श्री विष्णु सहस्रनाम् (Shri Vishnu Sahasranamam)

The Chanting of the Bhagavan-nama or the Divine Name has an important place in all the disciplines of the Vedic traditions. The adoration of the Divine by the name takes two forms – Japa and Stotra. Japa is the silent repetition of a single Devine name or of a Mantra. The Stotra, however, is invariably uttered aloud, and it may consist of chanting verses conveying the Glory and attributes of the God. The Sahasranam is perhaps the most popular and the holiest form of Stotras among devotees.

The Word Sahasranama means “Thousand Names”. According to the Vedic tradition there is only one manifestation sound (sabda) indicative of the supreme being (Para-Brahman), and that is called the ‘Om’, as far as the human ears could capture it. Just as that one Para Brahman is adored as manifestation in the form of many Deities, the one name ‘Om’ is indicative of Him, as It takes innumerable sound forms representing Divine attributes and other excellences. Sahasranaam is perhaps the most extensive elaboration of the God’s Names.

Developing the “Inward Concentration” is the main essence of the devotional practice of the ‘Sahasranama’. Even for Great Man like Arjuna it is difficult to the Inward Concentration. In Gita 6.34 Arjuna asks Krishna “The Mind is fickle, turbulent, powerful and unyielding. To control and concentrate is as difficult as controlling the wind itself.” So aspirants walking in the spiritual path are given the practices of varying subtlety for communion with the God. Concentrated Meditation is the highest form of communion, Japa comes next; and the Stotra and external worship come still after. While meditation and Japa can be only done imperfectly by the majority of men, Stotra and external worship can be practiced much more successfully and with greater devotional satisfaction. Hence the importance of Stotra in devotional practice.

A Stotra has Six Characteristics – Salutation, Benediction, Statement of doctrine, Praise of the Deity and his attributes, Description of his valor, forms and deeds, and Prayer. While there are Sahasranama Stotras in praise of most of the Deities of Hindu Pantheon, two of them have attained great popularity and form parts of the devotional programs of the worship of the deities to whom they are related. These are Lalita Sahasranama in praise of the Deity as the Devine Mother and Vishnu Sahasranama in praise of the Lord conceived as Maha Vishnu.

Vishnu sahasranam is a part of the Shanti parva of the Mahabharatha, Tradition says that it was composed by Sanaka, one of the Kumaras (eternally living Youths) and was transmitted to Bishma who recited it in the presence of Lord Sri Krishna to the Pandava Brothers when he was questioned by Yudisthira: Who is that Being who is the supreme Lord of all, who is sole refuge of all and by praising and worshiping whom man gains, what is good and attains to Salvation?” The Thousand names of Maha Vishnu is the answer that Bhisma gives to this enquiry.

Besides its inherent quality, the importance of the stotra has enhanced a hundredfold by the fact no less a personage that the great Sri Adi Shankaracharaya thought it worthwhile to write a commentary on it, expounding the meanings of the various names that find place in it.

The VishnuSahasra naam is the most widely chanted by people in all stations of life. A devotee should daily chant the Upanishad of his Sakha, the Gita, Rudram, Purushasukta and Vishnusahasranam. It is believed that in any case if one is not able to recite all the five on any day, chanting Vishnu Sahsranamam is sufficient.

Vishnusahsranam is open to all, irrespective of Gender, caste, creed. It can be chanted during any time of the day no special rituals are obligatory on one chanting it.

Audio : Sri Sri Tridandi China Jeeyar Swamiji (http://www.chinnajeeyar.org/)

The Nyanyian dari Bhagawan-nama atau Nama Tuhan memiliki tempat yang penting dalam semua disiplin tradisi Veda. Adorasi Ilahi dengan nama mengambil dua bentuk - Japa dan Stotra. Japa adalah pengulangan diam dari nama Devine tunggal atau dari Mantra. The Stotra, bagaimanapun, adalah selalu diucapkan dengan suara keras, dan dapat terdiri dari lantunan ayat-ayat menyampaikan Glory dan atribut dari Allah. The Sahasranam mungkin yang paling populer dan bentuk paling suci Stotras kalangan umat.

