Sri Vishnu Mahimna Stotram
śrī viṣṇu mahimnaḥ stotraṃ
mahimnaste pāraṃ vidhiharaphaṇīṃdraprabhṛtayo
vidurnādyāpyajñaścalamatirahaṃ nātha nu katham |
vijānīyāmaddhā nal̤inanayanātmīyavacaso
viśuddhyai vakṣyāmīṣadapi tu tathāpi svamatitaḥ || 1 ||
yadāhurbrahmaike puruṣamitare karma ca pare-
-'pare buddhaṃ cānye śivamapi ca dhātāramapare |
tathā śaktiṃ kecidgaṇapatimutārkaṃ ca sudhiyo
matīnāṃ vai bhedāttvamasi tadaśeṣaṃ mama matiḥ || 2 ||
śivaḥ pādāṃbhaste śirasi dhṛtavānādarayutaṃ
tathā śaktiścāsau tava tanujatejomayatanuḥ |
dineśaṃ caivāmuṃ tava nayanamūcustu nigamā-
-stvadanyaḥ ko dhyeyo jagati kila devo vada vibho || 3 ||
kvacinmatsyaḥ kūrmaḥ kvacidapi varāho narahariḥ
kvacit kharvo rāmo daśarathasuto naṃdatanayaḥ |
kvacidbuddhaḥ kalkī viharasi kubhārāpahṛtaye
svataṃtro'jo nityo vibhurapi tavākrīḍanamidam || 4 ||
hṛtāmnāyenoktaṃ stavanavaramākarṇya vidhinā
drutaṃ mātsyaṃ dhṛtvā vapurajaraśaṃkhāsuramatho |
kṣayaṃ nītvā mṛtyornigamagaṇamuddhṛtya jaladhe-
-raśeṣaṃ saṃguptaṃ jagadapi ca vedaikaśaraṇam || 5 ||
nimajjaṃtaṃ vārdhau nagavaramupālokya sahasā
hitārthaṃ devānāṃ kamaṭhavapuṣāviśya gahanam |
payorāśiṃ pṛṣṭhe tamajita salīlaṃ dhṛtavato
jagaddhātuste'bhūtkimu sulabhabhārāya girikaḥ || 6 ||
hiraṇyākṣaḥ kṣoṇīmaviśadasuro nakranilayaṃ
samādāyāmartyaiḥ kamalajamukhairaṃbaragataiḥ |
stutenānaṃtātmannaciramavabhāti sma vidhṛtā
tvayā daṃṣṭrāgre'sāvavanirakhilā kaṃduka iva || 7 ||
hariḥ kvāstītyukte danujapatinā''pūryanikhilaṃ
jagannādaiḥ staṃbhānnarahariśarīreṇa karajaiḥ |
samutpatyāśūrasyasuravaramādāritavata-
-stava khyātā bhūman kimu jagati no sarvagatatā || 8 ||
vilokyā'jaṃ dvārgaṃ kapaṭalaghukāyaṃ suraripu-
-rniṣiddho'pi prādādasuraguruṇātmīyamakhilam |
prasannastadbhaktyā tyajasi kila nādyāpi bhavanaṃ
balerbhaktādhīnyaṃ tava viditamevāmarapate || 9 ||
samādhāvāsaktaṃ nṛpatitanayairvīkṣya pitaraṃ
hataṃ bāṇaiḥ roṣādgurutaramupādāya paraśum |
vinā kṣatraṃ viṣṇo kṣititalamaśeṣaṃ kṛtavaso-
-'sakṛt kiṃ bhūbhāroddharaṇapaṭutā te na viditā || 10 ||
samārādhyomeśaṃ tribhuvanamidaṃ vāsavamukhaṃ
vaśe cakre cakrinnagaṇayadaniśaṃ jagadidam |
gato'sau laṃkeśastvaciramatha te bāṇaviṣayaṃ
na kenāptaṃ tvattaḥ phalamavinayasyāsuraripo || 11 ||
kvaciddivyaṃ śauryaṃ kvacidapi raṇe kāpuruṣatā
kvacidgītājñānaṃ kvacidapi parastrīviharaṇam |
kvacinmṛtsnāśitvaṃ kvacidapi ca vaikuṃṭhavibhava-
-ścaritraṃ te nūnaṃ śaraṇada vimohāya kudhiyām || 12 ||
