About this reading
Read twelve names of Vishnu, with explanations of Narayana, Padmanabha, Madhava and other traditional epithets.
This is a name invocation collection. The explanations below are concise reading aids, rather than a complete word-by-word translation. Recitation traditions can differ.
Original text and meaning
1. विष्णवे
ॐ विष्णवे नमः ।
Roman reading: Oṃ viṣṇave namaḥ .
Meaning: Salutations to Vishnu, the all-pervading.
2. लक्ष्मीपतये
ॐ लक्ष्मीपतये नमः ।
Roman reading: Oṃ lakṣmīpataye namaḥ .
Meaning: Salutations to Vishnu, consort of Lakshmi.
3. जगन्नाथाय
ॐ जगन्नाथाय नमः ।
Roman reading: Oṃ jagannāthāya namaḥ .
Meaning: Salutations to Vishnu as lord of the world.
4. वासुदेवाय
ॐ वासुदेवाय नमः ।
Roman reading: Oṃ vāsudevāya namaḥ .
Meaning: Salutations to Vishnu revered as Vasudeva.
5. त्रिविक्रमाय
ॐ त्रिविक्रमाय नमः ।
Roman reading: Oṃ trivikramāya namaḥ .
Meaning: Salutations to Trivikrama, associated with the three strides.
6. नारायणाय
ॐ नारायणाय नमः ।
Roman reading: Oṃ nārāyaṇāya namaḥ .
Meaning: Salutations to Vishnu as Narayana.
7. पद्मनाभाय
ॐ पद्मनाभाय नमः ।
Roman reading: Oṃ padmanābhāya namaḥ .
Meaning: Salutations to Vishnu whose navel is associated with the lotus.
8. हृषीकेशाय
ॐ हृषीकेशाय नमः ।
Roman reading: Oṃ hṛṣīkeśāya namaḥ .
Meaning: Salutations to Hrishikesha, lord of the senses.
9. माधवाय
ॐ माधवाय नमः ।
Roman reading: Oṃ mādhavāya namaḥ .
Meaning: Salutations to Vishnu revered as Madhava.
10. चक्रपाणये
ॐ चक्रपाणये नमः ।
Roman reading: Oṃ cakrapāṇaye namaḥ .
Meaning: Salutations to Vishnu bearing the discus.
11. गदाधराय
ॐ गदाधराय नमः ।
Roman reading: Oṃ gadādharāya namaḥ .
Meaning: Salutations to Vishnu who holds the mace.
12. श्रीधराय
ॐ श्रीधराय नमः ।
Roman reading: Oṃ śrīdharāya namaḥ .
Meaning: Salutations to Vishnu associated with Shri, or Lakshmi.
Reading and repetition
- Read the text slowly and understand its meaning first. You may begin with one name or one prayer.
- Sit comfortably and repeat at a natural pace. Clear, attentive reading matters more than a count; no number is prescribed for every reader.
- Roman text is a reading aid. It does not encode Vedic pitch accents or replace instruction in your recitation tradition. Follow appropriate guidance for a formal ritual.
- The accompanying artwork is a symbolic devotional depiction. Use it to connect the name being read with its subject.
Text reference
Consult the Sanskrit text reference
The collection uses selected names and short traditional texts. The explanations and reading guidance above were written for this collection.
