मनन Manana · ReflectStep 8 of /18
Viṣṇu Sahasranāma · Ślokas 41–50
Names 373–474
Listen to the chant, and read the meaning under each verse. A narrated version is on its way.
Śloka 41 · Origin, cause and hidden one
Śloka 41
उद्भवः क्षोभणो देवः श्रीगर्भः परमेश्वरः ।
करणं कारणं कर्ता विकर्ता गहनो गुहः ॥
udbhavaḥ kṣobhaṇo devaḥ śrīgarbhaḥ parameśvaraḥ |
karaṇaṃ kāraṇaṃ kartā vikartā gahano guhaḥ ||
Meaning
Udbhava: the origin from which the universe springs; or the one who rises above worldly life. Kṣobhaṇa: at creation he stirs nature and the souls into motion. Deva: the shining one, who plays at creating, shines as the self of all and is praised by the wise. Śrīgarbha: all the glory of the universe lies within him. Parameśvara: the supreme Lord. Karaṇam: the instrument by which the world is made. Kāraṇam: its cause. Kartā: the doer, free and answerable to none. Vikartā: maker of the world's endless variety. Gahana: no one can sound the depth of his nature, power or deeds. Guha: he hides himself in his own māyā.
Word by word
Words joined in recitation are shown split. Where sounds change at the joins, the dictionary form is given under the word.
Śloka 42 · The firm one of auspicious glance
Śloka 42
व्यवसायो व्यवस्थानः संस्थानः स्थानदो ध्रुवः ।
परर्द्धिः परमस्पष्टस्तुष्टः पुष्टः शुभेक्षणः ॥
vyavasāyo vyavasthānaḥ saṃsthānaḥ sthānado dhruvaḥ |
pararddhiḥ paramaspaṣṭas tuṣṭaḥ puṣṭaḥ śubhekṣaṇaḥ ||
Meaning
Vyavasāya: resolute, for he is pure knowledge. Vyavasthāna: the ground of everything, who fixes the order of the worlds, their guardians, and every kind and stage of life. Saṃsthāna: where all things come to rest at the end; the final goal. Sthānada: he gives each their place by their deeds, as he gave Dhruva his. Dhruva, heard before: here, the one who never perishes. Pararddhi: of supreme splendour. Paramaspaṣṭa: perfectly clear, for he is pure awareness and needs nothing else to shine. Tuṣṭa: ever content, being bliss itself. Puṣṭa: full, being everywhere. Śubhekṣaṇa: his glance is auspicious; it frees the seeker, cuts the knots of the heart and burns away all karma.
Word by word
Śloka 43 · Rāma, the way and the leader
Śloka 43
रामो विरामो विरजो मार्गो नेयो नयोऽनयः ।
वीरः शक्तिमतां श्रेष्ठो धर्मो धर्मविदुत्तमः ॥
rāmo virāmo virajo mārgo neyo nayo 'nayaḥ |
vīraḥ śaktimatāṃ śreṣṭho dharmo dharmaviduttamaḥ ||
Meaning
Rāma: the eternal bliss in which yogis delight; and Śrī Rāma, son of Daśaratha, the lovely form he took by his own will. Virāma: where all beings come to rest. Viraja: free from passion, untouched even in enjoyment. Mārga again: the way; knowing him, seekers reach immortality. Neya: the one to whom the soul is led by true knowledge. Naya: the leader. Anaya: the one whom no one leads. Vīra: the valiant. Śaktimatāṃ Śreṣṭha: mightiest of the mighty, even of Brahmā. Dharma: he upholds all beings. Dharmaviduttama: the highest knower of dharma; the Vedas are his very commands.
