Vishnu sahasranamam - notes from pravachan of Velukkudi Sri U Ve Krishnan swami

Sri:
Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha
Srimath Vara Vara Munaye Namaha
Sri VanaMahachala Mahamunaye Namaha

This post is a collection of some pearls based on Velukkudi swami's discourses in kinchit enpani - which is based on "bhagavat guna darpanam" by Swami Parasara bhattar.

Different shaaka of Veda (aadharam)
Shaakha means system.  Veda Vyasa gave 4 veda for this yuga.  He further appointed 4 persons to go to all parts of Bharat and spread the message of Veda.  These persons adapted the veda in different parts of Bharat based on the culture, environment and other conditions of the place.  This adaptation of the Veda was called shaakha. 

Veda and its shaakha

Rig - Bhaskala, Shakala (2 of 3 available)
Yajur - Krishna Yajur - Taittriya, Maitrayini
Yajur - Shukla Yajur - Kanva, Madhyandina
Saama - of 1000, now only 3 available - Pouthuma, Raanayani, Jaimini
Atharva - Shounakha and Pippalaadha

The differences in shaakha is due to svaram, panchaadi, mantram
If someone had read all these, they are all-knowing and know the truth... (in times of yore, such people were there...)

Vyaasam Vashishtam naptharam Shakteh poutramakalmasham, Parasaratmajam vande shukatatam taponidhim....

tells the full lineage - Brahma's son - Vashishta - Shakti - Parasara - Vyasa - Shuka

Avikaraya shuddhaya

Jeevatma undergoes vikaram - changes :  asthi - jaayate - parinamate - vivardhate - apakshiyate - vinashyati (matter - born - change - grow - decay - death).  However, paramatma is "avikaram" ... sadaika rupaaya (sada ek rupaya) no change to roopam or svaroopam.  

Prameyam -3 : aishwaryarthi kaivalyam and bhagavallabham

Pramanam - 3 : pratyaksha anumanam and shabdam

4 purushartham dharma artha kaama moksha. 2 and 3 are pratyaksham 1 and 4 can be proven only by shabdam. (Note anumanam is founded on some pratyaksham

Itihasa puranabhyam vedam samupabrahmayet, bibhet alpa sruta vedaha maamayam pratarshyati... a dhyana sloka that emphasises importance of itihasa and purana as a prerequisite to look at vedas

What is drishyam is sthoola tatvam.. adrishyam is sookshmam .. aatma and paramatma tattvam

Wef 17 Mar 2023 online kalakshepam by swamy :

What's the difference between itihasa and purana?

Itihas is written during the happening of the event, purana- after event.

Why are these 2 very important - because they form part of vedam which is a pramanam

Normally any vastu is proved by pramanam- which are broadly 3 types- pratyaksha, anumanam and shabda.. pramanam therefore validates the object which is called prameyam.

The supreme being can be known only through shabda pramanam aka veda and when we say veda it always means alongwith it's anga.. the 18 vidyasthanam

Mahabharata- with 1.25 lac slokas - gave 2 very valuable nectar

1. Given by Bhagavan - Srimad Bhagavat Gita (hereinafter referred as SBG) 18 chapters 700 slokas told by the supreme being Sri Krishna himself

2. Given by acharya - Sri Vishnu Sahasranamam (hereinafter referred as SVS) 1000 slokas 

SVS is superior to SBG as its is told by acharya in front of the Supreme being ..

SVS is in the anushasanika Parva 

In SBG Sri Krishna says how to do aradhanam to HIM (manmana bhava.. 9:34) and how to do bhakti (satatam keerthayantho maam.. 9:14)

Which includes do strotra...do pooja by phala pushpa...

Andal says vayinal paadi manathinal sindhika as did other alwars. Bheesmacharya now gives us this treasure..

Usually an upadesam there is someone to ask and someone to respond. In SBG arjuna asked and Sri Krishna replied. In SVS Yudhistir asks and Bheeshmacharya responds. The former was tatvopadesam, the latter tattva darshi upadesa

6 questions and 6 answers + 1000 slokas!

