The 74th shloka of the Vishnu Sahasranamam is analyzed. It contains 8 names of Vishnu that describe his attributes: 1) Manojavah - He moves as swiftly as thought. 2) Theerthakarah - He is the source and propagator of all sacred knowledge and helps devotees cross over the ocean of samsara. 3) Vasuretah - He has great spiritual power. 4) Vasupradah - He bestows wealth and liberation. 5) Vaasudevah - He is the son of Vasudeva. 6) Vasuh - He is all-pervading. 7

1. SRI VISHNU SAHASRANAMAM
(SHLOKA 74) – PART 83
In this part we will explore the meaning of the
74th
Shloka of Sri Vishnu Sahasranamam.
Manojavas Theerthakaro Vasuretah Vasupradah |
Vasuprado Vaasudevo Vasur Vasumanaa Havih ||74||

2. Purport:
He is swift like the speed of thought, propagator of all
branches of knowledge, the golden germinator,
bestower of wealth, bestower of Salvation, son of
Vasudeva, Omnipresent, always having the welfare of
His devotees in His thoughts and He is both the
means and the end, the Sacrificial offering and the
object of worship.
The above Shloka has the following Namas:
695. Manojavah
696. Theerthakarah
697. Vasuretah
698. Vasupradah
699. Vasupradah
700. Vaasudevah
701. Vasuh
702. Vasumanaah
703. Havih
Now let’s examine the meaning of the above Namas in
detail:
695. Mano-javah – He is swift as thought

3. The word ‘javah’ is
derived from the root ‘jung – gatau’ means ‘to go’. Sri
Adi Sankara interprets this as ‘Manaso vega iva
vegah asya sarvagatatvaat Manojavah – He moves
everywhere swiftly at the speed of thought, hence He
is called Manojavah’. There is no limit to the speed at
which mind can travel nor is there any place to where
it can’t tread. Similarly there is no limit to the speed
for Bhagavan or the place where He can travel, hence
He is Manojavah as He travels like the mind.
There is a well-known Dhyana Shloka on Hanuman
which says ‘Manojavam Maruta tulya vegam
Jitendriyam Buddhimataam varishtham – He is swift
as mind and fast as wind, He is the master of senses
and honoured for His Intelligence, Learning and
Wisdom’.

4. Sri Krishna Datta Bharadvaj explains as – ‘Manaso
java iva javo yasya iti Mano-javah – He Who has the
speed of mind’.
Sri Parasara Bhattar comments that He is called
Mano-javah because He is faster than thought itself in
coming to the rescue of a devotee. Sri Bhattar gives
supports from the Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 9 Verse
31):
Kshipram bhavati dharmAtma Shashvat Shantim
nigacchati |
Kaunteya pratijaanihi na me bhaktah pranashyati ||
Meaning: The devotee who is solely dedicated to Me
quickly becomes righteous and obtains everlasting
peace. Affirm, on my behalf, Arjuna, that My devotee
never perishes.
He also quotes this verse from the Vishnu Dharma
(83.20):
Sapta-janma-kritam paapam svalpam va yadi va bahu
|
Vishnor-Alaya vinyaasa praarambhaadeva
nashyati ||
Meaning: The sins committed in seven births, be they
many or a few, are all destroyed the moment a man
begins to place his foot in the temple of Vishnu.
In the Krishnashtakam Stotram, the last Shloka says:
Krishnashtakam mitham punyam, Prathar uthaya yah
pateth,
Kodi janma krutham papam, Smaranena vinasyathi
Meaning: If this blessed octet on Krishna, Is sung as
soon as one wakes up in the morning, the sins done

5. in millions of births, will perish as one meditates on
Him.
Sri V.V. Ramanujan refers us to Gajendra Moksham,
where Bhagavan was not willing to depend solely on
the speed of Garuda, and hurried out without even
worrying about His appearance. Sri NammAzhwar
also describes His extreme speed in removing the
sins of His devotees in his Thiruvai Mozhi Pasuram
(1.6.10):
ககககககக ககக ககககககக கககககக கககக
ககககககக
கககககக ககககககக கககககககக ககககககக
கககக கககக ||
Meaning: The beautiful groom Madhava will purge us
of our karmas with a bat of an eyelid; His banner
bears the fierce Garuda!
Especially because of Maha Lakshmi’s proximity, it
takes Him less than the time it takes us to snap our
fingers to remove all our sins from the beginning of
time.
Sri AnnangaAcharya Swami notes that this Nama
signifies that He fulfils His devotees’ wishes with the
speed of mind. Sri Baladeva VidyaBhushan
comments that He has this Nama because He
removes the obstacles of Samsara extremely fast for
those who surrender to Him.
The Isavasya Upanishad Mantra 4 describes His
speed:
Aneja-dekam manaso javiyo nainad-deva Apnuvan
purvam arshat |

