Hindu Article-The Incomparable God

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The incomparable God

 

 

CHENNAI, OCT. 1. It is said that there are two types of devotees —

those who are born with the highest wisdom and those who acquire the

same through diligent application of one's faculties with the help of

a preceptor. For only by dispelling ignorance and gaining wisdom can

a devotee comprehend God. The question then arises — who is the

incomparable God? One may ask if such a question is relevant at all?

Scholars state that only if people realise the Supreme and meditate

on Him can they attain their goal of liberation. It is because

Bhishma wanted people to know the correct answer to such a query that

he delivered the `Vishnusahasranama' to Yudhishtra who approached him

for clarification. The first 13 verses are the preamble to the

following 107 verses which highlight the thousand `namas' of the

Lord, each signifying a characteristic trait while the last 22 verses

state the benefits to be had by those who assiduously chant the

slokas.

 

Why is it that the `Vishnusahasranama' holds pride of place in its

genre? While all sentient and insentient beings are perishable, the

Supreme alone is imperishable. The commentaries of Adi Sankara and

Parasara Bhattar, although varying in certain aspects are held to be

the most comprehensive of all commentaries, said Sri Adoor Aasuri

Madhavachari in his discourse. Delineating six-fold reasons for the

superlative stature enjoyed by the chant of the Lord's thousand

names, Parasara Bhattar's commentary is hailed as one of the high

points of Vishishtadvaita. The first reason derives from the fact

that the Mahabharata enjoys pride of place as the fifth Veda, by

virtue of its comprehensive cogitation on the mores of conduct for

all. In that exalted epic Vishnusahasranama commands the top slot vis-

a-vis virtue. Second, the sloka chanted by great sages such as

Sanaka, Narada is quintessentially the best thousand from among

infinite `namas' as they reflect the Lord's supreme traits. Composed

by that doyen of sages hailed as a manifestation of Vishnu Himself,

Vyasa, composed this perennial prayer familiar to all by a careful

study of all information culled from all available sources by sages.

Parasara Bhattar further points to the fact that Bhishma, the last

word on codes of conduct — and as such hailed by none other than Lord

Krishna — accorded the Lord's names a special place as harbinger of

one's aspirations.

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