The Benefits

As was pointed out earlier, our prayers traditionally end with a phala shruti - a section on the benefits of reciting the prayer. The Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram is no exception.

The necessity of cleansing our bodies regularly to maintain our physical hygiene and good health is recognised by everyone. But perhaps because we do not "see" our mind the same way as we see our body (i.e., as an externally visible entity), the necessity of keeping our minds clean is not as clearly recognised.

However, those who do not "cleanse" their mind regularly become "mentally" sick over a while, just as they become physically sick if they do not cleanse their body regularly. Prayers are a means of mental cleansing when chanted with sincerity and devotion. This aspect of the usefulness of prayers in everyone's life is common to all prayers.

The importance of Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram is that the deity being worshipped is none other than Vasudeva (śrī mahāviṣṇuḥ paramātmā śrīmannārāyaṇō dēvatā; śaktirdēvakīnandanaḥ; itīdaṃ kīrtanīyasya kēśavasya mahātmanaḥ nāmnāṃ sahasraṃ divyānām aśēṣēṇa prakīrtitam; sahasraṃ vāsudēvasya nāmnāmētat prakīrtayēt, etc.).

Sri Vyasa points out that it is by the power and command of Vasudeva that the sun, the moon, the stars, the world, and the oceans are controlled (dyauḥ sacandrārkanakṣatrā khaṃ diśō bhūrmahōdadhiḥ | vāsudēvasya vīryēṇa vidhṛtāni mahātmanaḥ). The whole universe of the Gods, Asuras, Gandharvas, etc., is under Lord Krishna's sway (sasurāsuragandharvam). Bhishma's expert judgment will relieve sorrow and bondage by chanting Vasudeva's name with devotion and sincerity.

In a nutshell, this is the phala shruti or the benefit of chanting Sri Vishnu Sahasranamam. Some have held that the phala shruti need not be, or should not be, chanted because they somehow feel it smacks selfish desires. This is not consistent with the age-old practices of our ancestors. The phala shruti says that anything desired can be obtained if sincere prayer is offered with devotion. However, it is up to those who seek benefits through prayers to pursue things that elevate them in life rather than lower them.

An example of the latter type is the case of the evil king Ravana, who had prayed and obtained enormous powers through his prayers to Lord Siva. Ultimately, he lost all he had, including himself, by misusing his powers.

The phala shruti in Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram was not just an add-on by someone trying to popularise the Stotram but is an integral part of the Mahabharata text. Sri Sankara and Sri Parasara Bhatta have written commentaries on the phala shruti slokas.

Thus, what has been stated in the phala shruti has authority from those worthy of great respect who have found it fit to comment and elaborate on the advice and information given to us through the phala shruti.

Perhaps the most important benefit of one who chants the Stotram with devotion and sincerity is cleansing one's mind from all evil thoughts. This is a significant and desirable benefit since this is the first step towards achieving pure happiness and absolute bliss. The firmness of mind, good memory, the delight of the self (inner happiness), and freedom from anger, jealousy, and greed are some of the benefits that accrue to one who recites the stotram with devotion and eagerness. The key is the sincerity of purpose, dedication and devotion.

The person who chants or recites is not the only one who benefits. Those who, for whatever reason, cannot vocalise benefit by just hearing the chanting (ya idaṃ śṛṇuyānnityam).