శ్రీ విష్ణు సహస్రనామము

Sri Vishnu sahasranamam is a garaland ( pulamaala) of the Lord Vishnu, strung into a beautiful stotra by Veda Vyasa Maharshi.

In VedaVyasa's MahaBharatam, in ShanthiParva, we will find this Vishnu Sahasranaamam.

Bhasyam (word by word meaning) of Vishnu Sahasranaamam is written by Jagadguru Sri Adi Sankaraachaarya in 6th century AD.

01. Oum vishvam vishnur-vashatkaro bhuta-bhavya-bhavat-prabhuh
Bhutakrud bhutabhrud bhavo bhutatma bhuta-bhavanah

Vishvam: The all or the Universe.

Vishnur: He who pervades every thing.

Vashatkara: For whom the sacrificial versus are uttered in the yagyas.

Bhuta-bhavya-bhavat-prabhuh: The one who is the master and beyond the past, present and the future.

Bhutakrud: The creator and destroyer of all existences in the universe.

Bhutabhrud: One who supports or sustains or governs the universe.

Bhava: Pure existence.

Bhutatma: The essence of all beings.

Bhuta-bhavanah: He who originates and develops all Elements.


02. Pootatma paramatma cha muktanam parama gatih
Avyayah purusha sakshi kshetrajnokshara eva cha

Pootatma: One whose nature is purity/who is purity

Paramatma cha: He who is the supreme one and the Atman.

Muktanam parama gatih: The highest goal of the liberated ones.

Avyayah: One for whom there is no decay.

Purusha: One who abides in the body or pura.

Sakshi: One who witnesses everything

Kshetrajno: The knower of the field or body.

Akshara eva cha: He who is without destruction


03. Yogo yogavidam neta pradhana-purushesvarah
Narasimha-vapu shriman kesavah purushottamah

Yogo: One attainable through Yoga.

Yogavidam neta: The master of those who are established in the above-mentioned Yoga.

Pradhana-purushesvarah: The master of pradhana or Prakruti and Purusha or Jiva.

Narasimha-vapu: One in whom the bodies of a man and a lion are combined.

Shirman: One on whose chest the goddess Shri always dwells.

Kesavah: One whose Kesa or locks are beautiful

Purushottamah: The greatest among all Purushas


04. Sarvah sarvah sivah sthanur-bhutadir-nidhir-avyayah
Sambhavo bhavano bharta prabhavah prabhur-isvarah

Sarvah: The omniscient source of all existence.

Sarvah: Destroyer.

Sivah: One pure.

Sthanur: One who is steady, immovable and changeless.

Bhutadir: Source of all elements or existing things.

Avyayah nidhir: The changeless and indestructible Being in whom the whole universe becomes
merged and remains in seminal condition at the time of Pralaya or cosmic dissolution.

Sambhavo: One born out of His own will as incarnation.

Bhavano: One who generates the fruits or Karmas of all Jivas for them to enjoy.

Bharta: One who supports the universe as its substratum.

Prabhavah: One from whom all the great elements have their birth. Or one who has exalted births as incarnations.

Prabhur: One who is an adept in all rites.

Ishvarah: One who has unlimited lordliness or power over all things.


05. Svayambhuh sambhur-adityah pushkaraksho mahasvanah
Anandi-nidhano dhata vidhata dhaturuttamah

Svayambhuh: One who exists by Himself, uncaused by any other.

Sambhur: One who bestows happiness on devotees.

Adityah: The golden-hued person in the sun’s orb.

Pushkaraksho: One who has eyes resembling the petals of Pushkara or lotus.

Mahasvanah: One from whom comes the great sound – the Veda.

Anandi-nidhano: The one existence that has neither birth nor death.

Dhata: One who is the support of the universe.

Vidhata: He who generates Karmas and their fruits.

Dhaturuttamah: The ultimate support of every thing.


