Sri Vishnu Sahasranama : A Remedy That Brings A Thousand and More Benefits
Sri Vishnu Sahasranama meaning a thousand names of Lord Vishnu is one of the most popular and powerful prayer in praise of Lord Vishnu. Each name is a unique quality of the supreme lord and bestows many benefits including name, fame, wealth, health, beauty, victory, freedom, happiness, knowledge and an all round growth. It takes away all obstacles and kills diseases, suffering and pain of all kinds. It can also bring about an end to the cycle of life and death.
Each recitation and mediation brings about a positive change in one’s consciousness and gives peace of mind. A joy starts flows from inside.
The Sri Vishnu Sahasranam is found in the Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva, Section 149, verses 14 to 120, and authored by Srila Vyasadeva. Many devotees chant this everyday; if this is not convenient they perform this at least on their birthdays, on eclipse days and on the day which sun moves from one zodiac sign to another.
At the end of Kurukshetra War King Yuddhishtra went to his grandsire Bhishma who was laying on a death bed of arrows to gain his lifetime’s knowledge and experience. During the conversation (Anusasana Parva, Section 149, verses 14 to 120) he posed these questions –
Who may be said to be the one god in the world?
Who is the one refuge of all?
By glorifying and worshiping whom, can people attain peace and prosperity?
What is, in your opinion, the greatest Dharma – one’s true nature?
By doing Japa of what, can creature go beyond the bonds and cycle of birth and death?
Bhishma responded by reciting these one thousand names of Lord Vishnu and reminded him that either by meditating on these names or by invoking the names through archana (Offering), our minds can be lifted to higher consciousness.
By chanting Vishnusahasranama everyday, we can ward off all the obstacles of life and live a peaceful life.