Sri Vishnu Shata nama Stotram - 5

Sri Vishnu Shata nama Stotram

5. जनार्दनः - ஜனார்தன: - janārdanaḥ :

The nama ‘Janardanah’ has three meanings :

a) One who destroys the wicked.
b) One who protects people from the wicked.
c) One who is approached by devotees for their wishes.

Sri Adi Sankaracharya, in his Vishnu sahasranama bhashyam gives the following two interpretations :

First interpretation –

अर्द - हिंसायां > arda - to himsaa , to hurt.

जनान् दुर्जनानर्दयति हिनस्ति , नरकादीन् गमयतीति वा जनार्दनः ,
janān durjanānardayati hinasti , narakādīn gamayatīti vā janārdanaḥ ,

One who destroys the evil people or banishes them to hell.’ He does not need any help to vanquish the demons.

Another interpretation -

अर्द - गतौ याचने च > ardda - gatau yācane ca , to yaachana, to beg., to ask.

जनैः पुरुषार्थमभ्युदय निःश्रेयस लक्षणं याच्यते इति जनार्दनः।
janaiḥ puruṣārthamabhyudaya niḥśreyasa lakṣaṇaṃ yācyate iti janārdanaḥ |

One who is approached by His devotees for whatever they wish to get.

Sri Parasara Bhattar gives the third meaning by quoting from the Mahabharata –

दस्यु त्राणात् जनार्दनः ।
dasyu trāṇāt janārdanaḥ ।
- Mahabharatam, Udyoga Parvam, 71.6.

He is Janardanah because HE protects people from Dasyus (Demons).’

In Vishnu Sahasranamam 'Janardanah' comes as 128th name, in 14th sloka.

Apart from this some says,

पालन विरोधिनो जनानर्द्दयति मारयतीति जनार्द्दनः , अर्द्द हिम्सायाम्
जनैरर्द्दते याच्यते सौख्यमयमिति वा , अर्द्द गतौ याचने च ।
pālana virodhino janānarddayati mārayatīti janārddanaḥ , ardda himsāyām
janairarddate yācyate saukhyamayamiti vā , ardda gatau yācane ca ।

These also explains the same meaning that of Sankararacharya's commentary.

In Vishnu Shodasha nama stotram it is said that,

" भोजने च जनार्दनं, bhojane ca janaardanam " which means Think of Vishnu As Janaardhana, while partaking food.

Truly, the most genuine wish with which a Jeevaatma can approach Janaardhana is the wish of having his hunger satisfied. Without this wish being granted and satisfied, nothing else can be done. So when we are blessed by Him to have an abundant supply of delicious and sumptuous food, it is required that we at least show our gratitude and thank Him for what He has provided for our daily sustenance. Also, we ask of Him to transform this food that is consumed by the gross body into spiritual energy so that we have the strength and the courage to fight the evil within and around us. Here hunger implies not only the physical but the devotional hunger also. Every Jeevatma has the hunger to get /attain the Paramatma. This longing is the only cause for all the other longings of the every living beings.

Sri Janaardhana at Varkala, Kerala  :

Varkala, a sea side town, also known as Janardanapuram, is a sacred pilgrim centre situated in Thiruvananthapruam district(Kerala) and is famous for its ancient temple of vishnu , who is popularly called as Janardana. In Sri Maha Bhavatham, mention is made that balarama, the elder brother of Sri Krishna, visited this shrine during this pilgrimage to Kanya kumari temple and also a few other temple in the south. Also, it is as ‘the Gaya of the South'. Varkala has many attractions peculiar to the place and draws hundreds of pilgrims and visitors all the year round.

Om Sri Janaardanaaya namah.