The Mahima of Vishnu Sahasranama Part V

The Mahima of Vishnu Sahasranama Part V

We are all well aware of the story of Ajaamilan (அஜாமிளன்). An oft narrated story that stands testimony to the potency of naama sankirthanam.

Ajamilan was a Brahmin who was raised according to Vedic regulations. He was married to a beautiful woman and lived a life following the Dharmas laid out in the Vedas.  One day he happened  to meet a prostuitute and became insanely attracted and attached to her. Inevitably  he soon  became entangled with her, abandoned his family and went away from his home with her. He soon lost all his satvic qualities, became a thief, a liar, a drunkard, a murderer and lived a despicable  life of  utter immorality. Through the prostitute, he begot many children.Time passed by and one fine day Ajamilan was in his death bed.

Death raked up the deepest of his fears and Ajamilan was now faced  with the Yama dhoothas   waiting  to carry out their  duty. Intimidated by their presence Ajamilan called out to his youngest and favorite  son “ Narayana..Narayana…Narayana..”. Even before the son could reach his father’s side the Vishnu Dhutas were beside Ajamilan.

What ensued is indeed an interesting dialogue between the Vishnu dutas and Yama dutas. This dialogue   reveals the underlying subtle philosophy which is often over ridden  whenever the story is narrated.

Vishnu dutas: ( to Yama dutas) we cannot permit you take Ajamilan  to Yamapatna.He has uttered the name of the Supreme Lord and hence needs to go to Vishnu lokam.

Yama Dutas : impossible…this man ..was .Born  as a Brahmin..and  lived a life  devoid of any sanctity .and you say he needs to go to swarga lokam..we cannot allow that .let us perform our Dharma..keep away from him..

Vishnu Dutas: .( with a tone of sarcasm)...before you take him ..can you please tell us what  is this Dharma you are talking so much about.

Yama dutas: வேதப் பிரணிஹிதோ தர்மஹா, அதர்மஸ்த விபர்யேயஹா: what is laid down in the Vedas as good ,is Dharma and what is not acceptable according to the Vedas is Adharma.

Vishnu dutas: Accepted . In that case, who then bears witness to the fact, whether one lives a life of dharma or adharma ?

Yama dutas:  The supreme Lord has many a witness. The air, water, land plants, animals, sun ,moon and stars..are  all witnesses who report back to that Lord.

Vishnu dutas: So you agree  all these elements report back that Supreme Lord is it not? Then are you not aware of this truth that it is the very same Supreme Lord who gave the Vedas and upholds Dharma has also  decreed that ,one who calls upon His name should be granted moksha?

Yama Dutas:..oh yes yes..we are aware of this Dharma..but then do you believe that ajamilan called out the Name of Narayana knowing the greatness of the naama??? He just called out to his youngest son in sheer  anxiety. Isn’t there a propriety with which you utter the Lord’s name??

Vishnu dutas: Your argument is rather unbelievable. Are you not aware that

சாங்கேத்யம் பாரிஹாஸ்யம் ஸ்தோபம்   ஹேளனமேவவா 

வைகுண்ட நாம க்ரஹணம்    அசேஷ அகஹரம்  விதுஹு    

This sloka means, Who so ever  takes the name of the Lord (வைகுண்ட நாம க்ரஹணம்), In which ever form to indicate (சாங்கேத்யம்) or in mockery ( பாரிஹாஸ்யம் ) or in dislike (ஸ்தோபம்) or  even in criticism(ஹேளனமேவவா) becomes a sinless one as all his sins are cleansed by the mere utterance of the Lords name. Thus Ajamilan will now be taken to Vishnu lokam.

The profound interpretation that underlies this story is, though Ajamilan uttered the name of the Supreme Lord in fear, it brought him the company of the Vishnu dutas.

In their presence his rajasic and tamasic gunas were overpowered by his innate and dormant satva guna. When the satwa guna gained predominance, cognizance dawned on him. He realized as to  how foolish he had been to have wasted his life thus without calling on that Supreme Lord’s  name. It was THAT REALISATION that granted him moksha. So, what ever be the circumstances chant, Bhaja Govindham..bahja Govindam Govindam bahja mooda mathe..

I once again reiterate that what I am sharing is what I have listened to, understood and perceived with my nascent and limited understanding. Blow away the chaff and please take what is worth.In all humility I submit…

Sarvam Krishanrpanam.

The Mahima of Vishnu Sahasranaama Part IV

Bharatha Varsha as we all know is the birth place of the Vedas. It is believed that the Vedas  have originated in ancient India and are considered the most ancient scripture of Hinduism. It is believed that humans did not compose the revered Vedas but was handed down to  us by word of mouth from time immemorial. The Vedas, were compiled by Ved Vyasa during the time of Krishnaand contains hymns, rituals, theologies and philosophies( Upanishads) The Upanishads form the concluding part of the Vedas and thus called Vedanta. In order to provide the Jeevatma with the principles to live life , the Vedas were born.

