Vishnu Sahasranamam

The Vishnu Sahasranamam (VS) is a list of 1000 (Sahasra) names (namam) of Lord Vishnu. The following write up is to explain the story and significance of it a little bit so one can understand it it and enjoy it better.

Mahabharata (MB) is a great epic that details the story of the clan of Kurus in ancient India (Bharat). VS occurs in the Anushasana Parva which is the 13th of the 18 books that forms the MB. In the previous book (Shanti parva), the longest book, King Yudhisthira seeks advice from all the sages and from Bhishma.

King Yuddhistra asks six questions (Shat (six) Prashni (questions)) to his grandfather Bhishma to which he answers succinctly at first with superlative terms and then goes on to elaborate that the answer to all the six questions involve the same person (Lord Vishnu) who is known by 1000 names which is VS.

Then comes a big reveal and closes with words of praise from various sages and gods including the grand promise from Lord Vishnu himself and what fruits / knowledge one gets from following all these prescriptions.

Yudhistira’s Questions

It will probably be helpful to keep in the mind the background of Mahabharata and the greatness of Vyasa.

Back to VS, there is an important shloka right at the beginning that goes “Vaishampayana Uvacha’’ which means Sage Vaishampayana said after hearing all the topics that are to be discussed, King Yudhisthira asked Bhishma (Shaanthanavam, Son of Shantanu) once again these questions.

Sanskrit	Transliteration	Translation
श्रीवैशम्पायन उवाच	shrIvaishampAyana uvAcha	Sri Vaisampayana said
श्रुत्वा धर्मानशेषेण पावनानि च सर्वशः ।	shrutvA dharmAnasheSheNa pAvanAni cha sarvashaH	Having heard the Dharma in its entirety and the holy ones in all respects
युधिष्ठिरः शान्तनवं पुनरेवाभ्यभाषत ॥ ७॥	yudhiShThiraH shAntanavaM punarevAbhyabhAShata (7)	Yudhisthira again addressed Bhisma (Shantanu’s Putraha (Son) Shaanthanu - hence Shaantanavam : to Shaantanu).

In fact, before VS, King Yudhishtira asks about Neethi - how a good king should rule and that answer I have heard extends to 5000+ shlokas as answered by Bhishma and other sages),

Then VS goes “Yudhishthira Uvacha”.

Sanskrit	Transliteration	Translation
युधिष्ठिर उवाच	yudhiShThira uvAcha	Yudhisthira asked
किमेकं दैवतं लोके किं वाप्येकं परायणम् ।	kimekaM daivataM loke kiM vApyekaM parAyaNam	Questions 1 and 2
स्तुवन्तः कं कमर्चन्तः प्राप्नुयुर्मानवाः शुभम् ॥ ८॥	stuvantaH kaM kamarchantaH prApnuyurmAnavAH shubham (8)	Questions 3 and 4
को धर्मः सर्वधर्माणां भवतः परमो मतः ।	ko dharmaH sarvadharmANAM bhavataH paramo mataH	Question 5
किं जपन्मुच्यते जन्तुर्जन्मसंसारबन्धनात् ॥ ९॥	kiM japanmuchyate janturjanmasa.nsArabandhanAt (9)	Question 6

That’s it! Two verses, 4 lines, 64 syllables in all is what it takes for Yudhisthira to ask all the questions that matter.

So there are Yudhisthira’s SIX questions (Shat (six) Prashni (questions)).

Bhishma is only too glad to answer these questions. After starting with a brief couple of lines for each question, he goes ecstatic and says, “the wise sages have 1000 names for this great lord. Let me tell you that”.

And after that, he concludes with a grand reveal. But you will have to wait for a few more paras. :)

Normally at this point, there is a digression from the 1000 namas and that’s where VS goes “Dhyanam”. That’s a cue for meditation.

Since this work is meant to be a Upasana (used in rituals as well as in meditation). VS is conducive to both Saguna Upasana (lord with forms) and Nirguna Upasana (one without forms). It is the Eka Rupa Eswara (having a single defined form) as well as the Vishwa Rupa Eswara (an all encompassing form). It is Karma Yoga (when we recite and chant it) (action) but at the same time contains teachings of Gnana Yoga (knowledge). [sorry for the technical barrage - this is a preview for what comes later in a follow-up post, but for now, hopefully my simple explanations should suffice].

Before we go to the six questions, a quick Sanskrit glossary.

Kim = Who
Kam = Whom
Ko  = What

So you can say VS is The Who.

Now for the six questions. When I was young and stupid (and now 30+ years later, only half of that statement is true), I use to chant this at Express speeds (Rajdhani express, Bullet Train, MagLev what have you). If you snooze you lose. If you space out for a little bit, all these are gone and you are essentially hearing the entire VS which are answers to these six questions.

