Viṣṇu Sahasranāma
The Viṣṇu Sahasranāma — a thousand names of Lord Viṣṇu — stands as one of the most revered hymns of the Hindu tradition. Taught by Bhīṣma to Yudhiṣṭhira in the Mahābhārata, it is praised as the supreme path to peace and liberation. Each name is not only an invocation but also a teaching, revealing a unique facet of the Divine. Widely cherished for daily recitation, it is also considered astrologically auspicious, harmonising planetary influences and supporting clarity, strength, and protection in life.
Course objectives
At the end of this course, the student will:
- Be able to recite the entire Viṣṇu Sahasranāma – the Pūrvabhāga, Nyāsa, Sahasranāma & Phalaśruti.
- Understand the spirit of the genre of Sahasranāma-s.
- Gain an insight into the teaching that lies behind the names of Lord Viṣṇu.
- Join a community of committed practitioners of the Viṣṇu Sahasranāma on astrologically powerful days for this practice. (If there is enough interest and attendance for this ongoing practice).
Course Curriculum
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Viṣṇu Sahasranāma – introduction
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2026 course instructions & Zoom link
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Download your text – VS
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REPLAY Class 01 – Orientation & chanting rules
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Discussion area – Viṣṇu Sahasranāma
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Feb – March – April 2025 Replays
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Practice exercise – śloka 01 -11 (pūrva bhāga)
Your Course Includes
45 Live class recordings
The course will be taught via 45 live classes (with recordings made available in this course). In addition, there will be 15 extra practice classes (no recordings, only live classes).
Audio exercises for practice
Half-sentence, full sentence practices for the entire stotram for structured and focussed study.
Text in Devanāgari & English Transliteration
A complete text of the Viṣṇu Sahasranāma in English Transliteration & Devanāgiri.
Overviews of different sections of the text
Classes will include high level overviews of different sections of the text. Handouts will be made available where appropriate.
Frequently asked Questions
I have completed the Foundation course - will I be able to learn this chant?
It is best if you join this course with some familiarity in Sanskrit and chanting – you don’t need Veda mantra level of knowledge. This is a stotram without svaras, but rhythmic recitation followed for the Anuṣṭup meter. The first class of this course will be an orientation to basic sounds and Sandhi-s (grammar) followed in the recitation. This will be important to attend.
Will there be homework evaluation in this course?
There is no homework evaluation included in this course.
Is there any interaction with the teacher in this course?
If you joined the live course cohort in Feb 2026 – you will have access to the teacher during live classes. Otherwise, this will be a fully self-paced course.