Sahasranama
Encyclopedia
A sahasranama is a type of Hindu
scripture in which a deity is referred to by 1,000 or more different names. Sahasranamas are classified as stotras
, or hymns of praise, a type of devotional scripture. Sahasra means a thousand, or more generally, a very large number. Nama means name. The literal translation of sahasranama is "a thousand names".
A sahasranama provides a terse but encyclopedic guide to the attributes and legends surrounding a deity. There are also many shorter stotras, called ashtottara-shata-nāma stotras, which have only 108 names.
all of the most widely-known forms of the divine have sahasranama stotra devoted to them. Recitation and study of these often constitute part of the daily routine of formal worship both at home and in temples.
Among the Nine Expressions of Bhakti, usually elaborated in Hindu
tradition, four have relevance to the use of sahasranamas:
To achieve this goal several people sit together and perform repetition of the names in chorus. This continues for a prefixed time duration, usually for several days, chanting for a certain number of hours each day. The recital of the different participants for the several days adds up to at least 100,000 repetitions of divine names.
There are occasions when a Koti
archanā is also performed to the deity by counting up to 100 Lakshārchanās. Koti (crore, in English) is one hundred lakshas; that is, ten million.
Such elaborate devotions usually mean a good deal of expense and so they are usually done in temples or public organizations which can obtain the necessary sponsorship.
Tantrikas chant the Bhavani Nāma Sahasra Stuti and the Kali Sahasranāma.
While the Vishnu and Shiva Sahāsranamas are popular amongst all Hindus, the Lalita Sahasranama
is mostly chanted in South India. The Ganesha Sahasranama
is mainly chanted by Ganapatya
. The Bhavani Nāma Sahasra Stuti is the choice of s and the Kali Sahasranāma is mostly chanted by Bengalis.
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
scripture in which a deity is referred to by 1,000 or more different names. Sahasranamas are classified as stotras
Stotras
In Hinduism, a Stotra is a hymn of praise. These hymns praise aspects of the divine, such as Devi, Siva, or Vishnu. Relating to word "stuti", coming from the same verb, stu , and basically both mean "praise"....
, or hymns of praise, a type of devotional scripture. Sahasra means a thousand, or more generally, a very large number. Nama means name. The literal translation of sahasranama is "a thousand names".
A sahasranama provides a terse but encyclopedic guide to the attributes and legends surrounding a deity. There are also many shorter stotras, called ashtottara-shata-nāma stotras, which have only 108 names.
The role of sahasranamas in spiritual practice
Many religions include praise of the Divine Name as an important part of their tradition. In HinduismHinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
all of the most widely-known forms of the divine have sahasranama stotra devoted to them. Recitation and study of these often constitute part of the daily routine of formal worship both at home and in temples.
Among the Nine Expressions of Bhakti, usually elaborated in Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
tradition, four have relevance to the use of sahasranamas:
- shravana, listening to recitals of names and glories of God
- nama-sankirtana , reciting the names of God either set to music or not
- smarana, recalling divine deeds and teaching of divine deeds.
- archana , worshipping the divine with ritual repetition of divine names.
Laksharchana
A Lakshārchanā involves the repetition of names one hundred thousand times. Laksha, in Sanskrit, means one hundred thousand. This is an intensive version of the Sahasra-nāma-archanā. It involves the repeated chanting of sahasranamas, multiplying the number of the performances by the number of the people who joined in the chorus.To achieve this goal several people sit together and perform repetition of the names in chorus. This continues for a prefixed time duration, usually for several days, chanting for a certain number of hours each day. The recital of the different participants for the several days adds up to at least 100,000 repetitions of divine names.
There are occasions when a Koti
Crore
A crore is a unit in the Indian number system equal to ten million , or 100 lakhs. It is widely used in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan....
archanā is also performed to the deity by counting up to 100 Lakshārchanās. Koti (crore, in English) is one hundred lakshas; that is, ten million.
Such elaborate devotions usually mean a good deal of expense and so they are usually done in temples or public organizations which can obtain the necessary sponsorship.
Common sahasranāmas
The most well-known and widely-used include the following:- Vishnu sahasranamaVishnu sahasranamaThe Vishnu sahasranama is a list of 1,000 names of Vishnu, one of the main forms of God in Hinduism and the personal supreme God for Vaishnavas . It is also one of the most sacred and commonly chanted stotras in Hinduism...
is found in the MahabharataMahabharataThe Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
. - Shiva sahasranamaShiva sahasranamaA Shiva sahasranama is a list of a thousand names of Shiva, one of the most important deities in Hinduism. In Hindu tradition a sahasranama is a type of devotional hymn listing many names of a deity...
has eight different versions. The best-known version is from Book 13 of the MahabharataMahabharataThe Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
.
- Lalita sahasranamaLalita sahasranamaLalita sahasranama is a sacred Hindu text dated to the 12th century A.D. for the worshippers of the Goddess Lalita Devi, i.e. the Divine Mother, in the form of her and the male gods' feminine power, Shakti. Lalita is the Goddess of bliss, an epithet for Parvati. Etymologically, "Lalita" means "She...
. This is part of the Lalitopākhyāna, one of the apocrypha added to the .
- Ganesha sahasranamaGanesha SahasranamaThe Ganesha Sahasranama is a litany of the names of Hindu deity Ganesha . A sahasranama is a Hindu hymn of praise in which a deity is referred to by 1,000 or more different names...
has two different major versions, with subvariants of each version. One major version is based on I.46 of the Ganesha PuranaGanesha PuranaThe Ganesha Purana is a Hindu religious text dedicated to the Hindu deity Ganesha . It is an that includes many stories and ritualistic elements relating to Ganesha. The Ganesha Purana and the Mudgala Purana are core scriptures for devotees of Ganesha, known as Ganapatyas...
. The second major version is completely alliterative, with all of the names beginning with the letter "g" .
Tantrikas chant the Bhavani Nāma Sahasra Stuti and the Kali Sahasranāma.
While the Vishnu and Shiva Sahāsranamas are popular amongst all Hindus, the Lalita Sahasranama
Lalita sahasranama
Lalita sahasranama is a sacred Hindu text dated to the 12th century A.D. for the worshippers of the Goddess Lalita Devi, i.e. the Divine Mother, in the form of her and the male gods' feminine power, Shakti. Lalita is the Goddess of bliss, an epithet for Parvati. Etymologically, "Lalita" means "She...
is mostly chanted in South India. The Ganesha Sahasranama
Ganesha Sahasranama
The Ganesha Sahasranama is a litany of the names of Hindu deity Ganesha . A sahasranama is a Hindu hymn of praise in which a deity is referred to by 1,000 or more different names...
is mainly chanted by Ganapatya
Ganapatya
Ganapatya is a denomination of Hinduism that worships Ganesha as the Saguna Brahman.The worship of Ganesha is considered complementary with the worship of other deities. Hindus of all sects begin prayers, important undertakings, and religious ceremonies with an invocation of Ganesha...
. The Bhavani Nāma Sahasra Stuti is the choice of s and the Kali Sahasranāma is mostly chanted by Bengalis.
Further reading
- Swami Krishnananda. A Short history of religious and philosophical thought in India. Divine Life Society. Sivanandanagar, 1970.
- C. Ramanujachari. The Spiritual heritage of Thiagaraja. Ramakrishna Students Home, Mylapore, Chennai, 1957.
- V. Krishnamurthy. Essentials of Hinduism. Narosa Publishing House. New Delhi, 1989.