So next time when we chant or listen to the chant, it might help to take a pause and first of all, reflect that questions were asked and what they are.

Question No.	Question	Translation
1	kimekaM daivataM loke	Who (“kim”) is the greatest (“ekam”) Lord (“daivatam”) in the world (“loke”)?
2	kiM vApyekaM parAyaNam	Who (“kim”) is the one (“ekam”) refuge (“paraayanam”) for all?
3	stuvantaH kaM prApnuyurmAnavAH shubham	By glorifying (“sthuvantah”) whom (“kam”) can man (“manavah”) reach the Auspiciousness (“shubam”) (peace and prosperity)?
4	kamarchantaH prApnuyurmAnavAH shubham	By worshiping (“archantah”) whom (“kam”) can a man reach auspiciousness (peace and prosperity)?
5	ko dharmaH sarvadharmANAM bhavataH paramo mataH	What (“ko”) is, in thy opinion (“bhavathaha paramo mathaha”), the Greatest Dharma amongst all Dharmas?
6	kiM japanmuchyate janturjanmasa.nsArabandhanAt	By (“kim”) doing japa of what can “creatures” (jantu) go beyond (“mutchyate”) the bonds (“bandhanaath”) of samsara?

Bhishma’s Answers

Then VS goes bhIShma uvAcha - Bhishma said.

Question 1

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

pavitrANAM pavitraM yo ma~NgalAnAM cha ma~Ngalam
daivataM daivatAnAM cha bhUtAnAM yo.avyayaH pitA

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.

Question 2

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

paramaM yo mahattejaH paramaM yo mahattapaH
paramaM yo mahad.hbrahma paramaM yaH parAyaNam

He who is the great (“mahat”) effulgence (“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.

Question 3

By glorifying (“sthuvantah”) whom (“kam”) can man (“manavah”) reach the Auspiciousness (“shubam”) (peace and prosperity).

jagatprabhuM devadevamanantaM puruShottamam
stuvan nAmasahasreNa puruShaH satatotthitaH

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

Question 4

By worshiping (“archantah”) whom can a man reach auspiciousness (peace and prosperity)?

tameva chArchayannityaM bhaktyA puruShamavyayam
dhyAyan stuvan namasya.nshcha yajamAnastameva cha

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

Question 5

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

Question 6

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

Answers to both 5 and 6.

anAdinidhanaM viShNuM sarvalokamaheshvaram
lokAdhyakShaM stuvannityaM sarvaduHkhAtigo 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 samsara, “and he goes beyond all sorrows” who daily (“nityam”) chants (“stuvan”) the sahasranamams and within glorifies “the knower of the world” (Lokaadhyaksha).

He goes on to elaborate that such a big person / god he just described has 1000 majestic names.

यानि नामानि गौणानि विख्यातानि महात्मनः । ऋषिभिः परिगीतानि तानि वक्ष्यामि भूतये ॥ १९॥

yAni nAmAni gauNAni vikhyAtAni mahAtmanaH
R^iShibhiH parigItAni tAni vakShyAmi bhUtaye

Those famous names of the Great Soul which bring out His manifold qualities celebrated by rishis (seers) I shall declare for the good (of all).

Dhyanam and the Sahasranamams

Back to VS. In the section that follows “Dhyanam”, and starts with “Ksheero danvat” … it is a description of Lord Vishnu as a person in human form. But it is also a description odepicting the entire Universe.

After this, begins the list of 1000 names starting with “Viswam Vishnur VashatkarO Bhuta Bhavya Bhavatprabhuhu”.

Each of these names have deeper significant meanings than what we glean from a quick reading of the Sanskrit definition.

Viswam : One who is the Universe

Vishnuhu: One who is in everything

… so on.

It starts with “all in one” and “one in all”.

There are many different counts that go to say that there are 1031 names or there are something between 1000 and 1031, that some are repeated twice, some thrice. Yet another goes to clarify that it is only 1000 names but the repeats are an adjective another name.

Avatara Reveal

The list ends at “Sarva Praharanayudhaha”.

शङ्खभृन्नन्दकी चक्री शार्ङ्गधन्वा गदाधरः । रथाङ्गपाणिरक्षोभ्यः सर्वप्रहरणायुधः ॥ १०७॥

सर्वप्रहरणायुध ॐ नम इति ।

sha~NkhabhR^innandakI chakrI shAr~NgadhanvA gadAdharaH
rathA~NgapANirakShobhyaH sarvapraharaNAyudhaH

sarvapraharaNAyudha AUM nama iti

And then we chant this shloka three times. That’s a clue, isn’t it?

Why is this special?

But never did I pause to think about it until it was explained.

The meaning is no doubt majestic - it describes Lord Vishnu and concludes that the lord will save you!

