SRI VISHNU SAHASRANAMA: a Simple explanation

Sri Vishnu Sahasranaama, from the Saanti Parva of the Mahaabhaarata, is a part of the dialogue between Bheeshma and Yudhishthira. The latter had asked: “In this universe, who is the one Divinity, by praising whom and by worshipping whom, men can reach the Auspiciousness (peace and prosperity)”? In reply, Bheeshma recited the thousand names of Sri Vishnu.
The following is a quotation from Swami Chinmayananda:
“There are, no doubt, slight differences here and there between the texts now popular in the north and the south. These differences are of no consequence at all. Similarly, we find very slight differences in the ritualism generally adopted before starting the chanting of or “Archanaa” with Sri Vishnu Sahasranaama.”
The first sloka of the Sahasranaama is reproduced below:
ओं विश्वं विष्णुर्वषटकारो भूतभव्यभवत्र्प्भुः
भूतकृत् भूतभृद्भावॊ भूतात्मा भूतभावनः

Om visvam vishnur-vashatkaaroh

bhootha-bhavya-bhavat-prabhuh

bhootha-krith bhootha-bhrith bhaavoh

bhoothaathmaa bhootha-bhaavanah
The naamavali or list of names is explained briefly hereunder.
Visvam: He who has become the universe. In the Upanishads, it is said that the universe rises out of Him, is supported by Him and gets dissolved back into Him. The expression “sameh” is repeated in the Vedas – It means, “Let it happen (become available) to me.” Requests are made for auspiciousness, fame etc. One among these requests is “Visvam sameh;” the expression “visvam” indicates Bhagavan (Supreme God.) “Om visvasmy namah” is the expression for Archana, incorporating this auspicious name. (1)
VISHNU: He who is all-pervading. He is the basic cause of the universe. He is the protector of all. He pervades in all the outward appearances. He is the owner of all entities, both living and inert. He resides as the inner being in all entities. He can be understood through all the Vedas and only through them. He is the Upanishad part of the Vedas. All these supreme attributes are His, as He is always with Sri Lakshmi Devi. While the first name “Visvam” indicates the object/action, the second name “Vishnu” shows the subject or cause of that action. This follows the definition of Brahmam in “Taittiriya Upanishad”3(1) as “that from which the universe of entities and beings arises….” For Archana, we say “Om vishnave namah”. (2)
VASHATKARA: He who has everything in His control. “Om vashatkaraya namah” (3)
BHOOTA-BHAVYA-BHAVAT-PRABHU: Lord of what has been, what will be and what presently is. He is the protector at all places and at all times. In the Mahabharata war, He sat before Arjuna as his charioteer and protected the pandavas. The Lord gave Ambarisha His own discus. This weapon in due course helped in destroying an evil being prompted by the sage Durvasa; and thus helped Ambarisha in time. “Om bhoota-bhavya-bhavat-prabhave namah”. (4)
A mirror, irrespective of its size, is capable of reflecting the full picture of the objects placed before it. Likewise, these short names are indicative of the grand qualities of God. All the names contain within themselves the inner meaning of the Gayatri Japam as well as certain maxims from the Vedas; the latter themselves are the basis on which the former are framed. Some parallels between the Scriptures and the Vishnu Sahasranama are given below.
SCRIPTURES: Visvamasi visvaayu (Gayatri); Tatsavithurvarenyam (Gayatri); Agni Eva Visvam(Rig); At the head of all laws, in and through every particle of matter and force, stands One, “by whose command the wind blows, the fire burns, the clouds rain, and death stalks upon the earth.” (Kathopanishad, 2:3:3)
Narayanaya vidhmahe vasudevaya dhimahi Thanno vishnu prasadyathu (Vishnu Gayatri); Om Namo Narayanayaya (ashtakshara manthra); Vishnu (Yajur); Vishnu Visva Sabdena Uchchathe (Madhvacharya);
Vashtkara (Sama);
Bhoota-bhavya-bhavat-prabhu (Athatvana); Bhootam Bhavyam Bhavishyat vashat swaha;

kshamaa : Pardon

KSHAMAA-PARDON
(Shri Kanchi Mahaswami’s Discourses)
(English Translation by P.N. Ramachandran pnramchandran@gmail.com)

O Vishnu! I pray to You ......to increase me in me kindness towards all sentient beings; and enable me to cross the ocean of SamsAra (the world or the constantly repeating cycle of birth and death) (Shatpadi Stotram sloka No.1)

