Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya lyrics in Sanskrit & English, with meaning
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Dvadashakshari mantra#
ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
oṃ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya ||
ॐ, भगवान वासुदेव को नमस्कार — जो सब प्राणियों में निवास करते हैं और जिनमें सब प्राणी निवास करते हैं।
Om, salutations to Bhagavan Vasudeva — the Lord who dwells in all beings, and in whom all beings dwell.
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Dhyana — Shantakaram#
शान्ताकारं भुजगशयनं पद्मनाभं सुरेशं
विश्वाधारं गगनसदृशं मेघवर्णं शुभाङ्गम् ।
लक्ष्मीकान्तं कमलनयनं योगिभिर्ध्यानगम्यं
वन्दे विष्णुं भवभयहरं सर्वलोकैकनाथम् ॥śāntākāraṃ bhujagaśayanaṃ padmanābhaṃ sureśaṃ
viśvādhāraṃ gaganasadṛśaṃ meghavarṇaṃ śubhāṅgam |
lakṣmīkāntaṃ kamalanayanaṃ yogibhirdhyānagamyaṃ
vande viṣṇuṃ bhavabhayaharaṃ sarvalokaikanātham ||मैं उन विष्णु को प्रणाम करता हूँ — जिनका स्वरूप शान्त है, जो शेषनाग पर शयन करते हैं, जिनकी नाभि में कमल है, जो देवताओं के स्वामी हैं; जो विश्व के आधार, आकाश के समान व्यापक, मेघ के समान श्याम वर्ण और शुभ अंगों वाले हैं; जो लक्ष्मीपति, कमलनयन और योगियों के ध्यान से प्राप्त होने वाले हैं; जो संसार के भय को हरने वाले और सब लोकों के एकमात्र स्वामी हैं।
I bow to Vishnu — peaceful in form, resting on the serpent, from whose navel springs the lotus, lord of the gods; the support of the universe, vast as the sky, dark as a rain-cloud, of auspicious body; beloved of Lakshmi, lotus-eyed, reached by yogis in meditation; who removes the fear of worldly existence, the one Lord of all the worlds.
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Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya — word by word
| Word | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ॐ | oṃ | The primordial sound, the name of the Supreme |
| नमः | namaḥ (namo) | Salutation, surrender |
| भगवते | bhagavate | To Bhagavan — the Lord who possesses the six excellences (bhaga): sovereignty, power, glory, beauty, knowledge and detachment |
| वासुदेवाय | vāsudevāya | To Vasudeva — Krishna, son of Vasudeva; and, in the deeper sense, the divine one (deva) who dwells (vasu) in all and in whom all dwell |
What Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya means
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya means "Om, salutations to Bhagavan Vasudeva". It has twelve syllables — o, na, mo, bha, ga, va, te, vā, su, de, vā, ya — and so is called the Dvadashakshari mantra. It is the chief mantra of the Bhagavata Purana, which opens and closes with it.
"Bhagavan" is the one who possesses in fullness the six excellences — sovereignty, strength, fame, beauty, wisdom and renunciation. "Vasudeva" is at once Krishna, the son of Vasudeva, and Vishnu as the indweller: the Vishnu Purana explains that he is called Vasudeva because all beings dwell in him and he dwells in all beings.
The mantra is a complete prayer of surrender. Chanting it, the devotee bows to the Lord who is both the personal Krishna of the Bhagavata and the all-pervading Vishnu — and remembers that the same Lord is present in every creature.
How to chant Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya
- WhenAny time; especially at dawn, on Ekadashi and Thursdays
- Count108 on a mala; the Bhagavata tells of Dhruva chanting it in deep meditation
- MalaTulsi is traditional
- FacingEast or north
- Prepare. Wash, sit on a clean mat facing east or north, and if you like, light a lamp before an image of Vishnu or Krishna.
- Remember the form. Recite the Shantakaram verse and picture the peaceful, four-armed Vishnu or the child Krishna.
- Chant. Repeat the mantra clearly — aloud, softly or mentally — moving one tulsi bead with each repetition.
- Complete the round. Do not cross the head bead; turn the mala to continue for another round.
- Offer. End by offering the japa to the Lord and sitting quietly for a moment.
This mantra is chanted freely by devotees of every background. Some Vaishnava sampradayas also give it formally at initiation — follow your tradition.
Where Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya comes from
In the fourth book of the Bhagavata Purana, the five-year-old prince Dhruva, hurt by his stepmother's words, leaves home to find God. The sage Narada meets him in the forest and teaches him this twelve-syllable mantra; meditating on it at Madhuvana by the Yamuna, Dhruva sees Vishnu face to face and is later given the pole star as his eternal abode.
The Bhagavata Purana begins with "Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya" and many traditions recite it before reading the text. It is chanted across Vaishnava traditions and is one of the mantras most often recommended for Ekadashi.
About Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya
The Dvadashakshari — the twelve-syllable mantra of Vishnu and Krishna that Narada gave to the child Dhruva — with its meaning, the Shantakaram dhyana verse, and how to chant it. It comes from the Bhagavata Purana tradition, Puranic. The text is in Sanskrit.
Frequently asked questions
Who wrote Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya?
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya comes from the Bhagavata Purana tradition (Puranic).
Where can I read Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya lyrics in English?
This page has the full Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya in Sanskrit (Devanagari) with the English transliteration under every verse, and the meaning of each verse in Hindi and English. Use the Chant and Meaning buttons above the verses to show only what you need.
ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय का अर्थ क्या है?
इस पेज पर ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय के हर पद के नीचे उसका सरल हिंदी अर्थ और अंग्रेज़ी अर्थ दिया गया है।
How many verses are there in Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya?
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya has 2 verses as given on this page.
In which language is Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya?
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya is in Sanskrit. This page gives the original text in Devanagari with Roman transliteration and meaning in Hindi and English.
How long does it take to recite Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya?
A full recitation takes about 3 min.
To whom is Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya dedicated?
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya is dedicated to Vishnu, Krishna. The Dvadashakshari — the twelve-syllable mantra of Vishnu and Krishna that Narada gave to the child Dhruva — with its meaning, the Shantakaram dhyana verse, and how to chant it.
What does Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya mean?
"Om, salutations to Bhagavan Vasudeva" — to the Lord who dwells in all beings, Krishna the son of Vasudeva.
Why is it called the Dvadashakshari?
Because it has twelve (dvadasha) syllables: o-na-mo-bha-ga-va-te-vā-su-de-vā-ya.
Is this mantra for Vishnu or Krishna?
Both. Vasudeva is Krishna, the son of Vasudeva, and also Vishnu as the one who dwells in all; Vaishnava traditions see them as one Lord.
Who first received this mantra?
In the Bhagavata Purana, the sage Narada gives it to the child Dhruva, who meditates on it and attains the vision of Vishnu.