06. Aprameyo hrishikesah padma-nabho mara-prabhuh
Visvakarma manustvashta sthavishtah sthaviro-dhruvah

Aprameyo: One who is not measurable or understandable by any of the accepted means of
knowledge like sense, perception, inference etc.

Hrishikesaho: The master of the senses

Padma-nabho: He in whose navel (nabhi) the lotus (padma), the source of the universe, stands.

Amara-prabhuh: The master of Amaras i.e. the Devas.

Visvakarma: He whose power of creation is unique and wonderful.

Manu: He who thinks.

Stvashta: He who makes all beings shrunken (Tanukarana) at the time of cosmic dissolution.

Sthavishtah: He who excels in everything in bulk or substantiality.

Sthaviro-dhruvah: Eternal One, being the most ancient. It is taken as a single phrase, the name along with its qualification.


07. Agrahyah sasvatah krishno lohitakshah pratardanah
Prabhutas-trikakubdhama pavitram mangalam param

Agrahyah: One who cannot be grasped by the organs or knowledge or conceived by the mind.

Sasvatah: One who exists at all times.

Krishno: The existence-Knowledge-Bliss.

Lohitakshah: One whose eyes are tinged red.

Pratardanah: Destroyer of all at the time of cosmic dissolution.

Prabhutas: Great because of unique qualities like omnipotence, omniscience etc.

Trikakubdhama: He who is the support (dharma) of the three regions above, below and in the middle.

Pavitram: That which purifies everything.

Mangalam param: Supremely auspicious.


08. Isanah pranadah prano jyeshthah sreshthah prajapatih
Hiranyagarbho bhugarbho madhavo madhusudanah

Isanah: He who controls and regulates everything.

Pranadah: One who bestows or activates the Prana, the vital energy.

Prano: The Supreme Being.

Jyeshthah: The eldest of all; for there is nothing before Him.

Sreshthah: One deserving the highest praise.

Prajapatih: The master of all living beings, because He is Ishvara.

Hiranyagarbho: One who is Atman of even Brahma the creator.

Bhugarbho: One who has got the world within Himself.

Madhavo: The Consort of Maa or Mahalakshmi

Madhusudanah: The destroyer of the demon Madhu.


09. Ishvaro vikrami dhanvi medhavi vikramah kramah
Anuttamo duradharsah krutajnah krutiratmavan

Ishvara: The Omnipotent Being.

Vikrami: The courageous One.

Dhanvi: One armed with bow.

Medhavi: He who has great intelligence capable of grasping all texts.

Vikramah: He who crosses (Karmana) i.e. transcends samsara.

Kramah: Vishnu is called Kramah, because He is the cause of Kramana or crossing of the ocean of samsara by devotees,

Anuttamo: He than whom there is none greater.

Duradharsah: One whom none (Asuras) can overcome.

Krutajnah: One who knows everything about what has been done (Kruta) by Jivas. Also one who is pleased even with those who offer such simple offerings as leaves, flowers, fruits and water.

Krutir: The word means what is achieved through all human efforts or works.

Atmavan: One established in his own greatness i.e. requiring no other support than Himself.


10. Suresah sharanam sharma vishvaretah prajabhavah
Ahah samvasaro vyalah pratyayah sarvadarshanah

Suresah: The lord of the Suras or Devas. It can also mean the greatest of those who bestow good.

Saranam: One who removes the sorrows of those in distress.

Sharma: One who is of the nature of supreme bliss.

Vishvaretah: The seed of the universe.

Prajabhavah: He from whom all beings have originated.

Ahah: Luminous one.

Samvasaro: As Time is a from of Vishnu, He is called Samvasara or a year.

Vyalah: Being ungraspable like a serpent, He is called Vyalah.

Pratyayah: One who is of the nature of Pratiti or Prajna (consciousness)

Sarvadarshanah: One with eyes everywhere. As the Lord has assumed all forms, the eye-sight of all beings is His.


