Sri Brahma Ashtottara Shatanamavali
1. Om Brahmane Namah
2. Om Gaayatreepataye Namah
3. Om Saavitreepataye Namah
4. Om Sarasvatipataye Namah
5. Om Prajaapataye Namah
6. Om Hiranyagarbhaaya Namah
7. Om Kamandaludharaaya Namah
8. Om Raktavarnaaya Namah
9. Om Oordhvalokapaalaaya Namah
10. Om Varadaaya Namah
11. Om Vanamaaline Namah
12. Om Surashreshthaaya Namah
13. Om Pitamahaaya Namah
14. Om Vedagarbhaaya Namah
15. Om Chaturmukhaaya Namah
16. Om Srishtikartre Namah
17. Om Brihaspataye Namah
18. Om Baalaroopine Namah
19. Om Surapriyaaya Namah
20. Om Chakradevaaya Namah
21. Om Bhuvanaadhipaaya Namah
22. Om Pundareekaakshaaya Namah
23. Om Peetaakshaaya Namah
24. Om Vijayaaya Namah
25. Om Purushottamaaya Namah
26. Om Padmahastaaya Namah
27. Om Tamonude Namah
28. Om Janaanandaaya Namah
29. Om Janapriyaaya Namah
30. Om Brahmane Namah
31. Om Munaye Namah
32. Om Shreenivaasaaya Namah
33. Om Shubhankaraaya Namah
34. Om Devakartre Namah
35. Om Srashtre Namah
36. Om Vishnave Namah
37. Om Bhaargavaaya Namah
38. Om Gonardaaya Namah
39. Om Pitaamahaaya Namah
40. Om Mahaadevaaya Namah
41. Om Raaghavaaya Namah
42. Om Virinchaye Namah
43. Om Vaaraahaaya Namah
44. Om Shankaraaya Namah
45. Om Srikaahastaaya Namah
46. Om Padmanetraaya Namah
47. Om Kushahastaaya Namah
48. Om Govindaaya Namah
49. Om Surendraaya Namah
50. Om Padmatanave Namah
51. Om Madhvakshaaya Namah
52. Om Kanakaprabhaaya Namah
53. Om Annadaatre Namah
54. Om Shambhave Namah
55. Om Paulastyaaya Namah
56. Om Hamsavaahanaaya Namah
57. Om Vasishthaaya Namah
58. Om Naaradaaya Namah
59. Om Shrutidaatre Namah
60. Om Yajushaam Pataye Namah
61. Om Madhupriyaaya Namah
62. Om Naaraayanaaya Namah
63. Om Dvijapriyaaya Namah
64. Om Brahmagarbhaaya Namah
65. Om Sutapriyaaya Namah
66. Om Mahaaroopaaya Namah
67. Om Suroopaaya Namah
68. Om Vishvakarmane Namah
69. Om Janaadhyakshaaya Namah
70. Om Devaadhyakshaaya Namah
71. Om Gangaadharaaya Namah
72. Om Jaladaaya Namah
73. Om Tripuraaraye Namah
74. Om Trilochanaaya Namah
75. Om Vadhanaashanaaya Namah
76. Om Shauraye Namah
77. Om Chakradhaarakaaya Namah
78. Om Viroopaakshaaya Namah
79. Om Gautamaaya Namah
80. Om Maalyavate Namah
81. Om Dvijendraaya Namah
82. Om Divaanaathaaya Namah
83. Om Purandaraaya Namah
84. Om Hamsabaahave Namah
85. Om Garudapriyaaya Namah
86. Om Mahaayakshaaya Namah
87. Om Suyajnyaaya Namah
88. Om Shuklavarnaaya Namah
89. Om Padmabodhakaaya Namah
90. Om Lingine Namah
91. Om Umaapataye Namah
92. Om Vinaayakaaya Namah
93. Om Dhanaadhipaaya Namah
94. Om Vaasukaye Namah
95. Om Yugaadhyakshaaya Namah
96. Om Streeraajyaaya Namah
97. Om Subhogaaya Namah
98. Om Takshakaaya Namah
99. Om Paapahartre Namah
100. Om Sudarshanaaya Namah
101. Om Mahaaveeraaya Namah
102. Om Durganaashanaaya Namah
103. Om Padmagrihaaya Namah
104. Om Mrigalaanchhanaaya Namah
105. Om Vedaroopine Namah
106. Om Akshamaalaadharaaya Namah
107. Om Braahmanapriyaaya Namah
108. Om Vidhaye Namah
Iti Brahmaashtottarashatanaamaavalih
Meaning
What the list is
The Brahma Ashtottara Shatanamavali offers 108 names to Brahma, the creator. It opens with Om Brahmane Namah and closes with Om Vidhaye Namah, Vidhi being the one who writes destiny. The text does not name an author or a source Purana.
Consorts and Vedic titles
Names two to four are Gayatripati, Savitripati and Saraswatipati. Prajapati and Hiranyagarbha follow, two titles from the Vedas: the lord of creatures and the golden womb from which the world unfolds. Vedagarbha, Pitamaha, Srishtikarta, Srashta and Viranchi present him as the source of the Vedas and grandfather of the worlds.
His image
Chaturmukha, Kamandaludhara, Akshamaladhara, Kushahasta, Padmahasta and Hamsavahana describe the four-faced figure with water pot, rosary and darbha grass, seated on a swan. Raktavarna, Kanakaprabha and Shuklavarna give the different colours used in his meditation verses.
Other gods inside the list
What stands out is how many other deities are folded into Brahma's names: Pundarikaksha, Purushottama, Srinivasa, Narayana and Govinda from Vishnu; Shankara, Shambhu, Tripurari, Umapati and Gangadhara from Shiva; and Vinayaka, Dhanadhipa, Vasuki and Takshaka. Vasishtha, Narada, Bhargava, Gautama and Paulastya recall the sage lineages that began with his mind-born sons. The creator is praised through everything he created.
When it is used
Since temple worship of Brahma is rare, the namavali is mostly heard in home rituals that invoke him, such as Vastu shanti and griha pravesham.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the Brahma Ashtottara Shatanamavali open with Gayatripati and Savitripati?
Why are Vishnu and Shiva names found in the Brahma Ashtottara?
Which Brahma Ashtottara names describe his iconography?
Why do sages like Vasishtha and Narada appear in the Brahma Ashtottara?
When is the Brahma Ashtottara Shatanamavali used in worship?
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