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Vedic Reflections - Shri VishnusahasranAmam (108 - Obeisance)  The final concluding lines of the stotram, we completely surrender unto His Holiness as we praise all His great armory that we believe will protect us from all evil. All Hail the Lord of Vaikuntha   वनमाली गाढ़ी शारंघी शंखी चक्री च नन्दकी | श्रीमान नारायणो विष्णुर्वासुदेवोअभिरक्षतु || श्री वा सुदेवोअभिरक्षतु ॐ नमः इति   vanamalī gadh ī ś ā rngh ī ś angh ī chakr ī cha nandak ī ś r ī m ā n n ā raya ṇ o vish ṇ urv ā sudevoabhirak ś athu ś r ī v ā sudevoabhirakshathu aum nama ithi    The One Who is wearing the garland of wild flowers ( vanamal ī ), holding the club ( gadh ī ), the bow ( s ā rngh ī ), the conch ( ś angh ī ), discus ( chakr ī ) and sword ( nandak ī ) I bow unto that Greatest personality of Godhead Who is the son of V āsudeva , the Lord of the Goddess of fortune ( ś r ī m ā n ) and completely surrender unto Him because He will take care of everything

Vedic Reflections - Shri VishnusahasranAmam (Stanza 107) We have finally reached the final stanza of the Shri VishnusahasranAmam as we will learn about the last name of the Lord. He has been depicted in these names as the master of weaponry. All His main weapons are described here through each of His names and in the end we salute His Greatness by chanting aum ( ॐ ) namah iti accompanying it with prostration vi śvaroopam शंख भ्रिननदकी चक्री शारंगधन्वा गधाधरः | रथांगपाणि अक्षोभ्यः सर्वप्रहरणायुधः || सर्वप्रहरणायुधः ॐ नमा इति  ś ankabh ṛ nandakI chakrI ś ā rangadhanva gad ā dharah rath ā ngap ā nirak ś obhyah sarvapraharan ā yudhah sarvapraharan ā yudhah aum nama iti ś ankabh ṛ t The One Who holds the shankha or conch called pAnchajanya nandakI  The One Who holds in His hand the sword called nandaka   chakrI  The One Who holds the discuss or chakra called sudarshana chakra   ś ā rangadhanva  The One Who holds the bow and arrow called shAranga   gad ā dharah The

Vedic Reflections - Shri VishnusahasranAmam (Stanza 106) Lord is the greatest among all, as He is the infinite cause of the infinity itself. He easily destroys the sins of devotees when they start meditating upon Him or keep fasts for Him Pradosh Vrata आत्मयोनिः स्वयंजातो वैखानः सामगायनः | देवकीनन्दनः  सृष्टा क्षितीशः पापनाशनः ||     Atmayonih svayamjAto vaikhAnah sAmagAyanah devakInandanah srishta kshitIshah pApanAshanah Atmayonih  The One Who is the cause of the Atman   svayamjAtah The One Who is the cause for Himself vaikhAnah  The One Who dug deep into the earth and killed the demon hiranyAksha as the great boar, varAha     sAmagAyanah The One Who sings the hymns of sAmaveda     devakInandanah  The One Who was the Son of Devaki     srishta  The One Who created the entire world kshitIshah  The One Who is Lord of the Earth, son of Dasaratha, Sri RAma     pApanAshanah The One Who destroys the load of sins, when meditated or prayed upon, it i

