Day 2 of Sri Vishnu Sahasranama meanings

[Guest guest]

Shree Vaisham pãyana uvacha:

 

Shruthvã dharmãna séshéna pãvananicha sarvashaha

Yudhishtara shanthanavam punarévãbya bashatha

 

 

Vaisampayana, the narrator to Dhritrastra says: Yudhishthira, as a righteous man

( " dharamana " ) of spiritual inclination, with the mortal integrity ( " paavanaani " )

of a careful mortal, asks ( " bhaashatha " ) Bhishma ( " shaantanavam " ) quite an

interesting set of questions which are typical queries which the heart of

seekers will always ask.

 

Yudhishtira uvacha

Kimékam daivatham loke kim vápyekam parãyanam

Sthuvantha kam kamarchanda prapnuyur mãnavã shubam

 

 

Who ( " kim " ) is the greatest ( " ekam " ) Lord ( " daivatam " ) in the world ( " loke " )?

 

Who is the one ( " ekam " ) refuge ( " paraayanam " ) for all?

 

 

By glorifying ( " sthuvantah " ) whom ( " kam " ) can man ( " manavah " ) reach the

Auspiciousness ( " shubam " ) (peace and prosperity)?

 

By worshipping ( " archantah " ) whom can a man reach auspiciousness (peace and

prosperity)?

 

Ko dharma sarva dharmãnam bhavatha paramo mathaha

Kim japan muchyathé janthur janma samsãra bandhanãth

 

What ( " ko " ) is, in thy opinion, the Greatest Dharma?

 

By ( " kim " ) doing japa of what can “creatures” (jantu) go beyond ( " mutchyate " )

the bonds ( " bandhanaath " ) of samsara?

 

 

(Answer 1.)

Pavitraanaam pavitram yo Mangalaanaam cha mangalam

Daivatam devataanam cha Bhootaanam yo avyayah pitaa.

 

He who is ( " yo " ) the very sanctity ( " pavitram " ) that sanctifies all sacred

things ( " pavitraanaam " ); he who is most auspicious ( " mangalam " ); he who is the

God ( " devataa " ) of Gods ( " daivatam " ); he who is the eternal ( " avyayah " ) father

( " pitaa " ) of all creatures ( " bhootaanaam " ) is the one God – VISHNU.