The Glorious Commentary on Sri Vishnu Sahasranamam – The Third Centum 281) mantraH (मन्त्रः) The etymologists show the purport of the word ‘mantraH’ to mean the one which protects those who meditate upon it. Since Bhagavan also protects His devotees who constantly meditate upon Him, He is called ‘mantraH’. In the Brahma purana, Narada Maharshi asks Bhagavan as to who would be capable of contemplating on Bhagavan in the final painful moments on a death bed. Bhagavan replies thus: “He who has constantly meditated upon me (all through his life) would be capable of contemplating on me in those final moments and thus cross the dreadful ocean of saMsAra filled with thirst, hunger, etc.” In the Varaha purana, Bhagavan – in the form of Maha Varaha (the great boar) – instructs thus to Bhooma Devi: “Oh Bhooma! When a man’s mind and body are in good condition with all the vital constituents of the body in perfect proportions (such as blood, bones, flesh, etc), if he mindfully contemplates upon me - who is in the form of verily the universe and who doesn’t take births out of Karma, then I shall remember that man and lead him to my Supreme abode ‘Sri Vaikuntham’ during his final moments in this material world, although he lies inanimately in his death bed like a log of wood without being able to remember me!” (NOTE: The last quote from the Varaha Purana is popularly called ‘Sri Varaha charama slokam’, which holds a very important place in our Sri Sampradayam. The original sloka of that translation is given below for the readers’ benefit. The readers are requested to approach their Acharyas for a more detailed exposition.) स्थितॆ मनसि सुस्वस्थॆ शरीरॆ सति यॊ नरः धातुसाम्यॆ स्थितॆ स्मर्ता विश्वरूपं च मामजम् ततस्तं म्रियमाणंतु काष्टपाषाणसन्निभम् अहं स्मरामि मद्भक्तं नयामि परमां गतिम् ) Etymology: Bhagavan is called ‘mantraH’ since He protects His devotees who meditate upon Him. मन्तारं त्रायतॆ इति मन्त्रश्चाप्यभिदीयतॆ | (to be continued...)
Posted on: Tue, 01 Oct 2013 01:37:15 +0000
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