na hiṃsyādityeva dhruvamavitathaṃ vākyamabudhai-
-ryathāgnīṣomīyaṃ paśumiti tu viprairnigaditam |
tavaitannāsthāne'suragaṇavimohāya gadataḥ
samṛddhirnīcānāṃ nayakara hi duḥkhāya jagataḥ || 13 ||
vibhāge varṇānāṃ nigamanicaye cāvanitale
vilupte saṃjāto dvijavaragṛhe śaṃbhalapure |
samāruhyāśvaṃ tvaṃ lasadasikaro mlecchanikarān
nihaṃtāsyunmattān kila kaliyugāṃte yugapate || 14 ||
gabhīre kāsāre jalacaravarākṛṣṭacaraṇo
raṇe'śakto majjannabhayada jale'ciṃtayadasau |
yadā nāgeṃdrastvāṃ sapadi padapāśādapagato
gataḥ svargaṃ sthānaṃ bhavati vipadāṃ te kimu janaḥ || 15 ||
sutaiḥ pṛṣṭo vedhāḥ prativacanadāne'prabhurasā-
-vathātmanyātmānaṃ śaraṇamagamattvāṃ trijagatām |
tataste'stātaṃkā yayuratha mudaṃ haṃsavapuṣā
tvayā te sārvajñaṃ prathitamamareśeha kimu no || 16 ||
samāviddho māturvacanaviśikhairāśu vipinaṃ
tapaḥ kṛtvā gatvā tava parama toṣāya paramam |
dhruvo lebhe divyaṃ padamacalamalpe'pi vayasi
kimastyasminloke tvayi varada tuṣṭe duradhigam || 17 ||
vṛkādbhītastūrṇaṃ svajanabhayabhittvāṃ paśupati-
-rbhramanlokān sarvān śaraṇamupayāte'tha danujaḥ |
svayaṃ bhasmībhūtastava vacanabhaṃgyudgatamatiḥ
rameśa ho māyā tava duranumeyā'khilajanaiḥ |18 ||
hṛtaṃ daityairdṛṣṭvā'mṛtaghaṭamajayyaistu nayataḥ
kaṭākṣaiḥ sammohaṃ yuvatiparaveṣeṇa ditijān |
samagraṃ pīyūṣaṃ subhagasurapūgāyadadataḥ
samasyāpi prāyastava khalu hi bhṛtyeṣvabhiratiḥ || 19 ||
samākṛṣṭā duṣṭairdrupadatanayā'labdhaśaraṇā
sabhāyāṃ sarvātmaṃstava caraṇamuccairupagatā |
samakṣaṃ sarveṣāmabhavadaciraṃ cīranicayaṃ
smṛteste sāphalyaṃ nayanaviṣayaṃ no kimu satām || 20 ||
vadaṃtyeke sthānaṃ tava varada vaikuṃṭhamapare
gavāṃ lokaṃ lokaṃ phaṇinilayapātāl̤amitare |
tathānye kṣīrodaṃ hṛdayanal̤inaṃ cāpi tu satāṃ
na manye tat sthānaṃ tvahamiha ca yatrāsi na vibho || 21 ||
śivo'haṃ rudrāṇāmahamamararājo diviṣadāṃ
munīnāṃ vyāso'haṃ suravara samudro'smi sarasām |
kubero yakṣāṇāmiti tava vaco maṃdamataye
na jāne tajjātaṃ jagati nanu yannāsi bhagavan || 22 ||
śiro nāko netre śaśidinakarāvaṃbaramuro
diśaḥ śrotre vāṇī nigamanikaraste kaṭirilā |
akūpāro vastiścaraṇamapi pātāl̤amiti vai
svarūpaṃ te'jñātvā nṛtanumavajānaṃti kudhiyaḥ || 23 ||
śarīraṃ vaikuṃṭhaṃ hṛdayanal̤inaṃ vāsasadanaṃ
manovṛttistārkṣyo matiriyamatho sāgarasutā |
vihāraste'vasthātritayamasavaḥ pārṣadagaṇo
na paśyaṃstyajñāstvamiha bahiraho yāti janatā || 24 ||
sughoraṃ kāṃtāraṃ viśati ca taṭākaṃ sugahanaṃ
tathottuṃgaṃ śṛṃgaṃ sapadi ca samārohati gireḥ |
