself for the Universe. This is very similar to the Lord’s approach in
Bhagwad Gita, to slowly elevate a person from Karma Yoga (Yoga of Action), through
different stages to the Yoga of Liberation by renunciation .

6.2. Atman In Viveka Choodamani: Adishankara, in Viveka Choodmani, describes this by

beautiful adjectival phrases ( Slokas 237-240 ) and Swami Chinmayananda explains them
admirably, further.

6.2.1. These phrases are:

1) Transcendental (Para) the illuminating principle behind Body-Mind-intellect
(BMT), Perceiver- Feeler - Thinker (PFT) and Objects-Emotions-Thought. (OET) is the
pure self, the Consciousness upon which the myriad names and forms are merely an
illusory projection.

2) Real (Sat) – which remains the same, in the past, present and future.

3) One without a second (Adwiteeyam) ultimate eternal reality.

4) Extremely pure (Visuddham) - It has no vasanas on it. Vasanas are the foot
prints of past thoughts and actions left upon the personality. Any conscious act –
physical, mental or intellectual, create Vasanas. Vasanas create the world and the world
around us creates the Vasanas in us.

5) Homogenous mass of knowledge (Vigyaana Ganam) - Absolute knowledge.

 28

6) Without any taint (Niranjanam) The Atman, the Self, is beyond all Vasanas and,
therefore, is taintless.

7) Supremely peaceful (Prasaantam) - There are no agitations of mind and intellect,

because they have been transcended.

8) Devoid of beginning and end (Adi – anta – viheenam). Eternal, immutable,

changeless, limitless.

9) Beyond activity (Akriyam) – There is nothing other than it to serve, no field for it
to function.

10) Of the nature of eternal bliss (Nirantar - ananda – rasa – swaroopam) Beyond
happiness, it is bliss.

11) Transcending all diversities created by Maya (Nirasta – Maya – krita. Sarva –
bhedam – Maya means the non – apprehension of reality (illusion).

12) Eternal (Nityam) - which is not conditioned by space and time.

13) Essence of pleasure (Sukham) – One which illumines sentiments of joy and
emotion.

14) Without any part (Nishkalam) - Limitless.

15) Immeasurable (Aprameyam) – Incomparable.

16) Formless (Aroopam) limitless and hence, no form.

17) Un-manifest (Avyaktam) – Can not be sensed by the sense – organs, mind or
intellect.

18) Timeless (An – aakhyam) – No name to distinguish, ‘it’ because it has no form or
limit or measures.

19) Immutable (Avyayam) – eternal and changeless.

20) Self luminous (Jyoti –swayam) – To know the Atman, no other medium or light
is necessary.
◊ Concept of Atma explained in Viveka Choodamani, Bhagwat Geeta,
Brhadaaranyaka Upanishad.
◊ Atman is neither born not does it die and is beyond action.
◊ When duty is discharged untarnished by desire, clarity of understanding
ensues and efficiency increases.
◊ THIS AWARENESS IS REALITY – PRAGNANAM BRAHMA.

6.2.3 In sloka 240, Adisankara further describes Brahman as:

21) That which can neither be thrown away nor taken up.

22) Which lies beyond the limits of mind and speech.

23) Whole and one’s own self.

24) Of outshining glory.

 29

6.2.4. Adisankara says that only great sages see this TRUTH in which there are no
distinctions such as the Knower, the knowledge and the known.

6.3 Atman in Bhagwat Geeta.

6.3.1 Practically, every chapter in Bhagwat Geeta talks about Brahman, the Reality and its
indestructibility. While talking about Yoga of action (Karma Yoga), the Geeta declares that
Atman is beyond action. The chapter of Bhakti Yoga (Devotion) talks about Brahman with and
without attributes. The very second chapter of Bhagwat Geeta, is devoted to Samkhya Yoga,
or the Yoga of knowledge wherein, the Lord gradually teaches Arjuna, as though to a child,
the difference between Real and Unreal, Atman and its indestructibility. He states in
unequivocal terms, “The unreal has no existence, the real never ceases to be”.
“PRAGYANAM BRAHMA” “Awareness is Reality” is the definition of Absolute Reality.

6.3.2 “ The Atman is neither born nor does IT die. Coming into being and ceasing to be, do
not take place in IT. Unborn, eternal, constant and ancient, IT is not killed when the body is
slain” Geeta 2.20.

6.3.3 The fact about Atman is that IT indwells in the bodies of all and is ever invulnerable.
The Lord induces Arjuna not to be motivated by desire and yet to be intensely active. When
duty is discharged untarnished by desire, clarity of understanding ensues and efficiency
increases. This is stated by Lord, in the oft-quoted sloka.
“Karmany eve Adhikaras te maa phalesu kadacana maa karma phale Ketur bhur maa te
Sango’stu akarmani-seek to perform your duty, but lay not claim to its fruits. Be you not the
producer of the fruits of Karma; neither shall you lean towards inaction” 2.47.

6.4.1 Entire chapters in Brhadaranyaka Upanishad are devoted to the understanding of

Brahmam. This is not referred to here, since this treatise may then become too much of a
spiritual philosophic narration, rendered by some one who has not understood it even
peripherally.

6.4.2 The Vedas speak of the interconnection between the external and internal worlds. It
could be the interplay between the galaxy, the stars, the planet and the individual
bodies on the earth and / or the interplay between the body, mind and intellect at the
terrestrial level. It is now known that it is not merely the gravitational pull of the planet
that causes a certain response, but also an internal clock governed by the genes.
Contemporary science has begun to examine Vedic theories on the nature of “self”.
While a lot has been achieved both at the macro and micro cosmic levels, lots remain
still to be understood. For example, in the Mahabharata, there is mention of an embryo
conceived in one womb, being transferred to the womb of another woman, where it was
born. The transferred embryo is Balarama and that is how he is the brother of Lord
Krishna, although he was born to Rohini and not to Devaki. A few decades back, this
would have been laughed at by the rationalists, but today, surrogate mothers and
surrogate children are almost common place.

6.4.3 Similarly, the concept of space, time and matter of the Vedic ages has been remarkably
close to established scientific facts, of a later date. Yoga Vasishta is an ancient text, with
over 29,000 verses, traditionally attributed to sage Valmiki, but there are also views that
they were compiled at a much later date. Irrespective of date, some of the passages of
the treatise on time, space, matter and consciousness are remarkably scientific, as may
be seen from a few statements mentioned below (science in ancient India by Subhash C.
Kak, 2005):
• Just as space does not have a fixed span, time does not have a fixed span either.
Just as the world and its creation are mere appearances, a moment and an epoch
are also imaginary.
• The entire universe is contained in a sub atomic particle and the three worlds
exist within one strand of hair.
 30

• In every atom, there are worlds within worlds.

