Before the names
Nyāsa and dhyānam
Nyāsa · Dhyānam
Nyāsa
3 verses and 4 prose lines
ऋषिर्नामसहस्रस्य वेदव्यासो महा मुनिः।ṛṣirnāmasahasrasya vēdavyāsō mahā muniḥ|
छन्दोऽनुष्टुप् तथा देवो भगवान् देवकीसुतः॥chandō’nuṣṭup tathā dēvō bhagavān dēvakīsutaḥ||
The seer of the thousand names is the great sage Vēdavyāsa. The metre is Anuṣṭubh, and likewise the deity is the Lord Kṛṣṇa, the son of Dēvakī.
Bhāvam
A mantra is said with three things in mind: who saw it, the metre it is set in and the deity it addresses. This verse gives all three for the thousand names, and names the deity first by His birth as Dēvakī's son.
अमृतांशूद्भवो बीजं शक्तिर्देवकिनन्दनः।amṛtāṃśūdbhavō bījaṃ śaktirdēvakinandanaḥ|
त्रिसामा हृदयं तस्य शान्त्यर्थे विनियुज्यते॥trisāmā hṛdayaṃ tasya śāntyarthē viniyujyatē||
The seed of the hymn is He who is the source of the moon; its power is Dēvakī's son and delight; its heart is He who is hymned in the three Sāman chants. For the sake of peace the hymn is put to use.
Bhāvam
Seed, power and heart are each a name taken from the hymn itself, and the verse closes with the purpose of the recitation, which is peace.
In this verseViṣṇuKṛṣṇaCandra, the MoonDēvakī
विष्णुं जिष्णुं महाविष्णुं प्रभविष्णुं महेश्वरम्।viṣṇuṃ jiṣṇuṃ mahāviṣṇuṃ prabhaviṣṇuṃ mahēśvaram|
अनेकरूपदैत्यान्तं नमामि पुरुषोत्तमम्॥anēkarūpadaityāntaṃ namāmi puruṣōttamam||
I bow to Viṣṇu, who pervades all; to the ever-victorious; to the great Viṣṇu; to the all-powerful; to the great Lord, who puts an end to the daityas however many their forms; to the Supreme Person.
Bhāvam
The bow is made of four names that end alike: the pervader, the conqueror, the great pervader and the mighty. It comes to rest at last on the Supreme Person.
In this verseViṣṇu
अस्य श्रीविष्णोर्दिव्यसहस्रनामस्तोत्रमहामन्त्रस्य।asya śrīviṣṇōrdivyasahasranāmastōtramahāmantrasya|
श्रीवेदव्यासो भगवान् ऋषिः।śrīvēdavyāsō bhagavān ṛṣiḥ|
अनुष्टुप् छन्दः।anuṣṭup chandaḥ|
श्रीमहाविष्णुः परमात्मा श्रीमन्नारायणो देवता।śrīmahāviṣṇuḥ paramātmā śrīmannārāyaṇō dēvatā|
Of this great mantra, the hymn of the divine thousand names of Śrī Viṣṇu: the seer is the revered Vēdavyāsa; the metre is Anuṣṭubh; the deity is Śrī Mahāviṣṇu, the Supreme Self, Śrīman Nārāyaṇa.
Bhāvam
The same three that the verses gave are now declared in the form used when the recitation begins. Here the deity is named three ways, and the last of them, Śrīman Nārāyaṇa, holds Śrī in the very name, inseparable from Him.
अमृतांशूद्भवो भानुरिति बीजम्।amṛtāṃśūdbhavō bhānuriti bījam|
देवकीनन्दनः स्रष्टेति शक्तिः।dēvakīnandanaḥ sraṣṭēti śaktiḥ|
उद्भवः क्षोभणो देव इति परमो मन्त्रः।udbhavaḥ kṣōbhaṇō dēva iti paramō mantraḥ|
शङ्खभृन्नन्दकी चक्रीति कीलकम्।śaṅkhabhṛnnandakī cakrīti kīlakam|
The seed is 'the source of the moon' and 'the Radiant One'. The power is 'Dēvakī's son' and 'the Creator'. The supreme mantra is 'the Source', 'the Stirrer' and 'the Shining Lord'. The pin is 'the bearer of the conch', 'the bearer of the Nandaka sword' and 'the bearer of the discus'.
