Virāḍ-rūpā विराड्-रूपा (778)

The concept has been already discussed in nāma 256. viśva-rūpa. In addition to what has been discussed there, virāḍ can also be explained as follows. Virāḍ is the consciousness which identifies itself with the individual gross body in the waking state. Consciousness can be broadly classified into microcosm and macrocosm. Microcosm is the individual consciousness and macrocosm is the universal consciousness. These can also be interpreted as the individual self and the cosmic Self. Microcosm or the individual cosmology is a miniscule of macrocosm or the sum total of all microcosms. 

The individual self has four states of consciousness. 1. Turya or avyakta (for avyakta refer nāma 398), 2. Īśvarā (nāma 271 Īśvarī), 3. Hiraṇyagarbha (this has been discussed in various nāma-s in this Sahasranāma. Please refer nāma 638 svarṇagarbhā ) and 4. Virāḍ. Virāḍ is also known as virāj. It is also known as vaiśvānara. The last of the above mentioned four states of consciousness is the all pervading metamorphosis of the divine being. It is the omnipresent universal form, encompassing the entire visible and tangible phenomenal world. This is the fully manifested macrocosm that appear to the human eyes as the universe. What we perceive is not the complete macrocosm, but only a minuscule deluded by māyā or illusion. 

Virāḍ is the end product of the macrocosm within a fully developed universe that is realized from experiment and observation rather than theory. Pañcikaraṇam, a small treatise on advaita philosophy by Śaṃkarācārya says. “The virāḍ is said to be the aggregate of all the quintuplicate elements and their effects” (verse 1). Those subtle elements produced the gross ones, from which again the virāṭ (the macrocosm) or the objective totality comes into existence.”  Again verse 11 says, “The gross elements are compounded. These produce, the sum total of all the gross bodies. This is the gross body of the disembodied Ātman.”  Virāṭ, virāj and virāḍ are the same.

Virajā विरजा (779)

Vi means without and rajas means impurity. She is without impurity. Mahānārāyaṇa Upaniṣad (65.1) says ahaṁ virajā vipāpmā which means ‘I am freed from sins and passions’. The devotee offers fire oblations seeking purity in his breath, gross body, etc. There is a fire ritual by name virajahoma to be performed before becoming a sanyāsī. When one becomes devoid of impurity, he becomes one with the Brahman. She, the Brahman, is devoid of impurity. She is pure (refer nāma 765).  When one wants to merge with the Brahman, one should possess the qualities of the Brahman. 

Viśvato-mukhī विश्वतो-मुखी (780)

She has faces in all directions. Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (III.3) says, viśvatomukhaḥ which means ‘all faces are His’.  Faces of entire living beings are His. This nāma affirms the omnipresent nature of the Brahman.

Kṛṣṇa also says in Bhagavad Gīta (IX.15) “others worship me in my universal form in many ways taking me as manifested in diverse celestial forms (viśvatomukhaṁ).” 

Puruṣasūkta opens by saying sahasraśīrṣā puruṣaḥ meaning that He has thousands of heads. Heads of the entire living beings are His own. 

This nāma means that She resides in the entire living beings of this universe, an affirmation of Her omnipresence.

Pratyag-rūpā प्रत्यग्-रूपा (781)

She is visible to those who see inwardly. She can be realized only within and this is known as Self-realization. By disconnecting mind from sensory afflictions and looking within, She is realized.

Kaṭha Upaniṣad (II.i.1) explains this. “The Self-created Lord has created the sense organs with the inherent defect that are by nature outgoing. Which is why, beings see things outside and cannot see the Self within.” It says, pratyagātmānamaikṣat.

Nārāyaṇa sūktaṁ (5) says antarbahiśca tatsarvaṁ vyāpya nārāyaṇa-stithaḥ (अन्तर्बहिश्च तत्सर्वं व्याप्य नारायण-स्तिथः) meaning Nārāyaṇa pervades internally and externally. 

Why should one look within when the Brahman is omnipresent. Afterall, Nārāyaṇa pervades internally and externally. Kaṭha Upaniṣad (II.iii.9) answers this.  “The Brahman is not an object of our vision.  No one can see Him by his eyes.  He reveals Himself, only when the mind is pure and constantly thinks of Him.”