So far, Shri Bhagavatpada has enumerated what one should pray for, for one’s own Spiritual benefit. But he goes beyond one’s own requirements. On the one hand, he has termed the universe a maya (illusion); on the other hand he has immense grace towards the whole world. We blunder about considering the universe to be absolutely real. To wake us up from this dream and to make us attain knowledge about Reality, Shri Bhagavatpada, out of his immense grace, undertook all his teachings, writings, pilgrimages etc. Thus it is but appropriate that the first sloka prays to God to increase in us kindness towards all sentient beings. No matter however much spiritual knowledge one gets, one should, with heart full of mercy, do good continuously to all living beings. The root meaning of Sankara is one who does good deeds.
प्राणिनां निर्दयत्वं मा भूदेवं पशुपतॆ जन्मजन्मान्तरेषु (१४)
prANinAM nirdayatvaM mA bhUdevaM pashupate janmajanmAntareShu (14)

In Shiva AparAdha KshamApanha Stotra, Sloka No. 14, instead of asking for good benefits, Shri Bhagavatpad prays that he should not have lack of kindness towards any being in any of his present/future janmas (births). The latter negative request is addressed to Ishwara, the god of destruction. In Shatpadi Stotram, Sloka No.1, the Acharya appropriately makes a positive request addressed to Shri Mahavishnu, the preserver of all creation, to increase in us kindness towards all beings.
करचरण कृतं वाक्कायजं कर्मजं वा | श्रवणनयनजं वा मानसं वापराधम् |
विहितमविहितं वा सर्वमेतत्क्षमस्व | जय जय करुणाब्धे श्रीमहादेवशम्भो || (१७)
karacharaNa kR^itaM vAk_kAyajaM karmajaM vA .
shravaNanayanajaM vA mAnasaM vAparAdham.h |
vihitamavihitaM vA sarvametatkshamasva .
jaya jaya karuNAbdhe shrImahAdevashambho || (17)

We may cause harm to others, knowingly or unknowingly, by deeds of our hands, feet, words, body, ears, eyes and mind. Kindly pardon me for these faults, O! Shiva, the veritable ocean of mercy O! Mahadeva! Shambo! I also pray for your pardon for either performing those acts banned by the Shastras or not performing others classified as duties. (17).

Some ready instances of these defects may be cited now Shri Ramalinga Swami (Tamil saint) would always walk with folded hands, lest they harm others by their swinging action. Shri Rama belonged to the Raghu dynasty. Those of this dynasty will not utter needlessly even one more word than necessary lest it may lead to lying. The rainy season is known as chaturmasyam (period of four months). During this period, heads of mutts (Hindu religious institutions similar to monasteries) will stay put in the same place, lest their movement causes harm to those insects etc. which come out of their hiding places then. Shri Rama, dressed as for performing penance in garments made of bark, left for the forest; Yet he carried his bow and arrows with him, as it was his duty as a kshatriya (warrior caste) to protect dharma (righteousness) wherever he happened to reside.

CORE OF MADHVA PHILOSOPHY

SrImanmadhvamatE hariH parataraH satyam jagat,tatvatO
BEdO, jIvaganA, harEranucarAH, nIcOccBAvaM gatAH,
muktirnaijasuKAnuBUtir, amalA
BaktiSca tatsAdhanaM
hyakShAdi triyam pramANam,
aKilAmanaikavedyO hariH
(Transliteration with Baraha software)


Sriman Madhwamathe harih paratharah satyam jagath, tatvato

Bhedho, jeevagana hareranucharaha, neechchochabhaavam gathah,

Mukthir naijasukhaanubhoothir, amaalaa

Bhakthischa thathsaadhanam,

Hyakshaadhitriyam pramaanam,

Akhilaamnaikavedhyo harih


The above Prameya Sloka by Sri Vyasa Tirtha (1460-1539 AD) lays down the important tenets of the Madhva Philosophy as follows.

1 Sri Hari (Vishnu) is supreme.
2 The universe is real.
3 So also, the various differences are real.
4 The different classes of jeevas (selves or animate beings) are dependents of Sri Hari.
5 And they have higher or lower grades among themselves.
6 Mukti (Salvation) consists in the jeeva experiencing its own innate joy.
7 That is only achieved through Bhakti (flawless intense devotion) to the Supreme God.
8 The three Pramaanaas (proofs for correct knowledge) are Pratyaksham (sensory perception), Anumaanam (inference) and Aagamam (holy tradition).
9 Correct knowledge of Sri Hari can be acquired through all the Holy Scriptures and only through them.

