Within the Mahabharata is another well-known section called the Vishnu Sahasranam (The Thousand Names of Vishnu), a compendium of a thousand different aspects, powers, and forms of the Supreme Lord. (In the Hindu Trinity, which describes the three aspects of God, Brahma is the Creator, Vishnu is the Sustainer, and Shiva is the Destroyer.) This Sanskrit scripture is often chanted aloud in order to invoke the many sustaining powers of God. According to Swami Muktananda, "The Supreme Being is the most radiant of all lights, and so are His Thousand Names. The highest austerity lies in reciting the Vishnu Sahasranam. I have practiced it for years, and as a result I have reaped the full reward. It is through the practice of this chant that I have been able to experience the divine light and power. This very chant is the supreme God manifest as sound … The reward of singing this chant is the fulfillment of any desire which may arise in the heart."
Source : Jonathan Star, The Inner Treasure
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