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IMPORTANCE OF SRI VISHNU SAHASRANAMAM
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Dear Bhagavatas:
On Saturday, 22nd April 2006, there was a huge gathering of Bhagavatas in 
Smt. Bhavini and Sri Rajan Gopalan's home for the Monthly recital of "Sri 
VishNu Sahasranamam" etc. Kids recited several slOkas from Bhagavad GIta and 
other StOtras that they had learned in Baala Vihaar classes being conducted 
at the "HIndu Temple of Atlanta". After recitation of "Sahasranamam" and 
"Hanuman Chalisa", the undersigned was commanded to say a few words on the 
importance of "Sri VishNu Sahasranamam".

The following are the excerpts from the talk on the occasion posted for your 
kind information.

Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy
=============================================================
1. ORIGIN OF "SRI VISHNU SAHASRANAMAM"
- Dharmaputra, the epitome of righteousness and virtue, was so depressed on 
seeing the devastation caused by the KurukshEtra war.
- Bhishma, the grand sire and the very personification of Dharma was on his 
death bed. It was feared that after his departure, his lifetime experience 
in Dharma was sure to be lost to the world.
- Lord KrishNa who was himself the Eternal Dharma (KrishNam Dharmam 
Sanaatanam) advised Dhramaputra to seek clarifications of his doubts from 
Bhishma Pitamaha.
- Sage Veda Vyaasa and other sages and Lord KrishNa himself were personally 
witnessing the exposition of Bhishma - including this ?Sri VishNu 
Sahasranamam?

What more is required to exemplify the greatness of 'Sri VIshNu 
Saharanaamam"?
There does not appear to be any event comparable to this galaxy of noblest 
souls for this purpose.

2. THE GLORY OF SRI VEDA VYAASA
Sri Veda Vyaasa who classified the Vedas was the author of Mahabharata in 
which this Sahasranamam forms an integral part.
The glory of his lineage has been succinctly encapsulated in the famous 
slOkam:

?Vyaasam VasishTa naphtaaram, SaktEh poutram akalmasham,
Paraasara Atmajam vandE Sukha taatam TapOnidhim?
Meaning:
?He was the great grandson of VasishTa, grandson of Sakti, son of Paraasara 
and the father of Sukha-brahmam?. It may be noted that while one derives 
greatness from one?s ancestors, Sage Vyaasa?s glory was in no mean measure 
enhanced by that of his son,"Sukha Brahmam" as well.
This, indeed, is a rare honor!

Besides the above, another slOka depicts him as the very incarnation of 
Bhagavaan Sri VishNu Himself:

?Vyaasaaya VishNu roopaaya, Vyaasa roopaaya VishNavE?

3. SATVIKA vs RAAJASA AND TAAMASA SCRIPTURES
Besides, Mahabharata , the greatest epic of all times, Sage Vyaasa authored 
at least 18  PuraNas that have been classified into 3 categories, namely, 
Saatvika, Raajasa and Taamasa., the first being most authoritative, the 
second less authentic and the last the least in the scale ? to satisfy the 
needs of different levels of knowledge and understanding of the readers.

The litmus test to differentiate Saatvika from the rest is that in Saatvika 
scriptures, questions of a general nature on deities are raised and answers 
zero in on the one who fits the bill, whereas in the other categories, they 
begin with questions on a specific deity requiring expatiation on the 
qualities of that deity in particular.

For example, in Srimad Vaalmiki RaamaayaNam, to a genearl query by Sage 
Valmiki whether there was anyone who possessed all the  16 qualities 
catalogued by him, pat comes the reply from Sage Naarada that there indeed 
was one and that was Sri Rama.

Similarly, here, Dhramaputra asks 6 questions:

?Kim Ekam daivatam lOkE Kim vaapi Ekam paraayaNam/
Stuvantah kam kam archantah paraapnuyur maanavaa: subham//
kO dharma: sarva dharmaaNaam bhavata: paramO mata:/
kim japan muchyatE jantu janma samsaara bandanaath//
Meaning:
-       Who is the ONE Supreme deity?
-       What is Supreme goal of life?
-       Which deity should be praised by human beings for attaining prosperity 
here and everlasting bliss in the hereafter?
-       Which deity should be meditated upon by human beings to attain the 
above?
-       Which Mantra when recited, releases human beings from the bondage of 
Samsaara?
-       Of the three means mentioned above, which is the best means of 
attaining 
the grace of the Lord?
In reply, Bhishma answers his considered opinion that it is the recitation, 
meditation of and prayers to the names of Sri Mahaa VishNu that can bestow 
the desired results
"dhyaayan, sthuvan, namasyamscha yajamaanas tamEva cha"

4. Why only 1000 Naamas?
There are millions of naamas of Sri VishNu and they definitely fall short of 
the actual qualities of Bhagavaan. Even the Vedas are reported to have 
attempted and returned crestfallen unable to complete the enumeration of 
Bhagavaan?s glories.

