Lord Krishna,Destroyer of even Brahma and Devourer of Sesa,granted according to what they deserve,the highest state of final release superior to what obtained by gods,to Pandavas together with Yadus,the ever-moving Maruts,Rudras and to Vasudeva,Udhdhava and others who were His father and messenger and so on,only in name.

Without being touched by sorrow,Lord Krishna the Supermost,Infinite and Blissful sported in heavenly regions with Pandavas and others.He manifested supremely in Vaikunta being fully pervaded by Vayu and Lakshmi.He is always pervaded by the lustrous form of Lakshmi,possessor of excellent qualities.

In this way should be understood all the incarnated forms of Vishnu,the Lord of Goddess Lakshmi,theSupport of gods and the Destroyer of demons,to be full of bliss,extremely lustrous, all-pervasive, devoid of any difference among themselves and as residing in the hearts of lustrous deities like Lakshmi.

Verse 71 is the unique verse in the entire range of Sanskrit Literature.Firstly,the next verse(72) is a reversal of this verse. Secondly, Sri Narayanacarya(1600-1660) has shown how this same verse describes twelve incarnations of Lord Vishnu including that of Rama mentioned in the verse.At the outset of its commentary of this verse Naraharithirtha's tika justifies describing Rama,eventhough all the events described in this work viz "Yamaka Bharatha" relate to the story of the Mahabaratha and not that of the Ramayana.Accordingly ,it should be remembered that the Mahabaratha does contain the story of Ramayana as narrated by sage Markandeya.

O Rama,Fire to the wicked,Unlimited Person,MightymArmed One,Thy greatness is beyond the reach of even Brahma and other gods.O Bestower of Knowledge to good and Granter of dark hells to demons,in the whole universe,who except Brahma ,can resort fully Thy feet?

O Rama,Thou art the precious wealth of mine Thou,the Omni Conquer,Motivator of the universe together with Vayu,Protector of Vedas,Full of merits and Bereft of demerits,Bestower of knowledge to the entire world,Destroyer of devotee's fear;Distinct from all else,Joy giver to Lord's servants,Swallower of Sun,Controller of Rudra,Skanda,Vinayaka and Lakshmi,Unfit to be abandoned,the Rider of Rudra.

O Supreme God, I bow down to Thee.Thy teachings imparted as Budhdha,are not understood at any time even by lords of gods.Thou art inimical to the understanding of demons and givest right knowledge to gods.

Obeisances to Thee,O Vasudeva(Kalki),Destroyer of wicked kings,Possessor of bliss,knowledge,life breath,sports and liberation,Ever liberated,and of the form of knowledge.

Protect us,O Lord of Goddess Lakshmi.Thou art the First God,Protector ofgod's worlds,Vast ocean of full and perfect bliss,Omniscient,Master of all,Indulged in sports Indestructible,Protector of bliss of the liberated.

I resort fully to Lord Vedavyaasa,the incarnation of Lord Vishnu existing with Goddess Lakshmi.He created Lakshmi and Bharathi as the presiding deities. He is my creator.He perfectly sanctifies Lakshmi,Cupid and Shesha.He is Omniscient,Passionless and is known through scriptures.He creates all embodied souls.And He bestowed all Knowledge to perfectly selfless Sukacarya.

I bow down to Lord Vishnu,Infinite in space and time,Of immeasurable strength,Overlord and Master of universe,Protector of Lakshmi,Perfect Protector of Sesha,Indestructible,Full with excellent qualities,Infinite in knowledge and strength,Indweller of Lakshmi,Possessor of inherent greatest greatness,Owner of great gods like Brahma who serve Him as His servants.

This verse would surely defeat any lay person's attempt at a translation, and even most scholars would be hard put to justify it in terms of known rules of syntax and semantics.

