Vishnu Ashtakshari Stotram
विष्णु अष्टाक्षरी स्तोत्रम्
What is the Vishnu Ashtakshari Stotram?
Vishnu Ashtakshari Stotram The Vishnu Ashtakshari Stotram is a Sanskrit hymn from the Narasimha Purana in which the sage Vyasa teaches his son Shuka the greatness of the eight-syllable mantra 'Om Namo Narayanaya'. It praises this mantra as the highest of all, capable of freeing the devotee from every sin and from the cycle of birth and death.
The Vishnu Ashtakshari Stotram, more precisely the Om Namo Narayanaya Ashtakshara Mahatmyam, is a hymn in praise of the eight-syllable mantra ओं नमो नारायणाय (Om Namo Narayanaya). It appears in the Narasimha Purana as a teaching given by the sage Vyasa to his son Shuka.Across 36 verses, Vyasa explains how to chant the mantra, its inner meaning, the colours and deities of its syllables, and the fruits gained at each stage of practice. The eight syllables are called the finest of all mantras, a distilled essence of the Vedas that carries a sincere devotee toward liberation.
Vishnu Ashtakshari Stotram Lyrics (Sanskrit & English)
Full 36-verse text of the Ashtakshara Mahatmyam from the Narasimha Purana. Tap any verse to read its meaning.
śrīśuka uvāca – kiṁ japan mucyate tāta satataṁ viṣṇutatparaḥ
saṁsāraduḥkhāt sarveṣāṁ hitāya vada me pitaḥ
श्रीशुक उवाच – किं जपन् मुच्यते तात सततं विष्णुतत्परः । संसारदुःखात् सर्वेषां हिताय वद मे पितः ॥
Meaning
Shuka asks: father, always devoted to Vishnu, by chanting what does one gain release? Tell me the means that benefits all beings and lifts them out of worldly sorrow.
vyāsa uvāca – aṣṭākṣaraṁ pravakṣyāmi mantrāṇāṁ mantramuttamam
yaṁ japan mucyate martyo janmasaṁsārabandhanāt
व्यास उवाच – अष्टाक्षरं प्रवक्ष्यामि मन्त्राणां मन्त्रमुत्तमम् । यं जपन् मुच्यते मर्त्यो जन्मसंसारबन्धनात् ॥
Meaning
Vyasa replies: I will declare the eight-syllable mantra, finest of all mantras. Chanting it, a mortal is released from the bonds of birth and endless worldly wandering.
hṛtpuṇḍarīkamadhyasthaṁ śaṅkhacakragadādharam
ekāgramanasā dhyātvā viṣṇuṁ kuryājjapaṁ dvijaḥ
हृत्पुण्डरीकमध्यस्थं शङ्खचक्रगदाधरम् । एकाग्रमनसा ध्यात्वा विष्णुं कुर्याज्जपं द्विजः ॥
Meaning
Meditating with one-pointed mind on Vishnu who is seated in the lotus of the heart, bearing conch, discus and mace, the twice-born should carry out the recitation.
ekānte nirjanasthāne viṣṇvagre vā jalāntike
japedaṣṭākṣaraṁ mantraṁ citte viṣṇuṁ nidhāya vai
एकान्ते निर्जनस्थाने विष्णवग्रे वा जलान्तिके । जपेदष्टाक्षरं मन्त्रं चित्ते विष्णुं निधाय वै ॥
Meaning
In a solitary, quiet place, before an image of Vishnu or beside water, one should chant the eight-syllable mantra while keeping Vishnu fixed in the mind.
aṣṭākṣarasya mantrasya ṛṣirnārāyaṇaḥ svayam
chandaśca daivī gāyatrī paramātmā ca devatā
अष्टाक्षरस्य मन्त्रस्य ऋषिर्नारायणः स्वयम् । छन्दश्च दैवी गायत्री परमात्मा च देवता ॥
Meaning
For this eight-syllable mantra the seer is Narayana himself, its metre is the divine Gayatri, and its presiding deity is the Supreme Self.