11. Ajah sarveshvarah siddhah siddhih sarvadir acyutah
Vrushakapir ameyatma sarva-yoga-vinihshrutah

Ajah: One who has no birth.

Sarveshvarah: The Lord of all Lords or the supreme Lord.

Siddhah: One ever established in one’s own nature.

Siddhih: One who is of the nature of Consciousness in all.

Sarvadih: One who is the first cause of all elements.

Achyutah: One who never lost and will never lose his inherent nature and powers.

Vrushakapir: One who shwers all objects of desire.

Ameyatma: One whose form or nature cannot be measured and determined.

Sarva-yoga-vinihshrutah: One who stands aside completely from all bondage.


12. Vasur vasumanah satyah samatma sammitah samah
Amoghah pundarikaksho vrusha-karma vrushakrutih

Vasur: One in whom all beings dwell and one who dwells in all beings.

Vasumanah: The term Vasu means wealth or riches. Here it indicates greatness. So it means one
possessed of a great mind i.e. a mind free from attachments, anger and other evil qualities.

Satyah: One whose nature is Truth.

Samatma: One whose mind is Sama, without partiality or anger and thus the same towards all beings.

Sammitah: This name and the previous (samatma) occurring together, can be split in two ways – as samatma + sammitah and as samatma + asammitah.

Samah: One unpertubed at all times.

Amoghah: One whose worship will never go in vain, but will bear ample fruits.

Pundarikaksho: One whose eyes resemble the petals of a lotus.

Vrushakarma: One whose actions are according to Dharma.

Vrushakrutih: One who takes form for the sake of Dharma.


13. Rudro bahushira babhrur vishva-yonih shuchi sravah
Amrutah shashvata-sthanur vararoho maha-tapah

Rudro: One who makes all beings cry at the time of cosmic dissolution.

Bahushira: One with innumerable heads.

Babhrur: One who governs the world.

Vishvayonih: One who is the cause of the world.

Shuchi sravah:: One whose names and glories are very holy and purifying to be heard.

Amrutah: One who is deathless.

Shashvata-sthanur: One who is both eternal and firmly established, unchanging.

Vararoho: He whose lap gives the highest blessings.

Mahatapah: The austerity connected with creation, which is of the nature of knowledge is of great potency.


14. Sarvagah sarva-vid-bhanur vishvaksheno janardanah
Vedo vedavid avyango vedango vedavit kavih

Sarvagah: One who pervades everything, being of the nature of their material cause.

Sarva-vid-bhanur: One who is omniscient and illumines everything.

Vishvaksheno: He before whom all Asura armies get scattered.

Janardanah: One who inflicts suffering on evil men.

Vedah: He who is of the form of the Veda.

Vedavid: One who knows the Veda and its meaning.

Avyango: One who is self-fulfilled by knowledge and other great attributes and is free from every defect.

Vedango: He to whom the Vedas stand as organs.

Vedavit: One who knows all the Vedas.

Kavih: One who sees everything.

15. Lokadhyakshah suradhyaksho dharmadhyakshah krutakrutah
Chaturatma chaturvyuhas chaturdamstras chatur-bhujah

Lokadhyakshah: He who witnesses the whole universe.

Suradhyaksho: One who is the overlord of the protecting Divinities of all regions.

Dharmadhyakshah: One who directly sees the Dharma and Adharma of beings by bestowing their due rewards on all beings.

Krutakrutah: One who is an effect in the form of the worlds and also a non-effect as their cause.

Chaturatma: One who for the sake of creation, sustentation and dissolution assumes forms.

Chaturvyuhas: One who adopts a fourfold manifestation.

Chaturdamstras: One with four fangs in His Incarnation as Nisimha.

Chaturbhujah: One with four arms.

16. Bhrajishnur-bhojanam bhokta sahishnur jagad-adhijah
Anagho vijayo jeta vishva-yonih punar-vasuh

Bhrajishnur: One who is pure luminosity.

Bhojanam: Prakruti is called Bhojanam or what is enjoyed by the Lord.

