This section describes the Lord through names of warmth and cosmic scale alike — Lokabandhu (friend of all worlds), Chaturgati (giver of the four human aims), Sulabha (easily attained by devotees). These names reveal both his boundless power and his tender closeness to those who seek him.
📖 Mahabharata, Anushasan Parva — Vishnu Sahasranama Stotra
41
लोकबन्धुर्लोकनाथो माधवो भक्तवत्सलः ।
सुवर्णवर्णो हेमाङ्गो वराङ्गश्चन्दनाङ्गदी ॥
Loka-bandhur-Loka-naatho Maadhavo Bhakta-vatsalah |
Suvarna-varno Hemaango Varaangash-Chandanaangadee ||
लोकबन्धुः
friend of all the worlds — companion to everyone
लोकनाथः
lord of all the worlds
माधवः
consort of Lakshmi — of the Madhu lineage
भक्तवत्सलः
tenderly loving toward his devotees
सुवर्णवर्णः
golden in complexion
हेमाङ्गः
limbs radiant as gold
वराङ्गः
of excellent and beautiful form
चन्दनाङ्गदी
adorned with sandalwood paste and armlets
The Lord is not a distant sovereign — he is Lokabandhu, the friend of every world. He is lord of all, yet drawn especially close to those who love him. He walks as Madhava — ever united with Lakshmi — radiant as gold, beautiful in form, fragrant with sandalwood.
42
वीरहा विषमः शून्यो घृताशीरचलश्चलः ।
अमानी मानदो मान्यो लोकस्वामी त्रिलोकधृक् ॥
Veerahaa Vishamah Shoonyo Ghritaasheer-Achalash-Chalah |
Amaanee Maanado Maanyo Loka-svaamee Tri-loka-dhrik ||
वीरहा
slayer of mighty demons
विषमः
incomparable — none equals him
शून्यः
beyond all qualities — attribute-free
घृताशीः
one whose blessings are like ghee poured into the sacred fire
अचलः
absolutely still — unmoving
चलः
also moving everywhere, as air
अमानी
free from ego and pride
मानदः
the one who bestows honor on his devotees
मान्यः
worthy of reverence from all
लोकस्वामी
master of all the worlds
त्रिलोकधृक्
the one who holds all three worlds in place
Here is a paradox the stotra (hymn) holds without flinching: the Lord is perfectly still, and yet he moves as air through everything. He has no ego, yet he honors his devotees. He is beyond all qualities, yet his blessings flow like ghee into a sacred fire — freely, abundantly.
43
सुमेधा मेधजो धन्यः सत्यमेधा धराधरः ।
तेजोवृषो द्युतिधरः सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरः ॥
Sumedhaa Medhajo Dhanyah Satya-medhaa Dharaa-dharah |
Tejo-vrisho Dyuti-dharah Sarva-shastra-bhritaam varah ||
सुमेधाः
of excellent intelligence
मेधजः
born of yajna (sacred ritual fire)
धन्यः
most blessed — wholly fulfilled
सत्यमेधाः
of true and unfailing intelligence
धराधरः
bearer of the earth
तेजोवृषः
one who showers radiance and energy
द्युतिधरः
the bearer of effulgence
सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरः
the foremost among all who bear weapons
The Lord's intelligence never errs — it is true in every direction. He holds the earth steady beneath us, and he showers radiance the way clouds pour rain. Among all who bear weapons, he stands first — not because he seeks conflict, but because no power in existence surpasses his.
44
प्रग्रहो निग्रहो व्यग्रो नैकशृङ्गो गदाग्रजः ।
चतुर्मूर्तिश्चतुर्बाहुश्चतुर्व्यूहश्चतुर्गतिः ॥
Pragraho Nigraho Vyagro Naika-shrungo Gadaa-grajah |
Chatur-moortish-Chatur-baahush-Chatur-vyoohash-Chatur-gatih ||
प्रग्रहः
he who receives and accepts his devotees
निग्रहः
the subduer of the wicked
व्यग्रः
ever engaged in the work of creation
नैकशृङ्गः
of many horns — as in the Matsya and Varaha avatars
गदाग्रजः
elder to the mace — master of the gada
चतुर्मूर्तिः
of four forms
चतुर्बाहुः
four-armed
चतुर्व्यूहः
present in the four vyuhas (cosmic formations)
चतुर्गतिः
giver of the four purusharthas — dharma, artha, kama, and moksha
The Lord pulls devotees close and holds wrongdoers firmly in check. He took the horned form of Matsya and Varaha to protect creation. Four-armed, present in four cosmic formations, he is also the source of all four great human aims — dharma (righteous living), artha (prosperity), kama (desire), and moksha (liberation).
45
चतुरात्मा चतुर्भावश्चतुर्वेदविदेकपात् ।
समावर्तोऽनिवृत्तात्मा दुर्जयो दुरतिक्रमः ॥
Chatur-aatmaa Chatur-bhaavash-Chatur-veda-vid-Ekapaat |
Samaavarto-Anivrittaatmaa Durjayo Duratikramah ||
चतुरात्मा
established in the four cosmic forms (vyuhas)
चतुर्भावः
possessing the four qualities — dharma, jnana, vairagya, and sovereignty
चतुर्वेदवित्
knower of all four Vedas
एकपात्
he who pervades the universe with one step
समावर्तः
the one who turns the wheel of existence
अनिवृत्तात्मा
whose spirit never tires or rests
दुर्जयः
impossible to conquer
दुरतिक्रमः
impossible to disobey or transgress
With a single step, the Lord pervades the entire universe — and his spirit never grows weary of it. He knows all four Vedas from within. He turns the great wheel of existence. No force can defeat him, and his word stands beyond all transgression.
