Sri:
Sri Lakshminrusimha Parabrahmanae Nama:


Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Mahima
Crowning Glory of thousands of  divine names of Bhagavan

Mukkur Sri Lakshmi Narsimhachariyar

When one says “Sahasranaamam”, it indisputably means the most popular and Supreme Shri Vishnu Sahasranaamam only. Nammaazhvaar celebrates the glory of Sahasranaamam as “Peraayiram kondadhōr Peedudaiyan”  (The Magnificent one, whose splendour is manifested with thousands of Divine Names) and “Palapalave Aabharanam Perum Palapalave” (He adorns various jewels and has various names). 

The revered Acharya Shri Parasara Bhattar has eulogized the glory of Sahasranamam in six ways.

  1. Mahabharatha Saarathvaath
    Rishibhi :   Parigaanatha: !
    Vedaachaarya  Samaahaaraath
    Bheeshmothkrushta Mathathvatha : !!
  1. Parigrahaathishayatho
    Geethaadyai Kaarthyathashcha na : !
    Sahasra Naamadhyaaya:
    Upaadeya Thamo matha: !!

He has acclaimed  six types of glories of the Sahasranaamam by the above two slokas.

  1. Mahabharatha Saarathvaath:  Shri Vishnu Sahasranaamam is the essence of  Shri Mahabharatham :

As emphatically proclaimed by the sloka “Bharatha: Panchamo Veda:”, Mahabharatham is glorified  as the “ Fifth Veda”.

As declared in the sloka 

Yathihaasthi Thathu Anyathra
Yannehaasthi Na Thath Kvachith:

“What is found in Mahabharatham is to be found elsewhere; 
Whatever is not found in Mahabharatham cannot be found anywhere.”

Further, in Vayu Purana, it is stated that-

Madhimanthaana maavidya
Yenaa Sou Shruti Saagaraath !  
Jagath Hithaaya Janitha :
  Mahabharatha Chandrama : !!

Shri Vedavyasa churned the Ocean of the Vedas, using his intellect as the churning rod, and extracted for the welfare of this World, the Moon called Mahabharatham.

In Vishnu Puranam, it is celebrated that-

Krishna Dvaipayanam Vyasam
        Vidhdhi Narayanam Prabhum !
Kohyanyo Bhuvi Maithreya
        Mahabharatha Kruth Bhaveth  !!

Shri Parasara Maharishi ( sage), father of Shri Vyasa, proudly proclaims to his disciple Maithreya as under-

“Let you realize that  Shri Vyasa, widely acclaimed as Krishna Dvaipayana, is none other than Lord Narayana Himself. Otherwise  who else could have composed this great Mahakaavyam ( Supreme Epic) called Mahabharatham?”

As Shri Vishnu Sahasranaamam is abound with such glorious attributes and is acclaimed as the supreme essence of the Vedas, it is absolutely impossible to describe its glory in words.

  1. Rishibhi: Parigaanatha:  As  extolled in the sloka “ Rishibhi: Parigeethaani”, this Sahasranaamam enjoys further glorious attribute of being always recited by great Sages.
  1. Vedachaarya Samahaaraath:  This also has the unique excellence of having been composed by the Vedacharya ( Supreme Vedic Scholar) Shri Vyasa Bhagavaan, who divided and arranged the Vedas, extracted and collated together as Sahasranaamam, the essence of the Vedas, 
  1. Bheeshmothkrushta Mathathvatha:.Bheeshma is venerated by many Maharishis(great sages).He is supreme amongst all the great scholars. He is profusely praised by great sages such as Shri Vyasa and even by Shri Bhagavan Vasudeva.

Starting with the sloka

Sharathalpa Gatho Bheeshma :
 Saamyanniva hudaachana : !!”

The Supreme Lord Shri Krishna told Dharmaraja that Shri Bheeshma was on the bed of arrows “like a glowing fire about to extinguish” and if he passed away, there would be the danger of not having such scholars with exhaustive knowledge of Dharma (principles and rules of  righteousness). Hence Lord exhorted  Dharmaraja to go to Shri Bheeshma before he left the world and made him hear all the Dharma. Accordingly, Shri Bheeshma expounded all the Dharma and expressed his view that Shri Vishnu Sahasranaamam is the highest of all the Dharma and acclaimed the towering glory of Sahasranaamam by uttering the sloka-

Esha me sarva- Dharmaanaam
Dharmo adhika-tamo mata :

  1. Parigrahaathi shayatho  –   Great Scholars have acknowledged the excellence of  Sahasranaamam with utmost respect.

“Devo Naama  Sahasravaan”  – The Lord having innumerable Divine names. , The term “Saharasram” stands for “anantham” ( endless or infinite).

“Peraayiram kondadhor Peedudaiyan” (The Magnificent one whose splendour is manifested with thousands of Divine Names.  The Lord is embodiment of innumerable auspicious traits Hence His Divine Names which elucidate these traits are also innumerable.)

In the Charaka Samhita, it is affirmed that-

Vishnum  Sahasra  Moordhaanam
Charaachara Pathim Vibhum !
Sthuvan Naama Sahasrena 
Jvaraan Sarvaan Vyapohathi !!

Sahasranaama  Japa (  Chanting of Shri Vishnu Sahasranaamam) has also been prescribed as a panacea for the diseases such as fever and also for getting rid of bad influences of planets, ghosts, mental disorders, ill omens etc.

  1. Geethaadyai Kaarthyatha :  As Shri Vishnu Sahasranaamam is considered to enjoy the same status as that of Bhagavad Gita which was recited by the Supreme Lord Krishna Himself, its glory has been aptly declared as                      “Vaachaamagocharam” (It is absolutely impossible to describe its glory in words).

While Bhagavad Gita was recited by the Supreme Lord Krishna Himself, Shri Vishnu Sahasranaamam was listened with immense happiness by the Lord.  This being the case, who indeed can describe the infinite glory of Shri Vishnu Sahasranaamam ?

Adiyen has been blessed with the great fortune of continuing to  deliver  lectures this year also on  Shri Vishnu Sahasranaamam, which is abound with infinite glory as stated above,   for a period of 10 days from 02.02.1992 to 11.02.1992 at  Asthika Samaj, considered as  “Dharma Vruksham” (Tree of Dharma),  Hence, adiyen can proclaim with “Saathveeka Ahankaaram”  (righteous pride)  “Illai Enakkedhir Illai Enakkedhir Illai Enakkedhire”( no one is equal to adiyen.).

Mukkur Lakshmi Narasimhacharyar

Article published in 1992-93 Asthika Samaj Souvenir

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