Firman Sahasranama berarti “Nama Seribu”. Menurut tradisi Veda hanya ada satu suara manifestasi (sabda) indikasi dari yang tertinggi (Para-Brahman), dan yang disebut ‘Om’, sejauh telinga manusia bisa menangkap itu. Sama seperti yang Brahman salah satu Para dipuja sebagai manifestasi dalam bentuk banyak Dewa, satu nama ‘Om’ merupakan indikasi dari-Nya, sebagai Dibutuhkan bentuk suara tak terhitung mewakili atribut Ilahi dan keunggulan lainnya. Sahasranaam mungkin merupakan elaborasi yang paling luas dari Nama Tuhan.

Mengembangkan “Konsentrasi Inward” adalah esensi utama dari praktek kebaktian dari ‘Sahasranama’. Bahkan untuk Great Man seperti Arjuna sulit untuk Konsentrasi Inward. Dalam Gita 6,34 Arjuna meminta Krishna “Pikiran adalah berubah-ubah, bergolak, kuat dan pantang menyerah. Untuk mengontrol dan konsentrat adalah sesulit mengendalikan angin itu sendiri.”Jadi aspiran berjalan di jalan spiritual diberi praktik dari berbagai kehalusan untuk persekutuan dengan Allah. Terkonsentrasi Meditasi adalah bentuk tertinggi dari persekutuan, Japa datang berikutnya; dan Stotra dan ibadah eksternal datang masih setelah. Sementara meditasi dan Japa dapat hanya dilakukan tidak sempurna oleh sebagian besar pria, Stotra dan ibadah eksternal dapat dipraktekkan jauh lebih berhasil dan dengan kepuasan kebaktian yang lebih besar. Oleh karena itu pentingnya Stotra dalam praktek kebaktian.

Sebuah Stotra memiliki Enam Karakteristik - Salam, Do'a, Pernyataan doktrin, Pujian dari Dewa dan atribut-nya, Deskripsi keberaniannya, bentuk dan perbuatan, dan Doa. Meskipun ada Sahasranama Stotras memuji sebagian besar Dewa Hindu Pantheon, dua dari mereka telah mencapai besar popularitas dan bentuk bagian dari program bhakti dari penyembahan dewa kepada siapa mereka berhubungan. Ini adalah Lalita Sahasranama memuji Ketuhanan sebagai Devine Ibu dan Wisnu Sahasranama memuji Tuhan dipahami sebagai Maha Wisnu.

Vishnu sahasranam adalah bagian dari Shanti parva dari Mahabharatha, Tradisi mengatakan bahwa itu disusun oleh Sanaka, salah satu Kumaras (abadi Pemuda hidup) dan dikirim ke Bishma yang dibacakan di hadapan Tuhan Sri Krishna kepada Pandawa Saudara ketika ia ditanya oleh Yudisthira: Siapa yang Menjadi yang merupakan tertinggi Tuhan dari semua, yang berlindung satunya dari semua dan dengan memuji dan menyembah siapa keuntungan manusia, apa yang baik dan mencapai ke Salvation “Seribu nama Maha Wisnu adalah? jawaban yang Bhisma memberi untuk penyelidikan ini.

Selain kualitas yang melekat, pentingnya Stotra telah ditingkatkan seratus kali lipat oleh fakta tidak kurang seorang tokoh yang besar Sri Adi Shankaracharaya pikir itu berharga untuk menulis komentar di atasnya, menguraikan arti dari berbagai nama yang menemukan tempat di dalamnya.

The VishnuSahasra naam adalah yang paling banyak dinyanyikan oleh orang-orang di semua stasiun hidup. Seorang pemuja harian harus mengucapkan Upanishad dari Sakha nya, Gita, Rudram, Purushasukta dan Vishnusahasranam. Hal ini diyakini bahwa dalam hal apapun jika salah satu tidak mampu membaca semua lima pada setiap hari, nyanyian Wisnu Sahsranamam cukup.

