Tweet
Why praise your God by RECITING SAHASRA NAAMAM or Asthora?
It is said that the various Yugas have their own unique Dharmas that bestow the same benefits. What can be achieved in one Yuga can be obtained by adopting a different strategy in the other yugas as follows:
KRITA YUGA: Yoga NishTa or Dhyana (Concentrated meditation)
TRETA YUGA: Yagjna (Severe penance and Sacrifice).
It may be noted that we come across several references to Yaagas and Yagjnas in Srimad Valmiki Ramayana.
DVAPARA YUGA: Archana (Intense worship by offering)
We have the story of Arjuna offering flowers in Archana to the Siras (head)
of Lord Siva and how the same were seen at the Paada (feet) of Lord Krishna.
KALI YUGA: Naama
Samkeerthanam (Reciting the names of Bhagavaan) and Daanam
(Gifts to the needy).
The Nama of the Lord is said to be more powerful than the Lord Himself!
We have the story of how Sri Rama had to build a bridge to cross over to Lanka whereas by mere Sri Rama Naama smaraNa, AanjanEya could jump across the vast ocean
Naama Samkeerthanam would transform in due course even a
Non-participant into an avid participant!
Thus, the shortcut to achieve maximum effect with minimum effort, in
Kaliyuga is Naama Samkeerthanam
As per PADMA-PURANA: UTTARKHANDA: Chapter 232. The Raise of Goddess Laksmi:
Lord Shiva said:
He who, being restrained, would devoutly mutter the three names of Visnu, viz. Acyuta, Ananta, Govinda, beginning with Pranava (i.e. Om) and (also) ending with Om, has no fear of death, so also the great fear due to poison, disease and fire. The wise, restrained one, who would mutter the great hymn—the three names—does not have fear of Death; then from where else (can he have it)? Thus with (the muttering of) the three names I drank that poison.
Why praise God by 108 names or 1000 names ?
SB 12.3.51: My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the names of Kṛṣṇa, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.
SB 8.23.16: There may be discrepancies in pronouncing the mantras and observing the regulative principles, and, moreover, there may be discrepancies in regard to time, place, person and paraphernalia. But when Your Lordship’s holy name is chanted, everything becomes faultless.
He who sings the thousand names of Vasudeva, With utmost devotion, After he rises in the morn, With a mind tied in Him always, Will get fame without fail, Will be first in what he does, Will get riches that last, Would attain salvation from these bonds, Will never be afraid of anything, Will be bubbling with vim and valour, Will not get any ills, Will be handsome forever, Will have all the virtues in this wide world, And he who is ill will get cured, He who is bound will be free, He who is afraid, will get rid of fear, He who is in danger, will be safe.
( Sri Vishnu Sahasranama)
One wonders why 108 Namas instead of some other number like 10 or 28 or100 are used in daily archanaa.
Insights from Maha Bhaaratham:
“The seeker prays for peace of mind through out the year of 12 months from the disturbances created by the three qualities (Satthva, Rajas and Tamas and the three (Samsaaric) afflictions (i. physical, ii. accidental & naturalcatastrophes and iii. spiritual omprotection / rakshanam from all these obstacles.
Now the question comes to one's mind:
Who gave these naamas?
Maharishis gave these namas and mainly by Vedav Vyasa. These are from Mahabharata, Ramayana and from major and minor puranas. This Archana worship is from Agama Sastras.
Vishnu Sahasranama, Mahabharata, Anushasana Parva, Chapter 149, Verse 13.
Bhisma said,
'yaani namani gaunani vikhyatani mahatmanah
rsibhih parigitani tani vaksyami bhutaye'
'All those names are derived from His attributes, secret and well-known, of the high-souled Vasudeva which were sung by Rishis. I shall recite for the good of all'
Names are the attributes of the supreme divinity!
Names and mantras are Sadhana, a vehicle to cross the samsara saharam. A ladder or boat are not final destination.
Journey is beyond that!
Why we have to recite them?
