Vishnu Sahasranamalu

1000 names of Viśṇu bhagwān:-

1) vishvam: He who is the universe, the virat-purusha
2) vishnuh: He who pervades everywhere
3) vashatkaarah: He who is invoked for oblations
4) bhoota-bhavya-bhavat-prabhuh: The Lord of past, present and future

5) bhoota-krit: The creator of all creatures
6) bhoota-bhrit: He who nourishes all creatures
7) bhaavo: He who becomes all moving and nonmoving things
8) bhootaatmaa: The aatman of all beings
9) bhoota-bhaavanah: The cause of the growth and birth of all creatures
10) pootaatmaa: He with an extremely pure essence
11) paramaatmaa: The Supersoul
12) muktaanaam paramaa gatih: The final goal, reached by liberated souls
13) avyayah: Without destruction
14) purushah: He who dwells in the city of nine gates
15) saakshee: The witness
16) kshetrajnah: The knower of the field
17) akshara: Indestructible
18) yogah: He who is realized through yoga
19) yoga-vidaam netaa: The guide of those who know yoga
20) pradhaana-purusheshvarah: Lord of pradhaana and purusha
21) naarasimha-vapuh: He whose form is man-lion
22) shreemaan: He who is always with shree
23) keshavah: He who has beautiful locks of hair
24) purushottamah: The Supreme Controller
25) sarvah: He who is everything
26) sharvas: The auspicious
27) shivah: He who is eternally pure
28) sthaanuh: The pillar, the immovable truth
29) bhootaadih: The cause of the five great elements
30) nidhir-avyayah: The imperishable treasure
31) sambhavah: He who descends of His own free will
32) bhaavanah: He who gives everything to his devotees
33) bhartaa: He who governs the entire living world
34) prabhavah: The womb of the five great elements
35) prabhuh: The Almighty Lord
36) eeshvarah: He who can do anything without any help
37) svayambhooh: He who manifests from Himself
38) shambhuh: He who brings auspiciousness
39) aadityah: The son of Aditi (Vaamana)
40) pushkaraakshah: He who has eyes like the lotus
41) mahaasvanah: He who has a thundering voice
42) anaadi-nidhanah: He without origin or end
43) dhaataa: He who supports all fields of experience
44) vidhaataa: The dispenser of fruits of action
45) dhaaturuttamah: The subtlest atom
46) aprameyah: He who cannot be perceived
47) hrisheekeshah: The Lord of the senses
48) padmanaabhah: He from whose navel comes the lotus
49) amaraprabhuh: The Lord of the devas
50) vishvakarmaa: The creator of the universe
51) manuh: He who has manifested as the Vedic mantras
52) tvashtaa: He who makes huge things small
53) sthavishtah: The supremely gross
54) sthaviro dhruvah: The ancient, motionless one
55) agraahyah: He who is not perceived sensually
56) shaashvatah: He who always remains the same
57) krishno: He whose complexion is dark
58) lohitaakshah: Red-eyed
59) pratardanah: The Supreme destruction
60) prabhootas: Ever-full
61) trikakub-dhaama: The support of the three quarters
62) pavitram: He who gives purity to the heart
63) mangalam param: The Supreme auspiciousness
64) eeshanah: The controller of the five great elements
65) praanadah: He who gives life
66) praano: He who ever lives
67) jyeshthah: Older than all
68) shreshthah: The most glorious
69) prajaapatih: The Lord of all creatures
70) hiranyagarbhah: He who dwells in the womb of the world
71) bhoogarbhah: He who is the womb of the world
72) maadhavah: Husband of Lakshmi
73) madhusoodanah: Destroyer of the Madhu demon
74) eeshvarah: The controller
75) vikramee: He who is full of prowess
76) dhanvee: He who always has a divine bow
77) medhaavee: Supremely intelligent
78) vikramah: He who stepped (Vaamana)
79) kramah: All-pervading
80) anuttamah: Incomparably great
81) duraadharshah: He who cannot be attacked successfully
82) kritajnah: He who knows all that is
83) kritih: He who rewards all our actions
84) aatmavaan: The self in all beings
85) sureshah: The Lord of the demigods
86) sharanam: The refuge
87) sharma: He who is Himself infinite bliss
88) visva-retaah: The seed of the universe
89) prajaa-bhavah: He from whom all praja comes
90) ahah: He who is the nature of time
91) samvatsarah: He from whom the concept of time comes
92) vyaalah: The serpent (vyaalah) to atheists
93) pratyayah: He whose nature is knowledge
94) sarvadarshanah: All-seeing
95) ajah: Unborn
96) sarveshvarah: Controller of all
97) siddhah: The most famous
98) siddhih: He who gives moksha
99) sarvaadih: The beginning of all
100) achyutah: Infallible
101) vrishaakapih: He who lifts the world to dharma
102) ameyaatmaa: He who manifests in infinite varieties
103) sarva-yoga-vinissritah: He who is free from all attachments
104) vasuh: The support of all elements
105) vasumanaah: He whose mind is supremely pure
106) satyah: The truth
107) samaatmaa: He who is the same in all
108) sammitah: He who has been accepted by authorities
109) samah: Equal
110) amoghah: Ever useful
111) pundareekaakshah: He who dwells in the heart
112) vrishakarmaa: He whose every act is righteous
113) vrishaakritih: The form of dharma
114) rudrah: He who makes all people weep
115) bahu-shiraah: He who has many heads
116) babhrur: He who rules over all the worlds
117) vishvayonih: The womb of the universe
118) shuchi-shravaah: He who has beautiful, sacred names
119) amritah: Immortal
120) shaashvatah-sthaanur: Permanent and immovable
121) varaaroho: The most glorious destination
122) mahaatapaah: He of great tapas
123) sarvagah: All-pervading
124) sarvavid-bhaanuh: All-knowing and effulgent
125) vishvaksenah: He against whom no army can stand
126) janaardanah: He who gives joy to good people
127) vedah: He who is the Vedas
128) vedavid: The knower of the Vedas
129) avyangah: Without imperfections
130) vedaangah: He whose limbs are the Vedas
131) vedavit: He who contemplates upon the Vedas
132) kavih: The seer
133) lokaadhyakshah: He who presides over all lokas
134) suraadhyaksho: He who presides over all devas
135) dharmaadhyakshah: He who presides over dharma
136) krita-akritah: All that is created and not created
137) chaturaatmaa: The four-fold self
138) chaturvyoohah: Vasudeva, Sankarshan etc.
139) chaturdamstrah: He who has four canines (Nrsimha)
140) chaturbhujah: Four-handed
141) bhraajishnur: Self-effulgent consciousness
142) bhojanam: He who is the sense-objects
143) bhoktaa: The enjoyer
144) sahishnuh: He who can suffer patiently
145) jagadaadijah: Born at the beginning of the world
146) anaghah: Sinless
147) vijayah: Victorious
148) jetaa: Ever-successful
149) vishvayonih: He who incarnates because of the world
150) punarvasuh: He who lives repeatedly in different bodies
151) upendrah: The younger brother of Indra (vaamana)
152) vaamanah: He with a dwarf body
153) praamshuh: He with a huge body
154) amoghah: He whose acts are for a great purpose
155) shuchih: He who is spotlessly clean
156) oorjitah: He who has infinite vitality
157) ateendrah: He who surpasses Indra
158) samgrahah: He who holds everything together
159) sargah: He who creates the world from Himself
160) dhritaatmaa: Established in Himself
161) niyamo: The appointing authority
162) yamah: The administrator
163) vedyah: That which is to be known
164) vaidyah: The Supreme doctor
165) sadaa-yogee: Always in yoga
166) veerahaa: He who destroys the mighty heroes
167) maadhavo: The Lord of all knowledge
168) madhuh: Sweet
169) ateendriyo: Beyond the sense organs
170) mahaamayo: The Supreme Master of all Maya
171) mahotsaaho: The great enthusiast
172) mahaabalah: He who has supreme strength
173) mahaabuddhir: He who has supreme intelligence
174) mahaa-veeryah: The supreme essence
175) mahaa-shaktih: All-powerful
176) mahaa-dyutih: Greatly luminous
177) anirdeshya-vapuh: He whose form is indescribable
178) shreemaan: He who is always courted by glories
179) ameyaatmaa: He whose essence is immeasurable
180) mahaadri-dhrik: He who supports the great mountain
181) maheshvaasah: He who wields shaarnga
182) maheebhartaa: The husband of mother earth
183) shreenivaasah: The permanent abode of Shree
184) sataam gatih: The goal for all virtuous people
185) aniruddhah: He who cannot be obstructed
186) suraanando: He who gives out happiness
187) govindah: The protector of the cows
188) govidaam-patih: The Lord of all men of wisdom
189) mareechih: Effulgence
190) damanah: He who controls rakshasas
191) hamsah: The swan
192) suparnah: Beautiful-winged (Two birds analogy)
193) bhujagottamah: The serpent Ananta
194) hiranyanaabhah: He who has a golden navel
195) sutapaah: He who has glorious tapas
196) padmanaabhah: He whose navel is like a lotus
197) prajaapatih: He from whom all creatures emerge
198) amrityuh: He who knows no death
199) sarva-drik: The seer of everything
200) simhah: He who destroys
201) sandhaataa: The regulator
202) sandhimaan: He who seems to be conditioned
203) sthirah: Steady
204) ajah: He who takes the form of Aja, Brahma
