Shantakaram Bhujagashayanam: Shri Vishnu Stuti Dhyana Shloka & Meaning
Shri Vishnu Stuti (Shantakaram Bhujagashayanam) - Sanskrit Text
शान्ताकारं भुजगशयनं पद्मनाभं सुरेशं
विश्वाधारं गगनसदृशं मेघवर्णं शुभाङ्गम् ।
लक्ष्मीकान्तं कमलनयनं योगिभिर्ध्यानगम्यं
वन्दे विष्णुं भवभयहरं सर्वलोकैकनाथम् ॥१॥
यं ब्रह्मा वरुणेन्द्ररुद्रमरुतः स्तुन्वन्ति दिव्यैः स्तवैः
वेदैः साङ्गपदक्रमोपनिषदैर्गायन्ति यं सामगाः ।
ध्यानावस्थिततद्गतेन मनसा पश्यन्ति यं योगिनो
यस्यान्तं न विदुः सुरासुरगणा देवाय तस्मै नमः ॥२॥
Transliteration (Roman/IAST)
śāntākāraṃ bhujaga-śayanaṃ padmanābhaṃ sureśaṃ
viśvādhāraṃ gagana-sadṛśaṃ megha-varṇaṃ śubhāṅgam |
lakṣmī-kāntaṃ kamala-nayanaṃ yogibhir-dhyāna-gamyaṃ
vande viṣṇuṃ bhava-bhaya-haraṃ sarva-lokaika-nātham ||1||
yaṃ brahmā varuṇendra-rudra-marutaḥ stunvanti divyaiḥ stavaiḥ
vedaiḥ sāṅga-pada-kramopaniṣadair-gāyanti yaṃ sāmagāḥ |
dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṃ yogino
yasyāntaṃ na viduḥ surāsura-gaṇā devāya tasmai namaḥ ||2||
Meaning
Verse 1: I bow to Lord Vishnu - of serene form, reclining upon the serpent (Shesha), the lotus-naveled one (Padmanabha), the Lord of the gods; the support of the universe, vast as the sky, cloud-hued, with auspicious and beautiful limbs; the beloved of Lakshmi, lotus-eyed, attainable by yogis through meditation; the remover of the fear of worldly existence, the one and only Lord of all the worlds.
Verse 2: Salutation to that God whom Brahma, Varuna, Indra, Rudra and the Maruts praise with divine hymns; whom the singers of the Sama Veda sing through the Vedas with their auxiliaries, the pada and krama recitations and the Upanishads; whom the yogis behold with minds absorbed and merged in meditation; and whose end (limit) neither the hosts of gods nor demons know - to that God, salutation.
About this Stotra
This Vishnu Stuti pairs two of the most beloved meditation (dhyana) verses in the entire Hindu tradition. The first, "Shantakaram bhujagashayanam," is the classic dhyana-shloka recited at the very beginning of the Vishnu Sahasranama and in daily Vishnu and Narayana worship; it paints the iconic image of Vishnu resting on the cosmic serpent Shesha upon the milk-ocean, lotus-naveled, cloud-dark, with Lakshmi at his side. The second, "Yam Brahma varunendra-rudra-marutah," is the renowned invocatory verse (from the Gita Dhyanam tradition) describing the supreme God whom all the gods praise, whom the Sama-singers chant, whom yogis behold in deep meditation, and whose limit none can know. Together these two verses form a compact, complete contemplation of Vishnu as both the gracious personal Lord and the boundless Supreme Being. They are among the first Sanskrit shlokas many devotees learn by heart.
Significance & Spiritual Benefits
As dhyana-shlokas, these verses are meant to fix the mind on the form and majesty of Vishnu before worship or meditation - settling and elevating the consciousness. The first verse explicitly names Vishnu as bhava-bhaya-hara, the remover of the fear of samsara (worldly existence), making it a powerful prayer for inner peace, fearlessness and refuge. The second verse expands the vision to the infinite, reminding the devotee that the same gracious Lord is the unfathomable Absolute praised by all gods and Vedas - cultivating awe, humility and surrender. Reciting them daily is held to bring serenity (the verse begins with shanta, serenity), protection, prosperity (Lakshmikanta), and steady progress toward the meditative vision of God that yogis attain. They are commonly chanted before the Vishnu Sahasranama, the Bhagavad Gita, and Narayana puja.
