Rare Vishnu Sahasranamam - Garuda Puranam

Courtesy: Sri.Krishnan Muralidharan

Dear All,

Greetings and Namaste. In continuation of my previous week's posting,
I am happy to share another very rare Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram from
Garuda Puranam, Chapter 15. This Sahasranama is given by Lord Vishnu
Himself to Lord Rudra.

Unlike other Sahasranamas, there's no significant Purva Pithika or
Uttara Pithika for this Sahasranama but Lord Vishnu succinctly
mentions that one who chants this gets Vishnutva (Is there anything
more important than that in the entire universe?) This is very easy to
read and understand as well and therefore can be used for daily
chanting.

Another unique observation about this Sahasranama is that portions of
the Sahasranama are very similar to portions of Rudra Prashna, which
is a prayer on Lord Rudra - though at the end, Rudra Prashna itself
concludes with equality of Rudra and Vishnu :

OM namo rudrAya viShNave mRRityur me pAhi || (O! Lord Rudra who is
Lord Vishnu (i.e. omnipresent)! Protect me from death)

There are a couple of stotras on Lord Shiva by Lord Vishnu in Linga
Puranam, Vamana Puranam and Shiva Puranam. One can find that many of
the shlokas in those stotras are identical with this Vishnu
Sahasranama from Garuda Puranam. Interesting enough, isn't it?

The clue to this is perhaps in Garuda Puranam itself. Chapter 23 of
Garuda Puranam (Shivarchana Vidhi contains elaborate description of
worshipping Lord Shiva, although Garuda Puranam is considered to be a
Vaishnavite manual of worship. Shlokas 23-24 below confirms the
non-duality of Vishnu/Shiva:

shaktiH shivash ca tAn GYAtvA mukto GYAnI shivo bhavet |
yaH shivaH sa harir brahma so.ahaM brahmAsmi muktidaH ||
(Meaning - He who is Shiva is Hari and Hari is Brahma … one who
imbibes this truth becomes emancipated)

Varaha Purana states the above beyond any scope for doubt in a
different way - Chapter 57, Kanti Vrata, Verse 18:

na viShNor vyatiriktaH syAt daivataM nRRipa sattama |
nAma bhedena sarvatra saMsthitaH puruShottamaH ||
(Meaning - O King! There is no other God than Lord Vishnu. All other
Gods are He (Purushottama) Himself in different forms!"

May we endeavor to endear ourselves to Lord Vishnu in the true sense.

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/116625127/Vishnu_Sahasranamam_-_Garuda_Puranam
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/116625248/Vishnu_Sahasranamam_-_Garuda_Puranam_-_TAM