Some relevance to 1000s... vedas say "sahasra sheerasa...sahasra aksha..." "devo naama sahasravan" etc.. alwars say "pergal ayiratthai" "per ayiram kondathor..." however both say the same. 

It's called sahasra "nama" as its in sloka rupam.. it would be called "namavali" in archana roopam.. add "om" and "namaha" to "nama" for archana - eg  om keshavaya namaha

Nama mahima is very prasidham in veda shastram. There are so many references as well. Uttaman peyar paadi, manathhukku iniyaanai says Andal. For japam or saying 

Nama sahasram every one has got the adhikaram. Like a son hating his mother cries out "amma" when in pain so also here, the worst of dveshis have a right. In fact those rejecting God, don't reject His name! No separate yogyatha required, saying His names itself is yogyatha. Eg a person need not take bath elsewhere to take a dip in Ganga. That dosham will also be cleansed by Ganga 😊

This discourse of Sri Vishnu Sahasranamam is based on the commentary of Sri Parasara Bhattar ie "Bhagavad Guna Darpanam".  Darpanam refers to Reflection as in a mirror and what is being reflected here is His Gunas (Bhagavad Guna). Apart from the richness of the commentary laced with all shastra vakya and pramanam, Bhattar has structured the commentary providing 

a) the sangati (connection) between the words how one leads to the other. eg vishwam to Vishnu: to Vashatkara: and so on that interprets the order of the words

b) clarity of the names to the His manifest condition - "para" "vyuha" "vibhava".  This is very clear.  Question would arise on the remaining two manifest conditions - "antaryami" and "archa".  These two are not visible and subsumed under "para' and "vibhava" respectively.  Why so?  Antaryami is symbolic of His paratvam, and archa is representative of His vibhava avatars. 

c) the above three offers the jeevatma an opportunity to do service and nama sankeertanam and shows the path to Mokhsa

d) clarity on names being repeated in the sahasranama - there could be some differences in the numbers based on the school of thought. and how each one has separated the words.  96 names occur more than once (of which 82 occurs twice, 12 thrice, and 2 four times).   Though repeated - the interpretation is contextual and would differ.

e) no shortcoming due to repetition - ie no punarukti dosha as 3 manifest states are being told.

f) attributes to the names - grammar, meaning, conjunction, proofs.  that is - i) nirvachana nurukti vyakaranam based on panini sutras (ii) artham - not merely on name but according t pramanam (iii) sangati - the structure and flow through of words in that meaning (iv) pramanam from upanishads, vedam, smriti, itihas, puranam

the structure and count of 1000 namas as follows

i) appearing once - one word one nama ............... 960

ii) more than one word but one nama ..................... 30 (eg muktanama parama gati = 3 = 1, gurur guruthama = 2 = 1, ojasthejo dhyutidharaha = 2 =1, etc)

iii) looks like one but can be split or said as one....... 6 (eg havirharihi, sava: ka: kim) 

iv) names that can be split                                     ....4

 

A brief outline about our Pramatha Sri Parasara Bhattar 

We have 3 categories - Pramanam (proof - the veda and its attendant scriptures - here in particular Sri Vishnu Sahasranamam) Prameyam (the subject of the pramanam that it talks about - The Supreme Being) and the Pramatha (the commentator, here specifically Sri Parasara Bhattar through his Bhagavad Guna Darpanam)

Sri Parasara Bhattar is son of Sri Koorathazhwan.  He was born to him without shareera sambandham, as a prasadam from Sri Ranganatha.  One night Andal, wife of Koorathazhwan was pained to see her husband sleep on empty stomach and when she heard the temple bells signifying the night offering to the Lord, she thought here is your bhakta who is hungry... Lo and behold! at the door step the temple priest came with prasadam from the Lord for Koorathazhwan.  Koorathazhwan was surprised and asked his wife if she did some prarthana and Andal admits saying she could not bear him sleeping on empty stomach.  both partake the prasadam and 2 sons are born to Andal - Sri Parasara Bhattar and Sri Veda Vyasa bhattar.  Swamy Ramanuja wanted to see the child to bless them and Embar (Govinda Bhattar) obliges and brings Sri Parasara Bhattar to Swamy. Seeing the glow in the face of the child, Swamy took the child close and and remarked the child smelled of dvayam.  Embar admitted having muttered "dvayam"  while bringing the child to protect (raksha kavacham).  Swamy directed Embar to be the acharya and bring him up under his tutelage.  