205) durmarshanah: He who cannot be vanquished
206) shaastaa: He who rules over the universe
207) visrutaatmaa: He who is called atma in the Vedas
208) suraarihaa: Destroyer of the enemies of the devas
209) guruh: The teacher
210) gurutamah: The greatest teacher
211) dhaama: The goal
212) satyah: He who is Himself the truth
213) satya-paraakramah: Dynamic Truth
214) nimishah: He who has closed eyes in contemplation
215) animishah: He who remains unwinking; ever knowing
216) sragvee: He who always wears a garland of undecaying flowers
217) vaachaspatir-udaara-dheeh: He who is eloquent in championing the Supreme law of life; He with a large-hearted intelligence
218) agraneeh: He who guides us to the peak
219) graamaneeh: He who leads the flock
220) shreemaan: The possessor of light, effulgence, glory
221) nyaayah: Justice
222) netaa: The leader
223) sameeranah: He who sufficiently administers all movements of all living creatures
224) sahasra-moordhaa: He who has endless heads
225) vishvaatmaa: The soul of the universe
226) sahasraakshah: Thousands of eyes
227) sahasrapaat: Thousand-footed
228) aavartanah: The unseen dynamism
229) nivritaatmaa: The soul retreated from matter
230) samvritah: He who is veiled from the jiva
231) sam-pramardanah: He who persecutes evil men
232) ahassamvartakah: He who thrills the day and makes it function vigorously
233) vahnih: Fire
234) anilah: Air
235) dharaneedharah: He who supports the earth
236) suprasaadah: Fully satisfied
237) prasanaatmaa: Ever pure and all-blissful self
238) vishva-dhrik: Supporter of the world
239) vishvabhuk: He who enjoys all experiences
240) vibhuh: He who manifests in endless forms
241) satkartaa: He who adores good and wise people
242) satkritah: He who is adored by all good people
243) saadhur: He who lives by the righteous codes
244) jahnuh: Leader of men
245) naaraayanah: He who resides on the waters
246) narah: The guide
247) asankhyeyah: He who has numberless names and forms
248) aprameyaatmaa: A soul not known through the pramanas
249) vishishtah: He who transcends all in His glory
250) shishta-krit: The law-maker
251) shuchih: He who is pure
252) siddhaarthah: He who has all arthas
253) siddhasankalpah: He who gets all He wishes for
254) siddhidah: The giver of benedictions
255) siddhisaadhanah: The power behind our sadhana
256) vrishaahee: Controller of all actions
257) vrishabhah: He who showers all dharmas
258) vishnuh: Long-striding
259) vrishaparvaa: The ladder leading to dharma (As well as dharma itself)
260) vrishodarah: He from whose belly life showers forth
261) vardhanah: The nurturer and nourisher
262) vardhamaanah: He who can grow into any dimension
263) viviktah: Separate
264) shruti-saagarah: The ocean for all scripture
265) subhujah: He who has graceful arms
266) durdurdharah: He who cannot be known by great yogis
267) vaagmee: He who is eloquent in speech
268) mahendrah: The lord of Indra
269) vasudah: He who gives all wealth
270) vasuh: He who is Wealth
271) naika-roopo: He who has unlimited forms
272) brihad-roopah: Vast, of infinite dimensions
273) shipivishtah: The presiding deity of the sun
274) prakaashanah: He who illuminates
275) ojas-tejo-dyutidharah: The possessor of vitality, effulgence and beauty
276) prakaashaatmaa: The effulgent self
277) prataapanah: Thermal energy; one who heats
278) riddhah: Full of prosperity
279) spashtaaksharo: One who is indicated by OM
280) mantrah: The nature of the Vedic mantras
281) chandraamshuh: The rays of the moon
282) bhaaskara-dyutih: The effulgence of the sun
283) amritaamsoodbhavo: The moon who gives flavor to vegetables
284) bhaanuh: Self-effulgent
285) shashabindhuh: The moon who has a rabbit-like spot
286) sureshvarah: A person of extreme charity
287) aushadham: Medicine
288) jagatas-setuh: A bridge across the material energy
289) satya-dharma-paraakramah: One who champions heroically for truth and righteousness
290) bhoota-bhavya-bhavan-naathah: The Lord of past, present and future
291) pavanah: The air that fills the universe
292) paavanah: He who gives life-sustaining power to air
293) analah: Fire
294) kaamahaa: He who destroys all desires
295) kaamakrit: He who fulfills all desires
296) kaantah: He who is of enchanting form
297) kaamah: The beloved
298) kaamapradah: He who supplies desired objects
299) prabhuh: The Lord
300) yugaadi-krit: The creator of the yugas
301) yugaavartah: The law behind time
302) naikamaayah: He whose forms are endless and varied
303) mahaashanah: He who eats up everything
304) adrishyah: Imperceptible
305) vyaktaroopah: He who is perceptible to the yogi
306) sahasrajit: He who vanquishes thousands
307) anantajit: Ever-victorious
308) ishtah: He who is invoked through Vedic rituals
309) visishtah: The noblest and most sacred
310) sishteshtah: The greatest beloved
311) shikhandee: He who wears a peacock feather
312) nahushah: He who binds all with maya
313) vrishah: He who is dharma
314) krodhahaa: He who destroys anger
315) krodhakrit-kartaa: He who generates anger against the lower tendency
316) visvabaahuh: He whose hand is in everything
317) maheedharah: The support of the earth
318) achyutah: He who undergoes no changes
319) prathitah: He who exists pervading all
320) praanah: The prana in all living creatures
321) praanadah: He who gives prana
322) vaasavaanujah: The brother of Indra
323) apaam-nidhih: Treasure of waters (the ocean)
324) adhishthaanam: The substratum of the entire universe
325) apramattah: He who never makes a wrong judgement
326) pratishthitah: He who has no cause
327) skandah: He whose glory is expressed through Subrahmanya
328) skanda-dharah: Upholder of withering righteousness
329) dhuryah: Who carries out creation etc. without hitch
330) varadah: He who fulfills boons
331) vaayuvaahanah: Controller of winds
332) vaasudevah: Dwelling in all creatures although not affected by that condition
333) brihat-bhaanuh: He who illumines the world with the rays of the sun and moon
334) aadidevah: The primary source of everything
335) purandarah: Destroyer of cities
336) ashokah: He who has no sorrow
337) taaranah: He who enables others to cross
338) taarah: He who saves
339) shoorah: The valiant
340) shaurih: He who incarnated in the dynasty of Shoora
341) janeshvarah: The Lord of the people
342) anukoolah: Well-wisher of everyone
343) sataavarttah: He who takes infinite forms
344) padmee: He who holds a lotus
345) padmanibhekshanah: Lotus-eyed
346) padmanaabhah: He who has a lotus-navel
347) aravindaakshah: He who has eyes as beautiful as the lotus
348) padmagarbhah: He who is being meditated upon in the lotus of the heart
349) shareerabhrit: He who sustains all bodies
350) maharddhi: One who has great prosperity
351) riddhah: He who has expanded Himself as the universe
352) Vriddhaatmaa: The ancient self
353) mahaakshah: The great-eyed
354) garudadhvajah: One who has Garuda on His flag
355) atulah: Incomparable
356) sharabhah: One who dwells and shines forth through the bodies
357) bheemah: The terrible
358) samayajnah: One whose worship is nothing more than keeping an equal vision of the mind by the devotee
359) havirharih: The receiver of all oblation
360) sarva-lakshana-lakshanyah: Known through all proofs
361) lakshmeevaan: The consort of Laksmi
362) samitinjayah: Ever-victorious
363) viksharah: Imperishable
364) rohitah: The fish incarnation
365) maargah: The path
366) hetuh: The cause
367) daamodarah: Whose stomach is marked with three lines
368) sahah: All-enduring
369) maheedharah: The bearer of the earth
370) mahaabhaago: He who gets the greates share in every Yajna
371) vegavaan: He who is swift
372) amitaashanah: Of endless appetite
373) udbhavah: The originator
374) kshobhanah: The agitator
375) devah: He who revels
376) shreegarbhah: He in whom are all glories
377) parameshvarah: The Supreme Lord
378) karanam: The instrument
379) kaaranam: The cause
380) kartaa: The doer
381) vikartaa: Creator of the endless varieties that make up the universe
382) gahanah: The unknowable
383) guhah: He who dwells in the cave of the heart
384) vyavasaayah: Resolute
385) vyavasthaanah: The substratum
386) samsthaanah: The ultimate authority
387) sthaanadah: He who confers the right abode
388) dhruvah: The changeless in the midst of changes
389) pararddhih: He who has supreme manifestations
390) paramaspashtah: The extremely vivid
391) tushtah: One who is contented with a very simple offering
392) pushtah: One who is ever-full
393) shubhekshanah: All-auspicious gaze
394) raamah: One who is most handsome
395) viraamah: The abode of perfect-rest
396) virajo: Passionless
397) maargah: The path
398) neyah: The guide
399) nayah: One who leads
400) anayah: One who has no leader
401) veerah: The valiant
402) shaktimataam-shresthah: The best among the powerful
