Chapter 87 - A Hundred Names of Viṣṇu

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Kuñjala said:

1-4. I shall explain to you the kinds of vows by which Hari (i.e. Viṣṇu) is propitiated. O good son, there are many kinds of Ekādaśī: Jayā, Vijayā, and Jayantī, Pāpanāśinī, Trispṛśā, Vañjulī; the next is Tiladagdhā, then the other one is Akhaṇḍā, Cārakanyā, and Manorathā. There is (the vow of) Aśūnyaśayana (i.e. not sleeping on a bed), and there is the great vow of Janmāṣṭamī. There is no doubt that the sin of beings goes away due to these very auspicious vows. I am telling you the truth (and) the truth (only).

Kuñjala said:

5-9. I shall tell you about his hymn, destroying a heap of sins, called ‘Suputra-śata’, and giving salvation to men. I shall now only tell you about the hymn of that god Kṛṣṇa, which is excellent and is called ‘Śatanāma’. O best son, listen to it. I shall tell you the sage of (i.e. the composer of), and the metre of the hundred names of Viṣṇu. I shall also tell you about the deity, purifying all sins, O glorious one. Brahmā is said to be the sage (i.e. the author) of the hundred names of Viṣṇu. Oṃkāra is declared to be the deity, and anuṣṭubh is (said to be) the metre. It leads to the acquisition (i.e. fulfilment) of all desires and is employed in (obtaining) salvation. Of this hymn of the hundred names of Viṣṇu, Brahmā is the sage, Viṣṇu the deity, anuṣṭubh the metre. It is used for the fulfilment of all desires and for the destruction of all sins.

10-24. “I salute Hṛṣīkeśa, Keśava, Madhusūdana, the killer of all demons, sound Nārāyaṇa, Jayanta, Vijaya, Kṛṣṇa, Ananta, Vāmana, Viṣṇu, the auspicious lord of the universe, the prop of the universe, worshipped by gods, sinless, destroyer of sins, Narasiṃha and dear to Śrī, lord of Lakṣmī, Śrīdhara (possessing glory of Lakṣmī), giver of wealth, Śrīnivāsa (i.e. abode of Lakṣmī), and very prosperous, Śrī Rāma, Mādhava, Mokṣa (i.e. Salvation), of the nature off orgiveness, Janārdana, omniscient, knowing and giving everything, the leader of all, Hari, Murāri, Govinda, Padmanābha, the lord of beings, giver of joy, endowed with knowledge, giver of knowledge, master of knowledge; Acyuta, possessing power, the moon, holding a disc in his hand, higher and lower, the support of the yugas, the source of the world, of the nature of Brahman, the great lord, Mukunda, good (i.e. great) Vaikuṇṭha (i.e. Viṣṇu), of one form, the lord of the world, glorious Vāsudeva, holy and dear to brāhmaṇas, loving and beneficial to the cows, sacrifice, constituent of the sacrifice, causing sacrifice to prosper, a good enjoyer of sacrifice, master of Vedas and Vedāṅgas; knower of the Vedas, of the form of the Vedas, abode of learning and lord of gods, the unmanifest one, a great Brahman, having a conch in his hand, the ancient man, lotus-eyed, (of the form of) Varāha (i.e. a boar), supporting the earth, Pradyumna, Kāmapāla, Vyāsa, Vyāla, and Maheśvara (i.e. the great lord), (full of) all pleasures (and) great pleasures, salvation and the highest lord, of the form of Yoga (i.e. abstract meditation), of great knowledge, giving salvation to the meditating saints and dear to them; the enemy of Mura, the protector of the world, the one having a lotus in his hand, and holding a mace, living in a cave, living everywhere, of an auspicious abode, and possessing large arms, lord of Vṛndā, of a huge body, purifier and destroyer of sins, lord of the gopīs (i.e. the cowherdesses), the friend of the cowherds, the protector of cows, the refuge of the herds of cattle, the highest soul, the highest lord, Kapila and having human activities, steady and eternal—I salute with my mind, speech and bodily acts.” He, doer of virtuous acts, who, even with (these) hundred names, praises, with a steady mind, Kṛṣṇa, (he) being purified by religious merit here (i.e. in this world), leaving (other) worlds, goes to Viṣṇu’s heaven.

25-27. A man should mutter with a concentrated mind, the very meritorious hundred names, cleansing all sins, and should meditate upon them with abstract contemplation. Such a man would always obtain the fruit of having a bath in the Ganges with religious merit. Therefore a man should be very steady and mutter (these names) with a composed mind. A restrained man, being devoted, should mutter (these names) three times (a day). There is no doubt that for him there is (i.e. he gets) the fruit of (having performed) a hundred horse-sacrifices.

28-32a. I shall tell (you) about the religious merit of the man, who having fasted on the Ekādaśī day in front ofViṣṇu and (keeping) awake, would, mutter these names: The man obtains the fruit of Puṇḍarīka sacrifice (i.e. offered in honour of Viṣṇu). A man, who, remaining near Tulasī, would mentally mutter (these names) obtains the fruit of the Rājasūya sacrifice even after a year. One desiring happiness should mutter (these names) near the two (viz. at a place) where there is the Śālagrāma stone and the Dvārāvatī stone. A man (who does this) having enjoyed many pleasures and a hundred families would emancipate more than one along with him.

32b-39. He who would bathe (every morning) in Kārtika and would worship Viṣṇu, and also he, who, being purified, would recite the hymn (in honour of Viṣṇu) goes to (i.e. obtains) a superior position. The man, who bathes every morning in Māgha, having worshipped with devotion, Viṣṇu, the killer of (the demon) Madhu, and would meditate upon Hṛṣīkeśa (i.e. Viṣṇu), or would mutter (his names) or listens to them (being recited), and, giving up sinful (deeds) like drinking liquor, goes, without any difficulty, to Janārdana, O (my) son. The dead ancestors of the man, who at the time of a Śrāddha, would mutter hymn (containing) the hundred names destroying sins, in front of the brāhmaṇas eating (food), become pleased, and being gratified obtain salvation. A brāhmaṇa who always mutters it, becomes learned in the Vedas; a kṣatriya, (who always mutters it) obtains (i.e. rules over) the earth; a vaiśya (who always mutters it) would enjoy wealth and prosperity; a śūdra (who always mutters it) enjoys happiness and obtains brāhmaṇahood after getting another (i.e. next) existence and obtains (mastery over) the Vedic lore. This hymn, giving happiness and salvation should always be muttered. There is no doubt that due to the grace of Viṣṇu a man would be equipped with everything.