• There are countless universes, diverse in composition and space time structure.
In every one of them, there are continents and mountains, inhabited by people
who have their own time space and life span.
• The entire universe is forever the same as the consciousness that dwells in every
atom.
• Consciousness is pure, eternal and infinite. It does not arise nor cease to be. It is
ever there in the moving and unmoving, in the sky.
• The Lord who is the infinite consciousness is the silent but alert witness of the
cosmic dance. He is not different from the dancer (the cosmic natural order), and
the dance (the happenings).

6.4.4 Therefore, one could speculate that the parallels between ancient philosophies and
some recent discoveries on physics or biology are a result of the inherent conceptual
advances over a period of time. The basic concept is that action is performed without
attachment and the pure consciousness stands above it. Let us see further.
 31

6.5 SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS: Let us see scientifically how this apparently dual
function of performing action without attachment and how the Atman itself stands above it.

6.5.2 It starts with a single cell. The first cell split to become two and the two became four
and so on. After thus splitting 47 times, the human body has 10,000 trillion cells and are ready
to spring forth as a human being. (Margulis and sagan 2002). Each cell knows what exactly to
do to nurture the human body, mind and intellect from the time of conception till death.

◊ Scientific concepts of how the dual function of performing action without attachment and how
Atman stands above it.
◊ Different types of cells in different parts of the human body and how they all perform their
assigned duties.
◊ Staggering immensity of biochemical activity and the work goes on smoothly, in unattached
manner.

6.5.3 Most living cells seldom last more than a month or so but with some exceptions. Liver
cells can survive for years, though the components with in them may be renewed every few
days. Brain cells last as long as we do. We have about hundred billion cells at birth and that is
all that we will get for the rest of our lives. It is estimated that we loose about five hundred
brain cells every hour and that is why the elders say that there is not a moment to waste.
However, the individual components of the brain cells are constantly renewed so that, no part
of them is likely to be more than a month old. In fact, it is suggested that there is not a single
bit of any of us, not even a stray molecule, that was part of us nine years ago. Yes, we all grow
old, but at the cellular level we are not more than nine years old at any point of time or part of
the body!

6.5.4 There is activity everywhere in the cell and a ceaseless thrum of electrical energy. The
food and oxygen combine in the cell to produce electricity. We don’t feel it because it happens
on a very tiny scale of about 0.1 volt travelling a few nanometers only. To have a proper idea
of this, we have to scale it up. This will translate to 20 million volts per meter, equal to the
charge carried by a thunderstorm.

6.5.5 Similarly, if we blow up a cell, to a scale, in which atom would be the size of a pea, the
cell itself would be a sphere ¾ th of a Kilometer across with millions of objects whizzing across
like bullets. Each strand of DNA is attacked every 8.4 seconds. The proteins spin, pulsate and
fly into each other upto a billion times a second. The enzymes perform a thousand tasks every
second, building and rebuilding molecules. Some proteins live for less than half an hour;
others survive for weeks. Typically, a cell will contain some 20,000 different types of proteins
and, of these, about 2000 types will each be represented by at least 50,000 molecules. This
means that there will be at least 100 million protein molecules in each cell. This is then the
staggering immensity of biochemical activity with in us.

6.5.6 When the cells are no longer needed, they die with great dignity. They take down all
the struts and buttresses that hold them together and quietly devour their component parts.
Every day, billions of cells die and billions of others clean up the mess.

6.5.7 The wonder of cells is that they manage every thing so smoothly for decades at a stretch
(except an occasional aberration, which may cause cancer). All this is random action, directed
by nothing more than elemental rules of attraction and repulsion. There is clearly no desire or
motivation behind any of the action of the cells. It just happens so smoothly and repeatedly,
producing a perfect harmony across the organism. Every living thing is a wonder of atomic
engineering.

6.5.8 Which is then, I or self or Atman? the cells, the protein, the enzymes, the DNAs ? No,
they are all finite, and Atman is beyond them. They all function in all the 26 adjectival roles
mentioned earlier, attached to Atman, but Atma or the Supreme self is beyond all of them;
again an instance of the Prakriti-Purusha or Kshetra-Kshetregna relationship. This awareness
is the Reality. The work must go on, in an unattached manner. Can there be a better example
 32

to illustrate the “Karmany eve Adhikaras te”, propounded by the Lord, than the cells and
how they function?

6.5.9 We may be wiser with a sobering note, “ Life wants to be; Life does not always want to
be much; Life goes on” and when we are aware of This Reality, we are nearer to
understanding ‘Atman’ and the adjectival phrases to it.

7. Self-Sustaining, Self-Procreating, Self Devouring, Self- creating Lord.

7.1 There are more than 50 Namas, consecrated to Him, eulogizing His prowess for Self-
Procreation, self devouring, self creation and self sustenance. While they may all look
apparently as prayers to the Lord, they, perhaps, have a significance on the Earth itself, which,
having been created in a fraction of a second, sustains itself over the last billions of years. Let
us therefore, look into these Namas and their likely scientific significance.

7.1.1 Some of the Namas are:-

1) Twashta: Sloka 6 Namas 52 One who destroys everything at the time of deluge.

2) Sthavira Dhruvah: Sloka 6 Nama 54 Old and stable (or certainly old!)

3) Agrahyah: Sloka 7 Nama 55 Can not be understood by organs of action.

4) Saaswatah: Sloka 7 Nama 56 Present all through, permanent.

5) Jyeshta: Sloka 8 Nama 67 The first.

6) Sreshta: Sloka 8 Nama 68 The foremost.

7) Bhugarbha: Sloka 8 Nama 71 Protects the earth, in constant turmoil, with in his
conception.

8) Vikramah: Sloka 9 Nama 78 One who has measured the ends of the world.

9) Krama: Sloka 9 Nama79 Occupying everything on earth.

10) Viswarethasa: Sloka 10 Nama 88 the causative seed of the world.

11) Prajaabhavaya: Sloka 10 Nama 89 Cause for The creation of life.

12) Ajaayah: Sloka 11 Nama 95 One without birth.

13) Siddhaaya: Sloka 11 Nama 97 Omnipresent, all the time

14) Siddhaya: Sloka 11 Nama 98 Revealing his luminous presence. On his own to
the devoted.
15) Sarvaadaye: Sloka 11 Nama 99, The root cause for everything in the World.

16) Vishwayonaye: Sloka 13 Nama 117, Also Sloka 16 Nama 149, The genital
(Female) for the birth
of the whole universe, the cause for the creation of this World.

17) Varaarohaaya: Sloka 13 Nama 121, Who has attained such an exalted place
which, once attained, one never comes back.
 33

18) Sarvagaaya:Sloka 14 Nama 123 Goes anywhere and everywhere.

19) Sangrahaaya: Sloka 17 Nama 158 Destroys everything at the time of

deluge or could mean –An enlightened man has no personal
motive. Out of compassion for the ignorant, He ceaselessly works
descending down to the level of the followers and their level of
intelligence. Seeing Him at work, the others follow. The rigours of
rites and rituals are given up so that the others would be able to
understand and follow up, until they are ready to rise to the next
higher level ( Geeta 3.25) Lokasangraham.