403) dharmah: The law of being
404) dharmaviduttamah: The highest among men of realisation
405) vaikunthah: One who prevents men from straying on wrong paths
406) purushah: One who dwells in all bodies
407) praanah: Life
408) praanadah: Giver of life
409) pranavah: He who is praised by the gods
410) prituh: The expanded
411) hiranyagarbhah: The creator
412) shatrughnah: The destroyer of enemies
413) vyaaptah: The pervader
414) vaayuh: The air
415) adhokshajah: One whose vitality never flows downwards
416) rituh: The seasons
417) sudarshanah: He whose meeting is auspicious
418) kaalah: He who judges and punishes beings
419) parameshthee: One who is readily available for experience within the heart
420) parigrahah: The receiver
421) ugrah: The terrible
422) samvatsarah: The year
423) dakshah: The smart
424) vishraamah: The resting place
425) vishva-dakshinah: The most skilful and efficient
426) vistaarah: The extension
427) sthaavarah-sthaanuh: The firm and motionless
428) pramaanam: The proof
429) beejamavyayam: The Immutable Seed
430) arthah: He who is worshiped by all
431) anarthah: One to whom there is nothing yet to be fulfilled
432) mahaakoshah: He who has got around him great sheaths
433) mahaabhogah: He who is of the nature of enjoyment
434) mahaadhanah: He who is supremely rich
435) anirvinnah: He who has no discontent
436) sthavishthah: One who is supremely huge
437) a-bhooh: One who has no birth
438) dharma-yoopah: The post to which all dharma is tied
439) mahaa-makhah: The great sacrificer
440) nakshatranemir: The nave of the stars
441) nakshatree: The Lord of the stars (the moon)
442) kshamah: He who is supremely efficient in all undertakings
443) kshaamah: He who ever remains without any scarcity
444) sameehanah: One whose desires are auspicious
445) yajnah: One who is of the nature of yajna
446) ijyah: He who is fit to be invoked through yajna
447) mahejyah: One who is to be most worshiped
448) kratuh: The animal-sacrifice
449) satram: Protector of the good
450) sataam-gatih: Refuge of the good
451) sarvadarshee: All-knower
452) vimuktaatmaa: The ever-liberated self
453) sarvajno: Omniscient
454) jnaanamuttamam: The Supreme Knowledge
455) suvratah: He who ever-perfoeming the pure vow
456) sumukhah: One who has a charming face
457) sookshmah: The subtlest
458) sughoshah: Of auspicious sound
459) sukhadah: Giver of happiness
460) suhrit: Friend of all creatures
461) manoharah: The stealer of the mind
462) jita-krodhah: One who has conquered anger
463) veerabaahur: Having mighty arms
464) vidaaranah: One who splits asunder
465) svaapanah: One who puts people to sleep
466) svavashah: He who has everything under His control
467) vyaapee: All-pervading
468) naikaatmaa: Many souled
469) naikakarmakrit: One who does many actions
470) vatsarah: The abode
471) vatsalah: The supremely affectionate
472) vatsee: The father
473) ratnagarbhah: The jewel-wombed
474) dhaneshvarah: The Lord of wealth
475) dharmagub: One who protects dharma
476) dharmakrit: One who acts according to dharma
477) dharmee: The supporter of dharma
478) sat: existence
479) asat: illusion
480) ksharam: He who appears to perish
481) aksharam: Imperishable
482) avijnaataa: The non-knower (The knower being the conditioned soul within the body)
483) sahasraamshur: The thousand-rayed
484) vidhaataa: All supporter
485) kritalakshanah: One who is famous for His qualities
486) gabhastinemih: The hub of the universal wheel
487) sattvasthah: Situated in sattva
488) simhah: The lion
489) bhoota-maheshvarah: The great lord of beings
490) aadidevah: The first deity
491) mahaadevah: The great deity
492) deveshah: The Lord of all devas
493) devabhrit-guruh: Advisor of Indra
494) uttarah: He who lifts us from the ocean of samsara
495) gopatih: The shepherd
496) goptaa: The protector
497) jnaanagamyah: One who is experienced through pure knowledge
498) puraatanah: He who was even before time
499) shareera-bhootabhrit: One who nourishes the nature from which the bodies came
500) bhoktaa: The enjoyer
501) kapeendrah: Lord of the monkeys (Rama)
502) bhooridakshinah: He who gives away large gifts
503) somapah: One who takes Soma in the yajnas
504) amritapah: One who drinks the nectar
505) somah: One who as the moon nourishes plants
506) purujit: One who has conquered numerous enemies
507) purusattamah: The greatest of the great
508) vinayah: He who humiliates those who are unrighteous
509) jayah: The victorious
510) satyasandhah: Of truthful resolution
511) daashaarhah: One who was born in the Dasarha race
512) saatvataam-patih: The Lord of the Satvatas
513) jeevah: One who functions as the ksetrajna
514) vinayitaa-saakshee: The witness of modesty
515) mukundah: The giver of liberation
516) amitavikramah: Of immeasurable prowess
517) ambho-nidhir: The substratum of the four types of beings
518) anantaatmaa: The infinite self
519) mahodadhishayah: One who rests on the great ocean
520) antakah: The death
521) ajah: Unborn
522) mahaarhah: One who deserves the highest worship
523) svaabhaavyah: Ever rooted in the nature of His own self
524) jitaamitrah: One who has conquered all enemies
525) pramodanah: Ever-blissful
526) aanandah: A mass of pure bliss
527) nandanah: One who makes others blissful
528) nandah: Free from all worldly pleasures
529) satyadharmaa: One who has in Himself all true dharmas
530) trivikramah: One who took three steps
531) maharshih kapilaachaaryah: He who incarnated as Kapila, the great sage
532) kritajnah: The knower of the creation
533) medineepatih: The Lord of the earth
534) tripadah: One who has taken three steps
535) tridashaadhyaksho: The Lord of the three states of consciousness
536) mahaashringah: Great-horned (Matsya)
537) kritaantakrit: Destroyer of the creation
538) mahaavaraaho: The great boar
539) govindah: One who is known through Vedanta
540) sushenah: He who has a charming army
541) kanakaangadee: Wearer of bright-as-gold armlets
542) guhyo: The mysterious
543) gabheerah: The unfathomable
544) gahano: Impenetrable
545) guptah: The well-concealed
546) chakra-gadaadharah: Bearer of the disc and mace
547) vedhaah: Creator of the universe
548) svaangah: One with well-proportioned limbs
549) ajitah: Vanquished by none
550) krishnah: Dark-complexioned
551) dridhah: The firm
552) sankarshanochyutah: He who absorbs the whole creation into His nature and never falls away from that nature
553) varunah: One who sets on the horizon (Sun)
554) vaarunah: The son of Varuna (Vasistha or Agastya)
555) vrikshah: The tree
556) pushkaraakshah: Lotus eyed
557) mahaamanaah: Great-minded
558) bhagavaan: One who possesses six opulences
559) bhagahaa: One who destroys the six opulences during pralaya
560) aanandee: One who gives delight
561) vanamaalee: One who wears a garland of forest flowers
562) halaayudhah: One who has a plough as His weapon
563) aadityah: Son of Aditi
564) jyotiraadityah: The resplendence of the sun
565) sahishnuh: One who calmly endures duality
566) gatisattamah: The ultimate refuge for all devotees
567) sudhanvaa: One who has Shaarnga
568) khanda-parashur: One who holds an axe
569) daarunah: Merciless towards the unrighteous
570) dravinapradah: One who lavishly gives wealth
571) divah-sprik: Sky-reaching
572) sarvadrik-vyaaso: One who creates many men of wisdom
573) vaachaspatir-ayonijah: One who is the master of all vidyas and who is unborn through a womb
574) trisaamaa: One who is glorified by Devas, Vratas and Saamans
575) saamagah: The singer of the sama songs
576) saama: The Sama Veda
577) nirvaanam: All-bliss
578) bheshajam: Medicine
579) bhishak: Physician
580) samnyaasa-krit: Institutor of sannyasa
581) samah: Calm
582) shaantah: Peaceful within
583) nishthaa: Abode of all beings
584) shaantih: One whose very nature is peace
585) paraayanam: The way to liberation
586) shubhaangah: One who has the most beautiful form
587) shaantidah: Giver of peace
588) shrashtaa: Creator of all beings
589) kumudah: He who delights in the earth
590) kuvaleshayah: He who reclines in the waters
591) gohitah: One who does welfare for cows
592) gopatih: Husband of the earth
593) goptaa: Protector of the universe
594) vrishabhaaksho: One whose eyes rain fulfilment of desires
595) vrishapriyah: One who delights in dharma
596) anivartee: One who never retreats
597) nivrittaatmaa: One who is fully restrained from all sense indulgences
598) samksheptaa: The involver
599) kshemakrit: Doer of good
600) shivah: Auspiciousness
601) shreevatsa-vakshaah: One who has sreevatsa on His chest
602) shrevaasah: Abode of Sree
603) shreepatih: Lord of Laksmi
604) shreemataam varah: The best among glorious
605) shreedah: Giver of opulence
606) shreeshah: The Lord of Sree
607) shreenivaasah: One who dwells in the good people
608) shreenidhih: The treasure of Sree
609) shreevibhaavanah: Distributor of Sree
