SRI VISHNU SAHASRANAMA -- SHLOKAS AND MEANINGS

Sri Vishnu Sahasramam contains 1008 Names of Sri Mahavishnu. This entire compiling was done after the Mahabharata war and Saint Vyasa Mahamuni wrote the entire versus with answers for the queries raised by respective personnel they were part of that time. 

  

Every Name of Sri Vishnu has a meaning to it; quite apart - the phonetic vibrations by chanting each Name known as "Nama" and the chain of names known as "Namavali" produces very fantastic results of vibrations that are very essential for humans knowledge and wisdom. What the phonetic sound vibrations create to the chanter or to the one who hears it is very well established by many well-known scholars. For attainment of spiritual liberation, one must involve himself/herself to the glories of the Lord Sri Mahavishnu, by reciting the entire slokhas.

This not only strengthens the brain neuron chips but also emits the brain wave at very beneficial limits that can revibrate the energies into one's own body. Besides, the thought and thinking of a person can also be regulated to divine path. That's the exact value, which bring every Bhakta known as devotees of Sri Maha Vishnu.

The birth of Sri Vishnu Sahasra Nama - The 1008 Names of Sri Maha Vishnu

The legend would have it, that at the end of the epic Mahabharata war, Bhishmacharya was awaiting the sacred hour to depart from his physical body unto the lotus feet of the Lord. Yudhishtira, the eldest of the Pandavas, was desperately looking for the answers to matters relating to Dharma and Karma.  Lord Sri Krishna, who understood Yudhistira’s uneasy mind, guided him to Bhishma to learn insight in to this precious knowledge.  It is relevant to mention that Bhishma was acknowledged to be one of the twelve most knowledgeable people.  The other eleven being Brahma , Narada , Siva , Subramanya , Kapila , Manu , Prahlada , Janaka , Bali, Suka and Yama .

 Why were these 1008 names chosen?

Does the Lord get absolutely defined by these one thousand names?  The Vedas affirm that God is neither reachable to words nor to mind.  It is said that you cannot comprehend the Paramatma with the human mind alone, even if you spend all your life trying!  Given this infinite nature of the Paramatma, who is not governed or constrained by any of the physical laws as we know them, the choice of a thousand names of Vishnu by Bhishma should be recognized as a representation of some of his better known qualities that are repeatedly described in our great epics.

Some might say that they do not understand the meaning of the Sanskrit words, and therefore do not feel comfortable chanting them.  But learning the chanting of prayers even without knowing the meaning is a worthwhile act, and can be compared to finding a box of treasure without the key.  As long as we have the box, we can open it whenever we get the key of knowledge later.  The treasure will be there already.

Others might feel that they do not know the correct Sanskrit pronunciation, and do not want to chant incorrectly.  There is an analogy of a mother to whom a child goes and asks for an orange.  The child does not know how to pronounce the word “orange” and so asks for “ange”.  The mother does not turn away the child and does not refuse to give the child the orange just because the child does not know how to pronounce the word.  It is the bhaava (spirit) that matters, and so as long as one chants the name of God with sincerity, considerations such as not knowing the meaning, not knowing the pronunciation, etc, do not matter, and God will confer His blessings on us, there is no way a devotee of Vishnu can meet with any dishonor or disgrace of any kind.
The following vishnu sahasranama meanings are referred from trsiyengar.com and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishnu_sahasranama

* Lord Krishna in Kurukshetra battle feild. 

As directed by the Lord, he meets Yudishtra. At their meeting, Yudhistira presented Bhishma with six questions.

Shree Vaisham pãyana uvacha:
Shruthvã dharmãna séshéna pãvananicha sarvashaha 
Yudhishtara shanthanavam punarévãbya bashatha  

Dharamana – Righteous man

Paavanaani – mortal integrity

Bhaashatha - bhaashatha

Shaantanavam - bhishma

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.

Kimékam daivatham loke kim vápyekam parãyanam  

Sthuvantha kam kamarchanda prapnuyur mãnavã shubam

Kim – Who

Ekam – the greatest

Daivatam – Lord

Loke – in the world

Ekam – protector

Parayanam – for all

Sthvantah – by glorifying

Kam – whom

Manavah – can man

Shubam – reach auspicious

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

Ko – what

Kim – by doing

Japan – japa

Janthur – Creatures

Mutchyate – Go beyond

Bandhanaath – bonds

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?

*On the ninth day of Kurukshetra war Krishna,overwhelmed by anger at the apparent inability of Arjuna to defeat Bhishma, rushed towards the Kaurava commander, the wheel of a fallen chariot in his hands. Bhisma lays down his arms and is ready to die at the hands of the Lord, but Arjuna stops Him, reminding of His promise not to  weild a weapon.