Vishnu Bhujanga Stotram
श्री विष्णु भुजङ्ग प्रयात स्तोत्रम्
What is the Vishnu Bhujanga Stotram?
Vishnu Bhujangam The Vishnu Bhujanga Stotram, also called Vishnu Bhujangam, is a 14-verse Sanskrit hymn to Lord Vishnu composed by Adi Shankaracharya in the flowing Bhujanga Prayata meter. Tradition says he wrote it at his mother's deathbed – first describing Vishnu's radiant form, then voicing a devotee's own fear of old age and death, and closing with a promise of grace to whoever recites it with devotion.
The Vishnu Bhujanga Stotram is one of several hymns Adi Shankaracharya wrote in the Bhujanga Prayata meter, named for the gliding movement of a serpent that its rhythm imitates. Unlike a purely descriptive hymn, it moves from serene philosophical praise of Vishnu’s form into an unusually personal cry about aging, sickness and death, before closing with a promise of grace. Below is the full Sanskrit text in Roman and Devanagari script, verse-by-verse meaning, its origin story, and a simple guide to chanting it.
Vishnu Bhujanga Stotram Lyrics
The stotram is chanted in the Bhujanga Prayata meter, so every line carries the same gliding four-beat rhythm. Verses are given in plain Roman transliteration and Devanagari, with a meaning underneath each one. This page uses the verified 14-verse recension (13 verses of praise and appeal, plus one closing phalashruti verse), matched word-for-word across sanskritdocuments.org and Stotra Nidhi – not the 29 verses sometimes listed in secondary indexes. A longer 17-verse variant with extra salutation lines circulates on a few translation sites, but those lines do not appear in the primary Sanskrit source, so they are left out here.
Chidamsham vibhum nirmalam nirvikalpam
nireeham nirakaramonkaragamyam
gunatitam avyaktam ekam turiyam
param brahma yam veda tasmai namaste
चिदंशं विभुं निर्मलं निर्विकल्पं
निरीहं निराकारमोङ्कारगम्यम्
गुणातीतमव्यक्तमेकं तुरीयं
परं ब्रह्म यं वेद तस्मै नमस्ते
Meaning
This opening verse bows to the formless, changeless Brahman – pure consciousness beyond all qualities and duality, known through the sound Om, and described in the Upanishads as the fourth state beyond waking, dream and sleep.
Vishuddham shivam shantam adyantashunyam
jagajjivanam jyotirananda-rupam
adigdeshakala-vyavachchhedaniyam
trayi vakti yam veda tasmai namaste
विशुद्धं शिवं शान्तमाद्यन्तशून्यं
जगज्जीवनं ज्योतिरानन्दरूपम्
अदिग्देशकालव्यवच्छेदनीयं
त्रयी वक्ति यं वेद तस्मै नमस्ते
Meaning
Shankara salutes that same reality as pure, benevolent and at peace, without beginning or end, the very life-force of the universe, made of light and joy, and not bound by any direction, place or time – the truth the three Vedas point toward.
Mahayogapithe paribhrajamane
dharanyaditattvatmake shaktiyukte
gunahaskare vahnibimbardhamadhye
samasinam onkarnike ashtaksharabje
महायोगपीठे परिभ्राजमाने
धरण्यादितत्त्वात्मके शक्तियुक्ते
गुणाहस्करे वह्निबिम्बार्धमध्ये
समासीनमोङ्कर्णिकेऽष्टाक्षराब्जे
Meaning
The hymn turns from the abstract Absolute to a meditative image: the Lord seated on a radiant spiritual seat built of earth and the other elements, glowing at the center of a fire-disc within an eight-petaled lotus, holding all creative power.
Samanoditaneka-suryendukoti-prabhapura-tulyadyutim durniriksham
na sheetam na choshnam suvarnavadata-prasannam sadananda-samvit-svarupam
समानोदितानेकसूर्येन्दुकोटिप्रभापूरतुल्यद्युतिं दुर्निरीक्षम्
न शीतं न चोष्णं सुवर्णावदातप्रसन्नं सदानन्दसंवित्स्वरूपम्
Meaning
His brilliance is likened to countless suns and moons rising together – too dazzling to look at directly – yet it brings neither heat nor cold, only a golden, gentle glow of pure, ever-blissful awareness.
