VishNu SahasranAmam consists of 142 slokas.

Excepting 13 slokas at the beginning and 22 at the end, the remaining 107 slokas contain the thousand names of God. MEDITATION ON VishNu AND INTRODUCTORY VERSES -------------------------------------------1. Om SuklAmbara-dharam vishNum SaSivarnam catur-bhujam prasanna-vadanam dhyAyet sarva-vighnopaSAntaye. [ (For the eradication of all obstructions) One should meditate upon vishNu Who is clad in white robes, Who has a moonlike lustre, Who has four arms and Who has a beneficient face. ]

2.

yasya-Dvirada-vaktrAdhAH pArishadyAh paraS-Satam vighnam nighnanti satatam vishvaksenam tam Asraye. [ gajAnan (the double-tusked elephant-faced nitya-sUri) and hundreds of such sUris, who always remove all obstacles, form the members of the corps of vishvaksena. I take resort to them.

3.

vyAsam vasishta-naptAram Sakteh pautram akalmasham parAsarAtmajam vande Suka-tAtam tapo-nidhim. [ vyAsa is the great-grandson of vasishta and the grand-son of Sakti. He is the son of parAsara and the father of Suka. I offer my obeisance to that vyAsa who is free from all defects and is a mine of austerities. ]

4.

vyAsAya vishNu-rUpAya vyAsa-rUpAya vishNave namo vai Brahma-nidhaye vAsishtAya namo namaH. [ My repeated salutations to vyAsa who is a form of vishNu and to vishNu who is a form of vyAsa- sage vyAsa, who is a descendent of vasishta and who is a treasure of brahman, (i.e. vedas). ]

5.

avikArAya SuddhAya nityAya paramAtmane sadaika-rUpa-rUpAya vishNave sarva-jishnave. [ My salutations to vishNu, Who is devoid of all mutations, Who Who is by nature pure and eternal, Who is endowed with a form which is uniform at all times, and Who is the victor all. ]

6.

yasya smaraNa-mAtreNa janma-samsAra-bandhanAt vimuchyate namas-tasmai vishNave prabhavishNave. Om namo vishNave prabhavishNave. [ My salutations to that superior diety vishNu, by a mere thought of Whose name all persons are freed from the bonds of samsara (birth and death). Salutations to that All-powerful vishNu, Who is signified by pranava (i.e. Omkara). ] (13 INTRODUCTORY SLOKAS now follow) -----------------------------------

7.

sri vaiSampAyana uvAcaSrutvA dharmAna-SesheNa pAvanAni ca sarvaSaH yudhishThiraH SAntanavam punar-evAbhya-bhAshata. [ sri vaiSampAyana said: "After hearing all froms of dharma capable of effecting complete purification, yudhishThira, still unsatisfied, questioned the son of Santanu as follows": ]

8-9.

sri yudhishThira uvAcakimekam daivatam loke kim vApyekam parAyaNam stuvantaH kam kam arcantaH prApnuyur mAnavAH Subham. [ sri yudhishThira asked: "In this universe who is the one Divinity (at whose command all beings function)? What is that one supreme Status which one should seek to attain? Who is that Divinity by praising whom and by worshipping whom a man attains the good? ]

ko dharmaH sarva-dharmAnAm bhavataH paramo mataH kim japan mucyate jantur janma-samsAra-bandhanAt. [ Which according to you is the highest bestowing salvation and prosperity on uttering or reciting which any living from the cycle of births and deaths?" form of dharma (capable of man)? What is that by being can attain freedom ]

10-19.

sri bhIshma uvAcajagat-prabhum deva-devam anantam puruhottamam stuvan nAma-sahasreNa purushaH satatotthitaH. [ sri bhIshma replied: "He will be free from all sorrows who always praises by 'the sahasranAma' (thousand names) that All-pervading Being who is the master of the worlds, Who is supreme over all devas and who is the supreme spirit. ]

tameva cArcayan nityam bhaktyA purusham avyayam dhyAyan stuvan namasyamS-ca yajamAnas-tam-eva-ca. [ That worshipper will be free from all sorrows who devoutly worships and meditates on that Undecaying Being, as also praises Him and makes prostrations to Him. ]

