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Vaamana PuraaNa cleverly brands Sriman NarayaNa as the known dacoit (KD)! What

does he steal? He steals the insurmountable burden of our sins accumulated over

several lives, the moment he hears our

mentioning his name.

"NarayaNO naama narO naraaNaam, prasiddha chowrah kathitha prithivyaam/

anEka janma aarjita papa sanchayam harati arishTaan sruta maatramEva//"

Hari gets his name from "Harir Harati Paapaani!"

6. What do these 1000 names signify?

Each one of these 1000 names points to a particular quality of Bhagavaan.

Let us see a few examples:

- GajEndra, when caught by the crocodile cried out Aadhi moolamE, none other

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deity could boast of a claim to that honorific and it was Lord NarayaNa who sent

his Chakra to save the pachyderm by cutting the

throat of the crocodile like an expert surgeon taking care to see that the foot

of GajEndra was not affected! It was thus the "name" that really saved GajEndra!

- Draupadi while she was about to be disrobed, cried aloud the name of the Lord as

GOvindaa, The "dooravaasi" that he was, he did NOT appear in person. But, it was

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his "name" that saved her honor.

In fact, Lord KrishNa regretted later saying:

Her cry wrenched my heart so deep and I feel eternally indebted to her like an

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unsatisfied debt that carried usurious rate of interest

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"GOvindaa! Iti yat aakraandat krishNa maam doora vaasinam RiNa pravruttamiva mE

hridayaat na apasarpati"

- Sri AnjanEya crossed the ocean by merely reciting the "Name" of Sri Rama whereas

Sri Rama had to physiaclly build a bridge to cross over to Lanka. Thus, Rama

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naamam proved more powerful than

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Sri Rama himself!

Thus, every single name of the Lord exhibited his unique quality of

accessibility and compassion (Soulabhyam and Souseelyam)

That is why,these naamas denoting qualities were praised by one and all

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Celestials, Parama Rishis, Azhwaars, AndaaL and many others and secured instant

relief

Yaani naamaani gouNaani vikhyaataani mahaatmana:/ Rishibhi: pari geetaani taani

vakshyaami bhootayE//

7. Commentaries on Sri VishNu Sahasra naamam

There are over 40 commentaries of Sri VishNu Sahasranaamam.

Adhi Sankara, the earliest to commentator based his work on the Advaita philosophy

according to which only "NirguNa Brahmam" (Paramaatma without qualities) was real

and others were mere illusion.

Sri Paraasara BhaTTar, a disciple of Bhagavad Ramanuja based his commentary on

VisishTaadvaita philosophy according to which the Paramaatma and the Jeevatmas

were both real and Paramaatma being

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SaguNa Brahmam is having all auspicious qualities like Souseelyam and Soulabhyam

and was prepared to suspend his Paratvam and subordinate his Supramacy to the

dicatates of his sincere devotees.

The Madhva Saint Satyasanda Yatiswara commented based on Dvaita philosophy.

Besides the above Sri NilakanTar, Sri VidyaaraNyar and many others also wrote

commentaries according to their own view points.

These commentaries are complementary and NOT contradictory. We thus have a

cornucopia of delectable fare that presents different facets of the qualities of

Bhagavaan to delight our intellect.

8. Aadi Sankaras Advice

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Aadhi Sankara in his Bhaja GOvindam advises that it is Bhagavad Gita and Sri

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VishNu Sahasranaamam that should be sung, and the person to be constantly

meditated upon is none other than the Svaroopam

of Sriya: pathi (Consort of Mahaalakshmi)

gEyam gitaa naama sahasram dhyEyam Sreepathi roopam ajasram

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9. Why Sankara wrote commentary on VishNu Sahasranaamam?

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The story goes that after completing his commentaries on Brahma Sutram,

Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita (called Prastaana Trayam) he desired to write a

commentary on Lalitaa Sahasranaamam and asked his

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disciple to bring that book from his personal library. When he opened the book,

it was NOT the one on Lalitaa but was on Lord VishNu. He sent him back but

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again the disciple brought another copy of

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Sri VishNu Sahasranaamam and told him that a spinster ordered him to take only

this book. When Sankara went in to check, she had disappeared. He took it as an

order of Lalitaa (His aardahaka

dEvata) that he should write commentary on VishNu.

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Thus, the word Sahasranaamam even when it isstand alone came to mean

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exclusively Sri VishNu Sahasranaamam

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10. Can women recite Sahasranaamam?

This is a FAQ that has been raised and answered a million times. The prohibition

relates only to the recital of Vedas because they are required to be practiced

without break during the years of adhyayanam in

Gurukulam extending to several years and women being subject to biological

disabilities would not be able to do so, they were EXEMPTED from recital of Vedas;

It is NOT correct to say that they were prohibited.

They are, however, advised to read Itihaasas and PuraaNas that explain the purport

of the Vedas. Mahaabhaarata is an Itihaasa. Bhagavad Gita and Sahasranaamam are

integral part of this Itihaasa.

So, there appears to be no such restrictions in reciting them There is a SlOkam

that permits this:

Sthree Soodra Dvija bhandoonaam trayee na sruti gOcharaa:/

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iti Bhaaratam aakhyaanam kripayaa muninaa kritam//

(Vide page 29 Sri VishNu Sahasra naama StOtram by Keezhaatur

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