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108 Names of Vishnu

Vishnu Ashtottara Shatanamavali - all 108 sacred names of Lord Vishnu in Sanskrit with Roman transliteration and English meaning.

Vishnu Ashtottara Shatanamavali

Chant as: ॐ [नाम]ाय नमः (Om [Name]aya Namah) - offering one tulsi leaf or yellow flower with each name. Especially powerful on Thursdays and Ekadashi.

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# Sanskrit Transliteration Meaning
1 विश्वम् Vishvam The universe itself - who is identical with the whole cosmos
2 विष्णुः Vishnuh The all-pervading one - who pervades and fills all of existence
3 वषट्कारः Vashatkarah The lord of the Vashat exclamation in sacred fire rituals
4 भूतभव्यभवत्प्रभुः Bhutabhavya-bhavatprabhuh Lord of the past, present and future - beyond all time
5 भूतकृत् Bhutakrit The creator of all beings and all forms of existence
6 भूतभृत् Bhutabhrit The sustainer and nourisher of all beings in existence
7 भावः Bhavah Pure existence - he who is Being itself
8 भूतात्मा Bhutatma The soul of all beings; the inner self of every creature
9 भूतभावनः Bhutabhavanah Who causes and enables the welfare and growth of all beings
10 पूतात्मा Putatma Of the purest, most spotless and immaculate soul
11 परमात्मा Paramatma The supreme soul - the ultimate self beyond all individual selves
12 मुक्तानां परमागतिः Muktanam Paramagatih The supreme goal and final refuge of all liberated souls
13 अव्ययः Avyayah The imperishable, indestructible and inexhaustible one
14 पुरुषः Purushuh The supreme person - the original cosmic being
15 साक्षी Sakshi The eternal witness - who sees all without attachment
16 क्षेत्रज्ञः Kshetrajñah Knower of the field (body) - the pure consciousness within
17 अक्षरः Aksharah The imperishable syllable; the indestructible divine reality
18 योगः Yogah Union itself - the path and goal of all spiritual practice
19 योगविदां नेता Yogavidam Neta The leader and guide of all who know yoga and spirituality
20 प्रधानपुरुषेश्वरः Pradhanapurusha-ishvarah Lord of both primordial nature (Pradhana) and the cosmic person
21 नारसिंहवपुः Narasimhavapuh Who has the body of the divine man-lion (Narasimha)
22 श्रीमान् Shriman Who possesses all spiritual and material prosperity (Shri)
23 केशवः Keshavah Who has beautiful flowing hair; slayer of the demon Keshi
24 पुरुषोत्तमः Purushottamah The supreme among all persons - the greatest cosmic being
25 सर्वः Sarvah Who is everything - the totality of all existence
26 शर्वः Sharvah Who destroys all evil, sin and ignorance from the world
27 शिवः Shivah The auspicious one - ever good, ever pure, ever benevolent
28 स्थाणुः Sthanuh The immovable pillar; the eternal, unchanging ground of being
29 भूतादिः Bhutadih The origin and source of all that has ever come into existence
30 निधिरव्ययः Nidhiravyayah The inexhaustible treasure - whose wealth never diminishes
31 सम्भवः Sambhavah Who brings all things into manifestation and existence
32 भावनः Bhavanah Who creates, imagines and brings into being all of existence
33 भर्ता Bharta The great sustainer who holds up and maintains all beings
34 प्रभवः Prabhavah The source and origin of all divine powers and manifestations
35 प्रभुः Prabhuh The almighty lord - supremely powerful and omnipotent
36 ईश्वरः Ishvarah The lord who rules and governs all of creation and existence
37 स्वयम्भूः Svayambhuh The self-existent, self-born one - not created by another
38 शम्भुः Shambhuh Who is the source and giver of happiness and bliss
39 आदित्यः Adityah The sun; son of Aditi; who illuminates all the worlds
40 पुष्कराक्षः Pushkarakshah Who has eyes as beautiful as the blue lotus (Pushkara)
41 महास्वनः Mahasvanah Of immense and resonant cosmic sound - the great-sounding one
42 अनादिनिधनः Anadinidhanah Without beginning and without end - the truly eternal one
43 धाता Dhata The ordainer and creator who arranges and sustains all
44 विधाता Vidhata Who creates and prescribes the destiny of all beings
45 धातुरुत्तमः Dhaturuttamah The supreme element and foundation of all existence
46 अप्रमेयः Aprameyah Who cannot be measured, quantified or fully comprehended
47 हृषीकेशः Hrishikeshuh Lord of the senses - who is the master of all perception
48 पद्मनाभः Padmanabhah From whose navel arose the cosmic lotus (and all creation)
49 अमरप्रभुः Amaraprabhuh The lord of the immortal gods and all celestial beings
50 विश्वकर्मा Vishvakarma The architect and craftsman of the entire universe
51 मनुः Manuh The thinker; who manifested as Manu (the first human)
52 त्वष्टा Tvashta Who shapes and fashions all forms - the divine craftsman
53 स्थविष्ठः Sthavisthah Who is immensely large and vast - the cosmic expansiveness
54 स्थविरो ध्रुवः Sthaviro Dhruvah The ancient one and the firmly fixed, unwavering eternal
55 अग्राह्यः Agrahyah Who cannot be grasped or fully apprehended by the senses
56 शाश्वतः Shashvatah The eternal, everlasting one who always was and always will be
