To call a person or a thing, a name is needed. And what is a name? A name is not just a word. The bháva, or ideation, for an object goes together with its name. And it is essential to bear in mind that one cannot name oneself, somebody else does the naming.

There is an old problem – which is more powerful, Parama Puruśa or His name? Before leaping across the ocean, Hanuman consulted Rama about it. Rama replied, “Go ahead, Hanuman. You can jump across the ocean. But I cannot.” Hanuman said, “Yes, I will be able to cross the ocean.” And Rama asked him, “How will you be able to cross it?” Hanuman replied, “With your power.” Rama asked, “How [will you get My power]?” And Hanuman replied, “I will take your name, then I will jump.” Hence the náma [name] is more powerful than the námii.⁽¹⁾ Why is it more powerful? A scientific explanation is needed here.

The named, before being named, remains nameless. When there were no devotees, God had no name – He was nameless. When there came to be devotees, then God became named God.

I was saying in Delhi that the fight between God and devotees is an old fight, a sweet fight. And what is that fight? God says to devotees, “It is you who are superior. Because of you, I have been named. Had it not been for you, who would have called me by the name of God? Even if I was God, I was not ‘God’. Because of you, I have become God.” And devotees say, “You are the base of my life. In Your absence, the existence of my life becomes jeopardized. You have created, and You alone are the base.” Devotees consider God to be superior, and vice versa. This fight to make the other superior has no end.

Now, let us see why the name is more powerful than the named. The shakti, or energy, in the name is kendrita – centralized. It is stambhita – latent. But when a name comes into being, it means a namer has come, and through the name, the named is addressed. In that situation, the latent power in the name gets activated. You know that from the beginning there has been a system of writing oṋm in which there is a dot and a crescent. The dot represents energy [in potential form], it represents cognition in potential form. There is no expression. And this mark [the crescent] represents expression. When the latent energy becomes activated, this mark will be the symbolic representation of the activation – that is, energy is now no longer latent, rather it is translated into action. As long as energy is latent, it is as good as not being energy. When the energy is activated, when it is expressed, then people will take it as energy.

Rabindranath was a great poet. Had the poetic genius in him not got expression and remained latent, the world would not have taken him to be a great poet. Had he composed his poems in his mind and not written them, he would not have won acceptance by the people as a great poet.

In the same way, when the namer does not name, the named is powerless. Therefore it is said that the name has greater power than the named.

For example, Parama Puruśa – He is the beloved of all. In [old] Sanskrit there is a word bapra. Bapra means “dear”. Bapra became bappa in Prákrta. In Ardha Prákrta it first became báppá, and then changed to bapu and then to bábá.

So the meaning of the word bábá is “dear”. As Parama Puruśa is the beloved of all, so all are beloved for Parama Puruśa. So when Parama Puruśa is “Bábá” for units, for Parama Puruśa the units are also bábá. This is because the relationship is that of love, in which there is no scope for superior or inferior, higher or lower – all are equal. Whether the devotee is greater or God is greater, each is bábá for the other. Why wait for the decision of the fight?

A person addresses Parama Puruśa as he or she wishes to. Therefore the named has to be named. [But as regards the extent to which a name is] ideational (bhávaváhaka) – the name Parama Puruśa cannot be so very ideational. [Whereas] the more [an ideational] name is taken, the more the bliss increases. Is it clear?

And what should be [that ideational] name? The most proper name for Parama Puruśa, the most suitable name, the most activating name that a person can use, is that person’s own Iśt́a mantra.⁽²⁾ For that person, other names of Parama Puruśa are no name at all. This is the correct attitude. As you have heard before, once Hanuman was asked, “You are well-versed and you know one thousand and one names for Parama Puruśa, yet you keep repeating ‘Rama, Rama’. Why?” To this Hanuman replied – and his reply was full of teaching –

Shriináthe Jánakiináthe cábheda Paramátmani;
Tathápi mama sarvasvah Rámah kamalalocanah.

“I know that Shriinátha and Jánakiinátha are one from the spiritual point of view.⁽³⁾ From the spiritual point of view Shriinátha and Jánakiinátha are one and inseparable.” Tathápi mama sarvasvah – “Nevertheless, Rama is everything for me, and I do not recognize Náráyańa or anybody else. For me the word ‘Náráyańa’ has no value.”

So you must remember, the Iśt́a mantra of a person is everything for that person; other mantras are no mantra for that person.

