VISHNU SAHASRANAAMA JAPAM

[padmanabha]

EVERY YEAR ON THE FIRST SUNDAY, MASS VISHNU SAHASRANAAMA JAPAM IS PERFORMED AT THE SREE PADMANABHASWAMI TEMPLE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM AT 4 PM. DEVOTEES IN THOUSANDS PARTICIPATE.
IT WILL BE PERFORMED TODAY.

[podalangai]

Vishnor namasahasram me shrunu papa bhayapaham

Are there any recordings of the ceremony available on the internet?

Could you also tell us a little more about the origin of this custom, and how it came to be associated with this day?

[padmanabha]

Vishnusahasranamam is rendered daily at the temple. In the seven-acre temple complex, one can see people in single or in groups chant vishnusahasranamam. It goes on FROM dawn to dusk.
During Murajapam Vedic Brahmins lead the Sahasranama japam for 56 days. But on the first Sunday of every year, (being a holiday) the temple trust has made this special arrnagement. devotees assemble the temple around 3 pm. Sahasranamam books in Malayalam and in Tamil (with Phalasruthi) are distributed free at the four entrances of the temple. At four pm DR SAMBASIVAN World RENOWEND neurosurgeon and a Vedic scholar lead the rendition. The objective is the prosperity of the country.
(This year he came after conducting a spinal surgery to his wife !)
The recordings of mass rendition are not available.
in kerala temples image and voice recordings are prohibited. so if ne wants to witness u have to be physically there.

[Sudhaama]

.
.Origin of Chanting Sahasranamam.. by GROUP PUBLIC.!

..................

Could you also tell us a little more about the origin of this custom, and how it came to be associated with this day?
.

About 900 years back... Trivandrum was under Travancore State of the Thiruvaangoor Maharaja.

Then there was a sudden and heavy onslaught of Cholera epidemic at Trivandrum town all over.. People died in hundreds daily.

In those days, strongly effective Anti-biotics were not available since not invented until then... to such a high degree of counter-force.

On the volley of credible complaints... the King doubted on some Temple priests (Pothis / Mel-Saanthi and Keezh-Saanthis)..

..for their serious violation of personal character... alongside slackness of adherence to Pooja stipulations for the powerful God Padmanabha...

..who in return is punishing the people... alongwith those culprit Priests....

..to highlight the grave seriousness of Temple discipline of Orthodoxy and Sanctity.

Some new Pothis were brought in... some Yagas performed... Santhi japams were also conducted within the temple by hundreds of Pothis and Namboodris from all over the state.

Even after all such stipulated remedial measures... there was not much substantial result...

...but the mass Human-disaster continued unabated.

The Good and Kind-hearted ruler Raja with family... took up serious Vratham and fervently prayed to Lord Padmanabha... twice daily.

...by which the escalation beyond Trivandrum town only could be controlled... and not mentionably within the town... especially closeby the temple.

Then the affected families too started thinking seriously and each one attempted in different means...

..by Mani Manthra, Oushadham processes... parallelly...as a Social Service

Even then not much improved... Every house continued to lose some of its family- members frequently and suddenly... although lesser in number than before.

If a Boy has reached his ultimate drowning stage in the Flood water... he will catch hold of even a negligible straw... backed by his last bit of hope for survival

"Eththai thinnaa piththam thelhiyum.?"

At such an extreme moment... they came to know of the miraculous cure of the Mysore state Princess afflicted with Brahma-Hathi dosha..

..by the super-human powers of Ramanujacharya...

...who was addressed by the Devil openly before the King and others around as...

"You the Great Ramanujacharya... the Awathra of Aadisesha.. if you bless me for Moksha... I will leave this Girl. immediately.

Accordingly, Ramanuja sprinkled water on the Evil-force possessed princess.

To the amaze of all around... the virgin princess... got up cheerfully, as if she was just awaken from sleep.

This miraculous event became an all India news and spread fast all over the Indian Royal-states then.

One rich Mirasdar devotee suggested to the King... and invited Ramanuja to set his holy feet at Trivandrum...

...such that the evil forces dominating over the people can be driven off.

Accordingly Ramanuja rushed to Trivandrum.. and fervently prayed to Padmanabha at the Temple..