Word by word
Śloka 44 · Vaikuṇṭha, binder of the elements
Śloka 44
वैकुण्ठः पुरुषः प्राणः प्राणदः प्रणवः पृथुः ।
हिरण्यगर्भः शत्रुघ्नो व्याप्तो वायुरधोक्षजः ॥
vaikuṇṭhaḥ puruṣaḥ prāṇaḥ prāṇadaḥ praṇavaḥ pṛthuḥ |
hiraṇyagarbhaḥ śatrughno vyāpto vāyur adhokṣajaḥ ||
Meaning
Vaikuṇṭha: at the dawn of creation he joined the scattered elements, earth with water, air with fire, so they would not drift apart. Puruṣa again: the one who lives in every city of the body. Prāṇa: the self who moves within as breath. Prāṇada: here, the one who takes back life at the dissolution. Praṇava: Om, for the Vedas praise him and bow to him. Pṛthu: he has spread out as the universe. Hiraṇyagarbha again: from his power came the golden egg. Śatrughna: slayer of the gods' enemies. Vyāpta: he pervades every effect as its cause. Vāyu: like the wind he carries fragrance; he is the sweet scent of the earth. Adhokṣaja: his strength never flows downward.
Word by word
Śloka 45 · Time, seasons and rest
Śloka 45
ऋतुः सुदर्शनः कालः परमेष्ठी परिग्रहः ।
उग्रः संवत्सरो दक्षो विश्रामो विश्वदक्षिणः ॥
ṛtuḥ sudarśanaḥ kālaḥ parameṣṭhī parigrahaḥ |
ugraḥ saṃvatsaro dakṣo viśrāmo viśvadakṣiṇaḥ ||
Meaning
Ṛtu: the seasons, for he is Time. Sudarśana: his eyes are lovely as lotus petals, and his devotees see him easily; knowing him brings freedom. Kāla: Time, who counts out everything. Parameṣṭhī: he dwells in the highest space, within the heart. Parigraha: devotees reach him from every side, and he accepts their leaf or flower. Ugra: fierce, for even the sun rises out of fear of him. Saṃvatsara, heard before: here, the one in whom all beings dwell. Dakṣa: skilful in all he does. Viśrāma: rest for those tossed on the stormy sea of worldly life. Viśvadakṣiṇa: more skilful than all.
Word by word
Śloka 46 · The imperishable seed
Śloka 46
विस्तारः स्थावरस्थाणुः प्रमाणं बीजमव्ययम् ।
अर्थोऽनर्थो महाकोशो महाभोगो महाधनः ॥
vistāraḥ sthāvarasthāṇuḥ pramāṇaṃ bījam avyayam |
artho 'nartho mahākośo mahābhogo mahādhanaḥ ||
Meaning
Vistāra: the whole universe unfolds within him. Sthāvarasthāṇu: firm and unmoving, the one in whom the steady earth itself rests. Pramāṇam: the proof of all, for he is consciousness itself. Bījam Avyayam: the seed that never perishes, the cause that never changes. Artha: the goal everyone seeks, for he is bliss. Anartha: yet he seeks nothing, for all his wishes are fulfilled. Mahākośa: he dwells within the great sheaths, body, breath, mind and the rest. Mahābhoga: of vast joy. Mahādhana: the great wealth, the means of reaching true bliss.
Word by word
Śloka 47 · Hub of the starry wheel
Śloka 47
अनिर्विण्णः स्थविष्ठोऽभूर्धर्मयूपो महामखः ।
नक्षत्रनेमिर्नक्षत्री क्षमः क्षामः समीहनः ॥
anirviṇṇaḥ sthaviṣṭho 'bhūr dharmayūpo mahāmakhaḥ |
nakṣatranemir nakṣatrī kṣamaḥ kṣāmaḥ samīhanaḥ ||
Meaning
Anirviṇṇa: never weary or downcast, for he lacks nothing. Sthaviṣṭha again: the vastest, the cosmic form whose head is fire and whose eyes are sun and moon. Abhū: unborn. Dharmayūpa: as the offering is tied to the sacred post, so every dharma is bound to him. Mahāmakha: the great sacrifice, for worship offered to him brings freedom. Nakṣatranemi: the hub of the wheel of stars; the Veda says Viṣṇu is its heart. Nakṣatrī: the moon among the stars. Kṣama: patient as the earth, as Śrī Rāma was. Kṣāma: the self that abides in all beings. Samīhana: he works with care to bring the worlds forth.