Sunasaputam sundara-bhrulalatam
kiritochita-kunchita-snigdha-kesham
sphurat-pundarikabhirama-yatakshyam
samutphulla-ratna-prasunavatamsam
सुनासापुटं सुन्दरभ्रूललाटं
किरीटोचिताकुञ्चितस्निग्धकेशम्
स्फुरत्पुण्डरीकाभिरामायताक्षं
समुत्फुल्लरत्नप्रसूनावतंसम्
Meaning
Shankara paints Vishnu's face: a fine nose, graceful brows, a broad forehead, curling hair held by a crown, wide eyes like lotus petals, and a crest of fully bloomed gem-flowers.
Lasat-kundalamrishta-gandasthalantam
japaraga-choradharam charuhasam
alivyakulamodi-mandaramalam
mahoras-phurat-kaustubhodara-haram
लसत्कुण्डलामृष्टगण्डस्थलान्तं
जपारागचोराधरं चारुहासम्
अलिव्याकुलामोदिमन्दारमालं
महोरस्फुरत्कौस्तुभोदारहारम्
Meaning
Swinging earrings brush his cheeks, his lips glow red as the japa flower, his smile is warm, bees circle the fragrant mandara garland at his neck, and the Kaustubha gem shines against his broad chest.
Suratnangadair anvitam bahudandaish chaturbhish chalat-kankanalankritagraih
udarodaralankritam pitavastram
padadvandva-nirdhuta-padmabhiramam
सुरत्नाङ्गदैरन्वितं बाहुदण्डैश्चतुर्भिश्चलत्कङ्कणालङ्कृताग्रैः
उदारोदरालङ्कृतं पीतवस्त्रं
पदद्वन्द्वनिर्धूतपद्माभिरामम्
Meaning
Gem-set armlets and bangles move on his four strong arms, a yellow silk cloth wraps his waist, and his two feet are so lovely they outshine the lotus itself.
Svabhakteshu sandarshitakaram evam
sada bhavayan sanniruddhendriyashvah
durapam naro yati samsaraparam
parasmai parebhyo’pi tasmai namaste
स्वभक्तेषु सन्दर्शिताकारमेवं
सदा भावयन् सन्निरुद्धेन्द्रियाश्वः
दुरापं नरो याति संसारपारं
परस्मै परेभ्योऽपि तस्मै नमस्ते
Meaning
This, Shankara says, is the form Vishnu shows to those devoted to him. Whoever holds it steadily in the mind, reining in the senses the way one controls spirited horses, is carried across the ocean of worldly life that is otherwise so hard to cross.
Shriya shatakumbha-dyuti-snigdha-kantya
dharanya cha durvadala-shyamalangya
kalatradvayenamuna toshitaya
trilokigrihasthaya vishno namaste
श्रिया शातकुम्भद्युतिस्निग्धकान्त्या
धरण्या च दूर्वादलश्यामलाङ्ग्या
कलत्रद्वयेनामुना तोषिताय
त्रिलोकीगृहस्थाय विष्णो नमस्ते
Meaning
Salutations to Vishnu as the householder of the three worlds, content with his two consorts – Lakshmi, glowing like polished gold, and Bhoomi, the earth, gentle and dark as durva grass.
Shariram kalatram sutam bandhuvargam
vayasyam dhanam sadma bhrityam bhuvam cha
samastam parityajya ha kashtam eko
gamishyami duhkhena duram kilaham
शरीरं कलत्रं सुतं बन्धुवर्गं
वयस्यं धनं सद्म भृत्यं भुवं च
समस्तं परित्यज्य हा कष्टमेको
गमिष्यामि दुःखेन दूरं किलाहम्
Meaning
Here the mood shifts to raw human grief. The devotee laments having to leave everything behind at death – body, spouse, children, kin, friends, wealth, home, servants and land – to travel that last distance alone and in sorrow.