6. tad-dhavato’nyaan atyeti tishthat-tasmin-napo
maatarishva dadhati ||
Meaning: The Self is unmoving, one, and faster than
the mind. The senses could not overtake It, since it
ran ahead. Remaining stationary, it outruns all other
runners. It being there, Matarisva (Air) supports all
activities.
Sri Radhakrishna Shastri comments as follows: Time,
place, or things (Kala, Desha, Vastu) can obstruct
one’s speed. But in Bhagavan’s case, none of these
come as impediments; He is everywhere already
(Desha); He is not limited by past, present, or future
(Kala); He is the Controller of everything, and so
nothing can obstruct Him (Vastu). In the
Svetasvatara Upanishad (3-19) declares:
a-pani pado javano grahita pashyati a-cakshuh sa
shrinoti a-karnah |
sa vetti vedyam na ca tasya asti vetta tam Ahuh
agryam purhsham mahantam ||
Meaning: Without use of His hands and feet, He
moves and grasps; He sees without use of His eyes,
hears without the need for His ears. He knows
whatever is to be known, and of Him there is no
knower. They speak of Him as the first, the Purusha,
the Great Infinite Being.
The Dharma Chakram writer points out that the more
we think of Him, the more our mind get these
attributes of being unconstrained by Desha, Kala, and
Vastu, and the more we become closer to Him.

7. The Story of Yaksha Prashna in MahaBharata – The
Righteous Crane
At the end of their 12 years of exile in the forests, time
had come for the pandavas to live in Ajnata Vasa
(living Incognito). As they were discussing their
course of action the Pandava Princes came across
a Brahmin who complained that a deer has taken on
its antlers his wooden blocks required to generate fire
by friction – and therefore he was not able to light the
fire for the performance of Vedic rituals. The valorous
Pandava Princes set out to retrieve the Brahmin’s
wooden sticks and followed the hoof-marks of the
deer.
In the quest of the mysterious deer, Yudhishtra,
became exhausted and thirsty. His
brother Nakula thus ventured out to fetch water and
found a beautiful lake. The lake was devoid of any
living creature except a crane (Baka). When he
attempted to take water from the lake, the Crane
spoke, “O Nakula! The water of this lake will turn into
poison if you take it without satisfactorily answering
my questions.” Nakula, in arrogance, did not pay heed
and hurriedly took water from the lake. Upon drinking
the crystal clear water, Nakula instantly died of
poisoning. Nakula’s twin Sahadeva, coming in search
of his brother, also found the same lake, saw Nakula
dead, and was warned by the crane. But Sahadeva
too ignored the Crane and died after drinking the
water. In the same manner, both valiant Arjuna, and
powerful Bhima met the same fate.

8. Since none of the brothers returned with water,
Yudhishtra engaged in search of them. Upon
following the same path, Yudhishtra came across the
lake and found his brothers lying dead. Before
searching for the killer of his brothers, Yudhishtra
decided to drink some water from the lake. But when
the crane warned him, Yudhishtra realized that the
crane held the answer to the turn of events. The
virtuous Yudhishtra proceeded to answer the
questions put forth by the Crane.
Yudhishtra asked, “Who are you? Are you a Rudra,
Vasu, or Marut? You must be strong to be able to put
to death these powerful brothers of mine. Your feat is
remarkable because neither Devas, Asuras,

9. Gandharvas or Rakshasas could stand up to my
brothers. But why? What do you want? Noble one!
Why are you here? Who are you?”
Before putting the questions to Yudhishtra, the Crane
revealed itself as a Yaksha. The Crane replied: ‘I am
a Yaksha, Yudhishtra. May you prosper.’ As he heard
these words, Yudhishtra saw before his eyes a form
developing. A massive tall body with grotesque eyes,
burning like the fire of the Sun, and a voice like
thunder: ‘I warned your brothers. But they would not
listen to me. So now they are dead. This pool belongs
to me and unless you answer my questions you shall
not even touch this water.’ Yudhishtra replied, I have
no desire to take what is yours, Ask me and I will
answer as best as I can.
The Yaksha asked 33 questions with philosophical
and metaphysical ramifications. This dialogue
between the Yaksha and Yudhishtra is embodied in
the Aranya Parva of the Mahabharata (311.12), and is
also known as the Dharma-Baka Upakhyan (Legend
of the Virtuous Crane) and makes a very interesting
read.
One of the questions posed by the Yaksha was: What
is fleeter than the wind? Yudhishtra answered, “The
mind is fleeter than the wind”.
Pleased with all the answers, the Yaksha said,—“O
King, you have truly answered all the questions and
therefore, let one only amongst your brothers, whom

10. you may wish, get up with life!” Yudhishtra
answered,—“Let Nakula, O Yaksha, get up with life!
The Yaksha rejoined,—“This Bhimasena is dear unto
you, and Arjuna also is one upon whom all of you
depend! Why, then, O king do you, wish a step-
brother to get up with his life! How you forsake Bhima
whose strength is equal to that of ten thousand
elephants and wish Nakula to live? People said that
this Bhima was dear to you”.
Yudhishtra said,—“If Dharma is sacrificed, he that
sacrificed Dharma, is himself lost. So Dharma also
protects Dharma. My father had two wives, Kunti and
Madri, and both of them have children. As Kunti is to
dear me, so also is Madri. There is no difference
between them in my eye. I desire to act equally
towards my mothers. Therefore, let Nakula live. This
is what I wish.”
The Yaksha said,—‘Since abstention from injury is
regarded by you as higher than both profit and
pleasure, therefore, let all your brothers’ live, O bull of
Bharata race!’
Thus, all the brothers came back alive and Yudhistra
thanked the Yaksha for its grace.
696. Theertha-karah – He is the source of the holy
water
This Nama has the following meanings:
1. He is the source of holy water

