Sanatana Dharma, often referred to as Hinduism in the modern context, is an ancient spiritual and philosophical tradition that encompasses a wide range of beliefs, practices, and cultural expressions originating in the Indian subcontinent. The term "Sanatana" means "eternal" or "everlasting," while "Dharma" refers to the moral and ethical duties, laws, and principles that govern individual conduct and societal harmony.
Chakara
Chanda Tandavam Tanotu Nah Shivah Shivam || 1 ||
With his neck consecrated by the flow of water that
flows from his hair,
And on his neck a snake,which is hung like a garland,
And the Damaru drum that emits the sound “Damat Damat Damat Damat”,
Lord Shiva did the auspicious dance of Tandava. May he give prosperity to all
of us
Jataa
kataaha Sambhrama Bhrama nilimpa Nirjhari
Vilola
Veechi Vallari Viraajamaana moordhani
Dhagad
dhagad dhagad Jwala Lalaata Patta Pavake
Kishora
Chandra Shekhare Rati Prati Kshanam Mama
|| 2 ||
I have a deep interest in Shiva Whose head is
glorified by the rows of moving waves of the celestial Ganga river, Which stir
in the deep well of his hair in tangled locks.
Who has the brilliant fire burning on the surface of his forehead,
And who has the crescent moon as a jewel on his head
Dharaa
dharendra Nandini Vilasa Bandhu Bandhura
Sphurat
diganta Santati Pramoda mana Manase
Krupa
Kataksha dhorani Niruddha durdhurapadi
Kvachi
digambare Mano Vinodametu Vastuni || 3 ||
May my mind seek happiness in Lord Shiva,
In whose mind all the living beings of the glorious universe exist,
Who is the companion of Parvati (daughter of the mountain king), Who
controls unsurpassed adversity with his compassionate gaze, Which is
all-pervading And who wears the Heavens as his raiment
Jataa
Bhujanga Pingala Sphurat Phana Mani Prabha
Kadamba
Kunkuma drava Pralipta Dig-vadhu-mukhe
Madaandha
Sindhura Sphura Tvag-uttareeya-medure
Mano
vinodam Adbhutam Bibhartu Bhoota bhartari || 4 ||
May I find wonderful pleasure in Lord Shiva, who is
the advocate of all life,
With his creeping snake with its reddish brown hood and the shine of its gem on
it
Spreading variegated colors on the beautiful faces of the Goddesses of the
Directions,
Which is covered by a shimmering shawl made from the skin of a huge, inebriated
elephant
May Lord Shiva give us prosperity,Who has the Moon
as a crown,
Whose hair is bound by the red snake-garland,
Whose footrest is darkened by the flow of dust from flowers
Which fall from the heads of all the gods - Indra,Vishnu and others
Lalaata
Chatvara Jwala Dhanajaya Sphulinga-bhaah
Nipeeta
Pancha-saayakam Naman nilimpa Naayakam
Sudha
mayukha Lekhayaa Viraajamaana Shekharam
Maha-kapaali
Sampade Shiro Jataa-lamastu Nah || 6 ||
May we obtain the riches of the Siddhis from the
tangled strands Shiva’s hair,
Who devoured the God of Love with the sparks of the fire that burns on his
forehead,
Which is revered by all the heavenly leaders, Which is beautiful with a
crescent moon
Karaala
bhala Pattika Dhagad Dhagad Dhagaj jwala
Dhanan
jayaa ahuti kruta Prachanda Pancha sayake
Dharaa
Dharendra Nandini Kuch-agra Chitra patraka
Prakalpanay-eka
Shilpini Trilochane Ratir Mama || 7 ||
My interest is in Lord Shiva, who has three eyes,
Who offered the powerful God of Love to fire.