57 कृष्णः Krishnah The dark blue one; the all-attractive; the highest reality
58 लोहिताक्षः Lohitakshah Who has red eyes - whose divine gaze is as red as the sun
59 प्रतर्दनः Pratardanah The great destroyer at the time of universal dissolution
60 प्रभूतः Prabhutah Who is supremely abundant and overflowing with all riches
61 त्रिककुब्धाम Trikakubdhama Who is the lord and dwelling of all three directions/peaks
62 पवित्रम् Pavitram The most sacred and purifying - the very essence of purity
63 मङ्गलं परम् Mangalam Param The supreme auspiciousness - the highest good
64 ईशानः Ishanah The great ruler and controller of all the worlds and beings
65 प्राणदः Pranadah The giver and sustainer of the breath of life (prana)
66 प्राणः Pranah Life itself - the vital force and breath within all beings
67 ज्येष्ठः Jyeshthah The eldest, the most ancient - who existed before all else
68 श्रेष्ठः Shreshthah The greatest, the best and most excellent among all
69 प्रजापतिः Prajapatih The lord and protector of all beings and all creation
70 हिरण्यगर्भः Hiranyagarbhah The golden womb - the cosmic egg from which creation arose
71 भूगर्भः Bhugarbhah Who holds the entire earth within his divine body
72 माधवः Madhavah Husband of Ma (Lakshmi); born in the lineage of Madhu
73 मधुसूदनः Madhusudanah Slayer of the demon Madhu - who destroys inner ignorance
74 ईश्वरः Ishvarah The great lord - the supreme governing power of all
75 विक्रमी Vikrami Of extraordinary valour - who crosses all barriers in 3 strides
76 धन्वी Dhanvi Who bears the divine bow - the cosmic archer
77 मेधावी Medhavi Of supreme intelligence - the source of all intellect
78 विक्रमः Vikramah Who measures and covers all existence with his divine strides
79 क्रमः Kramah The cosmic sequence - the ordered unfolding of all creation
80 अनुत्तमः Anuttamah Who has no superior - the absolutely highest of all
81 दुराधर्षः Duradharsah Who is invincible and impossible to conquer or overcome
82 कृतज्ञः Kritajñah Who knows and acknowledges all actions - the all-knowing witness
83 कृतिः Kritih Who is the doer behind all actions in the universe
84 आत्मवान् Atmavan Who is established in the Self - ever self-possessed
85 सुरेशः Sureshuh The lord of all gods and celestial beings (Suras)
86 शरणम् Sharanam The refuge and shelter - where all souls take protection
87 शर्म Sharma Supreme happiness, bliss and well-being itself
88 विश्वरेताः Vishvaretah The cosmic seed from which the entire universe was born
89 प्रजाभवः Prajabhavah The source and origin of all beings and all creation
90 अहः Ahah The luminous day - who is the light of all existence
91 सम्वत्सरः Samvatsarah The year itself - the cycle of time and cosmic seasons
92 व्यालः Vyalah The great serpent (Shesha) - the infinite cosmic snake
93 प्रत्ययः Pratyayah The firm conviction; who is the direct cause of all liberation
94 सर्वदर्शनः Sarvadarshana Who sees all - the omniscient, all-perceiving divine awareness
95 अजः Ajah The unborn, beginningless one - never created by another
96 सर्वेश्वरः Sarveshvarah The lord of all - who rules over every being and every realm
97 सिद्धः Siddhah The perfect one - who has accomplished all and lacks nothing
98 सिद्धिः Siddhih Divine accomplishment and perfection itself
99 सर्वादिः Sarvadih The origin and source of all things that exist
100 अच्युतः Achyutah The infallible - who never falls from his divine nature
101 वृषाकपिः Vrishakapi The divine boar - the Varaha who lifted the sunken earth
102 अमेयात्मा Ameyatma Of immeasurable, unfathomable soul and depth
103 सर्वयोगविनिःसृतः Sarva-yoga-vinishritah Who is free from all bondage and the goal of all yoga
104 वसुः Vasuh The divine wealth - who is the dwelling place of all being
105 वसुमनाः Vasumanah Whose mind is pure and good as divine wealth (Vasu)
106 सत्यः Satyah Truth itself - the ultimate reality that never changes
107 समात्मा Samatma Whose soul is equal in all beings - the impartial universal self
108 श्री महाविष्णवे Shri Mahavishave The supreme Lord Maha Vishnu - the eternal all-pervading one
How to Recite Vishnu's 108 Names
Method
  1. Bathe and wear yellow or white clothes
  2. Sit facing east or north before a Vishnu or Krishna image
  3. Light a ghee lamp and yellow or white incense
  4. Prepare 108 tulsi leaves or yellow flowers for offering
  5. Begin: Om Namo Narayanaya (3 times)
  6. Chant each name: Om [Name]aya Namah + offer one tulsi leaf
  7. Conclude with Vishnu Sahasranamam (or Ashtottara one more time)
Best Occasions
  • Thursday - Vishnu/Jupiter's sacred day (Guruvar)
  • Ekadashi - 11th lunar day, the supreme Vaishnava fast
  • Purnima - every full moon night
  • Kartik month - entire Oct–Nov period
  • Vaikunta Ekadashi - the holiest of all Ekadashis
🌿 Tulsi (Holy Basil) is extremely dear to Vishnu - each tulsi leaf offered with a name of Vishnu is said to grant the merit of 100,000 ordinary prayers. Tulsi worship is an inseparable part of Vaishnavism.

