|| Catur-viṁśati mūrtis of Viṣṇu ||

The twenty-four popular forms of Viṣṇu, which are commonly revered by a significant portion of Sanātana-dharma adherents during the ritual of ācamana for purification, are distinguished based on how the conch (śaṅkha), discus (cakra), mace (gadā), and lotus (padma) are positioned in the four hands of each form - (āyudhānāṁ viparyāsyāt catursvapi ca bāhusu - Abhilāṣitārtha Cintāmaṇi ).

The four āyudhas embody the four main cosmic functions associated with Viṣṇu, lotus or padma represents creation (srṣṭi bījaṁ tathā padmam), cakra or discus represents preservation (cakraṁ stithi nibandhanam), gadā or mace represents dissolution of the creation (gadā saṁhāram) and śaṅkha or conch represents mokṣa or release of the jīva from saṁsāra (śaṅkhaṁ mukti nibandhanam).

In Pañcarātra doctrine, each of Viṣṇu's four primary emanations or vyūhas - namely Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Aniruddha, Pradyumna produces three secondary emanations, known vyūhāntaras. Let us discuss about these four primary emanations before going to the secondary set.

The Pañcarātra texts state that four prototypical forms are actually different aspects of the same Para Brahma - Viṣṇu. They manifest in a sequence: Vāsudeva first, then Saṅkarṣaṇa, followed by Pradyumna, and finally Aniruddha. The vyūha's contextual elements align with the six divine attributes, or ṣaḍ guṇas, attributed to Viṣṇu, encompassing six qualities namely jñāna or gnosis, aiśvarya or supremacy, śakti or potency, bala or vitality, vīrya or valor, and tejas or radiance.

These six qualities are divided into three groups. The first group contains the first three qualities, the second group includes the remaining three qualities, and the third group is composed of three pairs - jñāna/bala, aiśvarya/vīrya, vīrya/tejas. The initial form of Vāsudeva embodies all six of these qualities. Three sets of attributes present in the third set are present in the other three forms, in the order of Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha.

Vāsudeva initially emerges from Viṣṇu, full of four kalās. Appearing white hued and four arms that symbolize creation(sṛṣṭi), maintenance(sthiti), dissolution(saṁhāra), and emancipation(mukti)—the four fundamental functions of the manifested universe. Another form is drawn out of Vāsudeva's own form (ākṛṣya tu svakād dehāt) and is named Saṅkarṣaṇa. Red hued Saṅkarṣaṇa is also catuḥ kalā paripūrṇa. Saṅkarṣaṇa while meditating upon Vāsudeva and doing tapas focused on Him, generates Pradyumna. Pradyumna is the very soul of the universe, or viśvātman, is catur bhuja śaṅkha, cakra, gadā, padma dhārī, again symbolizing four above said functions of the created universe. Pradyumna again through introspection generate Aniruddha from half portion of His svarūpa (dehārdhāt). Aniruddha is the controller or Īśvara of the Universe, Lord and object of meditation for Yogins who desire mokṣa. Despite the līlā viśeṣa, of one form emanating from another and one form doing tapasya on another for producing another form, tattvataḥ all these forms are very Vāsudeva and are nondifferent from Him (Vāsudevātmaka).

These forms are also referred to as Paramahaṁsa/Puruṣa, Vyoma/Satya, Acyuta/ Nāda, Nārāyaṇa/Haṁsa. Their consorts respectively are - Śānti, Śrī,

Sarasvatī, Rati, who are all emanations of Lakṣmī. They also represent atma (Vishnu), Manas (Vasudeva), ahankara ( sankarshana), chitta (Pradyumna) and buddhi (Aniruddha). Four Vyūha forms also represent the four successive yugas - Satya, Tretā, Dvāpara, Kali. Further discussion on primary vyūha forms such as their dhyānas we will reserve for another article. Now let us revert back to out discussion on vyūhāntara forms.

Vyūhāntaras corresponding to four vyūhas is as follows:

From Vāsudeva - Keśava, Nārāyaṇa and Mādhava

From Saṅkarṣaṇa - Govinda, Viṣṇu, Madhusūdana

From Pradyumna - Trivikrama, Vāmana, Śrīdhara

From Aniruddha - Hṛṣīkeśa, Padmanābha, Damodara

These twelve forms are called mūrtyantara or dvādaśa mūrtis.

From these twevle vyūhāntara forms eight other vyūha forms will manifest named:

Puruṣottama, Adhokṣaja, Nārasiṁha, Acyuta, Janārdana, Upendra, Hari and Kṛṣṇa.

Four primary vyūhas, the twelve vyūhāntaras, and eight emanations mentioned at last together forms the Catur Viṁśati Mūrtis. According to the Tantra Sāra each letter of Gāyatrī Mantra also represents one of these mūrtis, and its prescribed to recite these 24 names at the time of performing daily Sandhyā.