The terrible surface of his forehead burns with the sound “Dhagad, Dhagad”
He is the only artist expert in tracing decorative lines
on the tips of the breasts of Parvati, the daughter of the mountain king
Naveena
Megha Mandali Nirudha Durdharath Sphurat
Kuhu
Nishithi-nitamah Prabandha Baddha Kandharah
Nilimpa
Nirjhari Dharas-tanotu krutti Sindhurah
Kala
Nidhana Bandhura Shriyam Jagat Dhurandharah || 8 ||
May Lord Shiva give us prosperity,
The one who bears the weight of this universe,
Who is enchanting with the moon, Who has the celestial river Ganga
Whose neck is dark as midnight on a new moon night, covered in layers of clouds
Gaja-chidandaka-chidham
Tam Anthakachidham bhaje || 9 ||
I pray to Lord Shiva, whose neck is bound with the
brightness of the temples
hanging with the glory of fully bloomed blue lotus flowers,
Which look like the blackness of the universe.
Who is the slayer of Manmatha, who destroyed the Tripura,
Who destroyed the bonds of worldly life, who destroyed the sacrifice,
Who destroyed the demon Andhaka, who is the destroyer of the elephants,
And who has overwhelmed the God of death, Yama
I pray to Lord Siva,Who has bees flying all around
because of the sweet
Scent of honey coming from the beautiful bouquet of auspicious Kadamba flowers,
Who is the slayer of Manmatha, who destroyed the Tripura,
Who destroyed the bonds of worldly life, who destroyed the sacrifice,
Who destroyed the demon Andhaka, who is the destroyer of the elephants,
And who has overwhelmed the God of death, Yama
Jayat
Vada abhra Vibhrama Bhramad Bhujanga Maswasat
Shiva, whose dance of Tandava is in tune with the
series of loud sounds of drum making the sound “Dhimid Dhimid”,
Who has fire on his great forehead, the fire that is spreading out because of
the
breath of the snake, wandering in whirling motions in the glorious sky
When will I be able to worship Lord Sadashiva, the
eternally auspicious God,
With equanimous vision towards people or emperors,
Towards a blade of grass and a lotus, towards friends and enemies,
Towards the most precious gem and a lump of dirt,
Toward a snake or a garland and towards the varied forms of the world?
Kada
Nilimpa Nirjhari Nikujnja Kotare Vasanh
Vimukta
Durmatih Sada Shirahstha anjalim Vahanh
Vilola
Lola Lochano Lalama Bhala Lagnakah
Shiva-eti
Mantra-muchcharan Sada Sukhi Bhavamyaham || 13 ||
When I can be happy, living in a cave near the
celestial river Ganga,
Bringing my hands clasped on my head all the time,
With my impure thoughts washed away, uttering the mantra of Shiva,
Devoted to the God with a glorious forehead and with vibrant eyes?
Imam
Hi Nitya Meva Mukta Muttamottamam Stavam
Padhan
Smaran Broovan Naro Vishuddhimeti Santatam
Hare
Gurau Subhakti-mashu Yati Nanyatha Gatim
Vimohanam
Hi Dehinam Sushankarasya Chintanam || 14 ||
Anyone who reads, remembers and recites this stotra
as stated here
Is purified forever and obtains devotion in the great Guru Shiva.
For this devotion, there is no other way or refuge.
Just the mere thought of Shiva removes the delusion
He who sings this song composed by the ten-headed
one,
At the end of every worship or,Reads it after worship of Shiva on the Pradosha
day,
Will get the blessing of Lord Shiva, chariots, elephants and horses,
As
well as the affectionate sight of the god of wealth
One
should meditate for the removal of all obstacles upon Vishnu who is clad in
white garments, who has a lustre like the moon, who has four arms and a
beneficent face
Vyasa is the great grandson of Vasishta and the
grandson of Shakti. He is the son of Parasara and the father of Suka. I offer
my obeisance to the Vyasa who is free from all defects and is a repository of
austerities
My repeated salutations to
Vyasa who is the form of Vishnu and to Vishnu who is the form of Vyasa - sage
Vyasa who is a descendant of Vasistha and who is a treasure of Knowledge of
Brahman
I offer my obeisance to
Vishnu, Who is devoid of all mutations, Who is by nature pure and eternal, Who
is endowed with a form which is uniform at all times and Who is the victor over
all
Yasya Smarana Mathrena Janma
Samsara Bandhanath
Vimuchyathe Namas Thasmai Vishnave Prabha Vishanve
Om Namo Vishnave Praba Vishnave || 6 ||
My salutations to that Supreme Being Vishnu, by
a mere though of Whose name all persons are freed from the bonds of Samsara.
