ශාන්තාකාරං භුජගශයනං
शान्ताकारं भुजगशयनं in Sinhala · සිංහල
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Origin & Story
Traditional Vishnu Dhyana Shloka · Traditional · Classical
This single luminous verse is the classical dhyana (meditation) shloka of Lord Vishnu, recited across India before his worship and before the Vishnu Sahasranama. In one sweep it beholds Narayana asleep on the serpent Shesha upon the milk-ocean — serene, lotus-naveled, cloud-blue and lotus-eyed — the support of all the worlds and the remover of every fear.
✦ As told in scripture
Sages hold that to picture the Lord as this verse describes — serene upon the serpent, lotus-eyed and cloud-hued — is itself to be freed of fear; it is chanted first so that the mind, steadied on that peaceful form, may enter worship without agitation.
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Complete Text with Meaning
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ශාන්තාකාරං භුජගශයනං පද්මනාභං සුරේශං විශ්වාධාරං ගගනසදෘශං මේඝවර්ණං ශුභාඞ්ගම් .
Shantakaram bhujagashayanam padmanabham suresham Vishvadharam gaganasadrisham meghavarnam shubhangam
Meaning:शान्त रूप वाले, सर्प (शेष) पर शयन करने वाले, नाभि से कमल प्रकट करने वाले, देवों के स्वामी; विश्व के आधार, आकाश-समान असीम, मेघवर्ण, समस्त शुभ अंगों वाले;
ලක්ෂ්මීකාන්තං කමලනයනං යෝගිභිර්ධ්යානගම්යං වන්දේ විෂ්ණුං භවභයහරං සර්වලෝකෛකනාථම් ..
Lakshmikantam kamalanayanam yogibhirdhyanagamyam Vande vishnum bhavabhayaharam sarvalokaikanatham
Meaning:लक्ष्मी के प्रिय, कमलनयन, ध्यान में योगियों द्वारा प्राप्य — मैं उन विष्णु को नमस्कार करता हूँ, जो सांसारिक भय के हरण करने वाले और समस्त लोकों के एकमात्र स्वामी हैं।
Word-by-Word Meaning
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Benefits of Chanting शान्ताकारं भुजगशयनं
The supreme dhyana shloka (meditation verse) of Lord Vishnu, recited to bring his image to mind before worship, japa or the Vishnu Sahasranama.
Describes Vishnu reclining on Shesha with the lotus-navel, cloud-hued and lotus-eyed, deepening peace and devotion as one visualises the Lord.
Believed to remove the fear of worldly existence (bhava-bhaya) and bestow serenity, protection and the grace of Narayana.
Recited daily, and especially on Thursdays (Vishnu's day), on Ekadashi, and before reciting the Vishnu Sahasranama or Bhagavad Gita.
Chanted as the opening dhyana before Vishnu, Narayana, Krishna or Satyanarayan puja.
How to Chant शान्ताकारं भुजगशयनं
Sit calmly before an image of Vishnu (or Narayana / Krishna), light a lamp, and recite the shloka slowly while visualising each detail of the Lord's form — the serpent couch, the lotus-navel, the cloud-blue body and lotus eyes. It is the traditional dhyana verse chanted before the Vishnu Sahasranama.
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