11. 2. He helps us cross the Ocean of Samsara
3. The mere touch of His hand is purifying
4. He has provided simple steps to access Him through His
various Avataars
Theertha has many meanings,
one of which is knowledge. Sri Adi Sankara interprets
this Nama from this aspect and says ‘Chaturdasha
Vidyaanaam Baahya Vidyaa samayaanaam cha
Praneta Pravaktaa cheti Theerthakarah – He is the
Creator and propagator of the fourteen principal
branches of learning contained in the Vedas as well
as other branches of Learning outside the Vedas,
hence He is called Theerthakarah, the Creator of
Learning’.
Sri Sankara further explains ‘Hayagreeva roopene
Madhukaitabhau hatvaa Virinchaaya sargaadau
sarvaah shrutih anyaashcha Vidyah upadishan
Vedabahyah Vidyah suravairinaam vanchanaaya cha

12. upadidesha iti Pauranikaah kathayanti – These
include the Vedas and other Vidyas which He taught
to Brahma and the Devas in the form of Hayagreeva
(after destroying the Asuras Madhu and Kaitabha), as
well the other sciences that are contradictory to the
Vedic teachings that He gave to the Asuras to
deceive them’.
The word ‘theertham’ is derived from the root thrr –
plavana taranayoh – to swim, to cross over. That
through which one crosses over or swims is
theertham. The term theertham is used to refer to
sources of water that purify a person. The term is
also used to refer to the sacred scriptures which purify
a person through their learning – taratyanena paapam
ajnaanam iti theertham, or making it easier for us to
reach Him through His various Avataars (Para,
Vyuha, Vibhava, Arca, Antaryami). The “crossing
over” can also refer to crossing the Ocean of
Samsara, the crossing over of all sins, etc.
Sri NammAzhwar captures the full significance of
‘Theertham’ in his Thiruvai Mozhi Pasuram (7.10.11):
ககககககககககக கககககககக ககககககக
கககககககக கககககககககக,
ககககககககககககக ககககககக கககககக
கககககக கககககககககக கககககககக
கககககககககக,
கககககககககக ககககககக கககககககக
கககககககககக ககககககக, கககககககககக
கககககககககக கககககககக கககககககக
ககககக ககககககககககககக ககககககககககக.

13. Meaning: The reference to “theerthan” in the first line
is to Perumal and once you know Him you surrender
to none other; the ‘theertham’ in the 3rd line refers to
Sri NammAzhwar’s Pasurams which purify those who
chant them, and are even more purifying than Him;
the reference to ‘Theertham’ in the 4th line is to those
who have learned the purifying Pasurams, who are
even more pure than the Pasurams
themselves. Thus, hTheertham here refers to the
three levels – Perumal, the sacred Pasurams of
Azhwar, and the devotees who chant them.
Sri V.V. Rmanujan quotes Sri BhootatAzhwar’s
Pasuram from Indaam Thiruvantadi (14) who also
refers to those who sing Lord’s praise as Theertha-
karas – ‘En tisaiyum pertta karam naangu udaiyaan
per odip pediagaal – Theertha karar amin tirindu –
Please recite the Lord’s Namas whose four arms
stretched into the eight directions and become pure
holy men of the Lord by visiting Divya Desams.
The word ‘karah’ is used in two ways: The Doer, from
the verb ‘Kr – Karane’ meaning ‘to do’; or it can refer
as a noun referring to ‘karah’ as ‘hand’.
Sri Parasara Bhattar gives three interpretations:
1. He is Theertha-karah because He is the source of the
holy rivers such as the Ganges, and the holy lakes such
as the Pushkara, which purify those that mediate on
them or recite their names, just as His Nama purifies
them;

14. 2. He is the Originator of Yoga, Jnana, Samkhya (Science,
craft and other arts, Vedas, Shastras, and Music) – Yogo
Jnanam tatha Samkhyam (MahaBharata, Anushasana
Parva 150.141).
3. He, Who is deep like an unreachable ocean, but makes it
possible for the devotees to reach Him through a series
of incarnations that are like steps to reach Him.
In the Phala Shruti (19), we have:
Yogo jnanam tatha Samkhyam Vidyaah Silpadikarma
ca |
Vedashastrani vijnaanametatsarvam Janardhanat ||
Meaning: The art of Yoga and the science of
Samkhya, the treasure of knowledge, the divine art of
sculpture, and all Vedas and sciences, all these came
from Janardhana.
Sri Radharkrishna Shastri refers to the 14 or 18
Vidyas or the ‘ghats of knowledge – kalvit turaigal’ –
the four Vedas, the six Vedangas (Siksha, Vyakarana,
Chandas, Niruktam, Jyotisham, Kalpam), the two
Darshanas (Mimamsa, Nyaya), Dharma Shastra,
Puranas, and the four additional ones – Ayurveda,
Dhanurveda, Gandharva and Artha Shastra.
Swami ChinmayAnanda comments that He is
Theertha-karah because He is the most ancient
teacher of Vidyas or Theerthas.
Sri Krishna Datta Bharadvaj uses the meaning ‘hand’
for the word karah, and gives the interpretation that
He is called Theertha-karah because He has hands
whose mere touch alone can purify anyone or
anything – Theerthah tarakah karo yasya iti Theertha-