 Therefore, based on the illustrious commentator's expatiation, we may take it that the eight-and-twenty uses of `bhA' mean as follows:

(1) bhA dIptau -- bhA is for effulgence
(2) bhA j~nAne -- bhA is for knowledge
(3) bhA AdhArabhAve -- bhA is for supportiveness
(4) bhA audArye -- bhA is for generosity
(5) bhA sandhAne -- bhA is for determination
(6) bhA upAdAne -- bhA is for giving
(7) bhA nikaTabhAve -- bhA is for closeness
(8) bhA sevyatve -- bhA is for servability
(9) bhA UrIkaraNe -- bhA is for bringing others to submission
(10) bhA santatibhAve -- bhA is for unlimited qualities
(11) bhA nAnAbhAve -- bhA is for multi-facetedness
(12) bhA vailaxaNye -- bhA is for extreme difference
(13) bhA Adhikye              -- bhA is for superiority
(14) bhA svAtantrye           -- bhA is for independence
(15) bhA Anande               -- bhA is for joyfulness
(16) bhA santatavachane    -- bhA is for being uncontradicted
(17) bhA pUjyabhAve       -- bhA is for worshippability
(18) bhA vistAre               -- bhA is for extensiveness
(19) bhA vinAshane          -- bhA is for destructiveness
(20) bhA svAmibhAve      -- bhA is for Lordship
(21) bhA nishchalabhAve -- bhA is for unchangingness
(22) bhA ugrabhAve        -- bhA is for ferocity
(23) bhA ud.hgAte           -- bhA is for being the cause/object of sacrifices
(24) bhA sammohane      -- bhA is for causation of delusion
(25) bhA saJNchAre       -- bhA is for mobility
(26) bhA vidAraNe         -- bhA is for killing
(27) bhA Alochane          -- bhA is for being the object/cause of thought
(28) bhA sundarabhAve  -- bhA is for beauty

This famous 'ekAxarayamakashloka' is only one of its kind in the whole range of Sanskrit Literature.

There is lot of discussion as to whether there are 28 "bhA" or 32 "bhA". If it is 28, the chandas is "ushhNik.h". If it is 32, the chandas is "anushhTubh.h" (vidyunmAla). Sri Narayana Panditacharya quotes Sri Narahari tiirtha "dIptau j~nAne bha AdhAre...sarvavidIritam.h" (given in above URL) . This is how the verse is believed to have only 28 "bhA"s. Sri Bannanje notes that "pra. pAThe pratipAdamashhTau bhAkArAH paThyante | vastutastu saptAxarapAdamidaM chhandaH | dhAtupAThAt.h vyAkhyAne chedaM sphuTIbhavcti | tathA hi naraharitIrthIyaM..." meaning "In the prevalent tersion, in every line 8 'bhA' are read. But actually, this is aacording to the meter of 7 letters per line. This is also evidelt from the commentary on verbal roots and also the commentary `y naraharitIrtha". But Sri Naraharitiirtha in his TIka gives 30 meanings as follows.

"srIman.h (1) samdIpta (2) nAkAdupari paratamAkuNThalokeshhu jIve bAhye sarvaj~na (3) bhUmiprabjR^iti cha paramAntA \- .akhilAdhArabhUta (4)|>/b>
nityaM chodAra (5) lokeshhvagaNita (6) vibudhAbhIshhTa (7) moxAdidAne (8) sandhAne (9) karmaNA cha svata uta rajasaH sannupCdAna (10) pAda ||
sarveshhAM sajjanAnAmatilikaTa (11) suraiH sevya (12) chorIkaroshhi (13) tvaM teshhAmishjTamanyAnnayasi (14) cha nikhilAstvaM hi nAnAvatAraiH |
nAnAbhAvena (15) vA.athA.akhilahR^idayaga samnamya"(16) sadbhiH samastAdvailaxanyeNa (17) muktAdhika (18) suranikarAtsarvAdapi svatantra (19) ||
tasmAdAnandapUrNa (20) anavaratavachanA(21)sheshhapUjyA(22)rchakAnAM muktau vistArakarta(23)staditarakumatInnAshayasye(24)va nityaM |
svAmin(25)naddhobhayeshhAM satatamapi vibho nischala(26) svAbhibhAva hyAmnAto naiva chAnyaH kathamapi bhavataH svAmitAM hantumIshhTe |
tasmAdudgeya (27) sarvaistha cha kumatayo naiva gAyanti taM tvAM teshhAM saMmohakarta(28) rnikhilahR^idayasanchArirUpA(29)surAMstvaM |
sarvesho.ahaM na chAnyo maditi nigadato dArayan(30)vIrasimhAlochye(31) tthaM pramANairvidhibhavamukharaiH sarvasaundaryasAra (32) ||"

After explaining these 32 meanings in his TippaNi, he asserts - iti sarvadvAtrimshatsaN^khyAkabhavarNaprameyamudIritamityarthaH | It means that the verse contains 32 "bhA"s and not 28. Sri nArAyaNaryaTippaNi introduces the verse as containing 32 "bhA"s. "bhAbhetyAdibhiH dvAtrimshadbhirbhAshabdaiH ashhTaxarapAda \- chatushhTayopetaM vR^ittam.h".

