This chapter begins the phala-shruti — the fruit-bearing verses that follow the Sahasranama proper. Vaishampayana has just completed his telling. Now Bhishma describes the fruits that flow from daily practice: freedom from fear, release from illness and bondage, steady prosperity, and swift passage through difficulty.
📖 Mahabharata, Anushasan Parva — Vishnu Sahasranama Stotra
71
वनमाली गदी शार्ङ्गी शंखी चक्री च नन्दकी ।
श्रीमान्नारायणो विष्णुर्वासुदेवोऽभिरक्षतु ॥
Vanamaalee Gadee Shaarngi Shankhi Chakree cha Nandakee |
Shreemaan-Naaraayano Vishnur-Vaasudeyo-Abhirakshatu ||
वनमाली
wearer of the Vanamala — the garland of forest flowers (Vaijayanti)
गदी
bearer of the mace
शार्ङ्गी
bearer of the Sharnga bow
शंखी
bearer of the conch
चक्री
bearer of the Chakra
नन्दकी
bearer of the Nandaka sword
श्रीमान्
ever accompanied by Lakshmi
नारायणः
the refuge of all beings
विष्णुः
the all-pervading
वासुदेवः
son of Vasudeva — the one who dwells in all
अभिरक्षतु
may he protect us
This is the opening of the phala-shruti — the verses that describe the fruit of reciting the Sahasranama. The Sahasranama closes as it opened: with the Lord in full magnificence, wearing the Vaijayanti garland, bearing all five weapons, Lakshmi at his side. May this Narayana, Vishnu, Vasudeva — protect us all.
72
श्रीवैशम्पायन उवाच —
इतीदं कीर्तनीयस्य केशवस्य महात्मनः ।
नाम्नां सहस्रं दिव्यानामशेषेण प्रकीर्तितम् ॥
Shree Vaishampayana uvaacha —
Iteeedam Keertaneeयasya Keshavasyа Mahaatmanah |
Naamnaam Sahasram Divyaanaam-Asheshena Prakreertitam ||
इतीदम्
thus, this
कीर्तनीयस्य
worthy of being praised and sung
केशवस्य
of Keshava — Lord Krishna
महात्मनः
of the great-souled one
नाम्नां सहस्रम्
the thousand names
दिव्यानाम्
divine
अशेषेण
completely — without remainder
प्रकीर्तितम्
has been declared and sung
The sage Vaishampayana speaks: thus have all one thousand divine names of the great-souled Keshava been completely sung. Nothing has been held back. The garland of names is whole.
73
य इदं शृणुयान्नित्यं यश्चापि परिकीर्तयेत् ।
नाशुभं प्राप्नुयात्किञ्चित्सोऽमुत्रेह च मानवः ॥
Ya Idam Shrunuyaan-nityam Yash-chaapi Parikeertayet |
Na-ashubham Praapnuyaat-kinchit-so-amutra-iha cha Maanavah ||
य इदम्
whoever this
शृणुयात्
hears
नित्यम्
daily
परिकीर्तयेत्
sings and recites
न अशुभम्
no inauspiciousness
प्राप्नुयात्
befalls
सः अमुत्र इह च
for that person here and in the world beyond
मानवः
the human being
The tradition says: whoever hears or recites these names daily — nothing inauspicious touches them, in this life or the next. The promise is quiet and absolute. Not a dramatic transformation, but a steady clearing of the path.
74
वेदान्तगो ब्राह्मणः स्यात्क्षत्रियो विजयी भवेत् ।
वैश्यो धनसमृद्धः स्याच्छूद्रः सुखमवाप्नुयात् ॥
Vedaanta-go Braahmanah Syaat-Kshatriyо Vijayee Bhavet |
Vaishyo Dhana-samriddhah Syaach-Shoodrah Sukham-Avaapnuyaat ||
वेदान्तगः
attaining the knowledge of Vedanta
ब्राह्मणः
a Brahmin
क्षत्रियः
a Kshatriya
विजयी
victorious
वैश्यः
a Vaishya
धनसमृद्धः
prosperous with wealth
शूद्रः
a Shudra
सुखम् अवाप्नुयात्
attains happiness
Bhishma describes the fruits across the four varnas (social orders) of ancient India — knowledge, victory, prosperity, happiness. These are stated as traditional descriptions of what the practice brings to each station of life. The underlying message: the Sahasranama offers each person what they most need.
75
धर्मार्थी प्राप्नुयाद्धर्ममर्थार्थी चार्थमाप्नुयात् ।
कामानवाप्नुयात्कामी प्रजार्थी चाप्नुयात्प्रजाम् ॥
Dharma-arthee Praapnuyaad-dharmam-Artha-arthee Chaartha-maapnuyaat |
Kaamaana-vaapnuyaat-Kaamee Prajaa-arthee Chaapnuyaat-Prajaam ||
धर्मार्थी
the seeker of dharma
धर्मम्
dharma attained
अर्थार्थी
the seeker of wealth
अर्थम्
wealth attained
कामी
the one with desires
कामान्
what is desired
प्रजार्थी
the one seeking children
प्रजाम्
children
The Sahasranama does not insist that everyone be seeking liberation. It meets each person where they are: the seeker of dharma finds dharma, the one who wants prosperity finds prosperity, the one who desires children finds children. The Lord receives everyone's sincere calling.