śuklavarṇaṁ ca oṁkāraṁ nakāraṁ raktamucyate
mokāraṁ varṇataḥ kṛṣṇaṁ nākāraṁ raktamucyate
शुक्लवर्णं च ओंकारं नकारं रक्तमुच्यते । मोकारं वर्णतः कृष्णं नाकारं रक्तमुच्यते ॥
Meaning
The syllables carry colours: Om is white and Na is red; Mo is dark like Krishna, and the next Na is again red.
rākāraṁ kuṅkumābhaṁ tu yakāraṁ pītamucyate
ṇākāramañjanābhaṁ tu yakāraṁ bahuvarṇakam
राकारं कुङ्कुमाभं तु यकारं पीतमुच्यते । णाकारमञ्जनाभं तु यकारं बहुवर्णकम् ॥
Meaning
Ra glows like saffron and Ya is golden yellow; Na has the hue of dark collyrium, and the final Ya shines with many colours.
oṁ namo nārāyaṇāyeti mantraḥ sarvārthasādhakaḥ
bhaktānāṁ japatāṁ tāta svargamokṣaphalapradaḥ
vedānāṁ praṇavanaiṣa siddho mantraḥ sanātanaḥ
ओं नमो नारायणायेति मन्त्रः सर्वार्थसाधकः । भक्तानां जपतां तात स्वर्गमोक्षफलप्रदः । वेदानां प्रणवेनैष सिद्धो मन्त्रः सनातनः ॥
Meaning
'Om Namo Narayanaya' is the mantra that fulfils every purpose. For devotees who recite it, it grants both heaven and liberation; joined with the pranava of the Vedas, this eternal mantra stands perfected.
sarvapāpaharaḥ śrīmān sarvamantreṣu cottamaḥ
enamaṣṭākṣaraṁ mantraṁ japannārāyaṇaṁ smaret
सर्वपापहरः श्रीमान् सर्वमन्त्रेषु चोत्तमः । एनमष्टाक्षरं मन्त्रं जपन्नारायणं स्मरेत् ॥
Meaning
It removes all sins, is full of glory, and is supreme among mantras. While reciting these eight syllables, one should keep Narayana in remembrance.
saṁdhyāvasāne satataṁ sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate
eṣa eva paro mantra eṣa eva paraṁ tapaḥ
संध्यावसाने सततं सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते । एष एव परो मन्त्र एष एव परं तपः ॥
Meaning
Chanted steadily at the close of each twilight worship, it frees one from every sin. This alone is the supreme mantra, and this alone the highest austerity.
eṣa eva paro mokṣa eṣa svarga udāhṛtaḥ
sarvavedarahasyebhyaḥ sāra eṣa samuddhṛtaḥ
एष एव परो मोक्ष एष स्वर्ग उदाहृतः । सर्ववेदरहस्येभ्यः सार एष समुद्धृतः ॥
Meaning
This alone is called the highest liberation, this is spoken of as heaven itself. From all the hidden truths of the Vedas, this essence has been drawn out.
viṣṇunā vaiṣṇavānāṁ hi hitāya manujāṁ purā
evaṁ jñātvā tato vipro hyaṣṭākṣaramimaṁ smaret
विष्णुना वैष्णवानां हि हिताय मनुजां पुरा । एवं ज्ञात्वा ततो विप्रो ह्यष्टाक्षरमिमं स्मरेत् ॥
Meaning
Long ago Vishnu gave this mantra for the good of his devotees and of humankind. Knowing this, the wise brahmin should keep the eight syllables in memory.
snātvā śuciḥ śucau deśe japet pāpaviśuddhaye
jape dāne ca home ca gamane dhyānaparvasu
स्नात्वा शुचिः शुचौ देशे जपेत् पापविशुद्धये । जपे दाने च होमे च गमने ध्यानपर्वसु ॥
Meaning
Bathed and pure, in a clean spot, one should chant it to wash away sin, during recitation, gifting, fire-offerings, travel, and times of meditation and holy observance.
japennārāyaṇaṁ mantraṁ karmapūrve pare tathā
japetsahasraṁ niyutaṁ śucirbhūtvā samāhitaḥ
जपेन्नारायणं मन्त्रं कर्मपूर्वे परे तथा । जपेत्सहस्रं नियुतं शुचिर्भूत्वा समाहितः ॥
Meaning
One should recite the Narayana mantra before and after every rite. Purified and gathered in mind, let one chant it a thousand or countless times.
