Vishnu Sahasranamam

Vishnu Sahasranamam and its meaning based upon the commentary of Shankaracharya

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Below is part of the prayer to be addressed to Lord Vishnu as soon as you wake up. It lists the Sixteen Names of Lord Vishnu.

Below are the Sanskrit verses and its English translation.


Shuklam Baradaram Vishnum, Sasi Varnam Chatur Bhujam,
Prasanna Vadanan Dyayet, Sarva Vignoba Sandaye

Dressed in white you are,
Oh, all pervading one,
And glowing with the colour of moon.
With four arms, you are, the all knowing one
I meditate on your ever-smiling face,
And pray, Remove all obstacles on my way.


Santhakaram Bujaga sayanam Padmanabham suresam,
Viswadharam Gagana sadrusam Megha varnam shubangam
Lakshmi kantham kamala nayanam Yogi hrid dyana gamyam
Vande vishnum bava bhayaharam sava lokaika nadham

I bow before the God Vishnu,
Who is personification of peace,
Who sleeps on his folded arms,
Who has a lotus on his belly,
Who is the God of gods,
Who is the basis of earth,
Who is similar to the sky,
Who is of the colour of the cloud,
Who has beautiful limbs,
Who is the consort of Lakshmi,
Who has lotus like eyes,
Who is seen by saints through thought,
Who kills all worries and fears,
And who is the lord of all the worlds.

Oushade Chinthaye Vishnum,
Bhojane cha Janardhanam,
Sayane Padmanabham cha,
Vivahe cha Prajapathim.
Yuddhe Chakradharam devam,
Pravase cha Trivikramam,
Narayanam Thanu thyage,
Sreedharam priya sangame,
Duswapne smara, Govindam,
Sankate Madhu soodhanam,
Kanane Narasimham cha,
Pavake Jalasayinam,
Jalamadhye Varaham cha,
Parvathe Raghu nandanam,
Gamane Vamanam Chaiva,
Sarva Karyeshu Madhavam.

Think him as Vishnu while taking medicine,
As Janardhana while eating food,
As Padmanabha while in bed,
As Prajapathi at time of marriage,
As Chakra dhara while engaged in war,
As Trivikrama while on travel,
As Narayana on death bed,
As Sreedhara while meeting with the beloved,
As Govinda while tossing with bad dreams,
As Madhu sudhana while in trouble,
As Narasimha while in the forest,
As Jala Sayina while fire is ravaging,
As Varaha while struggling in water,
As Raghu nandana while lost in a mountain,
As Vamana while on the move,
And as Madhava while doing everything.

Shodasaithani Naamani,
Prathar uthaaya ya padeth,
Sarva papa vinirmuktho,
Vishnu lokam samopnuyath.

As soon as one wakes up in the morning,
If these Sixteen Names are read,
He would be bereft of all sins,
And reach the world of Vishnu at the end.