After quoting the passage, Sri nArAyaNaryaTippaNi gives 32 meanings. Again in giving the meaning of "bhA"s in their groups of twos, threes, fours and so on, Sri Narayana Panditacharya holds that the verse contains 32 "bhA"s. Sri yadupatikR^ita TIka holds that the verse contains 32 "bhA"s and gives the 32 meanings.

A brief explanation of 32 meanings of "bhA" based on Sri Naraharitiirtha vAkyarUpa TippaNi and Sri Naraharitiirtha shloka rUpa TIka is ("he" meaning "Oh" should be added to each one)

1. srIman.h = Your Majesty
2. sandIpta = Shiner. The Lord shines everywhere within and without this universe and inside all the souls including Gooddess Laxmi downwards.
3. sarvaj~na = Omniscient ("bha" = j~nAne, "A" = samantAt.h)
4. sarvAdhAra = All supporter (The Lord is all supporter of the entire universe)
5. udAra = Generous (granting innumerable boons and fulfilling all the desires of His devotees)
6. ananta = Infinite or immeasurable (The Lord is infinite in space, time and qualities. "deshataH kAlato guNataschAgaNita)
7. abhIshTa = Desired (The Lord is most desired by His devotees)
8. abhIshTada (moxAdi rUpa abhIshhTadAne) = Fulfiller of desires of His devotees (desires like moxa etc.)
9. sandhAtaH = Uniter (The Lord unites the souls with their actions caused by rajoguNa and also with their instruments like body and organs).
10. upAdeya = worthy of attainment (The Lord is the only One fit to be attained by all good souls)
11. atinikaTa = Nearby (The Lord is always quite nearby all good souls. "tadevAntikamantikAt.h" - dvAdasha stotra XI - 7 )
12. sarvasevya = Worhty of service (The Lord is fit to be served by all including gods)
13. UrIkartaH = Receiver (The Lord receives or accepts all i.e. the desires of all, including gods)
14. sarvanetaH = All-leader (The Lord leads all to their respective destinations)
15. nAnAbhAva = Multiform (The Lord has infinite forms. He resides in the hearts of infinite number of souls and controls them)
16. namya = Worthy of obeisance (The Lord should be fully prostrated upon having considered everything else as inferior to Him).
17. vilaxaNa = Distinct (The Lord is distinct from all else, both sentient and non-sentient)
18. adhika = Supermost (He is superior to even liberated souls)
19. svatantra = Independent (The Lord is always solely Independent. "svatantramasvatantramcha dvividhaM tattvamishhyate | svatatntro bhagavAn.h vishhnuH" - tattvasaN^khyAnam.h)
20. Ananda = Blissful
21. santatavachana = Ever-expressed (The Lord is described, expounded and lauded always by all scriptures. All words denote the Lord primarily, and other objects are denoted secondarily)
22. pUjya = Worthy of worship by all.
23. vistR^ita = Wide spread (The Lord is All-pervader)
24. nAshaka = Destroyer (The Lord destroys the wicked because of their evil thoughts and deeds)
25. svAmin.h = Lord (Vishnu is the Lord of the entire universe and He does not have any Lord)
26. nischala = Immutable, Immovable (The Lord is same and unchanging. He is avikAri and kUTastha)
27. udgeya = Praise-worthy (The Lord alone is fit to be praised by all).
28. sammohaka = Deluder (The Lord deludes the minds of the wicked who do not like to praise Him and pushes them towards andhatamas).
29. saJNchArin.h = Wanderer (The Lord wanders in the hearts of all)
30. vidAraka = All-cutter (The Lord cuts or tears all demons who think that they are over-lords. Also He cuts asunder the veil of ignorance of His devotees).
31. Alokya = Worthy of ponderance (The Lord alone is fit to be pondered over).
32. sundara = Beautiful (The Lord is Most Beautiful)