VISHNU SAHASRANAMA - PART 1

Bhishma responded by reciting the one thousand names now hailed as the Vishnu Shasranama, and reminded him that either by meditating on these names or by invoking the names through archana (Offering), our minds can be lifted to higher consciousness.

Indeed, such a long recital of nAmAs glorifying the Lord and His splendor is rare in the world.  Yet a rational person is apt to question how mere words and their repetition can create such great power.. Just imagine for a moment that you are in an assembly, and the lecturer begins his talk with the word “boat”.  You can at one grasp the image of a boat, and there is calmness of mind.  Suddenly then, if someone in the assembly, utters the word “snake”, will your calmness continue?  It therefore follows that vak (utterance) and artha (meaning) together infuse a subtle energy either positively or negatively.  The thousand naamas are storehouses of proven spiritual content that can easily uplift our minds.  Indeed the expression NaMa is made up of Na for Naramandala and Ma for manas, our Mind.  NaMa, the chanting of which helps to unite our nervous system and Mind.

Krishna and Padvas converse with Bheeshma who is on the arrow bed.

Shree Bheeshmã Uvacha  

Jagath prabhum deva devam antham purushothamam  
Sthuvan nãma sahasréna purusha saththo thithaha

Uttamam – the Supreme

Jagath - world

Prabhum - Lord

Anatham – endless

The supreme ("uttamam") Purusha, who is ever up and working for the welfare of all, the Lord ("prabhum") of the world ("jagat") the endless ("anantam") – Sri Maha Vishnu.

Thameva chãr chayanth nithyam bhakthya purusha mavyayam  
Dhayãyan sthuvan namasyamsha yajamãnas thamevacha   

Sthuvan naama – meditating upon

Cha - by

Archayan - worshipping

By meditating upon ("sthuvan naama"), by ("cha") worshipping ("archayan") and by prostrating at the same Purusha, man can reach true Auspiciousness.

Anãdhinidhanam vishnum sarva lokamahesvaram 
Lokãdhyaksham sthuvan nithyam sarva dhukkã thigo bhavéth

Aadi - Beginning

Nidhanam - end

Maheshwaram Supreme Lord

Nityam - daily

Stuvan - chants

Lokaadhyaksha – the one knows the whole world

The greatest Dharma is the one Vishnu, who has neither a beginning (Aadi) nor an end (Nidhanam), the supreme Lord ("maheshwaram") of the world. All creatures can go beyond the bonds of samsar, “and he goes beyond all sorrows” who daily ("nityam") chants ("stuvan") the sahasranaamas and within glorifies “the one who knows the world” (Lokaadhyaksha).

Brahmanyam sarva dharmangyam lokãnãm keerthivardhanam
Lokanãtham mahath bhootham sarva bhootha bhavothbhavam

Esha mé sarvadharmãnãm dharmodhi kathamo mathaha  
Yath bhakthyã pundari kãksham sthavai rar-chén nara ssatha

Paramam yo mahath teja paramam yo mahath thapaha 
Paramam yo mahath brahma paramam ya parãyanam

Mahat - great

Tejah  - radiance, being bright

Tapah - controller

Brahma – spread the truth

Param - highest

Ayanam - goal

He who is the great ("mahat") radiance ("tejah"); He who is the Great controller ("tapah"); He who is the Supreme All-Pervading Truth; ("brahma") he who is the Highest (Param) Goal (Ayanam)-the Lord Vishnu.

Pavithrãm pavithram yo mangalãnãncha  mangalam  
Daivatham dévathãnãncha bhoothãnãm yovyaya pithã    15

Yo - who

Pavitram – very sanctity

Pavitraanaam – scared things

Mangalam - auspicious

Devataa - god

Daivatam - gods

Avayayah - eternal

Pitaa - father

Bhootaanaam – all creatures

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.

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 MEANINGS OF THE DIALOGUE

Yudhistirau Uvaachaa:

(Question 1.)  Kim ekam daivatam loke?

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

(Answer 1.)

Pavitraanaam pavitram yo Mangalaanaam cha mangalam

Daivatam devataanam cha Bhootaanam yo avyayah pitaa.

He who is ("yo") the very sacred ("pavitram") that purifies 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.

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(Question 2. )  Kim vaapyekam paraayanam?

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

(Answer 2.)

Paramam yo mahat-tejah Paramam yo mahat-tapah
Paramam yo mahat-brahma Paramam yah paraayanam.

He who is the great ("mahat") radiance ("tejah"); He who is the Great controller ("tapah"); He who is the Supreme All-Pervading Truth; ("brahma") he who is the Highest (Param) Goal (Ayanam)-the Lord Vishnu.

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(Question 3.)   Stuvantam kam praapnuyuh (Maanavah subham)?

By glorifying ("sthuvantah") whom ("kam") can man ("manavah") reach the Auspiciousness ("shubam") (peace and prosperity)?

Answer 3.     

Jagat-prabhum deva-devam Anantam purushottamam
Stuvan naama-sahasrena Purushah satatotthitah.

The supreme ("uttamam") Purusha, who is ever up  for the welfare of all, the Lord ("prabhum") of the world ("jagat") the endless ("anantam") – Sri Maha Vishnu.

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Question 4. (Kam archantah) praapnuyuh  Maanavaah subham?

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

Answer 4.   Tameva cha archayan nityam Bhaktyaa purusham avyayam

Stuvan naama-sahasrena Purushah satatthitah.

By meditating upon ("sthuvan naama"), by ("cha") worshipping ("archayan") and by prostrating (doing namaskar) at the same Purusha, man can reach true Auspiciousness.

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Question 5.  Ko dharmah sarva-dharmaanaam Bhavatah paramo matah?

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

Question 6.  Kim japan muchyate jantuh Janma-samsaara-bandhaaat?

By ("kim") doing japa of what can “creatures” (jantu) go beyond ("mutchyate") the bonds ("bandhanaath") of samsara?

Answers 5&6.

Anaadi-nidhanam vishnum Sarvaloka-maheshvaram

Lokaadhyaksham stuvan nityam Sarva-duhkha-atigo bhavet.

Both questions are answered here: - the greatest Dharma is the one Vishnu, who has neither a beginning (Aadi) nor an end (Nidhanam), the supreme Lord ("maheshwaram") of the world. All creatures can go beyond the bonds of samsar, “and he goes beyond all sorrows” who daily ("nityam") chants ("stuvan") the sahasranaamas and within glorifies “the knower of the world” (Lokaadhyaksha).

The supreme is described as that from which the whole world of names and forms had risen in the beginning of the creation, that in which the world continues to exit, that into which alone the world can merge back during the ‘Dissolution’ (Pralaya); this supreme is VISHNU.