20) Sargah : Sloka 17 Nama 159, The embodiment of creation.

21) Dhrutaatma: Sloka 17 Nama 160, Stable with out birth or death.

22) Mahamaayaaya: Sloka 18 Nama170 The great illusionist.

23) Anirdesya Vapusha: Sloka 19 Nama 177 One, whom it is impossible to point out
as of one Rupa or appearance.

24) Mahaadridhruk: Sloka 19 Nama 180 One who lifts huge mountains.

25) Maheshvasa:Sloka 20 Nama 181 A great archer.

26) Mahi Bharta: Sloka 20 Nama 182 Lifting the earth to keep it in position.

27) Amrutyave: Sloka 22 Nama 198 Without destruction.

28) Ajaaya: Sloka 22 Nama 204 One without the conventional mode of birth, through
genitals.

29) Dharaneedharaaya: Sloka 25 Nama 235 One who holds the earth.

30) Vishwadhrushe: Sloka 26 Nama 238 Unmindful of good or evil, holds and
sustains the earth and all on it.

31) ViswaBhuje: Sloka 26 Nama 239 Eats the world at the time of deluge.

32) Vibhava: Sloka 26 Nama 240 One with multi appearances.

33) JagatSetava: Sloka 31 Nama 288 One who shores up the world, separating the
good from evil.

34) Yagaadikruta: Sloka 33 Nama 300, One who created the different periods
between and after each major deluge, like Treta yuga. Dwapara
Yuga etc.

35) Yugaa Vartaaya: Sloka 33 Nama 301 Creating the different yugas (the period)
again and again.

36) Mahaasanaaya: Sloka 33 Nama 303 One who eats a lot because He devours huge
parts of the earth at the time of each deluge.

37) Samayagyaaya : Sloka 39 Nama 358 One who knows the exact timing for
creation, sustenance and destruction and therefore, treats
everything with equanimity.
 34

38) Havir Haraye: Sloka 39 Nama 359 One who takes the offering ( Havir) in
the
Yagas , “I am verily the enjoyer and the Lord of all yagnas. But,
these men do not know Me in reality; hence, they fall”.Geeta 9.24.”
I am the Adhiyagna here in this body.” Geeta 8.4.

39) Udbhavaaya:Sloka 41 Nama 373. Responsible for the creation of the world and
beyond the bondage of worldliness “The seven great Rishis and the
four ancient Manus, endowed with my power, were born of My
mind; and from them have come forth all creatures in the world”
Geeta 10.6
The seven great Rishis Bhrigu, Marichi, Atri, Pulah, Pulastya, Kratu and
Angiras, as well as the four ancient Manus, Svarochisha, Svayambhu, Raivata
and Uttama, were all not of human origin. They are all personifications of the
several phases of cosmic reality. The seven Rishis are said to be the originators
of beings at all levels of existence and all grades of evolution. The four ancient
Manus function as the orderly administrators, of the entire creation.

40) Kshobhana: Sloka 41 Nama 374 At the time of creation, plays the role in unison
between Purusha and Prakriti.

41) Vikartra: Sloka 41 Nama 381 Creator of the myriad world and its contents.

42) Kshaamaaya1: Sloka 47 Nama 443 Standing alone and above the deluge, at
the time of deluge.

43) Sameehanaaya:Sloka 47 Nama 444 One who likes the role of creation.

44) Amitavikramaaya: Sloka 55 Nama 516 One who has countless number of steps
or strength beyond measure.

45) Mahodhadhisaya: Sloka 55 Nama 519 One who is lying down in the ocean at
the time of deluge.

46) Andaka: Sloka 55 Nama 520 The cause of the end of the world at the time of
deluge.

47) Vedasa: Sloka 59 Nama 547 Creator (of the unlimited, auspicious, myriad things
of the world).

48) Swaangaaya: Sloka 59 Nama 548 He is his own cause and effect.

49) Sangarshanaachyutaaya: Sloka 59 Nama 552 Grasping all the movable and
immovable objects towards him at the time of deluge
destroying them while He himself remains above
them all and undisturbed and untainted.

50) Sanksheptre:Sloka 64 Nama 598 Reducing the size of the world at the time of
deluge.

51) Mahaahavisha: Sloka 72 Nama 678 At the time of deluge when huge chunks of
the earth are offered as oblation in the Yaga, He himself becomes
the offered ( Mahahavis ).
 35

52) Havisha: Sloka 74 Nama 698 He himself is the Havis, the oblation offered.

“ Brahma’ r panam Brahma havir

brahmaagnam brahmanaa hutam
Brahmai’va tena gantavyam
Brahma karma samaadhinaa” Geeta 4.24.
“ The oblation is Brahman, the clarified butter is Brahman, offered by Brahman in the
fire of Brahman; into Brahman verily he goes who cognizes Brahman alone in his
action”. We chant this mantra in Sraaddha, while performing the Ahuti.

◊ Many names eulogise His prowess for self- sustenance, self-procreation. Self
destruction and again self creation.
◊ The oblation is, Brahman, the clarified butter is, Brahman, offered by Brahman in
the fire of Brahman; into Brahman verily he goes who cognizes Brahman alone in
His action.

7.1.2 Most of the Namas that follow also, from Sloka 75 till end praise and eulogise His
divine manifestation. And, as the Lord Himself says. “But, what need is there, O Arjuna for
this detailed knowledge? I stand supporting the whole universe with a single fragment of
myself “ Geeta 10.4.2

7.1.3 Therefore, we shall skip much of these Namas and just mention four more, which
appear towards the end of the Naamaavali.

53) Atmayonayeh:Sloka 106 Nama 985 Himself being the genital (female) like a
herma- Phrodite, in other words, source for the conception and
birth of the world.

54) Swayam Jaataaya: Sloka 106 Nama 986 He is the cause for His own birth.

55) Vaikaanaaya: Sloka 106 and Nama 987 Who dug the earth in his Varaha Avatar.

56) Saamagaanaaya: Sloka 106 Nama 998 Signing the Saamagaanaam in

commemoration of His having given liberation to those who
surrendered unto Him.

7.1.4 As mentioned in the beginning of this chapter, all these Namas praise Him for the way
the earth and its life, created by Him, have been constantly created, sustained, devoured and
recreated by Him, again, and again, in various periods of time. Let us see briefly how this
tallies with the geological history of Earth and the life on it.

7.2 Geological History of Earth and the Life on it

7.2.1 Plate Tectonics Ocean floor surveys undertaken in the 1950s found that the
mightiest and the most extensive mountain chains on earth are mostly underwater. Starting
from Iceland, if one travels south, one could follow it down the center of the Atlantic ocean
( known as mid Atlantic ridge ) around the bottom of Africa and then across the Indian and
Southern Oceans and into the Pacific, just below Australia. From there, it shoots up to the West
Coast of United States to Alaska. Occasionally, some of its peaks stand above water as islands
like the Canaries in the Atlantic or the Hawaii in the Pacific. When all these branches are
added together, the network of the mountain chain extends to 75000 Kms. In the Bay of
Bengal, we have a similar ridge, known as the 90O E (Longitude) ridge.