GODHEAD: PEN PORTRAIT-III

kaNDa inbam tunbam kalakka~gKaLum tORRamumAy

taNDamum taNmaiyum tazhalum nizhalumAy

kaNDu kODaRkariya perumAn

   (6-3-2)   

puNNiyam pAvam puNarchchi pirivenRivaiyAy

eNNamAy maRappAy uNmaiyAy inmaiyAy allanAy

           (6-3-4)    

nizhal veyyil siRumai peRumai kuRumai neDumaiyumAy

suzhalvana niRpana maRRumAy avai allanumAy

            (6-3-10)

 


He is the joy and sorrow that we feel,
Confusion and clarity,
Punishment and compassion,
Heat and shade.
He is inscrutable.
(6-3-2)


He is virtue, He is sin,
He is meeting, He is parting,
Remembrance and forgetfulness,
That which is, that which is not,
Not this, nor that, 
Nor anything else.
(6-3-4)


He is the hot sun, and the cool shade,
He is littleness, He is greatness,

Narrowness, spaciousness........
He is those that move and those that stand still,
He is all, and not of all.
(6-3-10) Translation: A. Srinivasa Raghavan





God is 'within' and 'without', within all cosmos, the unseen eternal witness having His seat in every animate and inanimate things and so within man too: and yet He is without, transcending all and untouched by any. He is the Real beyond time, space and flux of things and so, beyond the limited intellect of man and his still more limited speech. The Alvar tries in places to express the all-inclusive inexpressible nature of Reality through paradox. And yet, the Alvar believes in a personal God. It is not as though he is not aware of the truth that God-head is indefinable. But when he thought of God and yearned for Him, it was to a personal God, Sriman Narayana that he turned, Narayana of whom the Taittriya Upanishad speaks, He with His discus and His conch, His fragrant tulasi garland and the golden robe and crown, dark-hued, lotus eyed, an apotheosis of beauty.The Alvar held Narayana as the Absolute and speaks of Him often, understandingly enough, in a mixture of the abstract and the concrete, of the impersonal and personal.

mAcUNAc cuDaruDambAy malarAdu kuviyAdu

mAcUNA ~jAnamAy muzhudumAy muzhudiyanRAy

   (3-1-8)

Thou art a glory eternal,
Neither blossoming nor drooping,
Thou art wisdom pure and endless.
Thou art all, fullness, fulfilment.
(3-1-8) Translation: A. Srinivasa Raghavan

(Godhead:Pen Portrait, II & III all have to be read together)

GODHEAD: PENPORTRAIT – II

kaitavam chemmai karumai veLumaiyumaiyaay

meypoy yiLamai mudhumaipudhumai pazhamaiyaay

cheydhathiN madhiLchoozh tiruviNNagar chErndhapiraan

peydhakaavu kaNDeer-perundhEvuDai moovulagE

(6.3.5)

He is both the crooked

and the straight

the black

the white

the truths

the lies

youth and age

the ancient and the new:

our Lord lives

in Vinnakar

strong-walled well-made city

and his grove there

is the triple world

of the gods

(Translation: A.K. Ramanujan)

munnaip pazhamporuTkum munnai pazhamporuLE

pinnaip pudhumaikkum pOrththumap peRRiyanE

(tiruvembaavai - 9)

You the ancient who had been in existence before the universe came into being! You have the quality of newness which is more modern than even that of the new entities which appeared later!

God created the universe. This statement implies that He existed even before the moment of creation of the universe. Simultaneously, He posses the quality of youth too.

Besides his three biological brothers, Rama had named three other persons as his brothers. These were Guhan, the forest chief; Sugreeva, the prince (later the King) of the Vanaraas (monkeys) and Vibhishana, Ravana’s brother. According to Valmiki Ramayana (Sanskrit) and Kamba Ramayana (Tamil), all the above were elder to Rama. His three biological brothers were born at intervals of only one day each in between. But still according to our national tradition, terming one younger or elder does not depend on one’s age, but on one’s capabilities. In this view, Rama was regarded as elder bother to all the above six brothers. Following the same practice, again, Sri Lalitha Sahasranamam has given Vridha (elderly) as one of the epithets of God.    

Being all three worlds

and nothing

beig desire

being rage

being both the flower-born Lakshmi

and anti-Lakshmi

black goddess of ill-luck

being both honour and shame

our lord

lives in Vinnakar

city named Sky

which the gods worship lovingly

and in my evil heart

he lives forever

flame of flames.

(6-3-6 Translation: A.K. Ramanujan)

God is the principle of continuity between opposites and differences. God out there in the universe is also in the temple as he is in the devotee’s heart. He is at once the other, the indweller, and the icon. Like one’s mother tongue, he is everywhere, accessible. He is one’s own thoughts (1-8-7).