māsi māsi tu dvādaśyāṁ viṣṇubhakto dvijottamaḥ
snātvā śucirjapedyastu namo nārāyaṇaṁ śatam
मासि मासि तु द्वादश्यां विष्णुभक्तो द्विजोत्तमः । स्नात्वा शुचिर्जपेद्यस्तु नमो नारायणं शतम् ॥
Meaning
Month after month on the Dwadashi, the foremost twice-born devotee of Vishnu, bathed and clean, who recites 'Namo Narayana' a hundred times…
sa gacchet paramaṁ devaṁ nārāyaṇamanāmayam
gandhapuṣpādibhirviṣṇumanenārādhya yo japet
स गच्छेत् परमं देवं नारायणमनामयम् । गन्धपुष्पादिभिर्विष्णुमनेनाराध्य यो जपेत् ॥
Meaning
…reaches the supreme, flawless Lord Narayana. Worshipping Vishnu with sandal paste, flowers and the like, and then chanting the mantra…
mahāpātakayukto’pi mucyate nātra saṁśayaḥ
hṛdi kṛtvā hariṁ devaṁ mantramenaṁ tu yo japet
महापातकयुक्तोपि मुच्यते नात्र संशयः । हृदि कृत्वा हरिं देवं मन्त्रमेनं तु यो जपेत् ॥
Meaning
…even one burdened with grave sins is freed, of this there is no doubt. Whoever holds Lord Hari in the heart and recites this mantra…
sarvapāpaviśuddhātmā sa gacchet paramāṁ gatim
prathamena tu lakṣeṇa ātmaśuddhirbhaviṣyati
सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा स गच्छेत् परमां गतिम् । प्रथमेन तु लक्षेण आत्मशुद्धिर्भविष्यति ॥
Meaning
…his self washed clean of all sin, attains the highest state. With the first hundred thousand repetitions comes purification of the self.
dvitīyena tu lakṣeṇa manusiddhimavāpnuyāt
tṛtīyena tu lakṣeṇa svargalokamavāpnuyāt
द्वितीयेन तु लक्षेण मनुसिद्धिमवाप्नुयात् । तृतीयेन तु लक्षेण स्वर्गलोकमवाप्नुयात् ॥
Meaning
With the second hundred thousand one gains mastery of the mantra; with the third, one reaches the heavenly world.
caturthena tu lakṣeṇa hareḥ sāmīpyamāpnuyāt
pañcamena tu lakṣeṇa nirmalaṁ jñānamāpnuyāt
चतुर्थेन तु लक्षेण हरेः सामीप्यमाप्नुयात् । पञ्चमेन तु लक्षेण निर्मलं ज्ञानमाप्नुयात् ॥
Meaning
With the fourth hundred thousand one attains nearness to Hari; with the fifth, spotless wisdom dawns.
tathā ṣaṣṭhena lakṣeṇa bhavedviṣṇau sthirā matiḥ
saptamena tu lakṣeṇa svarūpaṁ pratipadyate
तथा षष्ठेन लक्षेण भवेद्विष्णौ स्थिरा मतिः । सप्तमेन तु लक्षेण स्वरूपं प्रतिपद्यते ॥
Meaning
With the sixth, the mind grows firmly settled in Vishnu; with the seventh, one takes on his very nature.
aṣṭamena tu lakṣeṇa nirvāṇamadhigacchati
svasvadharmasamāyukto japaṁ kuryād dvijottamaḥ
अष्टमेन तु लक्षेण निर्वाणमधिगच्छति । स्वस्वधर्मसमायुक्तो जपं कुर्याद् द्विजोत्तमः ॥
Meaning
With the eighth hundred thousand one reaches final liberation. Keeping to his own duty, the worthy twice-born should carry on the recitation.
