Sri Vishnu Ashtavimshati Nama Stotram

The Sri Vishnu Ashtavimshati Nama Stotram records Arjuna’s question and Krishna’s reply listing twenty-eight sacred names of Lord Vishnu — names that span the great incarnations and personal forms of the Lord. The hymn names the fish, tortoise, boar, dwarf, and other avatāras as well as beloved forms like Govinda, Pundarīkāksha, Mādhava and Madhusūdana; it also mentions Padmanābha, Sahasrākṣa, Halaāyudha, Govardhana, Hṛṣīkeśa and the exalted Viṣṇu-forms such as Vaiḳuṇṭha and Puruṣottama.

Beyond cataloguing names, the stotram states the spiritual merits of their recitation: chanting these divine names continually wipes away sins, grants extraordinary merit (equated metaphorically with crores of cows or hundreds of horse-sacrifices), and bestows ritual and devotional rewards such as results akin to giving away thousands of brides or observing special lunar-day practices. The text prescribes regular remembrance at sandhyā (junctions of day), in the morning and at noon; doing so leads to liberation from sins and accrues great spiritual benefit.

In short, meditating on and chanting these twenty-eight names is presented as a concise and powerful sadhana — it purifies the heart, increases devotion, removes karmic obstacles, and brings both worldly and spiritual blessings through the grace of Lord Vishnu.

Benefits:
• Removes sins and karmic obstacles
• Grants great merit equivalent to large sacrificial gifts (symbolic rewards)
• Bestows ritual/household benefits (e.g., auspiciousness of kanyādāna)
• Regular chanting at prescribed times leads to spiritual purification and peace