610) shreedharah: Holder of Sree
611) shreekarah: One who gives Sree
612) shreyah: Liberation
613) shreemaan: Possessor of Sree
614) loka-trayaashrayah: Shelter of the three worlds
615) svakshah: Beautiful-eyed
616) svangah: Beautiful-limbed
617) shataanandah: Of infinite varieties and joys
618) nandih: Infinite bliss
619) jyotir-ganeshvarah: Lord of the luminaries in the cosmos
620) vijitaatmaa: One who has conquered the sense organs
621) vidheyaatmaa: One who is ever available for the devotees to command in love
622) sat-keertih: One of pure fame
623) chinnasamshayah: One whose doubts are ever at rest
624) udeernah: The great transcendent
625) sarvatah-chakshuh: One who has eyes everywhere
626) aneeshah: One who has none to Lord over Him
627) shaashvata-sthirah: One who is eternal and stable
628) bhooshayah: One who rested on the ocean shore (Rama)
629) bhooshanah: One who adorns the world
630) bhootih: One who is pure existence
631) vishokah: Sorrowless
632) shoka-naashanah: Destroyer of sorrows
633) archishmaan: The effulgent
634) architah: One who is constantly worshipped by His devotees
635) kumbhah: The pot within whom everything is contained
636) vishuddhaatmaa: One who has the purest soul
637) vishodhanah: The great purifier
638) anniruddhah: He who is invincible by any enemy
639) apratirathah: One who has no enemies to threaten Him
640) pradyumnah: Very rich
641) amitavikramah: Of immeasurable prowess
642) kaalanemi-nihaa: Slayer of Kalanemi
643) veerah: The heroic victor
644) shauri: One who always has invincible prowess
645) shoora-janeshvarah: Lord of the valiant
646) trilokaatmaa: The self of the three worlds
647) trilokeshah: The Lord of the three worlds
648) keshavah: One whose rays illumine the cosmos
649) keshihaa: Killer of Kesi
650) harih: The destroyer
651) kaamadevah: The beloved Lord
652) kaamapaalah: The fulfiller of desires
653) kaamee: One who has fulfilled all His desires
654) kaantah: Of enchanting form
655) kritaagamah: The author of the agama scriptures
656) anirdeshya-vapuh: Of Indescribable form
657) vishnuh: All-pervading
658) veerah: The courageous
659) anantah: Endless
660) dhananjayah: One who gained wealth through conquest
661) brahmanyah: Protector of Brahman (anything related to Narayana)
662) brahmakrit: One who acts in Brahman
663) brahmaa: Creator
664) brahma: Biggest
665) brahma-vivardhanah: One who increases the Brahman
666) brahmavid: One who knows Brahman
667) braahmanah: One who has realised Brahman
668) brahmee: One who is with Brahma
669) brahmajno: One who knows the nature of Brahman
670) braahmana-priyah: Dear to the brahmanas
671) mahaakramo: Of great step
672) mahaakarmaa: One who performs great deeds
673) mahaatejaah: One of great resplendence
674) mahoragah: The great serpent
675) mahaakratuh: The great sacrifice
676) mahaayajvaa: One who performed great yajnas
677) mahaayajnah: The great yajna
678) mahaahavih: The great offering
679) stavyah: One who is the object of all praise
680) stavapriyah: One who is invoked through prayer
681) stotram: The hymn
682) stutih: The act of praise
683) stotaa: One who adores or praises
684) ranapriyah: Lover of battles
685) poornah: The complete
686) poorayitaa: The fulfiller
687) punyah: The truly holy
688) punya-keertir: Of Holy fame
689) anaamayah: One who has no diseases
690) manojavah: Swift as the mind
691) teerthakaro: The teacher of the tirthas
692) vasuretaah: He whose essence is golden
693) vasupradah: The free-giver of wealth
694) vasupradah: The giver of salvation, the greatest wealth
695) vaasudevo: The son of Vasudeva
696) vasuh: The refuge for all
697) vasumanaah: One who is attentive to everything
698) havih: The oblation
699) sadgatih: The goal of good people
700) satkritih: One who is full of Good actions
701) satta: One without a second
702) sadbhootih: One who has rich glories
703) satparaayanah: The Supreme goal for the good
704) shoorasenah: One who has heroic and valiant armies
705) yadu-shresthah: The best among the Yadava clan
706) sannivaasah: The abode of the good
707) suyaamunah: One who attended by the people dwelling on the banks of Yamuna
708) bhootaavaaso: The dwelling place of the elements
709) vaasudevah: One who envelops the world with Maya
710) sarvaasunilayah: The abode of all life energies
711) analah: One of unlimited wealth, power and glory
712) darpahaa: The destroyer of pride in evil-minded people
713) darpadah: One who creates pride, or an urge to be the best, among the righteous
714) driptah: One who is drunk with Infinite bliss
715) durdharah: The object of contemplation
716) athaaparaajitah: The unvanquished
717) vishvamoortih: Of the form of the entire Universe
718) mahaamortir: The great form
719) deeptamoortir: Of resplendent form
720) a-moortirmaan: Having no form
721) anekamoortih: Multi-formed
722) avyaktah: Unmanifeset
723) shatamoortih: Of many forms
724) shataananah: Many-faced
725) ekah: The one
726) naikah: The many
727) savah: The nature of the sacrifice
728) kah: One who is of the nature of bliss
729) kim: What (the one to be inquired into)
730) yat: Which
731) tat: That
732) padam-anuttamam: The unequalled state of perfection
733) lokabandhur: Friend of the world
734) lokanaathah: Lord of the world
735) maadhavah: Born in the family of Madhu
736) bhaktavatsalah: One who loves His devotees
737) suvarna-varnah: Golden-coloured
738) hemaangah: One who has limbs of gold
739) varaangah: With beautiful limbs
740) chandanaangadee: One who has attractive armlets
741) veerahaa: Destroyer of valiant heroes
742) vishama: Unequalled
743) shoonyah: The void
744) ghritaaseeh: One who has no need for good wishes
745) acalah: Non-moving
746) chalah: Moving
747) amaanee: Without false vanity
748) maanadah: One who causes, by His maya, false identification with the body
749) maanyah: One who is to be honoured
750) lokasvaamee: Lord of the universe
751) trilokadhrik: One who is the support of all the three worlds
752) sumedhaa: One who has pure intelligence
753) medhajah: Born out of sacrifices
754) dhanyah: Fortunate
755) satyamedhah: One whose intelligence never fails
756) dharaadharah: The sole support of the earth
757) tejovrisho: One who showers radiance
758) dyutidharah: One who bears an effulgent form
759) sarva-shastra-bhritaam-varah: The best among those who wield weapons
760) pragrahah: Receiver of worship
761) nigrahah: The killer
762) vyagrah: One who is ever engaged in fulfilling the devotee's desires
763) naikashringah: One who has many horns
764) gadaagrajah: One who is invoked through mantra
765) chaturmoortih: Four-formed
766) chaturbaahuh: Four-handed
767) chaturvyoohah: One who expresses Himself as the dynamic centre in the four vyoohas
768) chaturgatih: The ultimate goal of all four varnas and asramas
769) chaturaatmaa: Clear-minded
770) chaturbhaavas: The source of the four
771) chatur-vedavid: Knower of all four vedas
772) ekapaat: One-footed (BG 10.42)
773) samaavartah: The efficient turner
774) nivrittaatmaa: One whose mind is turned away from sense indulgence
775) durjayah: The invincible
776) duratikramah: One who is difficult to be disobeyed
777) durlabhah: One who can be obtained with great efforts
778) durgamah: One who is realised with great effort
779) durgah: Not easy to storm into
780) duraavaasah: Not easy to lodge
781) duraarihaa: Slayer of the asuras
782) shubhaangah: One with enchanting limbs
783) lokasaarangah: One who understands the universe
784) sutantuh: Beautifully expanded
785) tantu-vardhanah: One who sustains the continuity of the drive for the family
786) indrakarmaa: One who always performs gloriously auspicious actions
787) mahaakarmaa: One who accomplishes great acts
788) kritakarmaa: One who has fulfilled his acts
789) kritaagamah: Author of the Vedas
790) udbhavah: The ultimate source
791) sundarah: Of unrivalled beauty
792) sundah: Of great mercy
793) ratna-naabhah: Of beautiful navel
794) sulochanah: One who has the most enchanting eyes
795) arkah: One who is in the form of the sun
796) vaajasanah: The giver of food
797) shringee: The horned one
798) jayantah: The conqueror of all enemies
799) sarvavij-jayee: One who is at once omniscient and victorious
800) suvarna-binduh: With limbs radiant like gold
801) akshobhyah: One who is ever unruffled
802) sarva-vaageeshvareshvarah: Lord of the Lord of speech
803) mahaahradah: One who is like a great refreshing swimming pool
804) mahaagartah: The great chasm
805) mahaabhootah: The great being
806) mahaanidhih: The great abode
807) kumudah: One who gladdens the earth
808) kundarah: The one who lifted the earth
809) kundah: One who is as attractive as Kunda flowers
810) parjanyah: He who is similar to rain-bearing clouds
811) paavanah: One who ever purifies
812) anilah: One who never slips