Bhāvam
Each limb of the recitation is set with names from the hymn itself, so that the seed, the power, the supreme mantra and the pin are all His own names.
In this verseViṣṇuKṛṣṇaSudarśana, the discusPāñcajanya, the conchNandaka, the swordCandra, the MoonDēvakī
शार्ङ्गधन्वा गदाधर इत्यस्त्रम्।śārṅgadhanvā gadādhara ityastram|
रथाङ्गपाणिरक्षोभ्य इति नेत्रम्।rathāṅgapāṇirakṣōbhya iti nētram|
त्रिसामा सामगः सामेति कवचम्।trisāmā sāmagaḥ sāmēti kavacam|
The weapon is 'the wielder of the Śārṅga bow' and 'the bearer of the mace'. The eye is 'He who holds the discus in His hand' and 'the Unshaken'. The armour is 'He who is hymned in the three Sāman chants', 'the singer of the Sāmans' and 'the Sāman itself'.
In this verseViṣṇuKaumōdakī, the maceŚārṅga, the bow
आनन्दं परब्रह्मेति योनिः।ānandaṃ parabrahmēti yōniḥ|
ऋतुः सुदर्शनः काल इति दिग्बन्धः।ṛtuḥ sudarśanaḥ kāla iti digbandhaḥ|
श्रीविश्वरूप इति ध्यानम्।śrīviśvarūpa iti dhyānam|
श्रीमहाविष्णु प्रीत्यर्थे श्रीसहस्रनाम जपे विनियोगः।śrīmahāviṣṇu prītyarthē śrīsahasranāma japē viniyōgaḥ|
The source is the supreme Brahman, who is bliss. The binding of the directions is made by 'the Season', 'the One of auspicious sight' and 'Time'. The meditation is on Śrī Viśvarūpa, whose form is the All. The use of the recitation of the thousand names is for the delight of Śrī Mahāviṣṇu.
Bhāvam
The nyāsa ends by naming its purpose: the recitation is for the delight of the Lord Himself. The picture of Him as the All, which it asks the reciter to hold in mind, is drawn in the verses of meditation that follow.
In this verseViṣṇuSudarśana, the discus
Dhyānam
8 verses and 1 prose line
क्षीरोदन्वत्प्रदेशे शुचिमणिविलसत्सैकते मौक्तिकानां मालाकॢप्तासनस्थः स्फटिकमणिनिभैर्मौक्तिकैर्मण्डिताङ्गः।kṣīrōdanvatpradēśē śucimaṇivilasatsaikatē mauktikānāṃ mālākḷptāsanasthaḥ sphaṭikamaṇinibhairmauktikairmaṇḍitāṅgaḥ|
शुभ्रैरभ्रै रदभ्रैरुपरि विरचितैर्मुक्तपीयूषवर्षैः आनन्दी नः पुनीयादरिनलिनगदाशङ्खपाणिर्मुकुन्दः॥śubhrairabhrai radabhrairupari viracitairmuktapīyūṣavarṣaiḥ ānandī naḥ punīyādarinalinagadāśaṅkhapāṇirmukundaḥ||
In a region of the Milk Ocean, on a sandy shore shining with pure gems, He sits on a seat made of garlands of pearls, His limbs adorned with pearls that gleam like crystal gems. Above Him white and abundant clouds are gathered, letting fall showers of nectar. May that joyful Mukunda, with the discus, the lotus, the mace and the conch in His hands, purify us.