GODHEAD: PEN-PORTRAIT

The present-day town of Oppiliyappankoyil was called TiruviNNagar during the Alvar’s period. The figure in this shrine is described by the Alvar in the following poem:

nalkuravum, chelvum, naragum, suvarggamum aay,

velpagaiyum, naTpum, viDamum, amudhamum aay,

palvagaiyum parandha perumaan ennai aaLvaanai,

chelvam malgu kuDith tiruviNNagark kaNDEnE

(6-3-1)

My lord who’s both dearth and plenty
hell and heaven friendship
enmity venom and sweet ambrosia
my ranging various lord:
I saw him there in ViNNagar
city named Sky city of rich houses
(6-3-1) (Translation: A.K. Ramanujan)

The Lord is characterized by His muraN (contrariety.) The Alvar lists the paradox of the Lord’s all-inclusive inexpressible nature: joy-sorrow; confusion-clarity; punishment-compassion; heat-shade; virtue-sin; meeting-parting; remembrance-forgetfulness; that which is-that which is not; not this-not that; sin-righteousness; red, black and white; truth-falsehood; youth-age; old-new; joy-anger; fame-obloquy; hot sun-cool shade; littleness-greatness; narrowness-spaciousness; those that move-those that stand still; all-not of all! (6-3-2, 4, 5, 6 & 10). He is responsible for all the good and the evil of the world. This firm belief is indeed difficult to resist. Two emphatic statements appear frequently in the Alvar’s poems. One is that Vishnu is both Brahma (Creator) and Siva (Destroyer). The other one is listing of contrary qualities and affirming that all these are He Himself.

He is neither man nor woman...
He is beyond our ken,
He is this and not this,
He comes in the form one desires
If only one turns to Him.
And yet that may not be His form
It is very difficult indeed to describe Him
(2-5-10) (Translation: A. Srinivasa Raghavan)

Even the Alvar, the author of tiruvaay mozhi, reputed as the essence of the Vedas, struggles to fully describe God. “I do not have the ability to find words to describe Him,” says the Alvar in (3-4-2).
To go beyond semantic limitation, the Brahma Sootram, in an extraordinary effort, adopts the method of saying that Brahmam is this; not only this, but much more than this, etc. Likewise, the Alvar speaks here in abstract terms, defining God in the only way human speech can, negatively, as immeasurable, inscrutable, beyond definition and the human ken, beyond space and time.

uLan enil uLan avan uruvam ivviruvugaL

uLan alan enil avan aruvamivvuruvugaL

uLanena ilanena ivai guNamuDaimaiyil

uLan iru tagaiyoDu ozhivilan parandhE

(1-1-9)

If you say He is within,
He is,
And all these are His forms.
If you question it,
Why, all these shadows
Are His shadow.
But He is, He is,
With these twin attributes,
Being within, being not within,
He is.
(1-1-9) (Translation: A. Srinivasa Raghavan)

The Alvar asserts here that whether one says He is or He is not, He is in both these twin states of being or not being, a revolutionary declaration! With these twin states He exists in all times and all places. The Alvar (as interpreted by later theologians) saw God in three forms: Avatara (descent, incarnation).The deities in temples represent the archa (the worshipable) form of God. Antaryami (the inward controller) form refers to the divinity that dwells in every embodied soul. The three forms are continuous with each other, express different aspects of the divine. God has made Himself easily accessible to one and all by His presence in the visible form of idols in temples. In this form, He resides with His full complement of qualities or character. And yet, one should remember that God is beyond the idols. If one should attain God, one should think beyond His mere idols.

yaavaiyum yavarum taanaay

avaravar chamayam dhOrum

toyvilan pulan aindukkum

cholapaDaan unarvin mUrththi

aavichEr uyirin uLLaal

aadhumOr paRRilaadha

bhaavanai adhanaik kooDil

avanaiyum kooDalaamE

(3-4-10)

He is everything. He is every human being. He is not affected by the religion of any one. One has to go beyond the five physical senses and search in one’s inner consciousness. If one can become completely dis-attached, then, one can become mentally aware of Him. (3-4-10)

We can see one day the cloud-dark figure of the God with the discus in His hand (Vishnu). Which is that day? We are not able to see that figure of God today; nor can we ever perceive it with our physical eyes. But we can become conscious of that figure of God if we turn to our inner mental vision. (peria tiruvantati: 28).