वनमाली गदी शार्ङ्गी शङ्खी चक्री च नन्दकी । श्रीमान् नारायणो विष्णुर्वासुदेवोऽभिरक्षतु ॥ १०८॥

श्री वासुदेवोऽभिरक्षतु ॐ नम इति ।

vanamAlI gadI shAr~NgI sha~NkhI chakrI cha nandakI
shrImAn nArAyaNo viShNurvAsudevo.abhirakShatu

shrI vAsudevo.abhirakShatu OM nama iti

Protect us Oh Lord Narayana Who wears the forest garland, Who has the mace, conch, sword and the wheel. And who is called Vishnu and Vasudeva.

But the beautiful part is the “vAsudevO” addition.

Vasudeva Putraha - son of Vasudeva is vAsudevA. (note the short a in father’s name and long A in Lord’s name. You can probably also sing the famous shloka that is in Gita Dhyanam.

Vasudeva sutam devam Kamsa Chaanura mardhanam Devaki paramaanandham, Krishnam Vande Jagatgurum

Okay, let’s imagine the scene. It’s the battlefield. The war is over. A huge majority of the army on both sides including heroes and kings and valiant warriors have been slain. Yudhisthira has been crowned king. But Bhisma although mortally wounded, hangs on to his life on a death bed of arrows. He is biding his time to leave his body. This ie because of a boon his father granted him - that he can choose his time of death since he vowed to be a brahmachari (celebate) all his life.

Everyone is around Bhisma listening to all the words of wisdom he is saying. Now that Yudhisthira has asked the six questions, he has given the entire VS as well. Guess who else is standing there along with the Pandavas? That’s right, that’d be Krishna. Or the aforementioned vAsudevA. All along Bhisma has been describing Lord Vishnu alright. But he is also describing Krishna. Hence the final connection that goes shrimaan narayanO vishnuhu is also vAsudevA.

Who else knew Krishna was an avatara?

Arjuna definitely knew since he got the Gita upadesam before the battle started.

But did he reveal to others? How did others act when they got to know?

I thought I read an unabridged translation of Ramesh Menon (which clocked at 1800 pages sounded convincing) - but I realize that it’s not. So looking forward to reading Bibek Debroy’s 10 volume unabridged line by line translation.

While all along every one is thinking of the divine Lord Vishnu who is this greatest lord being described and who has the 1000 names, here is a prayer that then connects that the Lord Vishnu is also Vasudeva, Lord Krishna, who has been standing right there all along, with Yudhistira, Bhishma, Arjuna and others.

Lord Krishna is the cousin of Yudhistira, Arjuna, and the Pandavas. In addition he is actually a brother-in-law to Arjuna. But for a few, none recognizes him as the Avatara. At best, Kunti (mother of Pandavas), Draupadi (wife of the Pandavas) and Bhishma know him as such.

Arjuna too realizes this only in Chapter 4 (Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga, this first section of that chapter is called as Avatara Rahasyam). This section has the famous shlokas made super familiar since that plays in the opening title music of the TV Show Mahabharata.

यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत \। अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम् \॥ ४-७\॥

परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम् \। धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे \॥ ४-८\॥

yadA yadA hi dharmasya glAnirbhavati bhArata abhyutthAnamadharmasya tadAtmAnaM sR^ijAmyaham || 4-7||

paritrANAya sAdhUnA.n vinAshAya cha duShkR^itAm | dharmasa.nsthApanArthAya sambhavAmi yuge yuge || 4-8||

There are at least 4 other clues prior to this in the BG itself but he (and everyone) misses them all. That’s for another post - it’s one of my favorite topics - and I promise to follow the Avatara Reveal in BG very soon.

While everyone wants to hear from Bhisma, Bhisma wants to hear from the Lord. Which is why after all these conversations are over, he bids everyone goodbye and he just wants the darshan of Lord Krishna alone when he departs his body.

VS finally concludes with a big list of “phala shruti” - the fruits of reading such a work. The lord’s teaching itself has clearly all along been preaching us to not ask for material and unimportant things but to ask for the right knowledge. To miss this is to miss the forest for the trees.

Who is it for

The beauty of this work is that it has something for everyone from literary to philosophical to religious to spiritual inclinations.

One can read this as a fictional or mythological story and you get to hear about the greatest virtues of a SuperHero. Where else can you hear 1000 names of one person? That too praised by someone else? If everything is a story, there are still morals and examples that we can be inspired by and techniques that may help us. Just like “caveat emptor” for purchases, take the best, leave the rest.

One can read this from a literary standpoint and enjoy the style of the poetry and prose, Anushtup meter (two lines, four parts, each with exactly 8 syllables with preconditions for the 5th, 6th and 7th syllable whether it can short or long), the rhyming names and terms, the multiple levels of meanings, and most importantly how this connects with the rest of the Mahabharatha, the Bhagavad Gita and various works in the Vedas and in particular, the Upanishads.