◊ Geological facts in support of above.

◊ Theory of Plate Tectonics-mid Atlantic ridge, subduction.
◊ Ocean floors much younger than the land-part.
 36

7.2.2 Down in the middle of the mid- Atlantic Ridge is a Canyon, a rift, upto 20
Kms wide for its entire length of about 19000 Kms. In the 1960s core samples of the rock from
the ocean floor showed that the ocean floor was quite young at the mid-Atlantic ridge but
grew progressively older as one moved away from it, both to the East and the West. This could
only mean that new ocean crust is being formed on the Central Ridge and the older ones are
being pushed away to either side. In other words, the sea floor is spreading. The Atlantic
ocean floor is effectively functioning as two large conveyor belts, one carrying the
progressively older crust from the centre towards North America and the other towards
Europe.

7.2.3 When the oceanic crust reaches the boundary with the continents, it plunges back into
the bowels of the earth in a process known as subduction. That is where all the sediments
carried by the rivers from the land to the sea went and were consigned to the bowels of the
earth. That explains beautifully why the ocean floors everywhere are so young, (none older
than about 175 million years) whereas the land in the continental crust is as old as 4.5 billion
years. A beautiful illustration of “ Atma Yoni Swayam Jataha” ! It was realized that the earth
was a mosaic of interconnected segments whose various jostlings accounted for the planet’s
surface behavior, like the sub-sea volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunami, all happening
around the junction of two plates in the subduction zones which are mostly arcuate in shape
(archer) and with tremendous amount of sound (saamagaana). This science is called “plate
tectonics”.

7.2.4 The earth’s surface is made up of 8 to 12 big plates and another about 20 smaller plates
and they all move in different directions and at different speeds. It was one such movement of
the Indian plate from Antarctica to the North and East over millions of years and its collisions
with the Asian plate that resulted in the mighty Himalayas. It was the subduction of the
Burmese – Indonesian plate beneath the Indian Ocean which created the huge earthquake of
2004 and the hugely destructive tsunami that killed thousands in Indonesia, Andaman Islands,
Sri Lanka and the East Coast of mainland India. The landscape of Andaman Islands has
significantly changed in certain parts as a result. Yes, “ Mahahavis” was offered to Him in the
subduction zone and he reduced the size of the world, (Samkshepta) and He was Sangarshana
Achyuta- grappled all the objects and destroyed them while He himself remained unaffected;
in this case the sea was unaffected. The geologists predict that, in a not too distant date from
the geological time scale, in about 250 million years from now, the Supercontinent, known as
Pangea, which started spreading and splitting to form different continents from the Permian
age to present day, will again form “Pangea Ultima”, as a result of the subduction of the ocean
floor of the North and South Atlantic beneath Eastern North America and South America. This
supercontinent will have a small ocean basin trapped at its centre (Similar to Caspian sea of
present day) and the Mediterranean sea and Atlantic oceans would have disappeared. Once
again, a scientific evidence of what is likely to happen millions of years hence, for the cyclicity
of Creation, Sustenance and Destruction, the basic concept of Hindu Philosophy.

7.3 Bacteria

7.3.1 And, how about life itself? We already saw in some of the earlier chapters the role of the
blue-green Algae as a precursor of photosynthesis and a source of oxygen for the atmosphere
for the later more evolved beings to live. We saw the role of amino-acids, proteins, DNA and
the cells and how they function. Let us see a little more about some of the lives that can be seen
only with the help of a microscope.

◊ Bacteria and their role- Life on a smaller scale.

◊ Their fastness in multiplication and survival under extreme conditions.
◊ We cannot live without them even for a single day.
◊ If atoms are Vishnu in the world of physics, the microbes are Vishnu in the domain of
biology.

7.3.2 Bacteria got along for billions of years without us. But, we cannot survive a single day
without them. They process our waste and make them useable again. They purify water, keep
 37

our soil productive, convert what we eat into useful sugars and poly- sacharides and go to
war on alien microbes. Bacteria take Nitrogen from air and convert it to amino acids for us.
Algae and other microbes blow out about 150 billion Kgs of oxygen every year into the
atmosphere for us to breathe.

7.3.3 The bacteria are also prolific. A single bacterium can theoretically reproduce 280,000
billion individuals in a single day, according to the Nobel laureate Christian de Duve. In the
same period the human cell can just manage a single division. Microbes can survive on
anything, given only a little moisture. A species called “Micrococcus Radiophylus” was found
living and thriving in the waste tanks of nuclear reactors. Bacteria have been found living 11
Kms down in the Pacific Ocean, where the pressures are 1100 times more than at the surface of
the sea. An extraordinary discovery was the find of a “Streptococcus” bacterium that was
recovered surviving from the sealed lens of a camera that had stood on the moon for two
years. Bacteria are found living in temperatures higher than 100 degree Centigrade. In short,
there are few environments in which bacteria cannot exist.

7.3.4 At depth, microbes shrink in size and become extremely sluggish. The most active of
them may not divide more than once in a century. In 1996, scientists at the Russian Academy
of Science claim to have revived Bacteria frozen in Siberian permafrost for 3 million years.

7.3.5 If the little world of atoms stand for what is “Vishnu”, in the domain of physics, the
“microbes” can certainly lay claim on “Vishnu” in the field of biology. The microbe indeed
represents the concept of “Sthavira Dhruvaha”- Old and stable, “ Agrahyah”- cannot be
understood by organs of action,” Bhugarbha”- protects the earth in constant turmoil,
“Kramaha”- occupies everything on earth,” Sarvagaaya”-goes anywhere and everywhere, and
many other similar names of Lord Vishnu.

7.4 Extinction

7.4.1 While complex life started blooming for the first time in the Cambrian period, about 540
million years ago, the Earth has seen five major periods of extinction ( deluge or pralaya)
besides many smaller ones. The Ordovician (about 450 million years ago) and Devonion
(about 365 million years ago) wiped out about 80-85 % of the species on the surface of the
Earth. But, the Permian period (about 245 million years ago) the end of what is known as the
Palaeozoic era saw the disappearance of about 95 % of animals and about 1/3rd of the insect
species also. In the next Mesozoic era, the Triassic (about 210 million years ago) and the
Cretaceous( about 65 million years ago) each wiped out about 70-75 % of the species then
living. In each case of these extinctions we have very little idea of what caused them. Various
reasons have been attributed like global warming, global cooling, change of sea level, oxygen
depletion in the sea, epidemics, giant leaks of methane gas from the sea floor, meteor and
comet impacts, hurricanes and tsunamis , volcanic upwellings, and huge solar flares.

◊ Extinction of life at the end of each era and age.

◊ Miracle of survival of a small percentage.
◊ Significance of names such as Viswadhrut, Viswabhuk, Yugaadikrut, Yugaavarta,
Mahaasana, Samkshepta etc.