108 Names of Lord Vishnu

The Vishnu Ashtottara Shatanamavali is a sacred set of 108 names of Lord Vishnu, each describing a divine attribute or cosmic function. "Ashtottara Shata" literally means "one hundred and eight" in Sanskrit. The number 108 is considered supremely auspicious in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions - it represents the product of the 12 zodiac signs and 9 planets (12 x 9 = 108), and there are 108 Upanishads, 108 marma points in Ayurveda, and traditionally 108 beads on a japa mala (prayer rosary). This page lists all 108 names with Sanskrit text, Roman transliteration, and English meaning.

Scriptural Origin and Recitation

The Vishnu Ashtottara Shatanamavali is drawn from the Padma Purana, the Vishnu Purana, and the Mahabharata's Anushasana Parva. Reciting or hearing the 1,000 names (Vishnu Sahasranama) or the shorter 108-name set is prescribed in the Shaiva Agamas and Vaishnava sampradayas as a daily practice that bestows protection, prosperity, and liberation (moksha). Major Vaishnava temples - including the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the Udupi Krishna temple, and the Vrindavan ISKCON temple - incorporate the Ashtottara recitation into their daily archana rituals.

How to Use This Page

You can use the names for daily japa, Abhishekam (ritual bathing of a Vishnu idol), puja archana, or study. The Roman transliteration follows the standard IAST (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration) scheme for accurate pronunciation guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Vishnu Ashtottara Shatanamavali (108 names) is a shorter, accessible daily recitation taking 10–15 minutes. The Vishnu Sahasranamam (1000 names from the Mahabharata's Anushasana Parva) is the complete and most powerful form, taking 30–45 minutes. Both are highly effective. Many devotees recite the 108 names daily and the Sahasranamam on Thursdays, Ekadashi and special occasions. Both carry Vishnu's complete divine grace.

The 10 Dashavatara: (1) Matsya - fish, saved Vedas from flood; (2) Kurma - tortoise, supported Mount Mandara; (3) Varaha - boar, rescued earth from the demon; (4) Narasimha - man-lion, destroyed Hiranyakashipu; (5) Vamana - dwarf, reclaimed three worlds from Bali; (6) Parashurama - warrior sage; (7) Rama - ideal king; (8) Krishna - divine teacher of the Bhagavad Gita; (9) Buddha - the enlightened one; (10) Kalki - yet to come at the end of Kali Yuga to restore dharma.

Best times: Thursday (Guruvar - Vishnu's sacred day), Ekadashi (11th lunar day - the supreme Vaishnava fast day), Purnima (full moon), Kartik month (entirely dedicated to Vishnu), Vaikunta Ekadashi (most sacred Ekadashi), and Vishnu's festivals including Janmashtami and Rama Navami. Morning puja between 6–8 AM with tulsi leaves, yellow flowers and a ghee lamp, followed by the namavali, is the ideal daily practice for Vishnu devotees.

Chanting Vishnu's 108 names grants his divine protection and sustaining grace - the qualities of the preserver of the universe. Benefits include protection from all dangers, removal of sins, blessings of health, prosperity and dharmic living, strengthening of Jupiter (Guru) in the birth chart, and spiritual liberation. Vishnu devotees believe that each name cleanses one form of negative karma, and that 108 names together deliver complete purification, peace of mind, and the fulfilment of sincere desires.