Bhāvam
The first meditation sets the scene before the names begin: the Lord is pictured at ease, adorned, and rained upon with nectar from above. The reciter asks only to be made pure.
In this verseViṣṇuSudarśana, the discusPāñcajanya, the conchKaumōdakī, the mace
भूः पादौ यस्य नाभिर्वियदसुरनिलश्चन्द्रसूर्यौ च नेत्रे कर्णावाशाः शिरो द्यौर्मुखमपि दहनो यस्य वास्तेयमब्धिः।bhūḥ pādau yasya nābhirviyadasuranilaścandrasūryau ca nētrē karṇāvāśāḥ śirō dyaurmukhamapi dahanō yasya vāstēyamabdhiḥ|
अन्तःस्थं यस्य विश्वं सुरनरखगगोभोगिगन्धर्वदैत्यैः चित्रं रंरम्यते तं त्रिभुवनवपुषं विष्णुमीशं नमामि॥antaḥsthaṃ yasya viśvaṃ suranarakhagagōbhōgigandharvadaityaiḥ citraṃ raṃramyatē taṃ tribhuvanavapuṣaṃ viṣṇumīśaṃ namāmi||
The Earth is His feet; the sky is His navel; the wind is His life-breath; the moon and the sun are His eyes; the quarters of space are His ears; the heavens are His head; fire is His face; the ocean is His belly. The whole universe stands within Him, and in it gods, men, birds, cattle, serpents, gandharvas and daityas wondrously revel. I bow to Him, the Lord Viṣṇu, whose body is the three worlds.
Bhāvam
The Lord is pictured as the world itself, from the earth beneath His feet to the heavens at His head, with sun and moon for His eyes. Everything that lives is within Him, which is also what the name Viṣṇu says, the One who pervades.
In this verseViṣṇuBhūdēvīSūrya, the SunCandra, the MoonAgni, FireVāyu, the Wind
ओं नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय।ōṃ namō bhagavatē vāsudēvāya|
Ōṃ. Salutation to the Lord Vāsudēva, who dwells in all and in whom all dwell.
Bhāvam
This is the twelve-syllable mantra of Vāsudēva, set between the verses of meditation as a bow. It asks for nothing; it offers the salutation alone.
In this verseViṣṇuVāsudēva, the supreme form
शान्ताकारं भुजगशयनं पद्मनाभं सुरेशं विश्वाधारं गगनसदृशं मेघवर्णं शुभाङ्गम्।śāntākāraṃ bhujagaśayanaṃ padmanābhaṃ surēśaṃ viśvādhāraṃ gaganasadṛśaṃ mēghavarṇaṃ śubhāṅgam|
लक्ष्मीकान्तं कमलनयनं योगिहृद्ध्यानगम्यं वन्दे विष्णुं भवभयहरं सर्वलोकैकनाथम्॥lakṣmīkāntaṃ kamalanayanaṃ yōgihṛddhyānagamyaṃ vandē viṣṇuṃ bhavabhayaharaṃ sarvalōkaikanātham||
I bow to Viṣṇu. His form is peace, He rests on the serpent, and the lotus springs from His navel; He is Lord of the gods and support of the universe, like the sky, cloud-coloured and fair of limb. He is the beloved of Lakṣmī, lotus-eyed, and reached by the yogis in the meditation of the heart; He takes away the fear of worldly existence, and He is the one Lord of all the worlds.
Bhāvam
The verse begins with His peace and ends with the loss of fear; between them it paints Him at rest on the serpent, cloud-dark and lotus-eyed, with Lakṣmī as His beloved. It is a meditation for the heart.
