Namaskaram

V

Sri Vishnu Shodasha Naama Stotram

StotramVishnu

śrī viṣṇu ṣoḍaśanāma stotraṃ

auṣadhe ciṃtayedviṣṇuṃ bhojane ca janārdanam |
śayane padmanābhaṃ ca vivāhe ca prajāpatim || 1 ||

yuddhe cakradharaṃ devaṃ pravāse ca trivikramam |
nārāyaṇaṃ tanutyāge śrīdharaṃ priyasaṃgame || 2 ||

dussvapne smara goviṃdaṃ saṃkaṭe madhusūdanam |
kānane nārasiṃhaṃ ca pāvake jalaśāyinam || 3 ||

jalamadhye varāhaṃ ca parvate raghunaṃdanam |
gamane vāmanaṃ caiva sarvakāleṣu mādhavam || 4 ||

ṣoḍaśaitāni nāmāni prātarūtthāya yaḥ paṭhet |
sarvapāpavinirmukto viṣṇuloke mahīyate || 5 ||

Meaning

1.

While taking medicine, remember Vishnu; while eating food, remember Janardana;

while sleeping, think of Padmanabha; and at the time of marriage, remember Prajapati.

 

2.

In battle, meditate upon the Lord who bears the discus (Chakradhara); during travel, remember Trivikrama;

at the moment of death, think of Narayana; and during union with loved ones, recall Shridhara.

 

3.

When troubled by bad dreams, remember Govinda; in danger, call upon Madhusudana;

in the forest, meditate on Narasimha; in fire or distress, remember Jalashayi — the Lord who rests upon the ocean.

 

4.

While in the water, think of Varaha; in the mountains, Raghunandana (Sri Rama);

while walking or traveling, remember Vamana; and at all times, remember Madhava.

 

5.

Whoever recites these sixteen divine names every morning upon waking,

is freed from all sins and attains the supreme abode — the Vishnu Loka.

 

 

 

Summary:

 

 

The Sri Vishnoh Shodasha Nama Stotram is a practical guide for daily remembrance of Lord Vishnu in all activities of life.

Each name corresponds to a situation — reminding devotees that every moment, mundane or critical, can be sanctified by invoking the Lord’s presence.

This simple daily practice protects the devotee, purifies the mind, and ensures liberation.

Chanting these sixteen names at dawn is said to wash away all sins and grant a place in the Lord’s eternal abode.

Frequently asked questions

What are the sixteen names in the Sri Vishnu Shodasha Naama Stotram?
Vishnu, Janardana, Padmanabha, Prajapati, Chakradhara, Trivikrama, Narayana, Sridhara, Govinda, Madhusudana, Narasimha, Jalashayi, Varaha, Raghunandana, Vamana and Madhava. Each one is tied to a particular moment in daily life.
Which name does the Shodasha Naama Stotram give for taking medicine and eating?
The first verse says to think of Vishnu when taking medicine, Janardana while eating and Padmanabha when lying down to sleep. The same verse names Prajapati for a wedding.
Which names does the Vishnu Shodasha Naama Stotram give for danger and bad dreams?
Verse 3 gives Govinda after a bad dream, Madhusudana in a crisis, Narasimha in a forest and Jalashayi in a fire. Verse 4 adds Varaha in water, Raghunandana on a mountain and Vamana when setting out.
What does the closing verse of the Vishnu Shodasha Naama Stotram say?
It says that whoever recites these sixteen names on rising in the morning is freed from all sins and is honoured in the world of Vishnu.
How long does the Vishnu Shodasha Naama Stotram take to recite?
With only five verses, it takes under a minute. Because the closing verse names the early morning, many families teach it to children as a waking prayer.

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