The Glorious Commentary on Sri Vishnu Sahasranama chapter – Upodghata prakaranam (contd...) #BhagavadGunaDarpanam Attainment of the same result as that of severe penance and meditation with just the chanting of names: A question may arise: will it not be an exaggeration to say that the highest philosophy and knowledge about the Supreme Brahman – which is supposed to be acquired by prolonged severe penance and meditation and other sophisticated means – shall be obtained simply by chanting the names of the Supreme Lord? Will it not be befitting to say that such a statement is against the ‘pramANa’s, because the scriptures prescribe very detailed procedures and complex means to attain such high knowledge, and mere chanting of names is too simple in comparison to those detailed procedures? The answer to this question is thus: Such questions about the divine names of the Lord are just words of foolishness by the so-called learned scholars. Even if the chanting of the Lord’s names is very light in nature, it has the capacity to withstand even the most unbearable loads. The more detailed forms of worship prescribed by the scriptures should not be considered as higher merely due to its prescription to the eligible / capable people. On the contrary, chanting of Lord’s names has a higher eligibility of being prescribed to one and all, irrespective of whether or not the person has the eligibility/capability to practice the other detailed forms of worship. The only criterion expected out of a practitioner for chanting the Lord’s names is the fortune of developing extraordinary taste towards Bhagavan. Even in the more detailed forms of worship, the final fruits of worship are granted by Bhagavan only (meaning, the action of worship itself doesn’t yield any fruits; it is the Bhagavan who gives the fruits for such action, pleased with worship). Why, then, shouldn’t Bhagavan yield desired fruits to a person who just chanted His glorious names, if He can be pleased by it? Why should this argument be thrashed? Just as Bhagavan gets pleased with the length of detailed worship and yields the fruits, so also He will be equally pleased with a sincere devotee who takes up the lighter form of worship – namely “chanting His names” – with a pure thought. As it is said, “Even if an unworthy soul treads the path of simple devotion, he shall be firmly established in the path of Supreme” “Even if my devotee offers me a leaf, a flower, a fruit or even just water – with true devotion, I shall partake of it with the most pleased state of mind” “Who will not worship that Bhagavan, who is not pleased with abundant wealth, or grandeur, or sumptuous clothes, or even the most glittering ornaments, but is pleased only with the purity of heart?” The Vyasa smrithi says, “If a person offers a flower or just water to Bhagavan by chanting the Purusha sukta, then the whole of this world (with all animate and inanimate objects) has been worshipped by him”. The Vishnu Dharma says “Even if a person offers the entire Earth stuffed with precious pearls to Krishna, that Janardana is not easily attained by him if he is impure at heart.” As seen in all these scriptural quotes, the real factor that influences the degree of righteousness in any human deed is not the action itself; rather, it is the purity of thoughts while performing the action. (to be continued...)
Posted on: Sat, 08 Mar 2014 01:39:13 +0000
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