Vishnu Sahasranama

What is Vishnu Sahasranama (VS) ? It's a composition of 1000 names of Lord Vishnu the Preserver God. It's one of a very important essence of Mahabharatha. It's mentioned in the Anushasanika Parvam. A brief summary goes like this - Bishma while lying on a bed of arrows after severely injured by Arjuna - Yudhishthira asks Bishma the following questions ;

kimekam daivatam loke kim vāpyekam parāyaṇam
stuvantaḥ kam kamarcantaḥ prāpnuyurmānavāḥ śubham
ko dharmaḥ sarva dharmāṇām bhavataḥ paramo mataḥ
kim japan mucyate jantuḥ janmasamsārabandhanāt


In this universe Who is the one (ekam) refuge (parāyaṇam) for all? Who (kim) is the greatest (ekam) Lord (daivatam) in the world (loke)? By eulogising (sthuvantaḥ) whom (kam) can a person (mānavāḥ) reach auspiciousness (śubham) (peace and prosperity)? By worshipping (archantaḥ) whom can a person reach auspiciousness (peace and prosperity)? What (kah) is, in thy opinion, the Greatest Dharma of all Dharmas? By (kim) chanting whose name, can a "creature" (jantuh) proceed beyond (muchyate) the bonds (bandhanāt) of samsāra?
Bhishma answers by stating that mankind will be free from all sorrows by chanting the "Vishnusahasranāma", which are the thousand names of the all-pervading Supreme Being Vishnu, who is the master of all the worlds, the supreme light, the essence of the universe and who is Brahman. All matter animate and inanimate reside in him, and he in turn resides within all matter.

Some of the key points of VS are as below

1. The first eight letters of the first sloka, Viswam, Vishnu and Vashat kaarah are known as Ashtaakshari, preached by Nara Naaraayanaa in the holy Badrikasramam in the Himalayas and is credited to contain the whole essence of the upanishads.

2. Together with the next eight letters of Bhuta, Bhavya and Bhavat prabhuh, the 16 letters point to the 16 Riks of Purushasuktam, one of the most respected and chanted Suktas.

3. Together with the next eight letters of Bhutakrit, Bhutabrit, Bhavah, the 24 letters are credited to contain the significance of Gaayatri Mahamantra, the 24 letters of which are said to represent extracts of the three Vedas.

4. The last eight letters, of the first sloka, namely Bhutaatmaa, Bhuta Bhavanah, together with the 24 already mentioned is said to be the Narasimha Mantra.

5. The nine names mentioned in the first sloka, 8 in the second and 7 in the third, together 24, is again said to represent the secrets of Gaayatri Mantra.

6. Thus, taking the very first sloka itself, it apparently contains nine names of the Sahasranama. But, viewed deeply, these very nine names represent the Ashtakshari ( Om Namo Naarayanaaya), Purushasuktam, Gaayatri and Narasimha Mantram. That is why, perhaps, many commentators have all devoted great attention and importance to Vishnu Sahasranama

7. Mukkur Lakshmi Narasimha Acharyar talks of the word ‘’Rama’ occurring as 394th Naama (43rd sloka), in its concealed meaning, gets chanted 16 times in Vishnu Sahasranamam. They constitute the Mritha Sanjeevani Mantram, the Mantra which can bring the dead back alive, and known only to Sukracharya, the preceptor of the Asuras (those with demoniac qualities)