[The Prayer of Twenty Eight Names of Lord Vishnu)
Translated by P. R. Ramachander
[This stotra appears in Maha Bharata as a conversation between Arjuna and Lord Krishna.]
Arjuna Uvaacha:
Arjuna asked:
Kim nu Naama Sahasraani Japitena Puanaha punaha
Yaanir Naamaani Divyaanee Taani Chaa chakshva Kesava.
Which of these thousand names, should be chanted again and again,
And which of these divine names would make me see Kesava.
Sri Bhagavaan Uvaacha:
Lord Krishna said:
Mathsyam koorma varahancha, Vamanancha Janardhanam,
Govindam Pundareekaksham Madhavam Madhu soodhanam. 1
Fish, turtle, boar, the dwarf and he who troubles bad ones,
Chief of cows, he who has lotus like eyes, lord of knowledge and killer of Madhu
Padmanabham, sahasraksham, vanamalam, halayudham,
Govardhanam, Hrishikesam, Vaikuntam, purushothamam. 2
He who has lotus on his belly, he who has thousand eyes,
He who wears garland of forest flowers, he who has plough as weapon,
He who looks after cows, He who controls five senses,
He who lives in Vaikunta, He who is the greatest among beings.
Viswaroopam, vasudevam, Ramam Narayanam Harim,
Damodharam, Sridharancha Vedangam, Garuda dwajam. 3
He who has world as his form, He who is son of Vasudeva,
Rama, Narayana, Hari, he who is tied by a rope on his belly,
He who carries Mahalakshmi, He who is Vedas, he who has a Eagle flag.
Anantham, Krishna gopalam, japatho nasthi pathakam. 4
He who is limitless, Krisha, he who looks after cows,
Would make the one who chants these sinless.
Gavam koti pradhanasya, aswamedha sathasya cha,
Kanya dhana sahasranam, phalam prapnothi manava,
Aamayaam vaa pournamasyam, ekadasyam thadiva cha. 5
That man who reads this on full moon, new moon and Ekadasi*,
Would get the effect of giving away billions of cows,
Performing Aswamedha one hundred times.
And kanya dana thousand times.
*Eleventh day after new/full moon
Sandhya kale smaranithyam, prathakale thadaiva cha,
Madhyahne cha japen nithyam sarva papai pramuchyathe. 6
He who read this daily at dusk, dawn and noon,
Would get rid of all sins committed by him.
from www.celextel.org