15. karah. He gives support from Srimad Bhagavatam
(8.4.6) where we find that the mere touch of
Bhagavan was able to lift Gajendra from his ajnanam,
to which he had been subjected through a previous
curse (Shapam) from Sage Agastya:
Gajendro bhagavad-sparshaat vimuktah ajnana
bandhanaat |
Praapto bhagavato rupam pItavasash-caturbhujah ||
Meaning: Because Gajendra, King of the elephants,
had been touched directly by the hands of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, he was
immediately freed of all material ignorance and
bondage. Thus he received the salvation of
Saarupya-mukti, in which he achieved the same
bodily features as the Lord, being dressed in yellow
garments and possessing four hands.
Sri Satyadevo Vasishta explains as ‘Theertham karoti
iti Theertha-karah’ – He Who Creates the Theerthas,
Shastras etc. that purifies the person who resorts to
them is Theertha-karah. He has the divine hands
whose touch purify the devotee – Theerthah taarakah
karo yasya iti Theertha-karah. Sri Vasishta further
comments that this Nama also signifies that He is the
One who makes the Sun and all the other planets
move around (Theertham is used in the sense of
crossing over, and karah in the sense of making this
possible for the planets).
The word ‘theerthal’ is to give up, and in causal form
‘to make give up’, ‘to remove’, ‘to liberate’ etc.
‘Punmai theerthu Aatkondaal polladho?’ – Will it be

16. bad if you get rid of (or remove) my base nature and
take charge of me.
Moreover, ‘theerthal’ implies a termination of a
problem or to finish it off like ‘katti-theerkaradhu’ in
Tamil.
The word ‘thuraththal’ means to renounce and also
implies giving up. Theerthal and Thuraththal go
together and gives rise to a subtle conflict in life.
Bhagavan Sri Krishna illustrates this in Chapter 18 of
the Bhagavad Gita.
In the very first Shloka of Chapter 18 of the Bhagavad
Gita, Arjuna asks the decisive question seeking clarity
on this issue:
Sannyasasya maha-baho tattvam icchami veditum
Tyagasya ca hrsikesa prthak kesi-nisudana || (18.1)
Meaning: Arjuna said, O mighty-armed one, O master
of the senses, O slayer of the demon Kesi,
Hrishikesha, I wish to understand the distinction
between renunciation (Thuraththal or Tyaga)
and renouncing of the fruits of action (theerthal).
In the next Shloka (Chapter 18 Verse 2) Bhagavan
responds:
Kamyanam karmanam nyasam sannyasam kavayo
viduh |
Sarva-karma-phala-tyagam prahus tyagam
vicaksanah ||
Meaning: The Lord said, to give up the results of all
activities is called renunciation (tyaga) by the wise.

17. And that state is called the renounced order of life
(sannyasa) by great learned men.
There is an eternal struggle between tyaga (giving up)
and nyasa (to lead a life or to make a living). The Gita
answers this in a subtle and nuanced way by
emphasising the need for knowledge. Tyaga and
nyasa are the same, when nyasa becomes san
(good) as defined in the Gita. It does not mean giving
up your duties or to stop making a living (nyasa) but
make it good (san) by doing what you have to do in a
righteous manner and not worrying about results. Do
your actions and give up (theerthal) the fruits of your
action. Then you are a Thuravi (or a Sannyasi).
The Jains have a lineage of ‘Theerthankaras’ and it
refers to the one who has gone beyond the giving up
of the Karmas and a model for others to emulate.
697. Vasu-retah – The Source of Lustre
The word Vasu
has many meanings. One of them is gold. Using this
Sri Adi Sankara interprets this Nama as ‘Vasu
suvarnam retah asya iti Vasuretaah – His seed or
energy is in the form of gold, hence He is called

18. Vasuretaah’. He quotes the following verse by Vyasa
in support of this:
Devah poorvam apah Srishtvaa taasu veeryam
upaaSrijat
Tadandam abhavat haimam Brmhanah kaaranam
param ||
Meaning: The Lord first created water and then
released His energy in the form of a golden egg out of
which emerged Bramha, the Creator’. Thus
Vasuretaah is nothing but Hiranyagarbhah, the golden
egg which was the source for Creating the Creator
himself.
The following is from Amara Kosham:
Deva-bhede’nale rashmau vasu ratne dhane vasu |
Vishnau ca vedhah stri tvasheer-
hitaashamsAhidamshTrayoh || (3-4- 288)
Meaning: Vasu as a noun can mean a class of
Deities, Fire, a Ray of Light, a Rein or Halter, Gem,
Wealth, Vishnu, Wise, Veda etc.
The word ‘retah’ is derived from the root ‘ri – sravane’
meaning ‘to flow’. The term ‘retas’ is used to refer to
the seed, cause, semen etc.
Sri Parasara Bhattar uses the meaning ‘lustre’,
related to ‘rashmi’ for the word Vasu – vasu iti jyotih
paryaayah, and the meaning “cause or source” for the
word retas, in his interpretation for the Nama, and
thus gives the meaning ‘He Who is the Source of the
Divine Lustre’. He is also the One from Whom the
other objects including the Sun get their light. The
Nirukti summary for the Nama is:

19. Vasu Sabdo jyotir-artho retas-tat-karanam matam |
Divya-jyotih karanatvat Vasu-retah prakirtitah ||
Sri AnnangarAcharya gives the interpretation for the
Nama as ‘He Who has His Divya Tejas as the Cause
for His incarnations’. Sri V.V. Ramanujan gives the
example of His Krishna incarnation, where He entered
the Garbham of Devaki in the form of His Jyoti.
Sri Satyadevo Vasishta uses the root ‘vas – nivase’
meaning ‘to dwell’, and derives the meaning that One
in Whom the whole Universe resides is Vasu. He
uses the meaning ‘root’ or ‘cause’ for the term retah,
and thus gives the interpretation that Vasu-reta refers
to the One Who is the cause of all things in this
Universe.
The Dharma Chakram writer gives the analogy that
just as gold serves as the base material for all gold
ornaments, so also He serves as the base from which
all other beings arise. He shines like gold in the
context of creation and just as gold needs to be
admixed with a small amount of copper in order for it
to be used in making jewels, so also the joining
together of His Veeryam with the Moola-prakriti
results in the Creation of the Universe, with its Panca
bhutas etc.
698. Vasupradah – The Giver of Treasure
This Nama appears in succession and has several
meanings:
1. The Giver of Treasure

20. 2. The Giver of Glory or Dignity
3. The Bestower of Moksham
4. He Who provides the place for dwelling for all beings
We will cover the giver of wealth and treasure in this
Nama and the bestower of Moksha in the next Nama.
Sri Adi Sankara interprets this
Nama as ‘Vasum dhanam prakarshena dadaati
saakshaat Dhanaadhyakshoyam itarastu
tatprasaadaat Dhanaadhyakshah iti Vasupradah – He
gives away wealth liberally making him the real
controller of wealth; the other apparent controllers
such as Kubera are only functioning as controllers out
of his grace hence He is called Vasupradah, the
dispenser of wealth’.
Vasu dhanam prakarshena dadati iti Vasu-pradah –
One Who bestows wealth in an eminent or superior
way is Vasu-pradah.

21. Sri Parasara Bhattar says that He gives the best of
wealth to the true seeker, in the form of Himself – thus
He gives the parama nidhi – the Treasure, to the true
devotee.
Sri Satyadevo Vasishta gives the meaning for this
Nama as ‘The Giver of wealth’.
699. Vasupradah – The Conferror of Moksha
Vasu is
interpreted in the sense of the ultimate wealth i.e. the
fruit of liberation or Moksham. Sri Adi Sankara
explains this as ‘Vasu prakrishtam mokshaakhyam

22. phalam bhaktebhyah pradadaati iti dviteeyo
Vasupradah – He gives the ultimate reward of
Moksham or liberation to His devotees, hence He is
called Vasupradah’.
In the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (3.9.28), it says –
Vigyanamandam Brahma ratirdatu payanam
thishtamansya tadvidah iti shruteh! Surarinaam
vasuni prakarshna khandayan va Vasupradah – It is
Brahman, who is wisdom and bliss, the final goal of
the giver of wealth; as He is the One who abides in
Him and knows Him. Or He who deprives the asuras
of their wealth.
Sri Parasara Bhattar explains the meaning of Vasu as
Glory for this occurrence. Sri Bhattar gives the
example of Bhagavan giving Himself as a son to
Devaki and Vasu-deva. He also gave keerti to
Dasharatha when He was born as Rama – ellai il SIr
Dasharathan tan maganait tondri.
Sri Satyadevo Vasishta uses the meaning ‘dwelling’
for Vasu, and gives the interpretation that He has the
Nama Vasu-pradah because He provides Himself as
the place for the existence of all beings -vastatyasmin
iti vasuh vasastam pradadati iti Vasu-pradah.
700. Vaasu-devah – The Son of Vasudeva
There are several meanings for this Nama and this
has appeared even earlier in Shloka 36.
1. He who pervades and sports
2. The Son of Vasudeva

23. 3. The presiding Deity of the well-known 12-lettered
Vasu-deva mantra
4. The Deity Who is adored by His devotees
5. He Who lives in everything and Who keeps them
moving around
Sri Adi Sankara gives the
straightforward meaning ‘Vasudevasya apatyam
pumaan Vaasudevah – He is called Vaasudevah
because He is the son of Vasudeva’. Just like the son
of Dasharatha is called Daasharathi and the son of
Varuna is called Vaarunah, Similarly, the son of
Vasudeva is called Vaasudevah by the rules of
Sanskrit grammar.
Sri Bhattar explains that this Nama, like the Narayana
Nama, is a guhya mantram, and its meaning should
be properly learnt from a qualified Acharya. Sri