7.5 Survivial

7.5.1 But, even more incomprehensible is the fact that while 70-75 % of life then existing
vanished at the end of each of these episodes, what conditions favored the remaining 20-25 %
species to survive. For example, while the dinosaurs disappeared without a trace at the end of
the Cretaceous period, how did other lizards like turtles survive? In fact, the next period after
the dinosaurs is often referred to as the age of the turtles ( is that why “ Kurma-Avataar” is
celebrated as the next to “ Matsya-Avataar”, the age of the fish ?). Again, while all the
Ammonites disappeared at the end of the Cretaceous, how did Nautiloides living in similar
environments survive till date ? ( Is that why the memory of Ammonites commemorated as
 38

“Saligramam” when they are found in fossilized nodules ?) Yet again, while 92 % of
uni-cellular foraminifera were wiped out, in the Tertiary era other similar organisms living
alongside like diatoms, besides a few other foraminifers were left untouched till date. Is that
why, again symbolically, the sands from the river beds or sea beds are taken and worshipped
in many pujas and rituals, in commemoration of these millions ? Again, cockroach, is perhaps
the only insect that continues to exist from Cambrian period till date with little or no
evolutionary change. These continue to remain as mysteries.

7.5.2 Indeed, He is “Viswadhrut- Unmindful of good or bad, sustains the Earth”,

“Viswabhuk”- Eats the world at the time of deluge, “Yugaadikrut”- created the different
periods and after the deluge , “Yugaavarta”-created the different periods again and again,
“Mahaasanaa”- Eats a lot because He devours large chunks of earth and species of life,
“Sangarshana Achuta” and “Samkshepta”- Reducing the size of the world and its activities at
the time of the deluge and many such names by which He is worshipped.

7.5.3 We must however, remember, that whatever survival numbers have been quoted are
based on very restricted data from areas studied. For instance, the tropical rain forests cover
only 6 % of the Earth’s surface but they harbour more than half its animal life and about 2/3 rd
of its flowering plants. Much of it is unknown to us since very few research workers spend
time on them because of their environmental inaccessibility. For instance, more than 90 % of
the flowering plants have not been tested for their medicinal properties. Because they cannot
fly from their predators, these plants by nature, develop chemical defences and are therefore,
rich in valuable chemical compounds. Currently about 25 % of all prescribed medicines are
derived from just 40 plants in allopathic medicine system. We can imagine the future role for
the tropical plants and the Ayurvedic and Siddha Systems of medicine if this is properly
tapped.

7.5.4 Yes, He is “Dharaneedhara”- he who holds the world, “Jagatsetava”-Shores up the

world separating the good from the evil, “Vikarta”- Creator of this world with myriad plants
and animal lives, “ Sameehana”-Likes the role of creation and many other names by which He
is worshipped.

8. Ishwara and Oxygen:

We saw earlier, while discussing AUM, that the oukaara and Makaara could indeed be
a tribute to Oxygen and Carbon. We also saw many of the names of the thousand which could
really be an attribute to many of the now known scientific facts in Physics and biology, and the
primordial creation of this universe and the release of the elemental Hydrogen.
We also have some names which could be thought of as addressing the life-sustaining
oxygen and the clever party-animal, carbon. Let us see:

8.1 The name Ishwara, either alone or with adjectives gets mentioned eight times in Sri
Vishnusahasranamam, eight being the atomic number of Oxygen. These are:

(1) Pradhaana Purusheswarah: (Sloka 3, Nama 20) The lord of the Universe of Purusha
and Prakriti, the union between Laxmi and Lord,
Oxygen and Hydrogen.

(2) Ishwaraha: (Sloka 4, Nama 36 and Sloka 9 and Nama 74) One who rules over
everything or has control over creation and destruction.

(3) Sureswara: (Sloka 31, Nama 286) Leader of all those who bestow goodness, the
leading role of Oxygen in the entire Life cycle.

(4) Janeswara: ( Sloka 37, Nama 341) Leader of all those who are born- from the time
one starts breathing, one requires oxygen.

(5) Parameswara: (Sloka 41, Nama 377) Excellent administrator- Parameswara is the
 39

screen (Oxygen) who himself remains unaffected but provides

apparent life and consciousness to the Prakriti to which it is attached.

(6) Dhaneswara: ( Sloka 50, Nama 474) The ocean containing valuable jewels. Indeed,
Laxmi, the Oukara of AUM and Oxygen are part of the ocean which is
the resort of all jewels.

(7) Bhutamaheswara: (Sloka 52, Nama 489) First among all gods.
 40

(8) Sarvavaageeswareswara: (Sloka 86, Nama 802) He is above all gods who have the
power of speech.

◊ Nama of Iswara repeated 8 times in Sahasranama, 8 is atomic number of

oxygen.
◊ Namas allude to the union between Lakshmi and Lord, Oxygen and
Hydrogen to produce water.
◊ His (Oxygen’s) Power for creation and sustenance.
◊ Leading role of all those who do good.

8.2 Thus, the Vishnu Sahasranamam praises Lord and pays obeisance to Him in His
different forms, keeping all the time the elemental Oxygen which is a part of Him represented
by Goddess Laxmi in mind.

9. Chatur and Carbon

9.1 The Namas starting with “Chatur” get chanted twelve times in Sri Vishnu
Sahasranamam. Twelve is the atomic number of Carbon. “Chatur” can be interpreted to mean
four and also clever. Carbon, the party animal, plays four roles in different combinations and
is also very clever. Let us see.

(1) Chaturaatmaa: (Sloka 25, Nama 137) Four manifestations or may also mean
clever and intelligent Atman.

(2) Chaturvyuha: (Sloka 25, Nama 138) Four forms of marshalling the four arms
of the army, Parasarabhattar interprets the name as Sage Vyasa
appearing as Aniruddha in the waking state (Jagrat), as
Pradyumna in the dream state (swapna), Sangarshana in the deep
sleep state (Sushupti) and Vasudeva in the fourth state (Turiya).

(3) Chaturdamshtra: (Sloka 25, Nama 139) One with four canine teeth as in
Narasimha Avataar.

(4) Chaturbhujah: (Sloka 25, Nama 140) One with four shoulders.

(5) Chaturmoortaye: (Sloka 82, Nama 765) Four appearances, Viraat, Sootraatmaa,
Avyaakrutam and Turiyam are the four appearances or four
colours namely white, red, green and black.

(6) Chaturbaahu: ( Sloka 82, Nama 766) With four hands.

(7) Chaturvyuhah: (Sloka 82, Nama 767) Marshalling in four Vyuha, described here
as sareera purusha, chanda purusha, veda purusha and mahaa
purusha.

(8) Chaturgataye: (Sloka 82, Nama 768) One who acts as the sanctuary for those who
follow the Dharma of the four varnaas and four ashramas.

