Adi Shankara's commentary of Vishnu Sahasranaamam defines the name Vishnu as that energy or power pervading everything in the universe and He is not limited by time, space or substance. He is called Vishnu Bhagavaan because he possesses all the six Bhagaas or positive qualities namely,
1. Jnaana or power to know everything
2.Aishvarya or Sovereignty
3.Shakthi or strength to make even the impossible, possible
4.Bala or again the strength to support everything for ever
5.Veerya or vigour
6. Tejas or splendour
Now let us extrapolate the meaning of the name Vishnu to one of the deadliest negative qualities of ordinary people. As per Bhagavaan's words in Bhagavad Gita, anger is that deadliest quality which eventually leads one to countless miseries.
To connect and understand Bhagavaan and the emotion anger, Shankaraachaaryaa's lines from Bhajagovindam are very helpful:
Tvayi Mayi Chaanyatraiko Vishnuh
Vyartham Kupyasi Mayyasahishnuh
ത്വയി മയി ചാന്യത്രൈകോ വിഷ്
വ്യര്ത്ഥം കുപ്യസി മയ്യസഹിഷ്ണു:
"In me, in you and in everything, none but the same Vishnu dwells. Your anger and intolerance is meaningless."
Vishnu is in everybody and everything, so getting angry with some one is equivalent to getting angry with one self. When you think about it, getting angry with oneself is meaningless and stupid. Even though we think that we are directing the anger at somebody else, in reality, we are angry at ourselves and this leads to hating ourselves. Bhagavad Gita explains the negative results of anger :
O Arjuna, Delusion or wild idea arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down from the right path when reasoning is destroyed."
What is the antidote to anger? Shankaraacharyar advises to internalize the meaning of the name Vishnu and see Bhagavaan in everybody and everything. The attitude of surrender to that power pervading the whole Universe eliminates anger. Naamasankeerthanam helps us to develop the attitude of complete surrender.
Vyartham Kupyasi Mayyasahishnuh
ത്വയി മയി ചാന്യത്രൈകോ വിഷ്
വ്യര്ത്ഥം കുപ്യസി മയ്യസഹിഷ്ണു:
"In me, in you and in everything, none but the same Vishnu dwells. Your anger and intolerance is meaningless."
Vishnu is in everybody and everything, so getting angry with some one is equivalent to getting angry with one self. When you think about it, getting angry with oneself is meaningless and stupid. Even though we think that we are directing the anger at somebody else, in reality, we are angry at ourselves and this leads to hating ourselves. Bhagavad Gita explains the negative results of anger :
O Arjuna, Delusion or wild idea arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down from the right path when reasoning is destroyed."
What is the antidote to anger? Shankaraacharyar advises to internalize the meaning of the name Vishnu and see Bhagavaan in everybody and everything. The attitude of surrender to that power pervading the whole Universe eliminates anger. Naamasankeerthanam helps us to develop the attitude of complete surrender.
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