prasūnārthaṃ ceto'ṃbujamamalamekaṃ tvayi vibho
samarpyājñastūrṇaṃ bata na ca sukhaṃ viṃdati janaḥ || 25 ||
kṛtaikāṃtāvāsā vigatanikhilāśāḥ śamaparāḥ
jitaśvāsocchvāsāstruṭitabhavapāśāḥ suyaminaḥ |
paraṃ jyotiḥ paśyaṃtyanaghamabhipaśyaṃtu mama tu
śriyāśliṣṭaṃ bhūyānnayanaviṣayaṃ te kila vapuḥ || 26 ||
kadā gaṃgottuṃgā'malatarataraṃgācca pul̤ine
vasannāśāpāśādakhilakhaladāśādapagataḥ |
aye lakṣmīkāṃtāṃbujanayana tātā'marapate
prasīdetyājalpannamaravara neṣyāmi samayam || 27 ||
kadā śṛṃgaiḥ sphīte munigaṇaparīte himanage
drumāvīte śīte suramadhuragīte prativasan |
kvaciddhyānāsakto viṣayasuvirakto bhavaharaṃ
smaraṃste pādābjaṃ janihara sameṣyāmi vilayam || 28 ||
sudhāpānaṃ jñānaṃ na ca vipuladānaṃ na nigamo
na yāgo no yogo na ca nikhilabhogoparamaṇam |
japo no no tīrthavratamiha na cograṃ tvayi tapo
vinā bhaktiṃ te'laṃ bhavabhayavināśāya madhuhan || 29 ||
namaḥ sarveṣṭāya śrutiśikharadṛṣṭāya ca namo
namo'saṃśliṣṭāya tribhuvananiviṣṭāya ca namaḥ |
namo vispaṣṭāya praṇavaparimṛṣṭāya ca namo
namaste sarvātman punarapi punaste mama namaḥ || 30 ||
kaṇān kaścidvṛṣṭergaṇananipuṇastūrṇamavane-
-stathā'śeṣān pāṃsūnamita kalayeccāpi tu janaḥ |
nabhaḥ piṃḍīkuryādaciramapiceccarmavadidaṃ
tathāpīśāsau te kalayitumalaṃ nākhilaguṇān || 31 ||
kva māhātmyaṃ sīmojjhitamaviṣayaṃ vedavacasāṃ
vibho me'to cetaḥ kva ca vividhatāpāhatamidam |
mayedaṃ yatkiṃcidgaditamatha bālyena tu guro
gṛhāṇaitacchuddhārpitamiha na heyaṃ hi mahatām || 32 ||
iti haristavanaṃ sumanoharaṃ
paramahaṃsajanena samīritam |
sugamasuṃdarasārapadāspadaṃ
tadidamastu hareraniśaṃ mude || 33 ||
gadārathāṃgāṃbujakaṃbudhāriṇo
ramāsamāśliṣṭatanostanotu naḥ |
bileśayādhīśaśarīraśāyinaḥ
śivastavo'jasramayaṃ paraṃ hareḥ || 34 ||
paṭhedimaṃ yastu naraḥ parastavaṃ
samāhito'ghaughaghanaprabhaṃjanam |
sa viṃdate'trākhila bhogasaṃpado
mahīyate viṣṇupade tato dhruvam || 35 ||
iti śrīmatparamahaṃsasvāmi brahmānaṃda viracitaṃ śrī viṣṇu mahimnaḥ stotram ||
Meaning
1. The hymn begins by announcing the supreme glory of Vishnu — a proclamation that the Lord’s greatness transcends mere words and must be understood by devotees.
2. Though sages describe many divine functions (Brahmā, Śiva, etc.), the stanza insists on the one supreme Reality manifesting in manifold forms.
3. The Lord’s feet and head alike bear the marks of Shiva’s reverence and the dynamism of divine power — the world’s aim is Vishnu.
