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Vishnu Sahasranama

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शुक्लाम्बरधरं विष्णुं शशिवर्णं चतुर्भुजम्। प्रसन्नवदनं ध्यायेत् सर्वविघ्नोपशान्तये॥ यस्य स्मरणमात्रेण जन्मसंसारबन्धनात्। विमुच्यते नमस्तस्मै विष्णवे प्रभविष्णवे॥ ॐ विश्वं विष्णुर्वषट्कारो भूतभव्यभवत्प्रभुः। भूतकृद्भूतभृद्भावो भूतात्मा भूतभावनः॥१॥ पूतात्मा परमात्मा च मुक्तानां परमा गतिः। अव्ययः पुरुषः साक्षी क्षेत्रज्ञो‌உक्षर एव च॥२॥ योगो योगविदां नेता प्रधानपुरुषेश्वरः। नारसिंहवपुः श्रीमान् केशवः पुरुषोत्तमः॥३॥ सर्वः शर्वः शिवः स्थाणुर्भूतादिर्निधिरव्ययः। सम्भवो भावनो भर्ता प्रभवः प्रभुरीश्वरः॥४॥ स्वयम्भूः शम्भुरादित्यः पुष्कराक्षो महास्वनः। अनादिनिधनो धाता विधाता धातुरुत्तमः॥५॥ इतीदं कीर्तनीयस्य केशवस्य महात्मनः। नाम्नां सहस्रं दिव्यानामशेषेण प्रकीर्तितम्॥ य इदं शृणुयान्नित्यं यश्चापि परिकीर्तयेत्। नाशुभं प्राप्नुयात् किञ्चित् सो‌உमुत्रेह च मानवः॥
Transliteration

śuklāmbaradharaṃ viṣṇuṃ śaśivarṇaṃ caturbhujam | prasannavadanaṃ dhyāyet sarvavighnopaśāntaye || yasya smaraṇamātreṇa janmasaṃsārabandhanāt | vimucyate namastasmai viṣṇave prabhaviṣṇave || oṃ viśvaṃ viṣṇurvaṣaṭkāro bhūtabhavyabhavatprabhuḥ | bhūtakṛdbhūtabhṛdbhāvo bhūtātmā bhūtabhāvanaḥ ||1|| pūtātmā paramātmā ca muktānāṃ paramā gatiḥ | avyayaḥ puruṣaḥ sākṣī kṣetrajño'kṣara eva ca ||2|| yogo yogavidāṃ netā pradhānapuruṣeśvaraḥ | nārasiṃhavapuḥ śrīmān keśavaḥ puruṣottamaḥ ||3|| sarvaḥ śarvaḥ śivaḥ sthāṇurbhūtādirnirdhiravyayaḥ | sambhavo bhāvano bhartā prabhavaḥ prabhurīśvaraḥ ||4|| svayambhūḥ śambhurādityaḥ puṣkarākṣo mahāsvanaḥ | anādinidhano dhātā vidhātā dhāturuttamaḥ ||5|| itīdaṃ kīrtanīyasya keśavasya mahātmanaḥ | nāmnāṃ sahasraṃ divyānāmaśeṣeṇa prakīrtitam || ya idaṃ śṛṇuyānnityaṃ yaścāpi parikīrtayet | nāśubhaṃ prāpnuyāt kiñcit so'mutreha ca mānavaḥ ||

Translation

One should meditate upon Lord Vishnu who wears white garments, who is all-pervading, who is bright as the moon, who has four arms, and who has a pleasant countenance — for the removal of all obstacles. Salutations to Lord Vishnu, the all-powerful, by whose mere remembrance one is freed from the bondage of birth and the cycle of worldly existence. Om — (1) Vishvam — He who is the universe itself, (2) Vishnuh — He who pervades everything, (3) Vashatkaarah — He for whom the sacrificial exclamation Vashat is made, (4) Bhuta-Bhavya-Bhavat-Prabhuh — The Lord of past, future, and present, (5) Bhutakrit — The creator of all beings, (6) Bhutabhrit — The sustainer of all beings, (7) Bhavah — He who is pure existence, (8) Bhutatma — The soul of all beings, (9) Bhutabhavanah — He who nourishes all beings. (10) Putatma — The pure soul, (11) Paramatma — The Supreme Soul, (12) Muktanam Parama Gatih — The supreme goal of the liberated, (13) Avyayah — The imperishable, (14) Purushah — He who dwells in the body, (15) Sakshi — The witness of all, (16) Kshetragnah — The knower of the field (body), (17) Aksharah — The indestructible, He who never perishes. (18) Yogah — He who is yoga itself, (19) Yogavidam Neta — The guide of the knowers of yoga, (20) Pradhana-Purusheshvarah — The Lord of Pradhana (primordial matter) and Purusha (soul), (21) Narasimha-Vapuh — He who has the form of Narasimha (man-lion), (22) Shriman — The possessor of Shri (Lakshmi/beauty), (23) Keśavah — Lord of Brahma and Shiva, or He with beautiful hair, (24) Purushottamah — The Supreme Person, the best among all beings. (25) Sarvah — He who is everything, (26) Sharvah — The destroyer, (27) Shivah — The auspicious one, (28) Sthanuh — The firm and immovable, (29) Bhutadih — The origin of all beings, (30) Nidhih — The treasure in whom all things rest, (31) Avyayah — The imperishable, (32) Sambhavah — He who manifests by his own will, (33) Bhavanah — He who gives existence to all, (34) Bharta — The sustainer of all, (35) Prabhavah — The source of all creation, (36) Prabhuh — The almighty Lord, (37) Ishvarah — The supreme controller. (38) Svayambhuh — The self-born, (39) Shambhuh — The bestower of happiness, (40) Adityah — Son of Aditi (as Vamana), (41) Pushkarakshah — The lotus-eyed one, (42) Mahasvanah — He of the great voice (Pranava/Om), (43) Anadi-Nidhanah — He who has no beginning or end, (44) Dhata — The supporter of all, (45) Vidhata — The ordainer of destiny, (46) Dhatur-Uttamah — The subtlest and greatest element. Thus have been completely sung the thousand divine names of the great-souled Keshava, who is worthy of being praised. (This marks the beginning of the Phala Shruti — the section on benefits.) The person who listens to this daily or recites it shall never encounter any inauspiciousness, either in this world or in the next.

Introduction

The Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram is a sacred hymn containing one thousand divine names of Lord Vishnu. It appears in the Anushasana Parva (Book of Instructions) of the Mahabharata. After the great war of Kurukshetra, when Bhishma Pitamah lay on his bed of arrows awaiting death, Yudhishthira approached him and asked what the supreme dharma is and by praising whom a person can attain liberation. In response, Bhishma recited these thousand names of Lord Vishnu.

This is one of the most revered and widely recited hymns in Hinduism. Great acharyas including Adi Shankaracharya, Parashara Bhatta, and others have written extensive commentaries on it.

Significance

The recitation of Vishnu Sahasranama is believed to destroy all sins, fulfill desires, and ultimately grant liberation (moksha). The Phala Shruti (section on benefits) states that one who recites these thousand names daily with devotion attains happiness in this world and liberation in the next. Each name describes a divine quality, deed, or aspect of Lord Vishnu’s supreme nature.

How to Recite

  • This stotram should ideally be recited every morning after a bath.
  • Always begin with the Dhyana Shlokas (meditation verses) before the main recitation.
  • Recitation on Ekadashi (the 11th day of the lunar fortnight) is considered especially meritorious.
  • Begin by chanting “Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya” on a Tulsi mala.
  • Always conclude by reading the Phala Shruti (section on benefits).