Dhyāna
Three ślokas of visualisation, held in the mind before the first name is spoken.
A recitation of the sahasranāma opens not with the names themselves but with dhyāna — meditation. These three ślokas summon the form of Kṛṣṇa to the mind's eye: the infant at play, the cowherd with his flute, the Lord of all worlds who appears to each devotee according to their longing. They are recited after the viniyoga and nyāsa and immediately before the first verse.
Śloka 1
केषां गोपाललीलाङ्कितरसिकतनुर्वेणुवाद्येन देवम् ।
केषां वामासमाजे जनितमनसिजो दैत्यदर्पापहैवं ।
ज्ञात्वा भिन्नाभिलाषं स जयति जगतामीश्वरस्तादृशोऽभूत् ॥ kēṣāñchitprēmapuṃsāṃ vigalitamanasāṃ bālalīlāvilāsaṃ ·
kēṣāṃ gōpālalīlāṅkitarasikatanurvēṇuvādyēna dēvam ·
kēṣāṃ vāmāsamājē janitamanasijō daityadarpāpahaivaṃ ·
jñātvā bhinnābhilāṣaṃ sa jayati jagatāmīśvarastādṛśō'bhūt
He appeared as the infant play to those whose hearts are dissolved in love; to others as the Gopāla-Lord whose body glows with cowherd-sport and flute-music; and to others yet, in the tantric circle, as the conqueror of demonic pride. Knowing each devotee's varied aspiration, the Lord of all worlds appeared accordingly — may that one be ever victorious!
Śloka 2
प्रोद्भूतो वसुदेवसद्मनि मुदा चिक्रीड यो गोकुले ।
कंसध्वंसकृते जगाम मधुरां सारामसद्वारकां ।
गोपालोऽखिलगोपिकाजनसखः पायादपायात् स नः ॥ kṣīrābdhau kṛtasaṃstavassuragaṇairbrahmādibhiḥ paṇḍitaiḥ ·
prōdbhūtō vasudēvasadmani mudā chikrīḍa yō gōkulē ·
kaṃsadhvaṃsakṛtē jagāma madhurāṃ sārāmasadvārakāṃ ·
gōpālō'khilagōpikājanasakhaḥ pāyādapāyāt sa naḥ
He was hymned in the ocean of milk by the hosts of gods headed by Brahmā; he arose and sported joyfully in the house of Vasudeva and in Gokula; to destroy Kaṃsa he went to Mathurā and then to ever-excellent Dvārakā — may that Gopāla, companion of all the gopikā-people, protect us from adversity.
Śloka 3
श्रीवत्साङ्कमुदारकौस्तुभधरं पीताम्बरं सुन्दरम् ।
गोपीनां नयनोत्पलार्चिततनुं गोगोपसङ्घावृतं ।
गोविन्दं कलवेणुवादनरतं दिव्याङ्गभूषं भजे ॥ phullēndīvarakāntiminduvadanaṃ barhāvataṃsapriyaṃ ·
śrīvatsāṅkamudārakaustubhadharaṃ pītāmbaraṃ sundaram ·
gōpīnāṃ nayanōtpalārchitatanuṃ gōgōpasaṅghāvṛtaṃ ·
gōvindaṃ kalavēṇuvādanarataṃ divyāṅgabhūṣaṃ bhajē
I worship Govinda — whose beauty surpasses a full-blown blue lotus, whose face is like the moon, who delights in a peacock-feather crest, who bears the Śrīvatsa mark and the noble Kaustubha gem, who wears yellow silk, who is beautiful, whose body is worshipped by the lotus-eyes of the gopīs, who is surrounded by herds and cowherds, who is absorbed in playing the sweet flute, and whose divine limbs gleam with ornaments.
With the form thus held in view, the recitation proceeds to the thousand names.