Sloka 10:Vishnu Sahasranamam: Jagat

In the previous post, we saw Slokas 8 and 9 together. We saw that Yudhishtra asks several questions to Bhishma. We also stated that these questions constitute the most fundamental religious questions. In this and subsequent posts, we shall see how Bhishma replies. Bhishma enters into a monologue. Bhishma's reply begins from sloka 10 and ends at sloka 22. Given the depth of meaning in these slokas, we will devote a post to each sloka. This post discusses sloka 10.

There is another aspect regarding the structure of Vishnu Sahasranamam, which is worth noting here. The first sloka (śuklāṁbaradharaṁ viṣṇuṁ) (here and here) till the sixth sloka (yasya smaraṇamātreṇa) (here) are not a part of the Anushasana Parva of Mahabharata. These slokas constitute the Purvabhaga or the Prologue to the Vishnu Sahasranamam. It is only from Sloka 7 (here) that Vishnu Sahasranamam as in the Mahabharata begins. Although Slokas 7 to 22 are strictly not a part of the Sahasranama (thousand names), they constitute a prelude to the Sahasranama. Nevertheless, in line with tradition, the numbering of the Slokas in this series of posts (here) begins from śuklāṁbaradharaṁ viṣṇuṁ and continues till the end. 

Sloka 10

Transliteration

śrī bhīṣma uvāca

jagatprabhuṁ devadevamanaṁtaṁ puruṣōttamam |

stuvannāmasahasreṇa puruṣaḥ satatōtthitaḥ || 10  

Meaning

The supreme ("uttamam") Purusha, who is ever up and working for the welfare of all, the Lord ("prabhum") of the world ("jagat") the endless ("anantam") – Sri Maha Vishnu.

Commentary

Slokas 10-22 are important because Bhishma replies to those fundamental questions thast Yudhishtra asks. The importance of Bhishma and his answers, which is what Vishnu Sahasranamam is about, has been aptly summed by Parasara Bhattar, the great Vaishnavite commentator of Vishnu Sahasranamam. Prof. A Srinivasa Raghavan, the translator of Bhattar's work states so of the six reasons:

"1. It is the essence of Mahabharata which is a mine of good things.

2. It has been sung by several sages in many places.

3. It has been strung together by the great sage Vyasa.

4. It is considered the opinion of Bhishma that it is the best and easiest of all Dharmas.

5. It is accepted by all that it is the easiest and most important successful means for the attainment of all fruits.

6. It is in conformity with the teachings of Bhagavad Gita and other religious texts."

(Prof. A. Srinivasa Raghavan, Sri Vishnu Sahasranama: with the Bhashya of Sri Parasara Bhattar, p. II-III- "ASR", for short)

jagatprabhu: the lord of the world

devadeva: the god of gods

ananta: eternal, boundless, eternal, infinite

purushottama: the highest being/ Supreme Spirit

stuvan: praising

nama: name

sahasrena: by a thousand

satatam: continuously

Readers may recollect that in the eighth and the ninth slokas, Yudhishtra poses six questions, which are listed below:

"1. Which is the Supreme Deity?

2. Which is the highest goal?

3. Which is the deity that is to be worshipped?

4. Which is the deity whose name has to be chanted?

5. Which is the greatest Dharma?

6. Which is the means that will bring about release from Bondage?" [ASR, p. III]. 

Bhishma does not answer the question in the same order in which Yudhishtra poses the questions. Commentators suggest that Bhishma answers the questions almost in reverse order. He answers the sixth question first, moves on to the fourth, then the third and then the fifth, the second and, lastly, the first- 6-4-3-5-2-1.

For the sixth question, Bhishma answers: "The chanting of the names of Sri Krishna , who is the Supreme Deity and Purushottama, should be done for obtaining release from bondage." [ASR, p. III]

Sloka 8 & 9: Vishnu Sahasranamam

In the previous post, we saw the questions raised by Yudhishtra in the eighth sloka on the Supreme Being. Yudhishtra asks: "Who is the One Supreme Being which the Scriptures declare? What is the one Supreme Goal which should be sought ? By the recitation of what mantra is a person released from the bonds of repeated birth and death? Which in your opinion is the highest form of religion?" (translation by Pandit U.Ve. Sri Rama Ramanuja Achari). In the ninth sloka, Yudhishtra continues with his questions. As we stated in the previous post, the 8th and the 9th slokas represent the fundamental questions on the purpose of life for every Hindu. Hence, the previous post and the present post are combined in the form of a single post so that the meaning of both the slokas become clear.

