Meditation on Vishnu for the Removal of Obstacles
A Sanskrit dhyana verse on the white-robed, moon-hued, four-armed, gracious-faced Lord, chanted to calm all obstacles before worship or study.
Verses
We meditate on Lord Vishnu, who wears white garments, has a complexion like the moon, four arms, and a serene, benevolent face—for the pacification of all obstacles.
Worship Guidelines & Chanting Benefits (Phalashruti)
Daily or auspicious lunar days (Ekadashi, Purnima, Pradosham)
Brahma Muhurta (4:00 AM – 6:00 AM) or Evening Dusk (Sandhya)
Ghee lamp (Deepa), Incense (Dhoopa), Fresh flowers & Water offering
- Peace of mind, spiritual upliftment, and harmonious energy in the home
Background
Shuklambaradharam is chanted at the start of puja, study and new work, and in many homes it leads the common Ganesha prayers because it asks for the calming of every obstacle. It is also printed as verse 1 of the preliminary verses (purva-pithika) of the Vishnu Sahasranama stotram, which Bhishma teaches in the Mahabharata's Anushasana Parva, chapter 149; those preliminary verses are liturgical additions and not part of Bhishma's discourse. Its author is not known and no single scriptural source has been verified.
Did You Know?
Two Homes
The same verse leads the common Ganesha slokas in Stotra Nidhi and stands among the preliminary verses of the Vishnu Sahasranama. This page treats it as a general invocation for removing obstacles.
The Epithets
Shukla-ambara-dharam means 'wearing white garments', shashi-varnam 'moon-coloured', chaturbhujam 'four-armed' and prasanna-vadanam 'with a gracious face'. White and moonlight speak of purity and a cooling calm.
Why 'Vishnum'?
The verse names its deity directly: 'Vishnum' is the accusative of Vishnu, from the root vish, 'to pervade', an epithet for the all-pervading Lord. The verse itself addresses Vishnu alone; it is not a hidden name for Ganesha. The two deities share this opening only in household custom, not in the Sanskrit, because both are invoked to clear obstacles before new work.
A Prayer for Calm
Sarva-vighna-upashantaye, 'for the calming of all obstacles', names the aim: not a favour but a quiet mind and a clear path before beginning.
Source Not Fixed
Several Puranas are named for this verse in popular writing, but none could be confirmed, so no origin is claimed here.
Ganesh
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