Vishnusahasranama-introduction continued

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Then Bhishma replies to the question number 5, ` What is the best dharma of all?' He says `esha me sarvadharmaanaam dharmo adhikathamo mathah,This in my

Opinion, is the greatest dharma of all.'

 

 

Here the word `sarvadhrmaanaam' impliesthe four kinds of dharma laid out in the sastras.

1. Aihika dharma, the actions pertaining to the life in this world. This oncludes the natural duties of a householder.

2.Aamushmika dharma, those performed for the welfare in the life- after, like the yajnas, sacrificial rites, dhana, acts of charity, done for attaining heaven or better life in the next birth.

3. The actions that are undertaken in order to attain salvation , by those who are free from attachment, through yoga and meditation.

4. The path of devotion, through act s of love towards the Lord like kirtana, smarana and padasevana, singing His names thinking about Him ad worshipping Him.

 

The last dharma is extolled by Bhishma as the supreme dharma. Lord Krishna has specified the same in the Gita by the caramasloka, `Sarvadharmaan parithyajya maamekam saranam vraja.' Bhishma says ` yadbhakthyaa pundareekashamsthavairarcheth narah esha dharmassanaathanah,' the worship of the Lotus eyed Lord is the age old dharma. This is aadhikyena abhimatham, considered the greatest because it can be done without depending on anything or anybody and without disturbing others. The word narah is used to denote that all are qualified to follow Bhakthimarga irrespective of caste creed or sex. As Krishna says in Gita, `api chet sudhuraacharo,' even a man of evil ways is transformed by bhakthi, to which Valmiki and Thirumangai alwar are the examples. The word pundareekaaksha refers to the lotus of the heart in which the Lord resides (asnuthe ithi akshah)

 

According to Bhagavatha purana, the singing of His names alone will lead to salvation in kaliyuga, `kalou namasankirthanam' and one need not perform the more difficult acts like yajna, thapas, etc. While it is easy to do it is also the most effective because it is rarely done in the kaliyaga. Those who think of the Lord and chant His name are referred to as dhanyaah, blessed ones, by Bhishma.

 

This dharma, bhakthimarga, is considered to be adhikathama because it is,

1. Easy to do, sukhakriyathvaath,

2. Free from vyaya and aayaasa, never futile and involves no strain, vyayaayaasarahithathvaath sukakarathvam,

3.Attractive because it is done to please the Lord, who is our inner self, aathmanaatha preenanabhavena aakarshakathvaath,

4.While it is simple and easy it brings forth the greatest benefit of uprooting the misery of samsara which is unbearable and immense, athilaaghave api athiguru dhurvahabhavabaya unmoolana mahaaphalathvaath

5.It is absolutely without adverse effect, even if it is irregular and inconsistent, it brooks no evil.

6. All are qualified to pursue bhaktimarga, sarvaadhikaarithvaath.

7.There is no stipulation regarding time and place to pursue bhakthimarga, desakalaanpekshatvaath.

8. Object of worship is such that it wards off all possible impediments. Vishayaprabhaavena nishprathyuhathvath.

 

Then Bhishma instructs to listen to the thousand names of Hari being expounded. First he praises the Lord as paramam yo mahaththejah. Paramamtheja

refers to the effulgent Self of all. Mundaka Upanishad proclaims `thamevabhaantham anubhaathi sarvam thasya bhaasaa sarvamidhamvibhaathi,' every luminous body shines only being illuminated by the self-effulgent Brahman. Brihadhaaranyaka upanishad mentions the Sun being illuminated by That, `yena suryo thapathi thejasedhdhah.' Paramam denotes samaabhyadhikarahithathvam, there is nothing similar or superior to Him and paramamthejah implies that there is no limit to His brilliance. He is also Paramamthapah , Supreme flame that ignites everything. Thapah thapanaath, means blazing.

 

Bhishma refers to the Lord as paramam mahath brahma. He is Brahman, the supreme reality. Brhat means large or great and also brahmanathvam, growth or increase. He is great being ananthakalynagunavisishta, possessing infinite auspicious qualities and sarvasakthiman.

Bhishma answers the remaining questions, namely, `Kimekam daivatham loke kimvaapyekam paraayanam,' by saying that Lord Narayana is the paramam paraayanam because He is pavithraanaampavithram and mangalaanaam mangalam and hence daivathaanaamdaivatham. He is pavithraanaam pavithram, purity in the pure things, as the holiness of the water like that of the Ganges is only through His association and He is the auspiciousness, mangalam of the auspicious, mangalaanaam. He is daivathaanaam daivatham, the divinity in the divine beings because He is the creator bhoothaanaam avyayafpitha. Hence He is the paramamparaayanam. This is further elucidated by saying that He is the source of this world into whom it merges back in the end. The reference here is to the upanishadvakya ` Yatho va imaani bhoothaana jaayanthi, yene jaathaani jeevathi yasmin abhisamvisanthi thadhvijinjnaasasva thadhbrahma,' which means ` Know that to be Brahman from whom all beings originate, by whom they are sustained and into whom all merge back.'

 

Then Bhishma extols the greatness of Namasahasra of Vishnu, who is Jagannaatha, and lokapradhaana , the Lord of the universe. The thousand names dispel the fear from sin and they are derived from His gunas, namaani gounaani, and also well known, vikhyaathaani, through the Vedas and also sung by the rsis of lore. Vedavyasa is the chief exponent of the sahasranama as this occurs in Mahabharatha. It is set in anushtup chandha as its metre. The deity referred to is Lord Vasudeva.son of Devaki Thus Bhishma has identified Krishna as Lord Hari. He further clarifies by saying that the seed, bija of the sahasranamasthothra is amrthaamsoodbhava ,namely Krishna. Amrthaamsu means the Moon,as he is supposed to be having rays, amsu of amrtha, nectar and Krishna hails from lunar race. The power of the sthothra is the son of Devaki, who is thrisaama, sung by the three important hymns of samaveda. The purpose of the sthothra is to bring peace, shanthyathartham. These details were given according to the rule that every manthra must have its own rshi, metre, devatha etc.

 

Then Bhishma offers prayer to the Lord and starts citing the thousand names He is Vishnu, the inner self, from the verb vis `to enter.' He is jishnu, victorious. He is also mahavishnu and prabhavishnu, all pervading creator or cause of the universe, and mahesvara, Supreme Lord. He is anekarupa dhaithyantha, the slayer of various demons. This has reference to His vibhavas, the incarnations, and finally He is Purushoththama, the Supreme being