Dharmaraja enquired with the great Bhishmacharya - by chanting which one can get salvation, escape the cycle of life & death? Bhishma, who is acclaimed as one of the greatest Bhagavatas in the verse -
Prahlaada naarada paraashara pundareeka
vyaasaambareesha shuka shounaka bheeshma daalbhyaan
rukmaangadaarjana vasistha vibheeshanaadeen
dhanyaan imaan parama bhaagavataan smaraami
- answers that this is possible only through the great stotra - Vishnusahasranama. Bhishma always saw Krishna as Parabrahman itself and not as a human being. The Vishnusahasranama is applicable to all and leads them to salvation undoubtedly. No special discipline is required to be followed for chanting this stotra. Nor any prohibitions are applicable to prevent anybody from chanting. Anybody, at anytime and any where can freely chant this stotra with deep devotion. The chanting of this stotra is not only a “japa”, it is verily the true shabdabrahma - the divine sound. The very hearing of the sound of this stotra cleanses us from all sins and mistakes. It helps in dwelving in the meditation of Narayana. Single mindedness and concentration can be developed with the chanting and makes us to get merged in Brahman.
While meditating on Sripathi, the Narayana, one should start the meditation from the lotus feet of the Lord and proceed upwards towards his beautiful hair filled head. Think only on him and become one with him. The mind should not waver from him, even for a second. As Ramanujacharya advises, the meditative process should be continuous and undisturbed like a string of falling oil - think on him, think forever. For such people there is nothing like worry. The worldly problems and heat cannot have any effect on him. Ajasram - means always - continuously. Great saints advise thus - while firmly holding the divine feet of the Lord with one hand, one can carry out all the worldly activities with the other hand. Then we realize that everything in this world is pervaded by Brahman. Narayana is in all, from dust to mountains, grass to trees, living and non-living, totally engulfed around them and pervading in all of them. That is how Upanishads declare.
Mind should be engrossed in the company of good people, those who are always connected with divinity. The great Kannada saint poet Sarvagna declares thus - “Sajjanara Sangavadu Hejjenu Savidante - the company of Sajjanas is like enjoying the sweetness of special Honey, the Hejjenu”. Their company is like Kasturi - which emanates pleasant smell always and all around. While we walk in a grove of Jasmine, our body also smells Jasmine. The company of pious people removes all our defects and destroys the six strong enemies.
It helps us to be enmeshed with divinity. That is how Purandara Dasa danced with the joy “Haridasara sanga dorakitu namagindu inneninnenu - who else do I need, when I have got the company of the Haridasas - the devotees of Hari”.
This article has been taken from the book A Torchlight in the Path of Salvation, Bhaja Govindam- Pray to Govinda by K V Varadaraja Iyengar