Sri Parasara Bhattar is said to be brought by none other than Sri Ranga nachiar.  a cloth hammock was tied in front of the sanctum sanctorum pillar and Sri Parasara Bhattar used to be put in the hammock... such was the grace, such was the upbringing.  

(Note :   so much of trouble and so much of pain did our poorvacharya taken only to pass on the greatest truth to generations following to redeem them from this sansara and get them the best every gift ie vaikunta prapthi.  In return there is no royalty on their works, nor any compensation, or hardship. The only thing required is to follow and enjoy enjoy enjoy here and thereby get moksha and vaikunta and enjoy enjoy enjoy over there.  But sadly we are still tied to the material and continue to look for enjoyment which are alpam and asthiram and laced with disappointment leading to dukham...)

Some of the compositions of Sri Parasara Bhattar - 16 granthams, of which 4 are not found today (however, we can find some references in works of Swamy Vedanta Desikan) 

1. Vishnu Sahasranama Bhashya - aka Sri Bhagavad Guna Darpanam.

2. Ashtasloki - a prabandham in slokas !! for rahasya grantham

3. Sri Ranganatha ashtakam - about Thiruaranganathan (based on how azhwar composed thirunedunthandakam which was greatly liked by Sri Parasara Bhattar

4. Sri Rangaraja - Poorva shatakam

5. Sri Rangaraja - Uttara shatakam

6. Sri Guna ratna kosam

7. Tattva Ratnakaram - based on Nyaya shastram - not found today

8. Nithya grantham - not found today

9. Adhyaya Khanda dvaya vivaranam - not found today

10. Lakshmi Kalyanam

11 - 16 : various vyakhyanam (commentaries) - Kaishika Puranam, 2 paasurams in Thirunedunthandakam, Thaniyan to Andal's prabandhams, Thirumanjan Kattiyam for Namperumal...

Invocations by Sri Parasara Bhattar in this commentary Sri Bhagavad Guna Darpanam 

Thaniyan to Sri Parasara Bhattar:

Sri Parasar Bhattarya Sri Rangesha purohita Srivatsankasutaha Sriman Sreyase Mestu Bhuyase!

He is the purohit to Sri Ranganathan, He is son of Srivatsanka (Koorathazwan).

Bhattar composed a few dhyana sloka introductory to the commentary on Sri Vishnu Sahasranamam

Vande Govinda Taathau Munimatha manavai Lakshmanarya Mahantam

Dhyayeyam Yamunaryam mama hridi tanavai Ramamevabhiyayam

Panchaksham Prekshashiya Prathamamapi munim nathamide satharim

sthoumi preksheya lakshmim sharanamasharanaha sridharam samshreyeyam

... thus extolling the guru parampara.. Govinda Tathau referred to Embar and Koorathazhwan,  So is this conveying same level of importance to both acharyan and father ?  No, here Embar is referred first - first reverence to acharya and then to father.  Here, the importance is to the meaning than the word.  ie artha gauravam vs shabda gauravam.

Lakshmanarya mahantam - obeisance to Swamy Ramanuja and his acharya Peria Nambi

Yamunarya.. Ramamevabhiyayam - obeisance to ALavandar, and to his acharya Ramamisra and Pundarikaksha.