"yatO vaachO nivartantE apraapya manasaa saha"

In his infinite mercy, Sage Vyaasa compiled a few out of them to help us 
meditate at least these 1000 names!.

5. NarayaNa, the greatest thief!
Vaamana PuraaNa cleverly brands Sriman NarayaNa as the known dacoit (KD)!
What does he steal?
He steals the insurmountable burden of our sins accumulated over several 
lives, the moment he hears our mentioning his name.

"NarayaNO naama narO naraaNaam, prasiddha chowrah kathitha prithivyaam/
anEka janma aarjita papa sanchayam harati arishTaan sruta maatramEva//"

Hari gets his name from "Harir Harati Paapaani!"

6. What do these 1000 names signify?
Each one of these 1000 names points to a particular quality of Bhagavaan.
Let us see a few examples:
-       GajEndra, when caught by the crocodile cried out ?Aadhi moolamE?, none 
other deity could boast of a claim to that honorific and it was Lord 
NarayaNa who sent his Chakra to save the pachyderm by cutting the throat of 
the crocodile like an expert surgeon taking care to see that the foot of 
GajEndra was not affected! It was thus the "name" that really saved 
GajEndra!

-       Draupadi while she was about to be disrobed, cried aloud the name of 
the 
Lord as ?GOvindaa?, The "dooravaasi" that he was, he did NOT appear in 
person. But, it was his "name" that saved her honor. In fact, Lord KrishNa 
regretted later saying:

?Her cry wrenched my heart so deep and I feel eternally indebted to her like 
an unsatisfied debt that carried usurious rate of interest?

"GOvindaa! Iti yat aakraandat krishNa maam doora vaasinam
RiNa pravruttamiva mE hridayaat na apasarpati"

-       Sri AnjanEya crossed the ocean by merely reciting the "Name" of Sri 
Rama 
whereas Sri Rama had to physiaclly build a bridge to cross over to Lanka. 
Thus, ?Rama naamam? proved more powerful than Sri Rama himself!

Thus, every single name of the Lord exhibited his unique quality of 
accessibility and compassion (Soulabhyam and Souseelyam)

That is why,these naamas denoting qualities were praised by one and all ? 
Celestials, Parama Rishis, Azhwaars, AndaaL and many others and secured 
instant relief.

Yaani naamaani gouNaani vikhyaataani mahaatmana:/
Rishibhi: pari geetaani taani vakshyaami bhootayE//

7. Commentaries on Sri VishNu Sahasra naamam
There are over 40 commentaries of Sri VishNu Sahasranaamam.

Adhi Sankara, the earliest to commentator based his work on the Advaita 
philosophy according to which only "NirguNa Brahmam" (Paramaatma without 
qualities) was real and others were mere illusion.

Sri Paraasara BhaTTar, a disciple of Bhagavad Ramanuja based his commentary 
on VisishTaadvaita philosophy according to which the Paramaatma and the 
Jeevatmas were both real and Paramaatma being SaguNa Brahmam is having all 
auspicious qualities like Souseelyam and Soulabhyam and was prepared to 
suspend his Paratvam and subordinate his Supramacy to the dicatates of his 
sincere devotees.

The Madhva Saint Satyasanda Yatiswara commented based on Dvaita philosophy.

Besides the above Sri NilakanTar, Sri VidyaaraNyar and many others also 
wrote commentaries according to their own view points.

These commentaries are complementary and NOT contradictory. We thus have a 
cornucopia of delectable fare that presents different facets of the 
qualities of Bhagavaan to delight our intellect.

8. Aadi Sankara?s Advice
Aadhi Sankara in his ?Bhaja GOvindam? advises that it is Bhagavad Gita and 
Sri VishNu Sahasranaamam that should be sung, and the person to be 
constantly meditated upon is none other than the Svaroopam of Sriya: pathi 
(Consort of Mahaalakshmi)

?gEyam gitaa naama sahasram dhyEyam Sreepathi roopam ajasram?

9. Why Sankara wrote commentary on ?VishNu Sahasranaamam??
The story goes that after completing his commentaries on Brahma Sutram, 
Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita (called Prastaana Trayam) he desired to write a 
commentary on ?Lalitaa Sahasranaamam? and asked his disciple to bring that 
book from his personal library. When he opened the book, it was NOT the one 
on ?Lalitaa? but was on ?Lord VishNu?. He sent him back but again the 
disciple brought another copy of Sri VishNu Sahasranaamam and told him that 
a spinster ordered him to take only this book. When Sankara went in to 
check, she had disappeared. He took it as an order of Lalitaa (His aardahaka 
dEvata) that he should write commentary on ?VishNu?.