 What then is the role of Ithihaasas and Puranas? Being difficult to comprehend , the Supreme Lord descended down as Avataars to practically live and demonstrate the principles enshrined in the Vedas and a record of these demonstrations are the Puranas and  Ithihaasa. We thus need to realize that the Supreme Lord makes an all out effort to make sure that His children seek and reach Him .

In the Vishnu Sahasranaama the names Of the Lord  that have been strung together by Bheeshmachrya address the Lord in any one of the five Prakaras…நிலைகள்..

1.SRI VAIKUNTAM: (Para roopam) Maha Vishnu is seated here (அமர்ந்த திருகோலம்) with His consorts in all His regal splendor heading  the assemblage of Graudaazhvar, Vishvaksenar , Aadhisheshan..and muktaamas (those who have attained mukti). We as mortals are yet to witness His magnificence and splendor!!

2.THIRUPAARKADAL:(Vyuha roopam) (திருப்பாற்கடல்) (கிடந்ததிருகோலம்) The Lord reclines on Aadhishesha in the ocean of milk with the Devas singing hymns in praise of Him and His never ending mercy..He patiently listens and yields to their genuine pleas!!!

3. AVATAARANGAL : From the ksheeraabdhi , He descends  as Rama or Krishna  to live the principles enshrined  in the Vedas and practically demonstrate how to live a life of Dharma!! We mortals live  in an age far removed from these avathaars though they walked the same land where we now live!! So we don’t get to see Him.

4.ANTHARYAAMI: எல்லாவற்றையும் கடந்து நமக்குள் இருக்கும் அந்தர்யாமி..Aham Brahmaasmi… and to realize this God head it takes great tapas and penance. Difficult  in this kaliyuga.

5.ARCHAAVATHAARAM: The diverse idols enshrined  in the various Divya desams and Abimaana sthalams..each one of them having their own purana ,their own utsavams, their own naamas, gives a seeable form  to the all pervading Paramaatma and  draws Him closer to us.  To distinguish these multifarious archavataarams  from one another,  they come to be addressed by diverse naamas (sahasranaama). Each of these  various forms attempts  to capture and  draw the attention of the mortal beings in one way or the other  to that Supreme Lord and to call Him,to address Him in supplication. We need to chant His name and so whatever be your favorite naama of the sahasranaama chant it incessantly.

Govindham baja moodamathe!!!

The Mahima of Vishnu Sahasranama – Part III

The Mahima of Vishnu Sahasranama – Part III

Our Bharatha Desa is birth place of the Vedas…it is the home of Puranas and Ithihaasa. We are all aware that The Ramayana and The Mahabharatha are the two ithihaasas. The Mahabahratha consists of about one lakh and twenty five thousand  slokas.It provides us with knowledge of  the four Purushaarthas(goal or end or  our aim of human existence)They being Dharma, Artha, Kaama, Moksha (அறம் பொருள் இன்பம் வீடு)  .

Sifting and sieving through The Mahabaharata ,what we are left with are the two great Gems : the first Gem  being The Bhagawad Gita. we all know that The Gita   was enunciated by Lord Krishna at the start of the Kurukshetra war to draw out Arjuna from the delusion he had gotten into.

On the tenth day of that war, as Pitamah Bheesmacharya lay on the saradalpamசரதல்பம் (bed of arrows) in response to the supplication of Dharmaputhra, not only he but we were also blessed with the second gem- The Vishnu Sahasranaama. The Vishnu Sahasranaama forms a part of the Anushashanika parva ( 13^th of the 18 parvas of Mahabharatha.)

What will reciting Vishnu Sahasranama help me attain??

This is a rather  rhetorical question because it blesses you with whatever your sankalpa is, that is, gives all that you ask . But then asking for a better house, a hefty  pay packet, better position of power and administration ,the latest car or jewelry etc… is rather  self indulgent and ephemeral .In my personal view, chanting the sloka for such trivial  gains, only belittles the lofty  heights of human attainment that we may achieve by the ceaseless chanting of the Lord’s name. Our striving , as we recite the Vishnu Shasaranaama should then be , to seek the eternal  Paramaatma, at whose Lotus feet alone we are bound to find untainted bliss. That is the sole purpose of Human existence which ironically all of us have seem to have forgotten as we have  been drawn into the endless  vortex of Samsaara Saagara!!!

