SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
SlOkam – Original
anantha dEvESa jagannivAsa thvam aksharam sadhasath thath param yath ||
thvam AdhidEva: purusha: purANas thvam asya viSvasya param nidhAnam |
word-by-word meaning
anantha – Oh one who is not bound by three aspects (place, time and entity)!
dhEvESa – Oh lord of dhEvas!
jagan nivAsa! – Oh omnipresent lord!
asath – primordial matter which is in unmanifested state, without name and form
sath – primordial matter which is in manifested state, with name and form
aksharam – the bound souls (who are attached to this primordial matter)
yath that param – the liberated souls (who are greater than all these)
thvam – you alone
(thus)
thvam – you
Adhi dhEva – being the original lord
purANa purusha – the ancient lord
asya viSvasya – for this world
param nidhAnam – the great resting place
thvam – you alone
Simple Translation
Oh one who is not bound by three aspects (place, time and entity)! Oh lord of dhEvas! Oh omnipresent lord! You are the primordial matter which is in unmanifested state, without name and form; which is in manifested state with name and form; you are the bound souls (who are attached to this primordial matter); and you are the liberated souls (who are greater than all these); thus, you, being the original lord, are the ancient lord and the only great resting place for this world.
Rendering based on ALkoNdavilli gOvindhAchArya swAmy’s English translation of gIthA bhAshyam
‘O Infinite! Devas’-Lord! Universe’s Abode! You are the Imperishable, the Effect and the Cause, and What that is beyond. You are the Original Lord, the Ancient Purusha, the Superb Prop of the Kosmos.’
Ananta=Endless = Infinite.
Nivāsa=Abode=Rest.
Aksharam= Undeclining=Imperishable=the Category of Jivātmas, or individual souls as declared in such Śrutis as:
‘The illuminated (soul) is neither born nor dies.’[1. Kaṭh: Up°: I-2-18: ‘Najāyate mriyatevā vipaśchit.’]
You are Yourself the Effect (sat) and the Cause (asat): This refers to the Category of Prakṛiti, or matter.
Sat is with reference to matter’s existence in its manifested or differentiated state=Effect. And asat with reference to its latent or undifferentiated state (or indiscernible state) =Cause. The Effect is when there are names, forms and parts, distinguishing objects; the Cause, when all names, forms and parts are obliterated.
What that is beyond is in reference to the mukt-ātmas, or liberated souls who are beyond both the above-mentioned Categories of (bound) souls and matter. You Yourself are this also.
Hence, ‘You are the original Lord, the Ancient Purusha, and the Prop Supreme of the Kosmos.’
Nidhānam=Rest or Receptacle, for all the Kosmos is rested in You; —meaning that as soul is to body, You are the Highest Support of the Kosmos.
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