NAME 109
109. Samaḥ समः
Sama means equal. He is without partiality. Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad Gītā (IX.29), “I am impartial. There is none dear to Me or hateful to Me. However, those who seek Me with true devotion reside in Me and I also reside in them.”
Sa denotes Viṣṇu and ma refers to His Consort Lakṣmī. One of Viṣṇu’s famous forms is Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa, their combined form. This is considered as the most auspicious form for worship.
Samah – One who is Impartial
Samah means One who treats all His devotees equally. Samah means the same person at all times, ‘Sarva kaaleshu Sarvavikaara rahitatvaat’.
In the Bhagavad GIta, chapter 9 verse 29, Krishna says ‘SamO’ham sarva bhuteshu’ meaning I am equally disposed towards all beings.
Sri Adi Sankara interprets the meaning as One who is the same at all times. He also gives another interpretation – He is (sa) with (Maya) lakshmi always, and therefore He is Sama. ‘Mayaa Lakshmya Saha Vartate iti Samah – Someone who lives with Lakshmi Devi’.
समोऽहं सर्वभूतेषु न मे द्वेष्योऽस्ति न प्रिय: |
ये भजन्ति तु मां भक्त्या मयि ते तेषु चाप्यहम् || 29||
samo ’haṁ sarva-bhūteṣhu na me dveṣhyo ’sti na priyaḥ
ye bhajanti tu māṁ bhaktyā mayi te teṣhu chāpyaham
BG 9.29:
I am equally disposed to all living beings; I am neither inimical nor partial to anyone. But the devotees who worship Me with love reside in Me and I reside in them.I am the same to all beings, I do not hate nor favour any one. But, those who worship me faithfully, they are in me and I am in them.
Translation:-
Being a refuge for all, I am the same to all creation, be they gods, animals, men or immovables, who exist differentiated from the highest to the lowest according to their birth, form, nature and knowledge. With regard to those seeking refuge, none is hateful because of inferiority in status by birth, form, nature, knowledge etc. No one is discarded as an object of odium. Likewise, it is not that one who has resorted to Me is dear to Me on account of any consideration like birth, status etc. That he has taken refuge in Me is the only consideration. The meaning is no one is accepted as a refuge for reasons like birth. But those who worship Me as their sole objective I like, because I am exceedingly dear to them, and because they find it impossible to sustain themselves without My worship. So they abide in Me, irrespective of whether they are exalted or humble by birth etc. They abide in Me, as if they possess alities eal to Mine. I also abide in them, as if they are My superiors.
The first is antarańga–śakti, or the internal potency. The second is known as taṭastha–śakti, the marginal potency or ‘jiva sakti’. The living entities constitute the marginal potency, and they are situated between the internal and external Potencies yet the living entity is also spiritual. The third is called bahirańga–śakti, or ‘māyā sakti’ illusory Potency or the external potency / energy known as illusion, which consists of fruitive activity (karma).
Viṣṇu Purāṇa (6.7.61): viṣṇu-śaktiḥ parā proktā kṣetrajñākhyā tathā parā avidyā-karma-saṁjñānyātṛtīyā śaktir iṣyate -Lord Kṛṣṇa naturally has three energetic transformations. He is embodiment of multifarious, inconceivable spiritual potencies. parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate! svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca!!(Svetasvatra Up 6:8) – Each potency acts quite naturally (svābhāvikī) in sequences providing Him full knowledge (jñāna), power (bala) and pastimes (kriyā). parā sakti’ : Also known as internal potency ‘antaranga śakti’ Although this inherent spiritual potency is one, it manifests in three features Bala : strength and opulence called ‘sandhini’, jñāna: knowledge called ‘samvit’ and kriyā : pastimes known as ‘hlādini’. Kṛṣṇa says: daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā — This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. Being conducted by divine will, material nature, although inferior, acts so wonderfully in the construction and destruction of the cosmic manifestation.
