OM BHOOTA BHAVANAYA NAMAHA

The ninth name of the Lord from the 'Vishnu Sahasranama' referred to as 'Bhoota Bhavana', for He is the one nourishing all the beings with involvement and ensures their physical and spiritual growth in the entire universe.

As the narration of the story goes ...
It was one of those hot days of severe summer in the city of Kumbakonam. In the temple of the Lord Aravamuda, referred to as Sarangapani the priests were preparing for the mid-day pooja.

Just then two saintly men rushed to the entrance to have the darshan of the Lord. The people recognized one of them as Piran from Thirumazhisai well known as Bhaktisara too. It had happened in the earlier visits that the Lord broke His self-imposed discipline of being a statue like in Archavatara, raised his head and smiled at Baktisara, to the surprise of all.

This time the Chief Priest asked Baktisara Thirumazhisai to await the Deeparadhana for having the darshan or glimpse of his beloved Kesava. Well, inside the Garbhagriha as the Chief Priest began to offer nivedan, a voice emanated from the Lord Aravamuda staying - 'stop', asking the Archaka to bring Piran, his beloved devotee from outside to him.

The Lord ordered Thirumazhisai Piran to have the 'Pongal' - the offering kept for the Lord. When Piran declined stating that a servant cannot have it without the master not having taken the same.

The Lord Sarangapani thus spake...
That he was the 'Bhootatama' - for all the beings in the universe are his body, for He alone is in our body and Soul. By Piran having the same it is still the Lord who dwelling in his soul is nourishing the same.

Hence, having heard thus, we know from the 'Vishnu Sahasranama', that the Lord is called 'BHOOTA BHAVANA', meaning the one supplying the nutrition to all the beings.

Whenever you feel weak and that you need some nourishment, please do not hesitate to chant - "OM BHOOTA BHAVANAYA NAMAHA'. It is the greatest mantra for the universal health and growth too.

OM BHOOTATMANE NAMAHA

The eighth name of the Lord from the 'Vishnu Sahasranama', reveals the inner truth and the importance of the relationship of the divine soul with the Eternal force who is none other than Lord Narayana.

Govinda Desika, a great exponent of Vedanta, was giving a discourse on Brahadaranyaka Upanishad. Janaka, the famous philosopher and Emperor of Videha once performed a great sacrifice and distributed costly gifts and scholars from the Kuru desa and Panchala desa thronged the palace.

The king asked the wisest among of scholars to take cows. All the scholars were perplexed as to how they can assert themselves to be the wisest. Yagnavalkya asked his disciple to drive away the cows. There was confusion in the court and Aswala, the priest of the king stood up and asked Yagnavalkya whether he was the wisest among all.

There was a war of queries and Yagnavalkya answered in absolute poise. Artabanga, Ushasta, Kahola and all other scholars had to accept their defeat. The great lady Gargi, well versed in Vedas posed her queries to Yagnavalkya and tension prevailed among the scholars.

At last, Uddalaka another philosopher tried to ease the situation.Thus narrated a story, once Sage Kapya's wife was possessed by an angel - Gandharva Kabandha, the celestial singer.

The Gandharva put a difficult question thus....
As to who is the Inner ruler who stays within all beings and controls them?
Who is the thread by which the world and its beings are strung together?

Sage Kapya and all others knelt before the Gandharva and learnt about the thread and the Inner ruler. Now Yagnavalkya stood up and told that the Inner ruler who resides in all of us is the one who resides on this Earth; but He is separate from the Earth; He controls the Earth from within. He is your soul and the Inner Ruler!

The thread by which this and the other worlds and all beings are strung together is Oxygen.

Hence, we can know that the Lord is our Inner Ruler, He controls us from within. He is the eternal thinker. There is no seer like Him; there is no knower like him. He is the immortal soul - anything other than Him is just disease. Hence, the Jagatgurus utter Narayana Smrithi' - praying the universal soul for universal welfare!

At this juncture Sage Vedvyasa utterred as a flash of light and reminded of the eight name in the Vishnu Sahasranam meaning - 'OM BHOOTATMANE NAMAHA'.

This is the sacred Secret of Upanishads - The Lord Narayana and all beings - is like that of our soul and the body revealed by Ramanuja. Those who know this have seen the dawn of wisdom.

Hence this name of the Lord brings success in arguments for all noble causes and also to pray for well being of the society.