Sri VishNu SahasranAmam - (2)
From the Bhakti List Archives
• March 8, 1996
VishNu SahasranAmam consists of 142 slokas. Excepting 13 slokas at the
beginning and 22 at the end, the remaining 107 slokas contain the thousand
names of God.
MEDITATION ON VishNu AND INTRODUCTORY VERSES
--------------------------------------------
1. Om SuklAmbara-dharam vishNum SaSivarnam catur-bhujam
prasanna-vadanam dhyAyet sarva-vighnopaSAntaye.
[ (For the eradication of all obstructions) One should meditate
upon vishNu Who is clad in white robes, Who has a moonlike lustre,
Who has four arms and Who has a beneficient face. ]
2. yasya-Dvirada-vaktrAdhAH pArishadyAh paraS-Satam
vighnam nighnanti satatam vishvaksenam tam Asraye.
[ gajAnan (the double-tusked elephant-faced nitya-sUri) and
hundreds of such sUris, who always remove all obstacles, form
the members of the corps of vishvaksena. I take resort to them. ]
3. vyAsam vasishta-naptAram Sakteh pautram akalmasham
parAsarAtmajam vande Suka-tAtam tapo-nidhim.
[ vyAsa is the great-grandson of vasishta and the grand-son of
Sakti. He is the son of parAsara and the father of Suka. I offer
my obeisance to that vyAsa who is free from all defects and is
a mine of austerities. ]
4. vyAsAya vishNu-rUpAya vyAsa-rUpAya vishNave
namo vai Brahma-nidhaye vAsishtAya namo namaH.
[ My repeated salutations to vyAsa who is a form of vishNu and to
vishNu who is a form of vyAsa- sage vyAsa, who is a descendent
of vasishta and who is a treasure of brahman, (i.e. vedas). ]
5. avikArAya SuddhAya nityAya paramAtmane
sadaika-rUpa-rUpAya vishNave sarva-jishnave.
[ My salutations to vishNu, Who is devoid of all mutations, Who
Who is by nature pure and eternal, Who is endowed with a form
which is uniform at all times, and Who is the victor all. ]
6. yasya smaraNa-mAtreNa janma-samsAra-bandhanAt
vimuchyate namas-tasmai vishNave prabhavishNave.
Om namo vishNave prabhavishNave.
[ My salutations to that superior diety vishNu, by a mere thought
of Whose name all persons are freed from the bonds of samsara
(birth and death).
Salutations to that All-powerful vishNu, Who is signified by
pranava (i.e. Omkara). ]
(13 INTRODUCTORY SLOKAS now follow)
-----------------------------------
7. sri vaiSampAyana uvAca-
SrutvA dharmAna-SesheNa pAvanAni ca sarvaSaH
yudhishThiraH SAntanavam punar-evAbhya-bhAshata.
[ sri vaiSampAyana said:
"After hearing all froms of dharma capable of effecting complete
purification, yudhishThira, still unsatisfied, questioned the
son of Santanu as follows": ]
8-9. sri yudhishThira uvAca-
kimekam daivatam loke kim vApyekam parAyaNam
stuvantaH kam kam arcantaH prApnuyur mAnavAH Subham.
[ sri yudhishThira asked:
"In this universe who is the one Divinity (at whose command all
beings function)? What is that one supreme Status which one
should seek to attain? Who is that Divinity by praising whom and
by worshipping whom a man attains the good? ]
ko dharmaH sarva-dharmAnAm bhavataH paramo mataH
kim japan mucyate jantur janma-samsAra-bandhanAt.
[ Which according to you is the highest form of dharma (capable of
bestowing salvation and prosperity on man)? What is that by
uttering or reciting which any living being can attain freedom
from the cycle of births and deaths?" ]
10-19. sri bhIshma uvAca-
jagat-prabhum deva-devam anantam puruhottamam
stuvan nAma-sahasreNa purushaH satatotthitaH.
[ sri bhIshma replied:
"He will be free from all sorrows who always praises by 'the
sahasranAma' (thousand names) that All-pervading Being who
is the master of the worlds, Who is supreme over all devas
and who is the supreme spirit. ]
tameva cArcayan nityam bhaktyA purusham avyayam
dhyAyan stuvan namasyamS-ca yajamAnas-tam-eva-ca.
[ That worshipper will be free from all sorrows who devoutly
worships and meditates on that Undecaying Being, as also
praises Him and makes prostrations to Him. ]
anAdi-nidhanam vishNum sarva-loka-maheSvaram
lokAdhyaksham stuvan-nityam sarva-dukhAtigo bhavet.
