Om Namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya: Meaning and Source
Written and reviewed by The Kriya Yogi · Updated 19 September 2026
oṃ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
Om, salutations to the blessed Vasudeva.
- Source
- Bhagavata Purana, where it is treated as the twelve-syllable mantra
- Tradition
- Vaishnava, Puranic
- Traditional use
- Daily japa in Vaishnava practice.
- Repetition
- 108 repetitions; the twelve syllables make it a comfortable bead mantra.
In short
- Known as the *dvādaśākṣara* — the twelve-syllable mantra.
- *Vāsudeva* is a patronymic: the son of Vasudeva, i.e. Krishna.
- *Bhagavate* means 'to the blessed one' or 'to the one possessing fortune'.
- It is Puranic and devotional, not part of the classical yoga texts.
What the words say
Namo — salutations. Bhagavate — to the blessed one, from bhaga, fortune or majesty. Vāsudevāya — to Vāsudeva, the son of Vasudeva, which is to say Krishna. The whole mantra is a bow, like Om Namah Shivaya in a different tradition.
Where it comes from
It is prominent in the Bhagavata Purana, where it appears as a mantra given and received within the narrative, and it is known in tradition as the twelve-syllable mantra — count the syllables and you get twelve. It belongs to Vaishnava devotional practice.
How it is practised
Daily japa, usually 108 repetitions, one per bead. Its length sits comfortably in one slow breath for most people, which is what makes a mantra practical rather than aspirational. A 108-bead mala is the traditional counting tool; see how to use a mala for japa.
As with the Shaiva mantras, this is a devotional practice inside a tradition. Adopt it if that is what you want; there is no obligation in yoga to take up any deity mantra.
Questions & answers
+ What does Vasudeva mean?
+ Why is it called the twelve-syllable mantra?
Mantra recitation is a contemplative practice, not a treatment for any condition. Nothing here should be read as medical advice.