Vishnu Ashtakam
श्री विष्ण्वष्टकम्
What is the Vishnu Ashtakam?
Vishnu Ashtakam The Vishnu Ashtakam is an eight-verse Sanskrit hymn composed by the Kerala saint Sri Narayana Guru in praise of Lord Vishnu. Each verse describes a different aspect of Vishnu's form and grace, from his lotus eyes and crown to his rest on the serpent Shesha in the ocean of milk, and the final verse is a direct surrender at his feet. It is traditionally chanted on Thursdays and on Ekadashi for peace, protection and the release of accumulated sin.
The Vishnu Ashtakam is a short, direct hymn of eight verses that moves through the many faces of Vishnu one at a time: the god of wide lotus eyes worshipped by Shiva and Brahma, the wearer of yellow silk and jeweled crown, the one who rests on the coiled serpent in the ocean of milk, and the protector who takes up form after form to carry the burden of the earth. It ends the way most surrender hymns do, with the devotee simply bowing and asking for nothing but nearness. Composed by the reformer-saint Sri Narayana Guru, it is short enough for daily use and is a good starting point for anyone new to Vishnu stotras.
Vishnu Ashtakam Lyrics
Transliteration is given without diacritics for easy reading, with the Devanagari alongside. Tap any verse to reveal its meaning.
Vishnum vishalarunapadmanetram
vibhantam ishambujayonipujitam
sanatanam sanmatishodhitam param
pumamsam adyam satatam prapadye
विष्णुं विशालारुणपद्मनेत्रं
विभान्तमीशांबुजयोनिपूजितम्
सनातनं सन्मतिशोधितं परं
पुमांसमाद्यं सततं प्रपद्ये
Meaning
I take refuge, always, in Vishnu, whose eyes are wide and red like the lotus, who shines and is worshipped by both Shiva and Brahma. He is eternal, known through right understanding, and the first and highest of beings.
Kalyanadam kama-phala-pradayakam
karunya-rupam kali-kalmasha-ghnam
kalanidhim kama-tanuja-madyam
namami lakshmisham aham mahantam
कल्याणदं कामफलप्रदायकं
कारुण्यरूपं कलिकल्मषघ्नम्
कलानिधिं कामतनूजमाद्यं
नमामि लक्ष्मीशमहं महान्तम्
Meaning
I bow to the great Lord of Lakshmi, who gives good fortune and grants what is truly sought. His very form is compassion, he washes away the faults of this age, and he is a storehouse of every skill and art.
Pitambaram bhringa-nibham pitamaha-
pramukhya-vandyam jagad-adi-devam
kirita-keyura-mukhaih prashobhitam
shri-keshavam santatam anato-asmi
पीतांबरं भृङ्गनिभं पितामह-
प्रमुख्यवन्द्यं जगदादिदेवम्
किरीटकेयूरमुखैः प्रशोभितं
श्रीकेशवं सन्ततमानतोऽस्मि
Meaning
I bow again and again to Sri Keshava, dressed in yellow silk, dark as a bee, honoured by Brahma and the great gods before him. He is the first deity of the world, glowing in his crown and armlets.
Bhujanga-talpam bhuvanaika-natham
punah punah svikrita-kayam adyam
purandaradyair api vanditam sada
mukundam atyanta-manoharam bhaje
भुजङ्गतल्पं भुवनैकनाथं
पुनः पुनः स्वीकृतकायमाद्यम्
पुरन्दराद्यैरपि वन्दितं सदा
मुकुन्दमत्यन्तमनोहरं भजे
Meaning
I worship Mukunda, who rests on the coiled serpent, the one lord of every world. He is the original being who takes on a body again and again, honoured always even by Indra and the other gods, and endlessly beautiful to behold.
Kshirambu-rasher abhitah sphurantam
shayanam adyanta-vihinam avyayam
sat-sevitam sarasa-nabham uchchaih
vighoshitam keshi-nishudanam bhaje
क्षीरांबुराशेरभितः स्फुरन्तं
शयानमाद्यन्तविहीनमव्ययम्
सत्सेवितं सारसनाभमुच्चैः
विघोषितं केशिनिषूदनं भजे
Meaning
I worship the slayer of the demon Keshi, who glows as he reclines in the ocean of milk, without beginning or end, unchanging. Good people serve him, a lotus grows from his navel, and his fame is proclaimed far and wide.
Bhaktarti-hantaram ahar-nishantam
munindra-pushpanjali-pada-pankajam
bhava-ghnam adhara-maha-ashrayam param
para-param pankaja-lochanam bhaje
भक्तार्त्तिहन्तारमहर्न्निशन्तं
मुनीन्द्रपुष्पाञ्जलिपादपङ्कजम्
भवघ्नमाधारमहाश्रयं परं
परापरं पङ्कजलोचनं भजे
Meaning
I worship the lotus-eyed one, who removes his devotees' pain day and night. Great sages offer flowers at his lotus feet. He ends the cycle of worldly bondage, the ultimate support and refuge, higher than the highest.
Narayanam danava-kanana-analam
nata-priyam nama-vihinam avyayam
hartum bhuvo bharam ananta-vigraham
sva-svikrita-kshma-varam idito-asmi
नारायणं दानवकाननानलं
नतप्रियं नामविहीनमव्ययम्
हर्त्तुं भुवो भारमनन्तविग्रहं
स्वस्वीकृतक्ष्मावरमीडितोऽस्मि
Meaning
I praise Narayana, a fire to the forest of demons, dear to those who bow to him, beyond any single name, unchanging. His forms are endless, and he takes up the earth's own weight upon himself to set her free of it.