In this verseViṣṇuŚrī LakṣmīŚēṣa
मेघश्यामं पीतकौशेयवासं श्रीवत्साङ्कं कौस्तुभोद्भासिताङ्गम्।mēghaśyāmaṃ pītakauśēyavāsaṃ śrīvatsāṅkaṃ kaustubhōdbhāsitāṅgam|
पुण्योपेतं पुण्डरीकायताक्षं विष्णुं वन्दे सर्वलोकैकनाथम्॥puṇyōpētaṃ puṇḍarīkāyatākṣaṃ viṣṇuṃ vandē sarvalōkaikanātham||
I bow to Viṣṇu, dark as a rain-cloud, clad in yellow silk, marked with the Śrīvatsa, His body lit by the Kaustubha jewel; endowed with holiness, with long eyes like white lotuses, the one Lord of all the worlds.
Bhāvam
Here the picture is of colour and ornament: the dark cloud-hue, the yellow silk, the mark on His chest and the jewel that lights His form. The tradition remembers that Śrī dwells on that very chest.
In this verseViṣṇuŚrīvatsa, the mark on the chestKaustubha, the jewel
नमः समस्तभूतानामादिभूताय भूभृते।namaḥ samastabhūtānāmādibhūtāya bhūbhṛtē|
अनेकरूपरूपाय विष्णवे प्रभविष्णवे॥anēkarūparūpāya viṣṇavē prabhaviṣṇavē||
Salutation to the primal source of all beings, who bears the earth; to Him who has countless forms; to Viṣṇu, who pervades all; to the all-powerful.
Bhāvam
A bow in names again: the first cause, the bearer of the earth, the one of countless forms, the pervader and the mighty. The last two, Viṣṇu and Prabhaviṣṇu, were already sung in the bowing verse of the nyāsa.
सशङ्खचक्रं सकिरीटकुण्डलं सपीतवस्त्रं सरसीरुहेक्षणम्।saśaṅkhacakraṃ sakirīṭakuṇḍalaṃ sapītavastraṃ sarasīruhēkṣaṇam|
सहारवक्षःस्थलशोभिकौस्तुभं नमामि विष्णुं शिरसा चतुर्भुजम्॥sahāravakṣaḥsthalaśōbhikaustubhaṃ namāmi viṣṇuṃ śirasā caturbhujam||
I bow my head to Viṣṇu, the four-armed, bearing the conch and the discus, wearing crown and earrings and the yellow garment, lotus-eyed, with the Kaustubha shining on His chest beside the necklace.
In this verseViṣṇuSudarśana, the discusPāñcajanya, the conchKaustubha, the jewel
छायायां पारिजातस्य हेमसिंहासनोपरि।chāyāyāṃ pārijātasya hēmasiṃhāsanōpari|
आसीनमम्बुदश्याममायताक्षमलङ्कृतम्॥āsīnamambudaśyāmamāyatākṣamalaṅkṛtam||
He is pictured seated on a golden throne in the shade of the Pārijāta, the tree of paradise, dark as a rain-cloud, wide of eye and adorned. The verse that follows names Him.
Bhāvam
The two verses are one sentence: this one sets the scene, and the next names the One who sits there.
In this verseViṣṇu
चन्द्राननं चतुर्बाहुं श्रीवत्साङ्कितवक्षसम्।candrānanaṃ caturbāhuṃ śrīvatsāṅkitavakṣasam|
रुक्मिणीसत्यभामाभ्यां सहितं कृष्णमाश्रये॥rukmiṇīsatyabhāmābhyāṃ sahitaṃ kṛṣṇamāśrayē||
I take refuge in Kṛṣṇa: moon-faced, four-armed, His chest marked with the Śrīvatsa, and with Rukmiṇī and Satyabhāmā beside Him.
Bhāvam
He is not pictured alone: Rukmiṇī and Satyabhāmā are with Him, and the tradition knows them as Śrī and Bhūdēvī, who are never apart from the Lord in any of His forms.
In this verseViṣṇuKṛṣṇaRukmiṇīSatyabhāmāŚrīvatsa, the mark on the chest
Text: prapatti.com, Śrīmad Āṇḍavan Āśramam edition prepared by Sunder Kidāmbi. Sources.