Vishnu.Sahasranama.with.the.Bhasya.of.Sankaracharya_text

VISHNU 8AHASRANAMA 27
knowledge ' that Hari is all things . . . It is said that
conciliation, gifts, punishment and sowing seeds of dissensions
are the means of securing friends (or overcoming
foes). But 0, father ! be not angry—I know neither friends
nor foes ; and where no object is to be accomplished, the
means of effecting it are superfluous. It were idle to talk of
friend or foe in Govinda, who is the supreme Soul, who
is the Universe itself, as well as its Lord, and who is
identical with all beings . . . Kingdoms are bestowed
by luck upon the stupid, the ignorant, the cowardly, and
those to whom the Science of Government is unknown.
Let him, therefore, who aspires for the highest fortune be
assiduous in the practice of virtue. Let him, who hopes
for final liberation, learn to look upon all things as equal
and Gods, men, animals, birds, and reptiles are but forms
of the same eternal Vishnu, though they appear different.
By him who knows this, the whole Universe, fixed or
movable, is to be regarded as identical with Him, who has
assumed this universal form. When this is known, the
glorious God of all, who is without beginning or end, is
pleased ; and, when he is pleased, there is an end of afflic-.
tion." (Bh. G. 7-19) : " At the close of many births the
man full of wisdom cometh unto me thinking that
' Vasudeva is all,' he is a Mahatma, very hard to find."
The above quotations show that praises, prostrations, etc.,
to the Lord should be accompanied with perfect harmless-
ness to others as the term Vis'va also denotes the allpervading
Brahman. (Bh. G., 11-55) : " He who doth
actions for me, who looks on me as the Supreme good, who
is devoted to me, who is freed from attachment.who has
no hatred towards any being, he cometh unto me,
Pandava." (The Vish. Pur., 3-7). " You are to consider
as the worshipper of Vishnu him who never deviates from
the duties prescribed to his caste ; who looks with equal
indifference upon friend or enemy ; who takes nothing
(that is not his own), nor injures any being. Know that
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