Jareyam pishachiva ha jivato me
vasamatti raktam cha mamsam balam cha
aho deva sidami dinanukampin
kimadyapi hanta tvayodasitavyam
जरेयं पिशाचीव हा जीवतो मे
वसामत्ति रक्तं च मांसं बलं च
अहो देव सीदामि दीनानुकम्पिन्
किमद्यापि हन्त त्वयोदासितव्यम्
Meaning
Old age, he says, feeds on him like a ghost even while he still lives, draining blood, flesh and strength. He calls out to the God who is kind to the humble, asking why help has not yet come.
Kaphavyahatoshnolbanashvasavega-vyathavisphurat-sarvamarmasthibandham
vichintyaham antyam asankhyam avastham
bibhemi prabho kim karomi prasida
कफव्याहतोष्णोल्बणश्वासवेगव्यथाविस्फुरत्सर्वमर्मास्थिबन्धाम्
विचिन्त्याहमन्त्यामसङ्ख्यामवस्थां
बिभेमि प्रभो किं करोमि प्रसीद
Meaning
Thinking ahead to the final struggle of death – labored breath, aching joints, a body giving way – the devotee admits his fear plainly and asks the Lord what he should do, pleading simply to be shown grace.
Lapannachyutananta govinda vishno
murare hare natha narayaneti
yathanusmarishyami bhaktya bhavantam
tatha me dayashila deva prasida
लपन्नच्युतानन्त गोविन्द विष्णो
मुरारे हरे नाथ नारायणेति
यथानुस्मरिष्यामि भक्त्या भवन्तं
तथा मे दयाशील देव प्रसीद
Meaning
He calls out Vishnu's names one after another – Achyuta, Ananta, Govinda, Murari, Hari, Natha, Narayana – hoping that whatever name arises in his mind through devotion, the compassionate Lord will answer with grace.
Bhujangaprayatam pathedyastu bhaktya
samadhaya chitte bhavantam murare
sa moham vihayashu yushmat prasadat
samashritya yogam vrajatyachyutam tvam
भुजङ्गप्रयातं पठेद्यस्तु भक्त्या
समाधाय चित्ते भवन्तं मुरारे
स मोहं विहायाशु युष्मत् प्रसादात्
समाश्रित्य योगं व्रजत्यच्युतं त्वाम्
Meaning
The closing verse promises that anyone who recites this Bhujanga Prayata hymn with devotion, keeping Vishnu fixed in the heart, is freed from delusion by his grace and, through that surrender, reaches the imperishable Lord himself.
Meaning and Structure of the Vishnu Bhujanga Stotram
The first eight verses build a steady meditative picture of Vishnu – formless Brahman beyond all description in verses 1-2, radiant as countless suns in verses 3-4, then a fully ornamented divine form from his hair down to his feet in verses 5-7, with verse 8 explaining that this is the form Vishnu shows specifically to his devotees.
Verse 9 turns to Vishnu as householder of the three worlds with his two consorts, Lakshmi and Bhoomi. From verse 10 onward the tone changes sharply: the devotee speaks in his own voice about the fear of old age, sickness and the approach of death, before verse 13 closes that section with a plea answered by whichever name of the Lord rises to mind. The final verse, a phalashruti, promises grace to anyone who recites the hymn with devotion.
How to Chant the Vishnu Bhujanga Stotram
- – Sit facing east or north, light a lamp, and keep an image of Vishnu or Narayana in view.
- – Begin with a short invocation such as Om Namo Narayanaya and take a few calm breaths before starting.
- – Recite the fourteen verses slowly, following the gliding rhythm of the Bhujanga Prayata meter rather than rushing through the lines.
- – Pause briefly after verse 9 to let the imagery of Vishnu's form settle before moving into the more personal verses that follow.
- – Close with verse 14 and a few more rounds of Om Namo Narayanaya, then sit quietly for a minute before rising.
- – It is traditionally chanted for or with an elderly or unwell family member, in the same spirit in which Shankara first composed it for his mother.