१०९. ॐ समाय नमः |
109. OM Samāya Namaḥ
Samah -Equal; the same. Truth remains the same. One Infinite Reality plays the game of plurality. As has been said in the Kathopanishad, “The One Principle of Fire having entered this world burns itself out differently according to the equipments upon which it is manifested”, so the One Truth manifests as the many Jeevas. Hence He is called the Samah. Also it can mean as One who is ever united, with (Sa) Lakshmi (Maa).
Sarvairvikārai rahitassarvakāleṣu yaḥ samaḥ As He is unperturbed at all times, He is Samaḥ.
Bhagavad Gītā – Chapter 9
Samo’haṃ sarvabhūteṣu na me dveṣyo’sti na priyaḥ,
Ye bhajanti tu māṃ bhaktyā mayi te teṣu cāpyaham. (29)
:: श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता – राजविद्या राजगुह्य योग ::
समोऽहं सर्वभूतेषु न मे द्वेष्योऽस्ति न प्रियः ।
ये भजन्ति तु मां भक्त्या मयि ते तेषु चाप्यहम् ॥ २९ ॥
I am impartial towards all beings; to Me there is none detestable or none dear. But those who worship Me with devotion, they exist in Me and I too exist in them.
Mayā Lakṣmyā vartate yaḥ sa samaḥ the divine name can be considered to be the combination of letters ‘Sa’ and ‘Ma’. ‘Mā’ is Goddess Lakṣmi who is the consort of Lord Viṣṇu and ‘Sa’ implies united. Hence ‘Sama’ can also be understood as One united with Mahā Lakṣmi.
ॐ समाय नमः |
OM Samāya Namaḥ
INTERPRETATION GUIDED BY SANT VANI (WORDS OF SAINTS)
109. Samaḥ
i.The same.
ii. The one ever associated with mā.
Being always associated with Mā, Lakṣmī, the Lord is known as Sama. He who is unchanging at all times and therefore he is Samaḥ. He who is always with Ma (Lakṣmī).(Śaṅkara) Bhagavan’s attitude is the same towards all devotees irrespective of whether the devotee is ‘known’ or “unknown” or if his devotion is intense or mild. He who is always of a uniform disposition.(Parāsara Battar)
He is the same at all times, because He is free from all changes. All changes are brought about by prakṛiti, the material cause. Since He is not limited by prakṛti, He is not subject to change.
The Gītā points out that Brahman is nirdoṣha and sama, free from any change or defect and ever the same (5.19). Atma is the truth of everything and always the same. It does not wax and wane like the moon.
Despite changes in stages of life – childhood, youth, middle age and middle age (no old age) I am.
Despite changes in my lifestyle over time, I am (aham asmi).
Despite changes in my relationships, I am.
Despite changes in my emotions, I am.
Despite changes in the knowledge of different disciplines that have been acquired, I am.
Despite the changes in jobs and companies, I am.
Despite changes in my place of residence, I am.
Despite changes in appearance and body structure, I am.
Despite fitness or occasional ill health, I am
Despite all my experiences, I am.
I am that invariable being, that is conscious of all the variations, changes in myself and my life.
Only if I were the same, unaffected by the changes, can I truly recognise something as a change. Through the many disciplines such as Ashtanga Yoga, Karma yoga as a lifestyle, meditative methods and many others we prepare our minds to be with the teaching of that invariable I, Atma that is free from all changes. Atma is not affected by any of these methods.
Atma is ever free and ever the same. To be able to discover what IS and not dwell on what should be, the mind has to have relative clarity. The mirror that is free of dust can reflect the brilliance of the sun.
Although it apparently looks like both the Ācāryas are talking about different things or interpreting it differently, there is a similarity in that, both see the name as meaning unchanging equanimity – the difference lies in the approach the two Ācāryas take, with Śaṅkara emphasizing the Paratattvam and Aiśvaryam of Sriman–Nārāyaṇa and Parāsara Battar emphasizing the Sauṣīlyam (Sowsheelyam) and Saulaḃyam (Sowlabhyam) of Bhagavan Viṣṇu. As we can see, Śaṅkara emphasizes how that one supreme essence does not change or modify or is disturbed by anything that happens and maintains complete equipoise. The same meaning is conveyed by Parāsara Battar but by referring to the Guna of that Hari who looks at all people and situation with absolute equipoise and calmness.
