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BHAGAVAD GUNA DARPANA
 
Thus: "Vyasa sitting with his disciples has praised Madhu-
südana by singing His holy Names. Please be good enough,
venerable Sir, to teach me the high significance of these
Names. I am sincerely eager to hear. Hearing (the meaning
of the Names) of Hari, the Lord even of the Creator, I shall
become pure without any blemish like the autumn moon"
Santi-parvan, 342), and Dhritarashtra says: "O Sañjaya! I ask
of you, tell me about the Lotus-eyed. I shall attain Him, dear
boy, by knowing the meanings of His holy Names and His
activities." (Udyoga-parvan, 59).
 
The way to make use of the Names is to be in conformity
with the meaning of each Name. This can be learnt from the
word and the passages contained in the explanatory chapters
of the 'Udyoga', 'Mokshadharma" and "Vaishnava dharma"
and also from the books that lay down the rules for
performing japa in respect of each mantra.
 
The three stanzas that follow are not found in the
Mahabharata. But generally, in the case of every mantra,
mention must be made of its author (rishi), its metre (chhandas),
its presiding deity (devata), the words which are said to be its
seed (bijākshara), power (sakti) and the core or heart, and
finally the gains to be derived, by reciting them. Following
this rule, the succeeding stanzas mention the various angas
(parts or elments) of the mantra of the Thousand Names.]
 
zfaatai azazu âzzuraì ozrgfa: 1
छन्दोऽनुष्टुप् तथा देवो भगवान् देवकीसुतः ॥ १४ ॥
 
अमृतांशूद्भवो बीजं शक्तिर्देव किनन्दनः ।
त्रिसामा हृदयं तस्य शान्त्यर्थे विनियुज्यते ॥ १५ ॥
 
(14) (15) "The great Vedavyäsa is the rishi of these
Thousaud Names of Vishnu; 'Anushtup' is its
metre. The presiding Deity is the Lord Krishna,
Devaki's son. The seed is (the two Names),
"The source of the moon" and "the sun". Its
power is the Name, "The son of Devaki". The
heart is the Name "One who is sung by three
important Sama hymns". The purpose is the
gain of peace.
 
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