SHUKLAMBARADHARAM VISHNUM

शुक्लाम्बरधरं विष्णुं शशिवर्णं चतुर्भुजम् ।

प्रसन्नवदनं ध्यायेत् सर्वविघ्नोपशान्तये ॥

The above Sloka is the opening verse of the most popular hymn on Maha Vishnu - the Vishnu Sahasranamam.

The Sloka is also used to invoke Vinayaka and chanted before the commencement of every ritual, ceremony and on alll occasions, auspicious or otherwise, and during festivals and poojas.

When chanted as a prayer to worship Vinayaka, it is usually accompanied by a ritual called Shankhaprahati or tapping five times the portion of the head above the ears. Details explained below.

Interestingly, except for the word Vishnu, there is nothing in the Sloka that is associated with Bhagvan Maha Vishnu such as

(1) शुक्लाम्बरधरं - Shukla Ambara Dharam or donning the white dress, as Maha Vishnu is associated with पीत कौशेय वासं Peeta Kousheya Vasam or Yellow colour Silk garment.

(2) शशिवर्णं Shashi Varnam or the colour of Moon, as the complexion of Maha Vishnu is dark, like the rain bearing cloud - मेघश्यामं- Megha Shyamam

In fact, in the original version of the Sloka, believed to have been composed by Brahma (source Skanda Puranam) the word Vishnu does not appear at all. It's शुक्लाम्बरधरं देवम् - Shukla Ambara Dharam Devam. How, when and by whom Devam was replaced by Vishnum is not exactly / clearly known.

But the phrase सर्व विघ्नोपशान्तये Sarva Vighna Upa Shantaye exclusively relates to Vinayaka, who is always referred to as the remover of all obstacles.

How Vinayaka got the name Vighneshwara or Vighnaharta is clearly mentioned in Shiva Purana. While expressing lavish praise on his son Vinayaka, Shiva himself gives him the name Vighnaharta and declares it shall be the most auspicious name. He also appoints him to be the head of the Ganas - ( thus giving him another name - Ganapathy) and says, henceforth people shall worship you..

त्वन् नाम विघ्नहंतृत्वे श्रेष्ठं चैव भवत्विति ।

मम सर्वगणाध्यक्षः संपूज्यस्त्वं भवाधुना ॥ ३१ ॥

Tvan Nama Vighnahantruve Sreshtam chaiva bhavatviti

Mama sarva ganadhyaksha Sampujyastvam bhava dhuna ॥ 31 ॥

Shankhaprahati is a ritual exclusively associated with Vinayaka. We tap the temple region of our head, the portion above the ears, five times, when praying to God. It can be gathered from Shiva Purana that it was Shiva who laid down procedures for worship of Vinayaka and one such ritual is Shanhaprahati.

यत्र यत्र क्रियारम्भे मुष्टिभ्याम् मूर्ध्नि देशिकह:

विनायकम् नमस्क्रुत्य कुट्टनम् पञ्च वारकम्

Yatra yatra kriyarambhe

Mushtibhyam moordhni desikah

Vinayakam Namas krtya

Kuttanam pancha vaarakam

By tapping the head ( मूर्ध्नि ) with our closed fist ( मुष्टिभ्याम् ) five times, we seek the God to thrash / destroy ( कुट्टनम् )

the five bad elements ( पञ्च वारकम् ) and guide us / show us the right path ( देशिकह.)

The five bad elements are ego, jealousy, lust, anger and greed.

Though the concept of Shankha Praharti was established by Shiva the credit of popularizing it goes to Sage Agastya. Legend has it that how Agastya was carrying the River water in his kamandalam, how Vinayaka in the disguise of a crow spilled the water and made the river (Cauvery) flow, how Vinayaka then appeared as a little boy and Agastya wanted to punish him and after realising who the boy really was, regretted and started the practice of tapping the forehead as a mark of apology.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

This write-up on the Shloka Shukla Ambara Dharam is not intended to establish or mis-guide the readers that it is exclusively associated with Lord Vinayaka and has got nothing to do Vishnu. To the contrary, the purpose is to underline the importance of the Shloka in relation to Vishnu and the greatness and magnitude of it, when the full version as the Vishnu Sahasranamam is chanted with deep devotion to Vishnu.

It should be clearly understood that the Vishnu, referred to in Shloka is not Maha Vishnu who is dark in complexion or who is depicted wearing Yellow attire but to Kshirodakasayi Vishnu, who resides in Shweta Dweepa, an exclusive island within the Ocean of Milk.

In the Mokshadharma Parva of the Mahabharata, when Sage Narada visits Shweta Dweepa, the Lord is described as having a brilliant white complexion, shining like the moon, and is associated with the purity of the milk ocean (Ksheerasagara). He says further that everything in Shweta Dweepa is white in colour, complexion of the God and its residents who are his devotees, their dress, etc.

Shweta Dweepa is described in Hindu scriptures, as a transcendental island located in the northern part of the Ksheera Sagara . It is the abode of Kshirodakasayi Vishnu, the Paramatma feature of the Supreme Lord.

Who can be Residents of Shweta Dweepa?

Not everyone gets entry into Shweta Dweepa and it is only Bhagwan Vishnu alone who decides who can be its residents. They include

(1)Noble Souls and Yogis (2)Highly Dedicated Sages like Narada, Sanat Kumaras (3)Siddhas and Advanced Devotees and (4)Those who perform intense devotion to Lord Vishnu and seek to realize the Nirguna or the Highest Self.

Description of the Residents

शुक्लास्ते विमलाश्चैव तथैव विगतेन्द्रियाः ।

ध्यायन्तो हि परं ब्रह्म ध्रुवं तत्र वसन्ति हि ॥

The residents of Shweta Dweepa are pure white in complexion, immaculate, and have conquered their senses, meditate on the Supreme Brahman, and they reside there permanently.

एकत्वम् एकमेवाहुर एकमेव न संशयः ।

सर्वेषाम् अपि भूतानाम् एक एव जनार्दनः ॥

They proclaim that there is no doubt that the Supreme is One. Janardana (Vishnu) is indeed the only Lord of all beings.

It is perhaps with the sole purpose to motivate devotees to chant Vishnu Sahasranamam as many times as possible to seek a permanent place in Shweta Dweepa, that Ved Vyas had placed the Shloka Shuklambaradharam Vishnum as the opening verse of the Sahasranamam.

NARAYANA NARAYANA

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