Over the three yugas and now the fourth ,the path to attain Moksha has been encapsulated in this sloka

த்யாயன் கருத்தே யஜன் யஞ்கைஹி த்ரேதாயாம்

த்வாபரே அர்ச்சயன்னு யதாப்நோதி ததாப்நோதி

கலௌ சங்கீர்த்ய கேசவம்.

First Yuga: KRUTHA YUGA : During this yuga  the predominant guna was Satva  guna. This guna  nurtured Gnana or  the intellect and thus  facilitated single minded Dhayna (meditation) on the Omni potent which  granted Liberation or mukthi.

Second Yuga: THRETHA YUGA :  The predominant guna in this yuga was Rajas. Rajo guna is characterized by anger, passion, moha, excitable nature. Thus it became increasingly difficult for a person to sit in padmaasana and meditate upon the Supreme Lord. Hence performing yaagas and yagnyas  were given to us enable us to reach the Paramaatma .

Third Yuga:  DWAAPARA YUGA : A combination of  The Rajasic and Taamasic  gunas held sway over man. While rajasic guna translated to passion ,anger moha, The taamasic guna was marked by ignorance, darkness, inertia and lethargy. Yet the Paramaatma did not want to let go of us. Instead He gave us performing archana as a means to salvation.

Fourth yuga: KALI YUGA:, Taamasic guna rules the roost in all of us in the  current yuga in which we are living. Yet in all His benevolent mercy, the Lord has made it all the more easier for us to attain moksha by embracing  naama snakeerthana….கலௌ சங்க்கீத்ய கேசவம்... what more then but to chant the Sahasranaama of that Supreme Lord ..ONE WHO IS NOT LIMITED  BY SPACE…BY TIME… BY BOUNDRIES…. This is the only way to Moksha.

நான் கேட்டதில், புரிந்து கொண்டதின் ஒருபகிர்தல்...i am only sharing what I have listened to and understood with my limited knowledge and understanding…please pardon my mistake ,errors..whatever they may be..i humbly reiterate I am tool in the hands of That Supreme Lord..Sarvam  Krishanrpanam..by the grace of god ..this sharing will continue!!!

The Mahima of Vishnu Sahasranama – Part II

The Mahima of Vishnu Sahasranama – Part II

And so taking off from where I had stopped ... listening to Sri Velukudi  krishnan Swamy..and once again in all humility , share in my own words..and limited understanding  and perception..the mahima of reciting Vishu Sahasranama.

Having received knowledge of the three Nithya,Naimithika and Kamya karma..Yudhishtra to his utter shock and disbelief realises that performing these will not liberate him from the cycle of birth and death ...poses six questions to Bheesmacharya that will liberate and help him attainmoksha..find eternal rest at the lotus feet of the Lord.The questions are as follows:

Kimekam dhaivatham loke : In this whole wide world ,Who is the  one and only  God  who is the supreme primeval and most potent ( தத்வம்) உலகிலேயே ஒரே சிறந்த முழுமுதற் கடவுள் எது?  

Kim vaapyekam paraayanam : To attain which highest position in life should my constant  striving be???? உலகிலேயே நான் அடையவேண்டிய மேலான பதவி எது (புருஷார்த்தம்)

These are the first two posers of Yudhistra to Bheeshmaacharya. But the third poser  and perhaps  the most relevant one ( to us ) and important question  is the means to attain that Purushaartham..which is that  path one must tread tirelessly to attain moksha. Our Saints and seers have listed out four ways or paths to attain that Liberation சித்தோபாயம்(siddhopaayam)

This path enunciates thus: The Lord is there..All that i need to do is surrender totally and unconditionally to Him and  He will take care of every thing else. This is of two types லகுபாய சித்தோபாயம்(lagupaaya siddhopayam) அலகுபாய சித்தோபாயம் (alagupaaya siddhopaayam)

சாத்யோபாயம்(saadhyopaayam) : This path demands of me to constantly strive, to undertake all actions that would please the Lord ..Enchant Him.. have Him listen to my pleas and allure Him into granting moksha

சாலம்பநோபாயம்(Saalambanopaayam) : This path requires me to hold on to a mantra which i will ceaselessly meditate upon..utter it a million times ..a zillion times..perform japa or tapa till..until oneone attains moksha.

So,  then which of these  four paths ,  must one undertake to attain moksha? Tobe freed from the recurring cycle of birth and death..please show me the path, oh source of Gnana... Pitaama Bheeshmacharya. Thus spoke Yudhishtra.

Like a river in spate, the effusive gnana of Bheesmacharya pours out the reply to these 6 questions of Yudhishtra..which thus, is the  eternal  Vishnu Sahasranama. Chant the name of the Lord..ceaselessly and be saved.. “Bhaja Govindam Bhaja Govindam Bhaja Govindam mooda mathe"

SARVAM KRISHNARPANAM…