Bhokta: As he, purusha, enjoys the prakruti, He is called the enjoyer or Bhokta.

Sahishnur: As He suppresses Asuras like Kiranyaksha, He is Sahishnu.

Jagad-adhijah: One who manifested as Hiranyagarbha by Himself at the beginning of creation.

Anagho: The sinless one.

Vijayo: One who has mastery over the whole universe by virtue of his six special excellences like omnipotence, omniscience etc. known as Bhagas.

Jeta: One who is naturally victorious over beings, i.e. superior to all beings.

Vishva-yonih: The source of the universe.

Punar-vasuh: One who dwells again and again in the bodies as the Jivas.


17. Upendro vamanah pramshur amoghah suchir urjitah
Atindrah samgrahah sargo dhrutatma niyamo yamah

Upendro: One born as the younger brother of Indra.

Vamanah: One who, in the form of Vamana (dwarf), went begging to Bali.

Pramshur: One of great height.

Amoghah: One whose acts do not go in vain.

Suchir: One who purifies those who adore and praise Him.

Urjitah: One of infinite strength.

Atindrah: One who is superior to Indra by His inherent attributes like omnipotence, omniscience etc.

Samgrahah: One who is of the subtle form of the universe to be created.

Dhrutatma: nature, without the transformation involved in birth and death.

Niyamo: One who appoints His creatures in particular stations.

Yamah: One who regulates all, remaining within them.

18. Vedyo vaidyah sada-yogi viraha madhavo madhuh
Atindriyo mahamayo mahotsaho mahabalah

Vedyo: One who has to be known by those who aspire for Mokshas.

Vaidhyah: One who knows all Vidyas or branches of knowledge.

Sada-yogi: One who is ever experienceble, being ever existent.

Viraha: One who destroys heroic Asuras for the protection of Dharma.

Madhavo: One who is the Lord or Master of Ma or knowledge.

Madhuh: Honey, because the Lord gives joy, just like honey.

Atindriyo: One who is not knowable by the senses.

Mahamayo: One who can cause illusion even over other great illusionists.

Mahotsaho: One who is ever busy in the work of creation, sustentation and dissolution.

Mahabalah: The strongest among all who have strength.


19. Mahabuddir mahaviryo mahasaktir mahadyutih
Anirdesyavapuh shriman ameyatma mahadridhruk

Mahabuddir: The wisest among the wise.

Mahaviryo: The most powerful one, because Ignorance which is the cause of Samsara is His great power.

Mahasaktir: One with great resources of strength and skill.

Mahadyutih: One who is intensely brilliant both within and without.

Anirdesyavapuh: One who cannot be indicated to another as: `He is this’, because He cannot be objectively known.

Shriman: One endowed with greatness of every kind.

Ameyatma: The Spirit with intelligence that cannot be measured by any one.

Mahadridhruk: One who held up the great mountain `Mandara’ at the time of the churning of the Milk Ocean and also Govardhana in his Krishna incarnation.

20. Maheshvaso mahibharta shrinivasah satam gatih
Aniruddhah suranando govindo govidam patih

Maheshvaso: One equipped with the great bow.

Mahibharta: One who held up the earth submerged in Pralaya waters.

Shrinivasah: One on whose chest the Goddess Shri, eternal in nature, dwells.

Satam gatih: One who bestows the highest destiny attainable, to all holy men.

Aniruddhah: One who has never been obstructed by any one or anything from manifesting in various forms.

Suranando: One who bestows joy on all divinities.

Govindo: Gau means words. Thou pervadest all words, giving them power. Therefore sages call the
Govinda.

Govindam patih: Gau means words. One who knows them is Govid. He who is the master of words is indicated by this name.


21. Marichir-damano hamsah suparno bhujagottamah
Hiranya-nabha sutapah padmanabhah prajapatih

Marchir: The supreme power and impressiveness seen in persons endowed with such qualities.

Damano: One who in the form of Yama inflicts punishments on those who tread the path of unrighteousness.

