KESHAVA NAMAS SIGNIFICANCE AND LYRICS - PART 3

Significance of Aachamanam & 24 Kesava Namas 

Among the several thousand names of Lord Vishnu (Vishnu Sahasranama) these 24 names called Chaturvimshati Kesava Namas are very important. We recite 24 names of Lord Vishnu during Aachamanam the first three while sipping water and remaining 21 while touching the body parts. They are Kesava, Narayana, Madhava, Govinda, Vishnu, Madhusudhana, Trivikrama, Vamana, Sridhara, Hrusheekesa, Padmanabha, Damodara, Sankarushana, Vasudeva, Pradhyumna, Anirudhha, Purushottama, Adhokshaja, Naarasimha, Achyuta, Janardhana, Upendra, Hara, and Sri Krishna...

It is said that Manu Smruthi compares these 24 names of the Supreme God with 24 tattvas (elements) of creation with which the universe is formed. For example Kesava represents Avyaktha tattva, Narayana represents Mahatattva, Madhava represents Ahankara tattva, and Govinda represents Manotattva. Remaining twenty names represents Pancha Gnanendriyas (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin), Pancha karmendriyas, (hands, legs, speech, and two excretory organs), Pancha Pranas (prana, apana, vyana, udana, and samana) and Pancha Bhoothas (sky, water, fire, air, and earth). It is believed that, the first three names Kesava, Narayana, Madhava are Tapatraya Nivarakas. These 24 names also represent the 24 syllables of Gayathri Manthra called Beejaksharas that have influence on the human body.

For performing any Kriya one should have Anthhakarana Suddhi (inner purity) that is possible only by praying God by reciting His divine names (manthras) and the process of Aachamanam is only meant for that purpose. By reciting 21 names a person is getting purified bodily and by reciting three names he is getting purified internally.

Reciting these names of Supreme God is the link for devotion as it cleanses the inner body of the human being that helps in attaining quick results. The name of God is so powerful that it has the capacity to vanquish any sins and desires. Whether it is done knowingly or unknowingly with or without understanding its meaning and significance, reciting divine name will never go a waste. Best example we find in the story of Ajaamila as given in Ajaamilopakhyanam of Sri MadBhagavatham where, Ajaamila chants unknowingly the name of Lord Narayana at the time of his death and gets rid of his sins. The one that is done by knowing its meaning and significance will not only eliminate the sins but also helps in gaining the divine knowledge that leads to ultimate salvation.

Isha ninna charaNa bhajane
Asheyinda mADu venu
dOsharAshi nAshamADu shreesha kEshava || 1 ||

sharaNu hokkenayya yenna
maraNa samayadalli ninna
charana smaraNe karuNisayya nArAyaNa  || 2 ||
shOdhisenna bhavada kalusha
bhOdisayya gyAnavenage
bAdhisuva yamana bAdhe biDisu mAdhavA 

hindanEka yOnigaLali
bandu bandu nondenayya
indu bhavada bandha biDisu tande gOvindA || 3 ||

bhrashTanenisa bEDa krishNa
ishTu mAtra bEDikombe
shishTaroDane ishTu kashTa biDisu vishNuvE || 4 ||

madananayya ninna mahime
vadanadalli nuDiyuvante
hrudayadoLage hudugisayya madhusUdhanA || 5 ||

kavidukonDu iruva pApa
savidu pOguvante mADo
javana bAdheyannu biDisu trivikramA || 6 ||

kAmajanaka ninna nAma
prEmadinda pADuvantha
nEmavenage pAlisayya swAmi vAmanA || 7 ||


modalu ninna pAda pUje
odaguvante mADO yenna
hrudayalli sadana mADo mudadi shriidara || 8 ||

husiyanADi hoTTe horeva
vishayadalli rasikanendu
husige hAkadiirayya hrushiikEshanE || 9 ||

biddu bhavadanEka januma
baddhanAgi kalushadinda
geddupOpa buddhi tOrO padmanAbhane || 1 0||

kAma krOdha biDisi ninna
nAma jihveyoLage nuDiso
shrii mahAnubhAvanAda dAmOdarA || 1 1||
pankajAksha nEnu yenna
manku buddhyannu biDisi
kinkaranna mADikoLLo sankarushaNA || 12 ||

yEsu januma bandarEnu
dAsanalla vEno nAnu
ghAsi mADadiru yenna vAsudEvanE || 13 ||

buddhi shOnyanAgi yenna
paddha kArya kuhakamanava
tiddi hrudaya shuddhi mADo pradyumnanE || 14 ||


buddhi shOnyanAgi yenna
paddha kArya kuhakamanava
tiddi hrudaya shuddhi mADo pradyumnanE || 15 ||


harushadinda ninna nAma
smarisuvate mADu nEma
virisu caraNa dalli pushOttamA || 16 ||

sAdhusanga koTTu ninna
pAdabhajaneyiTTu enna
bhEdamAdi nODadirO shri adhOkshajA || 17 ||

cAru caraNa tOri yenage
pArugANisayya konege
bhAra hAkutiruve ninage nArasimhanE || 18 ||


sancitArtha pApagaLanu
kincitAda piiDegaLanu
muncitavAgi kaLedu poreyo swAmi accyutA || 19 ||

gyAna bhakti koTTu ninna
dhyAnadalli yiTTu sadA
hiina buddhi biDisu munna shrii janArdhana || 20 ||

japatapAnushTAna villade
kupathAgAmiyAda yenna
krupeyamADi kshamisabEku upEndranE || 21 ||

moreya iDuvenayya ninage
sharadhi shayana shubhamatIya
irisu bhaktanendu paramapurusha shri harI || 22 ||

puTTisalEbEDa innu
puTTisidake pAlisenna
ishTu mAtra bEDikombe shrii krishNanE || 23 ||

puTTisalEbEDa innu
puTTisidake pAlisennaishTu mAtra bEDikombe shrii krishNanE || 24 ||

mareyadale hariyanAma
baredu Odi kELidavage
karedu mukti koDuva neleyAdikEshavA || 25 ||