Prathamamapi Munim Nathamide satharim - obeisances to Nathamuni and his acharya Satagopan (Nammazhwar) 

Laskhmim.... Sridharam.... and finally obeisances to Lakshmi and Sridhar.

it is told in arohana kramam ie Embar - Koorathazhwan - Swamy Ramanuja - Peria Nambi - Yamunacharya - Manakkal Nambi - Uyyakondar - Nathamuni - Nammazhwar - xxx - Piratti - Perumal.  Distinct above is the omission of Viswaksenar (denoted by xxx) - but Bhattar composed a separate dhyana sloka for Viswaksenar as below

Om namo Gajavakrathadaih Paarishadhyaih prabhasathe

SriRangarajaSenanye Sutravatya Sameyushe

Salutation to Viswaksena the commandar in chief of Lord Sri Ranga and who rules with his followers such as Gajanana and who is ever with Sutravati (his wife)

Next dhyana sloka to Veda Vyasa

Namo Narayanayedam Krishna dwaipayanatmane

yadamushyayana veda mahabharatapanchamaha

ie Veda vyasa incarnation by Narayana to whom all the vedas and mahabharat the fifth veda belong.

next about himself as a 3rd person

Jaato Lakshmana mishra samshrayadhanat srivatsachinhat rishehe

bhuyo bhattaparashareti phanitaha srirangabharta svayam

srisrirangapatiprasadatrishaya sriranganathahvyaha 

srirangeshvara karito vivrunute namnam sahasram hare:

Inspired by Rangesa and given the title of Parasara Bhatta by Lord Sriranga Himself, I the person name Ranganatha the son of the sage Srivatsanka who ever considered his discipleship under Ramanuja a great treasure - I now proceed to comment on the holy names of Lord Hari with a view to obtain the blessings of Lord Ranganatha and His consort, Sri Lakshmi

Next - naichyanusanthanam about himself by Bhattar

Samsaroayampandito bhagavati prageva bhuyaha kalaou

poornamanyatame jane shrutishiro guhyam bruve saahasath

tatra stotramidam prakashayati yaha stuthyascha yasthavubhau

vyasa karuniko harischa thathidam mourkhyam sahetam mama

in Samsara generally there is great ignorance about the Lord, more so in Kaliyuga. And it is out of foolhardiness that I venture to speak to men who deem themselves perfect of the secret of the Vedanta.  May Vyasa who composed this hymn of praise and the merciful Lord Hari who is the object of praise therein - may they both bear with me for this folly 

and the last slokam 

arthe harim tadhabhi dhayini nama varge

tadh dhvayanjake mayi cha bandhavisheshametya

sevadhvam etadhamritam pranipatya yache

madhyasthamathsarijana iha ma cha bhuvan

I prostrate and pray - please have faith in Lord Hari and the collection of HIs names and fell kindly towards me who attempts to explain the names and drink this nectar.  Let there be no indifference or enmity in the matter.  Bhattar pleads to the shishyas not to be: Madhyasya - neutral and Maathsaryam - without trust on the person ie virodhi.  Please have trust and enjoy the anubhavam.

End of Day 01 (170323)...

Day 02 (180223) - Various references to Nama mahima from shastras to azhwar prabandhams.

So many Rishis have ascribed names to HIM, Bhishmacharya collected them all and made a garland for HIM.

There is a famous verse found in the Vishnu Puran (6.2.17) and also in Padma Puran (Uttar khand 72.25) and the Brihan - naradiya Puran (38.97):

dhyāyan kṛte yajan yajñais
tretāyāṁ dvāpare ’rcayan
yad āpnoti tad āpnoti
kalau saṅkīrtya keśavam

This verse calls out the upayam for each yuga. Meditation in Krita yuga, Performance of sacriificial rituals (yaaga - yagna) in Treta Yuga, Archana to HIS lotus feet in Dwapar and Naama sankeertanam in Kali Yuga.  There is an apparent simplification from Krita to Kali - so does that mean the fruits of the upayam would degrade in value.  No, the above verse clearly sets out that - yad apnoti, tad apnoti.  The same fruit is yielded ie Moksha, vaikunta prapti, Krishna sayujyam.

Nammalwar in x.x.x sang "kedum idaraya ellam kesava enna" in Thiruananthapuram pathigam - the very chanting of "kesava" nama wards off all obstructions and gives the fruits.