One can be an atheist or theist following different gods, in which case, you might just read this for the curiosity of why this work is famous, why this is chanted by millions even though barring a small population the rest likely don’t know the meaning or the history. Learn what is fascinating about this big ancient culture that has converged on these epics and gods.

If one starts with a hinduism based theistic philosophy, then I am preaching to the choir.

One can be an ardent Vishishta Advaitin (following the interpretations of Ramanujacharya) or a Dwaitin (following the interpretations of Madhvacharya) in which case there is no doubt at all - VS is practically the epitome of the scriptures. It is the alpha and omega of the teachings or to bring back the analogy back home, it is the beginning A, the middle U and the ending M … AUM.

One can be an Advaita Vedantin (following the interpretations of Shankaracharya) and still the VS plays the most important role of how one can follow the teachings of Bhagavad Gita, no less.

What if it is not for me

A short digression to answer a few questions that may pop up.

What if this is all one big story? I don’t believe a single word of this. Then read it if it all interests you for the literary / entertainment benefit.
How can one person (you can refer to either vishnu or vyasa) do all this? Hence he is called an Avatara too - GODly GODlike powers.
What if there are contradictions? Hey look, I found a few from just reading 5 pages or paragraphs.
- If it is with the history part, yeah, by all means go down that rabbit hole, or more likely wormhole … and find the truth.
- If it is with the works / teaching part, then there are few options:
  - Learn it from someone else who could claim that they have understood it without contradictions.
  - Be patient and read more.
  - Take away only the good parts that you can apply to your life.
- In all cases, continue the quest for truth.

The last point deserves a call out. If not anything else, if there are morals, models, (either a way of thinking and understanding or as a role model of a superhero or a sage or person or thing) principles, techniques, ideas that you can use in your day to day life to be happy, to be at peace, to have a right perspective, to be of great benefit to others and be helpful, then the works have done their purpose. Take the best, leave the rest.

After patiently teaching Arjuna for a solid 17 chapters (the teaching begins only in the 2nd chapter), Krishna concludes by saying that he has taught him everything and he can यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु - yathechChasi tathA kuru - do what you like.

Happy reading and may you seek the truth and may you find the truth!

It gets deeper

If we are thinking, “Ah, so that’s what VS is”, please hold your payasam, Vyasa is just getting warmed up. There is this buffet the size of Costco and we have just come to aisle one, shelf one, item one.

There are many many levels more and I will try my best to explain what I know and understand.

For the ones looking for the keywords to Google and/or do Wikipedia Ph.d., here you go.

You will have to likely traverse through:

One ultimate goal of the Vedanta teaching
Two Yogas leading to the same goal
Three Gunas, Three states, Three Shareeras
Four Vedas and Four fold qualification (4Ds) and Anubandha Chathustayam
Five Karmendriyas and Five Jnanendriyas and Pancha Kosha Viveka
Six qualifications / Samaadhi Shat Samppati
Seven Topics that a philosophy should cover
Eight-fold Ashtanga Yoga Way
Ninth chapter of Gita / The greatest knowledge greatest secret Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga
Tenth chapter of Gita / Vibhuti Yoga / The Lord’s Greatness
Eleventh chapter of Gita / Vishawarupa Darshana Yoga / What is the divine vision?
Twelfth chapter of Gita / Bhakti Yoga / What is Bhakti?
Thirteenth chapter of Gita / Kshetra Kshetranjya Vibhaga Yoga where Lord says क्षेत्रज्ञं चापि मां विद्धि - kShetraj~na.n chApi mAM viddhi - that’s the mic drop statement - very roughly I am that I am.

… okay you get the drift.

Great Sages and Swamis have taught and written lots of teaching on all the above. My task it to provide my friends with enough of a basic map of the land, maybe suggest a few starting trails, an inspiration, some motivation and enthusiasm to seek those teachings. Let my material be like the rocket booster fuel. Drop it off as soon as possible and as soon as its purpose is done. Please read it, hear it and learn it from the wise ones.

Om Shanti Shanti Shantihi!

References

http://reservoirmumukshu.blogspot.com/2016/09/shri-vishnu-sahasranama-stotram.html

https://sanskritdocuments.org/doc_vishhnu/vsahasranew.html

https://sanskritdocuments.org/doc_giitaa/bhagvadnew.html

http://www.shivkumar.org/music/vishnu-sahasranamam-meanings.htm

https://www.swami-krishnananda.org/vishnu/vishnu_1.html

https://vishnusahasranama.wordpress.com/

https://vishnusahasranama.wordpress.com/2008/12/01/vishva/

https://divyakataksham.wordpress.com/2014/03/28/vishnu-sahasranamam-part-1/