The Vedic concept of God is omniscient, omnipotent, a formless absolute entity manifesting itself in phenomenal world of names and forms. The Agama which is a part of Tantra regards God as a personal deity with recognizable forms and attributes.
The Agama shastras are based in the belief that the divinity can be approached in two ways. It can be viewed as nishkala, formless – absolute; or as sakala having specific aspects.
The Vedanta ideals of the absolute, attribute- less and limit-less universal consciousness evolved as refinements of those Vedic concepts. In practice common people worshipped variety of gods in variety of ways for variety of reasons. They are relevant in the context of each ones idea of needs and aspirations; fears and hopes; safety and prosperity; and, the pleasures and pains.
Nishkala is all-pervasive and is neither explicit nor is it visible. It is analogues, as the Agama texts explain, to the oil in the sesame-seed, fire in the fuel, butter in milk, and scent in flower. It is in human as antaryamin, the inner guide. It has no form and is not apprehended by sense organs, which includes mind.
Sakala, on the other hand, is explicit energy like the fire that has emerged out of the fuel, oil extracted out of the seed, butter that floated to the surface after churning milk or like the fragrance that spreads and delights all. That energy can manifest itself in different forms and humans can approach those forms through appropriate means.
The Agamas recognize that means as the ARCHA, the worship methods unique to each form of energy-manifestation or divinity.
Only by telling His attributes we can somehow visualise a part.
Bhagavan, which in Sanskrit means "possessing bhaga (Divine Glory)".
It is said by Naradha in his sambhashana that Sri adisesha could not tell or even list all the infinite kalyana gunas (attributes) of the Lord with all his 1000 heads (1000 mouths) even after a lapse of 1000 of years of non stop rendering.
Sahasranama and Astottara shata Namavali represent some of the Kalyana Gunas and these were selected by Rishis.
I offer all that I do, to my beloved God:
Whatever I do with my body, Whatever I do with my mind, Whatever I do with my brain, Whatever I do with my soul, And whatever I do with natures help!
Ohm that is the truth
May God Bless All and let there be peace everywhere.
Soures: Various sites
This post is only for sharing knowledge only, no intention to violate any copy rights
It is said that the various Yugas have their own unique Dharmas that bestow the same benefits. What can be achieved in one Yuga can be obtained by adopting a different strategy in the other yugas as follows:
KRITA YUGA: Yoga NishTa or Dhyana (Concentrated meditation)
TRETA YUGA: Yagjna (Severe penance and Sacrifice).
It may be noted that we come across several references to Yaagas and Yagjnas in Srimad Valmiki Ramayana.
DVAPARA YUGA: Archana (Intense worship by offering)
We have the story of Arjuna offering flowers in Archana to the Siras (head)
of Lord Siva and how the same were seen at the Paada (feet) of Lord Krishna.
KALI YUGA: Naama
Samkeerthanam (Reciting the names of Bhagavaan) and Daanam
(Gifts to the needy).
The Nama of the Lord is said to be more powerful than the Lord Himself!
We have the story of how Sri Rama had to build a bridge to cross over to Lanka whereas by mere Sri Rama Naama smaraNa, AanjanEya could jump across the vast ocean
Naama Samkeerthanam would transform in due course even a
Non-participant into an avid participant!
Thus, the shortcut to achieve maximum effect with minimum effort, in
Kaliyuga is Naama Samkeerthanam
As per PADMA-PURANA: UTTARKHANDA: Chapter 232. The Raise of Goddess Laksmi:
Lord Shiva said:
He who, being restrained, would devoutly mutter the three names of Visnu, viz. Acyuta, Ananta, Govinda, beginning with Pranava (i.e. Om) and (also) ending with Om, has no fear of death, so also the great fear due to poison, disease and fire. The wise, restrained one, who would mutter the great hymn—the three names—does not have fear of Death; then from where else (can he have it)? Thus with (the muttering of) the three names I drank that poison.
Why praise God by 108 names or 1000 names ?
SB 12.3.51: My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the names of Kṛṣṇa, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.
