Jagannath Sahasranama Stotram: 1000 Names of Lord Jagannath — Meaning & Benefits
Shri Jagannath Sahasranama Stotram — Sanskrit Text (Opening Portion)
The Jagannath Sahasranama is a thousand-name hymn. Below is the verified opening — the viniyoga, the dhyana (meditation verse) and the first twelve shlokas of the thousand names. The complete sahasranama runs to roughly 145–150 shlokas; the opening is reproduced here faithfully, and devotees are encouraged to recite the full text from a printed parayana book.
॥ श्रीजगन्नाथसहस्रनामस्तोत्रम् ॥
अस्य मातृका मन्त्रस्य, वेदव्यासो ऋषिः, अनुष्टुप्छन्दः,
श्रीजगन्नाथो देवता, भगवतः श्रीजगन्नाथस्य प्रीत्यर्थे
सहस्रनाम पठने विनियोगः ।
॥ ध्यानम् ॥
नीलाद्रौ शङ्खमध्ये शतदलकमले रत्नसिंहासनस्थं
सर्वालङ्कारयुक्तं नवघनरुचिरं संयुतं चाग्रजेन ।
भद्राया वामभागे रथचरणयुतं ब्रह्मरुद्रेन्द्रवन्द्यं
वेदानां सारमीशं स्वजनपरिवृतं ब्रह्मदारु स्मरामि ॥
॥ श्रीभगवानुवाच ॥
चतुर्भुजो जगन्नाथः कण्ठशोभितकौस्तुभः ।
पद्मनाभो वेदगर्भश्चन्द्रसूर्यविलोचनः ॥ १ ॥
जगन्नाथो लोकनाथो नीलाद्रीशः परो हरिः ।
दीनबन्धुर्दयासिन्धुः कृपालुः जनरक्षकः ॥ २ ॥
कम्बुपाणिः चक्रपाणिः पद्मनाभो नरोत्तमः ।
जगतां पालको व्यापी सर्वव्यापी सुरेश्वरः ॥ ३ ॥
लोकराजो देवराजः शक्रो भूपश्च भूपतिः ।
नीलाद्रिपतिनाथश्च अनन्तः पुरुषोत्तमः ॥ ४ ॥
तार्क्ष्यध्वजः कल्पतरुः विमलाप्रीतिवर्द्धनः ।
बलभद्रो वासुदेवो माधवो मधुसूदनः ॥ ५ ॥
दैत्यारिः पुण्डरीकाक्षो वनमाली बलप्रियः ।
ब्रह्मा विष्णुः वृष्णिवंशो मुरारिः कृष्णकेशवः ॥ ६ ॥
श्रीरामः सच्चिदानन्दो गोविन्दः परमेश्वरः ।
विष्णुर्जिष्णुर्महाविष्णुः प्रभविष्णुर्महेश्वरः ॥ ७ ॥
लोककर्ता जगन्नाथो महाकर्ता महायशाः ।
महर्षिः कपिलाचार्यो लोकचारी सुरो हरिः ॥ ८ ॥
आत्मा च जीवपालश्च शूरः संसारपालकः ।
एकोनैको रमाप्रियो ब्रह्मवादी महेश्वरः ॥ ९ ॥
द्विभुजश्च चतुर्बाहुः शतबाहुः सहस्रकः ।
पद्मपत्रविशालाक्षः पद्मगर्भः परो हरिः ॥ १० ॥
पद्महस्तो देवपालो दैत्यारिर्दैत्यनाशनः ।
चतुर्मूर्तिश्चतुर्बाहुश्चतुराननसेवितः ॥ ११ ॥
पद्महस्तश्चक्रपाणिः शङ्खहस्तो गदाधरः ।
महावैकुण्ठवासी च लक्ष्मीप्रीतिकरः सदा ॥ १२ ॥
(… the stotra continues through one thousand names of Lord Jagannath, concluding with the phalashruti.)
Transliteration (Roman/IAST)
Dhyanam: Nīlādrau śaṅkha-madhye śata-dala-kamale ratna-siṁhāsanasthaṁ, sarvālaṅkāra-yuktaṁ nava-ghana-ruciraṁ saṁyutaṁ cāgrajena; bhadrāyā vāma-bhāge ratha-caraṇa-yutaṁ brahma-rudrendra-vandyaṁ, vedānāṁ sāram-īśaṁ svajana-parivṛtaṁ brahma-dāru smarāmi.
Verse 1: Catur-bhujo Jagannāthaḥ kaṇṭha-śobhita-kaustubhaḥ, Padmanābho Veda-garbhaś-candra-sūrya-vilocanaḥ.
Verse 2: Jagannātho Loka-nātho Nīlādrīśaḥ paro Hariḥ, Dīna-bandhur-dayā-sindhuḥ kṛpāluḥ jana-rakṣakaḥ.
