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विष्णु षट्पदी Meaning — Line by Line

विष्णु षट्पदी

Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi

Meaning — Line by Line

Every verse of विष्णु षट्पदी with its Hindi meaning. Tap any word to hear it, or ▶ to recite the verse.

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  1. Verse 1. avinayamapanaya viṣṇo damaya manaḥ śamaya viṣayamṛgatṛṣṇām |
  2. Verse 2. divyadhunīmakarande parimalaparibhogasaccidānande |
  3. Verse 3. satyapi bhedāpagame nātha tavāhaṃ na māmakīnastvam |
  4. Verse 4. uddhṛtanaga nagabhidanuja danujakulāmitra mitraśaśidṛṣṭe |
  5. Verse 5. matsyādibhiravatārairavatāravatā'vatā sadā vasudhām |
  6. Verse 6. dāmodara guṇamandira sundaravadanāravinda govinda |
  7. Verse 7. nārāyaṇa karuṇāmaya śaraṇaṃ karavāṇi tāvakau caraṇau |
Verse 1#

avinayamapanaya viṣṇo damaya manaḥ śamaya viṣayamṛgatṛṣṇām |

अविनयमपनय विष्णो दमय मनः शमय विषयमृगतृष्णाम् भूतदयां विस्तारय तारय संसारसागरतः १॥

avinayamapanaya viṣṇo damaya manaḥ śamaya viṣayamṛgatṛṣṇām | bhūtadayāṃ vistāraya tāraya saṃsārasāgarataḥ || 1||

Meaningहे विष्णो! मेरी अविनयता (उद्दण्डता) दूर कीजिए, मेरे मन का दमन कीजिए, विषयों की मृगतृष्णा-सी तृष्णा को शान्त कीजिए; प्राणियों के प्रति मेरी दया का विस्तार कीजिए, और मुझे संसार-सागर से पार उतारिए।

Verse 2#

divyadhunīmakarande parimalaparibhogasaccidānande |

दिव्यधुनीमकरन्दे परिमलपरिभोगसच्चिदानन्दे श्रीपतिपदारविन्दे भवभयखेदच्छिदे वन्दे २॥

divyadhunīmakarande parimalaparibhogasaccidānande | śrīpatipadāravinde bhavabhayakhedacchide vande || 2||

Meaningमैं श्रीपति (लक्ष्मीपति विष्णु) के उन चरण-कमलों को वन्दन करता हूँ — जो दिव्य गंगा के मकरन्द (मधु) से युक्त, सुगन्ध से भोग्य, सच्चिदानन्दस्वरूप, तथा संसार के भय और खेद को छिन्न करने वाले हैं।

Verse 3#

satyapi bhedāpagame nātha tavāhaṃ na māmakīnastvam |

सत्यपि भेदापगमे नाथ तवाहं मामकीनस्त्वम् सामुद्रो हि तरङ्गः क्वचन समुद्रो तारङ्गः ३॥

satyapi bhedāpagame nātha tavāhaṃ na māmakīnastvam | sāmudro hi taraṅgaḥ kvacana samudro na tāraṅgaḥ || 3||

Meaningहे नाथ! यद्यपि (परम सत्य में) भेद का अभाव है, फिर भी मैं आपका हूँ, आप मेरे नहीं — क्योंकि तरंग समुद्र की होती है, समुद्र कभी तरंग का नहीं होता।

Verse 4#

uddhṛtanaga nagabhidanuja danujakulāmitra mitraśaśidṛṣṭe |

उद्धृतनग नगभिदनुज दनुजकुलामित्र मित्रशशिदृष्टे दृष्टे भवति प्रभवति भवति किं भवतिरस्कारः ४॥

uddhṛtanaga nagabhidanuja danujakulāmitra mitraśaśidṛṣṭe | dṛṣṭe bhavati prabhavati na bhavati kiṃ bhavatiraskāraḥ || 4||

Meaningहे (गोवर्धन) पर्वत को उठाने वाले, इन्द्र के अनुज, दनुज-कुल के शत्रु, जिनके नेत्र मित्र (सूर्य) और चन्द्र-सदृश हैं — आपके दर्शन हो जाने पर फिर किसका प्रभाव, किसका भय, अथवा संसार का कौन-सा तिरस्कार टिक सकता है?

Verse 5#

matsyādibhiravatārairavatāravatā'vatā sadā vasudhām |

मत्स्यादिभिरवतारैरवतारवताऽवता सदा वसुधाम् परमेश्वर परिपाल्यो भवता भवतापभीतोऽहम् ५॥

matsyādibhiravatārairavatāravatā'vatā sadā vasudhām | parameśvara paripālyo bhavatā bhavatāpabhīto'ham || 5||

Meaningहे परमेश्वर! आप मत्स्य आदि अवतारों के द्वारा सदा अवतीर्ण होकर पृथ्वी की रक्षा करते हैं; अतः संसार के तापों से भयभीत मैं आपके द्वारा अवश्य ही पालनीय (रक्षणीय) हूँ।

Verse 6#

dāmodara guṇamandira sundaravadanāravinda govinda |

दामोदर गुणमन्दिर सुन्दरवदनारविन्द गोविन्द भवजलधिमथनमन्दर परमं दरमपनय त्वं मे ६॥

dāmodara guṇamandira sundaravadanāravinda govinda | bhavajaladhimathanamandara paramaṃ daramapanaya tvaṃ me || 6||