813) amritaashah: One whose desires are never fruitless
814) amritavapuh: He whose form is immortal
815) sarvajna: Omniscient
816) sarvato-mukhah: One who has His face turned everywhere
817) sulabhah: One who is readily available
818) suvratah: One who has taken the most auspicious forms
819) siddhah: One who is perfection
820) shatrujit: One who is ever victorious over His hosts of enemies
821) shatrutaapanah: The scorcher of enemies
822) nyagrodhah: The one who veils Himself with Maya
823) udumbarah: Nourishment of all living creatures
824) ashvattas: Tree of life
825) chaanooraandhra-nishoodanah: The slayer of Canura
826) sahasraarchih: He who has thousands of rays
827) saptajihvah: He who expresses himself as the seven tongues of fire (Types of agni)
828) saptaidhaah: The seven effulgences in the flames
829) saptavaahanah: One who has a vehicle of seven horses (sun)
830) amoortih: Formless
831) anaghah: Sinless
832) acintyo: Inconceivable
833) bhayakrit: Giver of fear
834) bhayanaashanah: Destroyer of fear
835) anuh: The subtlest
836) brihat: The greatest
837) krishah: Delicate, lean
838) sthoolah: One who is the fattest
839) gunabhrit: One who supports
840) nirgunah: Without any properties
841) mahaan: The mighty
842) adhritah: Without support
843) svadhritah: Self-supported
844) svaasyah: One who has an effulgent face
845) praagvamshah: One who has the most ancient ancestry
846) vamshavardhanah: He who multiplies His family of descendents
847) bhaarabhrit: One who carries the load of the universe
848) kathitah: One who is glorified in all scriptures
849) yogee: One who can be realised through yoga
850) yogeeshah: The king of yogis
851) sarvakaamadah: One who fulfils all desires of true devotees
852) aashramah: Haven
853) shramanah: One who persecutes the worldly people
854) kshaamah: One who destroys everything
855) suparnah: The golden leaf (Vedas) BG 15.1
856) vaayuvaahanah: The mover of the winds
857) dhanurdharah: The wielder of the bow
858) dhanurvedah: One who declared the science of archery
859) dandah: One who punishes the wicked
860) damayitaa: The controller
861) damah: Beautitude in the self
862) aparaajitah: One who cannot be defeated
863) sarvasahah: One who carries the entire Universe
864) aniyantaa: One who has no controller
865) niyamah: One who is not under anyone's laws
866) ayamah: One who knows no death
867) sattvavaan: One who is full of exploits and courage
868) saattvikah: One who is full of sattvic qualities
869) satyah: Truth
870) satya-dharma-paraayanah: One who is the very abode of truth and dharma
871) abhipraayah: One who is faced by all seekers marching to the infinite
872) priyaarhah: One who deserves all our love
873) arhah: One who deserves to be worshiped
874) priyakrit: One who is ever-obliging in fulfilling our wishes
875) preetivardhanah: One who increases joy in the devotee's heart
876) vihaayasa-gatih: One who travels in space
877) jyotih: Self-effulgent
878) suruchih: Whose desire manifests as the universe
879) hutabhuk: One who enjoys all that is offered in yajna
880) vibhuh: All-pervading
881) ravih: One who dries up everything
882) virochanah: One who shines in different forms
883) sooryah: The one source from where everything is born
884) savitaa: The one who brings forth the Universe from Himself
885) ravilochanah: One whose eye is the sun
886) anantah: Endless
887) hutabhuk: One who accepts oblations
888) bhoktaaA: One who enjoys
889) sukhadah: Giver of bliss to those who are liberated
890) naikajah: One who is born many times
891) agrajah: The first-born
892) anirvinnah: One who feels no disappointment
893) sadaamarshee: One who forgives the trespasses of His devotees
894) lokaadhishthaanam: The substratum of the universe
895) adbhutah: Wonderful
896) sanaat: The beginningless and endless factor
897) sanaatanatamah: The most ancient
898) kapilah: The great sage Kapila
899) kapih: One who drinks water
900) apyayah: The one in whom the universe merges
901) svastidah: Giver of Svasti
902) svastikrit: One who robs all auspiciousness
903) svasti: One who is the source of all auspiciouness
904) svastibhuk: One who constantly enjoys auspiciousness
905) svastidakshinah: Distributor of auspiciousness
906) araudrah: One who has no negative emotions or urges
907) kundalee: One who wears shark earrings
908) chakree: Holder of the chakra
909) vikramee: The most daring
910) oorjita-shaasanah: One who commands with His hand
911) shabdaatigah: One who transcends all words
912) shabdasahah: One who allows Himself to be invoked by Vedic declarations
913) shishirah: The cold season, winter
914) sharvaree-karah: Creator of darkness
915) akroorah: Never cruel
916) peshalah: One who is supremely soft
917) dakshah: Prompt
918) dakshinah: The most liberal
919) kshaminaam-varah: One who has the greatest amount of patience with sinners
920) vidvattamah: One who has the greatest wisdom
921) veetabhayah: One with no fear
922) punya-shravana-keertanah: The hearing of whose glory causes holiness to grow
923) uttaaranah: One who lifts us out of the ocean of change
924) dushkritihaa: Destroyer of bad actions
925) punyah: Supremely pure
926) duh-svapna-naashanah: One who destroys all bad dreams
927) veerahaa: One who ends the passage from womb to womb
928) rakshanah: Protector of the universe
929) santah: One who is expressed through saintly men
930) jeevanah: The life spark in all creatures
931) paryavasthitah: One who dwells everywhere
932) anantaroopah: One of infinite forms
933) anantashreeh: Full of infinite glories
934) jitamanyuh: One who has no anger
935) bhayapahah: One who destroys all fears
936) chaturashrah: One who deals squarely
937) gabheeraatmaa: Too deep to be fathomed
938) vidishah: One who is unique in His giving
939) vyaadishah: One who is unique in His commanding power
940) dishah: One who advises and gives knowledge
941) anaadih: One who is the first cause
942) bhoor-bhuvo: The substratum of the earth
943) lakshmeeh: The glory of the universe
944) suveerah: One who moves through various ways
945) ruchiraangadah: One who wears resplendent shoulder caps
946) jananah: He who delivers all living creatures
947) jana-janmaadir: The cause of the birth of all creatures
948) bheemah: Terrible form
949) bheema-paraakramah: One whose prowess is fearful to His enemies
950) aadhaaranilayah: The fundamental sustainer
951) adhaataa: Above whom there is no other to command
952) pushpahaasah: He who shines like an opening flower
953) prajaagarah: Ever-awakened
954) oordhvagah: One who is on top of everything
955) satpathaachaarah: One who walks the path of truth
956) praanadah: Giver of life
957) pranavah: Omkara
958) panah: The supreme universal manager
959) pramaanam: He whose form is the Vedas
960) praananilayah: He in whom all prana is established
961) praanibhrit: He who rules over all pranas
962) praanajeevanah: He who maintains the life-breath in all living creatures
963) tattvam: The reality
964) tattvavit: One who has realised the reality
965) ekaatmaa: The one self
966) janma-mrityu-jaraatigah: One who knows no birth, death or old age in Himself
967) bhoor-bhuvah svas-taruh: The tree of bhur, bhuvah and svah
968) taarah: One who helps all to cross over
969) savitaa: The father of all
970) prapitaamahah: The father of the father of beings (Brahma)
971) yajnah: One whose very nature is yajna
972) yajnapatih: The Lord of all yajnas
973) yajvaa: The one who performs yajna
974) yajnaangah: One whose limbs are the things employed in yajna
975) yajnavaahanah: One who fulfils yajnas in complete
976) yajnabhrid: The ruler of the yajanas
977) yajnakrit: One who performs yajna
978) yajnee: Enjoyer of yajnas
979) yajnabhuk: Receiver of all that is offered
980) yajnasaadhanah: One who fulfils all yajnas
981) yajnaantakrit: One who performs the concluding act of the yajna
982) yajnaguhyam: The person to be realised by yajna
983) annam: One who is food
984) annaadah: One who eats the food
985) aatmayonih: The uncaused cause
986) svayamjaatah: Self-born
987) vaikhaanah: The one who cut through the earth
988) saamagaayanah: One who sings the sama songs; one who loves hearing saama chants;
989) devakee-nandanah: Son of Devaki
990) srashtaa: Creator
991) kshiteeshah: The Lord of the earth
992) paapa-naashanah: Destroyer of sin
993) samkha-bhrit: One who has the divine Pancajanya
994) nandakee: One who holds the Nandaka sword
995) chakree: Carrier of Sudarsana
996) shaarnga-dhanvaa: One who aims His shaarnga bow
997) gadaadharah: Carrier of Kaumodakee club
998) rathaanga-paanih: One who has the wheel of a chariot as His weapon; One with the strings of the chariot in his hands;
999) akshobhyah: One who cannot be annoyed by anyone
1000) sarva-praharanaayudhah: He who has all implements for all kinds of assault and fight

