musings 95

thousand names of Vishnu can be traced in some other scriptures too.. But the tradition in India is that if we just say Sahasranamam, it is Vishnusahasranamam found in Mahabharatam..

Strangely there is a custom in some parts of India that people will chant this Vishnu Sahasranamam with holy ashes(normally relatable to Shiva) in hand and the sanctified ashes are applied on patients with chronic illness or mental disorder and such problems..

In Kerala, as a primer to study of Sanskrit traditionally we learn Sreeramodantam and the Sree Krishnavilasam..

But the first step in learning Sanskrit in some parts of India is to memorize.. Vishvam Vishnur Vashatkaro etc.. 

Vishnusahasranamam in Mahabharatam has been commented upon by the doyens of all the three schools of Hindu faith... Advaitam, Vishitaadvaitam and Dvaitam.. Shankara, Parasarabhatta and Madhva... 

And many names in this sahsranamam in all openness represent the names of Shiva.. Sharva, Shiva Sthaanu etc.. 

Of course I do not write this to start any controversy...