Salutations to the omnipotent Being Who is signified by the Pranava
Sri Vaishampayana said - Having heard all the
Dharmas in their entirety (without anythinghaving been left out) and having
learnt about all purificatory acts, Yudhisthira again addressed Bhishma as
follows;
Yudhishtira Uvacha
Kimekam Daivatham Loke Kim Vapyekam Parayanam
Sthuvantha Kam Kamarchanda Prapnuyur Manava Shubam || 8 ||
Yudhisthira said: Who is the
One Supreme Being which the Scriptures declare? What is the one Supreme Goal
which should be sought? By the recitation of what mantra is a person released
from the bonds of repeated birth and death? Which in your opinion is the
highest form of religion?
Go Dharma Sarva Dharmanam
Bhavatha Paramo Mathaha
Kim Japan Muchyathe Janthur Janma Samsara Bandhanath || 9 ||
What spiritual path is that,
which according to thy judgment is the foremost of all paths? What are those
mantras by reciting which a being becomes freed from the bonds of birth and
death
Shree Bheeshma Uvacha
Jagath Prabhum Deva Devam
Antham Purushothamam
Sthuvan Nama Sahasrena Purusha Saththo Thithaha || 10 ||
Bhishma said: A person who is
always engaged in praising with the hymn of a Thousand Names; the Lord of the
Universe, the God of gods, and the limitless Supreme Being,
one who is ever engaged in
praising the Lord who is without beginning and end, the Allpervading-One, the
Ruler of the Universe, the Supervisor of the worlds, the One Who is to be known
from the Vedas, Who is Himself the Knower of all Dharmas, the One Who is
constantly engaged in the Universal Welfare, Lord of the Universe, and the
Cause of all beings - such a devotee transcends over all the sorrows of this
material world.
Verily He is champion of the
devotees, conversant with all duties and injunctions, the enhancer of fame and
achievement of all people, the master of all the universe, exceedingly
wonderful, and the cause of the origination of all beings
This worship of the Supreme Lotus-eyed
Lord at all times by a person endowed with devotion is regarded by me as the
greatest of all religious practices
Paramam Yo Mahath Teja
Paramam Yo Mahath Thapaha
Paramam Yo Mahath Brahma Paramam Ya Parayanam || 15 ||
He Who is the Supreme Effulgence;
Who is the Supreme Director; Who is the Supreme Brahman; and Who is the
Supreme, Highest and Ultimate Goal;
From Whom all beings
originate in the beginning of the first Yuga and in Whom they merge again at
the end of the Yuga
Thasya Loka Pradhanasya
Jagan-Nadhasya Bhoopathe
Vishnor Nama Sahasrm Me Srunu Papa Bhayapaham || 18 ||
O King! Hear from me the
Thousand Names which remove sins and drive away fear. The appellations of that
Vishnu, Lord of the Universe and Ruler of the World
For the good of the world, I
shall tell you the holy names of the Supreme Being, which are indicative of His
attributes and glory, well known and recited by the Rishis
The seed is He-who-was-born-in-the-lunar-race;
its power is The Name, The-son-of-Devaki. The heart is the
One-who-is-lauded-by-the-three-Sama-hymns, The purpose of its use is the
attainment of peace
I pay my obeisance to Vishnu,
the Victorious, the All-pervading One, the Mighty, the Lord of all, the enemy
of the demons of many forms and the Best of Persons
Nyasam
Asya Sree Vishnor Dhivya
Sahasranama Sthothra Mahamanthrasya
- touch the forehead
Sri Vedhavyaso Bhagavan Rishihi
anushtup Ch-Chandaha - touch
the mouth
Sri Mahavishnu Paramathma Sirman Narayano Devatha - touch
the heart
Amrutham Shoothbavo Banurithi Beejam -
touch the navel
Devakee Nandhan Srashtethi Sakthihi -
touch the genitals
Uthbava Kshobhano Deva Ithi Paramo Manthraha
-
touch the mouth
