The works of Ādi Śaṅkarācārya

Viṣṇusahasranāmastotram

Verse 494

वर्तमानत्वात् न निवर्तते आत्मा विषयेभ्योऽस्येति अनिवृत्तात्मा ।जेतुं न शक्यत इति दुर्जयः ।भयहेतुत्वादस्याज्ञां सूर्यादयो नातिक्रामन्तीति दुरतिक्रमः, ' भयाद स्याग्निस्तपति भयात्तपति सूर्यः ।भयादिन्द्रश्च वायुश्च मृत्युर्धावति पञ्चमः' इति मन्त्रवर्णात्, 'महद्भयं वज्रमुद्यतम् इति च ।दुर्लभया भक्त्या लभ्यत्वान् दुर्लभः, 'जन्मान्तरसहस्रेषु तपोज्ञानसमाधिभिः ।नराणां क्षीणपापानां कृष्णे भक्तिः प्रजायते' इति व्यासवचनात्, ' भक्त्या लभ्यस्त्वनन्यया' इति भगवद्वचनाच्च ।दुःखेन गम्यते ज्ञायत इति दुर्गमः ।अन्तरायप्रतिहतैर्दुःखावाप्यत इति दुर्गः ।

In plain words

Because He is eternally present, the mind does not turn away from Him—hence He is Anivṛttātmā. Because He cannot be overcome, He is Durjaya. Because He inspires cosmic awe, the sun and other deities never disobey His command—hence Duratikrama, as the scripture declares: 'From fear of Him fire burns, the sun burns, and out of fear Indra, Vayu, and Death rush as the fifth,' along with 'A great terror stands raised like a thunderbolt.' Because He is won only through rare and single-minded devotion, He is Durlabha, as Vyasa says: 'In thousands of past births, through austerities, knowledge, and meditation, pure-hearted humans attain devotion to Krishna,' echoing the Lord's own words: 'He is reached through unswerving devotion.' Because He is reached with arduous toil, He is Durgama. Because He is attained only through painful struggle against obstacles, He is Durga.

Close to the Sanskrit

Because of being eternal, the self of this does not turn away from objects, hence Anivṛttātmā. Difficult to conquer, hence Durjaya. Because He is the cause of fear, His command the sun and others do not transgress, hence Duratikrama, from the scriptural passage 'From fear of Him fire burns, out of fear burns the sun, out of fear Indra and Vayu and Death runs as the fifth,' and 'A great fear, a raised thunderbolt.' Because He is attainable by rare devotion, Durlabha, from the statement of Vyasa, 'In thousands of past births... devotion to Krishna arises in purified men,' and the Lord's statement 'He is attained by unswerving devotion.' Since He is reached or known with difficulty, Durgama. Because He is attained with difficulty by those impeded by obstacles, Durga.