Meaning
The meditation verse pictures Lord Jagannath enthroned on a jewelled lion-seat within a hundred-petalled lotus on the Blue Mountain (Nilachala, Puri), richly adorned, dark as a fresh rain-cloud, together with his elder brother Balabhadra and, on the left, his sister Subhadra, attended by the wheel of the chariot and revered by Brahma, Rudra and Indra — the essence of the Vedas, made of sacred neem-wood (daru). The opening names then declare him four-armed, adorned with the Kaustubha gem, the lotus-naveled one whose eyes are the moon and sun, Lord of the worlds, friend of the destitute, ocean of compassion, and protector of all beings.
About this Stotra
The Jagannath Sahasranama is a litany of one thousand names of Lord Jagannath, the “Lord of the Universe,” the presiding deity of the great temple at Puri in Odisha. Jagannath is worshipped as a unique, abstract form of Krishna-Vishnu, carved in neem-wood and installed with his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra. The sahasranama, framed as the teaching of Lord Krishna (Sri Bhagavan), gathers his cosmic, Puranic and Vaishnava names into a single recitation traditionally chanted as a parayana during festivals and the famous Rath Yatra.
Significance & Spiritual Benefits
Reciting a sahasranama is one of the most complete forms of devotion, since each name is a doorway into one quality of the Lord. The Jagannath Sahasranama is said to grant the fourfold aims of life (dharma, artha, kama, moksha), remove obstacles and sins, protect the family, and cultivate steady devotion to Krishna in his Puri form. Many devotees recite it during the nine days surrounding Rath Yatra, when Jagannath emerges from the temple to bless even those who cannot enter the sanctum.
Astrological Relevance
As a thousand-name hymn to Vishnu-Krishna, the stotra strongly supports Jupiter (Guru), the great benefic and karaka of dharma, wisdom and grace; chanting it is a classic remedy for a weak, debilitated or afflicted Jupiter. Because Jagannath’s eyes are invoked as the Sun and Moon (“candra-sūrya-vilocanaḥ”), the hymn also harmonises both luminaries — soothing the Moon (Chandra) for mental peace and strengthening the Sun (Surya) for vitality and confidence. The Rath Yatra period and Vishnu worship are widely prescribed for relief during testing Saturn (Shani) and Rahu phases.
How to Chant (Vidhi)
Bathe and sit before an image of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra, light a lamp and offer flowers. Begin with the viniyoga and dhyana, then recite the thousand names attentively from a parayana text, ideally in a single sitting. Conclude with the phalashruti and an offering of bhog (Jagannath is famously associated with the Mahaprasad of Puri). Where the full recitation is not possible, the dhyana and opening names may be chanted daily with devotion.
Best Day & Time
Thursdays (sacred to Vishnu and Jupiter), Ekadashi, and the Rath Yatra and Snana Yatra festivals are especially auspicious. Early morning, after bath, is the ideal hour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is only the opening portion shown here?
The Jagannath Sahasranama contains one thousand names across roughly 145–150 verses. We reproduce the verified opening — viniyoga, dhyana and the first twelve shlokas — faithfully, and recommend chanting the complete text from an authentic printed parayana book to avoid any error in such a long litany.
Who is Lord Jagannath?
Jagannath, “Lord of the Universe,” is a form of Krishna-Vishnu worshipped at Puri, Odisha, alongside his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra. The deities are carved from sacred neem-wood and are central to the world-famous Rath Yatra chariot festival.
What is the best occasion to recite it?
The days around Rath Yatra and Snana Yatra are considered the most powerful times, but the sahasranama may be recited on any Thursday or Ekadashi, and daily as a devotional practice.
A thousand names for the Lord who holds the whole universe
The Jagannath Sahasranama Stotram belongs to the grand Puranic tradition of sahasranamas - litanies of a thousand names - that serve not simply as catalogues of divine attributes but as complete meditative journeys through every dimension of a deity's nature. Jagannath of Puri is one of the most theologically rich forms of Vishnu-Krishna in the tradition: his iconic image with wide eyes, abbreviated limbs, and radiant dark complexion is understood by devotees as the form the Lord spontaneously took when love could no longer be contained within an ordinary body. The Sahasranama honours this mystery by moving through one thousand facets of the Lord who encompasses the entire universe yet stands in Puri as its most accessible form.
The viniyoga, dhyana, and opening shlokas that the text presents establish the formal devotional frame before the litany begins: the dedicatory intention, the meditative image of the Lord, and the first twelve names set the inner atmosphere for what is essentially an extended act of loving attention. In the Jyotish tradition, Lord Jagannath as a form of Vishnu is linked to Jupiter, the planet of wisdom, grace, and expansion, and recitation of this sahasranama is believed to strengthen Jupiter's benevolent influence in the chart as well as to deepen one's capacity for devotion over time. The annual Rath Yatra at Puri - when the Lord comes out of the temple to meet the world - is a particularly auspicious occasion on which devotees begin or renew a practice of reciting the Jagannath Sahasranama with fresh commitment.