Meaningहे दामोदर! हे गुणों के मन्दिर! हे सुन्दर मुख-कमल वाले गोविन्द! हे संसार-सागर का मन्थन करने वाले मन्दराचल! आप मेरे इस परम भय को दूर कीजिए।

Verse 7#

nārāyaṇa karuṇāmaya śaraṇaṃ karavāṇi tāvakau caraṇau |

नारायण करुणामय शरणं करवाणि तावकौ चरणौ इति षट्पदी मदीये वदनसरोजे सदा वसतु

nārāyaṇa karuṇāmaya śaraṇaṃ karavāṇi tāvakau caraṇau | iti ṣaṭpadī madīye vadanasaroje sadā vasatu ||

Meaningहे करुणामय नारायण! मैं आपके दोनों चरणों की शरण ग्रहण करता हूँ। यह षट्पदी (छः श्लोकों का स्तोत्र) मेरे मुख-कमल में सदा निवास करे।

Word-by-Word Breakdown

अविनयम् अपनय
avinayam apanaya
Remove (apanaya) my lack of humility / bad conduct (avinaya)
विष्णो
viṣṇo
O Vishnu!
दमय मनः
damaya manaḥ
Subdue / control my mind
शमय विषयमृगतृष्णाम्
śamaya viṣaya-mṛga-tṛṣṇām
Quench my thirst for sense-objects, (which is like) the mirage chased by a deer
भूतदयां विस्तारय
bhūta-dayāṃ vistāraya
Expand / increase my compassion for (all) beings
तारय संसारसागरतः
tāraya saṃsāra-sāgarataḥ
Carry me across the ocean of worldly existence (samsara)
श्रीपतिपदारविन्दे
śrīpati-pada-aravinde
At the lotus-feet of Shripati (the Lord of Lakshmi, Vishnu)
सच्चिदानन्दे
sat-cit-ānande
Of the nature of Existence-Consciousness-Bliss (Sat-Chit-Ananda)
भवभयखेदच्छिदे
bhava-bhaya-kheda-cchide
Which cuts off the fear and sorrow of worldly life
वन्दे
vande
I bow / I salute
सत्यपि भेदापगमे
satyapi bheda-apagame
Even though difference (between us) has departed (in the absolute sense)
तवाहं न मामकीनस्त्वम्
tava-ahaṃ na māmakīnas-tvam
I am yours, you are not mine (the wave belongs to the ocean, not the ocean to the wave)
सामुद्रो हि तरङ्गः
sāmudro hi taraṅgaḥ
The wave indeed belongs to (arises from) the ocean
समुद्रो न तारङ्गः
samudro na tāraṅgaḥ
But the ocean does not belong to the wave
मत्स्यादिभिरवतारैः
matsya-ādibhir-avatāraiḥ
Through (your) incarnations beginning with the Fish (Matsya)
अवता सदा वसुधाम्
avatā sadā vasudhām
Ever protecting the earth
भवतापभीतोऽहम्
bhava-tāpa-bhīto'ham
I am frightened by the torments of worldly existence
दामोदर
dāmodara
O Damodara (Krishna, bound at the waist by a rope)
भवजलधिमथनमन्दर
bhava-jaladhi-mathana-mandara
O Mandara-mountain that churns the ocean of worldly existence
परमं दरमपनय त्वं मे
paramaṃ daram-apanaya tvaṃ me
Remove my deepest fear / dread
नारायण करुणामय
nārāyaṇa karuṇāmaya
O Narayana, full of compassion
शरणं करवाणि तावकौ चरणौ
śaraṇaṃ karavāṇi tāvakau caraṇau
Let me take refuge at your two feet
इति षट्पदी मदीये वदनसरोजे सदा वसतु
iti ṣaṭpadī madīye vadana-saroje sadā vasatu
May this Shatpadi (six-versed hymn) ever dwell in the lotus of my mouth

Origin & History

Source: Shatpadi Stotram composed by Adi Shankaracharya in praise of Lord Vishnu

Author: Adi Shankaracharya

Period: 8th century CE (circa 788-820)

The Vishnu Shatpadi (also called simply the Shatpadi Stotra) is one of Adi Shankaracharya's most beloved short devotional poems to Lord Vishnu. Though Shankara is best known as the expounder of Advaita Vedanta, here he sings as a humble devotee, asking the Lord to purify his mind and senses and to grant the grace of surrender. The hymn's third verse — the wave and the ocean — is among the most quoted lines in all of bhakti literature, capturing how devotion and non-duality meet: the liberated soul knows itself as one with God, yet lovingly remains 'the wave that belongs to the ocean'.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who wrote the Vishnu Shatpadi?
It is attributed to Adi Shankaracharya (8th century CE), the great Advaita teacher who, despite his non-dualist philosophy, composed many tender devotional hymns to Vishnu, Shiva and Devi. 'Shatpadi' literally means 'six-versed' (and also playfully evokes a bee, shat-pada).
What is the meaning of the wave-and-ocean verse?
In the third verse Shankaracharya says, 'Even though difference has departed, I am yours and you are not mine, for the wave belongs to the ocean but the ocean never belongs to the wave.' It expresses the loving paradox of bhakti within non-duality: the devotee surrenders as a small wave to the infinite ocean of God.
How many verses does the Shatpadi have?
It has six main verses (hence 'Shatpadi'), followed by a concluding line in which the poet prays that this six-versed hymn may forever dwell in the lotus of his mouth.
When should I chant the Vishnu Shatpadi?
It can be chanted any day with devotion, and is especially suited to mornings after bathing, to Ekadashi, and to other days sacred to Vishnu, as a short and powerful prayer of surrender.

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