Word by word
Śloka 48 · Sacrifice and supreme knowledge
Śloka 48
यज्ञ इज्यो महेज्यश्च क्रतुः सत्रं सतां गतिः ।
सर्वदर्शी विमुक्तात्मा सर्वज्ञो ज्ञानमुत्तमम् ॥
yajña ijyo mahejyaś ca kratuḥ satraṃ satāṃ gatiḥ |
sarvadarśī vimuktātmā sarvajño jñānam uttamam ||
Meaning
Yajña: sacrifice itself; the Veda says, sacrifice indeed is Viṣṇu. Ijya: the one worshipped in every sacrifice, to whichever god it is offered. Mahejya: most worthy of worship, for he grants freedom. Kratu: the sacrifice with the sacred post. Satram: the great gathering for sacrifice; or the protector of the good. Satāṃ Gati, heard before: the only refuge of those who seek freedom. Sarvadarśī: by his own wisdom he sees every deed, good and bad. Vimuktātmā: the self, ever free. Sarvajña: he knows all, for he is all. Jñānam Uttamam: supreme knowledge, unborn and unlimited.
Word by word
Śloka 49 · The friend with the lovely face
Śloka 49
सुव्रतः सुमुखः सूक्ष्मः सुघोषः सुखदः सुहृत् ।
मनोहरो जितक्रोधो वीरबाहुर्विदारणः ॥
suvrataḥ sumukhaḥ sūkṣmaḥ sughoṣaḥ sukhadaḥ suhṛt |
manoharo jitakrodho vīrabāhur vidāraṇaḥ ||
Meaning
Suvrata: of the noble vow; Śrī Rāma says, whoever comes to me even once and says I am yours, I protect from all beings. Sumukha: of lovely face; Rāma's face stayed cheerful even as he left for the forest. Sūkṣma: subtler than sound and touch. Sughoṣa: his voice is the Veda, deep as a rain cloud. Sukhada: giver of happiness to the good. Suhṛt: the friend who helps and asks nothing back. Manohara: he steals the heart, being boundless bliss. Jitakrodha: he slays the gods' enemies to protect dharma, never out of anger. Vīrabāhu: mighty-armed. Vidāraṇa: he tears apart the wicked.
Word by word
Śloka 50 · Tender father of all beings
Śloka 50
स्वापनः स्ववशो व्यापी नैकात्मा नैककर्मकृत् ।
वत्सरो वत्सलो वत्सी रत्नगर्भो धनेश्वरः ॥
svāpanaḥ svavaśo vyāpī naikātmā naikakarmakṛt |
vatsaro vatsalo vatsī ratnagarbho dhaneśvaraḥ ||
Meaning
Svāpana: by his māyā he lulls souls into sleep, so that they forget what they truly are. Svavaśa: master of himself, for he is the cause of the world's making, keeping and ending. Vyāpī: everywhere, like space. Naikātmā: he takes many forms in creation. Naikakarmakṛt: doer of countless deeds. Vatsara: the dwelling in which all live. Vatsala: full of tender love for his devotees. Vatsī: the father, whose children are all beings. Ratnagarbha: the ocean, holding every jewel within it. Dhaneśvara: the lord of wealth.
Word by word
Reflection
This group begins at the very root of things. Udbhava, the origin; Kṣobhaṇa, who stirs nature into motion; Karaṇam, Kāraṇam and Kartā, the means, the cause and the maker of the world. And just as you feel you have understood, two names close the door: Gahana, the unfathomable, and Guha, the one hidden in his own māyā. The rest of these verses slowly open that door from the other side. He becomes Rāma, the bliss in which yogis delight, the way to immortality, the leader whom no one leads. He is Vaikuṇṭha, who first held the scattered elements together, and Viśrāma, rest for anyone tossed about on the sea of worldly life. Then come names that begin with su, good: the good vow, the lovely face, the good friend. Here Śaṅkara recalls Śrī Rāma's promise: whoever comes to me even once and says, I am yours, I will protect. By the end the cause of the cosmos is Vatsala and Vatsī, tender love and a father's care. Keep one name close from these verses: Suhṛt, the friend who gives and asks nothing back.
Your reflection
How well do you know these verses?
The audio plays each verse chanted; its meaning is written under it, and a narrated version is on its way. Tap a word for its meaning. Space plays and pauses.