Sri Bharatamata

Ashtottaram 61

 

61) OṀ SAHASRANĀMA DE'VĀRĊITA- 

                                                -BHŨMYAINAMAH:

 OṀ (AUM) - SA-HA-SRA- NAA-MA- DE' -VAAR-CHI-TA- BHOO- MYAI- NA-- MA- HA

 

 

(Sahasranāmam: means-hymns containing one thousand or infinite names;

Devārċita: means-worshipping the deities)

 

 

With how many names you call Him, worship Him, and praise Him with hymns the Only God, who is Omniscient, Omnipresent and Omnipotent; they are going to fall short before Him. The chanting of the nāma or the divine name has an important place in the disciplines prescribed by the Bhakti schools of Vedānta like those of Rāmaanuja, Madhva, and Ċaitanya. In fact, this tradition goes so far as to declare that the nāma (the name) and the nāmin (the one who is named, i.e, God) are identical. This adoration of God by the divine name assumes two forms: japa and stotra. In japa, the name of God (or even a long formula) has to be silently repeated. The stotra, however, is invariably uttered aloud. It may consist in chanting verses conveying the form, glory, pastimes and attributes of God and to reflect many aspects of the divine. The sahasranāma stotrās belong to this group and are extremely popular.

 

The word sahasranāma literally means 'thousand names of God'. According to the Vedic tradition, there is only one manifesting sound (śabda) indicative of the Supreme Being (Parabrahman). And, this is called Praṇava or Oṁ. Its recitation, along with pūja or ritualistic worship, is said to be an easier method to control the mind than japa and meditation. These thousand names can be used in ritualistic worship also along with offering flowers or tulasi leaves (holy basil) or bilva leaves (Aegle marmelos) or even kumkum (vermillion powder) with each name. Hindu tradition often considers that some of the names of the sahasranāma stotrās are potent with powers and that their repetition can result in the fulfillment of one's desires.

 

Though a sahasranāma stotra comprises only the names of the deity, these names have been so ingeniously composed as to reflect many aspects of the divine. Just as that One Parabrahman is adored as manifesting in the form of many deities, the one name OṀ, indicative of Him, also takes the shape of innumerable sound forms representing divine attributes and other excellences. A very large number of sahasranāma stotrās are now available in print. They occur mostly in the purāṇās and are addressed to several deities of the Hindu pantheon. There are 33 sahasranāma stotrās have been printed so far, only three-of Vishṇu, Śiva and Lalitha are extremely popular and constantly in use. At the end, it is the normal practice to recite the phalaśruti or eulogy of the hymn also.

 

As ancient sages said 'Ekam Sat, Viprah BahudaVadanti', the land which worships God with thousand names is our motherland 'Sahasranāma Devārċita Bhūmi'.