Vishnu Sahasranama Introduction

Vishnu means all pervading. Vishnu is the administrator of the universe. He puts in place, the laws of the
universe and administers the universe strictly according to the law. He is a strict disciplinarian, yet highly
compassionate in nature. He presides over not just the universe, but all the seven planes of the
universe. The abode of Vishnu is supposed to be the Supreme one. He has prescribed various paths
through which one has to travel to reach His abode, the point of no return for a soul known as
liberation. He has been referred to in Vedas. Without Vishnu, no fire ritual is complete. He is quite often
referred to as Purua, the Supreme Soul. His famous sleeping posture on Ananta, the snake, who floats
on the ocean of milk, is very well known. This posture is not merely a gross description, but has got
subtle meaning. Ananta means infinite and the milk of ocean refers to the eternal bliss. He lays in the
eternal stage of eternal bliss. Those who seek Him also enter the state of bliss. He incarnates in different
forms to destroy evil doers. His avatars occur whenever there is imbalance between morality and
immorality. When immorality begins to dominate over morality He incarnates. His notable incarnations
are Lord Rma and the Lord Ka.

The scene of unfolding this great Sahasranma happened in the great epic Mahbhrata authored by
the great sage, Veda Vysa. Bhma was lying on a bed made of arrows awaiting his death. At that time,
he was meditating on Ka. Knowing this, Ka asked Yudhihira (eldest among Pava brothers and
known for his righteousness) to seek spiritual initiation from Bhma and also told Bhma to initiate
Yudhihira. Yudhihira asks Bhma kimeka daivata loke meaning who is the Supreme Lord of the
world. Bhma replies by saying, that the purest, the most auspicious, the chief among the gods and the
father of all the beings is the One who is Supreme, referring to Lord Vishnu. This conversation appears in
the prvabhg of this Sahasranma. The spiritual initiation of Yudhihira by Bhma is Vishnu
Sahasranma. Ka was also present when this happened and this Sahasranma was blessed by the
Lord Himself.

Vishnu is also known as Nryaa. Garua Pura (III.24.54, 55) explains the etymological meaning of
Nryaa. As He is the resort of merits and demerits and as He abides in the waters of ocean, He is
called Nryaa. Water is also called nra (probably meaning cosmic water); as He resorts to water, He
is called Nryaa. Water is so called because, as cosmic water it emerges from His glance sideways. As
He is the resort of water, He is called Nryaa, and also because He is the source of this eternal
universe.

Vishnu is the most auspicious form of the Brahman. He is not only invoked during auspicious occasions,
but also while performing funeral rites. At the time of conclusion of all rituals, the effect of the rituals
are surrendered Vishnu.

Vishnu Sahasranma consists of three parts prvabhg or the first part; stotrabhg or the main part
from which one thousand names or nma-s are composed; and uttarabhg or the concluding part. The
main part consists of 108 couplets from which all the 1000 nma-s are derived. Apart from these three
parts, this Sahasranma has seven dhyna verses by which one can meditate upon His auspicious form.

With this brief introduction, we now proceed to discuss Vishnu Sahasranamam through a series of
postings.