Sahasranama positions 608 and 640 of the 1,000 names

Varadaya

वरदाय

Varadāya

What Varadaya means

Varadaya is names 608 and 640 in the Kalabhairava Sahasranama, the 1,000-name devotional text to Kalabhairava. Salutations To The one who is the supreme bestower of all boons and blessings.

Also spelled

  • Varada
  • Source transliteration: VARADAAYA

Sanskrit names travel into English in several romanizations. This page keeps the common spelling, the IAST form, and the source transliteration together so the same name is discoverable under each spelling readers use.

Name 608: VARADAAYA

Meaning: Salutations To The one who is the supreme bestower of all boons and blessings.

Elaboration

The name Varadāya is derived from the Sanskrit root "vara," which means "boon," "blessing," or "wish." Therefore, Varada (Varadāya in the dative case) signifies "the giver of boons" or "the bestower of blessings."

The Supreme Bestower This epithet highlights the immense capacity and willingness of Kalabhairava, as a form of Shiva, to grant desires and confer divine grace upon his devotees. It signifies that he is the ultimate source of all benevolent outcomes, whether material, spiritual, or mundane. His boons are not limited by scope or nature; he can bestow anything from worldly prosperity and protection to ultimate spiritual liberation (moksha).

Beyond Material Blessings While "boons" can often be interpreted as material possessions or worldly success, in a deeper spiritual context, Varada also implies the granting of inner peace, wisdom, freedom from fear, removal of obstacles, and the cessation of suffering. He bestows the boon of understanding one's true nature and realizing the divine within.

Grace and Benevolence This name emphasizes the compassionate and benevolent aspect of Kalabhairava, despite his often-terrifying appearance. It underscores that his fierce form is ultimately intended for the welfare and protection of his sincere followers, and that his wrath is primarily directed towards ignorance, ego, and negative karmic forces. The granting of boons represents his divine grace flowing freely towards those who seek his refuge.

The Fulfillment of Wishes To invoke Kalabhairava as Varada is to appeal to his power to manifest one's deepest wishes and aspirations. It acknowledges his cosmic authority to alter destinies and provide succor to those in need, making him a deeply revered deity for those seeking divine intervention and fulfillment.

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Name 640: VARADAAYA

Meaning: Salutations To The one who is the generous bestower of all blessings and boons.

Elaboration

The name Varadāya is derived from the Sanskrit root ‘vara’ (boon, blessing, wish, choice) and ‘da’ (giver, bestower). Therefore, Varada literally means "boon-giver" or "bestower of blessings".

Bestower of Boons and Wishes This name distinctly highlights Kalabhairava's role as a benevolent deity who grants the desires of his devotees. Despite his terrifying appearance or fierce aspects, he is ultimately a compassionate grantor of wishes, both material and spiritual. He is the divine entity to whom one can appeal for earthly prosperity, health, success, and protection, as well as for higher spiritual aspirations like knowledge, liberation, and freedom from fear.

Symbol of Divine Generosity Varadāya signifies the boundless generosity of the Divine. Lord Shiva, and by extension Kalabhairava, is renowned for his quick satisfaction of devotees' prayers and his willingness to grant even extraordinary boons to those who approach him with sincere devotion, penance, or surrender. This characteristic underscores the paradox of the deity: simultaneously destructive and protective, terrifying and benevolent.

Fulfiller of Aspirations In a philosophical sense, Varadāya represents the divine power that actualizes intentions and brings forth manifestations from the unmanifest. For spiritual seekers, the "boon" can be understood as the removal of obstacles (kala - time, death), leading towards self-realization and liberation. He blesses with the wisdom to overcome temporal limitations and the fear of death, which is the ultimate boon for spiritual progression.

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Text and sources

The name list follows the Kalabhairava Sahasranama as compiled for this project. The English meaning and elaboration are interpretive notes for devotional study, not a translation of a single critical edition.

Read the editorial method and source notes →

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