[ He will be free from all sorrows who always sings the praise
vishNu (the All-pervading Being), who is free from the six
changes beginning with origin and ending with death, and
who is the master and over-seer of all the worlds. ]
braHmaNyam sarva-dharmaj~nam lokAnAm kIrti-vardhanam
loka-nAtham mahad-bhUtam sarva-bhUta-bhavodbhavam.
[ He is the protector of the brahmA and the veda. He is the
knower of all Dharmas. He is the enhancer of the reputation
of all beings. He is the supreme Brahman. Out of Him all
beings anf the whole of samsAra have come out. ]
Esha me sarva-dharmAnAm dharmo'dhikatamo mataH
yad bhaktyA puNDarIkAsham stavair arcen naraH sadA.
[ To adore the Lotus-eyed One always with hymns of praise
recited with devotion- I consider this to be superior
to all other forms of dharma. ]
paramam yo mahat tejaH paramam yo mahat tapaH
paramam yo mahad brahma paramam yaH parAyanam.
[ He is the supreme light of consciousness. He is the supreme
controller of everything. He is the supreme All-pervading
Being. He is the support of everything. ]
pavitrAnAm pavitam yo mangalAnAm ca mangalam
daivatam daivatAnAm ca bhUtAnAm yo'vyayaH pitA.
[ He is the sanctifier of even what is most sacred. He is the
most auspicious among auspicious beings. He is the Lord of
all divinities. He, the undecaying, is the father of all beings ]
yataH sarvANi bhUtAni bhavanty'Adi yugAgame
yasmimS-ca pralayam yAnti punareva yuga-kshye.
[ He is the One from whom all beings come into existence at the
beginning of a cycle of time, and He is also the One into whom
they all dissolve at the end of the cycle. ]
tasya loka-pradhAnasya jagan nAthasya bhUpate
vishNor nAma-sahasram me SRNu pApa-bhay'Apaham.
[ Hear from me the hymn that is constituted of a 'thousand names'
of that vishNu who is the master of the universe, who is the
subject of discourse of all scriptures, and who is the eraser
of all sins and fear of samsAra. ]
yAni nAmAni gauNAni vikhyAtAni maHAtmanaH
RshibhiH pari-gItAni tAni vakshyAmi bhUtaye.
[ I am giving for the benefit of all those names of His which are
far-famed, which are indicative of His attributes, and which find
a place in the exalted hymns of the Rshis." ]
--------------------------------------------
(END OF INTRO; MEDITATION PRAYERS CONTINUES)
--------------------------------------------
20. vishNoH nAma-sahasrasya veda-vyAso mahA-muniH
chandaH-anushtup tathA devo bhagavAn devakI-sutaH.
[ The great vedavyAsa is the Rshi of these Thousand Names of
vishNu; anushtup is its metre. The presiding diety is Lord
Krishna, devakI's son. ]
21. amritAm-sUdbhavo bIjam Saktih devaki-nandanaH
trisAmA hridayam tasya SAntyarthe viniyujyate.
[ The seed is He who is born in the lunar race; Its power is the
Name, "The son of devakI". The heart is the name "One who is
sung by three important sAmA hymns". the purpose is the
attainment of peace. ]
22. vishNum jishnum mahA vishNum prabhavishNum maheSvaram
aneka-rUpa-daity-Antam namAmi purushottamam.
[ I bow to vishNu, the victorious, the All-pervading, the Mighty,
the Lord of All, the Enemy of daityas (demons) of many forms
and the Best of persons. ]
22 a. asya sri vishNoH sahara-nAma-stotra-mahA-mantrasya
sri veda-vyAso bhagavAn RishiH, anushtup Chandah,
sri mahA-vishNuH paramAtmA sriman-nArAyaNo devatA
amritAmSUdbhavo bhAnuriti bIjam
devakInandanaH srashteti SaktiH
udbhavah kshobhano deva-iti paramo mantraH
Sankha-bHrt nandakI cakrIti kIlakam
SArnga-dhanvA gadhA-dhara-iti astram
rathAnga-pANiH akshobhyah-iti netram
tri-sAmA sAmagah sAmeti kavacham
Anandam para-brahmeti yoniH
rituh sudarsanah kAleti dig-bandhaH
sri visva-rUpa iti dhyAnam
sri mahA-vishNu-prItyarthe sri-sahasranAma-jape viniyogah
[ (The above angas are usually repeated in prose in the course
of pArAyaNA. They are followed by some dhyana-slokas or
stanzas for meditation. The holy Names are then recited).
