Though the Lord has innumerable names, the
Vishnu Sahasranama which contains a thousand selected names of the Supreme Being, is in the nature of a hymn which can be chanted by all. There is a great secret in it.
The sequence of the names of the Vishnu in the verses, in Anushtubh metre has a rationale.
Twenty-four names of Lord Vishnu had been incorporated in the three opening verses of the Vishnu Sahasranama. These twenty-four names denote the 24 syllabled Gayatri mantra, each syllable corresponding to a particular name. The name Gayatri connotes that it protects those who chant it. Poperly and regularly only comes later after practise. Hence better try than never.
Some could feel that they do not know the correct pronunciation, and so do not want to chant incorrectly. H. J. Achar, in his book “Sri Vishnu Sahasranama – A Study”, H.J. Achar, Sharada Press, Mangalore, 1972, has given the analogy of a mother to whom a child goes and asks for an orange. The child does not know how to pronounce the word “orange”, and so asks for “ange”. The mother does not turn away the child and does not refuse to give the child the orange just because the child does not know how to pronounce the word. It is the spirit or bhava that matters, and so as long as one chants the name of God with sincerity, considerations such as not knowing the meaning, not knowing the pronunciation, etc., do not matter, and God who is the Mother of all of us will confer His blessings on us.
In the introductory part of the Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram, Yudhishthira asks Bhishma six questions, related to how mankind can attain happiness. These are contained in two stanzas starting with “kim ekam daivatam loke” in the Stotram. These questions are:
- Who is the One (Supreme) Deity?
- What is the highest goal of life?
- By praising which Deity’s auspicious qualities will human beings attain prosperity in this world as well as bliss in the next?
- By meditating on which Deity will human beings attain prosperity in this world as well as bliss in the next?
- By reciting which mantra will man be released from the bondage of the cycle of birth and death?
- Of the three means referred to above (i.e., recitation, praise or archana, and meditation), which is the best means for attaining the grace of the Supreme Deity based on your vast experience and knowledge?
According to the 149th chapter of Anush? sanaparva in the epic Mahabharata, the names were handed down to Yudihsthira by the famous warrior Bhisma was on his death bed at the battle of Kuruukshetera Yudhisthira asks Bhishma the following questions: kimekam daivatam loke In this universe who is the one Deva of all? (i.e., at whose command all beings function? or who is God of all?)
• kim v?pyekam par?ya?am
o Who is the one greatest refuge for all?
• stuvanta? kam kamarcanta? pr?pnuyurm?nav?? subham
o Who is the one Divinity by praising and by worshiping whom a man attains good?
• ko dharma? sarva dharm???m bhavata? paramo mata?
o Which according to you is that highest form of Dharma (capable of bestowing salvation and prosperity on man)?
• kim japan mucyate jantu? janmasams?rabandhan?t
o What is that by uttering or reciting which any living being can attain freedom from cycle of births and deaths?