Islam and Hinduism: The Thousand Names of Vishnu and Allah

By K S Ram

The Thousand Names of Vishnu and Allah

Allah is Al-Ahad or The One and Vishnu is called Eka, The One. It's curious but there are striking similarities between the many names of Vishnu and those of Allah.

The Vishnu Sahasranamam (the thousand names of Vishnu) was composed by Ved Vyas and incorporated in the Mahabharata. The sahasra here is not meant to be a finite digit; it is in fact the opposite.

'Thousand' is meant to suggest infinitude. The poem is a tool for meditating on God, the Formless One, avyakta, of multifarious forms, aneka-murti. Names connoting these two opposite aspects follow one another in the poem: first the name, then the counter-name.

Because, the intention is not to define, but rather to convey the futility of definition through a surfeit of definitions. The names listed in the Sahasra-namam are not all nouns: they are mostly adjectives. They are attributes of God, juxtaposed to create a dhvani or suggestion of the all-inclusive, all-surpassing, definition-defying Being.

The counter-name does not cancel the name; rather, it illustrates that every name, every murti, is equally correct and incorrect: it is both iti (so) and neti (not so). It is futile, likewise, to think of adding up the names to arrive at any algebraic 'finality'.

Among the thousand names of Vishnu are also Shoonya (zero) and Ananta (infinity). The movement of a seeker after truth, as Swami Vivekanand put it, is not from error to truth, but rather from one truth to another, until he reaches the end of all knowledge, vedanta, to arrive at a consciousness of truth and bliss. This is sat-chit-ananda: the state of truth-consciousness-bliss. This is Godhood. One who realises it cannot define it; he can only point towards it or suggest it - through sahasranama.

The Gracious Names Of Allah lists the various names of Allah occurring in the holy Qu'ran. It is interesting how similar the names or appellations of Allah are to those of Vishnu in the Vishnu Sahasranamam. Allah, as the Paramatma, is Al-Ahad, The One or Eka. He is Al-Quddus, the Holy One (Pavitram), Ar-Rahman, The Beneficent (Varadaya), Al'Maalik, The Lord (Prabhu), Al'Aziz, The Mighty One (Mahaveera), Al'Alim, The All-knowing (Sarvagya). He is Al'Khaliq, The Creator (Srishta) and Al'Musawwir, One who fashions all things (Vishwakarma). He is Al'Hakam, The Judge (Vidhatre), who is Al'Adl, The Just (Nyaya). Al'Latif, The Subtle One (Sookshma), Al'Kabir, The Great (Mahaan).

Allah is also Al'Matin, The Firm One (Sthir), and As-Samad, The Eternal One, The Absolute (Achyuta, Sthavar). He sends down distress as Ad-Daarr (Bhaya-krat), and deals death as Al'Mumit (Yama). Himself is Al-Muhaymin, The Protector (Rakshan). God is An-Nur, The Luminous One (Prakash), and Al-Hakim, The Wise One (Mahabuddhi). He is An-Nafi, The Propitious One (Mangala). He is Dhul-Jalal-Wal-Ikram, The Bountiful (Srinidhi). As in the case of Vishnu, contradictory names apply equally perfectly to Allah. For example, He is Al'Muqaddim (The Expediter) and also Al'Mu'akhkhir (The Delayer).

What is the significance of reciting all these names? The Sahasranamam uplifts; it expands thought to include everything and every non-thing. If all is the One, where is room for malice? The Phal-shruti (Fruits of Recitation) of Vishnu Sahasranamam promises to rid the devoted reciter of anger, malice, greed and evil thoughts. One is also rid of the fear of birth, death, old age and disease (janma-mrityu-jara-vyadhi).

All these are the results that follow the highest form of positive thinking. Similarly, reciting the names of Allah, too, is bound to bring lasting benefit to the devout.