Vedic Reflections - Shri VishnusahasranAmam (Stanza 105) Here, we learn further about Our Lord's relation with sacrificial rituals or yaj ña . He is the master of sacrifices as well as the enjoyer of the same     यज्ञभृत यज्ञकृत यज्ञी यज्ञभुक यज्ञसाधनः | यज्ञांतकृत यज्ञगुह्यं अन्नंअन्नाद एव च || yajñabhrit yaj ñakrit yaj ñ I yaj ñ abhuk yaj ñasAd hanah   yaj ñAntakrit  yaj ñ aguhyam AnnamannAd eva cha     yajñabhrit  The One Who protects the sacrifice     yaj ñakrit  The One Who performs and ends the sacrifice     yaj ñ I  The One Who is pleased by the sacrifices yaj ñ abhuk  The One Who enjoys the sacrifice     yaj ñasAd hanah The One Who is attained through the sacrifice, thus, sacrificial rituals are a means to attain Him     yaj ñAntakrit  The One Who ends the sacrificial ritual and gives the fruit     yaj ñ aguhyam  The One Who is the ultimate sacrifice performed without any intent for results Annam The One Who is the food grain annAdah The One Who is the con

Vedic Reflections - Shri VishnusahasranAmam (Stanza 104) Lord Vishnu has been called as the aim as well as the enjoyer of yaj ñ ah or sacrificial ceremonies. Here in this stanza the second line contains names that relate Our dear Lord's relation with yaj ñ ah Lord Krishna performing a yaj ñ a or sacrificial ceremony भूर्भुवस्वस्तारुस्तरः सपिता प्रपितामः | यज्ञो यज्ञपतिर्यज्ञो यज्ञान्गों यज्ञवाहनः || bhUrbhuvassvastarustArah sapitAprapitAmah yaj ñ o yaj ñ apatiryaj ñ o yaj ñ Ango yaj ñ avAhanah  bhUrbhuvassvastaruh  The One Who is like a tree that covers the three worlds     tArah The One Who is the shining star that guides beings while crossing the ocean of samsAra   sapitA The One Who is the father of the universe prapitAmahah The One Who created the creator ( Brahma ) yaj ñ ah The One Who utilizes the fruit of  yaj ñ ah yaj ñ apatih The One Who is the Enjoyer and Lord of all sacrifices yaj ñ ah The One Who is the form of the sacrificer yaj ñ Angah The One W

Vedic Reflections - Shri VishnusahasranAmam (Stanza 103) In the 103rd stanza we get to know about the elemental role of Lord Vishnu Who has been invoked as the Supreme Personality of Godhead beyond the scope of life, death and everything in between प्रमाणं प्राणनिलयः प्राणभृत प्राणजीवनः |  तत्वं तत्वविदेकात्मा जन्ममृत्युजरातिगः ||   pramAnam prAnanilayah prAnabhrit prAnajIvanah tatvam tatvavidekAtma janmamrityujarAtigah pramAnam  The One Who is the most important , subject of matter prAnanilayah The One Who is merges prAna with the beings   prAnabhrit The One Who sustains life  through food prAnajIvanah The One Who makes creatures live by blowing life into them   tatvam The One Who is the element   tatvavit The One Who knows the truth and is Himself the truth   ekAtma The One Who is the Only Supreme Personality of Godhead   janmamrityujaraatigah The One Who is beyond the qualities of birth, growth, existence, changes, declination and de

MATHRI SEV PURI Source :  www.sanjeevkapoor.com Crisp refined flour mathris topped with american corn ans assorted chutneys. Preparation Time :  8- 10 hours Cooking Time :  5-7 minutes Servings :  4 MY RATING - 8.4/10 INGREDIENTS Mathri 16 Oil 1 tablespoon Onion , chopped 1 medium American corn kernels, boiled 1 cup Fresh red chillies, chopped 2 Sweet chilli sauce 1/4 cup Chaat masala 1/2 teaspoon Fresh mint leaves, chopped 1 tablespoon Fresh coriander leaves, chopped 2 tablespoons Salt to taste Lemon juice 1 tablespoon Sev 1/2 cup Fresh parsley, chopped 2 tablespoons METHOD Heat oil in a pan. Add onions and sauté. Add American corn and sauté. Add fresh red chillies, sweet chilli sauce and toss. Add chaat masala, mint leaves and coriander leaves. Adjust salt. Mix and cook till dry.Add lemon juice to the corn mixture. Divide into sixteen portions. Place each portion on each mathri. Sprinkle sev. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.