Sri VishnuShatanama Stotram - 1. Vaasudeva

|| Sri VishnuShatanama Stotram || 
॥ श्री विष्णु शतनाम स्तोत्रम् ॥

1. Vaasudeva :

This is one of the most powerful and most popular Namas of Bhagavan Vishnu and unique to MahaVishnu. This is also the renowned Dvadashaakshari or the famous 12 lettered mantra " ओम् नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय " ‘Om Namo Bhagavate Vaasudevaaya’. Being a sacred Mantra it should be learned in detail personally from one’s Guru but we will give the basic meaning here.

Vaasudevah is the combination of the 2 words Vaasu and Devah and Bhagavan is both Vaasu and Devah.

vAsu is derived from vas( वस् ) - to reside and to envelope.

The word deva is derived from div - krIDAyAm - to play. ( दिव् - क्रीडायाम् )

Sri Sankararacharyar in his commentary on Vishnu Sahasranamam says,

वसति वासयति आच्छादयति सर्वम् इति वा वासुः ।

Vasati Vaasayati Aachaadayati Sarvam iti vaa Vaasuh

He lives everywhere and in all beings and also makes all objects and beings reside in him’. In other words He is Vaasu since He lives in the world making it live within Himself like a mother and also protects it by covering it like a bird that protects its young ones with its out-spread wings.

दीव्यति क्रीडते विजिगीषते व्यवहरति द्योतते स्तोत्यते गच्छति इति वा देवः ।

Deevyati Kreedate Vijigeeshate Vyavaharati Dyotate Stooyate Gacchati iti vaa Devah.

He plays, He conquers, He is worshipped, He shines or He goes everywhere hence he is Devah’.

He is Vaasudevah because he is both Vaasu and Devah ( वासुश्च असौ देवश्च वासुदेवः । “Vaasushcha Asau Devashcha Vaasudevah”) as described here. It is impressive how much meaning can be compressed into so few letters.

सर्वत्र सदा वसति इति वासुदेव: ।
sarvatra sadA vasati iti vAsudevah

He who resides everywhere at all the time is called Vaasudeva.

Another meaning of this name can be taken to mean, One who is born as the Son of Sri Vasudeva ( वसुदेव )

वसुदेवस्य अपत्यं पुमान् इति वासुदेव: ।
vasudevasya apatyam pumAn iti vAsudevah.

The following quotes are given by SrI Sankara and SrI BhaTTar
to support theinterpretation :

छादयामि जगद्विश्वं भूत्य सूर्य इवांशुभि:।
सर्व भूताधिवासश्च वासुदेव: तत: स्मृत:॥

"chAdayAmi jagad-viSvam bhUtyA sUrya ivAmSubhih | 
sarva-bhUtAdhi-vAsaSca vAsu-devah tatah smRtah ||
-moksh dharma 12-328-36.

Like the sun with his rays, I am covering the whole universe, and also I am residing in all beings; hence I am called vAsudeva".

वसनात् सर्व भूतानां वसुत्वात् देव योनितः। 
वासुदेवस्ततो ज्ञेयः योगिभिस्तत्व दर्शिभिः॥

"vasanAt sarva-bhUtAnAm vasutvAt deva-yonitah |
vAsudevastato j~neyah yogibhis_tattva darSibhih || (udyoga69-3)

"I am the abode of all beings, and with a divine form I live in all of them. Therefore I am known as vAsudeva by the yogi-s who have realized the truth".

सर्वत्रासौ समस्तं च वसत्यत्रेति वै यत:।
तत: स वासुदेवेति विद्वद्भि: परिपठ्यते ॥

"sarvatrAsau samastam ca vasatyatreti vai yatah |
tatah sa vAsudeveti vidvadbhih paripaThyate ||
(vishNupurANam 1.2.12)

"Learned men declare that bhagavAn is called vAsudeva because He abides in all things, and all things abide in Him".

