Introductory part of the Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram

Though the Lord has innumerable names, the Vishnu Sahasranama which contains a thousand selected names of the Supreme Being, is in the nature of a hymn which can be chanted by all. There is a great secret in it. The sequence of the names of the Vishnu in the verses, in Anushtubh metre has a rationale.

Twenty-four names of Lord Vishnu had been incorporated in the three opening verses of the Vishnu Sahasranama. These twenty-four names denote the 24 syllabled Gayatri mantra, each syllable corresponding to a particular name. The name Gayatri connotes that it protects those who chant it. Properly and regularly only comes later after practice. Hence better try than never.

Some could feel that they do not know the correct pronunciation, and so do not want to chant incorrectly. H. J. Achar, in his book "Sri Vishnu Sahasranama - A Study", H.J. Achar, Sharada Press, Mangalore, 1972, has given the analogy of a mother to whom a child goes and asks for an orange. The child does not know how to pronounce the word "orange", and so asks for "ange". The mother does not turn away the child and does not refuse to give the child the orange just because the child does not know how to pronounce the word. It is the spirit or bhava that matters, and so as long as one chants the name of God with sincerity, considerations such as not knowing the meaning, not knowing the pronunciation, etc., do not matter, and God who is the Mother of all of us will confer His blessings on us.

In the introductory part of the Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram, Yudhishthira asks Bhishma six questions, related to how mankind can attain happiness. These are contained in two stanzas starting with "kim ekam daivatam loke" in the Stotram. These questions are:

1.Who is the One (Supreme) Deity?
2.What is the highest goal of life?
3.By praising which Deity's auspicious qualities will human beings attain prosperity in this world as well as bliss in the next?
4.By meditating on which Deity will human beings attain prosperity in this world as well as bliss in the next?
5.By reciting which mantra will man be released from the bondage of the cycle of birth and death?
6.Of the three means referred to above (i.e., recitation, praise or archana, and meditation), which is the best means for attaining the grace of the Supreme Deity based on your vast experience and knowledge? ....continued

Aum sairam