The Vishnu Shatpadi Stotram is a beautifully composed devotional hymn created by the revered philosopher Sri Adi Shankaracharya. The word “Shatpadi” carries a brilliant double meaning in Sanskrit: it translates to a six-verse poem (six padas) and also means a honeybee (which has six legs). In this prayer, the devotee approaches Lord Vishnu as a humble honeybee seeking refuge at the nectar-filled lotus feet of the divine.
avinayamapanaya viṣṇō damaya manaḥ śamaya viṣayamṛgatṛṣṇām ।
bhūtadayāṃ vistāraya tāraya saṃsārasāgarataḥ ॥ 1 ॥
divyadhunīmakarandē parimaḻaparibhōgasachchidānandē ।
śrīpatipadāravindē bhavabhayakhēdachChidē vandē ॥ 2 ॥
satyapi bhēdāpagamē nātha tavā’haṃ na māmakīnastvam ।
sāmudrō hi taraṅgaḥ kvachana samudrō na tāraṅgaḥ ॥ 3 ॥
uddhṛtanaga nagabhidanuja danujakulāmitra mitraśaśidṛṣṭē ।
dṛṣṭē bhavati prabhavati na bhavati kiṃ bhavatiraskāraḥ ॥ 4 ॥
matsyādibhiravatārairavatāravatā’vatā sadā vasudhām ।
paramēśvara paripālyō bhavatā bhavatāpabhītō’ham ॥ 5 ॥
dāmōdara guṇamandira sundaravadanāravinda gōvinda ।
bhavajaladhimathanamandara paramaṃ daramapanaya tvaṃ mē ॥ 6 ॥
nārāyaṇa karuṇāmaya śaraṇaṃ karavāṇi tāvakau charaṇau ।
iti ṣaṭpadī madīyē vadanasarōjē sadā vasatu ॥
iti śrīmachchaṅkarāchārya virachitaṃ śrī viṣṇu ṣaṭpadī stōtraṃ sampūrṇam