anAdi-nidhanam vishNum sarva-loka-maheSvaram lokAdhyaksham stuvan-nityam sarva-dukhAtigo bhavet. [ He will be free from all sorrows who always sings the praise vishNu (the All-pervading Being), who is free from the six changes beginning with origin and ending with death, and who is the master and over-seer of all the worlds. ]

braHmaNyam sarva-dharmaj~nam lokAnAm kIrti-vardhanam loka-nAtham mahad-bhUtam sarva-bhUta-bhavodbhavam. [ He is the protector of the brahmA and the veda. He is the

knower of all Dharmas. He is the enhancer of the reputation of all beings. He is the supreme Brahman. Out of Him all beings anf the whole of samsAra have come out. ] Esha me sarva-dharmAnAm dharmo'dhikatamo mataH yad bhaktyA puNDarIkAsham stavair arcen naraH sadA. [ To adore the Lotus-eyed One always with hymns of praise recited with devotion- I consider this to be superior to all other forms of dharma. ]

paramam yo mahat tejaH paramam yo mahat tapaH paramam yo mahad brahma paramam yaH parAyanam. [ He is the supreme light of consciousness. He is the supreme controller of everything. He is the supreme All-pervading Being. He is the support of everything. ]

pavitrAnAm pavitam yo mangalAnAm ca mangalam daivatam daivatAnAm ca bhUtAnAm yo'vyayaH pitA. [ He is the sanctifier of even what is most sacred. He is the most auspicious among auspicious beings. He is the Lord of all divinities. He, the undecaying, is the father of all beings

yataH sarvANi bhUtAni bhavanty'Adi yugAgame yasmimS-ca pralayam yAnti punareva yuga-kshye. [ He is the One from whom all beings come into existence at the beginning of a cycle of time, and He is also the One into whom they all dissolve at the end of the cycle. ]

tasya loka-pradhAnasya jagan nAthasya bhUpate vishNor nAma-sahasram me SRNu pApa-bhay'Apaham. [ Hear from me the hymn that is constituted of a 'thousand names' of that vishNu who is the master of the universe, who is the subject of discourse of all scriptures, and who is the eraser of all sins and fear of samsAra. ]

yAni nAmAni gauNAni vikhyAtAni maHAtmanaH RshibhiH pari-gItAni tAni vakshyAmi bhUtaye. [ I am giving for the benefit of all those names of His which are far-famed, which are indicative of His attributes, and which find a place in the exalted hymns of the Rshis." ]

-------------------------------------------(END OF INTRO; MEDITATION PRAYERS CONTINUES) -------------------------------------------20. vishNoH nAma-sahasrasya veda-vyAso mahA-muniH chandaH-anushtup tathA devo bhagavAn devakI-sutaH. [ The great vedavyAsa is the Rshi of these Thousand Names of vishNu; anushtup is its metre. The presiding diety is Lord Krishna, devakI's son. ]

21.

amritAm-sUdbhavo bIjam Saktih devaki-nandanaH trisAmA hridayam tasya SAntyarthe viniyujyate. [ The seed is He who is born in the lunar race; Its power is the Name, "The son of devakI". The heart is the name "One who is sung by three important sAmA hymns". the purpose is the attainment of peace. ]

22.

vishNum jishnum mahA vishNum prabhavishNum maheSvaram aneka-rUpa-daity-Antam namAmi purushottamam. [ I bow to vishNu, the victorious, the All-pervading, the Mighty, the Lord of All, the Enemy of daityas (demons) of many forms and the Best of persons. ]

22 a.