Benefits of Chanting Vishnu Bhujanga Stotram
Because of how and why it was composed, this stotra is chanted less as a general praise-hymn and more as a source of comfort in the face of aging, illness and death.
- : Offers comfort around old age and the approach of death, since the hymn was composed for exactly that moment at Shankara's mother's bedside.
- : Builds a clear, detailed mental image of Vishnu's form, verse by verse, which can support meditation and visualization practice.
- : The flowing four-beat rhythm of the Bhujanga Prayata meter is said to have a calming effect when the verses are recited slowly.
- : Gives devotional voice to fear and grief rather than setting them aside, which many find easier to sit with in difficult periods.
- : Connects the reciter to Adi Shankara's wider family of Bhujanga Prayata hymns, alongside his Shiva Bhujanga and Rama Bhujanga stotras.
- : Traditionally recited for the peace and wellbeing of aging or ailing family members, or read aloud at their side.
The Story Behind the Vishnu Bhujanga Stotram
Tradition places this stotram at Adi Shankaracharya’s mother’s deathbed. He had already composed the Shiva Bhujanga Prayata Stotra to help her toward liberation, and Lord Shiva’s attendants are said to have arrived to escort her – but she was frightened by their forest garb, tiger-skin wraps and belts of snakes.
Seeing her fear, Shankara asked them to wait and composed this second hymn, this time to Vishnu, in the same Bhujanga Prayata meter. When Vishnu’s own gentle attendants came in their place, she is said to have gone with them at peace. The stotram carries that dual character even in its text – the earlier verses are serene praise of Vishnu’s form, while the later verses speak plainly about aging and the fear of death, in words that read as though written for exactly that bedside moment.
It belongs to a family of Bhujanga Prayata hymns Adi Shankara composed for different deities. Bhaktiras already carries two of its companions, the Shiva Bhujanga Stotram and the Rama Bhujanga Stotram.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many verses does the Vishnu Bhujanga Stotram have?
The standard recension, matched word-for-word across sanskritdocuments.org and Stotra Nidhi, has 14 verses – 13 verses of praise and personal appeal, plus one closing phalashruti verse. A longer 17-verse version circulates on a few translation sites, but the extra verses do not appear in the primary Sanskrit sources, so they are treated here as a later variant rather than the original text.
Who composed the Vishnu Bhujanga Stotram?
Adi Shankaracharya composed it in the Bhujanga Prayata meter, a rhythm named for the gliding movement of a serpent.
What is the story behind this stotram?
It is traditionally linked to Adi Shankara's mother's final days: he first composed a Shiva Bhujanga hymn for her, but she was frightened by the appearance of Shiva's attendants, so he composed this Vishnu hymn instead.
What is the Vishnu Bhujanga Stotram about?
Its first nine verses describe Vishnu's formless nature and then his radiant, ornamented form as a householder deity. The remaining verses shift to a personal voice, expressing fear of old age and death and asking for Vishnu's grace, before a closing verse describes the benefit of reciting the hymn.
Is the Vishnu Bhujanga Stotram the same as the Vishnu Sahasranama?
No. The Vishnu Sahasranama is a separate, much longer text listing a thousand names of Vishnu. The Vishnu Bhujanga Stotram is a short 14-verse hymn by Adi Shankara in a specific poetic meter, with its own distinct origin story.
When should the Vishnu Bhujanga Stotram be chanted?
It is commonly chanted on Thursdays or on Ekadashi, during the morning or evening sandhya, and especially during illness, old age or while caring for an elderly family member.
How is the Vishnu Bhujanga Stotram related to the Shiva Bhujanga and Rama Bhujanga stotras?
All three belong to the same family of hymns Adi Shankara composed in the Bhujanga Prayata meter, one to each deity. Bhaktiras carries all three: this Vishnu Bhujanga Stotram, the Shiva Bhujanga Stotram, and the Rama Bhujanga Stotram.
Does chanting this stotram require any special preparation?
No special initiation is required. Reciting it with a calm mind, ideally after a bath and facing east or north with a lamp lit, is enough for personal devotional practice.
॥ ॐ नमो नारायणाय ॥