Credit: Vedanta Study

|| SADHANA and NAMA Japa ||

:: What is Sadhana ? ::

Sadhana is Spiritual practice.One has to put in efforts in order to experience bliss or everlasting happiness. This effort is called as sadhana or spiritual practice.

Sadhana is the practical aspect of Adhyaatma Shastra or Science of Spirituality. In the field of Medical science, one is recognized as a doctor only when he has studied the books (theory) and has given treatment to the patients, during his study period. One
can never become a doctor just by reading books. Similarly one cannot understand Dhyaan, Jnan, Bhakti, Shraddha.. etc. by just reading about it. One has to undertake spiritual practice (sadhana) in daily life, to experience it.

In this part, we shall learn about the efforts that one should put in, to achieve final liberation.

:: Which is the simplest sadhana in Kaliyug ? ::

In this fast-paced era of strife [kali yuga], which is the simplest and most practical method to attain the state of God realization?

The simplest sadhana in Kaliyug is chanting (namajapa). Our four main Vedas, Upanishad, Shreemad Bhagwat Geeta, Shreemad Bhagwatpuran etc… clearly explain the importance of naam sadhana.

Santh Tulsidas has said,

नामु सप्रेम जपत अनयासा ।
भगत होहिं मुद मंगल बासा ।।
सुमिरि पवनसूत पावन नामू ।
अपने बस करि राखे रामू ।।

Meaning: A devotee can easily get immersed in the ocean of Bliss, when he chants with love. Son of Vayu, Hanuman won Sree Ram’s heart only by chanting His name continuously.

Yajnaanaam japa-yajnOsmi (श्रीमद्भगवत्गीता १०:२५)

Meaning: I am Japa among all the Yajnas -Lord Krishna in the BhagavdGita.



:: What is the Meaning of chanting or naam jaap/japa ? :: 

Chanting (japa) means repetition of some letter, word, mantra or sentence. Nama japa means repetition of God’s Name and mantra japa means repetition of a mantra. The terms japa and the Name (Nama) are often used synonymously with chanting.

:: Why is it important to Chant? ::

Continuity in spiritual practice is achieved only through chanting. The Name is both the tool and the target. The ultimate objective is to merge with the Name.

:: How does chanting The Lord’s Name’ work? :: 

‘The subconscious mind carries millions of impressions. It takes a very long time to erase even a single impression or ‘vaasana’. As such, a considerable period of time would be wasted in overcoming the tendencies of the subconscious mind by following restraints and regulations (yam-niyam). It is more important to make continual efforts to merge with The Absolute Being (Purush), rather than to try and erase such impressions from the mind, which arise from Prakruti. This can be achieved by Naama japa. The mind, intellect, subconscious mind (chitta), among others, are all constituents of Prakruti and these function according to their own characteristics. Instead of wasting one’s spiritual practice in resisting the workings of the above, It is better if that time and effort is utilized to progress towards the God principle (Purushtattva) by becoming one with the Name (of God) that one repeats (chants).’ - Saint Bhaktaraj Maharaj

:: What are the BENEFITS of Naama Japa ::

- Benefits with reference to Psychology :-

A. At least while chanting, no new impressions about other things are created on the subconscious mind. In order to prevent the development of new subconscious impressions, repeating (chanting) The Lord’s Name, is the best path to follow in the waking state.

B. When chanting is in progress, the conscious mind does NOT accept impulses coming from the centers like the desire & instinct centre, like & dislike centre, temperamental characteristic centre, etc. of the subconscious mind. If this continues for quite sometime then impressions in these centers start decreasing.C. The power of concentration increases.

- Benefits with reference to Spirituality :-

A. If the Name of a deity is repeated (chanted), the Deity gets appeased.
B. If one chants some bijakshara, one can acquire control over a particular element like the tej (absolute fire) element …and can acquire a supernatural power [siddhi] accordingly.
C. A non-action (akarma karma): If one chants the Lord’s Name while performing an action (karma), then that action becomes a non-action, i.e. no accumulated account (sanchit) is generated from it. Since no new accounts are created, after experiencing all that is destined, one can quickly get liberated from the cycle of births and deaths.
**Let us say, the accumulated account of an individual is 100 units at the time of birth. On an average in one birth, undergoing destiny depletes 6 units. This means one should be able to attain Liberation within l6 to l7 births. But this does NOT HAPPEN because, whilst one is undergoing 6 units of destiny, new accounts are simultaneously being created by one’s willful actions (kriyaman karma). New accounts rise by 10 units. Hence, at the time of death, the accumulated account has become 104 units instead of 94. Consequently, an individual gets more and more entrapped in the cycle of births and deaths. To prevent such a thing from happening, the action performed should be converted to a non-action (akarma karma)!! This can happen only by chanting The Lord’s Name.



:: Which God's Name should one chant? ::

We should chant the Name of God depending on the religion or sect of our birth.



:: There are Several Gods-Goddesses in Sanatana/Hindu Dharma.So which God’s Name should Hindus chant? ::

Hindus should chant the name of their Kuladevata (Family Deity) in the initial stages of Sadhana. Ishta Devatha’s name can also be chanted, but after the initiation from a Guru.The meaning of Kuldevata (Family Deity) is, the [care taking] deity of the family in which you are born to. In Hinduism, every family has a particular Deity whose worship brings about worldly and spiritual progress for that family.

:: How to chant the name of the Kula Devata? ::

If the name of Kuladevata is feminine gender i.e. Kuladevi, then the chant is formed as follows: First say ‘Sree’, followed by the name of Kuladevi and then end with ‘devyei namah’ .If the name of the Kuladevata is masculine gender i.e. Kuladeva, then the chant is formed as follows. First say ‘Sree’, followed by the name of Kuladev, like ‘Ganeshay’ or ‘Maheshay’ and then end with ‘namah’.

Now let us see some examples to understand thisIf the Kuladevata is ‘Amba Ma’, then chant ‘Sree Ambadevyei namah’.If the Kuladevata is Ganeshji then chant ‘Sree Ganeshay namah’.There can be some exceptions to this. For example, if your Kuladevata is Hanumanji, then you will have to chant ‘Sree Hanumate namah’.

:: Naam Japa to eliminate distress ::

Before commencing any spiritual practice, it is extremely essential to recognize why he/she is stressed out or the cause for agony. Efforts to overcome this have to be made. The following explanation will illustrate its importance.

Most people and 50% of true seekers are afflicted with distressing energies. Due to distressing energies, a person experiences physical or psychological distress and/or constantly encounters some obstacle in his/her life. Externally, though one may attribute this distress or obstacles to physical, psychological or worldly factors, yet their true cause is -affliction by distressing energies. No amount of gross treatment can relieve the physical or psychological distress caused by distressing energies completely. Just as fever contracted due to malaria can be cured completely only with the aid of anti-malarial drugs, so is this. Distressing energies also cause obstacles in the spiritual practice of seekers. Consequently, seekers do not reap the expected benefit of their spiritual practice as most of it is expended in alleviating the distress caused by distressing energies. For instance, if one’s vital energy (pranshakti) has decreased due to distressing energies, then most of one’s spiritual practice is spent to restore it. So also, distressing energies take the benefit of the spiritual practice of seekers thus depriving them of the expected results despite undertaking a lot of spiritual practice. This shows how necessary it is to give priority to eliminate distress due to distressing energies.

EVERY DEITY IS A SPECIFIC PRINCIPLE. When we chant the Name of a deity, its principle gets drawn towards us. Distressing energies too are of different types and possess their own inherent qualities. The seven commonly worshipped deities namely Ganapati, Shrikrishna, Datta, Maruti, Shrirama, Durga and Shiva have the ability to destroy almost all types of distressing energies. Depending on a seeker’s constitution, spiritual practice in his previous birth and type of distressing energy, CHANTING of one or more Names out of these seven have proven to be useful to the seeker to eliminate the distress due to distressing energy. a. First of all, one should recognize his/her affliction and identify the Name of the deity, who can eliminate it.