For Śaṅkara the one truth, that one Satyaḥ never changes although it plays the game of plurality through its many manifestations – the same fire manifests differently and burns itself out depending on the substance on which it acts, but the fire is the same, so also the manifestations may be many but the underlying principle remains unchanging and eternal.
Parāsara Battar sees this ‘sameness’ as the attitude of friendship, equipoise, benevolence and equanimity that Sri Rāma shows towards everyone – be it Guha the boatman or Jaṭāyuḥ the great bird or Vibhīṣaṇa for that matter who he accepted even though he was the brother of Rāvaṇa, Rāma‘s sworn enemy. This is true in the case of Sudāmā and how he was treated by Kṛṣṇa.
Śaṅkara additionally also interprets the ‘MAḤ‘ in the name to mean the benevolent wish-fulfilling divine mother – Mahālakṣmī the consort of Viṣṇu who is always present wherever Viṣṇu dwells – this is also the reason for the advice that whenever and wherever Viṣṇu is worshiped, it is necessary to worship Mahālakṣmī too. She is so beloved to him and her to him that he always carries her ‘mark’ on his chest, where she is said to reside forever – the śrīvatsa.
Please watch from 3.57min to 5.09min
From Radha Tatva Vignan by Srila Ananta Das :
In ‘A Scientific Study of God’ we have learnt about the internal potency of Sri Bhagavan.
Hladini shakti or Blissful potency is the greatest internal potency.
Srimati Radharani is Hladini Shakti personified. Sri Krishna is Svayam Bhagavan;
hence He is absolutely powerful.
Srimati Radharani is the crest-jewel of all His beloveds – therefore She is the absolute Shakti.
She is the greatest and the source of all shaktis. She is the whole while all other shaktis are Her parts.
Sri Narad tells Srimati Radharani in the Patal-khanda of Sri Padma-Puran –
“O Devi, You are the source of all that is specially pure and good.
You are the source of the hladini, sandhini and samvit potencies,
and You are the Supreme Power and Supreme Knowledge.
You give the highest bliss to Sri Bhagavan and even Brahma and Rudra (Shiva) cannot understand You.
Your opulence is remarkable in every aspect. The best of yogis cannot reach You with their meditation.
I feel all the divine shaktis are Your parts as You control various shaktis such as ichcha-shakti (will power),
jnana-shakti (the power of knowledge) and kriya-shakti (the power of action). Svayam Bhagavan Sri Krishna,
Who is the Supreme Personality, has countless majesty and they are also Your parts.”
Srimati Radharani is the embodiment of Sri Krishna’s svarupa shakti. She has each
and every excellent quality and is the presiding Deity for all opulence.
Srimat Jiva Goswamipad has written in Priti-sandarbha (120th chapter) –
“Sri Bhagavan’s svarupa shakti has countless wonderful properties, for example –
excellent talents, wealth etc. This svarupa shakti exists in two forms –
it is unmanifest and exists in Sri Bhagavan only as a ‘power’ and
it is manifest and expressed in the forms of Lakshmis.
The svarupa shakti that is manifest and appears in the personal form is the source of all excellences and opulence.
Srimati Radharani is the root of all the Kamalas.
“Srimati Radharani is Sri Bhagavan’s primeval potency; She is eternal, without any
material quality and other shaktis such as Lakshmi and Durga are Her parts.”
– (Gopal-Tapani-Shruti)
In fact, Sri Krishna is the topmost Tattva and at the same time He is the Cause of all causes.
Srimati Radharani too is the supreme Shakti and is the Cause of all causes.
