Guided recitation 05

Viṣṇu Dhyāna Verse

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Widely recited Viṣṇu meditation verse

The verse is widely known; learn its language and recitation without attaching it to one text by assumption.

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01 · Devanāgarī

शान्ताकारं भुजगशयनं पद्मनाभं सुरेशम् । विश्वाधारं गगनसदृशं मेघवर्णं शुभाङ्गम् । लक्ष्मीकान्तं कमलनयनं योगिभिर्ध्यानगम्यम् । वन्दे विष्णुं भवभयहरं सर्वलोकैकनाथम् ॥

02 · IAST transliteration

śāntākāraṃ bhujagaśayanaṃ padmanābhaṃ sureśam | viśvādhāraṃ gaganasadṛśaṃ meghavarṇaṃ śubhāṅgam | lakṣmīkāntaṃ kamalanayanaṃ yogibhirdhyānagamyam | vande viṣṇuṃ bhavabhayaharaṃ sarvalokaikanātham ||

03 · Learning rendering

I bow to Viṣṇu: serene in form, reclining on the serpent, lotus-naveled, lord of the gods; support of the universe, vast as the sky, cloud-hued, auspicious-limbed; beloved of Lakṣmī, lotus-eyed, approached by yogins in meditation, remover of the fear of worldly becoming, sole lord of all worlds.

Compact Guru Om Ka learning rendering for a widely recited form. Avoid assuming a more specific textual source.

Word attention

Vocabulary in the verse

These are compact learning glosses, not claims that each word has one fixed English equivalent in every context.

शान्ताकारम्
śāntākāramserene in form
भुजगशयनम्
bhujagaśayanamreclining on the serpent
पद्मनाभम्
padmanābhamlotus-naveled
विश्वाधारम्
viśvādhāramsupport of the universe
कमलनयनम्
kamalanayanamlotus-eyed
ध्यानगम्यम्
dhyānagamyamapproached through meditation
भवभयहरम्
bhavabhayaharamremoving fear of worldly becoming
सर्वलोकैकनाथम्
sarvalokaikanāthamsole lord of all worlds

Learning context

What to notice about this text

This verse is widely recited as a Viṣṇu meditation prayer. Its exact textual witness has not yet been established, so learn the language and recitation without assuming a more specific attribution.

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