Sree Vishnu Shodasa Nama Stotram
Translated by P.R.Ramachander
The Vishnu Shodasa Nama Stotram is one of the prayers recited by devotees when they wake up. It is composed of sixteen names of Lord Vishnu.
Stotram[edit]
Oushade Chinthaye Vishnum, Bhojane cha Janardhanam, Sayane Padmanabham cha, Vivahe cha Prajapathim. Yuddhe Chakradharam devam, Pravase cha Trivikramam, Narayanam Thanu thyage, Sreedharam priya sangame, Duswapne smara , Govindam, Sankate Madhu sudhanam, Kanane Narasimham cha, Pavake Jalasayinam, Jalamadhye Varaham cha, Parvathe Raghu nandanam, Gamane Vamanam Chaiva , Sarva Karyeshu Madhavam.
Think him as Vishnu while taking medicine,
As Janardhana while eating food,
As Padmanabha while in bed,
As Prajapathi at time of marriage,
As Chakra dhara while engaged in war,
As Trivikrama while on travel,
As Narayana on death bed,
As Sreedhara while meeting with the beloved,
As Govinda while tossing with bad dreams,
As Madhu Sudhana while in trouble,
As Narasimha while in the forest,
As Jala Sayina while fire is ravaging,
As Varaha while struggling in water,
As Raghu nandana while lost in a mountain,
As Vamana while on the move,
And as Madhava while doing everything.
Shodasaithani Naamani, Prathar uthaaya ya padeth, Sarva papa vinirmuktho, Vishnu lokam samopnuyath.
As soon as one wakes up in the morn,
If these sixteen names are read,
He would be bereft of all sins,
And reach the world of Vishnu at the end.
Meanings of each of the Sixteen Names[edit]
| Vishnu | He who is spread everywhere |
| Janardhana | He who punishes evil people |
| Padhmanabha | He who has a lotus in his belly button |
| Prajapathi | He who is the chief of people |
| Chakradhara | He who is armed with the holy wheel |
| Trivikrama | He who measured all the worlds in three steps |
| Narayana | He who resides in all things he creates |
| Sreedhara | He who carries Goddess of Wealth in his chest |
| Govinda | He who can be attained by Vedas |
| Madhu Sudhana | He who killed the rakhas called Madhu |
| Naarasimha | He who took the shape of half lion, half human |
| Jalasayina | He who sleeps on water |
| Varaha | He who took the shape of the holy boar |
| Raghu Nandana | The darling of the clan of Raghu |
| Vaamana | He who took the shape of a dwarf |
| Madhava | He who is Lord of everything |