Sri Gopal-Tapani- Shruti has called Her the ‘primeval potency’ because She is the Cause of all causes.
Sri Narad- Pancharatra and Goutamiya-tantra have defined Her as ‘the supreme Shakti’
because She is eternal and the topmost.
“Lakshmi Sarasawati durga savitri radhika para,
bhaktya namanti yat shashwat tam namamiparat-param.”
Meaning –
“I constantly pay obeisance to Sri Krishna Who is more divine than the divine,
and Whom Lakshmi, SaRasawati, Durga, Savitri and the ‘para-shakti’ or supreme Shakti Sri Radha
worship with devotion.”
– (Narad-Pancharatra)
It is evident from this verse that although Lakshmi, Durga etc. are divine shaktis,
only Srimati R adharani is ‘para’. What does ‘para’ mean?
“parante shreshtha-vachakah”
Meaning –
“When we use the word ‘para’ at the end, it indicates the superlative (greatest)”.
From this we easily understand that Srimati Radharani is the supreme.
Sri Narad-Pancharatra has used ‘para’ many times in connection with Srimati Radharani. Example –
“Rasaika Rasaikananda Svayam Rasaeseshwari para”.
Meaning –
“Srimati Radharani is the connoisseur of Rasa, She takes delight in those who are devoted to Rasa;
She Herself is the controller of the Rasa-dance and is the greatest of all.”
“devi Krishnamayi prokta radhika para-devata, sarva-Lakshmimayi sarva-kantih sammohini para.”
The author of Sri Chaitanya-Charitamrita has explained this verse very beautifully –
“Srimati Radharani is resplendent and supremely beautiful.
She is like the altar of Sri Krishna- worship and the playground for His love-sports.
She is Krishnamayi, meaning, She is full of Sri Krishna inside and outside.
Sri Krishna appears wherever She casts Her gaze.
Sri Krishna is love and Rasa personified and His shakti is non-different from Him.
She worships Sri Krishna by fulfilling all His desires; hence the Purans call Her ‘Radhika’ (the worshipper).
Therefore She is all-revered and is the supreme deity.
She is the all–protector and is the Mother of all the universes.
She is the source of all the Lakshmis. The Lakshmis are the six majesty of Sri Krishna.
Srimati Radharani is their source –
the greatest of all shaktis. All beauty and splendour reside in Her.
She dispenses beauty to all the Lakshmis.
Here ‘splendour’ can also mean all the desires of Sri Krishna –
this indicates that all His desires reside in Srimati Radharani.
Radhika fulfils His wishes. This is the meaning of ‘Sri Radha is all-resplendent’.
Sri Krishna mesmerizes everybody and Srimati Radharani holds Sri Krishna spellbound.
Therefore we conclude that She is the Supreme Owner.”
– (C.C.)
This is one interesting story showing the eternal relation of Radha and Krishna. Radha was not married to Lord Krishna. The immeasurable love of Krishna for Radha made Krishna’s wives jealous of Radha.
Many, many years after leaving Vraja, Krishna met the Vrajavasis at Kurukshetra.
Of course, Radha and all the Gopis had come too.
At night, after they retired to their respective tents, Krishna told Rukmini that Radha loves to have milk before sleeping, so please go and give her milk.
Now Rukmini did not like this but she had to do Krishna’s bidding of course.
So she brought hot milk for Radha.
She asked Radha to drink it fast, so that she could go back to her tent and tell Krishna that Radha drank the milk.
Radha obeyed, although the milk was still so hot that it burnt her throat. But Radha did not say a word.
Rukmini went back to the tent, and as was her usual Service to Krishna, she started massaging His Lotus Feet. Then that she noticed that His Feet had sores all over it and she was shocked and asked Him what happened.
He told her, you forced Radha to drink very hot milk, and as Radha always meditates on my Feet, it was not Her throat, but it was my Feet that got burnt. Rukmini wept!!!
It was then only that she realized how pure and how complete Radha’s love for Krishna was.
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Samātmā Samitah Samaḥ