The Vishnu Sahasranama Explained
The Vishnu Sahasranama (विष्णुसहस्रनाम, "the thousand names of Vishnu") is one of the most beloved devotional hymns of the Hindu tradition. It is found in the Anushasana Parva (Book of Instructions) of the Mahabharata, where the sage Bhishma, lying on his bed of arrows, answers Yudhishthira's question: "By what names should one praise the Supreme Lord for the good of all?" Bhishma then recites the thousand names of Vishnu, seeing his present Lord, Krishna, as the fullness of that Eternal Truth.
The hymn has since been sung for centuries in every family, temple and festival. It is recited daily by devotees, taught to children by their elders, and is considered a spiritual treasure — a single shloka that holds the whole of the sacred teaching. Names such as Vishvam (the Universe), Vishnu (the All-pervading), Vashatkara (the giver of all good), Dharma (the Law of Righteousness), Narayana (the Refuge of all beings) and Krishna (the Dark One) reveal the many ways the tradition describes the one Lord.
On this page the hymn is presented name by name, in Devanagari script with IAST transliteration and a plain meaning for each name, so that a beginner can follow and pronounce it correctly. You can move through the hymn step by step, use the navigation buttons to skim it, and search to find a particular name or its meaning.
This page is offered as an educational and devotional aid. For personal meditation, conventional practice traditionally includes the nyasa (formal engagement), dhyana (contemplation before the hymn) and the closing phala-shruti; readers who wish to take up regular recitation practice are encouraged to learn it from a qualified guru or teacher.