ಅಶೋಕಃ ತಾರಣಃ ತಾರಃ ಶೂರಃ ಶೌರಿಃ ಜನೇಶ್ವರಃ
ಅನುಕೂಲಃ ಶತಾವರ್ತಃ ಪದ್ಮೀ ಪದ್ಮನಿಭೇಕ್ಷಣಃ || 37 ||
aśokaḥ tāraṇaḥ tāraḥ śūraḥ śauriḥ janeśvaraḥ
anukūlaḥ śatāvartaḥ padmī padmanibhekṣaṇaḥ || 37 ||
aśokaḥ (ಅಶೋಕಃ)
A+Shoka; which means the one without sorrow and the one who eradicates sorrow. For the Almighty in creation or destruction, in birth or in death, there is no illusion; He is detached, free from all illusory entanglements. Just as a farmer cultivates and nurtures plants and eventually harvests them, so are the acts of creation and destruction of the Almighty. There is no place for sorrow here. Just as a small child sees birth and death as equal, so is the Almighty without sorrow, Ashoka.
tāraṇaḥ (ತಾರಣಃ)
The Almighty is the savior who rescues us from the ocean of worldly bondage and the threefold afflictions
tāraḥ (ತಾರಃ)
The ultimate liberator; the Almighty is Tarah, who is signified by 'Om', chanted by deities like Brahma and others for their salvation.
śūraḥ (ಶೂರಃ)
In this world, whatever valor and manliness exist in anyone, all are gifts from the Almighty. The true hero is the Almighty. Only when the Almighty fills us as a force, do we gain the ability to conquer our enemies. 'Shu' means those who are filled with joy or the liberated. The Almighty, who accepts the liberated and keeps them close, providing eternal bliss, is Shurah.
śauriḥ (ಶೌರಿಃ)
The father of Vasudeva is Shurasena; the Almighty who incarnated in this lineage is called Shauri. Shauri means the one who exists among the heroes. As said in the Bhagavad Gita: 'Yadyad vibhutimat sattvam shrimad urjitam eva va Tattadevavagaccha tvam mama tejomshasambhavam' (Chapter 10, Verse 41) 'Wherever there is distinctive power or excellence, know that to emerge from a fragment of my splendor; my radiance becomes his valor,' reminds us of Krishna's words. In the Puranas, the source of every hero's valor is the divinity named 'Shauri' residing within them.
janeśvaraḥ (ಜನೇಶ್ವರಃ)
The Almighty is not just among the brave in this world; He is the governing power (Ishwara) filled within all species born in this world. Inside every object born on this earth, the Almighty is filled as a regulating power. Not even a blade of grass born in this world is useless; it contains a special power, a splendor of the Almighty.
For example: (1) Darbha (Sacred Grass): It appears to be a useless grass growing wildly; however, it has a powerful ability to control negative energies in the environment. That is why it is worn as a ring during rituals and placed around the sacrificial fire as a protector against evil forces.
(2) Peepal Tree (Ficus religiosa): Among trees, the Peepal tree gives the most oxygen. It is believed that circumambulating this tree cleanses the female reproductive system and brings the fortune of motherhood, and this is true.
(3) Touch Me Not Plant: This plant, which grows unwanted by anyone, has incredible medicinal properties. Crushing this flowerless plant, tying it in a cloth, and consuming it with gruel or drinking its decoction can cure piles without any surgery.
Thus, in this world, whatever is born contains a special power as a regulatory force, filled by the Almighty Janeshwara.
anukūlaḥ (ಅನುಕೂಲಃ)
The Almighty is never adverse to anyone. Sometimes we say, 'I have never done anything bad to anyone in life, yet the Almighty has given me such trouble; he did not bless me; it's useless to worship him,' etc. But the one adverse to us is not God, but the karma we did in our past lives! In the Vedas, the Almighty is referred to as 'Agnimeele Purohitam.' Here, 'Purohitam' means the power that knows our path of welfare beforehand and guides us accordingly. The Almighty bears no malice towards anyone; he performs actions according to the qualifications related to the essence of their life. Many times in life, when we face difficulties or when the work we undertake fails, we think, 'The Almighty has done us harm.' However, we are unaware that behind our hardship lies the seed of our salvation. The punishment that teachers give to students in school, the punishment that parents give to their child, is for the child's salvation, not out of any other malice. In the hardships given by the Almighty, there is compassion to correct us and a secret of our salvation. He is never adverse; he is always favorable to everyone.
śatāvartaḥ (ಶತಾವರ್ತಃ)
Here, 'Aavarta' means descent. The Almighty, Shatavarta, means the one who has descended to Earth hundreds of times for us, as Rama, Krishna, Buddha, Parashurama, Vamana, Narasimha, Varaha, Matsya, Kurma, Kapila, Dattatreya, Vyasa, and so on, in numerous avatars. There was no need for the Almighty to incarnate just to kill Ravana. There are many secrets behind His incarnation. When we are unable to rise to the level to see Him, He himself incarnates on Earth or sends accomplished sages for our salvation. Such behavior of the Almighty is manifold and difficult to understand. The Almighty's behavior cannot be compared with that of ordinary humans. Behind His behavior lies a profound message. Thus, the Almighty, Shatavarta, who incarnates hundreds of times with unique behavior and controls countless whirls in the world.
padmī (ಪದ್ಮೀ)
Padmee means the one who holds a lotus in his hand. We worship the Almighty, Sahasrabahu, as an idol with four hands. These four hands symbolize the four Purusharthas (goals of human life). The conch, discus, mace, and lotus held in these four hands respectively symbolize Dharma (righteousness), Artha (wealth), Kama (desire), and Moksha (liberation). For this reason, the Almighty, who grants liberation, is addressed as Padmee. Not only this, but Lakshmi, who is the fundamental nature of the world, is also called Padma, and the four-faced Brahma is also called Padma. The lord of Lakshmi, the Almighty, is Padmee; the father of the prime creator, four-faced Brahma, is Padmee. Thus, as the one granting liberation and holding a lotus in his hand, the lord of nature, the fundamental power of the world, and the father of four-faced Brahma, the Almighty is Padmee.
padmanibhekṣaṇaḥ (ಪದ್ಮನಿಭೇಕ್ಷಣಃ)
Padmanibhekshana means one who has eyes like a lotus petal. Here, the lotus petal is a metaphor that symbolizes 'blessing.' 'God has glanced' means the Almighty has bestowed his grace. A lotus petal does not stick to anything; similarly, the detached Almighty, who does not stick to anything, is Padmanibhekshana.
