Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 18
Citraketu’s Detachment, Nārada’s Mantra, and the Darśana of Anantadeva
ॐ नमस्तुभ्यं भगवते वासुदेवाय धीमहि । प्रद्युम्नायानिरुद्धाय नम: सङ्कर्षणाय च ॥ १८ ॥ नमो विज्ञानमात्राय परमानन्दमूर्तये । आत्मारामाय शान्ताय निवृत्तद्वैतदृष्टये ॥ १९ ॥
oṁ namas tubhyaṁ bhagavate vāsudevāya dhīmahi pradyumnāyāniruddhāya namaḥ saṅkarṣaṇāya ca
[Nārada gave Citraketu the following mantra.] O Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, who are addressed by the oṁkāra [praṇava], I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. O Lord Vāsudeva, I meditate upon You. O Lord Pradyumna, Lord Aniruddha and Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa, I offer You my respectful obeisances. O reservoir of spiritual potency, O supreme bliss, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, who are self-sufficient and most peaceful. O ultimate truth, one without a second, You are realized as Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān and are therefore the reservoir of all knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.
In Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa says that He is praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras. In transcendental knowledge, the Lord is addressed as praṇava, oṁkāra, which is a symbolic representation of the Lord in sound. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Vāsudeva, who is an expansion of Nārāyaṇa, expands Himself as Pradyumna, Aniruddha and Saṅkarṣaṇa. From Saṅkarṣaṇa comes a second Nārāyaṇa expansion, and from this Nārāyaṇa come further expansions of Vāsudeva, Pradyumna, Saṅkarṣaṇa and Aniruddha. The Saṅkarṣaṇa in this group is the original cause of the three puruṣas, namely Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu is situated in every universe in a special planet called Śvetadvīpa. This is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā: aṇḍāntara-stha. The word aṇḍa means this universe. Within this universe is a planet called Śvetadvīpa, where Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu is situated. From Him come all the incarnations within this universe.
FAQs
They are the Lord’s divine expansions (catur-vyūha) honored in Vaiṣṇava theology—forms of the one Supreme Personality worshiped for protection, guidance, and realization.
Though appearing as an asura in the narrative, Vṛtrāsura is portrayed as a pure devotee; in danger and intensity he fixes his consciousness on the Supreme Lord rather than on victory or defeat.
Begin the day with focused remembrance—chanting the Lord’s names and contemplating His forms/qualities—so the mind learns to return to devotion amid stress and conflict.