24. Bhattar’s earlier interpretation was that Bhagavan is
called Vaasu-deva because He is Vaasu (One in
whom everything lives like in a mother, and One who
envelopes and protects everything like a bird with its
wings), and He is a deva (One Who sports, or has this
process of pervasion, permeation, creation,
protection, destruction, etc., as a part of His
leela). So He is both a Vaasu and a deva, and so He
is called Vaasu-devah.
Sri Krishna Datta Bharadvaj gives the support from
Srimad Bhagavatam (10.51.40), where Bhagavan
declares that He is called Vaasu-deva because He
was born as the son of Vasu-deva in the yadu kulam:
avateerno yadukule griha Anakadundubheh |
vadanti Vaasu-deveti Vasu-deva-sutam hi maam ||
Meaning: Thus I descended in the Yadu dynasty, in
the home of Anakadundubhi. Indeed, because I am
the son of Vasudeva, people call Me Vaasudeva.
Sri V.V. Ramanujan observes that it is the same
vyUha vAsu-deva that descended from Sri
Vaikuntham, that also took birth as the child of Vasu-
deva, delighted the hearts of the gopis, was the para-
tattvam for the yogis, and at the same time was the
death for Kamsa and a terror for his other evil-minded
associates.
Sri Krishna Datta Bharadvaj gives a different
interpretation that He is called Vaasu-deva because
He is adorned by His devotees – Vaasyate sevyate
bhaktaih iti Vaasuh; sa caasau deva iti Vaasu-
devah. The root from which he derives this

25. interpretation is vaas – upasevaayaam – to scent, to
make fragrant.
Sri Satyadevo Vasishta uses this last meaning
(gacchati, gamayati) for the word Deva, and gives the
interpretation for the Nama as ‘One Who dwells in
everything, and makes it possible for everything to
move around’. He gives reference from the
Isaavasya Upanishad mantra ‘Isavasyam idam
sarvam yad-ki’nca jagatyaam jagat – All this,
whatsoever moves in this Universe, including the
Universe itself moving, is indwelt or pervaded or
enveloped by the Lord’.
Swami ChinmayAnanda gives the interpretation that
He has this Nama since He lives in every living entity
as the Jiva, the in-dweller. He supports his
interpretation with a reference from the Bhagavad
Gita (Chapter 18 Verse 61):
Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese ‘rjuna tisthati
Bhramayan sarva-bhutani yantrarudhani mayaya ||
Meaning: The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s
heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all
living entities, who are seated as on a machine,
spinning them round and round, mounted on a wheel
as it were, by His power’.
701. Vasuh – The In-dweller
We have covered this Nama earlier in Shloka 12 and
Shloka 29. The Nama ‘Vasuh’ has several meanings:
1. The In-dweller
2. He is the best wealth that is sought after

26. 3. He Who resides in the Milk-Ocean
4. He Who is in the form of the Vasus
5. He Who lives in everything and in whom everything
lives
6. He Who conceals Himself (from those who are not
devoted to Him)
7. He is the final dwelling place for all
Sri Adi Sankara
gives the interpretation for this occurrence as the in-
dweller. He says ‘Vasanti bhutaani tatra, teshu ayam
api vasati iti Vasuh – All beings reside in Him and He
also resides in them hence He is called Vasuh, the
resider’. In the Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 7 Verse 12)
Bhagavan says ‘Matta eveti taan viddhi na tvaham
teshu te mayi – Not only do I dwell in them they also
dwell in me’. In the Narayana Suktam it says ‘Antar

27. bahishcha tat sarvam vyaapya Narayana Sthitah –
Lord Narayana resides everywhere both inside and
outside of all beings’.
Sri Sankara’s earlier interpretation of this Nama were:
 Of the eight Vasus, He is ‘Fire’ – ‘Vasunam Pavakashca
Asmi’ – Srimad Bhagavad Gita 10.23);
 He is the Wealth that He gives Himself to His devotees;
 He is Vasuh because He conceals Himself with His
Maya (‘vas’ means to cover);
 He is dwelling in the atmosphere as Vasu (Vasur-
antarikshasat – Katha Upanishad 2.2.3).
Sri Bhattar’s earlier comments for this Nama was that
Bhagavan is Vasuh because He dwells in the hearts
of His devotees as He is pleased even with the
slightest of devotion. He had further interpreted that
Bhagavan is Vasuh because He is the wealth or
treasure sought after by great people to the exclusion
of all other wealth – ‘Vaasu-devah sarvam iti
prakarena garIyasaam svayameva dhanam iti Vasuh’.
For the current occurrence of the Nama, Sri Bhattar’s
interpretation is in the context of Lord’s Krishna
Avataar, and he explains that ‘Vasuh’ refers to His
dwelling in the Milky-Ocean, from where He takes His
Avataars’ for our benefit. He quotes the following in
support:
Sa lokanam hitarthaya ksheerode vasati prabhuh |
(MahaBharata) – ‘The great Lord resides in the Milky-
Ocean for doing good to the people of the world’.

28. Esha Narayanah Sriman ksheerarnava niketanah |
Naaga paryankam utsrjya hyagato mathuram
purim ||(Harivamsam 113.62)
Meaning: This Narayana, Who is always with
Lakhsmi, resides in the Milky-Ocean; He has come to
the city of Mathura leaving His serpent-couch
(AdiSesha).
Sri V.V. Ramanujan refers us to Sri NammAzhwar’s
Thiruvai Mozhi 8.8.1, where he says:
கககககக ககககககக ககககககககக கககககக
ககககககக ககககககக,ககககக
ககககககக கககக கககககககக ககககக மகர
ககககககககககக,
ககககககக கககககக கககககககககககக
கககககக ககககக கககக ககககககககக,
கககககக ககககக கககககககக கககககக
ககககக கககககககக.
Meaning: The One with large red eyes and ripe coral
lips, pearly white teeth and radiant dangling earnings
shaped like Makara-fish, dark as the rain-cloud, he
wears a radiant crown, has four arms, and holding a
beautiful Bow, Discus, Conch, Mace and Sword
dwells within me.
Sri Baladeva Vidya Bhushan quotes Bhagavan’s own
words – ‘mad-bhakta yatra gaayanti tatra tishthami
Narada – Wherever my devotees invoke My name, I
am present there’.
Swami ChinmayAnanda gives the explanation that He
is the final refuge of all, and this is what is signified by
this Nama.