Of this grand mantra, i.e. the Thousand Names of vishNu,
the venerable veda vyAsa is Rshi, the meter is anushtup; its
Diety is sriman nArAyanA, the supreme soul, the All-pervader.
Its seed is "amritAmSUdbhavo bhAnu". Its power is devakI's son.
The essential part of the mantra is "udbhavah: kshobhano devaH".
Its pin is "Sankha-bHrin nandakI cakrI". Its weapon is
"SArnga-dhanvA gadhA-dharaH". Its eye is "rathAnga-pANiH:
akshobhyah". Its armor is "tri-sAmA sAmagas sAma". Its womb
is "Anandam para brahma". The enclosure binding the directions
(east, west, south and north) is "rituh sudarsanah kAla". The
contempletion is on the universal form. Its purpose and utility
is in the Thousand Names being used for praising and pleasing
vishNu. ]
dhyanam:
-------
23. kshIrodanvat-pradese suchi-mani-vilasat-saikate mautikAnAm
mAlA-kliptA-sanasthaH sphtika-mani-nibhaiH mautikaiH manditAngaH
Subhrair-abhrair-adabhraiH upari virachitaiH mukta-pIyUsha-varshaih
AnandI naH punIyAdari-nalina-gadA-Sankha-pAniH mukundaH.
[ May mukundA, with the discuss, mace, conch and lotus in His
hands, purify us- mukundA who is seated on a seat of garlands
of pearls, in the region of the milky ocean with the sand
shining by the light from pure gems; who is adorned by pearls
transparent like crystals; and who is enjoying ecstatic bliss
on account of pure white clouds overhead, raining showers of
nectar. ]
24. bhUH pAdau yasya nAbhir-viyada-suranila-candra-sUryau cha netre
karNa-vASaH Siro-DyauH mukhamapi dahano yasya vAsteyam abdhiH
antas-stham yasya viSvam sura-nara-khaga-go-bhogi-gandharva-daityaiH
chitram ramramyate tam tribhuvana-vapusham vishNum Isam namAmi.
[ I bow to Lord vishNu who has the three worlds as His body. The
Earth is His feet, and the sky His navel. Wind is His breath,
and the Sun and the Moon are His eyes. Directions are His ears,
and the Heaven is His head. Fire is His face and ocean His
abdomen. In Him is situated the universe with diverse kinds of
Gods, men, birds, cattle, serpents, gandharvas and daityas
(demons)- all sporting in a charming way. ]
25. SantAkAram bhujaga-sayanam padmanAbham sureSam
viSvAdhAram gagana-sadRSam megha-varNam SubhAngam
lakshmi-kAntam kamala-nayanam yogibhir dhyAna-gamyam
vande vishNum bhava-bhaya-haram sarva-lokaika-nAtham.
[ I salute vishNu, the sole master of the universe, whose presence
is very peaceful, who stretches Himself on a serpent-bed
(Adi-Sesha), who sports a lotus in His navel, who is one lord of
all the devAs, who is the support of the worlds, who is subtle
and All-pervading like the sky, whose complexion is like that of
the clouds, whose form is very beautiful, who is the consort of
Sri, whose eyes are like lotus petals, who is meditated upon by
Yogis and who eradicates the fear of samsAra. ]
26. megha-syAmam pIta-kauseya-vAsam
srI-vatsAnkam kaustubhodbhAsitAngam
punyopetam pundarIka-AyatAksham
vishNum vande sarva-lokaika-nAtham.
[ I prostrate before vishNu, the one Lord of the worlds, blue as
the cloud and clothed in yellow robes. His chest is marked by
the mole known as srivatsa. His body is resplendent with kaustubha
gem. He is surrounded by holy persons. And he has wide eyes like
lotoses. ]
27. saSamkha-cakram sakirIta-kunDalam
sapIta-vastram sarasIruhekshaNam
sahAra-vakshaHsthala-kaustubha-Sriyam
namAmi vishNum SirasA catur-bhujam.
[ I bow down my head before the four-handed vishNu who sports in
His hand the Sankha and the discuss, who is adorned with a crown
and ear-pendants, who wears a yellow cloth, whose eyes resemble
a lotus and whose chest is beautified by many necklaces and the
kaustubha mark. ]
---------------------------End of Introductory Verses---------------------------
S. G. Srinivasan email : sgsrini@u.washington.edu
Graduate Student
Dept. Of Mater. Sci. & Engg.
University Of Washington Phone : (206)-632-1083 (H)
Seattle, WA 98195 (206)-685-3851 (W)
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