Dhyana Shlokam

Before we enter a thousand names of the Lord, I would like to first take you through a brief description of the dhyana-shlokam. After you have gone through this description, I invite you to close your eyes and imagine the description I am about to give you and experience the dhyana-shlokam again.

क्षीरोदन्वत्प्रदेशे शुचिमणिविलसत्सैकते मौक्तिकानां मालाकॢप्तासनस्थः स्फटिकमणिनिभैर्मौक्तिकैर्मण्डिताङ्गः ।

शुभ्रैरभ्रैरदभ्रैरुपरि विरचितैर्मुक्तपीयूषवर्षैः आनन्दी नः पुनीयादरिनलिनगदाशङ्खपाणिर्मुकुन्दः ॥

kṣīrōdanvatpradēśē śucimaṇivilasatsaikatē mauktikānāṃ mālākḷptāsanasthaḥ sphaṭikamaṇinibhairmauktikairmaṇḍitāṅgaḥ |

śubhrairabhrairadabhrairupari viracitairmuktapīyūṣavarṣaiḥ ānandī naḥ punīyādarinalinagadāśaṅkhapāṇirmukundaḥ ||

The Lord resides in Sri Vaikuntham, situated in the centre of the milky ocean (Ksheerabdhi). Just as our earthly ocean has sand at the shore, the shore of Ksheerabdhi is studded with various riches such as diamonds, jewels, pearls, etc., which have originated from the Lord coming in contact with Ksheerabdhi. Zooming in on the Lord, He is seen adorning the holy garland, Mukunda.

The Lord is seen reclining on Adisesha, above whom is said to be a cloud continuously showering the Lord gently with drops of Amritam or nectar, which ensures eternal happiness in His abode.

भूः पादौ यस्य नाभिर्वियदसुरनिलश्चन्द्रसूर्यौ च नेत्रे कर्णावाशाः शिरो द्यौर्मुखमपि दहनो यस्य वास्तेयमब्धिः ।

अन्तःस्थं यस्य विश्वं सुरनरखगगोभोगिगन्धर्वदैत्यैः चित्रं रंरम्यते तं त्रिभुवनवपुषं विष्णुमीशं नमामि ॥

bhūḥ pādau yasya nābhirviyadasuranilaścandrasūryau ca nētrē karṇāvāśāḥ śirō dyaurmukhamapi dahanō yasya vāstēyamabdhiḥ |

antaḥsthaṃ yasya viśvaṃ suranarakhagagōbhōgigandharvadaityaiḥ citraṃ raṃramyatē taṃ tribhuvanavapuṣaṃ viṣṇumīśaṃ namāmi ||

The Vishwaroopam form of the Lord has been explained above. His foot measured the earth; His navel encompasses the vast expanses of space; all of the air that surrounds us, we see, feel, and breathe is just a single breath of the Lord; the sun and moon are His eyes; all the directions are in His ears; all of the heavens and expanses of the seven worlds above us constitute His head; His face is that which glows and gives warmth like that of a great roaring inextinguishable flame; His residence is in the milky ocean known as Ksheerabdhi.

The entire universe and all of its inhabitants are contained within Him. To that Lord who has no equal in this universe, who creates such a beautiful vision of Himself for me to view, I prostrate myself before Him.

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥

ōṃ namō bhagavatē vāsudēvāya ||

शान्ताकारं भुजगशयनं पद्मनाभं सुरेशं विश्वाधारं गगनसदृशं मेघवर्णं शुभाङ्गम् ।

लक्ष्मीकान्तं कमलनयनं योगिहृद्ध्यानगम्यं वन्दे विष्णुं भवभयहरं सर्वलोकैकनाथम् ॥

śāntākāraṃ bhujagaśayanaṃ padmanābhaṃ surēśaṃ viśvādhāraṃ gaganasadṛśaṃ mēghavarṇaṃ śubhāṅgam |

lakṣmīkāntaṃ kamalanayanaṃ yōgihṛddhyānagamyaṃ vandē viṣṇuṃ bhavabhayaharaṃ sarvalōkaikanātham ||

After seeing the gross form of the Lord, which is often difficult for us to imagine, Maharishi Vedavyasa gives us the picture of the Lord in a cosmic form, which is somewhat more accessible to us so we may wrap our heads around the Lord more easily.

