Vishnu Sahasranama - Part 2 - Prologue (verses 11-20)

Verses 11-15 : (Hear youtube video for practice from 1.51 - 2.38)

"Anaadi nidhanam Vishnum sarva lokha Maheshwaram
Lokadyaksham Sthuvannithyam sarva dukhagthigo bhavedh" - 11

Anaadi nidhanam vishnum - Vishnu who has no beginning or end
Sarva lokha maheshwaram - The supreme lord of all worlds
Lokadyaksham sthuvannithyam - One who chants everyday (about) the one who presides all worlds
Sarva dukhagthigo bhavedh - All their miseries go beyond

"All the miseries will go away from the person, when he chants everyday and praises the glory of Lord Vishnu, the supreme lord who presides all worlds and who is without any beginning or end."

"Brahmanyam sarvadharmagyam lokaanam kirthivardhanam
Lokanaatham mahatbhuutham sarvabhuutha bhavodbhavam" - 12

Brahmanyam sarvadharmagyam - Who knows all dharmas and who has to be perceived through the vedas 

Lokaanam kirthivardhanam -  Who increases the fame of  beings who live in worlds

Lokanaatham mahatbhuutham - The master of all worlds and the greatest truth among all 

Sarvabhuutha bhavodbhavam -  Source behind the existence of all beings

"Vishnu, who alone knows all dharmas, has to be known through the vedas. He is the master of all worlds. He is the one who increases the fame of all beings in all worlds and the absolute truth/source behind the existence of all beings."

"Yeshame sarvadharmaanaam dharmo dikhathamo mathah

Yadbhakthyaa pundarikaaksham sthavairarcher narassadha" - 13

Yeshame sarvadharmaanam - This dharma, among all dharmas

Dharmo dikhathamo mathah - Is declared as the greatest
Yadbhakthyaa pundarikaaksham - With bakthi, worships the lotus eyed (lord)
Sthavairarcher narassadha - Singing the glory, everyday by beings

"Dharma for beings (humans)  is to worship the lotus eyed lord and sing and chant his glory with devotion, everyday. This is the greatest dharma among all dharmas."

"Paramam yo mahat tejah parmam yo mahat tapah
Paramam yo mahat brahmah paramam yah paraayanam" - 14

Paramam yo mahat tejah - Greatest of all lights
Paramam yo mahat tapah - Greatest of all penance
Paramam yo mahat brahmah - Brahmam, the absolute truth
Paramam yah paraayanam -  Greatest of all shelters

"(Worship he who is) The greatest of all lights, greatest of all penance, who himself is the absolute truth called brahmam and one who is the greatest of all shelters."

"Pavithraanam pavithram yo mangalaanaamcha mangalam

Daivatham devataanaamcha bhuthaanam yo avyayah pitaa" - 15

Pavithraanam pavithram yo - Holiest among all holy things
Mangalaanaamcha mangalam - Most auspicious among all auspicious things
Daivatham devataanaamcha - Supreme God among all Gods
Bhuthaanam yo avyayah pitaa - Who is without death and hence (eternal) father of all beings

"(Worship he who is) The holiest (pure)  among all holy things, the most auspicious among all auspicious things, the supreme lord of lords, and the one who is the eternal father of all beings in all worlds."

Verses 16-20 : (Hear youtube video for practice from 2.38 - 3.24 )

"Yatha sarvaani bhuthaani bhavanthyaadi yugaagamae
yasmimcha pralayam yanthi punareva yugakshayae" - 16

Yatha sarvaani bhuthaani - (The eternal father) From whom, all beings in the world
Bhavanthyaadi yugaagamae - Emanated at the beginning of the initial yuga
Yasmimcha pralayam yanthi - To whom, (all beings) during the final dissolution
Punareva yugakshayae -  Go back at the end of the world

"The eternal indestructible father, from whom, all beings, originated at the beginning of the initial yuga, and to whom, all beings, merge together, during the final dissolution, which happens at the end of the final yuga".

"Tasya loka pradhaanasya jagannaadhasya bhoopathe
Vishnornaama sahasramme shrunupaapa bhayaapaham" - 17

Tasya loka pradhaanasya - The pillar on which the entire universe rests
Jagannaadhasya bhoopathe - The master of Universe (Oh King!!)
Vishnornaama sahasramme - The thousand names of Lord vishnu
Shrunupaapa bhayaapaham - (Listen, oh king!)  which drives away all sins and all fears

"Oh King (Yudishtra), listen!!! I will tell you the thousand names of Lord Vishnu, the master of the Universe, the pillar on which the entire Universe rests. Oh king! these thousand names of Lord Vishnu, will dispel all fears and wash out all fears".

"Yaani naamaani gaunaani vikhyaataani mahaatmanah
Rishibih parigeethani taani vakshyaami bhuthaye" - 18

Yaani naamaani gaunaani - (Make you familiar) with the names
Vikhyaataani mahaatmanah -  Those which proclaim the glory of the supreme being
Rishibih parigeethani -Well chanted and sung by the Rishis
Taani vakshyaami bhuthaye - Know them, for the welfare of all beings

"I will help you to get familiar with the names, which proclaim the glory of the supreme being and are well chanted and sung by the Rishis. Know these names, for the welfare of all beings."

"Rishirnaamnaam sahasrasya vedavyaso mahamunihi
Chando anushtub thathaadevo bhagavaan devakisuthah" - 19

Rishir naamnaam sahasrasya - (Rishi) of these thousand names of Vishnu
Vedavyaso mahamunihi - The great Rishi, Veda Vyasa
Chandoasushtub thathaadevo - The vedic meter is "Anushtub", the presiding deity
Bhagavaan devakisuthah - The Lord, who is the son of Devaki

"The great sage, Veda Vyasa, is the Rishi (composer) of these thousand names of Vishnu. The vedic meter in which it is composed is "Anushtub" and the presiding deity (of these thousand names) is Lord Vishnu, who is the son of Devaki".

(Please click the following link to know about vedic meters) :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedic_meter

"Amrutaam Shutbhavobijam shakthir devakinandhanah
trisaamaa hridhayam tasya  shaanthyarthe viniyujyathe" - 20

Amrutaam shuthbhavobijam - (Its) root is one who is born in (chandra) lunar race
Shakthir devakinandhanah -  (Its) power is the son of Devaki
Trisaamaa hridhayamtasya - (Its) heart is the one who is glorified in thrisama (sama veda)
Shaanthyarthe viniyujyathe - (Its) purpose is the attainment of peace


"The root (of these thousand names) is the one who is born in chandra vamsa (lunar race), the power (of these names) is the beloved son of Devaki, The heart (of these names) is the one who is glorified in trisaama (the third veda, samaveda) and the purpose of it (the names) is to attain peace