Sri Visnu Sahasranama: A Big Commentary (in 2 Vol Set)

Mahabharata popularly known as the fifth veda has five jewels in it namely - Bhagavadgita, Visnu-sahasranama, Bhismastavaraja, Anusmrti and Gajendramoksa. Chanting of sahasranama is the easiest and the best way to obtain salvation in Kaliyuga. Siva-sahasranama, Lalitasahasranama and Visnusahasranama are the most popular which have been recited by every individual as a daily practice to get mental peace, physical courage and to get the objects of our desire. Sri Sankarabhagavatpadacharya has written a commentary of Visnu-sahasranama in lucid style more than thousand years ago, Following the same footsteps, Shri Satyadev Vasist, an euride scholar in four vedas, different branches of learning including Ayurveda has composed a scholarly and voluminous commentary on Visnusahasranama, wherein every divine name of Visnu has been authenticated starting with the declination of the word culminating in its expansion as occurring in all the four Vedas. The work is first of its kind and was published earlier with Hindi translation. The revered author requested me in 1997 during the tenth world Sanskrit conference held in Bangalore to translate the work into English. The same has been prepared by me and is now seeing the light of the day.

Sri. S. Ranganath secured First Class, First Rank in M.A. Sanskrit from Bangalore University. He is the recipient of Hiriyanna Gold Medal and Hebbar Srivaishnava Sabha Gold Medal. The title Vedabhooshana was Conferred On him by Veda Dharma Paripalana Sabha. The Title "Veda-shri" was conferred on him from World Association of Vedic Studies, USA Bangalore Branch. American Biographical Institute, U.S.A., has honoured him with the title The Man Of The Year 1996. He has a Vidwan Degree in Advaitha Vedanta from Sri Chamarajendra Sanskrit College. He has studied Rigveda traditio-nally for Eight years. His Ph.D. dissertation was contribution of Vacaspati Misra to Indian Philosophy. He has Sixty books and Hundred research papers to his credit. His Kannada translation of Prof. Satya Vrat Shastri's Ramakirti Mahakavyam was published in Bangkok (Thailand), (First Jnana-peeth Awarde in Sanskrit). He is Professor and Head of the Department of Sanskrit, N.M.K.R.V. College for Women (Autonomous College) Bangalore and Director of R.V. Institute of Sanskrit Studies. He was awarded D.Litt., from Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla in 2005 for his Post-doctoral publications on Post Independence Sanskrit Litera-ture. He is nominated as Subject Expert to Adarsh Sanskrit Vidya-peetah - Madhurantakam, Tamil Nadu as a representative of Rashtriya Sanskrit Samsthan Delhi -Human Resource Development, Govt, of India for the period of Three years (2008-2011). He has a RashtraBhasha Visharada in Hindi from Chennai. He delivered lectures at Oxford, Cambridge, London, Brighton, Nottingham, Berlin and Wittenberg during June-July 2011 on Indian Culture. He was honoured at House of Commons - Parliament of London by Lord Billimoria.

The greatest among the teachers of the world namely Visnu's thousand names (Sahasranama) have been commented upon in simple, lucid style by 108 Pandit Satyadevavasistha in "Devasadan" situated in Bhivani, having spent twelve years over this with single minded concentration. Though it had seen two prints (1969-71., (1986-87. the author was not contented as it was not foolproof.The commentary is written on traditional lines and his dear student Mahesh Kumar M.A.I.R.S, who belongs to Vagista Ora determined to bring out a correct edition of this work on an auspicious day with the blessings of his revered teacher, who had spent nearly twenty-five years over this work. Whose heart will not revel in joy seeing the handwriting of his Guru being imprinted here?. At this juncture a brief account will be given regarding the new edition of the present work.