Hamsah: One who removes the fear of Samsara from those who practise the sense of identity with Him.

Suparnah: One who has two wings in the shape of Dharma and Adharma.

Bhujagottamah: One who is the greatest among those who move on Bhujas or arms, that is, serpents. The great serpents like Ananta and Vasuki are the powers of Vishnu, so he has come to have this name.

Sutapah: One who performs rigorous austerities at Badarikashrama as Nara and Narayana.

Padmanabhah: One whose navel is beautifully shaped like lotus.

Prajapatih: The father of all beings, who are His children.


22. Amrutyuh sarva-druk simhah sandhata sandhiman sthirah
Ajo durmarshanah shasta vishrutatma surariha

Amrutyuh: One who is without death or its cause.

Sarva-druk: One who sees the Karmas of all Jivas through His inherent wisdom.

Simhah: One who does Himsa or destruction.

Sandhata: One who unites the Jivas with the fruits of their actions.

Sandhiman: One who is Himself the enjoyer of the fruits of actions.

Sthirah: One who is always of the same nature.

Ajo: The root `Aj’ has got as meanings both `go’ and `throw’. So the name means One who goes into the hearts of devotees or One who throws the evil Asuras to a distance, i.e. destroys them.

Durmarshanah: One whose might the Asuras cannot bear.

Shasta: One who instructs and directs all through the scriptures.

Vishrutatma: One who is specially known through signifying terms like Truth, Knowledge etc.

Surariha: One who destroys the enemies of Suras or Devas.


23. Gurur gurutamo dhama satyah satya-parakramah
Nimisho animishah sragvi vachaspatir udaradhih

Gurur: One who is the teacher of all forms of knowledge.

Gurutamo: One who gives the knowledge of Brahman even to divinities like Brahma.

Dhama: It means brilliance.

Satyah: One who is embodied as virtue of truth specially.

Satya-parakamah: One of unfailing valour.

Nimisho: One whose eye-lids are closed in Yoga-nidra.

Animishah: One who is ever awake.

Sragvi: One who has on Him the necklace called Vaijayanti, which is strung with the subtle aspects of the five elements.

Vachaspatir-udaradhih: Being the master of Vak or word i.e. knowledge, He is called so. As his intellect perceives everything, He is Udaradhih. Both these epithets together constitute one name.


24. Agranir gramanih shriman nyayo neta samiranah
Sahsra-murdha vishvatma sahasraksha sahasrapat

Agranir: One who leads all liberation-seekers to the highest status.

Gramanih: One who has the command over Bhutagrama or the collectivity of all beings.

Shriman: One more resplendent than everything.

Nyayo: The consistency which runs through all ways of knowing and which leads one to the truth of Non-duality.

Neta: One who moves this world of becoming.

Samiranah: One who in the form of breath keeps all living beings functioning.

Sahasramurdha: One with a thousand, i.e. innumerable, heads.

Vishvatma: The soul of the universe.

Sahasraksha: One with a thousand or innumerable eyes.

Sahasrapat: One with a thousand, i.e. innumerable legs.


25. Avrtano nivrutatma samvrutah sampramardanah
Ahah samvartako vahnir anilo dharani-dharah

Avartano: One who whirls round and round the Samsara-chakra, the wheel of Samsara or worldy existence.

Nivrutatma: One whose being is free or untouched by the bondage of Samsara.

Samvrutah: One who is covered by all-covering Avidya or ignorance.

Sampramardanah: One who delivers destructive blows on all beings through His Vibhutis (power manifestation like Rudra, Yama etc.).

Ahah samvartako: The Lord who, as the sun, regulates the succession of day and night.

Vahnir: One who as fire carries the offerings made to the Devas in sacrifices.

Anilo: One who has no fixed residence.

Dhanani dharah: One who supports the worlds, Adisesha, elephants of the quarters etc.


