vishnushodasha-namasixteen-namesprotection

Vishnu Shodasha Nama Stotram

विष्णु षोडश नाम स्तोत्रम्

🕉️ hindu·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 Early morning immediately after waking and bathing (prātaḥ)·📜 Traditional Vaishnava stotra (smriti / Pauranic tradition)

Also known as: vishnu shodasha nama stotram · shodasha nama stotram · aushadhe chintayed vishnum · sixteen names of vishnu · vishnu sixteen names stotra

📜 Complete Lyrics 📖 Word-by-Word Meaning ✨ Benefits & How to Chant ⬇️ PDF Download

Read in your language / script

हिन्दी / देवनागरीతెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

The Vishnu Shodasha Nama Stotram lists sixteen names of Lord Vishnu, each to be remembered in a specific situation — Janardana while eating, Madhusudana in danger, Narayana at death, and so on. Many of the names are forms of his Dashavatara (Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana/Trivikrama, Rama). Recited at dawn, it is believed to free the devotee from all sins and grant the realm of Vishnu.

Origin & Story

Traditional Vaishnava stotra (smriti / Pauranic tradition) · Traditional (anonymous) · Classical

This well-loved short stotra teaches the practice of constant remembrance (smarana) of God by assigning a specific name of Vishnu to each common situation of human life. By naming Vishnu in illness, food, sleep, marriage, travel, danger, fire, water, forest and death, it weaves devotion into every moment of daily living. Many of the sixteen names — Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana/Trivikrama and Rama — are the Lord's celebrated Dashavatara forms, linking everyday life to his cosmic descents.

✦ As told in scripture

It is traditionally said that one who keeps these sixteen names ready in the mind is guarded by the Lord in every danger — recalling Jalashayin in fire or Madhusudana in sudden crisis is believed to instantly summon Vishnu's protective grace.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

औषधे चिन्तयेद्विष्णुं भोजने च जनार्दनम्। शयने पद्मनाभं च विवाहे च प्रजापतिम्॥१॥

Auṣadhe chintayed-viṣṇuṃ bhojane cha janārdanam। śayane padmanābhaṃ cha vivāhe cha prajāpatim॥1॥

Meaning:One should meditate on Vishnu while taking medicine, on Janardana while eating, on Padmanabha while lying down to sleep, and on Prajapati at the time of marriage.

Verse 2

युद्धे चक्रधरं देवं प्रवासे च त्रिविक्रमम्। नारायणं तनुत्यागे श्रीधरं प्रियसङ्गमे॥२॥

Yuddhe chakra-dharaṃ devaṃ pravāse cha trivikramam। nārāyaṇaṃ tanu-tyāge śrīdharaṃ priya-saṅgame॥2॥

Meaning:On Chakradhara (the discus-bearer) in battle, on Trivikrama while traveling, on Narayana when leaving the body, and on Shridhara when meeting a loved one.

Verse 3

दुःस्वप्ने स्मर गोविन्दं सङ्कटे मधुसूदनम्। कानने नारसिंहं च पावके जलशायिनम्॥३॥

Duḥsvapne smara govindaṃ saṅkaṭe madhusūdanam। kānane nārasiṃhaṃ cha pāvake jala-śāyinam॥3॥

Meaning:Remember Govinda after a bad dream, Madhusudana in danger, Narasimha when in the forest, and Jalashayin (who reclines on the waters) when caught in fire.

Verse 4

जलमध्ये वराहं च पर्वते रघुनन्दनम्। गमने वामनं चैव सर्वकार्येषु माधवम्॥४॥

Jala-madhye varāhaṃ cha parvate raghu-nandanam। gamane vāmanaṃ chaiva sarva-kāryeṣu mādhavam॥4॥

Meaning:Remember Varaha when in the midst of water, Raghunandana (Rama) when on a mountain, Vamana while walking, and Madhava in all undertakings.