A Brief History of this Edition

On 10.08.1995, which happened to be Sravanasukla Paurnima an auspicious day, Sri. Mahesh kumar Badha took a pledge to bring out a new edition of his work in "Devasadan ". The composing work began in Mohit graphics situated in Delhi. To edit his monumental work and to make it foolproof Sri. Rathnalal Sastri and Sri.Ramakanth Sukla were entrusted the responsibility. On 15.01.1996, on the auspicious day of Makarasankranthi Brahmadev Sri. Vasistha adorned the manuscript with his signature in Devasadan, Bhivani. He corrected the errors, which had crept into the earlier edition. He also incorporated some changes along with some additions. Hence it became mandatory once more to correct the proofs on 10/04/1996 in Devasadan in Bhivani under the supervision of Pundit Rathnalal Sastry resulting in the completion of the new edition of Seri Visnusahasranama Here, we have an extract from the oath –

I Satyadeva Sharma belonging to Vagista gotra in keeping with the place and time, with the grace of Sri. Sandra Sadashiva having acquired mastery over different branches of learning over a period of time, with the Samskara of the previous births and with the motivation of the Lord and with the grace of Brahman, having got the knowledge in my mind and having developed the mastery over the art of writing, having thought about, pondered over and reflected upon the divine form of Lord Visnu completed the commentary entitled Satyabhasyam on Seri Visnusahasranama am offering my profound gratitude to that Lord, though printed earlier and having it re-published as though for the first time in this beautiful form to get rid of the various kind of sins and as a consequence of which to get a long life full of good health to all those who have associated themselves with the publications of this noble task incessant chanting of the work in seven days with the help of seven Brahmins .For the successful completion of this work, I will offer pooja to Lord Ganesha, the Lord of the obstacles in accompaniment of the Brahmins .

Like this, on an auspicious day namely on Caitraguklapurnima 03/04/1996 this work was submitted for printing. Within twenty days this was supposed to see the light of the day.

Some changes were incorporated in this edition, which were not there in the earlier one. They are as follows: -

1. The name was printed as Sri Visnusahasranama Satyabhasya in 1971, it was given the title Sri Visnusahasranama Stotram in the future editions, it was intended to retain the title Sri Visnusahasranama Satyabhasya with the consent of the author. This was earlier printed in four volumes with Hindi translations by Pundit Munshiram Sharma Sastry. Now this will be printed in two volumes with the original Sanskrit only. In the first volume the first five hundred sacred names of Visnu and in the second volume the next five hundred names are mentioned.
2. The methodology including the page numbers:-In both the volumes of the text the first two pages including the inside cover the matter is given in English. This is followed by the names of the editorial board and then the list of contents, the "method", "work", "author" - These things appear in the names of Visnu only. An editorial note follows this. The page numbers are indicated from A to 0. Before the commencement of the Satyabhasyam the introductory note by the author, the compiler of the work, the gratitude of the author towards others involved in the work, Yudhisthira Mimamsak's writings about the author, the experiences of Pandit Munshiram Sastry with the author, the greatness of Sri Visnusahasranama, the words of Atreya and Punarvasu, the auspicious introductory remarks by the author, fifteen stanzas in the form of preface to the text, the different preliminaries to be done before the commencement of Visnusahasranama and only after all these formalities, Satyabhasya will be presented. In the appendix "ka" in the first volume, one to five hundred names of Lord Visnu will be given.
3. The method and page numbers-In both the parts of the text, in the introductory pages and in the inside cover two pages the matter will be given both in Sanskrit and English. This is followed by the names of the editorial board and then the contents. Here it should be noted that the words used namely "Kramah,Krtih, Karta, Suparna" are all synonyms of Lord Visnu. This is followed by the editor's note, here the page numbers will be given from A to I, before the commencement of the commentary namely Satyabhasya the introductory statements of the author, the gratitude expressed by the author to the editors, Yudhistira Mimamsaka's introduction to the work,Pandit Munshiram Sharma Sastry's greatness of Sri Visnusahasranama Stotram, the benedictory verses of the author, the opinion of the commentator, the fifteen stanzas in the form of introduction, the original stanzas highlighting the importance of Sri Visnusahasranama Stotram followed by the commentary Satyabhasya. In the first portion of the appendix 'ka' the index for the first five hundred names of Visnu in the alphabetical order is given. In the introductory section stanzas 1-58 are known as Suparna section. In the second part of the appendix the names of Lord Visnu for the purpose of adoration and offerings are given. In the appendix II j(1- 1000. The index for Sanskrit letters are given. In the third appendix are the words Bhavati / Bhavatah / Bhavanti are incorporated with the title “Sri Visnukavyam’. In the iv appendix the index in Sanskrit to the words from 501-1000 are given. The page number in the last section are given from 1035 to 1350 and then the permission is given for the revised edition.