Rakshatvam and Bhogyatvam attributable to HIM are equally attributable to HIS sacred names, which emphasises the importance of nama sankeertanam.  Both Sage Valmiki and Sage Kamban have described Hanuman first sighting of Rama without any decoration of jewels etc. and wondered at the beauty of HIS shoulder that was a sight to behold (bhogyam) as well that which protected the deserving (rakshatvam).  

Importance of Vedas and how Vishnu Sahasranama draws its importance from Vedas

generally we ask for evidence for establishing a fact.  Pramana (Evidence) establishes Prameyam.  From PRamanam we understand Prameyam. Pramanam is prama (true) + karanam (knowledge)

Very broadly there are 3 types of proofs that can be relied upon - a) Pratyaksha (perception) b) Anumanam (inference) and c) shabda (word, testimony).  Pratyaksha and Anumanam as proof for Prameyam could be subject to distortion, whereas Shabda pramana (that which cannot be covered by Pratyaksha and anumanam falls in this category) there can be no distortion.  Papa or punya is only through shabda pramanam, and not thorugh pratyaksham and anumanam

A person assesses prameyam by 3 tests - a) whether it is well disposed of or suitable (anukul ie "apeksham" (ie embracing), b) "upeksham" or pratikool ie dismissive and c) upekshete ie neither suitable nor something to be dismissed - totally ignored.

Shastras call out 4 types of purushartha - dharma artha kaama and moksha of which artha and kaama are recognised through pratyaksha and anumanam, whereas dharma and artha are through shabda pramana

of the 4, artha and kaama are inferior due to a) it is alpatvaad very lowly fruits, b) anartha karatvad ie leads away from actual goal and to harmful consequences, c) dukham ie net result is distress d) difficult to obtain, etc and hence these are best given up and it is better to pursue the other two ie dharma and moksham, that showers all benedictions (ananta mangalam) and can be learned through shastras which leads us to truth - para tattva.  these are based on Shabda pramana.  Therefore shastras and their teachings are preferable.  All learned ones in itihasa and purana proclaim in one voice on the importance of shastras as below

"satyam satyam punah satyam uddhritya bhujamuchyate | vedachastram param naasti na deivam kesavatparam ||"

"Truth, this is the truth and again the truth.  This is proclaimed with hands raised that there is no shastra higher than vedas and no God higher than Kesava"

shabda pramana is veda + vedanga.  There are 18 faculties of learning that support Shastras - 4 vedas, 6 vedanga (shiksha, vyakaranam, nirukta, chandas, jyotisham, kalpam) + 8 upanga (nyaya, mimansa, dharma, purana, ayurveda, dhanurvedam, gandharva vedam, artha shastram,)

Importance of Itihasa and Puranas - Vedas purva bhaga is called karma kandam and talks of aradhanam (worship).  Vedas uttar bhaga is called Jnana Kanda or Vedanta or Brahma kanda and talks of the subject of aradhanam.  Both Veda adn Vedantam have upa-brahmanam (or supplement to explanatory notes to the main).  Smriti is the upa-brahmana for Vedas, and Itihasa - purana for Vedantam.  Without Itihas - purana no knowledge of Vedas are possible. 

Padma Purana 1.2.52 says 

itihāsapurāṇābhyāṃ vedaṃ samupabṛṃhayet | bibhetyalpaśrutādvedo māmayaṃ pratariṣyati || 52 ||

Thus the itihas Mahabharat is very important treatise to understanding the pramanam and prameyam. IT is also said, "veda trembles with fear at the sight of ignorant or half-learned persons, thinking "they will betray me" by misinterpretation. of the two, itihasa are more important. Sri Vishnu Sahasranama is from Mahabharat.

6 reasons why Sri Vishnu Sahasranama is foremost in Mahabharat - 1) it the essence of respected Mahabharat, 2) have been sung by great sages 3) has been strung together by the great perceptor of Vedas - Veda Vyasa 4) was expounded by Bheeshmacharya as his excellent creed of faith 5) this was embraced by our elders and 6) contains the truth and the lessons in confirmity with the teachings of Gita.