Namo-astu te natha vara-pradayin
namo-astu te keshava kinkaro-asmi
namo-astu te narada-pujitanghre
namo namas tvach-charanam prapadye
नमोऽस्तु ते नाथ वरप्रदायिन्
नमोऽस्तु ते केशव किङ्करोऽस्मि
नमोऽस्तु ते नारदपूजिताङ्घ्रे
नमो नमस्त्वच्चरणं प्रपद्ये
Meaning
Salutations to you, Lord and giver of every boon. Salutations to you, Keshava, I am your servant. Salutations to you, whose feet Narada himself worships. I bow again and again, and I take refuge at your feet.
Meaning and Message of the Vishnu Ashtakam
The Vishnu Ashtakam works like eight short snapshots of the same figure seen from different angles. The first three verses stay close to Vishnu’s appearance and standing, his eyes, his silk and jewels, and the fact that even Shiva and Brahma bow to him. Verses four and five move to his most familiar image, resting on the serpent Shesha in the ocean of milk, timeless and beyond change. Verses six and seven turn to what he does for the world, easing his devotees’ pain and carrying the earth’s burden himself so it does not fall on anyone else. The hymn closes the way many short Vishnu stotras do, with a plain, repeated ‘namo-astu te’, salutations to you, ending in surrender at his feet rather than a request for anything specific.
Because each verse is self-contained, the Ashtakam works well as a short daily recitation. A person who cannot memorise a longer stotra can still take one verse a day and build up the whole hymn gradually, which is part of why short ashtakams like this one remain popular for home worship.
When and How to Chant the Vishnu Ashtakam
- – Wash your hands and face, sit facing east or north, and light a lamp or incense if you can.
- – Keep a picture or small murti of Vishnu in front of you, or simply close your eyes and picture him.
- – Begin with a single 'Om Namo Narayanaya' to settle your mind before the first verse.
- – Recite the eight verses slowly and clearly, pausing between each one rather than rushing through them.
- – Close with the phala shruti verse and a few silent breaths of gratitude before you get up.
- – On Ekadashi, pair the recitation with a simple, light meal or a fast if that is your practice.
Benefits of Reciting the Vishnu Ashtakam
The hymn’s own closing verse says a devoted reciter is freed from accumulated sin and reaches Vishnu’s world. In everyday terms, regular reciters and teachers around this text usually point to benefits like these.
- : A short, calm start or close to the day, since the whole hymn takes only a few minutes.
- : A gentle way to build the habit of daily worship without the pressure of a long text.
- : A sense of protection and steadiness, drawn from verses that describe Vishnu carrying the world's burdens.
- : Relief from guilt or a heavy conscience, in line with the phala shruti's promise of release from sin.
- : A natural fit for Ekadashi observance, when many households already turn toward Vishnu worship.
- : An easy entry point into Sanskrit stotra recitation for beginners, before moving on to longer hymns.
Origin and Author
The Vishnu Ashtakam is credited to Sri Narayana Guru (1855 to 1928), the Kerala saint, poet and social reformer best remembered for his temple consecrations and his teaching that there is one caste, one religion and one God for all people. Alongside his social work, Narayana Guru wrote a number of short Sanskrit devotional works, and this eight-verse praise of Vishnu is one of them, preserved today through Sanskrit text archives and recited in many South Indian households.
The hymn does not narrate a story or describe a specific temple. It stays with pure praise, moving from Vishnu’s form and setting to his protective role and closing in surrender, which is typical of the shorter ashtakam form found across Sanskrit devotional literature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who composed the Vishnu Ashtakam?
This version of the Vishnu Ashtakam was composed by Sri Narayana Guru, the 19th and early 20th century Kerala saint and social reformer. Several different hymns share the title Vishnu Ashtakam, so it helps to check the opening line, which here is 'Vishnum vishalarunapadmanetram'.
How many verses does the Vishnu Ashtakam have?
It has eight main verses, as the name Ashtakam suggests, followed by a short two-line phala shruti verse that describes the benefit of reciting it with devotion.
When should the Vishnu Ashtakam be chanted?
Thursday and Ekadashi are considered especially favourable, since both are traditionally linked to Vishnu, though it can be recited on any day, ideally in the early morning or at dusk.
Is the Vishnu Ashtakam different from the Vishnu Sahasranama?
Yes. The Vishnu Sahasranama lists a thousand names of Vishnu and is a much longer chant. The Vishnu Ashtakam is a short eight-verse hymn of praise and takes only a few minutes to recite.
Can beginners recite the Vishnu Ashtakam without knowing Sanskrit well?
Yes. The verses are short and the transliteration on this page has no diacritics, so it can be read phonetically. Reading it slowly with attention matters more than perfect pronunciation when starting out.
What does the last verse of the Vishnu Ashtakam mean?
The final verse is a direct salutation, repeating 'namo-astu te' (salutations to you) and ending with the reciter surrendering at Vishnu's feet, without asking for any specific favour.
Does reciting the Vishnu Ashtakam require any special ritual?
No elaborate ritual is required. A clean space, a lit lamp if possible, and a calm, unhurried recitation are enough. Many people simply add it to their existing morning or evening prayers.
What is the phala shruti of the Vishnu Ashtakam?
It says that a person who reads this Vishnu Ashtakam with devotion is freed from all sin and reaches the world of Vishnu, the traditional closing promise attached to many Sanskrit stotras.
॥ ॐ नमो नारायणाय ॥