Vishnu Sahasranamam

June 21, 2005

The Visnu Sahasranama has the unique distinction among stotras of being

The essence of the Mahabharata,

Lauded by great Sages

Compiled by the great Vedavyasa

Accepted by Bhisma as most superior,

Beneficial to one and all, and

The expounder of the very same doctrines as of the Gita.

Of the four yugas, Krta, Treta, Dvapara and Kali, the last one is having its sway. Dharma(righteousness), which has been declining down the ages, has entered a critical phase in the Kaliyuga, notorious for the crumbling down of moral values and rapid degeneration. Even so, present yuga enjoys certain concessions which might well be envied by the earlier yugas. Salvation attained in the earlier yugas through the arduous process of intense meditation, severe penance, special prayers, sacrifices and offerings is vouched in this yuga for the mere recital of Lord’s Holynames. “The same benefit that is obtained in Krta yuga by mediation, in Tretayuga by sacrifice and by ritual worship in Dvapara Yuga, is got in Kaliyuga by the mere laudation of Kesava” – (Visnu Purana 6-2-17). At the same time, it is cautioned that, “The Lord is not easily attainable if one is not spiritually involved even if he offers the whole world to Krsna” (Visnu Dharma –

74)’.

Thus Sri Visnusahasranama Stotra serves not merely as the panacea for all ills & evils besetting this world, but also helps achieve the heaven. ‘Vaidya Sastra’ freely invokes Sahasranama japa for curing dire diseases , generally known to be incurable, ‘Mantra Sastra’ suggests Sahasranama japa for achieving the odds and ends of worldly life, ‘Karma Vibhagam’ prescribes the Sahasranama japa for all the ailments plaguing mankind and of-course Sri Visnusahasranama is a medicine for the fell disease of birth, death and re-birth, which is far more dreadful than the worst of bodily ailments.

Ayurveda mentions the recitation of sahasarnama as aiding the cure of many diseases with such sayings as “Diabetes gets cured by recitation pf Purusa sukta as well as the thousand names of Bhagavan;” “Similarly, Bhagavan’s thousand names must be uttered (for cure of tuberculosis);” “(For relief from fever), one must recite the Vishnu Sahasranama after conducting the Homa as aforesaid.” Even later poets such as Bana Bhatta, while describing a maternity ward has mentioned “The incessant chanting of Narayana’s thousand names too.” Sri Visnu Sahasranama is accepted with reverence as a panacea even by children, the dumb, dull-witted, women and atheists for recitation, meditation, exposition and comments to get rid of poisions, ghosts, disease, hauntings, sorrow, ill-omens etc., for getting absolved of heinous sins and worldly and other-worldly attainments.

Sri Visnusahasranama takes the shape as the essence of the expositions of all Sastras and their implications relating to charity and righteousness in the Anusasanika Parva, the core of Mahabharata. Thus the Sahasranama has great authority; its main objective is to reveal the essential reality through the highest truths. The Sahasranama appears as a dialogue between Bhisma, who is equally revered as Vedavyasa, and Yudhisthira, the Dharma-incarnate. Vedavyasa exhorted Yudhisthira by saying, “If you are desirous of knowing all the Dharmas, go to Bhisma, the grand old sire. He who knows all the doctrines and everything else, is capable of resolving all your doubts. He who has seen Indra and other demigods face to face, who is in constant communion with the Brahmarsis, nd who knows Dharma, its subtleties will enlighten you on Dharma”. Sri Krsna said to Yudhisthira “ My thoughts go to the great soul Bhisma, who is like the fire cooling down on

the bed of arrows, meditating on me. He is highly intellectual, has a divine aura, is in possession of superior weapons and knows all the Vedas comprehensively. He knows the past, present and future. I would advise you to go to him as the path of Jnana becomes that much poorer in his absence”. Sri Krsna also told Bhisma “What you will presently impart the Pandavas will be established in this world like the Vedas. You are free of weariness and illusion”. Narada too said to Yudhisthira “ Clarify all the doubts in your mind immediately from Bhisma who knows the Dharmas required by the four castes. He has the capacity to acquire everything that can be obtained from the life-long Brahmacharya, Samadhi & Tapas”. Bhisma tells Krsna “Acyuta ! by your grace, I am free of greed, passions, pain and lethargy. I can see the past, present and future like a fruit in one’s palm. I can visualise all the Dharmas in the Vedas and Vendangas due to your grace. I am able to expound all the Dharmas

with youthful energy(though old) by constantly meditating on you”.

This above lines described the greatness of Bhisma, who included in his teachings the ‘Sri Visnusahasrnama”, prefacing it as the highest Dharma and its chanting as the highest creed of faith. The thousand names of Lord were collated in the form of a stotra by Vyasa, an incarnation of Narayana Himself. It was the same Vyasa who organized the Vedas into divisions in order to facilitate the understanding for men whose power of comprehension has been reduced due to the advent of Kali. It was the same Vyasa who composed the Mahabharata, considered the fifth Veda. Hence the Visnusahsranama considered to the most beneficial to mankind.

Right at the beginning, Bhisma stressed the efficacy of reciting the laudatory hymn spelling out the thousand names of the Lord, the God of gods and the Supreme person with no limitations (with reference to place, time etc.). The particular sloka under reference uses the word ‘Satatottitah’-ever-engaged. Continuous praise of the Lord and meditation are a perennial joy of the devotee. If Vasudeva is out from the mind of a devotee even for a moment, it is terrible loss as it would give rise to perverse and unholy thoughts to fill the vaccum. At the end of the hymn, the potency of the recitation is brought by Sri Krsna Himself who said “Arjuna!, one may be desirous of praising by reciting the thousand names. But, on my part, I feel praised by one sloka. There is no doubt about it.” In this context, refer to name 685 in the hymn ‘stavapriyah’-He, who relishes being praised. He is pleased with

anything that is uttered in His praise irrespective of who ever lauds Him, how he or she does it, and what language is employed.

It was Bhisma’s opinion that laudation of the Lord was the most righteous method, because

The object of laudation chosen is the dearest to the devotee,

It can be performed easily,

It does not involve any expenditure or strain,

It is attractive as he can mentally conceive the Lord to appear, as it were, before him.

It is capable of giving the greatest reward, Moksa, which alone can eradicate the dreaded fear of Samsara ,

Every body is eligible to adopt this course without any distinction whatsoever,

It is universally beneficial,

It can be performed without any restriction of place, time and situation and,

It is completely free of any auxiliary equipment to perform.

The above has been exracted from the website http://www.srivaishnavan.com/tomcat/visnu.html