asya sri vishNoH sahara-nAma-stotra-mahA-mantrasya sri veda-vyAso bhagavAn RishiH, anushtup Chandah, sri mahA-vishNuH paramAtmA sriman-nArAyaNo devatA amritAmSUdbhavo bhAnuriti bIjam devakInandanaH srashteti SaktiH udbhavah kshobhano deva-iti paramo mantraH Sankha-bHrt nandakI cakrIti kIlakam SArnga-dhanvA gadhA-dhara-iti astram rathAnga-pANiH akshobhyah-iti netram tri-sAmA sAmagah sAmeti kavacham Anandam para-brahmeti yoniH rituh sudarsanah kAleti dig-bandhaH sri visva-rUpa iti dhyAnam sri mahA-vishNu-prItyarthe sri-sahasranAma-jape viniyogah [ (The above angas are usually repeated in prose in the course of pArAyaNA. They are followed by some dhyana-slokas or stanzas for meditation. The holy Names are then recited). Of this grand mantra, i.e. the Thousand Names of vishNu, the venerable veda vyAsa is Rshi, the meter is anushtup; its Diety is sriman nArAyanA, the supreme soul, the All-pervader. Its seed is "amritAmSUdbhavo bhAnu". Its power is devakI's son. The essential part of the mantra is "udbhavah: kshobhano devaH". Its pin is "Sankha-bHrin nandakI cakrI". Its weapon is "SArnga-dhanvA gadhA-dharaH". Its eye is "rathAnga-pANiH: akshobhyah". Its armor is "tri-sAmA sAmagas sAma". Its womb is "Anandam para brahma". The enclosure binding the directions (east, west, south and north) is "rituh sudarsanah kAla". The contempletion is on the universal form. Its purpose and utility is in the Thousand Names being used for praising and pleasing vishNu. ] dhyanam: ------kshIrodanvat-pradese suchi-mani-vilasat-saikate mautikAnAm mAlA-kliptA-sanasthaH sphtika-mani-nibhaiH mautikaiH manditAngaH Subhrair-abhrair-adabhraiH upari virachitaiH mukta-pIyUsha-varshaih AnandI naH punIyAdari-nalina-gadA-Sankha-pAniH mukundaH.

23.

May mukundA, with the discuss, mace, conch and lotus in His hands, purify us- mukundA who is seated on a seat of garlands of pearls, in the region of the milky ocean with the sand shining by the light from pure gems; who is adorned by pearls transparent like crystals; and who is enjoying ecstatic bliss on account of pure white clouds overhead, raining showers of nectar. ]

24.

bhUH pAdau yasya nAbhir-viyada-suranila-candra-sUryau cha netre karNa-vASaH Siro-DyauH mukhamapi dahano yasya vAsteyam abdhiH antas-stham yasya viSvam sura-nara-khaga-go-bhogi-gandharva-daityaiH chitram ramramyate tam tribhuvana-vapusham vishNum Isam namAmi. [ I bow to Lord vishNu who has the three worlds as His body. The Earth is His feet, and the sky His navel. Wind is His breath, and the Sun and the Moon are His eyes. Directions are His ears, and the Heaven is His head. Fire is His face and ocean His abdomen. In Him is situated the universe with diverse kinds of Gods, men, birds, cattle, serpents, gandharvas and daityas (demons)- all sporting in a charming way. ]

25.

SantAkAram bhujaga-sayanam padmanAbham sureSam viSvAdhAram gagana-sadRSam megha-varNam SubhAngam lakshmi-kAntam kamala-nayanam yogibhir dhyAna-gamyam vande vishNum bhava-bhaya-haram sarva-lokaika-nAtham. [ I salute vishNu, the sole master of the universe, whose presence is very peaceful, who stretches Himself on a serpent-bed (Adi-Sesha), who sports a lotus in His navel, who is one lord of all the devAs, who is the support of the worlds, who is subtle and All-pervading like the sky, whose complexion is like that of the clouds, whose form is very beautiful, who is the consort of Sri, whose eyes are like lotus petals, who is meditated upon by Yogis and who eradicates the fear of samsAra. ]

26.

megha-syAmam pIta-kauseya-vAsam srI-vatsAnkam kaustubhodbhAsitAngam punyopetam pundarIka-AyatAksham vishNum vande sarva-lokaika-nAtham. [ I prostrate before vishNu, the one Lord of the worlds, blue as the cloud and clothed in yellow robes. His chest is marked by the mole known as srivatsa. His body is resplendent with kaustubha gem. He is surrounded by holy persons. And he has wide eyes like lotoses. ]

27.

saSamkha-cakram sakirIta-kunDalam sapIta-vastram sarasIruhekshaNam sahAra-vakshaHsthala-kaustubha-Sriyam namAmi vishNum SirasA catur-bhujam. [ I bow down my head before the four-handed vishNu who sports in His hand the Sankha and the discuss, who is adorned with a crown and ear-pendants, who wears a yellow cloth, whose eyes resemble a lotus and whose chest is beautified by many necklaces and the kaustubha mark. ]