VISNU SAHASRA-NAMA-II

"Of that Visnu, the Lord of the universe, the foremost in the world, listen from me, O King, the one-thousand names that will remove all sin and fear.

"For the good of all, I shall recite the names of the great Being that are expressive of His attributes, are famous, and are greatly praised by the sages.

yatah sarvani bhutani bhavantyadiyugagame,

yasmimsca pralayam yanti punareva yuga ksaye

tasya loka-pradhanasya jagannathasya bhupate,

visnor-namasahasram me srnu papa- bhayapaham

yani namani gaunani vikhyani mahatmanah

rsibhih parigitani tani vaksyami bhutaye

Bhisma gave extensive instruction to Yudhisthira on dharma, lying on the bed of arrows set up by Arjuna, and awaiting the uttarayana for departing from his body. Yudhisthira listened to the secrets of dharma, as expounded by his grand-sire, quite attentively and with utmost devotion. Still, he had a feeling that the means to the purusartha (human goal) in its entirety-the means which is easy to practice, which would involve the least effort, but would yield the greatest fruit - had not yet been disclosed.1

1. Sri Sankara: sakala-purusartha sadhanam sukhasampadyam alpa-prayasam analpa-phalam anuktam iti krtva punah…prasnam krtavan.

[ Back ] [ Visnu Sahasra-Nama ]