Hence human beings must name Parama Puruśa. If somebody says, “Don’t name Parama Puruśa, simply do dhyána [meditation],” you will discover something while meditating, also – that one has to address Parama Puruśa by name, otherwise one is not satisfied. When you meditate you have a wish to address the meditated, to say something to that party. That is, again the name comes up. Though the name is something limited, the human mind cannot help using it. Ultimately the name and the namer will no longer remain, only the named will remain. But as long as the namer and name do remain, the name has to be used – simply because one can’t help it.

People see the liilá [play] of Parama Puruśa all around. The whole universe is expressed because of His liilá. What does liilá mean? Where you see the effect but not the cause, that is liilá. Where you see the effect together with the cause, that is not liilá.

A human cannot do liilá, only Parama Puruśa can do it, because a human’s mind cannot grasp the liilá’s cause. If someone considers himself or herself to be very wise and traces different causes behind different effects, that person will still not be able to reach the first cause, because the theory of causality works only in the arena of mind and the arena of time, space, and person. So when at the last point the effect is found within the scope of time, space, and person, but the cause remains beyond that spatio-temporo-personal boundary, one will not be able to catch the cause, as one’s mind will not work there – the cause has gone beyond the boundary of the mind. The theory of causality was founded by Maharshi Kanada. Kanada said, Kárańábhávat káryábhávah – “Where there is no [cause] there is no [effect].” The theory is correct, but a human can only find those causes which are within the scope of the mind – that which is beyond the scope of the mind cannot be found. That is, one’s intellect is limited.

So a person gives a name to Parama Puruśa to the extent that he or she understands within the scope of time, space, and person. And when, while [repeating] that name, they reach the named, they find that the named is beyond relativities. Then the mind tries to catch Him by [transcending] the relativities, and when it goes beyond them, it is absorbed in samádhi. The samádhi is in Parama Puruśa, because the samádhi is beyond the relativity. This is the science of samádhi.

The language of humans and the capacity of that language is greatly limited. Whatever you feel in the mind cannot necessarily be expressed in language. If you are given hard candy, rasagollá, and peŕá, you will call them sweet. But are these sweets really similar? No. The sweetness of everything differs. But you do not have separate words in your dictionary for the separate kinds of sweetness. If you are pricked with a small pin, or a cut is made on your body somewhere with a knife, you will utter, “Uhhh!” in both cases. But it is difficult to understand which “Uhhh!” is indicative of which pain. Therefore language is more limited than bháva [feelings]. And bháva is very, very limited in comparison to mahábháva [eternal bliss]. And when people are established in mahábháva, they become bliss itself. How can this be expressed through language? So where there is less bliss, people will talk a lot, and where there is a maximum of it, people will be silent. Language has no place where there is a maximum of bliss, because it has no capacity there. Still people try to the best of their capacity. They continue to search for different adjectives for Parama Puruśa. Therefore the poet Padmadanta said about Parama Puruśa:

Asitagirisamaḿ syát kajjalaḿ sindhupátre;
Surataruvarashákhá lekhanii pátramurvii;
Likhati yadi Sáradá sarvakálam;
Tathápi tava guńánámiisha páraḿ na yati.

You must have seen ink tablets. (Nowadays they are not used, but previously they were. People used to make ink by mixing it in water.) Take an ink tablet. You want to describe the qualities of Parama Puruśa. (By explaining the qualities, the name will come. As per the description of the qualities, you will develop the name. You have decided to write the qualities first and the name later.) In order to write, you require ink, an ink tablet. “Suppose you get an ink tablet as big as the Himalayas” – Asitagirisamam syát kajjalaḿ sindhupátre – “and your ink pots are the oceans.” Surataruvarashákhá lekhanii – “the imaginary párijáta tree, which spreads from heaven to hell, is taken as a pen.” “And the entire earth serves as the paper” – pátramúrvii. “Now if Sáradá [the goddess of learning] writes for eternity” – likhati yadi Sáradá sarvakálam – “even then she will not be able to describe all the qualities of Parama Puruśa” – tathápi tava guńánámiisha páraḿ na yati. Still people try because they cannot help it.

Now, you see that sometimes people do actions which they should not do. Does that mean that Parama Puruśa will become dissatisfied with those people?

When that which should not be done is done, it is known as pápa [sin of commission]; and when that which should be done is not done, it is known as pratyaváya [sin of omission]. For example, service to society should be done, and if it is not done, it is pratyaváya. Stealing should not be done, and if it is done, it is pápa. But is it pápa? No, your relationship with Parama Puruśa is beyond vice and virtue. It is your personal relationship with Him. A two-year-old child may sit on the lap of its father, may even pass stool or urine – the father is quite respectable and learned – but does the father kick the child out and say that the child has committed a sin? No. Your relationship with Parama Puruśa is entirely personal. Suppose on some whim you have said something bad about Parama Puruśa, why should He get angry? So do not think that Parama Puruśa will get angry. Whatever you do will be to the satisfaction of Parama Puruśa.