Slokas 8 and 9: Text 

Transliteration

śrī yudhiṣṭhira uvāca 

kimekaṁ daivataṁ lōke kiṁ vāpyekaṁ parāyaṇaṁ | 

stuvaṁtaḥ kaṁ kamarcaṁtaḥ prāpnuyurmānavāḥ śubham || 8 ||

kō dharmaḥ sarvadharmāṇāṁ bhavataḥ paramō mataḥ |

kiṁ japanmucyate jaṁturjanmasaṁsārabaṁdhanāt || 9 ||

Meaning:

Yudhishthira asked:

In this wide world, Oh Grandpa,

Which is that one God,

Who is the only shelter?

Who is He whom,

Beings worship and pray,

And get salvation great?

Who is He who should oft,

Be worshipped with love?

Which Dharma is so great,

There is none greater?

And which is to be oft chanted,

To get free.

From these bondage of life, cruel? (Swami Krishnananda)

Another Meaning

Yudhisthira said:— Who is the One Supreme Being which the Scriptures declare? What is the one Supreme Goal which should be sought ? By the recitation of what mantra is a person released from the bonds of repeated birth and death? Which in your opinion is the highest form of religion?

What spiritual path is that, which according to thy judgment is the foremost of all paths? What are those mantras by reciting which a being becomes freed from the bonds of birth and death? (Pandit U.Ve. Sri Rama Ramanuja Achari)

Commentary

(from the previous post on the 8th sloka): In the 8th and the 9th Slokas, Yudhishtra ask certain questions, which the Hindus regard as the fundamental questions regarding the purpose of life and how to pursue it. Since Vishnu Sahasranamam, through Bhishma, answers these questions, the Sahasranama is one of the most important works for a Hindu. You would hear the Sahasranamam being played in the morning in every Hindu home. The purpose of this is to be reminded of the answers to these fundamental questions.

Yudhishtra first starts of with THE question: "Who is the One Supreme Being which the Scriptures declare?". Thereafter, he asks what should the ultimate purpose of life or goal of a person be? "What is the one Supreme Goal which should be sought?" He then asks: "By the recitation of what mantra is a person released from the bonds of repeated birth and death?". Yudhishtra, knowing the multitude of paths towards gods, through different religions, sects, practices, etc., and the consequent confusions that ensue, asks: "Which in your opinion is the highest form of religion?".

He asks Bhishma's advice on what spiritual path is that which is the foremost of all paths. He also asks what mantras free a person from the bonds of birth and death.

These questions constitute the fundamental purpose of the Hindu philosophies and are the gateway to a spiritual life. 

Sloka 8 and Further Explanation on Sloka 7

 Readers of the last post would recollect that the seventh post starts with what Vaisampayana says: Having heard about dharma and acts of purification, Yudhishthira, to Bhῑsma (son of Śantanu) spoke once again. What Yudhistra states forms the subject of this post. But from the perspective of Vishnu Sahasramanam, the first six slokas are not a part of the Mahabharata but are recited as a matter of practice. The Anushasana Parva of the Mahabharata begins from the seventh Sloka, which we say in the previous post.

Sloka 8: Text

śrī yudhiṣṭhira uvāca 

kimekaṁ daivataṁ lōke kiṁ vāpyekaṁ parāyaṇaṁ | 

stuvaṁtaḥ kaṁ kamarcaṁtaḥ prāpnuyurmānavāḥ śubham || 8 ||

Meaning

Yudhishthira asked:
In this wide world, Oh Grandpa,
Which is that one God,
Who is the only shelter?
Who is He whom,
Beings worship and pray,
And get salvation great?

(Swami Krishnanda)

Another Meaning

Yudhisthira said:— Who is the One Supreme Being which the Scriptures declare? What is the one Supreme Goal which should be sought ? By the recitation of what mantra is a person released from the bonds of repeated birth and death? Which in your opinion is the highest form of religion? (Pandit U.Ve. Sri Rama Ramanuja Achari)

Comment

In the 8th and the 9th Slokas, Yudhishtra ask certain questions, which the Hindus regard as the fundamental questions regarding the purpose of life and how to pursue it. Since Vishnu Sahasranamam, through Bhishma, answers these questions, the Sahasranama is one of the most important works for a Hindu. You would hear the Sahasranamam being played in the morning in every Hindu home. The purpose of this is to be reminded of the answers to these fundamental questions.

kim: who

ekaṁ: greatest/ supreme

daivatam: Lord

lōke: in the world 

parāyaṇaṁ: literally, chief object but here refers to shelter

stuvaṁtaḥ: by praising/ glorifying

kaṁ: whom 

kamarcaṁtaḥ: worship

prāpnuyur: attain

mānavāḥ: beings 

śubham: peace and prosperity 

The important thing about the Vishnu Sahasranamam is that when Yudhishtra asks these questions and Bhishma answers it, Lord Krishna listens to it. More on what Yudhishtra says in the next post.