Vishnusahsranam ini terbuka untuk semua, terlepas dari gender, kasta, keyakinan. Hal ini dapat meneriakkan selama setiap saat hari tidak ada ritual khusus yang wajib di salah satu nyanyian itu.

Audio: Sri Sri Tridandi Cina Jeeyar Swamiji (http://www.chinnajeeyar.org/)

The Chanting of the Bhagavan-nama or the Divine Name has an important place in all the disciplines of the Vedic traditions. The adoration of the Divine by the name takes two forms – Japa and Stotra. Japa is the silent repetition of a single Devine name or of a Mantra. The Stotra, however, is invariably uttered aloud, and it may consist of chanting verses conveying the Glory and attributes of the God. The Sahasranam is perhaps the most popular and the holiest form of Stotras among devotees.

The Word Sahasranama means “Thousand Names”. According to the Vedic tradition there is only one manifestation sound (sabda) indicative of the supreme being (Para-Brahman), and that is called the ‘Om’, as far as the human ears could capture it. Just as that one Para Brahman is adored as manifestation in the form of many Deities, the one name ‘Om’ is indicative of Him, as It takes innumerable sound forms representing Divine attributes and other excellences. Sahasranaam is perhaps the most extensive elaboration of the God’s Names.

Developing the “Inward Concentration” is the main essence of the devotional practice of the ‘Sahasranama’. Even for Great Man like Arjuna it is difficult to the Inward Concentration. In Gita 6.34 Arjuna asks Krishna “The Mind is fickle, turbulent, powerful and unyielding. To control and concentrate is as difficult as controlling the wind itself.” So aspirants walking in the spiritual path are given the practices of varying subtlety for communion with the God. Concentrated Meditation is the highest form of communion, Japa comes next; and the Stotra and external worship come still after. While meditation and Japa can be only done imperfectly by the majority of men, Stotra and external worship can be practiced much more successfully and with greater devotional satisfaction. Hence the importance of Stotra in devotional practice.

A Stotra has Six Characteristics – Salutation, Benediction, Statement of doctrine, Praise of the Deity and his attributes, Description of his valor, forms and deeds, and Prayer. While there are Sahasranama Stotras in praise of most of the Deities of Hindu Pantheon, two of them have attained great popularity and form parts of the devotional programs of the worship of the deities to whom they are related. These are Lalita Sahasranama in praise of the Deity as the Devine Mother and Vishnu Sahasranama in praise of the Lord conceived as Maha Vishnu.

Vishnu sahasranam is a part of the Shanti parva of the Mahabharatha, Tradition says that it was composed by Sanaka, one of the Kumaras (eternally living Youths) and was transmitted to Bishma who recited it in the presence of Lord Sri Krishna to the Pandava Brothers when he was questioned by Yudisthira: Who is that Being who is the supreme Lord of all, who is sole refuge of all and by praising and worshiping whom man gains, what is good and attains to Salvation?” The Thousand names of Maha Vishnu is the answer that Bhisma gives to this enquiry.

Besides its inherent quality, the importance of the stotra has enhanced a hundredfold by the fact no less a personage that the great Sri Adi Shankaracharaya thought it worthwhile to write a commentary on it, expounding the meanings of the various names that find place in it.

The VishnuSahasra naam is the most widely chanted by people in all stations of life. A devotee should daily chant the Upanishad of his Sakha, the Gita, Rudram, Purushasukta and Vishnusahasranam. It is believed that in any case if one is not able to recite all the five on any day, chanting Vishnu Sahsranamam is sufficient.

Vishnusahsranam is open to all, irrespective of Gender, caste, creed. It can be chanted during any time of the day no special rituals are obligatory on one chanting it.

Audio : Sri Sri Tridandi China Jeeyar Swamiji (http://www.chinnajeeyar.org/)