Dvaita-varjitā द्वैत-वर्जिता (668)
She is devoid of duality. The philosophy of dvaita considers the Brahman and soul as different. This nāma is an extension of the previous nāma and confirms Her status as the Brahman. Brahman is devoid of duality, as all beings are only Her reflections. Duality or dvaita will not lead to Self-realisation.
Annadā अन्नदा (669)
‘Annam’ means food. She is the provider of food to the universe for its sustenance. Annam originates from its root word ‘ad’ meaning ‘to eat’. ‘Whatever beings exist in this world are products of food. They are sustained by food and in the end they dissolve into food. Food is called the remedy of all ills of living beings’, says Taittirīya Upaniṣad (II.2). Her act of sustenance is affirmed through this nāma.
Vasudā वसुदा (670)
She is the giver of wealth. Vasu means precious metals, stones and that kind of wealth. Bṛhadāraṇayaka Upaniṣad (IV.iv.24) says “that great, birth-less Self is the eater of food and the giver of wealth. He who knows this as such receives wealth”. The Upaniṣad further says that the ‘birth-less Self’ is to be meditated upon to derive the result (wealth).
Vasu has other meanings as well such as excellent, good and beneficent. It also refers to eight types of Vedic gods whose chief is Lord Indra. Vedic gods represent each aspect of natural phenomena. For example, water is represented by Varuṇa also known as Āpa. According to Viṣṇu Purāṇa, the eight Vasu-s are 1. Āpa (water) 2. Dhruva, the Pole-star. 3. Soma, the Moon 4. Dhava or Dhara. 5. Anila, the wind 6. Anala or Pāvaka, the fire 7. Pratyusha, the dawn and 8. Prabhāsa, the light.
Vṛddhā वृद्धा (671)
Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (IV.3) says “You are a woman, you are a man, you are a boy and you are also a girl. You are an old person walking with the support of a stick. You are born in all possible forms”. This is one of the finest interpretations of “I am That”.
This nāma says that She is the oldest, because She is mūlaprakṛtiḥ (nāma 397) and ādi śaktī (nāma 615). Being born as the first, She is said to be oldest. Śiva created Her and She created others. But She is beyond aging, a process applicable to all mortals. She is beyond modifications. This nāma means Her primordial nature.
Brahmātmaikya-svarūpiṇī ब्रह्मात्मैक्य-स्वरूपिणी (672)
We have to look at the beauty of this Sahasranāma. Vāc Devi-s after having discussed about the qualities of the Brahman now say that She is in the form of ‘Brahman-soul’ aikya (merger or union) form. Realising “ahaṁ Brahmaṁ asmi ” which means “I am the Brahman” is the end of spiritual pursuits.
The nāma can be arranged as follows. Brahman + ātman + aikya + sva + rūpiṇī. Brahman means Śiva, ātman means jīva or the soul, aikya means combined, sva means haṃsa mantra and rūpiṇi means Her form. This means that She is in the form of haṃsa mantra, which unites the self with the Self (soul with the Brahman). This concept is referred to in Lalitā triśatī nāma 173 ‘haṃsa-mantra-artha- rūpiṇī which means that She is the import of haṃsa mantra, where ‘ha’ means Śaktī and ‘sa’ means Śiva. The mental recitation of this mantra is related to inhalation and exhalation. When one could synchronize this mantra with his inhalation and exhalation of 21600 times a day, he realizes the Self. It is calculated that one inhalation and exhalation under normal circumstances takes about 4 seconds. In a minute there are 15 such inhalations/exhalations. In one hour (15 x 60) there are 900 inhalations/exhalations. In day (900 x 24) we breathe 21600 times. When haṃsa mantra is synchronised with our breath, we recite this mantra 21600 times daily. This is also known as ajapa japa. Ajapa means automatically.
This nāma says that She is ‘That’ representing Brahman in the form of Brahman and representing ātman also in the form of Brahman thereby proving that everything that exists in this universe is the Brahman. This is advaita philosophy.
Bṛhatī बृहती (673)
She is great. Kaṭha Upaniṣad (I.ii.20) says mahato mahīyān which means bigger than the biggest.
Bṛhatī also refers to thirty six syllable metre.
Brāhmaṇī ब्राह्मणी (674)
Śiva belongs to Brahmin community. Hence He is called Brāahmaṇā and his wife is Brāahmaṇī. It is like Bhairava and Bhairavī. “May I attain the fame of a Brahmin” asks Chāndogya Upaniṣad (VIII.14). Brahmin-s are those who are well versed in Brāhmaṇa (Vedic rituals) or one who has knowledge about the Brahman is known as Brahmin. Caste as religious doctrine of Hindu philosophy is often misinterpreted.
Bhagavad Gīta (XVIII.42) gives a definition of Brahmin: “Serenity (controlling mind from running into world-of-objects seeking sense enjoyment), self-restraint (controlling the sense organs which are the gateways through which external world of stimuli infiltrates into our mental domain and mars our peace), austerity (conscious physical self-denial in order to economise the expenditure of human energy so lavishly spent in the wrong channels of sense-indulgence and conserving it for reaching the higher unfoldment within called tapas, purity (both external cleanliness and internal purity), forbearance (to be patient and forgiving and thus to live without struggling even against wrongs done against one), uprightness (this is the quality which make an individual straightforward in all his dealings and his uprightness makes him fearless in life), knowledge (about the highest goal of life, of the nature of spirit, in short, knowledge of all that the Upaniṣads deal with), wisdom (knowledge digested and assimilated brings home to man an inward experience and thereafter, he comes to live his life, guided by this deep inner experience. Knowledge can be imparted, but wisdom is to be found by the individual in himself), faith (unless one has a deep faith in what one has studied and lived, the living itself will not be enthusiastic and full).” These are the words of Swami Chinmayananda in his book The holy Geeta.
Brāhmī ब्राह्मी (675)
Brāhmī is the Goddess of speech and also known as Sarasvatī. Brāhmī is said to be the feminine gender of Brahman. Brahman – Brāhmī. This is like Bhairava and Bhairavī. She is one of the aṣṭa mātā-s.
Brahmānandā ब्रह्मानन्दा (676)
She is in the form of eternal bliss. Taittirīya Upaniṣad (III.6) says “He came to know that bliss is Brahman, for it is from bliss that all these beings are born. Having been born, these are supported by bliss and when they perish they go back to bliss and disappear into it”. This is the bliss that is realized in the sheath of knowledge says this Upaniṣad.