Tamil Explanation:

தர்மபுத்திரர் கூறியது:

உலகில் காணப்படும் வேதம் முதலான எல்லா நூல்களிலிலும் கூறப்படும் ஒன்றேயான தெய்வம் எது?

ஒன்றேயான புகலிடம் எது?

எவரை துதித்து மனிதர்கள் உயர் நலம் அடைவார்கள்?

எவரை அர்ச்சித்து உலகோர் எல்லா இன்பங்களையும் அடைவார்கள்?

Vishnu Sahasranama: Sloka 7: śrutvā dharmānaśeṣeṇa

Sloka 7: text

śrī vaiśaṁpāyana uvāca
śrutvā dharmānaśeṣeṇa pāvanāni ca sarvaśaḥ |
yudhiṣṭhiraḥ śāṁtanavaṁ punarevābhyabhyāṣata || 7 ||

Meaning

Sri Vaisampayana said:
After hearing a lot,
About Dharma that carries life,
And of those methods great,
That removes sins from ones life,
For ever and to cleanse,
Yudhishtra asked again,
Bheeshma, the abode of everlasting peace. (Swami Krishnananda)

Another Meaning

Having heard about dharma and acts of purification, Yudhishthira, to Bhῑsma (son of Śantanu) spoke once again.

Comment

Sri Vaisampayana, the narrator of Mahabharata is an important sage of Hinduism. Veda Vyasa had taught Krishna Yajur Veda to Sri vaisampayana. Sri Vaisampayana is also regarded as the first author to expand the Mahabharata from the original 8000 verses it had to 24000 verses.

śrutvā: after hearing
dharmāna: about dharma
aśeṣeṇa: in detail
pāvanāni: that which purifies
ca: connector (and)
sarvaśaḥ: in all respects
yudhiṣṭhiraḥ: Yudhishtra
śāṁtanavaṁ: Bhishma (Shantanu was Bihishma's father)
punarevābhya: once again the same thing

The seventh sloka is an important sloka because it is the prelude to one of the most important slokas in the Vishnusahasranamam, the eighth sloka where Yudhishtra raises certain important questions. More on the eighth sloka in another post. 

Kural 579: Being Considerate as the Highest Virtue

Kural

ஒறுத்தாற்றும் பண்பினார் கண்ணும்கண் ணோடிப்

பொறுத்தாற்றும் பண்பே தலை. (579)

Transliteration 

"oRuththaatrum paNpinaar kaNNumkaN Noatip

poRuththaatrum paNpae thalai" (source)

Translation

"To smile on those that vex, with kindly face,

Enduring long, is most excelling grace." (source)

Meaning 

Being considerate and bear with even to those who vex us is the highest virtue.

Comment

Kural 579 of Tirukkural comes under the chapter 58 (அதிகாரம்), titled "Kannottam" கண்ணோட்டம்), which literally means "glance" but refers to considerateness or sympathy in this context.

ஒறுத்தாற்றும் (oRuththaatrum) can be divided into ஒறுத்து (oRuththu) and ஆற்றும் (aatrum). ஒறுத்து (oRuththu) is derived from the root ஒறு (oRu) which means punish/ blame/ vex. Parimelazhagar comments on the kural by using ஒறுக்கு instead of  ஒறுத்து. ஒறுக்கு means to roast. 

ஒறுத்தாற்றும் (oRuththaatrum) means "vexing".  பண்பினார் (PaNpinaar) refers to "those with character". ஒறுத்தாற்றும் பண்பினார் (oRuththaatrum paNpinaar) are those with vexing character or those who vex others. கண்ணும்  (kaNNum ) roughly means even towards. Its root is  கண் (kaN). The phrase ஒறுத்தாற்றும் பண்பினார் கண்ணும் oRuththaatrum paNpinaar kaNNum means "even towards those with vexing character".

