This section describes the Lord through names such as Hamsa, Guru, Narayana, Sahasramurdha, and Shruti Sagara. These names reveal his cosmic form, his all-pervading nature, and his boundless compassion.
📖 Mahabharata, Anushasan Parva — Vishnu Sahasranama Stotra
21
मरीचिर्दमनो हंसः सुपर्णो भुजगोत्तमः ।
हिरण्यनाभः सुतपाः पद्मनाभः प्रजापतिः ॥
Mareechir-Damano Hamsah Superno Bhujagottamah |
Hiranyanaabhah Sutapah Padmanaabhah Prajaapatih ||
मरीचिः
a ray of light — a streak of luminance
दमनः
the one who subdues the wicked
हंसः
the swan — symbol of knowledge and discernment
सुपर्णः
of beautiful wings — the one with Garuda as his vehicle
भुजगोत्तमः
foremost among serpents — he who rests on Shesha Naga
हिरण्यनाभः
of a golden navel
सुतपाः
of supreme austerity
पद्मनाभः
from whose navel the lotus blooms
प्रजापतिः
lord and protector of all living beings
The Lord is a ray of light, a subduer of the wicked, and as discerning as the swan. He reclines on Shesha Naga and rides Garuda. From his golden navel blooms the lotus of creation. He is Padmanabha — the lotus-naveled Prajapati who watches over all living beings.
22
अमृत्युः सर्वदृक् सिंहः सन्धाता सन्धिमान् स्थिरः ।
अजो दुर्मर्षणः शास्ता विश्रुतात्मा सुरारिहा ॥
Amrityuh Sarvadrik Simhah Sandhaataa Sandhimaan Sthirah |
Ajo Durmarsha-nah Shaastaa Vishrutaatmaa Suraarihaa ||
अमृत्युः
free from death — immortal
सर्वदृक्
the all-seeing
सिंहः
lion-like — of great courage
सन्धाता
the one who connects — linking beings with their karma
सन्धिमान्
united with all — fully endowed
स्थिरः
eternally steady
अजः
unborn
दुर्मर्षणः
impossible to withstand — unconquerable
शास्ता
the ruler of all
विश्रुतात्मा
whose Self (fame) is universally known
सुरारिहा
destroyer of the enemies of the devas
The Lord is beyond death, sees all, and has the courage of a lion. He is the one who connects each being to the consequences of their actions. He is unborn, unconquerable, the ruler of all, and universally renowned. He destroys all who threaten the order of the gods.
23
गुरुर्गुरुतमो धाम सत्यः सत्यपराक्रमः ।
निमिषोऽनिमिषः स्रग्वी वाचस्पतिरुदारधीः ॥
Gurur-Gurutamo Dhaama Satyah Satya-paraakramah |
Nimisho-animishah Sragvee Vaachaspati-r-Udaaradhih ||
गुरुः
the teacher of all
गुरुतमः
the greatest of all teachers
धाम
the supreme abode — radiance itself
सत्यः
truth itself
सत्यपराक्रमः
whose heroism is always in the service of truth
निमिषः
the one who blinks — the dissolver at pralaya
अनिमिषः
the ever-wakeful — unblinking
स्रग्वी
wearer of the forest garland (Vaijayanti mala)
वाचस्पतिः
lord of speech
उदारधीः
of generous and expansive intelligence
The Lord is the greatest teacher — the guru of all gurus. He is truth itself, and his heroism never departs from truth. He is the ever-wakeful one, adorned with his forest garland, lord of all speech, and of a generous and encompassing intelligence.
24
अग्रणीर्ग्रामणीः श्रीमान् न्यायो नेता समीरणः ।
सहस्रमूर्धा विश्वात्मा सहस्राक्षः सहस्रपात् ॥
Agraneer-Graama-neeh Shreemaan Nyaayo Netaa Samiranah |
Sahasra-moordhaa Vishvaatmaa Sahasraakshah Sahasra-paat ||
अग्रणीः
the one who leads from the front — the foremost leader
ग्रामणीः
leader of the community
श्रीमान्
accompanied by Lakshmi
न्यायः
justice itself
नेता
the guide of all
समीरणः
the life-breath — the vital wind
सहस्रमूर्धा
of a thousand (infinite) heads
विश्वात्मा
the soul of the universe
सहस्राक्षः
of a thousand eyes
सहस्रपात्
of a thousand feet
The Lord leads all, is justice itself, and is the vital breath sustaining life. As the Purusha of the Purusha Sukta — the great hymn of the Vedas — he has a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, and a thousand feet. He is the soul of the universe, present in every part of creation simultaneously.
25
आवर्तनो निवृत्तात्मा संवृतः सम्प्रमर्दनः ।
अहः संवर्तको वह्निरनिलो धरणीधरः ॥
Aavartano Nivritaatmaa Samvritah Sampramardanah |
Ahah Samvartako Vahni-r-Anilo Dharanee-dharah ||
आवर्तनः
the one who keeps the wheel of existence turning
निवृत्तात्मा
the one whose Self is withdrawn from the world
संवृतः
concealed by Maya — not easily seen
सम्प्रमर्दनः
the crusher of enemies
अहः संवर्तकः
the one who turns the cycle of day and night
वह्निः
fire itself
अनिलः
wind itself — life-breath
धरणीधरः
the bearer of the earth
The Lord keeps the wheel of the world spinning yet himself remains untouched by it. He is concealed by his own Maya, crushes all opposition, turns the cycle of day and night, is fire, is wind, and holds the earth steady beneath all of creation.
