Sri Vishnu Sahasranama – meaning of first name “Vishwam”
Background of Sri Vishnu Sahasranama:
Sri Bhagavad Gita and Sahasranama are gems of greatest epic Sri Mahabharatha. Sahasranama was told by Sri Bheeshmaacharya to Dharmaraja. When Dharmaraja asked Sri Bheeshmaacharya about which is the biggest Dharma, Acharya replied that meditating and reciting all 1000 names of Lord is considered to be the biggest Dharma. such is the greatness of Sahasranama. and thus he was able to explain each name of Lord in 107 slokas which cover 1000 holy names of Lord with meaning.
Sri Vishnu Sahasranama contains total of 142 slokas.
13 slokas before reciting Sahasranama,
107 slokas covering 1000 names,
and 22 slokas quoting the greatness of reciting 1000 names of Lord.
We are going to know about greatness of each 1000 names of Lord in detail , as part of series in our youtube Channel. In this video we are going to know about the first name “Vishwam”.
Skanda purana says that Vedas give 3 inner meanings, Mahabharatha gives 10 meanings, and Sahasranama for every name out of 1000 gives 100 meaning of Lord.
Greatness of Jagadguru Sri Madhwacharyaa:
When Jagadguru Sri Madhwacharyaa was doing sanchara in Kerala,and was explaining the greatness of Sahasranama the pundits asked Acharya to explain 100 meanings of the first starting name “Vishwam”. Acharya agreed the challenge but asked them to remember meanings and told them to repeat.
When Acharya started giving meanings of the name “Viswam” , pundits could not remember but apologised Acharya for testing his knowledge.
Benefits of reciting Sri Vishnu Sahasranama:
Knowing the meaning of every name and chanting Sahasranama removes deadly diseases, and if one recites with bhakthi makes one to attain self realisation, which is attaining the lotus feet of Lord Shri Hari
When Purandara Daasa was giving discourse through his songs, he said why we need Lord when we have the fullest strength of his holy name.
Lord Sri Rama built the bridge across but his name builds bridge across the Samsara saagara.
When Honey tastes sweet , the name of Lord makes more sweeter, when Honey gives material benefits to health, but Lords name makes one to cross the river of Samsara.
Name 1 ~ Om Vishvaaya Nama Om
Vishwa, the one who exist in the entire Universe and more than that. He lives everywhere, in every place and importantly in every soul. Vis means prevailing, and Vam means Gyana. Mandukya Upanishad meantions that he is the one who stays in the right eye, and makes soul to be active even in dream state. It also mentions that he has 19 faces, and 18 being the face of man and 19th in the middle being an elephant one.
Viswam means full, poornam, complete or full. It means he is filled with infinite auspicious qualities. This is one of the greatest quality of Lord and hence Vishnu Sahasranama starts with the name “Vishwam”. He and his avatara is always filled only with auspicious qualities, and there is no difference between his origional and avatara roopa at any time. Though the avatara of Bouddha took only for few minutes still this roopa is same as the origional roopa.
Jagadguru Sri Madhwacharyaa explains from Padma Purana that, Lord enters the entire universe and hence is called Viswam. He enters all the creatures, as the commander and controller. He adds saying that Lord enters every living being and protects them, such is the greatest attribute of Lord.
Sri Rudra explains the greatness of Sri Rama mantra to Parvathi devi. mahima of Lords name gives infinite meanings. It protected Elephant in Gajendra Moksha when it recited loudly the greatest name “Sri Narayana”. Similarly it protected Dhruva raja, Drouppathi devi and many others.
Sri Madhwacharyaa states that Lord is the only creator of the entire universe. hence he is called by the name Vishwam. Lord enters to every soul and soul is always dependant on Lord. This shows the supremacy of Lord over others. This is one of the greatest explanation given by jagadguru Madhwacharyaa.
Taittriya Upanishad gives another interesting meaning of the name “Vishwam”. Sri Vayu is also called by the same name ,as Mukyaprana controls souls by the blessings of Lord Sri hari. When Vayu controls all the souls he is controlled by Sri Hari. Hence Dvaita has very strong foundation that is Lord Sri Hari is the only Supreme and Vayu is the only controller of all the Jeevas, Vayu does very easily as he has got the blessings of Lord Sri Hari and Mahalakshmi.
Mantralaya Mahan Sri Raghavendra Swamy explains the holy name “Vishwam” in his commentary for Mandukya Upanishad, that Lord is filled with auspicious qualities, who is called Vishwam because he is called Taijas, Pragnya, and Turya. He resides in right eye in the waking state. He protects every soul without fail, such compassion makes him to be Supreme among all, rightly called by the name Paramatma.
— continued
Hare Srinivasa
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