Vishnusahasranama

[Guest guest]

who blesses all with Auspiciousness (Sam).” (115) Bahusiraah -One who has many

heads. The Purushasooktam of the Rig Veda describes the Cosmic Form of the Lord

with a narration, “The Purusha of thousand heads, thousand eyes and thousand

feet…….” In Geeta a similar description of the Universal Form of the Lord is

found in Chapter XI. Again in the Geeta Chapter XIII when the Lord was

describing the Infinite Goal to be known (Jneyam), He describes It as

“Everywhere legs, everywhere hands, every- where eyes, everywhere His face”.

Thus, He whose personal manifestations constitute the universe is known as “One

who has many heads.” (116) Babhruh -One who rules over the worlds. “Like a

King” -Atmabodham gives this analogy .He in whose presence all the instruments

of perception, feeling and knowing continue their coordinated activity is

the Self, the Atman, who is Great Lord Vishnu. (117) Visvayonih -One who is

the Total Cause from which alone the entire world of experiences (visvam) has

emerged out. The womb (yoni) from which thoughts and actions had risen is

called Visvayonih. (118) Suchisravaah -One who has beautiful and efficient

ears (Sravas): “Everywhere are His ears”-(Geeta Ch. 13, St. 13) meaning thereby

He is the Hearer in all ears. The term Sravas not only means ears, but it also

means “names” -so Suchisravas can mean ‘One who has Divine and Sacred names’.

Thus, the devotee can invoke Him with thousands of His names when He can

readily listen in and rightly understand the exact purity and the real depth of

devotion in the devotee. Also the term can be used to indicate the One whose

“names” are worthy of being heard by seekers. (119) Amritah -One who is

Immortal and Immutable. Mritam = dead. The Infinite is Ajarah, Amarah and

Avyayah. It can also mean as One who is of the nature of Nectar (Amritam) -a

sure cure for those who are suffering from malady of ignorance. Amritah also

means Moksha; and thus it is indicated, He is the ever-liberated-the Pure State

of Being. (120) Saasvata-sthaanuh -One who is both permanent (Saasvatah) and

irremovable (Sthaanuh). He is the One who remains Changeless, because Immortal;

who remains the same in all periods of time, because permanent (Saasvatah); and

who remains changeless in His nature or Consciousness (Sthaanuh). This is a

single term (Saasvata-sthaanuh) and, therefore, we must add the meanings

together- Permanent and Changeless; Permanently Changeless Factor in lire is

Vishnu. (121) Vararohah - He who is the most

Glorious (Vara) Destination (Aaroha). The Seat of the Self is the most Glorious

because the imperfections of the world-of-matter (Prakriti) are not there in

the Spirit (Purusha). Liberation from the thraldom of matter is the arrival of

the Infinitude of the Self. “He never returns”, thunders the Chandogya

Upanishad (8-15-1) three times in one and the same breath, assuring us that one

who has reached the Seat of Vishnu, beyond the frontiers of the intellect, there

is for him no more any return ever into the ego-centric life of tensions of

sorrows. (122) Mahaatapaah -One of great Tapas. The term tapas in Sanskrit

has three meanings: ‘Knowledge’ (Jnaana), ‘Prosperity’ (Aisvarya) and also

‘Might’ (Prataapa). It is in the presence of Consciousness that we come to know

all our experiences. ‘Conscious of’ a thing or an idea is the ‘Knowledge of’ the

thing or the idea. That about which I am not conscious of, I have really no

knowledge of it. All knowledges, of all bosoms, in all living creatures,

everywhere, at all times, cannot be without the play of Consciousness upon the

respective objects of knowledge, and hence this Consciousness is indicated in

the Upanishads as Pure Knowledge, in the light of which alone all knowledges

are possible. All achievements and prosperity (Aisvarya), all might and power

of the living creatures can express themselves through them only when they are

alive. This great truth is Maha Vishnu. “Whose Tapas is of the nature of

Knowledge” (Mundaka- Upanishad. 1-1-9).

http://groups.msn.com/