vishnuvishnu-sahasranamammahabharatabhishma

Kimekam Daivatam Loke

Kimekam Daivatam Loke in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 Thursdays, Ekadashi, or before reciting the full Vishnu Sahasranamam·📜 Vishnu Sahasranamam (opening dialogue), Mahabharata, Anushasana Parva

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

This is the famous opening dialogue of the Vishnu Sahasranamam from the Anushasana Parva of the Mahabharata. Yudhishthira asks the dying patriarch Bhishma six profound questions about the one God, the highest refuge and the dharma that frees one from rebirth. Bhishma's answer — that praising Vishnu, the lotus-eyed Lord of the universe, with His thousand names is the highest dharma — introduces the entire thousand-name hymn.

Origin & Story

Vishnu Sahasranamam (opening dialogue), Mahabharata, Anushasana Parva · Sage Veda Vyasa (as spoken by Bhishma) · Itihasa / Mahabharata era

After the great Kurukshetra war, the patriarch Bhishma lay mortally wounded on a bed of arrows, awaiting the auspicious time to leave his body. Yudhishthira approached him with questions on the highest truths. In response to 'Who is the one God, and what frees a being from rebirth?', Bhishma taught the Vishnu Sahasranamam, declaring the praise of Vishnu's thousand names to be the supreme dharma. This dialogue forms its invocation.

✦ As told in scripture

It is traditionally held that anyone who hears or recites the Vishnu Sahasranamam, introduced by this very dialogue, is freed from all inauspiciousness and the fear of birth, old age, disease and death. Bhishma himself, the greatest of devotees and a master of dharma, chose to impart this hymn as his final and highest teaching.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

Yudhishthira uvacha — Kimekam daivatam loke kim vapyekam parayanam Stuvantah kam kamarchantah prapnuyurmanavah shubham Ko dharmah sarvadharmanam bhavatah paramo matah Kim japanmuchyate janturjanmasamsarabandhanat

Meaning:Yudhishthira asked: Who is the one Deity in the world? What is the one supreme refuge? By praising and worshipping whom do human beings attain what is auspicious? Which, in your view, is the highest of all dharmas? And by chanting what is a creature freed from the bondage of birth and worldly existence?

Verse 2

Bhishma uvacha — Jagatprabhum devadevamanantam purushottamam Stuvan namasahasrena purushah satatotthitah Esha me sarvadharmanam dharmodhikatamo matah Yadbhaktya pundarikaksham stavairarchennarah sada

Meaning:Bhishma replied: He who, ever steadfast, praises with the thousand names the Lord of the universe, the God of gods, the infinite Supreme Person — that, I hold, is the highest of all dharmas: that a person should always, with devotion, worship the lotus-eyed Lord (Vishnu) with hymns of praise.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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Yudhishthira uvacha🔊Yudhishthira said

Kim ekam daivatam loke🔊Who is the one Deity in the world?

Kim va api ekam parayanam🔊What is the one supreme refuge / goal?

Stuvantah kam🔊By praising whom

Kam archantah🔊By worshipping whom

Prapnuyuh manavah shubham🔊Do humans attain what is auspicious (welfare)?

Kah dharmah sarvadharmanam🔊Which is the highest of all dharmas?

Kim japan muchyate🔊By chanting what is a being liberated?

Janma-samsara-bandhanat🔊From the bondage of birth and worldly existence

Bhishma uvacha🔊Bhishma replied

Jagat-prabhum🔊The Lord of the universe

Deva-devam anantam🔊The God of gods, the infinite one

Purushottamam🔊The Supreme Person (Vishnu)

Nama-sahasrena🔊With the thousand names

Satatotthitah🔊Ever vigilant and steadfast (in praise)

Dharmah adhikatamah matah🔊Is considered the highest dharma

Pundarikaksham🔊The lotus-eyed Lord (Vishnu)

Benefits of Chanting Kimekam Daivatam Loke

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Introduces the Vishnu Sahasranamam — one of the most revered hymns in Hinduism

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Bhishma declares chanting Vishnu's names the highest of all dharmas

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Reflecting on Yudhishthira's six questions clarifies the goal of spiritual life

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Believed to free the devotee from the bondage of birth and death (samsara)

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An ideal preface to recite before the full thousand names on Thursdays or Ekadashi

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Bestows peace, auspiciousness and steadiness of devotion

How to Chant Kimekam Daivatam Loke

Repetitions1times

Best TimeThursdays, Ekadashi, or before reciting the full Vishnu Sahasranamam

Recite this opening dialogue before beginning the Vishnu Sahasranamam, after the usual dhyana verses. Sit facing east, calm the mind, and contemplate Bhishma's teaching that constant, devoted praise of Vishnu is the supreme dharma. It may also be recited alone as a concise reminder of the purpose and power of the thousand names.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Kimekam Daivatam Loke written in the English script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

It is the opening dialogue of the Vishnu Sahasranamam, found in the Anushasana Parva of the Mahabharata, where Yudhishthira questions Bhishma as the grandsire lies on his bed of arrows.

He asks: who is the one God, what is the one supreme refuge, by worshipping whom do people gain welfare, which is the highest dharma, and by chanting what is one freed from the cycle of birth and death.

Bhishma replies that the highest dharma is to praise Vishnu — the lotus-eyed Lord of the universe and Supreme Person — with His thousand names, always and with devotion. This introduces the Vishnu Sahasranamam.