etat siddhikaraṁ mantramaṣṭākṣaramatandritaḥ
duḥsvapnāsurapaiśācā uragā brahmarākṣasāḥ
एतत् सिद्धिकरं मन्त्रमष्टाक्षरमतन्द्रितः । दुःस्वप्नासुरपैशाचा उरगा ब्रह्मराक्षसाः ॥
Meaning
This eight-syllable mantra grants attainment to the tireless devotee. Bad dreams, demons, ghouls, serpents and brahma-rakshasas…
jāpinaṁ nopasarpanti caurakṣudrādhayastathā
ekāgramanasāvyagro viṣṇubhakto dṛḍhavrataḥ
जापिनं नोपसर्पन्ति चौरक्षुद्राधयस्तथा । एकाग्रमनसाव्यग्रो विष्णुभक्तो दृढव्रतः ॥
Meaning
…do not come near the one who chants it, nor do thieves and petty troubles. One-pointed and undisturbed, a devotee of Vishnu firm in his vow…
japennārāyaṇaṁ mantrametanmṛtyubhayāpaham
mantrāṇāṁ paramo mantro devatānāṁ ca daivatam
जपेन्नारायणं मन्त्रमेतन्मृत्युभयापहम् । मन्त्राणां परमो मन्त्रो देवतानां च दैवतम् ॥
Meaning
…should recite the Narayana mantra, which drives away the fear of death. It is the highest of mantras and the very deity of the deities.
guhyānāṁ paramaṁ guhyamoṁkārādyakṣarāṣṭakam
āyuṣyaṁ dhanaputrāṁśca paśūn vidyāṁ mahadyaśaḥ
गुह्यानां परमं गुह्यमोंकाराद्यक्षराष्टकम् । आयुष्यं धनपुत्रांश्च पशून् विद्यां महद्यशः ॥
Meaning
Of secrets it is the deepest secret, the eight syllables beginning with Om. It grants long life, wealth, children, cattle, learning and great renown…
dharmārthakāmamokṣāṁśca labhate ca japannaraḥ
etat satyaṁ ca dharmyaṁ ca vedaśrutinidarśanāt
धर्मार्थकाममोक्षांश्च लभते च जपन्नरः । एतत् सत्यं च धर्म्यं च वेदश्रुतिनिदर्शनात् ॥
Meaning
…and the four aims of dharma, wealth, desire and liberation the one who chants attains. This is true and righteous, confirmed by the testimony of Vedic revelation.
etat siddhikaraṁ nṛṇāṁ mantrarūpaṁ na saṁśayaḥ
ṛṣayaḥ pitaro devāḥ siddhāstvasurarākṣasāḥ
एतत् सिद्धिकरं नृणां मन्त्ररूपं न संशयः । ऋषयः पितरो देवाः सिद्धास्त्वसुरराक्षसाः ॥
Meaning
It brings fulfilment to human beings, being the very embodiment of mantra, without doubt. Sages, ancestors, gods, perfected beings, asuras and rakshasas…
etadeva paraṁ japtvā parāṁ siddhimito gatāḥ
jñātvā yastvātmanaḥ kālaṁ śāstrāntaravidhānataḥ
antakāle japanneti tadviṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam
एतदेव परं जप्त्वा परां सिद्धिमितो गताः । ज्ञात्वा यस्त्वात्मनः कालं शास्त्रान्तरविधानतः । अन्तकाले जपन्नेति तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम् ॥
Meaning
…reached the highest attainment by chanting this very mantra. One who, knowing his own hour through the teaching of the scriptures, chants it at the final moment, goes to that supreme abode of Vishnu.
nārāyaṇāya nama ityayameva satyaṁ saṁsāraghoraviṣasaṁharaṇāya mantraḥ
śṛṇvantu bhavyamatayo muditāstvarāgā uccaistarāmupadiśāmyahamūrdhvabāhuḥ
नारायणाय नम इत्ययमेव सत्यं संसारघोरविषसंहरणाय मन्त्रः । शृण्वन्तु भव्यमतयो मुदितास्त्वरागा उच्चैस्तरामुपदिशाम्यहमूर्ध्वबाहुः ॥
Meaning
'Narayanaya Namah' is truly the mantra for destroying the dreadful poison of worldly existence. Let those of noble mind listen with joy and free of craving; with my arms raised high, I proclaim it aloud.
