The Meaning of the Lord’s Names (II): A Translation of a Passage from the Nama Ghosa

[Duladi Metre]

Since, on mere remembrance, He removes the most dreadful
sorrows of samsara,
for this reason only, the Lord is referred to as
‘Hari’ (The Remover) by all the great exemplar-devotees. 155

Know that, as the immanent soul, in this creation,
He is staying, entering into it.
For this reason only, the Lord is referred to
by the special name of ‘Visnu.’ 156

Since the Lord is entering into the (material) category of
the organs of sense and action;
therefore only, all the exemplar-devotees
are calling the Lord ‘Hrsikesa.’ 157

Since, staying as the inner controller, He
causes the embodied personality (jiva) to experience happiness and miseries;
for this reason only, He is holding the name of ‘Paramatma’ (Supreme Spiritual Personality),
the Lord ever present in time and space. 158

As the Supreme Lord, He is staying as
the shelter of all embodied personalities.
For this reason only, He is known as ‘Narayana;’
such is the transcendental explanation of this name. 159

No material limitation such as mind-organ, etc. can ever
suppress, conceal or obscure Him.
It is for this reason only that the exemplar-devotees
refer to Him as ‘Niranjana’ (The Unstained One). 160

The working of the three qualities of primal matter—sattva, rajas and tamas—
can never suppress Him or make Him extinct.
For that reason only, the body of Vedic scriptures
refer to Him as ‘Niramaya.’ 161

As Hari, The Remover of All Miseries,
is devoid of all material forms,
for that reason only, the name ‘Nirakara’ (Formless One)
the supreme Lord is holding. 162

By the term ‘mā,’ lady Laksmi—primal matter—is implied.
The Lord is, as it were, her husband.
For this reason only, He is known as ‘Madhava’
in the circle of the great exemplar-devotees. 163

By the term ‘janā’ is meant lady illusion (maya);
the Lord destroys the devotees’ illusion.
It is for this reason that the Lord of All Opulence is
holding the name ‘Janardana.’ 164

The seductive maya has made all embodied personalities (jiva)
greatly wild and intoxicated.
As He oppresses and enfeebles the maya of the devotees;
on account of this, He is called ‘Madhusudana.’ 165

By the term ‘go’ (‘cow’) is meant the sensors, the means of acquiring sense-data.
The Lord is preserving them.
On account of this only, He is called ‘Gopala’ (Preserver of the Cows)
by the great pure devotees, know this truth for certain. 166

Indra, the king of the subtle organs of sense and action, and the other controlling units (deva), installing Him as the king of the sensors,
had done His coronation.
Therefore did the Remover of All Afflictions hold directly
the supremely famous name of ‘Govinda’ (Chief of Cows). 167

Time and space, in no way, can ever
hope to find the end of Him.
For only this reason, extremely famous became
the name of the Lord, ‘Ananta’ (The Endless One). 168

All those followers of the path of the Veda, searching for His roots in the scriptures of knowledge (Veda),
cannot find His origin.
Therefore only, the Lord is holding
the supremely famous name of ‘Anadi’ (The One Having No Origin). 169

Even the most inferior person becomes the best
doing pure devotion at His feet.
The name of ‘Purusottama’ (The Most Excellent Person) the Lord is holding
for this very reason. 170

By the term ‘kṣara’ is meant the body.
By the ‘akṣara’ term, the spiritual personality (brahma).
As The Remover of All Afflictions is superior to both of these—matter as well as spiritual personality—
He is extremely well-known as ‘Purusottama’ (The Supreme Spiritual Personality). 171

He is superior to both Prakrti, primal matter, as well as Purusa, the pure spiritual personality.
He is the cause, as it were, of these two entities.
On account of this fact, He is holding the name of ‘Parama Isvara’ (Supreme Lord),
the shelter of all the embodied beings. 172

According to their actions, the Lord Himself maintains
the creatures of this entire creation.
For this reason only, His ‘Jagannatha’ name
has become extremely well-known in this world. 173

On doing pure devotional service to the Lord, the ignorance and the false apprehensions of the jiva, born of illusion (maya), are removed.
By the term ‘Brahma’ (spirit) is meant the pure—liberated—spiritual personality.
The Lord, however, is ‘Paramabrahma,’ the supreme spirit. 174

In the form of the inner controller, He regulates all entities—embodied personalities, etc.
For this reason only, the Lord, know this fact,
is referred to by the epithet of ‘Paramatma’ (Supreme Immanent Personality). 175

Being known by epithets such as The Supreme Spirit (Brahma), The Supreme Atman (Paramatma),
He has no end to His opulences (aisvarya).
For this reason, the great pure devotees of the Lord
call Him ‘Bhagavanta,’ the Possessor of All Opulences. 176

By reason of being His own devotee, The Remover of All Afflictions had made Garuda His own carrier.
For that reason only, the exemplars regard the Lord
as ‘Garudaketu,’ He Who Has Garuda For His Symbol. 177

Time, primal matter, etc.—His mind all of these entities
can never hope to weaken.
It is for this reason that the name ‘Vaikuntha’ of such an unconquerable Lord,
has become extremely well-known. 178

Since it is in Him—the ever-joyous, endless, supremely conscious spiritual personality—that all the adherents of meditative communion always roam;
therefore only, by the name ‘Rama’ is meant
only the Supreme Spirit form of the Lord, know this fact for sure. 179

Since He, as the supremely conscious personality, at all times,
animates the entities of the material creation;
therefore, know, that for this reason only, the Lord is called
by this most sweet name of ‘Rama.’ 180

He is residing in the creation and also,
the creation is residing in Him.
On account of this only, He is known as ‘Vasudeva,’ the immanent world-residence—such is the interpretation of this name. 181

As he does not do pure devotion at the feet of the Lord,
maya, primal matter, ensnares man and makes him dance to her tunes.
And, one does not escape from the seduction of maya
as long as one does not take sole refuge (sarana) in The Remover of All Afflictions. 182