76
भक्तिमान् यः सदोत्थाय शुचिस्तद्गतमानसः ।
सहस्रं वासुदेवस्य नाम्नामेतत्प्रकीर्तयेत् ॥
Bhaktimaan Yah Sadotthhaaya Shuchis-tadgata-maanasah |
Sahasram Vaasudevasya Naamnaam-etat-Prakreertayet ||
भक्तिमान्
filled with bhakti (devotion)
सदा उत्थाय
rising every day
शुचिः
in a state of purity
तद्गतमानसः
with the mind resting in him
सहस्रम्
one thousand
वासुदेवस्य
of Vasudeva
नाम्नाम्
names
प्रकीर्तयेत्
sings and recites
The practice described here is simple: rise each day, be in a clean state of mind and body, set the heart toward Vasudeva, and sing his thousand names with bhakti (devotion). What follows in the next verses is the fruit of that daily practice.
77
यशः प्राप्नोति विपुलं ज्ञातिप्राधान्यमेव च ।
अचलां श्रियमाप्नोति श्रेयः प्राप्नोत्यनुत्तमम् ॥
Yashah Praapnoti Vipulam Gyaati-praadhaanyam-eva cha |
Achalaam Shriyam-aapnoti Shreyah Praapnoty-anuttamam ||
यशः
fame and good repute
विपुलम्
vast
ज्ञातिप्राधान्यम्
prominence in the family and community
अचलां श्रियम्
steady, unshakeable Lakshmi — lasting prosperity
श्रेयः
ultimate well-being
अनुत्तमम्
the highest — beyond which nothing is greater
Wide reputation, standing in one's family, a prosperity that does not come and go with fortune's moods — and beyond all of that, the highest good. These are the fruits tradition describes for the daily devotee of the Sahasranama.
78
न भयं क्वचिदाप्नोति वीर्यं तेजश्च विन्दति ।
भवत्यरोगो द्युतिमान् बलरूपगुणान्वितः ॥
Na Bhayam Kvachid-aapnoti Veeryam Tejash-cha Vindati |
Bhavaty-Arogo Dyutimaan Bala-roopa-gunaan-vitah ||
न भयम्
no fear
क्वचित्
anywhere — in any circumstance
वीर्यम्
valor and strength
तेजः
radiance and vitality
विन्दति
attains
अरोगः
free from illness
द्युतिमान्
luminous — glowing
बलरूपगुणान्वितः
endowed with strength, beauty, and good qualities
No fear anywhere — that is the first fruit named. Then comes strength, radiance, freedom from illness, and a life filled with good qualities. The tradition paints the portrait of someone whose inner life has become stable and bright. The outer life follows.
79
रोगार्तो मुच्यते रोगाद्बद्धो मुच्येत बन्धनात् ।
भयान्मुच्येत भीतस्तु मुच्येतापन्न आपदः ॥
Roga-aarto Muchyate Rogaad-Baddho Muchyeta Bandhanaat |
Bhayaan-Muchyeta Bheetastu Muchyetaaapanna Aapadah ||
रोगार्तः
afflicted by illness
मुच्यते
is freed
रोगात्
from illness
बद्धः
one who is bound
बन्धनात्
from bondage
भयात्
from fear
भीतः
the frightened one
आपन्नः
one who is in distress
आपदः
from calamity
The tradition reaches out to four specific groups: the sick, the bound, the frightened, and those in the grip of calamity. To each, it offers release. This is not a teaching aimed only at spiritual seekers with comfortable lives — it speaks directly to suffering.
80
दुर्गाण्यतितरत्याशु पुरुषः पुरुषोत्तमम् ।
स्तुवन्नामसहस्रेण नित्यं भक्तिसमन्वितः ॥
Durgaany-atitaratyaashu Purushah Purushottamam |
Stuvan-naama-sahasrena Nityam Bhakti-samanvitah ||
दुर्गाणि
difficulties — impossible passages
अतितरति
crosses over
आशु
swiftly
पुरुषः
the human being
पुरुषोत्तमम्
Purushottama — the Lord
स्तुवन्
praising
नामसहस्रेण
with the thousand names
नित्यम्
daily
भक्तिसमन्वितः
with bhakti — filled with devotion
The word is aashu — swiftly. The one who praises Purushottama daily with bhakti (devotion) and the thousand names crosses the difficult passages swiftly. Not necessarily without struggle, but without being stopped. The path through opens.
References
Vishnu Sahasranama · 8 / 11