26. Suprasadah prasannatma vishva-dhrug vishva-bhug vibhuh
Sat-karta sat-krutah sadhur jahnur narayano narah

Suprasadah: One whose Prasada or mercy is uniquely wonderful, because He gives salvation to Sisupala and others who try to harm Him.

Prasannatma: One whose mind is never contaminated by Rajas or Tamas.

Vishva-dhrug: One who holds the universe by his power.

Vishva-bhug: One who eats up or enjoys or protects the worlds.

Vibhuh: One who becomes many from Hiranyagarbha downwards.

Satkarta: One who offers benefits.

Sat-krutah: One who is adored even by those who deserve adoration.

Sadhur: One who acts according to justice.

Jahnuh: One who dissolves all beings in oneself at the time of dissolution.

Narayanah: Nara means Atman. Narayana, that is, one having His residence in all beings.

Narah: He directs everything, the eternal Paramatma is called Nara”.


27. Asankhyeyo prameyatma visistah shishtakruch chucih
Siddharthah siddha-sankalpah siddhidah siddhisadhanah

Asankhyeyo: One who has no Sankhya or differences of name and form.

Aprameyatma: One whose nature cannot be grasped by any of the means of knowledge.

Visistah: One who excels everything.

Shishtakrch: Shihstam means commandment. So, one who commands everything. Or one who protects shishtas or good men.

Siddharthah: One whose object is always fulfilled.

Siddha-sankalpah: One whose resolutions are always fulfilled.

Siddhidah: One who bestows Siddhi or fulfillment on all who practise disciplines, in accordance with their eligibility.

Siddhisadhanah: One who brings fulfillment to works that deserve the same.


28. Vrushahi vrushabho vishnur vrushaparva vrushodarah
Vardhano vardhamanascha viviktah shruti-sagarah

Vrushahi: Vrusha means dharma or merit.

Vrushabho: One who showers on the devotees all that they pray for.

Vishnur: One who pervades everything.

Vrushaparva: One who has given as steps (Parvas), observances of the nature of Dharma, to those who want to attain the supreme state.

Vrushodarah: One whose abdomen showers offspring.

Vardhamanascha: One who multiplies in the form of the universe.

Viviktah: One who is untouched and unaffected.

Shruti-sagarah: One to whom all the shruti or Vedic words and sentences flow.


29. Subhujo durdharo vagmi mahendro vasodo vasuh
Naikarupo bruhad-rupah shipivishtah prakashana

Subhujo: One possessing excellent arms that protect the worlds.

Durdharo: One who holds up the universe – a work which none else can do.

Vagmi: One from whom the words constituting the Veda come out.

Mahendro: The great Lord, that is, the Supreme Being, who is the God of all gods.

Vasudo: One who bestows riches.

Vasuh: One who is himself theVasu.

Naikarupo: One who is without an exclusive form.

Bruhad-rupah: One who has adopted mysterious forms like that of a Boar.

Shipivishtah: Shipi means cow. One who resides in cows as Yagya.

Prakashana: One who illumines everthing.

30. Ojastejo dyuti-dharah prakashatma pratapanah
Vruddhah spahstaksharo mantras chandramshur bhaskaradyutih

Ojas tejo duti-dharah: Ojas means inherent vitality. Tejas means puissance and such qualities. Dyuti means radiance. So the word means one who possesses all these qualities.

Prakashatma: One whose form is radiant.

Pratapanah: One who warms the world through the power manifestations like the Sun.

Vruddhah: One who is rich in excellences like Dharma, Gyana (knowledge), Vairagya (renunciation) etc.

Spashstaksharo: He is so called because Omkara, the manifesting sound of the Lord, is Spashta or high pitched.

Mantras: One who manifests as the Mantras of the Rk, Sama, Yajus etc., or one who is known through Mantras.

Chandramshur: He is called `Chandramshu’ or moonlight because just as the moon-light gives relief to men burnt in the heat of the sun, He gives relief and shelter to those who are subjected to the heat of Samsara.