(9) Chaturaatmane: (Sloka 82, Nama 769) Appearing in four forms, namely, body,
mind, intellect and chitta, or in the four states, namely, jagrat,
swapna, sushupti and turiya with four different appearances.

(10) Chaturbhaavaaya: (Sloka 82, Nama 770) The cause for the four purushaartaas,
namely Dharma, Artha, Kaama and Moksha.
 41

(11) Chaturvedavite: (Sloka 82, Nama 771) One who understands the
meaning of
all the four Vedas.

(12) Chaturasra: (Sloka 100, Nama 936) Bestowing the Karma phala to the individuals
in a just manner.

◊ Namas starting with chatur and their relationship to carbon.

◊ Occurs 12 times in Sahasranama and the atomic number of carbon is 12.
◊ Four arms, four shoulders and four faces of Vishnu and carbon.
◊ Chaturasra – bestowing the Karmaphala to the individuals. Comparison
of Vishnu and carbon.

9.2 Let us see the relation to Carbon and the number four and the adjective “Clever”.
Carbon has four shoulders and four arms. In association with Oxygen, in association with
Hydrogen, in association with Nitrogen and Oxygen and in association with Hydrogen and
Nitrogen are the four shoulders in which Carbon rests. Yet, it stands away from all of them in
its pure form.

9.3 Carbon, under low temperature and pressure and anaerobic conditions, exists as coal by
the decay of vegetable matter over a long period of time. Carbon under high temperature and
pressure, gets metamorphosed to graphite. Yet, under very high temperatures and pressures
and with sudden release of pressure and temperature while upwelling from deep within the
crust, Carbon occurs sometimes in Kimberlite pipes as diamond, the hardest mineral known.
That is pure Carbon.

9.4 What are its four arms and four forms ?

(1) In organic chemistry, Carbon and Hydrogen combine together to form the whole
of hydro carbon chain, oil and natural gas, the entire chain of petrochemicals like poly-
acralamides, plastics, polyesters and whatever we have in life today without which we
cannot literally exist. It also occurs in four phases (faces), solids, liquids, gas and
pressure related conversion from liquid to gas or vice-versa known as condensate.
(Turiya State?)

(2) In biochemistry, Carbon, Nitrogen and Oxygen combine together to form the
amino acids, proteins and the cells. Proteins constitute every part of the body either
directly or indirectly.

(3) In inorganic chemistry, Carbon and Oxygen combine together to form Carbon-
monoxide, Carbon di Oxide etc which are considered to cause damage to the global
climate and environment. On the other hand, they combine with other elements to
maintain a balance of carbon cycle in the world. The excess carbon is removed by sea
living creatures which form their chitinous shells with molecules of other elements such
as Calcium and Oxygen (which incidentally protect these animals) and when they and
other smaller creatures like diatoms die, they settle down at the bottom of the sea
forming lime stone and thus maintain a delicate balance of Carbon and Oxygen in
the atmosphere. The phenomenon of photosynthesis is well known to bear repetition
here. These natural balances protect the environment.

(4) In combination with Hydrogen and the inert Nitrogen, Carbon forms
Hydrocyanic Acid, the deadliest poison known, but Cyanides also have many useful
functions as a chemical.

9.5 The above four forms with the shoulders of the different branches of chemistry and
resting on the four outstretched arms of four Ps’ namely, PROTEIN, PETROCHEMICALS,
PROTECTION AND POISON, can indeed act like the gnawing four canine teeth in the
 42

Narasimha Avataar, to protect or kill an individual in accordance with his Karma

Phala. Carbon is one of the most common useful elements in variety of forms, whether alone
or in combination with other elements. It takes care of the Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha
(Chaturbhaavaye) needs of life.

9.6 After all, Carbon is very clever to play either its own individual pure role or combine
with the lightest element Hydrogen and two other elements in two adjacent houses in the
periodic table, namely, Nitrogen and Oxygen either singly or in combination of more than one
element, either to create the world and the life in it or to kill them. What a glorious way of
worshipping the fundamental and manifested nature of the Lord !

9.7 Human civilization evolved from time immemorial, from being a hunter to an
agricultural society. From then on, with the advent of any new material that had the
effect of transferring the technology of a large part of the population, the civilization
further evolved from the Stone Age to Bronze Age to the Iron Age. With the discovery
of oil, the 20th Century may be called the Century of oil as the raw material and plastics
as the technology, though silicon is also a favourite of the last and current century.
With each one of these technologies, civilization has changed so drastically that it is
difficult to imagine how people lived without it earlier, or how people will live
hereafter.

9.8 The fastest, albeit negative, effect of all this has been that, though temperature and
atmospheric carbon have risen and fallen together in every geological time scale, the
humans are adding carbon to the atmosphere at least 100 times faster than any known
precedent and transforming the earth exponentially.

9.9 Carbon is the reason why 187 nations assembled in Dec 2007 in Bali, to discuss the
climate change and steps necessary to mitigate. Carbon tax has been imposed in
Sweden since 1991 and Carbon Credit trading system has been introduced in OECD
countries during the last decade. Carbon got the Nobel prize to be shared by a
thousand and odd scientists and to the former vice-president of the USA in the year
2007.

9.10 But atoms and molecules do not obey politicians or the doomsdayers among scientists.
Carbon is considered as the new age material of the 21st century and as with every
discovery, its knowledge is also developing exponentially. For instance, in addition to
the well-known elemental form of carbon, namely graphite and diamond, a third form,
known as fullerene is also known. It had not attracted importance earlier because it is
unstable in presence of air and hence uncommon.

9.11 Fullerene is a hollow cluster of carbon atoms that resemble a geodesic dome, made by
architect R. Buckminster Fuller and was first postulated to exist in 1985. Its existence
was confirmed in 1990. The most studied form, known as Buckminster Fullerene or
Bucky Ball, has 60 carbon atoms, arranged in a 5-sided or 6-sided geometry to resemble
a soccer ball. It is useful as a lubricant, superconductor, radio – active shield, etc.
Through experiments, scientists have concluded that Fullerene exists in interstellar
space, and in soot from the burning of certain gases under controlled conditions, on
earth. In 1992, Fullerene was found for the first time in a rock sediment of more than
600 million years of age. This zero dimensional bucky ball will be a commonly sought
after material in the present century. Studies are in progress on Nitrogen radio
frequency plasma processing of C-60, in the formation and relative stability of
Fullerene.

Similarly, the uni-dimensional carbon nano-tubes can be constructed to stretch from earth to
the moon, and it would still be a single molecule! The carbon nano-tubes are extremely strong,
60 times stronger than steel in a microscopic scale, and yet extremely light weight. It is
electrically far more conductive than copper. At present, at a fictional level, one imagines a
 43

carbon nanotube space elevator, by which we can simply climb a ribbon of carbon and reach
space!