Verse 5

षोडशैतानि नामानि प्रातरुत्थाय यः पठेत्। सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो विष्णुलोके महीयते॥५॥

Ṣoḍaśaitāni nāmāni prātar-utthāya yaḥ paṭhet। sarva-pāpa-vinirmukto viṣṇu-loke mahīyate॥5॥

Meaning:Whoever recites these sixteen names upon rising at dawn is freed from all sins and is exalted in the realm of Vishnu.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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औषधे🔊auṣadhewhile taking medicine

चिन्तयेद्विष्णुं🔊chintayed-viṣṇuṃone should meditate on Vishnu

भोजने च जनार्दनम्🔊bhojane cha janārdanamand Janardana while eating

शयने पद्मनाभं🔊śayane padmanābhaṃPadmanabha while lying down to sleep

विवाहे च प्रजापतिम्🔊vivāhe cha prajāpatimand Prajapati at the time of marriage

युद्धे चक्रधरं🔊yuddhe chakra-dharaṃChakradhara (wielder of the discus) in battle

प्रवासे च त्रिविक्रमम्🔊pravāse cha trivikramamand Trivikrama while traveling

नारायणं तनुत्यागे🔊nārāyaṇaṃ tanu-tyāgeNarayana at the time of leaving the body (death)

श्रीधरं प्रियसङ्गमे🔊śrīdharaṃ priya-saṅgameShridhara when meeting a loved one

दुःस्वप्ने स्मर गोविन्दं🔊duḥsvapne smara govindaṃremember Govinda after a bad dream

सङ्कटे मधुसूदनम्🔊saṅkaṭe madhusūdanamMadhusudana in times of crisis/danger

कानने नारसिंहं🔊kānane nārasiṃhaṃNarasimha while in the forest

पावके जलशायिनम्🔊pāvake jala-śāyinamJalashayin (one who reclines on water) in fire

जलमध्ये वराहं🔊jala-madhye varāhaṃVaraha while in the midst of water

पर्वते रघुनन्दनम्🔊parvate raghu-nandanamRaghunandana (Rama) while on a mountain

गमने वामनं🔊gamane vāmanaṃVamana while walking/going

सर्वकार्येषु माधवम्🔊sarva-kāryeṣu mādhavamMadhava in all undertakings

षोडशैतानि नामानि🔊ṣoḍaśaitāni nāmānithese sixteen names

प्रातरुत्थाय यः पठेत्🔊prātar-utthāya yaḥ paṭhetwhoever recites them upon rising at dawn

सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः🔊sarva-pāpa-vinirmuktaḥbecomes freed from all sins

विष्णुलोके महीयते🔊viṣṇu-loke mahīyateis honored/exalted in the realm of Vishnu

Benefits of Chanting Vishnu Shodasha Nama Stotram

✦

Provides the right divine name to remember in every situation of life

✦

Invokes Vishnu's protection during illness, travel, danger and conflict

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Recited at dawn, it is said to free one from all accumulated sins

✦

Keeps the mind anchored in remembrance (smarana) of God throughout the day

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Includes the Dashavatara names, uniting daily life with the Lord's incarnations

✦

Traditionally chanted for safety in fire, water, forest and on journeys

✦

Grants the devotee a place of honor in Vishnuloka

How to Chant Vishnu Shodasha Nama Stotram

Repetitions1times

Best TimeEarly morning immediately after waking and bathing (prātaḥ)

Recite the five verses soon after rising at dawn, ideally after a bath, facing east. Learn the sixteen names and their situations so they can be recalled instantly through the day — Janardana while eating, Madhusudana in danger, Narayana at the final hour, and so on. The stotra is short and meant to be memorized so that the appropriate name of the Lord springs to mind in every circumstance.

Frequently Asked Questions

It is a short hymn that gives sixteen ('shodasha') names of Lord Vishnu, prescribing a particular name to remember in a particular situation — for example, Janardana while eating, Trivikrama while traveling, Madhusudana in danger, and Narayana at the time of death.

Vishnu, Janardana, Padmanabha, Prajapati, Chakradhara, Trivikrama, Narayana, Shridhara, Govinda, Madhusudana, Narasimha, Jalashayin, Varaha, Raghunandana (Rama), Vamana and Madhava — sixteen names, several of them Dashavatara forms.

The closing verse says they should be recited upon rising at dawn ('prataḥ utthaya'). Beyond that, each individual name is to be remembered in its specific circumstance — in fire, water, forest, battle, bad dreams, illness and so on.

The stotra declares that whoever recites them at dawn becomes freed from all sins ('sarva-papa-vinirmukta') and is exalted in the realm of Vishnu. It also keeps the mind continually turned toward God in daily life.