The Viṣṇu Sahasranāma, the thousand names of Lord Viṣṇu, is one of the most beloved hymns in the Vedic tradition. Many of us know it as a prayer of protection, healing, and grace. Yet, when we approach it deeply, we begin to discover that each name is also a window into Vedānta – a teaching on the very nature of the Self.
This hymn appears in the Mahābhārata, in a poignant moment between Yudhiṣṭhira and Bhīṣma (who lay on a bed of arrows). Standing amidst the ashes of war, burdened by despair and questions that touch the heart of existence, Yudhiṣṭhira turns not toward wealth or success, but toward truth.
He asks six profound questions:
In these questions, we meet not only Yudhiṣṭhira but the seeker within each of us – the one yearning to find meaning and peace in the midst of life’s turbulence.
The Mind of the Seeker
Yudhiṣṭhira’s inquiry reveals the perfect attitude of a student of the Veda: clarity, humility, and urgency.
He asks about the one – not many gods, not many rituals. His humility is shown in turning to Bhīṣma, who, lying on his bed of arrows, has transcended worldly concerns and speaks from a place of wisdom and surrender. And his urgency comes from the heart, not the intellect; these are not theoretical questions but living ones.
The Answer that Encapsulates Everything
Bhīṣma’s response – the Viṣṇu Sahasranāma – is not a discourse but a stotram, a hymn of praise. Through the thousand names, he unfolds the nature of Īśvara, the cosmic order, and our own essential being.
Each name reveals an aspect of the infinite:
Viṣṇuḥ—the one who pervades everything.
From this single name, the essence of all the others radiates.
The thousand names begin with Oṃ, and the tradition tells us they can all be collapsed back into Oṃ. What begins as devotion (bhakti) matures into recognition (jñāna). The practice thus bridges the worlds of prayer and self-knowledge – action, speech, and contemplation (kāyika, vācika, mānasā).
The Transformative Power of Recitation
The Viṣṇu Sahasranāma has long been held as a remedy for mental restlessness and emotional strain, a means to harmonize our inner life with the cosmic rhythm. Its recitation refines memory, steadies the mind, and fills one’s life with quiet order and devotion. It is therefore seen as a remedy for the influence of Budha or planet Mercury in Jyotiṣa.
Learning the Viṣṇu Sahasranāma in the Traditional Way
Starting February 2026, I will be offering a full course on the Viṣṇu Sahasranāma through Veda Studies platform.
This program will include:
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45 live classes with me covering the Pūrvabhāga, Nyāsa, Sahasranāma, and Phalaśruti
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15 guided practice sessions with Poornima for consistent recitation
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Texts in English transliteration and Devanāgarī
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An ongoing community of practice reciting together on Ekādaśi and Budhavāra
By the end of the course, students will not only be able to recite the complete Sahasranāma with confidence but also understand the spirit behind its verses – how each name reveals the vastness of Viṣṇu as the all-pervading reality. We will not undertake a name by name meaning – this would take many years of work! But we will make appropriate book recommendations and provide enough talks during the teaching for a general understanding and inspiration.
A Living Practice
Chanting the Viṣṇu Sahasranāma is a lifelong sādhanā.
Just as one’s breath returns again and again to the same rhythm, this recitation becomes an anchor for the mind – a reminder that amidst all changes, the sacred remains.
If you feel called to study this magnificent hymn in a traditional and meditative way, I warmly invite you to join this course.
The early-bird registration closes in November, and I encourage you to take advantage of this time to begin preparing for a transformative journey into devotion and knowledge.
🎥 Watch the full introductory talk below:
IFVISHWAM IS TO BE CHANTED AS VISHVN?
Namaste, you will need to study rules of anusvāra to understand this. Thank you for your question, you have good listening skills!