Prelude

Chapter 2: Nyasa: placing the hymn upon the body

4 verses · 2 of 3

What happens in this chapter

Nyasa: placing the hymn upon the body

Before the names are recited, the reciter performs nyasa. The viniyoga states that of this great mantra, the thousand divine names of Vishnu, the rishi is Bhagwan Vedavyasa, the metre is anushtup, and the deity is Shri Mahavishnu, the Paramatma, Shriman Narayana. Names from the hymn itself serve as its parts: Amritamshudbhavo bhanuh is the seed, Devakinandanah srashta the power, Shankhabhrin nandaki chakri the key, Sharngadhanva gadadharah the weapon, and Trisama samagah sama the armour. The reciter then places phrases from the names on head, mouth, heart, fingers and palms. Last comes the sixfold nyasa for heart, head, crown, armour, eyes and weapon, and the sankalpa: I shall recite the thousand divine names of Vishnu for the pleasure of Shri Krishna.

2.1

श्रीवेदव्यास उवाच ---
ॐ अस्य श्रीविष्णोर्दिव्यसहस्रनामस्तोत्रमहामन्त्रस्य ॥
श्रीवेदव्यासो भगवानृषिः ।
अनुष्टुप् छन्दः ।
श्रीमहाविष्णुः परमात्मा श्रीमन्नारायणो देवता ।
अमृतांशूद्भवो भानुरिति बीजम्‌ ।
देवकीनन्दनः स्रष्टेति शक्तिः ।
उद्भवः क्षोभणो देव इति परमो मन्त्रः ।
शङ्खभृन्नन्दकी चक्रीति कीलकम् ।
शार्ङ्गधन्वा गदाधर इत्यस्त्रम् ।
रथाङ्गपाणिरक्षोभ्य इति नेत्रम्‌ ।
त्रिसामा सामगः सामेति कवचम् ।
आनन्दं परब्रह्मेति योनिः ।
ऋतुः सुदर्शनः काल इति दिग्बन्धः ॥
श्रीविश्वरूप इति ध्यानम्‌ ।
श्रीमहाविष्णुप्रीत्यर्थं सहस्रनामजपे विनियोगः ॥

śrīvedavyāsa uvāca ---
oṃ asya śrīviṣṇordivyasahasranāmastotramahāmantrasya ||
śrīvedavyāso bhagavānṛṣiḥ |
anuṣṭup chandaḥ |
śrīmahāviṣṇuḥ paramātmā śrīmannārāyaṇo devatā |
amṛtāṃśūdbhavo bhānuriti bījam‌ |
devakīnandanaḥ sraṣṭeti śaktiḥ |
udbhavaḥ kṣobhaṇo deva iti paramo mantraḥ |
śaṅkhabhṛnnandakī cakrīti kīlakam |
śārṅgadhanvā gadādhara ityastram |
rathāṅgapāṇirakṣobhya iti netram‌ |
trisāmā sāmagaḥ sāmeti kavacam |
ānandaṃ parabrahmeti yoniḥ |
ṛtuḥ sudarśanaḥ kāla iti digbandhaḥ ||
śrīviśvarūpa iti dhyānam‌ |
śrīmahāviṣṇuprītyarthaṃ sahasranāmajape viniyogaḥ ||

Shri Veda Vyasa said: Om. Of this great mantra, the hymn of the divine thousand names of Shri Vishnu, the rishi is Bhagavan Veda Vyasa, the metre Anushtubh, and the deity Shriman Narayana, Mahavishnu the Supreme Self. The bija, the seed, is 'Amritamshudbhavo bhanuh'. The shakti, the power, is 'Devakinandanah srashta'. The supreme mantra is 'Udbhavah kshobhano devah'. The kilaka, the pin that locks it, is 'Shankhabhrin nandaki chakri'. The astra, the weapon, is 'Sharngadhanva gadadharah'. The netra, the eye, is 'Rathangapanir akshobhyah'. The kavacha, the armour, is 'Trisama samagah sama'. The source is 'Anandam parabrahma'. The binding of the quarters is 'Rituh sudarshanah kalah'. The meditation is on Shri Vishvarupa, the cosmic form. It is employed in japa of the thousand names to please Shri Mahavishnu.

2.2

ॐ शिरसि वेदव्यासर्षये नमः ।
मुखे अनुष्टुप्छन्दसे नमः ।
हृदि श्रीकृष्णपरमात्मदेवतायै नमः ।
गुह्ये अमृतांशूद्भवो भानुरिति बीजाय नमः ।
पादयोर्देवकीनन्दनः स्रष्टेति शक्तये नमः ।
सर्वाङ्गे शङ्खभृन्नन्दकी चक्रीति कीलकाय नमः ।
करसंपूटे मम श्रीकृष्णप्रीत्यर्थे जपे विनियोगः ॥
इति ऋष्यादिन्यासः ॥

oṃ śirasi vedavyāsarṣaye namaḥ |
mukhe anuṣṭupchandase namaḥ |
hṛdi śrīkṛṣṇaparamātmadevatāyai namaḥ |
guhye amṛtāṃśūdbhavo bhānuriti bījāya namaḥ |
pādayordevakīnandanaḥ sraṣṭeti śaktaye namaḥ |
sarvāṅge śaṅkhabhṛnnandakī cakrīti kīlakāya namaḥ |
karasaṃpūṭe mama śrīkṛṣṇaprītyarthe jape viniyogaḥ ||
iti ṛṣyādinyāsaḥ ||