Astrological Relevance
Lord Vishnu is the great preserver and the deity of overall protection and benefic grace in jyotisha. He is especially associated with Guru (Jupiter) - the karaka of dharma, wisdom, devotion, wealth and well-being - so this stuti is recommended to strengthen a weak or afflicted Jupiter and to invite its blessings of growth, knowledge and good fortune. Because the first verse hails Vishnu as Lakshmikanta, the consort of the goddess of fortune, the stotra is also recited for prosperity, tying it to the 2nd and 11th houses of wealth and gains and to Shukra (Venus). The repeated theme of removing bhava-bhaya (the fear of existence) and the meditative, liberation-oriented second verse resonate with Ketu and the 12th house - the karakas of moksha, surrender and the inward path - making it apt during a Ketu period or a spiritual turn in the chart. As a Narayana prayer it also bestows general sattva and planetary peace, and is a classic recitation on Thursdays and Ekadashi for all-round auspiciousness.
How to Chant (Vidhi)
Bathe and sit before an image of Vishnu, Narayana or one of his avataras (Rama, Krishna), facing east. Light a lamp and offer tulsi leaves, which are especially dear to Vishnu, along with flowers and incense. Recite ॐ and then the two verses slowly, visualising Vishnu's serene form reclining on Shesha as described. These shlokas are ideal as an opening before the Vishnu Sahasranama, the Bhagavad Gita, or daily Narayana worship. A calm, devotional mind matters more than repetition count; daily recitation is the traditional practice.
Best Day & Time
Thursday (Guru/Jupiter's day, dear to Vishnu), Ekadashi (the eleventh tithi, sacred to Vishnu), and Saturdays (associated with Vishnu's protective form) are especially auspicious. Early morning during Brahma muhurta is ideal, as is the time before beginning Sahasranama or Gita recitation. The stuti may be chanted daily.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does "Shantakaram Bhujagashayanam" come from?
It is the classic dhyana (meditation) shloka traditionally recited at the start of the Vishnu Sahasranama and in daily Vishnu worship. It describes Vishnu reclining on the serpent Shesha - the iconic image of Narayana on the cosmic ocean.
What is the second verse, "Yam Brahma varunendra"?
It is the celebrated invocatory verse describing the supreme God praised by all the gods and Vedas, beheld by yogis in meditation and unfathomable even to gods and demons. It is widely recited together with Shantakaram as a Vishnu Stuti and also appears in the Gita Dhyanam.
What does this stuti help with?
It is recited for serenity, fearlessness and refuge (Vishnu is hailed as the remover of the fear of worldly existence), for prosperity (Lakshmikanta), and as a meditative opening before the Vishnu Sahasranama, the Bhagavad Gita and Narayana puja.
Resting on the infinite - the Vishnu Stuti dhyana as a practice of daily stillness
The dhyana shloka known as Shantakaram Bhujagashayanam is among the most visually and spiritually complete meditation verses in the Vaishnava tradition. In a handful of lines, it conjures an entire cosmos: Lord Vishnu reclining in perfect serenity upon the primordial serpent Shesha, the surface of the cosmic ocean still beneath him, the lotus of creation emerging effortlessly from his navel, his form the colour of monsoon clouds. Every element of this image is chosen to convey a quality of awareness - the serpent suggests time held peacefully beneath the Lord, the lotus gestures toward creative power springing from stillness, the cloud-dark form brings coolness and the promise of nourishment. Meditating on this image is itself understood as a form of prayer, a turning of the devotee's mind toward the peace and effortless completeness that worldly activity rarely affords.
When paired with the complementary verse beginning Yam Brahma varunendra, the meditation expands from a personal encounter with Vishnu's beloved form to a recognition of the absolute - the same reality that sages of every tradition seek through their own modes of knowing. In the Jyotish tradition, Lord Vishnu and the qualities this dhyana cultivates are associated with Jupiter (Brihaspati), the planet governing dharma, wisdom, and grace. Devotees believe that making this shloka a fixed part of morning or evening practice, especially on Thursdays and Ekadashi observances, gradually builds a reservoir of inner stillness - a quality of shantakaram, the one whose nature is peace, slowly and naturally transferred through long devotional familiarity into the practitioner's own days.