Poonam Patil — Sanskrit, music and spiritual learning
Course

Lord Viṣṇu

श्री विष्णु

The Viṣṇu Sahasranāma at its centre, with Rāmarakṣā, the Sūrya recitations, the Vedic Sūktas and the daily Viṣṇu mantras taught around it.

Enrolment open Live online class Adults wanting to recite with understanding
Join This Class Ask on WhatsApp
A Pahari painting of Viṣṇu reclining on the serpent Ananta, with Lakshmi at his feet and Brahma on a lotus above
श्री विष्णु

Course Overview

The widest of the Vaiṣṇava groups. The Viṣṇu Sahasranāma anchors it, taken in sections so the thousand names are built up steadily rather than rushed at.

Around it sit the Rāma and Sūrya recitations — Rāmarakṣā, Āditya Hṛdaya, Sūryāṣṭakam — the Vedic Sūktas, and short Stotras that are quick to learn and easy to keep up daily.

Two things worth knowing before you choose. The Bhagavad Gītā is taught as a separate course, so look there for the Gītā. And nobody works through all of this: a course is built from the two or three texts you actually want.

Texts Taught in This Course

A course is built around what you would like to take up. Nobody works through all of these, and they are listed shortest first so there is somewhere comfortable to begin.

  • Stotra

    Madhurāṣṭakam

    Vallabhacharya’s eight verses, every line closing on “madhuram”. Short, sweet, and a common first Stotra.

  • Vedic Sūkta

    Nārāyaṇa Sūkta

    The Vedic hymn to Nārāyaṇa — short enough to serve as a first piece of Vedic recitation.

  • Stotra

    Pāṇḍuraṅga Aṣṭakam

    Adi Shankara’s eight verses to Pāṇḍuraṅga of Pandharpur, close to the heart of Maharashtrian practice.

  • Stotra

    Sūryāṣṭakam

    Eight verses to the sun, brief and well suited to a morning practice.

  • Mantra

    Sūrya Mantra

    The mantras to Sūrya, including those recited through the rounds of Sūrya Namaskāra.

  • Mantra

    Śrī Viṣṇu Mantra

    The Viṣṇu mantras — how each is sounded, and the pace to hold when repeating them.

  • Stotra

    Rāmarakṣā Stotra

    Budhakauśika’s protective hymn to Rama, recited daily in a great many households. Most learners know its sound long before they can place every syllable in it.

  • Stotra

    Veṅkaṭeśa Stotram

    To Veṅkaṭeśa of Tirumala. Even in metre, which makes it a good text for practising sustained recitation without drifting faster.

  • Vedic Sūkta

    Puruṣottama Sūkta

    The Puruṣa Sūkta, on the cosmic being — among the best known of all the Vedic hymns, and taught with its intonation rather than read flat.

  • Stotra

    Āditya Hṛdaya Stotra

    From the Rāmāyaṇa: the hymn Agastya gives Rama before battle. Vigorous, and usually taken alongside the shorter Sūrya texts below.

  • Sahasranāma

    Śrī Viṣṇu Sahasranāma

    The thousand names of Viṣṇu, taught in sections. Small corrections here make a striking difference to how a full recitation flows — which is why households that already recite it often come for exactly this.

What You Will Learn

  • Recite verses with correct articulation of every syllable
  • Follow the flow of a full section rather than isolated names
  • Sustain rhythm and breath across long passages
  • Understand the plain meaning of what is recited
  • Build a sustainable daily or weekly practice

Who Can Join

  • Adults beginning a structured study of the Sahasranāma
  • Households that recite the Sahasranāma or Rāmarakṣā together
  • Learners who want the Sūrya recitations for a morning practice
  • Learners wanting the Vedic Sūktas or the shorter Stotras on their own

How It Is Taught

  1. 1 Listen first. Each line is heard clearly before it is attempted, so the ear learns the sound before the tongue shapes it.
  2. 2 Pronunciation is broken down syllable by syllable, with attention to the placement of each sound.
  3. 3 Rhythm and breath are practised slowly, then brought to their natural pace.
  4. 4 Meaning is explained in simple language so the words are understood, not only repeated.
  5. 5 Individual corrections are given during class, gently and specifically.
  6. 6 Recitation is brought together with awareness and devotion.

Structure of a Class

01 Opening prayer and a settling of attention
02 Revision of the previous session, with corrections
03 New lines: listening, syllable work and slow repetition
04 Explanation of meaning and context
05 Rhythmic recitation together
06 Practice guidance for the week ahead

Questions People Ask

No prior knowledge of Sanskrit is required. Recitation is taught by ear and by syllable, with meaning explained in simple language. Learners who already recite are helped to refine pronunciation and rhythm.

No. The texts listed are what is taught within this group, and a course is arranged around what a learner or batch would like to take up. Some learners work through several; others come for one particular Stotra.

Both. Small groups and individual classes are available. Groups are kept small enough that every learner is still heard and corrected personally.

Classes are conducted live online so that pronunciation can be corrected personally. Practice material is shared to support regular revision between sessions.

Timings and fees are shared directly on enquiry, as they depend on the batch, the learner group and time zones. Please use the enquiry form and you will receive the current details.

Enquire

Ask About Lord Viṣṇu

Send a note about your experience so far and what you would like to learn, and you will receive current timings and details.

Preferred way to be contacted

Fields marked * are required.

Join an Online Class