46
दुर्लभो दुर्गमो दुर्गो दुरावासो दुरारिहा ।
शुभाङ्गो लोकसारङ्गः सुतन्तुस्तन्तुवर्धनः ॥
Durlabho Durgamo Durgo Duraavaaso Duraarihaa |
Shubhaango Loka-saarangah Sutantus-Tantu-vardhanah ||
दुर्लभः
difficult to attain
दुर्गमः
difficult to approach
दुर्गः
like an impenetrable fortress
दुरावासः
difficult to dwell in — elusive even to great yogis
दुरारिहा
destroyer of terrible enemies
शुभाङ्गः
of auspicious and beautiful form
लोकसारङ्गः
the one who gathers the essence of all worlds
सुतन्तुः
the beautiful thread — the cord of creation
तन्तुवर्धनः
the one who extends and multiplies the thread of creation
Reaching the Lord is not easy — the names say so plainly. He is difficult to attain, difficult to approach, like a fortress impossible to breach. And yet he is beautiful, auspicious, and the very thread through which all of creation is woven. He both guards and extends the fabric of existence.
47
इन्द्रकर्मा महाकर्मा कृतकर्मा कृतागमः ।
उद्भवः सुन्दरः सुन्दो रत्ननाभः सुलोचनः ॥
Indra-karmaa Mahaa-karmaa Krita-karmaa Kritaagamah |
Udbhavah Sundarah Sundo Ratna-naabhah Sulochanah ||
इन्द्रकर्मा
one who performs acts like Indra
महाकर्मा
performer of great deeds
कृतकर्मा
one who has accomplished all acts
कृतागमः
author of the sacred scriptures
उद्भवः
the source from which all beings arise
सुन्दरः
supremely beautiful
सुन्दः
exceedingly gentle — full of compassion
रत्ननाभः
whose navel is like a jewel
सुलोचनः
of beautiful eyes
The Lord acts on a cosmic scale — grander than Indra, yet all acts complete in him. He is the author of the scriptures that guide humanity. And alongside that power, the names offer something tender: he is supremely beautiful, gentle, jewel-naveled, beautiful-eyed. The creator and the beloved, both at once.
48
अर्को वाजसनः शृङ्गी जयन्तः सर्वविज्जयी ।
सुवर्णबिन्दुरक्षोभ्यः सर्ववागीश्वरेश्वरः ॥
Arko Vaajasanah Shrungi Jayantah Sarva-vij-Jayee |
Suvarna-bindur-Akshobhyah Sarva-vaageeshvara-eeshvarah ||
अर्कः
sun-form — worthy of worship
वाजसनः
giver of food and strength
शृङ्गी
the horned one — as in the Matsya or Varaha avatar
जयन्तः
always victorious
सर्ववित्
omniscient
जयी
the one who achieves victory
सुवर्णबिन्दुः
the golden point — the root of Om
अक्षोभ्यः
impossible to disturb or agitate
सर्ववागीश्वरेश्वरः
lord even of all lords of speech
The Lord shines like the sun — illuminating all, nourishing all. He is all-knowing, always victorious, and completely unshakeable. Even the lords of speech bow before him, for he is their lord too. At his root is the golden point — the seed sound of Om itself.
49
महाहृदो महागर्तो महाभूतो महानिधिः ।
कुमुदः कुन्दरः कुन्दः पर्जन्यः पावनोऽनिलः ॥
Mahaa-hrido Mahaa-garto Mahaa-bhooto Mahaa-nidhih |
Kumudah Kundarah Kundah Parjanyah Paavano-Anilah ||
महाहृदः
a vast lake — of infinite depth
महागर्तः
of immeasurable profundity
महाभूतः
the great element — beyond the five elements
महानिधिः
the great inexhaustible treasure
कुमुदः
the one who delights the earth
कुन्दरः
pure as the kunda blossom
कुन्दः
the one who cleft the earth — as in the Varaha avatar
पर्जन्यः
cloud-form — the giver of rain
पावनः
the purifier
अनिलः
air-form — the breath that moves through all
He is a lake of endless depth, a treasure that cannot run dry. He delights the earth as the moon delights the night-blooming kumuda flower. He is the cloud that brings rain, the wind that carries life, and the fire that purifies. He is not one element — he is the source from which all elements arise.
50
अमृतांशोऽमृतवपुः सर्वज्ञः सर्वतोमुखः ।
सुलभः सुव्रतः सिद्धः शत्रुजिच्छत्रुतापनः ॥
Amritaamsho-Amrita-vapuh Sarva-gnah Sarvato-mukhah |
Sulabhah Suvratah Siddhah Shatru-jich-Shatru-taapanah ||
अमृतांशः
a portion of amrita (nectar) — cool as the moon
अमृतवपुः
whose body is amrita — immortal
सर्वज्ञः
all-knowing
सर्वतोमुखः
facing in all directions at once
सुलभः
easily attained by devotees
सुव्रतः
of noble and excellent vow
सिद्धः
ever-accomplished — eternally fulfilled
शत्रुजित्
conqueror of all enemies
शत्रुतापनः
the one who brings torment to enemies
After all the names that speak of distance and difficulty, this shloka closes with Sulabha — easily attained. The Lord who is harder to reach than a fortress is also the one who comes to a devoted heart without hesitation. He is all-knowing, facing every direction, forever accomplished — and for those who love him, effortlessly close.
References
Vishnu Sahasranama · 5 / 11