Why do you worship Parama Puruśa? [Because the gift of your mind pleases Him.] Why will you do social service? The world is His creation, so if you serve the world, Parama Puruśa will be satisfied. Whatever you do, you do for the satisfaction of Parama Puruśa. People should not forget this. There is no question of vice and virtue with Parama Puruśa.

There is a story about the cowherds and Lord Krśńa. Once Lord Krśńa fell seriously ill. All the doctors of all the hospitals of Mathura treated Him, but in vain. Ultimately people asked Krśńa Himself for the remedy of His disease. He said, “If some devotee will give the dust from their feet, and if that is rubbed on my forehead, I will be cured.”

So Narada was asked to go about and procure the dust from the feet of a devotee. But people refused to give the dust from their feet, as they did not want that dust to be rubbed on the forehead of the Lord. They said that even to listen to such a thing was sinful.

Narada could not get any dust from anywhere. Then he went to Vrindavana, where he saw many cowherds tending the cows. They gave the dust from their feet and told Narada to use it if it would help the Lord. They further said that if the dust did not work, that would prove that they were not devotees.

But Narada said to them, “What kind of devotees are you? Will you give the dust from your feet to be put on the Lord’s forehead? Will that not be a sin?”

The cowherds replied, “We are not concerned about these things. We are concerned about giving the Lord relief. If He gets relief, we will consider that we have done the greatest virtuous deed. If we acquire a sin in the process, that does not matter, as long as God gets relief. If God is in hell and we are in heaven, that heaven will be worse than hell for us. But if God is in hell, we can remain there with Him till eternity. We want to remain with God, whether in heaven or in hell.”

So the relationship with God is personal, and quite mutual. People speak to God because they cannot help it. It is said of the Lord,

Ugraḿ viiraḿ Maháviśńuḿ
Jvalantaḿ sarvatomukham;
Nrsiḿhaḿ bhiiśańaḿ bhadraḿ
Mrtyurmrtyu namámyaham.

[I pay salutations to Him whose power is everywhere, to solve all problems; who is brave, all-pervading, full of energy, compassionate towards all beings; who is the supreme authority, fear-inspiring yet gentlemanly; who is the death of death.]

Ugram. “O Parama Puruśa, You are ugra, udagra; that is, You come ahead of all. In our social, personal, national, and human lives, what we want is God in front, and ultimately our problems will get solved.” Parama Puruśa is ugra, udagra; He takes the lead in every work. Therefore one of His names is Puruśa.⁽⁴⁾ He is always in front of us. Wherever we look, He is there.

Viiram. There is no problem in the world which is not tackled in the presence of Parama Puruśa. So nobody is as viira [brave] as Parama Puruśa. So Parama Puruśa alone can be termed viira.

Maháviśńu. Viśńu means “that which is inside an object and is all-pervading”.

Vistárah sarvabhútasya Viśńorvishvamidaḿ jagat;
Draśt́avyamátmavattasmádabhedena vicakśańaeh.

–Viśńupuráńa

[This manifested universe is the expression of Viśńu, the latent all-pervading entity. Therefore a wise person should look upon everything as his or her own, from an integral viewpoint.]

This world is the expression of Viśńu. And Maháviśńu is both the expressed, and the latent wherein lies the potentiality of expression. Mahaviśńu means not only “who is all-pervading”, but also “who has the potentiality to be all-pervading where there has not yet been any expression or manifestation”.

Jvalantaḿ sarvatomukham. In the human world, whatever activating force exists is obtained from Parama Puruśa. You take food, and you get energy from air and water. And all of these get their energy from Parama Puruśa. All the five fundamental factors get their energy from Him alone. People get energy from the sun, and the sun gets it from Parama Puruśa.

Na tatra súryo bháti na candratárakam;
Nemávidyuto bhánti kuto’yamagnih.
Tvameva bhántamanubháti sarvam;
Tasya bhása sarvamidaḿ vibháti.

[Before Him the sun does not shine, nor do the moon and the stars, nor does the lightning – what to speak of the fire! It is his radiance that makes all entities radiant.]

Therefore He is jvalantam, “burning”, full of energy. If you want energy, ask Parama Puruśa. Say, “I act according to your directions. For that I require energy, much more energy.” And you will continue to get energy. He is the perennial source of energy and power.