HOW FAR TO GOD

Nammalvar (literally ’our Alvar’) holds the first place among the Alvars. His “Tiruvaaymozhi” is hailed as the essence of the Vedas & Upanishads. There are 108 Vaishnava (devoted to Vishnu) shrines considered sacred places of pilgrimage. Nammalvar has sung about some of these. Most of these shrines are in the south of India, many in Kerala. According to tradition, God came from the various temples to give the Alvar darshan (vision).
tentiruppErai: The image in which God is represented in this temple is called makara neDumkuzhaik kaadar (one who wears long ear ornaments shaped like a fish.) It is in a sitting pose. Here God, being an apotheosis of beauty, revealed to the Alvar his entire beauty of form (saundaryam.) The Alvar lost to this beauty his visible senses such as eyes and ears. In its turn, the Alvar’s non-perceptible mind (originator or seat of thoughts) too became extinct at the Lord’s feet. This is described in the following poem:

izhanda emmaamai siRattuppOna en nenjinaarum angE ozhindaar (7-3-4)
Here, Garuda, Vishnu’s vehicle-bird, is not exactly opposite the sanctum; but in a slightly adjacent place. Following poem describes:

vEdha oliyum, vizhaa oliyum, piLLaik kuzhaa viLayaattoliyum aRaa (7-3-1)
According to the Alvar, the Lord, mounted on His vehicle Garuda, is on a grand procession in his mind. He has no regard for vaikuntam (heaven which is God’s final gift), or for the ocean of milk, nor even for the solar constellation. On the other hand, He takes up for His residence the minds of His greatest devotees. The Alvar wonders at His extreme grace – the Lord of all the worlds, for instance, living as the child Krishna among the simple cowherds of the jungle and allowing Himself to be tied to a wooden mortar for, of all things, stealing butter (3-1-1). In the Alvar’s own words,
veLLaich churi changoDu aazhi Endi,
taamaraik kaNNan en nenjinooDe
puLLaik kaDaakinRa aaRRaik kaaneer;
en chollich chollugEn,
annaimeergaaL?
(7-3-1)
Let us pray to Him to grant us at least a miniscule part of the Alvar’s devotion and his firm faith in God.



My lord
who lives in the city of names
came here today
said he’d never leave
entered me
filled my heart
(10-8-2) Translation: A.K. Ramanujan
“City of names” is tiruppErnagar. pEr could mean either “name(s)” or “great.” pErnagar could also be “great city.”

kiLar oLi iLamai keDuvadan munnam
vaLar oLi mayOn maruviya kOyil
vaLar iLam pozhilchUzh maalirunchOlai
taLarvu ilar aagil chaarvadu chadire
(2-10-1)

Youth is flashy and it lasts only for a short period. Before the youth stage gets past, it is prudent if one approaches Tirumaaliruncholai where the temple of Vishnu is located.

varagunamangai: varam means the highest (best). Vishnu’s consort in this shrine is known by the name: varagunamangai (one who has the best of qualities of grace and mercy towards devotees.) The statue of Vishnu in the sanctum sanctorum is in a sitting pose. This place has the reputation of conferring liberation (moksha) to one and all. Irrespective of his past deeds, if one approaches this shrine with a blemish-less mind, his last days will be fulfilled ones.

sreevaikuntam: The main statue in this place is called vaikuntapathi. It is in the same standing pose as the Master of Heaven (vaikuntam) Himself, with the thousand-headed serpent adiseshan serving as His umbrella. This figure also goes by the name, choranaathan.

tiruppulingudi: Where the small fish wriggle in the fields and cowries move under the coral spreads in the river. Vishnu in a reclining position is the main shrine. The specific name given to this image by the Alvar is kaai china vendan, meaning one who punished evil perpetrators.
The Alvar says that he is in a nearby town; If only God would give him a shout, will he (Alvar) not come running and join in serving the Lord along with his two consorts, Sree Devi (Lakshmi, Goddess of wealth) and Bhoo Devi (Goddess of Earth)? Among the three poses of the Lord, the reclining pose commends the highest respect. As the legend will have it, the temple priest’s (archaka) daughter reminded Sri Ramanuja (who established the visishtaadwaita system of philosophy) of this particular poem by the Alvar:
vaDiviNai illaa malar magaL –
maRRai nilamagaL pidikkum mellaDiyai
koDuvinaiyEnum piDikka nee oru naaL
koovudhal varudhal cheyyayE
(9-2-10)
The figures of God in the last three shrines taught the Alvar the quality of bhOgya paaka twarai (the keenness to know whether tasty food is ready to eat). As the preparation takes time, one changes from standing to sitting to reclining pose, as in these shrines! God is easy of approach to those whose mind is filled with intense devotion towards Him. For others, the King of Dwaraka will be far, far away. Let us fill our minds/hearts with full love for Him and try to be within audible distance to Him!
Note: Geography of these localities needs clarification.