4. At times Vishnu plays through avatars (fish, tortoise, boar, man-lion, Rama etc.), revealing the playful and sovereign nature of God.
5. By assuming forms and rescuing the cosmos during crises, He sustains and preserves universal order.
6. His birth-lotus, the rivers and channels issuing forth, and the cosmic life-stream are described as the very substance of creation.
7. The poet recalls Hiranyaksha’s defeat and the dazzling might by which the Lord removed demonic pride.
8. The earth’s burden and the removal of tyrants are presented as Vishnu’s task; his feats make the world secure.
9. Devotional service to Him secures the protection of temples and sacred spaces — divine guardianship follows devotion.
10. Without Vishnu’s strength the realm could not shoulder its responsibilities; kings who fail in dharma cannot sustain the earth.
11. The stanza speaks of Lanka’s fall and how Vishnu’s weapons and fame overwhelmed hostile forces.
12. Verses highlight varied heroic qualities — battlefield prowess, song-knowledge, transcendental feats — all serve to remove worldly delusion.
13. The poet warns that mere external powers (sun, fire) are transient; only devotion and Vishnu’s grace yield lasting welfare.
14. At the end of ages the Lord will again appear to destroy the wicked; this is the reassuring arc of his intervention.
15. Nágarāja and celestial episodes illustrate that turning to Vishnu in danger guarantees deliverance and entry to heavenly realms.
16. Sages, seers and gods proclaim His glory; the world’s wise acknowledge Vishnu as the ultimate refuge.
17. Those who adore Him with ascetic zeal are granted divine titles and swift advancement to spiritual stations.
18. The stotra relates that rivers, scriptures and boons flow from the Lord — his gifts uplift devoted servants.
19. Even demons, when subdued, receive nectar in return — a testament to Vishnu’s sovereign largesse and compassion.
20. Publicly praising the Lord in assembly secures success and worldly fruit for the faithful.
21. The hymn affirms that Vishnu’s abodes — Vaikuntha, primordial lotus, ocean of milk — are supremely real for the righteous.
22. The poet claims identification with several cosmic roles (Śiva, Vyāsa etc.) to stress that the Lord’s power pervades all categories.
23. Because ordinary minds cannot grasp the Lord’s true form, many fail to recognize him — hence the need for revelation and devotion.
24. The Lord’s abode is at the lotus center of the heart; those dwelling in devotion enjoy perpetual divine company.
25. The devotee who bows receives immediate comfort; simple offering of a lotus leads to great joy and release.
26. No ritual, however grand, equals simple, pure devotion for destroying worldly fear and securing final liberation.
27. The poet calls for compassion and direct devotion to Lakshmi’s consort (Vishnu) as the remedy in troubled times.
28. A soul immersed in meditation on the Lord’s feet becomes free from worldly bonds and attains lasting union.
29. The stanza underlines that japa, charity, knowledge, yajña all help, but bhakti is the supreme means for freeing the world from fear.
30. Repeated salutations and the primal Om-veneration conclude the hymn with final bows to the omnipresent Lord.
31. Even a tiny particle (“kaṇā”) suffused with sense-perception reflects Vishnu’s qualities — reality pervades the smallest as well as the greatest.
32. The stotra’s high authority in Vedic diction is asserted; the poet asks the listener to accept it as spiritually potent even if learned young.
33. Closing: the hymn is praised as a delightful, accessible, and potent harbinger of Vishnu’s grace to sincere reciters.
34. The Lord’s mace and chariot-ornament imagery reinforce His protectorship and the continuous, compassionate presence of Vishnu.
35. Fruit: whoever reads devotionally attains wealth of spiritual and worldly goods and secure refuge at Vishnu’s feet.
• Summary:
The Sri Vishnu Mahimnah Stotram is a majestic declaration of Lord Vishnu’s supremacy, weaving mythology, cosmology and bhakti into a single hymn. It narrates how Vishnu’s avatars, weapons and compassionate acts uphold dharma, rescue the world from crises, and grant liberation to sincere devotees. The poem stresses that while rituals and knowledge have worth, loving surrender to Vishnu — even by simple recitation and meditation on his lotus-feet — is the most potent means of removal of fear and attainment of final beatitude. Recitation confers protection, prosperity, inner peace and ultimately moksha.
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