SrI vishNu sahasra nAmam - phala Sruti - Part 2.

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SrImate Sri ra'nga rAmAnuja mahA deSikAya namaH.

SrI vishNu sahasra nAmam - phala Sruti - Part 2.

 

 

bhaktimAn yah sadotthAya Sucis_tad-gata mAnasaH |

sahasram vAasudevasya nAmnAm etat prakIrtayet || (5)

 

SrI BhaTTar groups the four Sloka-s, 5 to 8, as a statement of the

benefits accruing to a devotee (bhakta) who recites the nAma-s as a

japa (chanting) in accordance with the rules laid down for the

same. SrI BhaTTar's words are: " atha niyama viSeshavat japa rUpa

sa'nkIrtane bhaktasya sarva samRddhim Aha " .

 

From the previous two Sloka-s, it is noted that the act of chanting –

either aloud or in a whisper or in the mind, or just listening to

others chanting the stotram, leads to benefits, either explicitly

desired and sought, or those consistent with the varNa dharma-s of

the one who chants or listens to the stotram. Now vyAsa points out

that if a person gets up early in the morning, purifies himself with

a bath and the observance of the rites and rituals consistent with

his dharma as laid down in the SAstra-s (according to his varNa and

ASrama), and recites the thousand nAma-s of vAsudeva with his mind

firmly fixed on Him, he will be bestowed with salvation itself

(anuttamam Sreyah prApnoti – Slokam 6).

 

SrI Sa'nkara's vyAkhyAnam is: " bhaktimAn ityAdinA bhaktimatah Suceh

satatam udyuktasyaikAgra cittasya SraddhAlorviSishTAdhikAriNah phala

viSesham darSayati " – The special benefits accruing to one who is

devout, pure, ever persevering with one-pointed attentive meditation,

and with faith, are revealed next.

 

SrI rAdhAkRshNa SAstri notes that the benefis stated next are those

that accrue to one who has single-minded devotion to vAsudeva,

meditates on him constantly, is pure in thought, word and deed, and

chants the thousand nAma-s of vAsudeva as laid down in this Slokam.

 

In order to reinforce the thoughts embedded in this Slokam, let us

look at the individual meanings of a few words in the Slokam:

 

- bhaktimAn – A devotee. Specifically, it refers to the

devotee of vAsudeva (vAsudevasya nAmnAm). Single-minded devotion is

of importance here, as noted in the above. anya devatA worship –

resort to other devatA-s, is to be avoided.

- sadA utthAya – always getting up early in the morning.

- Sucih – Purifies himself. The purity referred to is both

external and internal. The external purity involves taking a bath

etc. The other aspects of purification involved here are the strict

observance of nitya karma-s as laid down in the SAstra-s for the

devotee – the varNASrama dharma-s. Our AcArya-s repeatedly emphasize

that any activity undertaken without observing the nitya karma-s will

end up as wasted effort.

- tad-gata-mAnasaH – The mind of the devotee should be

concentrated on bhagavAn vAsudeva. This is a re-emphasis on the

single-minded devotion to vAsudeva that was mentioned

under `bhaktimAn'.

- prakIrtayet – kIrtana specifically refers to chanting,

recitation.

 

The specific benefits that such a devotee will attain are specified

in the next three Sloka-s:

 

yaSah prApnoti vipulam j~nAti prAdhAnyameva ca |

acalAm Sriyam Apnoti Sreyah prApnoty_anuttamam || (6)

 

na bhayam kvacit Apnoti vIryam tejaSca vindati |

bhavaty_arogo dyutimAn bala rUpa guNanvitah || (7)

 

rogArto mucyate rogAt baddho mucyeta bandhanAt |

bhayAn mucyeta bhItastu mucyrtApanna ApadaH || (8)

 

SrI BhaTTar has given his interpretation for the above Sloka-s in two

short sentences – " anuttamam Sreyah – muktih | anye abhyudaya

viSeshAh || " - `anuttamam Sreyah in Slokam 6 means `salvation';

all the other fruits mentioned are fruits of success in this world'.

 

Prof. Srinivasa Raghavan has given the following translation for the

above Sloka-s:

 

" He becomes endowed with great reputation and becomes the foremost

among his kith and kin. He acquires wealth that never diminishes in

this world, and he also gets unexcelled prosperity in the next

(namely, salvation).

 

" There is no fear for him from any quarters. He acquires valor and

power. He is never unwell, and always shines. He becomes endowed

with strength, a healthy body, and noble qualities.

 

" He who is suffering from any disease will get over it. He who is in

bondage will be relieved of it. He who is affected by fear will

become free from it, and he who is in difficulties will become rid of

them " .

 

SrI Sa'nkara also does not comment on the above Sloka-s. The idea is

that both SrI BhaTTar and SrI Sa'nkara consider that the meaning is

self-explanatory.

 

The most important benefit is the one that SrI BhaTTar has commented

on – anuttamam Sreyah – moksham. The other benefits can all be

understood as aid to this most important, and in fact the only phalan

that such a devotee will aspire for. Thus, for instance, being rid

of fear in this world can be understood as the full confidence that

bhagavAn will definitely redeem us from the ocean of samsAra at the

end of our current birth in this world, - mahA viSvAsam; acalAm

Sriyam – undiminished wealth in this world – the opportunity and

blessing to be involved in kai'nkaryam to Him always – the ka'inkarya

SrI; rogArto mucyate rogAt – the devotee will be rid of the greatest

of diseases, namely attachment to the worldly and materialistic

objects of this life, and, above all, the attachment to this body and

to all the things associated with the body; bhayAn mucyeta bhItah –

the devotee will be rid of the greatest of all fears – the fear of

repeated births, the fear of samsAra; yaSah prApnoti – the devotee

will be known for his single-minded devotion to vAsudeva, as his

greatest accomplishment; dyutimAn, tejaSca vindati – the tejas of

such a devotee will be self-revealing, as we can feel in the presence

of our AcArya-s.

 

-dAsan kRshNamAcAryan

(To be continued)