The Unassailable Glory of Lord Narayana: Part 4 -- More from the Narayaneeyam

Little Krishna of Guruvayur

The Keralite scholar Sri Narayana Bhatta of the 16th/17th Century, in his devotion-laden work Narayaneeyam, conveys more about the nature of the highest Paramatma, Sriman Narayana, in the last two verses of the first decad. I will try to summarize the meanings and provide English translations of key portions from the old commentary by Desa Mangala Variar.

Verse 1-9: 

kAruNyAt-kAmam-anyaM dadati khalu pare svaatmadastvaM visheSAd-

aishvaryAdi-Ishate(a)nye jagati parajane svAtmano(a)pi-Ishvarastvam |

tvaiyyuccairAramanti pratipadamadhure chetanAH sphItabhAgyAstvaM
chAtmArAma evetyatulaguNagaNa-AdhAra shaure namaste ||

[Oh Shauri! Thou art omnipotent and the embodiment of all virtue and hence Thou hath the unique power to grant supreme bliss to Thy devotees instead of only desired objects, in contrast to other deva-s. Those who realize this truth are blessed at every step they take towards Thee. Oh Lord Krishna! I pray to Thee for such a blessing.]

Commentary:

kAruNyAditi | pare brahmAdayaH | kAruNyAd bhaktavatsalatayA | anyaM mokSavyatiriktaM kAmaM varaM dadAti | tvaM visheSAd vishiSTAd brahmAdyatishayitAt kAruNyAt svAtmadaH svAtmAnaM svarUpaM mokSamapi dadAsItyarthaH | ki~nca, anye brahmAdayaH aishvaryAd jagati asmin prapa~nce parajane svavyatirikteSu sthiracareSvena Ishate nigrahItumanugrahItuM vA shaktA bhavanti | tvaM tu svAtmanaH svarUpasya brahmaNo(a)pIshvaraH ... he shaure! shrI-kRSNa ! te tubhyaM namaH namaskaromi-ityarthaH ||

[O Shauri! O Krishna! I offer my salutations to Thee! Brahma and others, out of compassion for their devotees, grant to them all sorts of blessings that they wish for, other than final liberation. Since you are special -- being superior to deva-s such as Brahma, being extremely merciful -- being such, you grant Yourself -- Your own Supreme Station that is free from the cycle of births and deaths -- to Thy devotees. Moreover, Brahma and others are only lords of this visible universe consisting of plants, animals, and human beings. You however, by nature, are the Lord of even Brahma and others. It is only Thyself that is equal to Thee.]

This is another reason why the greatness of Lord Hari surpasses other devas, as He alone is the one who grants liberation, while the other deva-s are only able to grant material benefits. The ancient Tamil work paripADal says thus about Vishnu:

"Unless the One who wears a garland of fragrant Tulsi leaves (Vishnu) grants libeation, it is extremely hard to reach the same" (நாறு இணர்த் துழாயோன் நல்கின் அல்லதை ஏறுதல் எளிதோ வீறு பெறு துறக்கம்).

Lord Vishnu is ever consorted by Lakshmi

Verse 1-10:

aishvaryaM sha^nkarAdi-IshvaraviniyamanaM vishvatejoharANAM
tejassanhAri vIryaM vimalamapi yasho nispRhaish copagItam |
angAsa^ngA sadA shrIrakhilavidasi na kvApi te sa^ngavArtA
tadvAtAgAravAsin murahara bhagavacchabda-mukhya-Ashrayo(a)si ||

[Oh Lord Murari ! Ordainer of even great lords such as Shiva and others! Who excels all in splendor! Your famous pastimes are sought after and sung about even by great yogis. Lakshmi, who is the goddess of all riches, likes to reside in your chest always. Thou art the embodiment of all the six divine qualities of greatness viz., Sri (prosperity), Jnana (knowledge), Vairagya (detachment), Aishwarya (sovereignty), Veerya (valour) and Yashas (fame) and hence the word Bhagavath is the most befitting attribution to Thee, who art the resident of the Guruvayur temple.]

Commentary:

aishvaryamiti | he vAtAgAravAsin! murahara! te tvaishvaryaM sha^nkarAdInAmIshvarANAM viniyamanaM tattadadhikArapravartakam | ki^nca, tava vIryaM vishveSAM sarveSAM tejaH parAkramaM harantIti vishvatejoharAH shrIsha^nkarAdayaH, teSAM tejaH prabhAvaM saMhartuM shIlamasyeti tathA | vakSyati ca 'muhustAvacchakraM' (10.82. 9) ityAdi | tava yasho(a)pi vimalaM pApashodhakam | nispRhair-muktair-apyupagItaM, tvaccaritAkRSTacetastayA taishvarNitamityarthaH | shrIshca sadA a^ngAsa^ngA tava vakSaHsthalamAshrityaivAste | akhilavidasIti | akhilaM svAtmAnaM svamAyAM tatkAryaM ca vittItyakhilavidasi tvaM | anye tvAM tattvato na jAnantIti bhAvaH | kvApi viSaye | te sa^ngasya vArtApi kathApi na shrUyata ityarthaH | tat tasmAt, yasmAdaishvaryayashaH shrIvIryaj~nAnasa^ngatAnAM bhagavacchabdavAcyAnAM tvayyatishayena vRttistasmAdityarthaH | bhagavacchabdasya mukhyAshrayo vAcyArtho bhavasi, anyeSu bhagavacchabdasya lAkSaNikI vRttirityarthaH ||

[O Divine Resident of Guruvayur! Slayer of the demon Mura! Thy sovereignty includes being the Lord of, the controller of, the one who gives orders to -- even Shankara (Shiva) and others! Moreover, Thy prowess is better than those of Shiva who is of very great potence himself. It is also said by Sri Narayana Bhattathiri elsewhere that the Lord's prowess is better than those of Brahma, Siva, Indra, Varuna, and Yama (82-9).

Your glory is also blemishless -- listening to the same removes the listener's sins. Even those who have conquered their senses, and those who have attained liberation sing Thy glory, having all their senses irresistably drawn towards hearing Thy Divine Pastimes.

Even Lakshmi (Shri), who is the Goddess of all riches likes to reside in your chest for ever, not wanting to be separate from Thou even for a moment. You are the one who is possessed of all knowledge of the entire cosmos and its beings. Others do not know these fully.

From this, it is clear that since Thou alone art the One possessed of unlimited Sovereignty, Glory, Wealth, Prowess, and Wisdom, the term 'Bhagavan' denotes Thee primarily. Thou alone naturally possess the title of 'Bhagavan' by Thy own nature. With regard to the others, it is only an acquired title.]

REFERENCES:

[1] Complete Narayaneeyam online
[2] Narayaneeyam of Narayana Bhatta, with the commentary, Bhaktapriya, of Desamangala Varya. Edited by T. Ganapati Sastri, Travancore Government Press, 1912