Thus, the word ?Sahasranaamam? even when it is?stand alone? came to mean 
exclusively
?Sri VishNu Sahasranaamam?

10. Can women recite Sahasranaamam?
This is a FAQ that has been raised and answered a million times. The 
prohibition relates only to the recital of Vedas because they are required 
to be practiced without break during the years of adhyayanam in Gurukulam 
extending to several years and women being subject to biological 
disabilities would not be able to do so, they were EXEMPTED from recital of 
Vedas;  It is NOT correct to say that they were prohibited.

They are, however, advised to read Itihaasas and PuraaNas that explain the 
purport of the Vedas. Mahaabhaarata is an Itihaasa. Bhagavad Gita and 
Sahasranaamam are integral part of this Itihaasa.
So, there appears to be no such restrictions in reciting them.
There is a SlOkam that permits this:

?Sthree Soodra Dvija bhandoonaam trayee na sruti gOcharaa:/
iti Bhaaratam aakhyaanam kripayaa muninaa kritam//
(Vide page 29 Sri VishNu Sahasra naama StOtram? by Keezhaatur 
Srinivasaachariar published Lifco)

11.  Why ?Naama Samkeerthanam? is so important?
There is a SlOkam that says: ?What one can obtain only by YoganishTa or 
Dhyaana (Concentrated meditation) in Krita Yuga, only by yagjna (severe 
penance) in TrEtaa Yuga, only by intense worship (archana) in Dvaapara Yuga, 
can be achieved by merely reciting the names of Bhagavaan known as ?Naama 
Samkeerthanam? in Kali Yuga?

?Dhyaayan kritE yajan yagjnE TrEtaayaam DvaaparE archayan/
Yad aapnOti tad aapnOti kalou Samkeerthya kEsavam//?

Thaayumaanavar adds that Group recitation of ?Naama Samkeerthanam? is almost 
infectious in a healthy sense. He cites an example saying that as in a bunch 
of bananas, one ripe fruit ripens the rest, the mellifluous vibrations 
imperceptibly draws even the one who is indifferent in the beginning.

12. Kabir Daasar and Naama DEvar
Kabir Daasar suggested feeding mud in the mouth of one who refused to recite 
the names of Bhagavaan:
?jasE mukha naama nahi vO mukha dhooLi bhari?

On hearing this Naama DEvar said:?Don?t do this. By chance, the mud might 
have been purified by the touch of the feet of Saadhus who might have 
treaded the path and so such people might escape punishment. Let their 
tongues putrefy with worms? ?
?naama nakE raagOpaasE kite paTO dyaasi vaachE?
(p.6 of Sri VishNu Sahasra naama StOtram? by Keezhaatur Srinivasaachariar 
published by LIfco)

13. What happens when one is drawn into the vortex of devotion?
The mind of the person who is deeply attached to enjoying the GuNa-anubhavam 
of Bhagavaan automatically gets detached from sensual objects and gets 
purified so as to deserve the grace of the Lord and the person attains the 
Kingdom of God.

?Paramaatmani yO raktO viraktO a-paraatmani? (Barhaspatya Smriti).

Just as we cleanse our body by taking bath, the recital of Lord?s names 
purifies our mind.
And, no special or strenuous effort is needed for doing this!

14. Let us consider the meanings of some of the more familiar ?naamas?
Achyuta: One who never forsakes or lets down those who seek refuge in him
Anantha: Endless, limitless by space, time or object
GOvinda: Rescuer of Earth, Cows representing all living beings
KEsava: The Lord of Brahma and Siva (Ka: = Brahma; Isa= Siva)
NarayaNa: The Universal abode, Supporter of hosts of souls
Madhava: The Consort of ?Maa? or Mahaalakshmi
VishNu: One who pervades naturally without constraints of space, time or 
object
Madhusudana: The destroyer of Madhu
Trivikrama: Conqueror of three worlds
Vamana: The resplendent dwarf, literally, deserving praise and conferring 
praise
Sridhara: Bearer of Sri or fortune
HrishikEsa: Controller of the emotions )Literally heart) and other senses
Padmanaabha: One who has a lotus in his navel
DamOdara: the Self-restrained, One who holds the worlds in his tummy
All names of the Supreme Lord Sriman NarayaNa.

Let us remember to recite His holy names at all times.

SarvE jana: SukhinO Bhavantu/
Samastha San MangaLaani santu//

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