Sahasranama position 611 of the 1,000 names

Vishvasmai

विश्वास्मै

Viśvāsmai

What Vishvasmai means

Vishvasmai is name 611 in the Kalabhairava Sahasranama, the 1,000-name devotional text to Kalabhairava. Salutations To The one who is the entire universe, the cosmos itself.

Also spelled

  • Visvasmai
  • Vishwasmai
  • Source transliteration: VISHVASMAI

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.

Meaning and elaboration

Meaning: Salutations To The one who is the entire universe, the cosmos itself.

Elaboration

The name Viśvasmai is derived from the Sanskrit word Viśva, which means "all," "entire," or "the universe" (cosmos). It directly translates to "to the universe" or "to the one who is the universe."

Cosmic Immanence This name emphasizes Kalabhairava's role not just as a deity residing in a celestial realm, but as the very fabric and essence of the cosmos. He is not merely external to the universe, but he is the universe itself. This aligns with the Advaita Vedanta principle of Brahman being both immanent (residing within) and transcendent (beyond) the creation.

The All-Encompassing Reality By addressing him as Viśvasmai, devotees acknowledge him as the all-encompassing reality, the totality of existence, including all animate and inanimate objects, all phenomena, and all time and space. He is the macrocosm in its entirety. This conveys a profound sense of non-duality, where the divine is not separate from creation but is intimately its very being.

Source and Sustainer As the universe, he is the ultimate source from which everything originates, the substance by which everything is sustained, and the ultimate destination into which everything will eventually dissolve. This highlights his omnipotence and omnipresence, as he is present in every atom and every cosmic event.

Philosophical Significance This name elevates Kalabhairava beyond a specific fierce form to the Absolute, the Supreme Self (Parabrahman), which manifests as the entire universe. It encourages a perspective where there is no separation between the worshipper and the worshipped, as both are ultimately part of the same divine reality.

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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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