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vishnuvasudevakrishnamadhva

Dwadasa Stotra

द्वादश स्तोत्र

🕉️ hindu·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 Daily at dawn or during food offering (naivedya); especially auspicious before meals and during Vishnu worship·📜 Dwadasa Stotra (Madhva / Dvaita Vedanta tradition)

Also known as: dwadasha stotra · dvadasa stotra · dvadasha stotra · madhva dwadasa stotra · vande vandyam sadanandam · udupi krishna stotra

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Meaning

The Dwadasa Stotra ('Twelve Hymns') is a beloved devotional composition by Sri Madhvacharya (Ananda Tirtha), the founder of the Dvaita school of Vedanta. Traditionally sung during the offering of food (naivedya) to Lord Krishna at Udupi, its melodious verses extol Vishnu-Vasudeva as the supreme, blissful, all-pervading Lord and the bestower of liberation. The hymns combine deep philosophical truth with tender devotion and are recited daily across the Madhva tradition.

Origin & Story

Dwadasa Stotra (Madhva / Dvaita Vedanta tradition) · Sri Madhvacharya (Ananda Tirtha) · 13th century CE

Sri Madhvacharya composed the Dwadasa Stotra after installing the sacred image of Lord Krishna at Udupi. Tradition relates that he received the murti — said to have been worshipped long ago by Rukmini — and consecrated it for daily worship. He sang these twelve hymns at the time of offering food to the Lord, blending profound philosophy with heartfelt devotion, and they have remained central to Madhva worship ever since.

As told in scripture

Tradition recounts that Sri Madhvacharya retrieved the image of Bala Krishna from a ball of sacred clay (gopichandana) carried by a ship he had saved from a storm, and installed it at Udupi; it is believed that the Dwadasa Stotra, sung at the daily food offering, draws the living presence of the Lord, and devotees recount the deity once turning to grant darshan to the humble saint Kanaka Dasa.

Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

वन्दे वन्द्यं सदानन्दं वासुदेवं निरञ्जनम्। इन्दिरा-पति-माद्य-आदि-वरद-इष्ट-वर-प्रदम्॥

Vande vandyaṁ sadānandaṁ vāsudevaṁ nirañjanam। Indirā-pati-mādya-ādi-varada-iṣṭa-vara-pradam॥

Meaning:I bow to Vasudeva — the one worthy of all worship, ever-blissful, stainless and pure, the Lord of Indira (Lakshmi), the foremost giver of boons, who grants every cherished blessing.

Verse 2

नमामि निखिल-आधार-दुरित-अघ-ओघ-नाशनम्। परमानन्द-तीर्थ-उक्तं हरि-पादाब्ज-षट्पदम्॥

Namāmi nikhila-ādhāra-durita-agha-ogha-nāśanam। Paramānanda-tīrtha-uktaṁ hari-pādābja-ṣaṭpadam॥

Meaning:I salute the Lord who is the support of all, the destroyer of the flood of sins and evils — He who is praised by Ananda Tirtha (Madhvacharya), the bee humming at the lotus-feet of Hari.

Verse 3

सृष्टि-स्थिति-संहार-कर्तारं विश्व-तोमुखम्। सर्व-ज्ञं सर्व-शक्तिं तं नमामि श्रिय-पति हरिम्॥

Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-saṁhāra-kartāraṁ viśva-tomukham। Sarva-jñaṁ sarva-śaktiṁ taṁ namāmi śriya-pati harim॥

Meaning:I bow to that Hari, consort of Sri — the doer of creation, preservation and dissolution, whose presence faces every direction, the all-knowing and all-powerful Lord.

Verse 4

नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय॥

Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya॥

Meaning:Om — salutations to Lord Vasudeva.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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वन्दे🔊vandeI bow, I worship, I offer salutations
वन्द्यम्🔊vandyamthe one worthy of all worship and adoration
सदानन्दम्🔊sadānandamthe ever-blissful one, of eternal joy
वासुदेवम्🔊vāsudevamVasudeva, the indwelling Supreme Lord (Krishna / Vishnu)
निरञ्जनम्🔊nirañjanamthe stainless, the pure, free from all blemish
इन्दिरा-पतिम्🔊indirā-patimthe consort (Lord) of Indira (Lakshmi)
इष्ट-वर-प्रदम्🔊iṣṭa-vara-pradamthe bestower of cherished boons / desired blessings
नमामि🔊namāmiI bow down, I salute
निखिल-आधारम्🔊nikhila-ādhāramthe support / substratum of all that exists
दुरित-अघ-ओघ-नाशनम्🔊durita-agha-ogha-nāśanamthe destroyer of the flood of sins and evils
परमानन्द-तीर्थ-उक्तम्🔊paramānanda-tīrtha-uktampraised / declared by (Ananda Tirtha) Madhvacharya
हरि-पाद-अब्ज-षट्पदम्🔊hari-pāda-abja-ṣaṭpadam(Madhva) the bee at the lotus-feet of Hari
सृष्टि-स्थिति-संहार-कर्तारम्🔊sṛṣṭi-sthiti-saṁhāra-kartāramthe doer of creation, preservation and dissolution
विश्व-तोमुखम्🔊viśva-tomukhamthe one whose faces are turned everywhere (all-pervading)
सर्व-ज्ञम्🔊sarva-jñamthe all-knowing, omniscient one
सर्व-शक्तिम्🔊sarva-śaktimthe all-powerful, omnipotent one
श्रिय-पतिम्🔊śriya-patimthe Lord (consort) of Sri (Lakshmi)
हरिम्🔊harimHari, the remover of sins and sorrows (Vishnu)
वासुदेवाय नमः🔊vāsudevāya namaḥsalutations to Lord Vasudeva

Benefits of Chanting Dwadasa Stotra

Invokes the grace of Vishnu-Vasudeva, the bestower of all cherished boons

Traditionally sung during naivedya (food offering) to invoke the Lord's presence

Cultivates devotion combined with right knowledge (jnana) of the Supreme

Believed to destroy the accumulated burden of sins and inner impurities

Brings peace, contentment and steadiness of mind through divine remembrance

Leads the devotee toward liberation through surrender to Hari

How to Chant Dwadasa Stotra

Repetitions1times
Best TimeDaily at dawn or during food offering (naivedya); especially auspicious before meals and during Vishnu worship

Recite or sing with devotion and a calm, grateful mind, ideally before an image of Krishna or Vishnu. The complete work comprises twelve stotras of melodious verses; in the Madhva tradition they are chanted during the offering of food to the Lord. Begin as given here with 'Vande vandyam'. Singing with the traditional tunes deepens the mood; conclude with salutations to Vasudeva. Cleanliness and a spirit of surrender enhance the practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Dwadasa Stotra was composed by Sri Madhvacharya, also known as Ananda Tirtha or Purnaprajna (13th century CE), the founder of the Dvaita (Tattvavada) school of Vedanta.
'Dwadasa' means twelve, so Dwadasa Stotra means 'the Twelve Hymns' — a set of twelve devotional poems in praise of Lord Vishnu-Vasudeva.
It is traditionally sung in Madhva temples — especially at Udupi — during the naivedya, the ceremonial offering of food to Lord Krishna, and is also recited daily by devotees as a part of their worship.
Sri Madhvacharya established the worship of Lord Krishna at Udupi, where the deity he installed is offered food daily. By tradition the Dwadasa Stotra is sung at that offering, linking the hymn intimately with Udupi Krishna.

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