Vishvatomukham [or sarvatomukham]. He has an attachment for every object of the universe; that is, He takes care of each and every object – an ant or a mammoth, an illiterate person or a literate one. Nothing is hidden from Him. Humans cannot conceal anything they do from Him. If you say to somebody, “Don’t tell anyone about this,” Parama Puruśa hears you saying privately not to tell anyone. Therefore it is said that He has a separate face for each unit being, with which He sees everyone. Na antariikśe na samudramajjhe⁽⁵⁾ – “Neither in the sky, nor in the ocean,” nor in a cave, can you hide yourself. Nowhere in the Cosmos can you hide from Him. Therefore He is vishvatomukham.

Nrsiḿham. Nrsiḿha does not mean “half man and half lion”. [Though nr can also be interpreted as “man” and siḿha as “lion”.] Nr means Puruśa, and siḿha means “best”. (The word siḿha has many meanings, and one of them is “best”.) So nrsiḿha does not mean “half man and half lion”. It means Puruśottama, Parama Puruśa.

Nrsiḿhaḿ bhiiśańaḿ bhadraḿ. Nrsiḿha is bhiiśańa, “terrible”. Why terrible? He scolds and punishes considerably. In order to carry out ordinary administration, one has to be strict. And to administer the whole universe, one has to be terrible. A little fear is also essential. Then all will do their work. Yes, the love should be more than the fear, but there must be fear also. It is said in Hindi, Binu bhay hoin na piriti – “No fear, no love.”

Take the sun. The sun has to do its duty punctually in all seasons. It cannot delay, it has to do it. It has no holiday. It feels fear.

Bhiiśasmádvayuhpavate bhiiśodeti suryah
bhiiśasmadágnishcendrashca; mrtyuh dhávati paiṋcamah
tasmáducyate bhiiśanamiti.

–Atharvaveda

[Out of fear of Him the wind blows, the sun rises on time. Out of fear of Him the fire-god, the moon-god, the god of energy and the god of death carry out their duties faithfully. This is why He is called Bhiiśańam, The Terrible.]

Parama Puruśa has been called bhiiśańa [fearful] in this shloka. This is because “out of fear of Him the sun rises, the wind blows.” One of the Sanskrit names for “wind” is anila. In Sanskrit, anila means “not stationary”, “moving”. (There is a similar Sanskrit word, aniila, meaning “not blue”.) “The wind has to blow, the fire has to burn, Indra⁽⁶⁾ has to work.” All are working according to their natures. It is all because of the fear of Parama Puruśa. Mrtyuh dhávati paiṋcamah – “Death reaches the right person at the right time.” It goes into the palace and into the hut. It has to go, no one can stop it. It does its work out of fear of Parama Puruśa. Death also fears Him.

Nrsiḿham bhiiśańaḿ bhadram. “Nrsiḿha is bhiiśańa, but He is bhadra too.” Bhadra means “good”, “gentle”. He is a gentleman. He is one of the family members.

Mrtyurmrtyu namámyaham. “If salutation is to be paid to anyone, it is to be paid to Him. He is the death of death, because death fears Him as much as you fear death. Just as death is threatening to living beings, so Parama Puruśa is threatening to death.”

There is another meaning of mrtyurmrtyu. Normally a person is born and dies, and this goes on and on – life follows death, and death life. But if a person takes the shelter of Parama Puruśa, that person dies a final death and is never reborn. Therefore Parama Puruśa is “the death of death”. That death is the last death. So if salutation is to be paid, it is to be paid to Him alone – Tamekaḿ namámah.

How to pay salutations to Parama Puruśa? Namastubhyam or namaste. Namah plus tubhyam make up namastubhyam, and namah plus te make up namaste – “We do namah to You.” To jiivas [unit beings], it is namaskára – short for Namah karomi – “I greet, I salute.” Here there is no tubhyam or te, that is, “you”. To jiivas, namaste or namastubhyam should not to be said; namaskára should be said. But to Parama Puruśa you can say anything you like – namaste, namastubhyam, namaskára. And if you do not wish to say either namaste or namaskára, it does not matter. After all He is only a member of your own family.

Footnotes

(1) “The named”. The particular connotation of námii is “the Lord who is called on with a special name”. –Eds.

(2) Mantra leading one to the Supreme Goal. It is learned in a lesson of Ananda Marga meditation. –Eds.

(3) Shrii means Lakśmii [goddess of fortune] and nátha means “master”, hence Shriinátha means “Master of Lakśmii” – that is, Náráyańa. Jánakii means Siitá and nátha means “master”, hence Jánakiinátha means “Master of Siitá” – that is, Rama.

(4) Pura = “in front”. –Eds.

(5) From a discourse of Buddha, not from the Ugraḿ viiram shloka. –Eds.

(6) The king of the gods, also representing energy. –Eds.