The Role of Sahasranamas in Spiritual Practice
Many religions include praise of the Divine Name as an important part of their tradition. In Hinduism all of the most widely-known forms of the divine have sahasranama stotra devoted to them. Recitation and study of these often constitute part of the daily routine of formal worship both at home and in temples.
Among the Nine Expressions of Bhakti, usually elaborated in Hindu tradition, four have relevance to the use of sahasranamas:
- sravana, listening to recitals of names and glories of God
- nama-sankirtana (nāma-sankīrtana), reciting the names of God either set to music or not
- smarana, recalling divine deeds and teaching of divine deeds.
- archana (archanā), worshipping the divine with ritual repetition of divine names.
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