Shankbhruth Nandhkee Chakreethi Keelakam
- touch the ankles
Sharngadhanva Gadhadhara Ithyasthram -
clap the hands
Radhangapani Rakshobhya Ithi Nethram - touch
the forehead with the thumb
Thrisama Samaka Samethi Kavacham -
touch the shoulders
Aanandam Parbrahmethi Yonihi - touch
the genitals
Rudhu Sudharsank Kaala Ithi Dhigbandhaha
- snap
the fingers and encircle the head
Sri Viswaroopa Ithi Dhyanam -
join the palms
Sri Mahavishnup Preethyarthe Sahasra Nama Jape
Viniyogaha - rotate
the joined palms inward
Bhishma said - Thus the thousand divine names
of Bhagavan Krsna, the Supreme Being who is supremely worthy of being praised,
have been chanted in their entirety
From this recitation the
Brahmin will obtain knowledge of the Vedanta, a Ksatriya will attain victory,
the Vaishya will become wealthy and the Sudra will enjoy immense happiness
The chanter who desires merit
will obtain it, the desirer of wealth will get riches, the seeker of gratification
of the senses will attain all of them, and the seeker of progeny will be
successful
If
one who is very devoted to the Lord, rises early in the morning and purifies
himself, (with the bath and observance of the daily rituals) then with his mind
firmly fixed on Lord Vasudeva, he recites the thousand names of Vasudeva
He becomes endowed with great
reputation and becomes the foremost amongst his kith and kin. He acquires
undiminished wealth in this world, and unexcelled prosperity (in the other
world ie. Liberation)
One who is suffering from any
disease will be rid of it. One who is in bondage will be released. One who is
afflicted by fear will become courageous. And one who is in difficulties will
surmount them
If a person is exclusively
devoted to Sri Krsna and his only desire is to obtain Him, all his difficulties
will automatically vanish even though he does not pray for any relief from them
That person who has taken
refuge in Vasudeva, and who thinks that Vasudeva is the highest goal to be
reached, becomes cleansed of all sins and his mind becomes pure. He finally
attains the eternal beatitud
Na Vasudeva Bhaktana-Mashubham
Vidhyate Kvachith
Janma Mrutyu Jara Vyadhi Bhayam Naivo Pajayathe || 11 ||
Nothing inauspicious ever
occurs to the devotees of Krsna. Nor do they have any fear from birth and death
or old age and disease
That person who chants this
Hymn with Zeal and Devotion, becomes blessed with the happiness of the self,
forbearance, riches, steadiness of mind, good memory, and great fame
Nakrodho Na Cha Matsaryam Na
Lobho Nashubha Pathihi
Bhavanthi Kruta Punyanam Bhaktanam Purushottame || 13 ||
There is nothing good which
is superior to devotion to Lord Govinda. Neither anger nor jealousy, neither
greed nor evil thoughts, haunt the minds of those people who are true devotees of
Krsna, and who have acquired merit by virtuous deeds
The
firmament, along with the moon, the Sun and the stars, the sky , the
directions, earth and the great ocean - all, are supported by the power of
Vasudeva the Supreme Lord
This
world along with all the sentient and insentient objects, with gods, asuras and
gandharvas,as well as yakshas, and rakshasas is under the control of Sri Krsna
The sense organs, mind,
intellect, (the quality of) sattva, power, strength, stability, as well as the body
and the individual soul all have Vasudeva as their indweller
Right conduct has been laid
down as the most important of, and the foremost of all the dharmas revealed by
the Shastras (the valid and authoritative texts). Right conduct gives rise to
dharma, and Bhagavan Krsna is the Lord of all dharma
The
sages, Pitaras ( departed ancestors), gods, the Great Elements, and their
