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THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
VISHNU SAHASRANAMA STOTRAM


The Mahabharata written by sage Veda Vyasa is popularly known as ‘the Fifth Veda’. There are two important reasons for this popularity. One is the Bhagavad Gita in the Bhishma Parva and the second is the Vishnu Sahasranama in the Anusasana Parva. If the Gita projects the universal form of God, Sahasranama resounds with a thousand names which describe His characteristics. "The Mahabharata is like an ellipse. There are two great centres to it – The Gita and the Sahasranama. Both give us the essence of the Mahabharata in their own way. Each is unique" says Sri I. Panduranga Rao.

It is interesting to observe that when the Sahasranama was imparted by Bhishmacharya to King Yudhishtira, there was the Gitacharya, who listened to it, among many others. Thus God himself became a witness to the words of Bhishmacharya. Adi Sankara’s comment imparts utmost significance to the Gita and the Sahasranama in Devotional literature. It is also said that the Gita is for recitation and the Sahasranama for meditation.

There are One Lakh slokas in the Mahabharata. That is why it is called For those who have no time to go through all these slokas, the Sahasranama gives the entire summary of Bharata. Each name is equivalent to One Hundred slokas. Here are no stories and no episodes, not even dialogues and arguments. But one learns only on keen observation that the entire essence of the Bharata is here in this stotram. As Bhishma is important in the Bharata war, so is the Sahasranama in the Bharata. Bhishmacharya became immortal by dedicating his physical frame to the Kauravas, his soul to the Pandavas and this Sahasranama of Lord Vishnu to the world.

In these thousand divine names of God, the versatile acharya of the spiritual world gives us the entire crux of each and everything. The greatness of the acharya is revealed in his approach i.e., he makes things clear for the scholar and the layman alike. It is enough that if one studies these thousand names one knows what one ought to know. This ‘namasahasra’ is not merely about Lord Vishnu. Whatever form we wish to meditate, it is seen here in these names. There are thousand names relating to the Universe. We find Eswara, Narasimha, Vamana, Siva, Krishna, Rama, Srinivasa, Srikara, Hiranyagarbha, Dhira, Vira, Sura, Vidhata and many more names.



It is enough if we just think or chant the name of God; that makes us feel His presence. The bonds of birth and earth will be cleared by the chanting.

We need not know the meaning of each name in the Sahasranama. It is enough if we can pronounce it properly. Because a word which is pronounced properly is the Mantra.That is why Bhishmacharya advises us to chant the Sahasranama very carefully with an awakened mind.

The first sentence of the first verse of the Sahasranama contains precisely the essence of the Mandukyopanishad. In the three names, we find the trinity: Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara; Generation, Organization and Destruction; Past, Present and Future; Jagrit, Swapna and the Sushupta states – and many triplets Above all, the last name in this sentence, indicates the state of Turiya. Like this we find many universal secrets explained in each and every name as in the Gita, the Upanishads and the Brahma Sutras.




In the above three verses we are given the description of how to use the Sahasranama. The first sloka explains that every living being must praise God who is the best among men , Lord of the world, and God of gods. In the second sloka, the five ways of serving God, namely, worship, meditation, praise, salutation and sacrifice, are described. One can serve God as one pleases. Whatever the way may be, the destination i.e., the Worshipped God is one. The third sloka tells us that God is the Supremo of all the worlds. He is the end of all suffering. All are eligible to worship Him. But one should have stability and awakening. This must not be for a minute or for a day but for ever.



Chanting these names of God makes us free from all sin and fear. These thousand names are the great words which praise the characteristics of Lord Vishnu. These are the mantras recited by great sages down the ages with deep veneration. The rishis felt their need and protected them. Thus it is said that these names do have the standard and depth of the Vedas.

A word about the commentaries on the Sahasranama stotram. The commentary of Sankaracharya is the earliest. Sankara explained along with the meaning of the names, Bhakti, Karma and Jnana and the beauty of Saguna, Nirguna tatvas. Parasara Bhattar presented a detailed one which is called the Bhagavad Guna Darpanam (Mirror Reflecting Divine Traits). He enumerates six main reasons to bring out its greatness and universal popularity. Sri Satyanada Tirdha wrote a commentary according to the Dvaita tradition. All the three commentaries enjoy good readership.
It takes nearly 18 minutes to recite this Sahasranama Stotram. Spending this much of time to recite the names of God is itself a yajna. In brief, Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram shines like a crown of diamonds in the devotional literature of India.

courtesy-MIHIRA

Regards
ADUSUMILLI