29. The Dharma Chakram writer points out that just like a
child which gets distracted with some toys and forgets
its mother, we get distracted with the trivial
materialistic wealth often and forget Him; but just as
the mother embraces the child when it cries for her,
Bhagavan embraces us when we cry for Him. Instead
of pursuing materialistic pleasures, we should realize
that He is the most treasured Wealth. The writer also
identifies the Nama with Fire, which according to him
is the most important of the Ashta Vasus in Nature.
702. Vasu-manaah – He Who has a Mind which
thinks of His devotees as a treasure
This Nama has also occurred earlier in Shloka 12 and
has several meanings:
1. He Whose mind is always with Vasu-deva.
2. He Who has a golden mind – pure, without any
afflictions
3. He Who has a pure mind (He dwells in everything
without distinction)
4. He Who has a mind which is filled with Vatsalyam
(affection) towards His devotees
5. He Who has a mind that leads to the removal of
obstacles of His devotees
6. He Who has complete knowledge of the needs of all
beings
7. He Whose mind was with Bhishma as He lay in his
death-bed of arrows

30. Sri Adi Sankara interprets this
as ‘Avisheshena sarveshu vishayeshu vasati iti
Vasuh, taadrisham manah asya asti iti Vasumanaah –
His mind is so pure and unbiased that he resides
everywhere without discrimination so He is called
Vasumanaah or one with a pure mind’. For Bhagavan
all are equal irrespective of their wealth, education or
social status. He dwells everywhere without any
differentiation. Because He has a manas which is
Vasu (pure, excellent, superior); His mind is not
polluted with desire, aversion, pride, etc. (raga-
dveshadibhih kleshaih madadibhih up-kleshaishca
yato na kalushitam cittam tatah tan-manah
prashastam; prashastam mano yasya sah vasu-
manAh), He is called Vasu-manaah.

31. Sri Bhattar interprets
that Vasu-manaah indicates Bhagavan considering
His devotees as a treasure. Vasu interpreted as
Wealth, and manas interpreted as mind, Vasu-
manaah means He Who treasures His devotees in
His mind. Sri Bhattar gave the reference from the
Bhagavad Gita (7.19), indicating how pure devotees
are a hard to find treasure for Him, where the Lord
says to Arjuna:
Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate
Vaasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma su-durlabhah ||
Meaning: After many births and deaths, one perfected
in wisdom surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the
cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul
is very rare.
Sri Bhattar follows up on his interpretation of the
previous Nama Vasuh, which he interpreted as ‘One
Who dwells in the Milky-Ocean ready to take the
different Avataars for the benefit of mankind’. He
interprets the current Nama as indicating that though
He was resting in the Milky-Ocean, His manas was
with Vasu-deva – Vasu-manaah (the term ‘Vasu’ in
this instance referring to Vasu-deva), to whom He
decided to be born as the son for His Krishna

32. Avataar. Sri Bhattar further points out that just as the
term ‘Datta’ without any other qualification always
refers to Deva-datta, and the term ‘Bhama’ refers to
Satyabhama, so also scholars have interpreted the
name ‘Vasu’ to refer to Vasu-deva. Even though He
resides in the Milky-ocean, the birth place of Lakshmi,
His mind is with Vasu-deva, which is why He choose
to be born as Vasu-deva’s child.
Sri Baladeva VidyaBhushaN comments that all that
Bhagavan looks for is from His devotees is pure
devotion to Him – aki’ncana bhakta dhaneshu mano
yasya sa Vasu-manaah.
In his first Pasuram of Thiruvai Mozhi, Sri
NammAzhwar refers to Perumal’s tiruvadi (Lotus feet)
as ‘tuyar aru Sudar adi – The glorious Lotus Feet that
removes the sufferings of His devotees.
Sri RamanujAcharya has given this alternate
explanation for this phrase of Sri NammAzhwar: It is
Bhagavan whose tuyar or sorrow is removed as they
get in contact with His dear devotees and His Divine
Feet shine brilliantly. Such is the importance of the
devotees and their happiness to Bhagavan. He
suffers when His devotees suffer, and He feels happy
when His devotees feel happy, as described in
Srimad Ramayana, Ayodhya Kandam (2.42):
Vyasaneshu manushyanam bhrisham bhavati
duhkitah |
Utsaveshu ca sarveshu piteva paritushyati ||