सर्वाणि तत्र भूतानि वसन्ति परमात्मनि ।
भूतेषु च स सर्वात्मा वासुदेवस्ततः स्मृतः ॥

"sarvANi tatra bhUtAni vasanti
paramAtmani |
bhUteshu ca sa sarvAtmA vAsudevastatah smRtah ||
- (vishNupurAnam.6.5.80)

"All beings remain in the paramAtman, and He is in all beings; hence the omnipresent is called vAsudeva".

Para Vaasudeva :

The central doctrine of the Pancharatra Agama is that the Absolute, the Brahman, out of loving- compassion, voluntary assumed bodily forms so that the devotees may gain access to his subtle form.

He manifests himself in five-fold forms: Para or the supreme form of his transcendent being; Vyuha or the group of his forms called Vyuha-Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna and Aniruddhabrought together in worship and adoration as a complete body of divine power, and who represent the cosmic consciousness, intellect, mind, and the ego respectively; Vibhava or his glory seen through his incarnations or Avatars; Archa or his presence manifest in his idols and images worshipped by devotees; and as Antaryamin or his immanent presence within the Universe.

Para–Vasudeva represents the Pancharatra ideology of the transcendental form (para) of Narayana the supreme principle abiding in the highest realm paramapada. He is visualized as pure and resplendent like a clear crystal; and as the divinely auspicious charming form (divya mangala vigraha). Para is the highest form and is referred to as ‘the first form’,‘the best of the Purushas’ and ‘the Highest Light’ etc. Para –Vasudevais endowed with countless auspicious virtues (ananta kalyana guna), which include the important six ideal attributes: wisdom or gnosis (jnana), sovereignty (aishvarya), energy (sakthi), strength (bala), valor (virya) and splendor or glory(tejas).His other notable attributes are gambhirya (grandeur, majesty), audarya (generosity or benevolence), karunya (compassion), souseelya (chaste manners)and vaathsalya (affection).

In Vishnu Sahasranamam, Vaasudeva name occurs in the number of 334 & also at 701.

In Vishnu Sahasranamam phalashruti says,

वासुदेवाश्रयो मर्त्यो वासुदेवपरायणः ।
सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा याति ब्रह्म सनातनम् ॥ १०॥

न वासुदेवभक्तानामशुभं विद्यते क्वचित् ।
जन्ममृत्युजराव्याधिभयं नैवोपजायते ॥ ११॥

vAsudevASrayo martyo vAsudeva parAyaNaH |
sarvapApaviSuddhAtmA yAti brahma sanAtanam || (10)
na vAsudevabhatAnAmaSubham vidyate kvacit |
janmamRtyujarAvyAdhibhayam vApyupajAyate || (11)

"That man, who has taken resort to vAsudeva with the thought that vAsudeva is the highest goal to be reached, becomes cleansed of all sins and his mind becomes pure. He finally attains the Eternal Brahman."
"Nothing inauspicious ever occurs to the devotees of vAsudeva. Nor do they have any fear from birth or death or old age or disease".

SrI BhaTTar points out that like the nAma nArAyaNa, this nAma is also a rahasyam whose meaning should be learnt from an AcArya.

At last my favourite sloka from Vishnu Sahasranamam Uttara bhagam is by Vyasacharya,

वासनाद्वासुदेवस्य वासितं भुवनत्रयम् ।
सर्वभूतनिवासोऽसि वासुदेव नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

vāsanādvāsudēvasya vāsitaṃ bhuvanatrayam|
sarvabhūtanivāsō'si vāsudēva namō'stu tē||

वासनात् = due to the living or inhabitation (vAsana);
वासुदेवस्य = of the sun of Vasydeva, Krishna;
वासितं = occupied, inhabited;
भुवनत्रयं = three worlds Earth, Heaven, Hell;
सर्वभूतनिवासोऽसि = (You) are (asi) residing in all living beings;
नमोऽस्तु = let there be my or our bowing or salutation;
ते = to you or your.

The three worlds (heaven, earth and the lower regions) are inhabited. by
virtue of the residence there of kRShNa, the son of vasudeva.
O kRShNa ! Salutation to you !.

Om Sri Vaasudevaya namah.