- विष्णुः
The one who pervades everything
All the animate as well as inanimate objects – water, mountains, trees, stones, furniture, and people – all of them without exception are pervaded by Atma. Vishnu, the Brahman is the material cause.
As the material cause and the intelligent cause, the Lord pervades everything.
The word Vishnu is derived from the verbal root ‘viS‘ – means one who pervades, permeates everything and is free from the limitations of time, space and objects. Since the entire jagat is entered into and pervaded by him, he is Vishnu.
- वषट्कारः
The one invoked through वषट्. वषट् is a purely technical word used in the rituals. ‘K𝑎ra’ is the pratyaya, or the suffix, added to वषट् in a yajna/ ritual, an oblation is offered to a particular deity, with a mantra and the ritual itself is done for a particular purpose. Generally, the oblation is offered saying ‘sv𝑎h𝑎‘ or ‘वषट् ,‘ followed by इदं न मम meaning – this is not mine and it does not belong to me. So, the karma does not touch you. No karma means no bhokta and no punyam/papam. When karma is done with an attitude of surrender, it transforms into karma yoga then.
That deity to whom the oblation is offered by saying ‘वषट् ‘ is called वषट्कारः. All these deities are nothing but names and forms of Brahman. Just as all the water that comes from the sky ultimately goes to the ocean through the rivers, similarly, all salutations go to Bhagavan.
- भूतभव्यः भवः प्रभूः
भूत = past; भव्यः = future; भवः = present; प्रभूः = overlord of the KalaH/Time. Vishnu is present in all the three कालः. he transcends time limitations. Vishnu being the Brahman is a nama rupa manifestation. ‘IS’ denotes existence. When we say time IS, it denotes existence. When IS – ness is added to anything, then that exists.
- भूतकृत = The Creator of beings of all beings. भूतभृत The sustainer of beings.
If there is a creator, there has got to be somebody above him. Creation cannot be explained so we say Bhagvan created. That which is manifest and un-manifest is knowledge. Bhuta – 5 elements, 5 pranas, 5 sense organs, manaH and buddhi = 17.
- भूतभृत
The sustainer of beings. भूतानि बिभर्ति इति भूतभृत– He is the one who sustains the world and all the beings. He nourishes and keeps the world going. Being the material cause, He is in the form of the world and He sustains the world.
- भावः = He is the material cause of everything that exists in the universe. The universe is an empirical reality or apparent reality due to ignorance. The Lord being the material cause, exists in the form of the world and hence is भावः.
- भूतात्मा = I am the awareness present in all the living beings. He is the in-dweller of all the beings.
- भूतभावनः
The creator and sustainer of all things. Bhagavan भूतानि भावायाति जनयति –creates all beings, and again, भूतानि भावायाति वर्धयति –looks after all the beings, by providing all with nourishment. He initiates the creation, takes care of it and also withdraws it, at the right time. With one glowing stick of sparklers (what we light during Diwali) many patterns can be drawn by whirling it around. This can be called creation of patterns. When the whirling is stopped, there is only one glowing tip, and this is samhara or withdrawal(of patterns). When He dances, the whole creation is set in motion. When the dance of Nataraja stops, the creation ends. It is only withdrawn, not destroyed because it will manifest again.
Stotram 2
पूतात्मा परमात्मा च मुक्तानां परमा गति:I
अव्यय: पुरुष: साक्षी क्षेत्रज्ञः अक्षर एव च II२
- पूतात्मा = that which is untainted by names and forms. Atma is not pure or impure.
- परमात्मा = Paramatma is free from all limitations. It is free from birth and death and therefore lives happily without problems and is free from being limited.
- मुक्तानां परमा गति: = freedom from birth death and other limitations of making yourself seemingly small. I want to live happily without problems and have absolute freedom from being a limited. Moksha is my ultimate and final destination. Gaining that goal, there is no further end to be accomplished. Since there is no losing it or getting away from the Atma which is your very nature, that alone is the paramā gati – ultimate goal to be achieved. Atma is free from all limitations. The ‘I‘ is the consciousness, which is limitless in terms of time and space. I ‘is’.