bhūtvordhvabāhuradyaāhaṁ satyapūrvaṁ bravīmyaham
he putra śiṣyāḥ śṛṇuta na mantro’ṣṭākṣarātparaḥ
भूत्वोर्ध्वबाहुरद्याहं सत्यपूर्वं ब्रवीम्यहम् । हे पुत्र शिष्याः शृणुत न मन्त्रोष्टाक्षरात्परः ॥
Meaning
Raising my arms, I now speak with truth foremost: hear, my son and students, there is no mantra higher than the eight-syllable one.
satyaṁ satyaṁ punaḥ satyamutkṣipya bhujamucyate
vedācchāstraṁ paraṁ nāsti na devaḥ keśavāt paraḥ
सत्यं सत्यं पुनः सत्यमुत्क्षिप्य भुजमुच्यते । वेदाच्छास्त्रं परं नास्ति न देवः केशवात् परः ॥
Meaning
Truly, truly, and again truly, with uplifted arm it is declared: there is no scripture beyond the Veda, and no god beyond Keshava.
ālocya sarvaśāstrāṇi vicārya ca punaḥ punaḥ
idamekaṁ suniṣpannaṁ dhyeyo nārāyaṇaḥ sadā
आलोच्य सर्वशास्त्राणि विचार्य च पुनः पुनः । इदमेकं सुनिष्पन्नं ध्येयो नारायणः सदा ॥
Meaning
Having weighed all the scriptures and reflected again and again, one truth stands clear and settled: Narayana is forever to be meditated upon.
ityetat sakalaṁ proktaṁ śiṣyāṇāṁ tava puṇyadam
kathāśca vividhāḥ proktā mayā bhaja janārdanam
इत्येतत् सकलं प्रोक्तं शिष्याणां तव पुण्यदम् । कथाश्च विविधाः प्रोक्ता मया भज जनार्दनम् ॥
Meaning
Thus all this has been told, giving merit to your students; many accounts too I have related. So worship Janardana.
aṣṭākṣaramimaṁ mantraṁ sarvaduḥkhavināśanam
japa putra mahābuddhe yadi siddhimabhīpsasi
अष्टाक्षरमिमं मन्त्रं सर्वदुःखविनाशनम् । जप पुत्र महाबुद्धे यदि सिद्धिमभीप्ससि ॥
Meaning
This eight-syllable mantra destroys every sorrow. Chant it, my son of great understanding, if you long for spiritual attainment.
idaṁ stavaṁ vyāsamukhāttu nissṛtaṁ saṁdhyātraye ye puruṣāḥ paṭhanti
te dhautapāṇḍurapaṭā iva rājahaṁsāḥ saṁsārasāgaramapetabhayāstaranti
इदं स्तवं व्यासमुखात्तु निस्सृतं संध्यात्रये ये पुरुषाः पठन्ति । ते धौतपाण्डुरपटा इव राजहंसाः संसारसागरमपेतभयास्तरन्ति ॥
Meaning
Those who at the three twilights recite this hymn that flowed from Vyasa's own mouth cross the ocean of worldly existence, freed of all fear, like royal swans in spotless white plumage.
Meaning & Significance
The heart of this hymn is a single mantra of eight syllables: Om Namo Narayanaya. In plain terms it means ‘I bow to Narayana’, the all-pervading form of Vishnu who rests upon the cosmic waters. ‘Nara’ points to the primal waters and ‘ayana’ to a resting place or refuge, so the name itself frames the Lord as the ground and shelter of all existence.
Why the mantra is praised so highly
Vyasa does not treat the eight syllables as an ordinary prayer. He calls them the finest of all mantras and the drawn-out essence of the Vedas. The hymn describes the seer, the metre and the deity of the mantra, and even assigns a colour to each syllable, a feature typical of tantric meditation manuals where the sound is visualised as living form.
A path measured in stages
A striking section (verses 18 to 22) maps the fruits of practice against the count of repetitions, from purification of the self at the first hundred thousand, through steadiness of mind and nearness to Hari, up to liberation at the eighth. The point is not the arithmetic but the idea that steady, sincere repetition gradually reshapes the one who chants.
The closing appeal
Vyasa ends by raising his arms and declaring, three times over, that no scripture stands above the Veda and no deity above Keshava. He asks his son Shuka to hold Narayana always in meditation. The final verse promises that those who recite the hymn at the three daily twilights cross the sea of worldly life untouched by fear.
