Dhyan Verses

The Dhyana Shlokas helps a devotee achieve a state of unison with the God. The mind and the intellect of the reciter are taken out of the material plane and fixed on the form of the Lord. Once the mind is free from agitations and becomes calm it is free to receive the spiritual vibrations from chanting of the Vishnu Sahasranamam.

There are seven beautiful Dhyana Shlokas in Vishnu Sahasranamam which paint a vivid picture of the splendour and grandeur of Lord Vishnu in all its glory.

The first one describes Him gloriously seated on the shores of the Milky Ocean. The second describes Him in his Cosmic Form or the Vishwa Roopam. The third, fourth and fifth Dhyana Shlokas describe the various aspects of His divine personality. The sixth and seventh ones are specific to His incarnation as Krishna.

Lets examine the Dhyana Shlokas in greater detail to understand their meaning. The benefit of this approach is that knowing the meaning will help us visualise the form of Bhagwan and concentrate better to achieve the mental calm that is required to fully absorb the spiritual vibrations from the recitation of the Vishnu Sahasranamam.

क्षीरोदन्वत्प्रदेशेशुचि-मणि-विलसत्-सैकतेमौक्तिकानां
मालाक्लुप्तासनस्थः-स्पटिकमणिनिभै-मौर्तिकै-मण्डितांगः।
शुभ्रै-रभ्रै-रदभ्रै-रुपरिविरचितैर्-मुक्त-पीयूष-वर्षैः
आनन्दीनःपुनीया-दरि-नलिन-गदा-शङखपाणिर्-मुकुन्दः॥ (1)

kṣīrodanvatpradeśeśuci-maṇi-vilasat-saikatemauktikānāṁ
mālākluptāsanasthaḥ-spaṭikamaṇinibhai-maurtikai-maṇḍitāṁgaḥ |
śubhrai-rabhrai-radabhrai-rupariviracitair-mukta-pīuyūṣa-varṣaiḥ
ānandīnaḥpunīyā-dari-nalina-gadā-śaṅakhapāṇir-mukundaḥ ||

Prayers to Lord Mukunda, having discus, mace, conch and lotus in His hands, seated in a throne decked with garlands of pearls in the Ocean of Milk, the shore of which is made up of precious stones, whose body is adorned with transparent pearls, feeling the ecstasy of the pure white clouds above sprinkling the nectar of bliss, to cleanse us of our sins.

भूःपादौयस्यनाभिर्-वियदसु-रनिल-चन्द्रसूर्यौचनेत्रे
कर्णावाशाःशिरो-द्यौर्मुखमपिदहनोयस्यवास्तेयमब्धिः।
अन्तस्थंयस्यविश्वंसुर-नर-खग-गो-भोगि-गन्धर्व-दैत्यैः
चित्रंरंरम्यतेतंत्रिभुवन-वपुषंविष्णु-मीशम्नमामि॥ (2)

bhūḥpādauyasyanābhir-viyadasu-ranila-candrasūryau ca netre
karṇāvāśāḥśiro-dyaurmukhamapidahanoyasyavāsteyamabdhiḥ |
antasthaṁyasyaviśvaṁ sura-nara-khaga-go-bhogi-gandharva-daityaiḥ
citraṁraṁramyatetaṁtribhuvana-vapuṣaṁviṣṇu-mīśamnamāmi ||

I prostrate before the Lord Viṣṇu who exist in all the three worlds, who has earth as feet, sky as navel, air as breath, moon and sun as eyes, directions as ears, the world of gods as head, fire as mouth, ocean as stomach, in whose abdomen the entire universe comprising of gods, men, birds, animals, serpents, demigods, demons, etc joyously make their living.