Vishnu Shodasa Nama Sthothram
(The prayer of twelve names of Vishnu)
Translated By P.R.Ramachander
This is one of the prayers to be addressed to Lord Vishnu as soon as you wake up. It lists the twelve names of Lord Vishnu to be recited at different times of the day.
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 soodhanam,
Kanane 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 twelve names are read,
He would be bereft of all sins,
And reach the world of Vishnu at the end.
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 Soodhana-He who killed the ogre 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
* The meanings in English of the names mentioned in this verse are given at the end