26
सुप्रसादः प्रसन्नात्मा विश्वधृग्विश्वभुग्विभुः ।
सत्कर्ता सत्कृतः साधुर्जह्नुर्नारायणो नरः ॥
Suprasaadah Prasannaatmaa Vishvadhrig-Vishvabhug-Vibhuh |
Satkartaa Satkritah Saadhur-Jahnur-Naaraayano Narah ||
सुप्रसादः
of great grace — deeply gracious
प्रसन्नात्मा
of a serene and joyful Self
विश्वधृक्
the bearer of the universe
विश्वभुक्
the enjoyer of the universe — its protector
विभुः
the all-pervading lord
सत्कर्ता
the one who honors the good
सत्कृतः
the most honored of all — worshipped by all
साधुः
the righteous — the virtuous one
जह्नुः
the one who conceals beings within his Maya
नारायणः
the refuge of all nara (living beings)
नरः
the eternal Purusha — the imperishable
The Lord is deeply gracious, serene, the bearer and protector of the universe, and all-pervading. He honors those who are good, and all beings honor him in return. He is the virtuous one, Narayana — the eternal refuge of every living soul.
27
असंख्येयोऽप्रमेयात्मा विशिष्टः शिष्टकृच्छुचिः ।
सिद्धार्थः सिद्धसंकल्पः सिद्धिदः सिद्धिसाधनः ॥
Asankheyah-Aprameyaatmaa Vishishtah Shishtakrit-Shuchih |
Siddhaarthah Siddha-sankalpah Siddhidah Siddhi-saadhana ||
असंख्येयः
beyond counting — infinite
अप्रमेयात्मा
of immeasurable Self
विशिष्टः
the most distinctive — uniquely distinguished
शिष्टकृत्
the one who makes beings righteous
शुचिः
supremely pure
सिद्धार्थः
all of whose purposes are accomplished
सिद्धसंकल्पः
whose resolve always succeeds
सिद्धिदः
the bestower of siddhi (accomplishment)
सिद्धिसाधनः
himself the means of all siddhi
The Lord is infinite, immeasurable, and uniquely distinguished among all that exists. His resolve never fails. He is supremely pure, a maker of righteousness in others, and the one who both grants siddhi (spiritual accomplishment) to seekers and is himself the very means by which it is attained.
28
वृषाही वृषभो विष्णुर्वृषपर्वा वृषोदरः ।
वर्धनो वर्धमानश्च विविक्तः श्रुतिसागरः ॥
Vrishaahi Vrishabho Vishnur-Vrishaparvaa Vrishodarah |
Vardhano Vardhamaanash-cha Viviktah Shruti-saagarah ||
वृषाही
he whose days are dharma itself
वृषभः
preeminent in dharma — as strong as a bull
विष्णुः
the all-pervading
वृषपर्वा
he whose rungs of ascent are dharma
वृषोदरः
he who holds dharma within himself
वर्धनः
the increaser — causing growth in all
वर्धमानः
ever-growing — boundless
विविक्तः
completely distinct — apart from everything
श्रुतिसागरः
the ocean of the Shrutis (Vedas) — the entire Veda abides in him
The Lord is preeminent in dharma and causes growth in all things, yet he himself is always growing — boundless. He is entirely distinct from everything he has created. The Vedas — all of the Shrutis — find their resting place in him like rivers flowing into an ocean.
29
सुभुजो दुर्धरो वाग्मी महेन्द्रो वसुदो वसुः ।
नैकरूपो बृहद्रूपः शिपिविष्टः प्रकाशनः ॥
Subhujo Durdha-ro Vaagmee Mahendro Vasudo Vasuh |
Naika-roopo Brihad-roopah Shipi-vishtah Prakaashanah ||
सुभुजः
of beautiful arms
दुर्धरः
difficult to hold in the mind — elusive even in meditation
वाग्मी
eloquent — of beautiful speech
महेन्द्रः
lord even over Indra
वसुदः
giver of wealth
वसुः
wealth itself
नैकरूपः
of many forms
बृहद्रूपः
of a vast, cosmic form
शिपिविष्टः
pervading the rays of light
प्रकाशनः
the one who illuminates all
The Lord is beautiful of arm and eloquent of speech, lord over Indra himself, and giver of wealth. He takes many forms and a single vast cosmic form alike. He pervades light itself and is the illuminator of all — without him, nothing could be seen.
30
ओजस्तेजोद्युतिधरः प्रकाशात्मा प्रतापनः ।
ऋद्धः स्पष्टाक्षरो मन्त्रश्चन्द्रांशुर्भास्करद्युतिः ॥
Ojas-tejo-dyutidhara Prakaashaatmaa Prataaapanah |
Riddhah Spashhtaaksharo Mantras-chandraamshu-r-Bhaaskara-dyutih ||
ओजस्तेजोद्युतिधरः
bearer of ojas (vital energy), tejas (radiance), and dyuti (brilliance)
प्रकाशात्मा
whose very Self is light
प्रतापनः
the one who scorches — the blazing one
ऋद्धः
endowed with all divine wealth — complete in all glories
स्पष्टाक्षरः
whose syllable (Om) is clear and distinct
मन्त्रः
mantra itself — the Vedic mantra
चन्द्रांशुः
cool as moonlight
भास्करद्युतिः
radiant as the sun
The Lord carries all radiance — vital energy, tejas, and brilliance. His very Self is light. He is complete in all divine glories. He is the sacred syllable Om, the mantra itself. And in a remarkable meeting of opposites — he is at once as cool and soothing as the moon and as blazing as the sun.
References
Vishnu Sahasranama · 3 / 11