The following experiment of chanting the Names of the seven deities will assist in this. After performing the experiment of chanting all the seven Names in a specific manner, one will know the Name with which one experiences some distress. One can conclude that the Name of that deity with which one experiences some distress is most useful to overcome one’s distress due to distressing energy. That Name should be chanted for a maximum period of the day till the distress is overcome completely. ALSO, one should use other remedies along with the nama japa to overcome the distress. Refer to the holy text ‘Remedies to eliminate distressing energies’ for details on these remedies and the method of experimenting the Chanting. After the distress due to distressing energies is totally overcome, one can undertake Naama japa as given below.

Name of one’s favorite deity or benevolent (ishtadevata) or that recommended by the Guru? The deity who is responsible for spiritual progress such as: the family deity or the deity given by the Guru as Gurumantra is known as the benevolent deity or ishtadevata. Most people consider the deity bestowing worldly benefits or the deity of one’s liking as the benevolent deity.

One should chant the Name imparted by the Guru instead of chanting the Name of one’s favourite deity for the following reasons.:-

A. One does not understand which Name is best suited for one’s own spiritual progress. Only the Guru is capable of providing this guidance.
B. Repeating the Name of one’s favourite deity helps only to enhance one’s sattvik (sattva predominant) nature. The gurumantra however can take one up to the unmanifest state (nirgun), that is beyond the three components (trigunatit).
C. The gurumantra does not contain mere letters but encases spiritual knowledge (dnyan), divine consciousness (chaitanya) and the Guru’s blessings as well. Hence spiritual progress is faster. This Name containing divine consciousness is called a sabija or a divya (divine) mantra. However, one has to practise Spirituality to obtain the ultimate result by chanting the sabija mantra.
D. Due to faith in the Guru, one chants the gurumantra with greater sincerity than the mantra decided upon by oneself. Also while remembering the Gur, one tends to chant the Name given by Him and thus one’s chanting increases.
E. While one chants the Name of the favourite deity, at least some amount of ego accompanies it. On the contrary, when chanting the Name recommended by the Guru, there is no ego.


:: Which Name should one chant if the Guru has not imparted a Name? ::

One should chant the Name of the kuladevata [can be either male or the female].
A. A family (kula) is made up of those people who are closely related to each other by blood as well as karmic debts. Depending upon which family deity’s worship is conducive for his spiritual progress, an individual is born in that particular family.
B. Kula also means the Muladhar chakra, energy or spiritual energy system (kundalini). The kuladevata ALSO means THAT deity with the worship of whom, the dormant spiritual energy [kundalini) in the Muladhar chakra is activated. When this energy is activated, the is spiritual progress begins. If one has both a male and a female Kuladevata, then one should chant the Name of the female kuladevata because She is appeased faster due to Her closer link with the pruthvi (absolute earth) element compared to the male family deity.
C. If one is not aware of the Name of the family deity, then one should chant the Name of his/her favorite deity or simply-"Shri Kuladevatayai namaha." Once this kind of Chanting reaches its completion, he/she coincidentally encounters someone who tells who the family deity is. It MAY also happen that the Guru Himself comes into a seeker’s life and blesses him with a gurumantra.
D. Worship of the family deity began in the post-Vedic and pre-Puranic period.E. The spiritual practice is said to be complete when the subtle body imbibes all the principles in the universe. Just as the cow is the only animal which has the ability to attract the frequencies of all the deities in the universe (that is why it is said that there are 33 crores of deities in the cow’s abdomen), so also only chanting of the family deity’s Name has the potential to attract all the principles in the universe and increase them all up to 30%. Contrary to this, chanting the Names of deities like Vishnu, Shankar, Ganapati, Lakshmi, etc. increases only that particular principle in which one is deficient. This is akin to taking vitamin A, B, etc. as a supplement to reduce the deficiency of that particular vitamin in the body.


:: Why is nama japa essential for further spiritual progress? ::

: For whom is it useful? :

The point elucidates why Nama japa is essential for a seeker in the primary stage. Those who have attained a spiritual level of at least 50% through spiritual practice may have completed the stage of chanting the Name of the Kuladevata. Generally, this stage can be completed in the present birth by Nama japa for approximately 15 to 20 years. It can also happen if an individual is born in the same family after the previous birth and the repetition cycle is completed due to continued practice. If one renders service/Seva and does charity in addition to the nama Japa, then this stage can be completed within 5 to 6 years. For further spiritual progress, it is beneficial if seekers do nama japa of another deity other than the Kuladevata. One can decide which Name of The Lord is essential by Chanting the Names of the other deities according to the specific method of experimentation.

The Lord’s Name found by this method of experimentation is considered to be the gurumantra itself. However if one begins to experience distress when chanting, he/she should stop it. The experimenting should be continued till one does not experience any distress. Then the Nama japa to that deity can be continued for the spiritual progress.

:: What about those who have been initiated with a gurumantra? ::

Those who have been initiated with a gurumantra should not decide which nama japa they should undertake for further spiritual progress through the method of experimenting. Instead, they should repose faith in the Name imparted by the Guru and chant it continuously.

: More about the method of Nama Japa:

When addressing someone instead of simply using his name, one refers to him respectfully as Shri. (Mr.), Smt. (Mrs.), etc. Similarly, one should chant the Name of the family deity in a way that expresses respect. Shri should prefix the Name of the family deity, the Name that follows should be in dative case (chaturthi pratyay) and should conclude with namaha. For instance if the family deity is Ganesh then ‘Shri Ganeshaya namaha’, if it is Bhavani, then ‘Shri Bhavanidevyai namaha’. Since it is difficult to pronounce ‘Shri Bhavanyai namaha’ one should use devyai.

When the family deity is in the form of two deities (For example Laxminarayana, Ishwarlaxmi….) then 50 % of the deity principle of both, the male deity and the female deity is activated. Chant in the following way - The deity's name should be chanted prefixing Shri to it, followed by the dative case (chaturthi pratyay), according to the second deity and concluding with namaha. For example, if the family deity is Ishwarlaxmi, one should chant ‘Shri Ishwarlaxmidevyai namaha.’ If Laxminarayana is the family deity then one should chant ‘Shri Laxminarayanaya namaha.’

:: Why should the seeker not chant the name of a saint? ::

One should not chant the name of a saint for the following reasons.

A. No saint has recommended the chanting of His own Name or that of another. For instance, Tukaram Maharaj has not advised the chanting of Saint Dnyaneshvar’s Name.
B. Our history of thousands of years records no instance where a temple of a saint or a sage has been constructed. Only temples of deities have been erected. Nowadays however, a wrong trend of constructing temples of saints has set in.
C. Since the law of creation, sustenance and dissolution is applicable to saints as well, Their energy persists only for a limited period of a few hundred years. Thereafter, They are unable to respond to one’s call. As against this, deities are eternally present from the time of creation of the universe till its dissolution.
D. Saints are born to carry out a particular mission and for that They possess manifest energy. So if Their Names are chanted then the manifest energy could possibly cause distress to some. Contrary to this, since a deity mostly has unmanifest energy, chanting its Name does not cause any distress. Besides a seeker does not want energy, he wants Bliss (Anand) and Serenity (Shanti).

:: Where should one do Nama Japa? ::

Since everything is created by God Himself one can chant His Name anytime, anywhere. Chanting when carrying out day-to-day activities is a superior form of practising Spirituality. This is so because, firstly the spiritual practice becomes continuous. Secondly performing worldly activities along with chanting of The Lord’s Name renders them as good as not being in the Great Illusion (Maya). Also it helps in karma yoga or dedicating that action to God. Thridly, It helps one to remain in communion with The Lord under all circumstances. This is called sahaja-sthiti or sahajavastha.

Some ancient scriptures mention that nama japa done in cowsheds of the home, temples, and places near waterbodies, and mountains give more benefit compared to that done at home. In other words, nama japa should also be done when a person goes to these places!!

Nama japa should be done with faith and righteous behaviour.

“The one who chants the Name of Lord Viththala should observe restrictions.” - Saint Tukaram.

Implied meaning: If the one chanting the Name of The Lord does not observe righteous behavior, then the entire spiritual practice is wasted in nullifying the resulting defects.

What are the benefits of synchronising nama japa with the breath? : 
One remains alive due to respiration and not due to chanting. Hence, one should synchronise chanting with the breath by concentrating on the breath.

The benefits of chanting with the breath are as follows:. 
A. Nowadays, due to pollution of the atmosphere with rajas and tamas components, polluted thoughts invade the mind along with the breath and cause mental disturbance. When chanting with concentration on the breath, the frequency of undesirable thoughts decreases.
B. Concentrating on the breath means CAPTURING the PRESENT MOMENT. On the contrary, entertaining any other thought means either contemplating on the past or the future. Since it is essential for a seeker to continuously live in the present, it is necessary to concentrate on the breath.
C. Whilst chanting even if one gets a vision of God due to spiritual emotion (bhav), duality persists. As against this, when chanting with the breath, due to devotion in the Name one does not get a vision of the unmanifest (nirgun) God. He/she marches towards non-duality (advaita), and merges with the Name.