Om. Touching the head: salutations to Veda Vyasa, the rishi. The mouth: to the Anushtubh metre. The heart: to Shri Krishna, the Supreme Self, the deity. The secret place: to the bija 'Amritamshudbhavo bhanuh'. The feet: to the shakti 'Devakinandanah srashta'. The whole body: to the kilaka 'Shankhabhrin nandaki chakri'. With palms joined: it is employed in my japa for the pleasure of Shri Krishna. So ends the nyasa of the rishi and the rest, placing each element of the mantra on the body.

2.3

ॐ विश्वं विष्णुर्वषट्कार इत्यङ्गुष्ठाभ्यां नमः ।
अमृतांशूद्भवो भानुरिति तर्जनीभ्यां नमः ।
ब्रह्मण्यो ब्रह्मकृद्ब्रह्मेति मध्यमाभ्यां नमः ।
सुवर्णबिन्दुरक्षोभ्य इत्यनामिकाभ्यां नमः ।
निमिषोऽनिमिषः स्रग्वीति कनिष्ठिकाभ्यां नमः ।
रथाङ्गपाणिरक्षोभ्य इति करतलकरपृष्ठाभ्यां नमः ।
इति करन्यासः ॥

oṃ viśvaṃ viṣṇurvaṣaṭkāra ityaṅguṣṭhābhyāṃ namaḥ |
amṛtāṃśūdbhavo bhānuriti tarjanībhyāṃ namaḥ |
brahmaṇyo brahmakṛdbrahmeti madhyamābhyāṃ namaḥ |
suvarṇabindurakṣobhya ityanāmikābhyāṃ namaḥ |
nimiṣo'nimiṣaḥ sragvīti kaniṣṭhikābhyāṃ namaḥ |
rathāṅgapāṇirakṣobhya iti karatalakarapṛṣṭhābhyāṃ namaḥ |
iti karanyāsaḥ ||

Om. With 'Vishvam vishnur vashatkarah', salutations to the two thumbs. With 'Amritamshudbhavo bhanuh', to the forefingers. With 'Brahmanyo brahmakrid brahma', to the middle fingers. With 'Suvarnabindur akshobhyah', to the ring fingers. With 'Nimisho'nimishah sragvi', to the little fingers. With 'Rathangapanir akshobhyah', to the palms and backs of the hands. So ends the karanyasa, consecrating the hands with names from the stotra.

2.4

ॐ विश्वं विष्णुर्वषट्कार इति हृदयाय नमः ।
अमृतांशूद्भवो भानुरिति शिरसे स्वाहा ।
ब्रह्मण्यो ब्रह्मकृद्ब्रह्मेति शिखायै वषट् ।
सुवर्णबिन्दुरक्षोभ्य इति कवचाय हुम् ।
निमिषोऽनिमिषः स्रग्वीति नेत्रत्रयाय वौषट् ।
रथाङ्गपाणिरक्षोभ्य इत्यस्त्राय फट् ।
इति षडङ्गन्यासः ॥
श्रीकृष्णप्रीत्यर्थे विष्णोर्दिव्यसहस्रनामजपमहं करिष्ये इति सङ्कल्पः ।

oṃ viśvaṃ viṣṇurvaṣaṭkāra iti hṛdayāya namaḥ |
amṛtāṃśūdbhavo bhānuriti śirase svāhā |
brahmaṇyo brahmakṛdbrahmeti śikhāyai vaṣaṭ |
suvarṇabindurakṣobhya iti kavacāya hum |
nimiṣo'nimiṣaḥ sragvīti netratrayāya vauṣaṭ |
rathāṅgapāṇirakṣobhya ityastrāya phaṭ |
iti ṣaḍaṅganyāsaḥ ||
śrīkṛṣṇaprītyarthe viṣṇordivyasahasranāmajapamahaṃ kariṣye iti saṅkalpaḥ |

Om. With 'Vishvam vishnur vashatkarah', salutations to the heart. With 'Amritamshudbhavo bhanuh', svaha to the head. With 'Brahmanyo brahmakrid brahma', vashat to the tuft of hair. With 'Suvarnabindur akshobhyah', hum to the armour. With 'Nimisho'nimishah sragvi', vaushat to the three eyes. With 'Rathangapanir akshobhyah', phat to the weapon. So ends the six-limbed nyasa. Then the resolve: 'For the pleasure of Shri Krishna, I shall perform japa of the divine thousand names of Vishnu.'

Text source: Wikisource · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikisource transcription of a public-domain text)