The Lord may be seen as calm as he reclines on Adisesha. From His navel arises a lotus atop which is seated, Lord Brahma. Lord Brahma is our creator and the one responsible for giving the various gods their roles in creation. Thus, Lord Vishnu is the Lord even to the Gods. It is He who permeates all of space. (Space is said to be vast and unimaginable. It is said to possess qualities one cannot fathom, and such is said to be the nature of God.) That being said, the Lord's colour is comparable to that of a full rain cloud, dark-coloured.

He who is the consort of Sri Mahalakshmi has eyes like that of a freshly bloomed lotus; who is worshipped by all the sage and preservers of all that is good; the one who is the destroyer of all fears; I ask for refuge at your holy feet oh Lord of all Lords.

मेघश्यामं पीतकौशेयवासं श्रीवत्साङ्कं कौस्तुभोद्भासिताङ्गम् ।

पुण्योपेतं पुण्डरीकायताक्षं विष्णुं वन्दे सर्वलोकैकनाथम् ॥

mēghaśyāmaṃ pītakauśēyavāsaṃ śrīvatsāṅkaṃ kaustubhōdbhāsitāṅgam |

puṇyōpētaṃ puṇḍarīkāyatākṣaṃ viṣṇuṃ vandē sarvalōkaikanātham ||

He who sports the holy gem Kaustubha in his heart. (this divine gem is said to signify all the jeevaatmas, in turn, meaning He keeps all of His devotees close to Him)

Upon gaining viewership of Him, particularly His lotus petal-like eyes, all sins are relinquished, and all that remains is a virtue. I pray and pledge my allegiance to that Lord Vishnu.

नमः समस्तभूतानामादिभूताय भूभृते ।

अनेकरूपरूपाय विष्णवे प्रभविष्णवे ॥

namaḥ samastabhūtānāmādibhūtāya bhūbhṛtē |

anēkarūparūpāya viṣṇavē prabhaviṣṇavē ||

सशङ्खचक्रं सकिरीटकुण्डलं सपीतवस्त्रं सरसीरुहेक्षणम् ।

सहारवक्षःस्थलशोभिकौस्तुभं नमामि विष्णुं शिरसा चतुर्भुजम् ॥

saśaṅkhacakraṃ sakirīṭakuṇḍalaṃ sapītavastraṃ sarasīruhēkṣaṇam |

sahāravakṣaḥsthalaśōbhikaustubhaṃ namāmi viṣṇuṃ śirasā caturbhujam ||

The one who holds the Panchajanya Shankam, Sudarshana Chakram, adorns a royal crown, wears a yellow-coloured attire and adorns the great Kausthubha; I seek refuge within You.

छायायां पारिजातस्य हेमसिंहासनोपरि आसीनमम्बुदश्याममायताक्षमलङ्कृतम् ।

चन्द्राननं चतुर्बाहुं श्रीवत्साङ्कितवक्षसम् रुक्मिणीसत्यभामाभ्यां सहितं कृष्णमाश्रये ॥

chāyāyāṃ pārijātasya hēmasiṃhāsanōpari āsīnamambudaśyāmamāyatākṣamalaṅkṛtam |

candrānanaṃ caturbāhuṃ śrīvatsāṅkitavakṣasam rukmiṇīsatyabhāmābhyāṃ sahitaṃ kṛṣṇamāśrayē ||

For those who cannot imagine the Lord in any of the above circumstances, Maharishi Vedavyasa asks the reciter to paint a picture of Krishna in their heads. Seated beside Him on either side are Rukmini and Satyabhama. They are all sitting on a golden throne under the cool shade of the Parijata tree, ready to bless all their devotees.