SB 8.23.16: There may be discrepancies in pronouncing the mantras and observing the regulative principles, and, moreover, there may be discrepancies in regard to time, place, person and paraphernalia. But when Your Lordship’s holy name is chanted, everything becomes faultless.
He who sings the thousand names of Vasudeva, With utmost devotion, After he rises in the morn, With a mind tied in Him always, Will get fame without fail, Will be first in what he does, Will get riches that last, Would attain salvation from these bonds, Will never be afraid of anything, Will be bubbling with vim and valour, Will not get any ills, Will be handsome forever, Will have all the virtues in this wide world, And he who is ill will get cured, He who is bound will be free, He who is afraid, will get rid of fear, He who is in danger, will be safe.
( Sri Vishnu Sahasranama)
One wonders why 108 Namas instead of some other number like 10 or 28 or100 are used in daily archanaa.
Insights from Maha Bhaaratham:
“The seeker prays for peace of mind through out the year of 12 months from the disturbances created by the three qualities (Satthva, Rajas and Tamas and the three (Samsaaric) afflictions (i. physical, ii. accidental & naturalcatastrophes and iii. spiritual omprotection / rakshanam from all these obstacles.
Now the question comes to one's mind:
Who gave these naamas?
Maharishis gave these namas and mainly by Vedav Vyasa. These are from Mahabharata, Ramayana and from major and minor puranas. This Archana worship is from Agama Sastras.
Vishnu Sahasranama, Mahabharata, Anushasana Parva, Chapter 149, Verse 13.
Bhisma said,
'yaani namani gaunani vikhyatani mahatmanah
rsibhih parigitani tani vaksyami bhutaye'
'All those names are derived from His attributes, secret and well-known, of the high-souled Vasudeva which were sung by Rishis. I shall recite for the good of all'
Names are the attributes of the supreme divinity!
Names and mantras are Sadhana, a vehicle to cross the samsara saharam. A ladder or boat are not final destination.
Journey is beyond that!
Why we have to recite them?
The Vedic concept of God is omniscient, omnipotent, a formless absolute entity manifesting itself in phenomenal world of names and forms. The Agama which is a part of Tantra regards God as a personal deity with recognizable forms and attributes.
The Agama shastras are based in the belief that the divinity can be approached in two ways. It can be viewed as nishkala, formless – absolute; or as sakala having specific aspects.
The Vedanta ideals of the absolute, attribute- less and limit-less universal consciousness evolved as refinements of those Vedic concepts. In practice common people worshipped variety of gods in variety of ways for variety of reasons. They are relevant in the context of each ones idea of needs and aspirations; fears and hopes; safety and prosperity; and, the pleasures and pains.
Nishkala is all-pervasive and is neither explicit nor is it visible. It is analogues, as the Agama texts explain, to the oil in the sesame-seed, fire in the fuel, butter in milk, and scent in flower. It is in human as antaryamin, the inner guide. It has no form and is not apprehended by sense organs, which includes mind.
Sakala, on the other hand, is explicit energy like the fire that has emerged out of the fuel, oil extracted out of the seed, butter that floated to the surface after churning milk or like the fragrance that spreads and delights all. That energy can manifest itself in different forms and humans can approach those forms through appropriate means.
The Agamas recognize that means as the ARCHA, the worship methods unique to each form of energy-manifestation or divinity.
Only by telling His attributes we can somehow visualise a part.
Bhagavan, which in Sanskrit means "possessing bhaga (Divine Glory)".
It is said by Naradha in his sambhashana that Sri adisesha could not tell or even list all the infinite kalyana gunas (attributes) of the Lord with all his 1000 heads (1000 mouths) even after a lapse of 1000 of years of non stop rendering.
Sahasranama and Astottara shata Namavali represent some of the Kalyana Gunas and these were selected by Rishis.
I offer all that I do, to my beloved God:
Whatever I do with my body, Whatever I do with my mind, Whatever I do with my brain, Whatever I do with my soul, And whatever I do with natures help!
Ohm that is the truth
May God Bless All and let there be peace everywhere.
Soures: Various sites
This post is only for sharing knowledge only, no intention to violate any copy rights