9.13 The Enlightenment : If a cursory study of nearly about 150 Namas of Lord Vishnu
could give so much of collaborative evidence from modern science of physics and biology ,
one could easily guess the extent of enlightenment one can obtain from interpreting each one
of the names in the Naamaavali in terms of modern science. Suffice it to mention that this
book-let is only intended to serve as a motivator for a modern young intellectual too busy with
his/her worldly, daily duties and hence having no time to engage oneself in spiritual pursuits
and yet genuinely eager to know what our spiritual texts have really to say and uplift an
individual. One wonders how Hydrogen, Oxygen and Carbon play such important role in the
universe and are represented in the manifested form by the 1000 names of Lord Vishnu and,
when this is understood, gets represented by the mono/Tri syllable OM, or AUM, the Pranava
Mantra.

10. Epilogue : Uttarabhaga

10.1 As mentioned in the beginning of this article, the Uttarabhaga of the Vishnu
Sahasranamam is known as “Phala Sruti” or the fruits of hearing the rendering and singing
His glories and the types of results that one would obtain by chanting these Namas.

10.2 Need for Aachaara

10.2.1 Of the 22 Slokas in Uttarabhaga, Sloka 17, a statement of truth is particularly important,
relevant and meaningful, for the modern questioning youth.
“ Sarvaagamanaam Aachaarah Pratamam Parikalpate;
Aachaarah Prabhavo Dharmoh Dharmasya Prabhurachyutah”

“For all agama shastras, aachara (discipline) has been determined to be the foremost
requirement. Dharma, self ordained duty is born out of this discipline and the Lord of Dharma
or duty is Achyuta.

◊ Epilogue - Phala Sruti.

◊ Need for Achaara-Discipline.
◊ Need to raise from doing duty in the beginning to slowly rise to the level of doing
duty without desire and attachment.
◊ Reference to the name Achyuta in the context of observing discipline.

10.2.2 It is interesting that after worshipping Him as “Sangraha”, one shorn of rituals etc to
uplift His devotees, we talk of discipline as the foremost requirement. Hence it is necessary to
deal with this a little. In fact, Aachara is better negatively defined. “Mityachara” is a hypocrite.
Therefore, Aachara is one who is not a hypocrite.

10.2.3 While talking about Karmayoga (Yoga of Action), in Bhagavad Geeta, the Lord says,
“As the un-enlightened act from attachment to action, so should the enlightened act without
attachment, desirous of guidance to the multitude”- 3.25

“ Let not the wise man unsettle the mind of ignorant people attached to Karma. By
doing persistently and precisely, let the wise induce the others in all activities”-3.26

10.2.4 Doing duty for duty’s sake, devoid of any desire is too high a philosophy for the
common man. Working for results is far superior to remaining lazy. Teaching dis-interested
service to him will serve only a negative purpose. Therefore, it is necessary to keep him active
first at all costs.
 44

10.2.5 Then, the Lord takes the disciple through Gnana, Karma and Sanyaasayogas to
Dhyaanayoga. Here, He lays down certain qualifications to be undergone to be fit for
meditation.

10.2.6 The following environments are defined ;

(1) “He should always try to concentrate his mind, living alone in solitude, having
subdued his mind and body and got rid of desires and possessions” – 6.10

(2) “ He should seat himself firmly, fixed in a clean place, his seat neither too high
nor too low and having spread on it the kusa grass, the deer skin and a cloth, one over
the other in that order”- 6.11

10.2.7 The process of practice of meditation is defined as follows ;

(1) “Sitting there on his seat, making the mind one-pointed and restraining the
thinking faculty and the senses he should practice yoga for self purificatioin”-6.12

(2) “Let him hold the body, head and neck erect and still, gazing at the top of his
nose, without looking around”-6.13

(3) “Serene and fearless, firm in the vow of a Brahmachari, subdued in mind, he
should sit in Yoga, thinking on Me and intent on Me alone”-6.14

(4) “For him who is moderate in eating and recreation, temperate in his actions, who
is regulated in sleep and wakefulness, Yoga becomes the destroyer of pain”-6.17

10.2.8 Thus, the Lord slowly elevates a person from being ritualistic and action borne to the
level of a yogi by following some disciplines. We have this in our every day life as well. For
example, a person in uniform, whether a school child, a soldier or a blue collared worker is
instantly committed to his/her duties more than when without uniform. The person gets
identified with the job he/she performs when in uniform. Similarly, when a person does
certain ritualistic performances, the codes prescribed, whether they are in purity, bath,
clothing or practices followed are necessary to elevate the person from merely performing the
rituals to one of attaining the elevated level towards God. Otherwise, rituals will remain
merely as rituals shorn of benefits and hence the need for aachara.

10.3 Achyuta

10.3.1 It is stated that the Lord of duty (Dharma) is Achyuta. This name occurs in the
Naamaavali as 100th , 318th and 552nd in the Vishnu Sahasranamam. Why specifically the name
Achyuta in the context of observing discipline?

10.3.2 “Achyuta”, literally means, “He who does not deviate from His Supreme State”.
Adishankara in his commentary explains, “ Swaroopa Samartyaan na chyuto, Na syavati Na
svavishyata iti Achyutah- He does not swerve from his position, does not allow His devotees
to swerve either, nor does He move out of the hearts of His devotees”. He is also free of the six
types of changes (attributed to the moon)- “Jayati, Asti, Vartati, Viparinamati, Apaksheeyati,
Nasyati- hides, comes out, grows, reaches the end of growth, reduces and totally disappears”.
 45

10.3.3 In the last Sloka of the 18th chapter of the Geeta, (prior to Sanjaya’s conclusions),
Arjuna conclusively states his four gains of listening to Bhagavad Geeta taught by Lord
Krishna. He lists them as ;
(1) His delusion is destroyed.
(2) He has regained his memory through the Lord’s grace.
(3) He is firm.
(4) He is free from doubt.

10.3.4 Arjuna makes this confession, the very essence of the entire text of Bhagavad Geeta, to
the Lord, whom he addresses as Achyuta, the One who does not deviate from His Supreme
State, the very embodiment of the non-swerving, unwavering state. It is, therefore, no wonder
that Achyuta is addressed as the Lord of Dharma in the 17th Sloka in Phalasruti.

10.4 Beyond Anusasanika Parva

10.4.1 Though the 254th Chapter in Mahabhaarata in Anusasanika Parva, known as Sri Vishnu
Sahasranama Stotram, in the dialogue between Bheeshma and Yudhishtra ends here, it is
conventional to chant a few more slokas narrated by Arjuna, Lord Krishna, Sage Vyasa (who
composed Mahabharata of which Vishnu Sahasranamam is a part), Devi Parvati, Lord
Parameswara, Brahma, Sanjaya and again Lord Krishna. The most outstanding part of these
slokas is the reply by Ishwara to Parvati.

◊ Beyond Anusaasanika Parva.

◊ The single name Rama, equivalent to all the thousand names of Vishnu.
◊ Apparent self agnostic statement of Lord Krishna and its real
significance.
10.4.2 Parvati desires to know the one name by which great seers pray the thousand names of
Lord Vishnu in an easy manner. Ishwara unhesitatingly replies, in the presence of Lord
Krishna and Sage Vyasa, “SRI RAMA is the name and if one chants SRI RAMA once it is
equivalent to chanting all the names of Vishnu”.