Those whose chanting of The Lord’s Name occurs spontaneously, all the time need not synchronise it with the breath.

:: What about other thoughts during chanting? ::

Despite experiencing Bliss with the Name, why does the mind wander towards other thoughts? What should one do when one cannot concentrate on chanting? Initially, due to impressions in the subconscious mind (chitta) stray thoughts enter the mind while chanting. But with practice there is a gradual reduction in these thoughts. One should keep in mind that concentration is the target, not the tool.

:: Sometimes there is distress after Nama Japa. Why does this happen? ::

The reasons for it are given below.A. Chanting the wrong Name: If a seeker of the level of the pruthvi (absolute earth) element or apa (absolute water) element suddenly starts chanting the Name associated with the tej (absolute fire) element, (the sun) then the radiance generated through it may cause distress.B. Problems caused by distressing energy: If one is affected by distressing energy, he/she initially experiences discomfort even with appropriate chanting. However, it gradually subsides and finally stops. The cause for this initial distress is the tussle between the distressing energy troubling the individual and the pleasant energy generated by the chanting.

//HariH Om//

INDIAN KITCHEN - What changed the kitchen from temple to factory?

In our Indian culture before we start our meal we make offering to the God which is called “Bhog” and chants few mantras:

ॐ ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्मा हविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणाहुतं |
ब्रह्मैव तेना गन्तव्यंब्रह्म कर्म समाधिना।।

ॐ सहनाववतु, सहनौ भुनक्तु सह वीर्यम् करवावहै |
तेजस्विनावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ||

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः 

or

अन्नपूर्णे सदापूर्णे शंकर प्राण वल्लभे।
ज्ञान वैराग्य सिद्धयर्थ भिखां देहि च पार्वति।। 

What we eat and the way we eat it often defines our culture. DevduttaPattanaik takes a refreshingly different view at an activity we all indulge in daily, without giving a second thought.

The best way to destroy a culture is to destroy the kitchen. For it is in the kitchen that a language is spoken that addresses the eye, the ear, the nose, the tongue and even the skin, all five senses, something that all of us are exposed to since childhood but few of us realize. By cooking Chinese food in the Chinese way,the Chinese mother makes her child Chinese. By cooking Zulu food in the Zulu way, the Zulu mother makes her child Zulu.

No child is born with an understanding of culture. As the child grows up his mind is shaped by thoughts of those around. But these thoughts are not necessarily communicated through words, and certainly not the written word. What the mind receives are not instructions but patterns. And patterns have always been communicated through symbols, stories and rituals. The kitchen is full of symbols and rituals that shape the mind of the child. Change these symbols and rituals, and you change the thoughts of the children and with it, the culture of an entire community. It is a surprising fact that this has not been realized or noticed by child psychologists. Perhaps the humble kitchen as a place of learning seems to be far-fetched for the modern mind.

A traditional Indian kitchen was a sacred space. It was decorated with auspicious signs. Sometimes, it doubled up as the puja room. In many households, you werenot allowed to enter the kitchen with footwear, you wereexpected to bathe before lighting the kitchen fire, you werenot allowed to eat unless you have taken a bath – all this clearly gave the child a message, food is not just for filling the stomach but it is something special and sacred, the offerings of the yagna of life. Without food, there is no existence. Today, the kitchen is changing in character. The aim is to create a kitchen that is highly efficient, effective and sanitised to satisfy the needs of the working couple. It almost seems like a factory ― a good fridge, a good dishwasher, pressure cooker, gadgets to mix and grate, and pound and mince, microwaves to quickly heat food. It is clean and quick, everything wrapped in foil and plastic, no stains, no smells, no vapours. What is the message? Cooking is a chore, an industrial activity; food is merely nourishment for the body, of functional value primarily.

What changed the kitchen from temple to factory? Is it the rise of secularism that saw food scientifically and rejected all sacred notions as silly superstition? Is it the rise of feminism, the Western variety, which saw the kitchen as a prison created by men for women? Kitchen duties, once the soul of the household, became a burden. There is a desperate need for quick solutions – easy to cook food, readymade food, outsourced food, food cooked by a cook, to liberate the lady of the household. Food ordered from outside has become more exciting than boring daily kitchen fare. The message ― everything can be outsourced; everything can be industrialized, even the hearth.

It is in the kitchen that the Indian child learns the concept of jhootaor of pollution; how food that has been tasted by someone else spoils the food. One never tastes food while cooking and one never offers tasted food to the gods. Eating jhoota food is a sign of love and subservience; we eat the jhoota of gods and elders. In a Chinese kitchen, the child learnt how using chopsticks is the sign of civilization; only barbarians used hands, knives and forks. They learnt how a good cook always cuts food in tiny pieces so that they are chopstick-friendly. In a Roman kitchen, the child learnt that it was a luxury to be eating food while lying down. In India, eating while lying down was akin to show disrespect to food.

In the Indian kitchen, the child learnt to value approximation over exactness. Cooks never measured the quantity of salt to be added; it was all by judgment, salt to taste. Recipes were never written down but passed down through apprenticeship. One figured out proportion visually, by seeing the amount of food before, and through smell, never taste. Cooking therefore had to be creative, demanding, opening up of other senses, beyond the taste buds. The cook was expected to rely on his eyes and ears and finger tips and nose, anything but the mouth. The absence of recipes indicated to the child that life was not about formulas. You had to work with what you had and be creative at it. It also meant that wisdom could not be stored outside human beings, in documents. The dish had no independent existence outside the cook. When the mother died, the particular taste of her dal went with her.

The masala box is a powerful tool to explain adjustments and accommodation. Every masala box has the same ingredients – but the proportions used by different cooks created different flavours. Bad food could be made good by adding another spice. Thus everything could be managed, with a little bit of creativity. With readymade masala packets coming in, the tastes are getting increasingly standardized, a sign of what may be called westernization.

In most parts of the world, people sat around the hearth and ate around it. In deserts, meat cooked over the fire was cut and served on flat bread. In cold climates, a pot hung over the hearth around which the family gathered. Whatever was caught and collected during the day was put in the pot – thus was born the soup and the broth, to be eaten with bread. In Islamic countries, food was served on a single dish to evoke equality and brotherhood. In Punjab, the notion of a collective oven to make bread created the romantic notion of sanjhachoolah where women gathered to gossip and bake bread at dusk just as they gathered around the well at dawn. In China, eating together with all dishes placed in the centre was a sign of unity. In Europe, food was served initially in the centre of the table and you ate what you could reach or was passed on to you by your neighbour – the precursor of buffet food, where each one is for himself, though everyone has access to bounty. Later, as manpower was increasingly available in rich households, food started being served by servants. In the 16th century, eating with forks and knives gained popularity; before that,all was finger food. How you ate food and your understanding of subtle flavours and aromas became a measure of your aristocracy.

In India, food was always served on a thali, either made of leaves (organic hence disposable) or metal (inorganic hence needed to be washed). Everyone ate in separate utensils, to reinforce the idea of jhoota. The women served the food. The men of the household ate first, then the children and finally the women. This was the established hierarchy. Good food in India had much to do with caste hierarchy― food cooked in ghee, and by Brahmins, was highly prized, resulting in the employment of the maharajin royal and affluent households. The cook in these places had a higher station than the members of the household and so had a greater control over the kitchen fire than even the women of the household.

In most cultures, feasts are associated with festivals and rites of passage such as marriage, childbirth and the end of bereavement. Food was a powerful tool to establish religious and communal identity. Kosher food ensured that the Jewish people retained their identity as they wandered the world seeking a home. In Muslim households, the holy month of Ramzan is marked by fasting by day and feasting at night; everyone breaks the fast with dates on sighting of the moon. In many Christian households, during Lent, no egg or fish is eaten leading to large consumption of eggs after Easter. Hindus become strict vegetarian either in the month of Shravan or the month of Kartik. Sour food is not eaten on Fridays to remind the household of Santoshi, the goddess of satisfaction. The kitchen fires are not used for several days when a death occurs in the family. Hindus offer Shiva raw milk, Krishna butter, while the goddess is offered lime. Thus through rites and rituals, food comes to acquire meaning.

The way food is eaten also has impact on the way we think. Imagine eating a proper four course meal ― first there is the soup, then the salad, then the main course and finally dessert. Everything is controlled and sequential. Now imagine eating a thali ― everything served simultaneously, the salad, the rice, the roti, the curries, the sweets, even the chutneys and papad. The Western meal is served in a linear way while the Indian meal is served in a cyclical way. The movement of the hand in Western food as the meat is cut and forked is highly linear while the finger moves circularly while tearing the roti or mixing the rice. The Indian dishes are not eaten individually but have to be mixed, a practice that is uniquely Indian. So in Western cuisine, we taste what the cook serves but in Indian cuisine we taste our own mixture. This is the height of customization. Could this be the reason why Indians are so individualistic and resist working in a team as a group?