effects, the moving and the non-moving objects which comprise the entire
universe — all have been projected from Narayana
Vishnu is the unique and
unparalleled deity in that he pervades the great elements of different kinds
and the three worlds of existence. He is the Supersoul of all beings and their
Protector. Hetranscends all of them and is not touched by their defects thus He
enjoys supreme bliss
That person who desires to
obtain supreme bliss and the pleasures of the world should recite this hymn of
the Lord Vishnu sung by the great sage Vyasa
Vishveshra Majam Devam
Jagadha Prabhu Vapuyayam
Bhajanthiye Pushkaraksham Nadheyanti Parabhavam || 22 ||
Nadheyanti Parabhava Om Nam Iti
The Lotus-eyed Lord is the
Eternal Supreme Deity, the Ruler of the universe, and the cause of the creation
and destruction of the universe. Those who chant his names will never meet with
disrespect or discomfiture of any kind. Salutations to that Lord of all
Auspiciousness
Arjuna said - O Krsna the
greatest of gods with broad eyes like lotuses and with a lotus-like navel. Be
you the saviour of your loving devotees
Shree Bhagavan Uvacha
Yo Maam Nama Shahasrena Shtotu Michathi Pandava
Sohamekena Slokena Stuta Evana Sumshayaha || 24 ||
Sthuta Evana Samshaya Om Nama Ithi
Sri Krsna said - O Arjuna a
person may desire to praise me with this entire hymn of a thousand names, but I
accept the praise of even one verse — there is no doubt about it
Vyasa Uvacha
Vasanaadh Vasudevasya Vasitam Bhuvanatrayam
Sarva Bhoota Nivasosi Vasudeva Namosthuthe || 25 ||
Sri Vasudeva Namosthutha Om Nama Ithi
Vyasa
said - O Vasudeva! All three worlds have been created and are pervaded by you as
Vasudeva. You are the resting place for all beings. Salutations to you !
Salutations to you O Vasudeva!
Parvati
said - What is the shortest method by which the thousand names of Vishnu are
daily recited by learned men, please teach me O Lord Siva
Ishwara Uvacha
Shreerama Rama Ramethi Rame Rame Manorame
Sahasra Nama Thattulyam Rama Nama Varanane || 27 || (Repeat This Verse Three
Times)
Shree Rama Nama Varanana Om Nama Ithi
Siva
said - Sri Rama is the source of delight to the heart, I feel joy by repeating
the name of Rama. Rama's name is indeed on a par to the Thousand Names O lovely
faced Parvati.
Brahmo Uvacha
Namo Swananthaya Sahasra Murthaye Shasra Padakshi Siroru Bahave
Sahasra Namne Purushaya Saswate Sahasr Kodi Yugadarine Namaha || 28 ||
Sahasra Kodi Yuga Darine Nam Om Nama Ithi
Brahma
said - Salutations to the Infinite Bhagavan, who has a thousand forms, a
thousand feet, eyes. heads and arms, and who is the Eternal Being having a
thousand names. Salutations to Him Who is the substratum of a billion ages.
Salutations to the Auspicious Lord Who is the substratum of a billion eons
Sanjaya Uvacha
Etra Yogeshwara Krishno Yatra Partho Dhanur Dharaha
Tatra Shri Vijayo Bhutir Dhruva Neetir Mathir Mama || 29 ||
Sanjaya
said - Where Sri Krsna the Lord of Yoga is and where Arjuna the archer is,
there are found, stability, lustre, victory, prosperity and ethics. This is my
considered view
Sri Krsna said - With
reference to those who find it impossible to live without thinking of me, I take
the responsibility of bringing about their union with Me and of maintaining
that union forever
All
those who are in adversity, sorrowful, who are at a loose end, frightened,
terrified, or in the grip of disease, by simply chanting the name of Narayana
they will be released from their suffering and will attain supreme beatitude
Whatever action I may do
through my hands, speech, mind, senses, intelligence or Self, by my nature or
natural disposition, all of these I offer unto the Supreme Lord Narayana