33. Sri Krishna Datta Bharadvaj uses a different meaning
for the word ‘Vasu’ (vas – snehe – to love, and vas-
apaharane – to take away, based on vas – snehac-
cheda apaharaNeshu – to love, to cut, to take away).
His first interpretation is that this Nama signifies
Bhagavan’s Vatsalyam (vasu snehah vatsalyam tan
manasi yasya iti Vasu-manaah). His second
interpretation is based on vas – apaharana – to take
away, is that He has this Nama because He has a
mind which makes Him take away or remove the
sufferings of His devotees – vaasayati apaharati
vipadah sva-jananam iti vasu; taadrsham mano yasya
iti Vasu-manaah).
Sri Satyadevo Vasishta uses the root ‘man – jnane’
meaning ‘to know or to think’, and gives the
interpretation that this Nama signifies that Bhagavan
is the Knower of the type of body, and the relative
requirements of heat, air, water, etc., for the different
kinds of beings, and so He is Vasu-manaah – One
Who knows the various needs, constitution, etc., of
all the creatures (yena prakarena nivasitum arhati,
prithak prithak Sareera-krite katham vidhasya
aushnyasya, kim va Sitasya, kim va jalasya, kim va
vayoh Avashyakata astiiti sarvam Vishnuh jaanaati,
tasmaat sa Vasu-manaah ukto bhavati).
The Dharma Chakram writer explains that while most
people are selfish and think of their own welfare, a
person who strives to put Vedanta into practice will
have the broad mind to think of the welfare of others,
and will see God in everything he encounters. He

34. realizes that Bhagavan is the only One who is worthy
of worship. He acquires unshakable devotion to
Him. This is not easy to attain, and it may take
several births to achieve it.
703. Havih – The Sacrificial Offering
Havih means sacrificial offering. Sri Adi Sankara
interprets this as ‘Bramhaarpanam Bramha Havih iti
Bhagavat vachanaat Havih – Since Bhagavan has
said in the Bhagavad Gita (4.24) that what is offered
to God is God Himself, He is the offering or ‘Havih’. In
the Bhagavad Gita (9.16), Bhagavan says:
Aham kratur aham yajnah svadhaham aham
ausadham
mantro ‘ham aham evajyam aham agnir aham hutam
Meaning: But it is I who am the ritual, I the sacrifice,
the offering to the ancestors, the healing herb, the
transcendental chant. I am the butter and the fire and
the offering’.
Sri Sankara gives his interpretation for the current
Nama as “He is the Oblation in the sacrifice”, and
gives the above-referenced Gita Shloka in
support. His explanation is that a Brahman-knower
knows that the Havis is nothing but Brahman –
‘Brahma arpanam yena karanena brahma-vit havih
agnau arpayati tat brahmaiva iti pashyati’.
The word ‘havih’ is derived from the root ‘hu –
danadanayoh’ means ‘to offer, to perform a sacrifice’.
In the context of Krishna Avataar, Sri Bhattar’s
explanation for this Nama is that it signifies that
Bhagavan was given away (sacrificed), by Devaki and

35. Vasudeva to Yashodha and Nandagopa, as soon as
He was born. Even though the child Krishna had
nothing to fear from Kamsa, He let Himself be given
away to Nandagopa just for the peace of mind of
Vasudeva and Yashodha.
A different derivation is given by Sri Krishna Datta
Bharadvaj and Sri Baladeva VidyaBhushan. They
derive their interpretations based on the root hu (hinv)
– preenane – to please, and thus give the
interpretation for the Nama as ‘He Who is pleased or
satisfied’ – huyate preeyate iti Havih. Following on
his explanation for the Nama Vasu-manaah in terms
of Bhishma, Sri Vidya Bhushan observes that He was
pleased with Bhishma’s meditation as He was lying
on the bed of arrows, and bestowed Moksham on
him, and this is what is signified by the Nama ‘Havih’.
The Dharma Chakram writer observes that when
something is offered in sacrifice by one person to
another, both benefit in the process. In the case of
Lord Krishna, Devaki and Vasudeva who gave Him
away were released from the atrocity of Kamsa, and
Yashodha and Nandagopa who received Him derived
immense joy by having Him with them. That is the
greatness of sacrifice. However, it is important to
note that sacrifice should be performed without the
feeling of Doer-ship, and without the desire for
benefit.
IN SUMMARY

36. Manojavas Theerthakaro Vasuretah Vasupradah |
Vasuprado Vaasudevo Vasur Vasumanaa Havih ||74||
He is moves
everywhere swiftly at the speed of thought, hence He
is called Manojavah. He is the Creator and
propagator of the fourteen principal branches of
learning contained in the Vedas as well as other
branches of Learning outside the Vedas, hence He is
calledTheerthakarah, the Creator of Learning. His
seed or energy is in the form of gold, hence He is
calledVasuretaah. He gives away wealth liberally
making him the real controller of wealth; the other
apparent controllers such as Kubera are only
functioning as controllers out of his grace hence He is
called Vasupradah, the dispenser of wealth.

37. He gives the ultimate reward of Moksham or liberation
to His devotees, hence He is called Vasupradah.
He is called Vaasudevah because He is the son
of Vasudeva. All beings reside in Him and He also
resides in them hence He is called Vasuh, the resider
or in-dweller. He Who has a Mind which thinks of His
devotees as a treasure, hence He is Vasumanaah. He
Who is Havih, the Oblation in the sacrifice.
HARI OM TAT SAT
OM NAMO NARAYANAAYA
This Vishnu Sahasranamam series is authored with the
help of my friend Shri Balaji.