These 24 akṣaras are also presided over by one abhimānī devatā along with the specifc form of Viṣṇu.

They're as follows:

1. ta - Agni - Keśava

2. tsa - Prajāpati - Nārāyaṇa

3. vi - Soma - Mādhava

4. tu - Īśāna - Govinda

5. rva - Sāvitṛ - Viṣṇu

6. re - Bṛhaspati - Madhusūdana

7. ṇi - Paitṛ Deva - Trivikrama

8. yaṁ - bhaga - Vāmana

9. bha - Aryamā - Śrīdhara

10. rgo - Sāvitrī - Hṛṣīkeśa

11. de - Tavṣtṛ - Padmanābha

12. va - Pūṣan - Dāmodara

13. sya - Indra - Saṅkarṣaṇa

14. dhī - Agni - Vāsudeva

15. ma - Vāyu - Pradyumna

16. hi - Mitrā varuṇa - Aniruddha

17. dhi - Bhrātṛdeva - Puruṣottama

18. yo - Viśvedeva - Adhokṣaaja

19. yo - Viṣṇu - Nārasiṁhha

20. naḥ - Vāsava - Acyuta

21. pra - Tuṣṭbha - Janārdana

22. co - Kubera - Upendra

23. da - Dasra - Hari

24. yāt - Brahma - Kṛṣṇa

According to the Tantra Sāra, bodily representations of all these Viṣṇu forms are similar with only differing positions of āyudhas held in hands. However, there are other Pāñcarātrika texts which give each form with varying hues and clothes apart from the order of weapons held, and also different kinds of weapons.

Now let us explain different forms as per the most widely accepted descriptions given. Order of weapons will be starting from right upper hand, left upper hand, lower left hand, lower right hand.

Keśava - Śaṅkha, cakra, gadā, padma/ form of Śrī is Kīrti

Nārāyaṇa - Padma, gadā, cakra, śaṅkha/ form of Śrī is Kānti

Mādhava - Cakra, Śaṅkha, gadā, padma/ form of Srī is Tuṣṭi/Kamalā

Govinda - Gadā, padma, śaṅkha, cakra/ form of Śrī is Padmā/Puṣṭi

Viṣṇu - Padma, Cakra, Śaṅkha, Gadā / form of Śrī is Padmiṇī/Dhṛti

Madhusūdana - Śaṅkha, Padma, Gadā, Cakra

Form of Śrī is Kamalālayā/Śānti

Trivikrama - Gadā, Cakra, Śaṅkha, Padma/ Form of Śrī is Ramā/Kriyā

Vāmana - Cakra, gadā, padma, śaṅkha/ Form of Śrī is Vṛṣākapi/ Dayā

Śrīdhara - Cakra, gadā, padma, śaṅkha/ Form of Śrī is Dhanyā/Medhā

Hṛṣīkeśa - Cakra, Padma, Śaṅkha, Gadā/ Form of Śrī is Maṅgalā/Harṣā

Padmanābha - Padma, Cakra, Gadā, Śaṅkha/ Form of Śrī is Buddhi/ Śraddhā

Dāmodara - Śaṅkhā, gadā, cakra, padma/ Form of Śrī is Indirā/Lajjā

Saṅkarṣaṇa - Śaṅkha, Padma, Cakra, Gadā/ form of Śrī is Hariṇī/ Sarasvatī

Vāsudeva - Śaṅkha, cakra, padma, gadā/ form of Śrī is Dakṣiṇā/ Lakṣmī

Pradyumana - Śaṅkha, gadā, padma, cakra/ form of Śrī is Nityā/Prīti

Aniruddha - Gadā, Śaṅkha, Padma, Cakra/ form of Śrī is Ānandā/Rati

Puruṣottama - Padma, Śaṅkha, gadā, cakra/ form of Śrī is Sadāśrayā/Vasudhā

Adhokṣaja - Gadā, Śaṅkha, Cakra, Padma/ form of Śrī is Śubhā

Nārasiṁha - Padma, Gadā, Śaṅkha, Cakra/ form of Śrī is Yajñā/Vidhulā

Acyuta - Padma, cakra, śaṅkha, gadā/ form of Śrī is Sukhā

Janārdana - Cakra, Śaṅkha, gadā, padma/ form of Śrī is

Sugandhī/ Umā

Upendra - Gadā, cakra, padma, śaṅkha/ form of Śrī is Sundarī

Hari - Cakra, Padma, gadā, śaṅkha/ form of Śrī is Vidyā/ Śuddhi

Kṛṣṇā - gadā, padma, cakra, śaṅkha/ form of Śrī is Suśīlā/Buddhi.

Here we conclude the description of Catur-viṁśati mūrtis of Viṣṇu.

🙏 Namo Narasiṁha 🙏