கண்ணோட்டம் (KaNNottam) means considerateness/ kindness. பொறுத்தாற்றும் like ஒறுத்தாற்றும் can be divided into பொறுத்து and ஆற்றும் (aatrum). பொறுத்து is being patient. பொறுத்தாற்றும் is "being patient". பண்பு is virtue or character. தலை (thalai) literally is head but in Tirukkural it is means "what is chief". கண்ணோடிப் பொறுத்தாற்றும் பண்பு (kaNNotip poRuththaatrum paNbu) refers to the virtue of being considerate and patient.

The kural can translated in simple as follows: being considerate and bearing with even to those who vex us is the highest virtue. 

The kural comes under the Part, "arathupaal" (அறத்துப்பால்), which deals with wealth and welfare aspects. Chapters 53 to 63 of Tirukkual relate to norms of good governance, cherishing kith and kin, humanism and so on. The adhigaram applies equally to rulers (and officials) and to individuals but considering the placement of the kural, it seems to target the ruling class. While many translators such as Manakkudavar, Namakkal Kavignar, Ilakkuvanar, Tirukkuralar Munisami, Drew & Lazarus, have translated the kural in such a way that it is addressed to an individual, Parimelazhagar's translation of the kural addresses the kural to rulers and officials. Parimelazhagar refers to "the highest virtue of rulers" (அரசர்க்கு தலையாய இயல்பாவது).  

Drinking Alcohol is Uncool!

A friend's dad recently passed away due to a smoking related disease. Most of the guys in the previous generation thought smoking was cool and are now paying the price. In the same way, the present generation thinks drinking alcohol is being cool and a teetotaler is considered uncool and a "pazham". Well, please know that drinking alcohol is totally uncool. If you think otherwise, all you would be doing by continuing to drink alcohol is you will make your spouse and children immensely suffer in a decade or two. So stop drinking!

And if you happen to have a friend who's a teetotaler and you're on your way pestering him to drink, please stop doing it. You are doing no good to him; you're not being a friend.

I am lucky that way. During my college days, there is probably not a bar in Mangalore that I had not visited with friends. Yet, not once have my friends suggested that I should taste alcohol. Once, an acquaintance asked me to drink and all my friends were pretty pissed off at him for asking me to drink. I am so proud of my friends that I keep telling about them to everyone.

Friendship is not just about enjoying and having a good time together. It is about ensuring that your friend always goes a step ahead in life. It is fine if you cannot help him or her; at least don't shove him down the rabbit hole.

Vishnu Sahasranamam: Sloka 6: Yasya Smarana Maathrena

Sloka 6: Text

yasya smaraṇamātreṇa janmasaṁsārabaṁdhanāt |

vimucyate namastasmai viṣṇave prabhaviṣṇave || 6 ||

ōṁ namō viṣṇave prabhaviṣṇave ||

Meaning

Bow I before Him,

The all-powerful Vishnu,

The mere thought of whom.

Releases one forever,

Of the ties of birth and life.

Bow I before the all powerful Vishnu.

(Swami Krishnanda)

"My salutation to that all powerful deity, Visnu the mere contemplation of whose name frees all persons from the bonds of samsara, the terrific cycle of birth and death." (link)

Comment

Yasya: to be endeavoured

smaraṇa: the act of remembering

mātreṇa: merely

smaraṇamātreṇa: the mere contemplation

janma: birth

samsāra: cycle of birth and death

bandhanāt: from the material bondage

The term bandhanāt also appears in Canto 3 verse 23.57 of Srimad Bhagavadam where it is stated:

sāhaṁ bhagavato nūnaṁ

vañcitā māyayā dṛḍham

yat tvāṁ vimuktidaṁ prāpya

na mumukṣeya bandhanāt

which means: "My lord, surely I have been solidly cheated by the insurmountable illusory energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for in spite of having obtained your association, which gives liberation from material bondage, I did not seek such liberation."

vimucyate: becomes freed/ liberated

namastasmai: Salutations to him

viṣṇave: All-pervading Lord Vishnu

prabhaviṣṇave: to Lord Viṣṇu, the most powerful

ōṁ namō viṣṇave prabhaviṣṇave: I bow before the all powerful Lord Vishnu

This is the last sloka of the Purvabhagam which does not figure out in Mahabharata. As said in the previous post, this sloka is also a salutation to Lord Vishnu. The previous sloka speaks of the nature of the Lord while this one is about why contemplation of the Lord's name is necessary: it releases one from the bonds of birth and death (samsara).