How to Chant the Ashtakshari Stotram
- Prepare and purify – Bathe, sit facing east or north in a clean, quiet place, and settle the breath before beginning, as verse 13 advises.
- Set the intention – Picture Vishnu seated in the lotus of the heart, holding conch, discus and mace, and let the mind rest one-pointedly on him.
- Recite the verses – Chant the 36 verses slowly, keeping the meaning of each in awareness rather than rushing through the sounds.
- Repeat the core mantra – After the verses, repeat 'Om Namo Narayanaya' in rounds of a mala (108) or more, holding steady and undistracted.
- Offer worship – Where possible offer sandal, flowers, a lamp and tulsi to Vishnu, as the hymn links worship with the japa.
- Close with gratitude – End by dedicating the merit of the recitation to all beings and bowing to Narayana in silence.
What Are the Benefits of Chanting?
The Ashtakshara Mahatmyam sets out the fruits of chanting the eight-syllable mantra in its own words:
- Freedom from the cycle of rebirth: Verse 2 states that the one who chants it is released from the bonds of birth and repeated worldly existence.
- Cleansing of sin: Verses 9, 10 and 17 promise that regular recitation washes away sins, even grave ones, when done with the heart fixed on Hari.
- Protection from fear and harm: Verses 23 to 25 say bad dreams, hostile beings, thieves and even the fear of death keep away from the sincere chanter.
- Steadiness and inner knowledge: Verses 20 and 21 describe spotless wisdom and a mind that grows firmly settled in Vishnu as practice deepens.
- Worldly and spiritual well-being: Verses 26 and 27 list long life, family, learning, fame and the four aims of life, culminating in liberation.
- A calm, fearless passing: Verse 29 holds that one who chants the mantra at the final hour reaches the supreme abode of Vishnu.
Who Composed This Stotram?
This hymn belongs to the Narasimha Purana, where it appears as the seventeenth chapter in the form of a dialogue between the sage Vyasa and his son Shuka. Shuka asks what one should chant to be freed from the sorrow of worldly life, and Vyasa answers by unfolding the greatness of the eight-syllable mantra.
The mantra itself, Om Namo Narayanaya, is far older than this particular telling. It is central to Vaishnava tradition and is discussed across the Upanishads and Puranas as the principal Narayana mantra. Because it carries eight syllables, it is known simply as the Ashtakshara, the ‘eight-lettered’ mantra, and this chapter is often titled the Ashtakshara Mahatmyam, meaning the glorification of the eight syllables.
Set as advice from a father to his son, the passage reads as practical spiritual instruction: how to sit, how to visualise the Lord, when to chant, and what unfolds as the practice matures. It has stayed in living use among devotees who take the eight-syllable mantra as their chosen refuge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Vishnu Ashtakshari Stotram?
It is a Sanskrit hymn from the Narasimha Purana, also called the Om Namo Narayanaya Ashtakshara Mahatmyam. In it the sage Vyasa teaches his son Shuka the greatness of the eight-syllable mantra 'Om Namo Narayanaya' and how to chant it.
What does 'Om Namo Narayanaya' mean?
It means 'I bow to Narayana', the all-pervading form of Vishnu who rests on the cosmic waters. 'Nara' suggests the primal waters and 'ayana' a resting place, so the name presents the Lord as the refuge of all beings.
Why is it called the Ashtakshara?
'Ashtakshara' means 'eight syllables'. The mantra Om Namo Narayanaya is counted as eight sound-units, so the mantra and the hymn glorifying it are both known by that name.
How many verses does the stotram have?
The full text runs to 36 verses, with the final verse serving as the phala-shruti, the statement of the reward gained by reciting it.
When is the best time to chant it?
The hymn recommends the three daily sandhya periods, dawn, midday and dusk. Thursdays, Ekadashi and Dwadashi are also considered especially suitable for Vishnu worship.
What benefits does chanting it bring?
The text describes freedom from rebirth, cleansing of sins, protection from fear and harm, growing wisdom and steadiness of mind, worldly well-being, and a peaceful passing at the end of life.
॥ ओं नमो नारायणाय ॥