“Sri Raama Raameti Rame Raame Manorame

Sahasranaamatat tulyam Raama Naama Varaanane”

10.4.3 The prayers end with Sanjaya and Lord Krishna striking an apparently rather
discordant self agnostic note, but really it reiterates the point that, whether you call the Lord
Rama, Krishna, Vishnu, Achyuta or Govinda, they are all verily the same, immutable and
indestructible Self and He is worthy of worship by any one or all these names.

May Lord Vishnu bless us all.

x------------------------x--------------------------x
 46

Credits

1. Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Bhashyam by Adi Shankara, compiled by Swami

Tapasyananda, Ramakrishna Mutt publications,(1986).

2. Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Bhashyam by Anna, Rama Krishna Mutt Publication (1959),
reprinted 2003.

3. Talks on Sankara’s Vivekachudamani by Swami Chinmayananda, Chinmaya Trust

(1989)

4. The Brhadaranyaka Upanishad, Ramakrishna Mutt, (1951).

5. Taitareeya Upanishad, Ramakrishna Mutt.

6. “Deivathin Kural”, Compilation of Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswati Swamigal’s

Lectures, by Raa Ganapathi, Vanathi Publication.

7. “Kurai Onrum Illai”, Talks by Mukkur Lakshmi Narasimha Acharyar, Kalki

Publications.

8. Bhagavad Geeta, Commentary by Swami Chidbhavananta, Sri Ramakrishna

Tapovanam Publications, Tirupparaitturai 1984.

9. Genome, by Matt Ridley, Harper Collins Publications, India 2002.

10. A Short history of Nearly Everything, by Bill Bryson, Black Swan Publications, 2004.

11. Phantoms in the Brain, by V S Ramachandran, Fourth Estate, London (1999).

12. Mandukya Upanishad with Gaudapada’s Karika, translation by Swami

Lokeswarananda, Ramakrishna Mission Institute of culture, Kolkatta, 2nd
edition,(2005).
13. Eight Upanishads, Vol II, translated by Swami Gambhirananda`, Advaita Ashram
publication, Kolkatta, 15th edition, (2006).
14. Panchikaranam of Sri Sankaracharya with Vartika by Sri Sureswaracharya, Advaita
Ashram, Kolkatta, 9th edition (2006).
15. The Eternities, Vedanta Treatise by Swami A. Parthasarathy, Mumbai, 11th edition
(2004).
16. Science in Ancient India by Subhash C. Kak, Louisiana State University, (2005).
17. South Asian History, www Tripod—Pages from the history of the Indian
subcontinent:
I. Development of philosophical thought and scientific method in
Ancient India.
II. History of Mathematics in India.
III. Philosophical development from Upanishadic metaphysics to
scientific realism.
IV. Technological discoveries and applications in India.
 47

18. The great Ancient Indian Scientists, www Forum9.com

19. OM Mantra and 7 levels of consciousness by Swami Jnaneshvara Bharti
 48

THE GLORY OF VISHNU SAHASRANAMAM

Some Glimpses and Scientific facts

AN ATTEMPT AT ALTERNATE ANALYSIS

BY
DR. S RAMANATHAN

A-202, Terrace Garden Apts, 2nd Main Road,

Banashankari 3rd Stage, Bangalore-560085
Phone-(080) 26727689
Mobile-(0) 9342018674
Email-ramanathansubrahmanya@hotmail.com
 49

DEDICATION

This book-let is dedicated to my father, Swargasri Kallidaikuruchi K M

Subrahmanya Sastri, Vyakarana Sironmani, who taught me Vishnu Sahasranamam at an
early age and to my mother, Swargasrimathi Parvatam Ammal and my wife Swargasrimathi
Bageerathi, both of whom were responsible, before and after my marriage respectively, for
providing me the environment to chant the Stotra, for close to seven decades now, by their
devotion to Religion, Achaara and Dharma, besides Tradition. Women are indeed the
Pillars of our society.

BENEDICTION

This book-let is submitted to the louts-feet of H H Sri MAHASANNIDHAANAM of

Sri Sringeri Saaradaa Peetam, Sringeri, whose hereditary disciples our families are, with
utmost humility and reverence, for his blessings.
 50

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

About three years back, an young rich educated lady, mother of two children, who had
been chanting Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram for sometime, approached me to explain her
the word-by-word as well as contextual meaning of the stotra and whether it has any
significance for the modern youth. When I started explaining her, I realised my own
inadequacy. That set me thinking and reading materials for an explanation. My wife
constantly prodded me in this direction, until she passed away in July 2006. This book-let is a
result of these questions and proddings.
The Principal reference materials used are cited in the “Credits” at the end of this book-
let. They have been freely used and extensive quotations have been made from them. It is
virtually impossible to refer each one of them separately. In fact, the “Cut and paste”
technology of the modern computers era has been liberally used. This book would not exist
without these valuable reference materials.
The attempts to link the science with the Scripture is my own and I must accept this as
only an attempt and not any deterministic statement. While I apologise for any errors in such
interpretations, I request the readers to freely comment and suggest improvement.
As mentioned elsewhere in the text, this book-let is oriented towards young, intelligent,
searching minds, who are to-day totally devoted as Karma-yogis, to spend some time to find if
there is any linkage between work and devotion. If this is achieved, the purpose of this book-
let is served.

I am grateful to Sri Yogesh Padwal, who took great pains to get this so neatly typed, or
better to say, “ MS worded”. My sons are responsible for getting this book-let in this final
form, by their incisive and constructive comments, as I progressed in writing and by their
morale boosting encouragement.

“ Samasta Aparaadham Kshamasva, Kshamasva”

( S Ramanathan)
 51

CONTENTS
Acknowledgement, Dedication and Benediction
Three Minutes Please
1. Prologue 1
2. OM or AUM 4
Prakriti Tatwa 5
3. Modern science equivalents for A, U and M
Hydrogen as A 6
Oxygen as U 7
Carbon as M 7
4. Main Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram
Why call Vishnu Sahasranama 8
Viswam 8
Vishnu 10
Significance of some of the Namas 11
Avyayah 13
Kshetragna and Akshara 13
Mathematics,Zero, Infinity and Vishnu
Purushottamah 14
5. Some Names related to the state of the universe etc 15
Scientific Significance 16
6. Atman and its adjectives 18
Atman in Vivekachoodamani 20
Atman in Bhagwat Geeta 21
Scientific concepts 22
7. Self Sustaining Lord 23
Geological history of earth and life on it 26
Plate tectonics 26
Bacteria 27
Extinction 28
Survival 28
8. Ishwara and Oxygen 29
9. Chatur and Carbon 30
10. Epilogue 32
11. Credits 35

12. Appendix I Vishnusahasranamam Text in Sanskrit and English

13. Appendix II A small compilation on Vedas and Gayatri