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

scattered throughout the Pauranic literature. The most
important of these stotras are the Sahasranamas of Devi,
Vishnu and Siva.
When we speak generally of the Sahasranamas, they
refer only to the Sahasranamas of the above mentioned
Deities which are found in the MahabhSrata and in the
eighteen principal Puranas of VySsa. There are also
hymns of this sort found in some of the Agamas ; but
these are not recognised as authoritative by sects other than
those to whom the particular Agama especially belongs.
The Vishnu Sahasranama, containing 142 verses, is
extracted from the Anutfasanika Parva in the 149th
Chapter * of the Mahabharata, in the dialogue between
Bhlshma and Yudhishtira.
It is held in great veneration all over India, from Cape
Comorin to the Himalayas and is recited by persons of all
stations in life, by the prince and the peasant, by the
ignorant devotee and the fortunate Yogin, on every occasion
of joy or sorrow, fear or hope. Miraculous virtues
are attributed to it and are assured by the author Vyasa
himself.
The Method of Repeating this Hymn
The ancient custom, still observed in the village parts,
especially of the South, is to repeat each name of the
Sahasranama, offering Tulasi petals or any available flowers
of the season before the idol of Vishnu in his various
incarnations of Rama, Krishna, etc. This is done for the
fulfilment of one's desires, or to ward off the evil influence
of planets. Many merely repeat the whole book sitting
before the idol with Bhasma (sacred ashes) in a plate by
*The number of the Chapter is differently giveu in some
commentaries and in some manuscripts, e.g., Parasara Bhatta.