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Source: The Hindu (http://www.the-hindu.com)

 

Glory of chanting the Divine name

 

CHENNAI, JUNE 22. Chanting the Divine names has been recommended

in the scriptures as the antidote to all the sins of man.

Besides, in this age when it has become difficult to adopt the

other methods like penance and sacrifices to realise God, the

method of singing the Lord's names in the form of hymns or

repeating them as in Japa, will bestow the same result. There are

no stringent regulations regarding how the names should be

chanted. They can be handled by anyone at any time.

 

The authority often cited to substantiate this is Bhishma's

elucidation to Yudishtra when he expounded the various aspects of

Dharma to him after the Mahabharata war. Yudishtra was dejected

that so many lives had been lost in the war and he felt that he

was directly responsible for it and sought advice from Krishna

about what he must do to expiate for the sins he had incurred in

the war. The Lord assured him that he had only discharged his

duty and told him to approach Bhishma who was awaiting his end

and learn the intricacies of Dharma from him.

 

When they reached Bhishma lying on a bed of arrows and Krishna

expressed the purpose of their visit, the elder had a mysterious

smile on his face and remarked how he could dilate on Dharma when

He, the Supreme One, the repository of all knowledge and wisdom

was there before him. There is a lot of significance in Bhishma's

observation. The Pandavas who had the guidance and friendship of

Lord Krishna throughout their lives and especially during the

war, when He had assumed the role of Arjuna's charioteer, had

because of their proximity often lost sight of the fact that He

was the Supreme One, said Sri Jayarama Sarma in his discourse.

 

Yudishtra consulted Krishna always and hence he should not have

entertained any remorse about the outcome of the war. Arjuna also

had even after listening to Krishna's discourse before the

commencement of the war lost his nerve when he had to fight with

Bheeshma. His love for the elder clouded his intellect and he

could not put up an equal fight and it appeared as though he

would willingly lose.

 

Krishna became very angry and mounted from His chariot, discus in

hand to take on Bheeshma. This brought Arjuna to his senses as

Krishna had vowed not to fight in the war. He did not want to be

responsible for Krishna breaking His promise and terrified of the

consequences, fell at His feet and sought His pardon. Bhishma

expounded the intricacies of Dharma to Yudishtra in the presence

of Lord Krishna and it was at this instance that the elder sang

the Vishnu Sahasranama hymn identifying Him as the Supreme One.

 

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