...seeking His mercy towards the innocent people who had unduly become the mass victims.

Then he invited all the devotees of Trivandrum ..irrespective of any Social disparities by Status, Communities or the like...

..and personally lead the daily procession of all the common public... to walk around all the streets in a large Group chanting Sahasranamam loudly...

..while the boys were walking with them... holding Theevattees all around.

The Group used to stop in front of seriously affected houses... and chant Ten times... the One important line...

..VANAMAALI GADHEE SAARNGEE...

Besides he advised all the people to Group chant Sahasranamam daily in front of Lord Padmanabha.

[Till then only Pothis were allowed to chant any Pooja manthras within the Temple.]

It had miraculous effect within just 3 days.

Maharaja profoundly thanked and honoured Ramanujacharya... who advised the Temple priests to chant Sahasranamam also daily in front of the Sannidhi....

..in addition to pooja-manthras stipulated by Sankarachjarya already in vogue in this temple...

.. conforming to Vishnu-Samhitha sasthra.

The King then made it mandatory to continue the same convention...

...for the public also joining the chanting Sahasranamam...

..since proven the most powerful... by means of Mass Chanting...

...permitted to be chanted by even any Commonman

..without any other Qualification... than just a Devotee.
.

[podalangai]

Many thanks to Sudhama ayya and Padmanabha chechi for the fascinating information

[Sudhaama]

.
. Sahasranamam.!.. PONGAL-GIFT.!! to Humanity.!!!

...Simple and Common.!!... for.. Any.!! and All.!!!

. Pongal Gift.!.. How.?

What is the ORIGIN of Vishnu- Sahasranamam.?

In Mahabharatha War... Bheeshma pithaamaha was beaten down with serious wounds...

...by means of the volley of Arrows from Arjuna... adequate enough to make him breethe the last..

However he did not die... Because he had a Boon to die at his own Will... at any time he wants.

He wished to die only during the next forthcoming Uththaraayana Punya-Kaalam commencing from...

... Makara-Sankaraanthi... Thai PONGAL DAY.

..until which auspicious day... he patiently waited with high forbearance on severe pains by wounds...

...lying down at the same place of Warfield.

Promptly on the anticipated day of Pongal... All his relatives and well-wishers including Pandavas, Kauravas and Krishna...

...assembled to bid Farewell to their Respected Seer.

Krishna asked Yudhishtra (Dharmaputhra) of Pandavas "If you have any rudimentary doubt or fundamental questions on God pertaining to Life..

...you can get clarified from this great Seer... at least now.. during his last moments"

Accordingly.. Dharma-puthra appealed to Bheeshma in death-bed... to clarify on his basic doubts and inquisitiveness on God in relation to Life in the commonman's aspect....

Such as ...What benefit one can gain by praying to God.?

..Who is that God we should pray.? Why.? How.?... and the like.

Such a Conversation between Yudhishtra and Bheeshma.. rather Question and Replies...

...became the Introduction to Vishnu- Sahasranamam...

...which is the Compilation of 1000 Qualities of Vishnu.

Lord Vishnu had been addressed by these Quality-based names..

...as expressed by different Rishis and Gods... and had already been documented in Puranas, Vedas and Upanishads.

Bheeshma just compiled all such Deep-sensed attributes... into one Sthothra as Naama-Japam... and prayed to Vishnu God... during his last moments...

...On the Pongal day... he chanted in front of Pandavas and Lord Krishna Himself.

Then Bheeshma breethed his last... and attained Moksha as desired...

...after Viswaroopa-Darsanam of Lord Krishna.. who was prayed by Bheeshma in person by chanting Sahaasranamam.

By chanting Vishnu-Sahasranamam... one can get all the Sowbhaagyas... Life Prosperities...

...plus the earliest fulfilment of any righteous and long-cherished ambitions of any devotee...

...as declared unanimously by Vyasa, Lord Siva and Sankaracharya.

Thus Vishnu Sahasranama Sthothram... has become...

... the PONGAL GIFT for Humanity...

...towards the United Prosperity for all over the Globe.!!

Harihi Ohm.!!! Lokaas Samasthaah Sukhino bhavanthu.!!!
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