Ritualistic worship of Lord Vishnu is prevalent since the Vedic period. The greatest Vaishnav is Shiva and the greatest Shaiva is Vishnu because They worship each other.
The famous verse of Lord Vishnu is the Vishnusahasranam (विष्णुसहस्रनाम). Amidst chanting these One thousand Names Lord Vishnu is ritualistically worshipped with an offering of tulsi leaves or lotus flowers while sipping water through the palm (आँचमन) is the most traditional method but this is a very difficult method and and is adopted and suited to sagas (साधु), saints (संत) and one who is doing penance (तपस्या) of lord vishnu. For Householder (ग्रहस्थ) people there are other simpiler mearhods described below.
Like all other gods, Lord Vishnu is also worshiped by the method of sixteen step worship called Shodashopachar Pujan (षोडशोपचार पूजन). Tulsi (तुलसी) leaves are essential for His worship but if lotuses are available, it is even better. Khir (खीर) a sweet delicacy made from milk and rice is Lord Vishnu’s favourite holy sacrament (नैवेद्य). The ritualistic worship should be done throughout the year using a different Name every month. It should be done on the twelfth day (द्वादशी) of the Hindu lunar month. Keshav in the month of Margashirsha (मार्गशीर्ष) , Narayan in Poush (पौष), Madhav in Magh (माघ), Govind in Phalgun (फाल्गुन), Vishnu in Chaitra (चैत्र), Madhusudan in Vaishakh (बैशाख), Trivikram in Jyeshtha (ज्येष्ठ), Vaman in Ashadh (आषाढ़), Shridhar in Shravan (श्रावण), Hrushikesh in Bhadrapad (भाद्रपद), Padmanabh in Ashvin (आश्विन) and Damodar in Kartik (कार्तिक) should be the names used in the worship. The idol (मूर्ति) should be made of gold ideally but if not possible, gold plated silver will also do and if this too is also not possible, clay idol with chrome yellow color painted will also do. It should be draped in white cloth and installed (स्थापित) on a pot (कलश) with Green Mango Leaves surrounding. Every substance in the worship should be offered chanting the twelve letter mantra, “Om Namo Bhagvate Vasudevaya (ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ।). The flowers and fruits offered every month should be different.
The above meathod is for ruital worship which is done once a month however there is an even shorter method with certain substances and mantras for daily worship. These are collection of small mantras that can be chanted with devotional feeling and with tulsi, dhoop, deep, sacrament and water for offering to complete the pooja. This pooja is preferably done in the morning but can also done in other times of the day. It takes less then 5 miniuts to complete. The Mantras are
Vishnustuti (बिष्णुस्तुति)
शुक्लाम्बरधरं विष्णुं शशिवर्णं चतुर्भुजं । प्रसन्नवदनं ध्यायेत्सर्वविघ्नोपशान्तये ॥
Meaning
Dressed in white you are, O all-pervading one (समस्त ब्रह्माण्ड मे व्याप्त), glowing like the colour of moon with four arms. I meditate (चिंतन) of your ever-smiling face, and pray to remove all the obstacles (विघ्न-बाधाएं) from my way.
Vishnu Vandana (बिष्णु – वन्दना)
शान्ताकारं भुजगशयनं पद्मनाभं सुरेशम् । विश्वाधारं गगनसदृशं मेघवर्णं शुभाङ्गम् ॥
लक्ष्मीकान्तं कमलनयनं योगिभिर्ध्यानगम्यम् । वन्दे विष्णुं भवभयहरं सर्वलोकैकनाथम् ॥
Meaning
Whose embodiment (साकार रूप) itself is a true (परम) serenity (शान्ति) giving, who reclining on serpent (भुजंग) shesha (शेषनाग), from whose navel (नाभि) springs (प्रकट करता है) the lotus, who is god of the gods. Who is also the basis of this universe, who is present everywhere or omnipresent (सर्वव्याप्त) like the sky, whose character resembles that of clouds, whose body is auspicious (शुभकारी). Who is the consort (पति) of the Godess Lakshmi, whose eyes are like lotus, who is attainable by Yogis through meditation. I adore (वंदना करता हूं) to such Lord Vishnu, who appeases (शांत करते हैं) all sorrows (संतापों), who is the one Lord of all the worlds.
Shri Vaishno Shodshanamstotram (श्रीविष्णोषोडशनामस्तोत्रम्)
औषधेचिन्तयेद्विष्णुं भोजने च जनार्दनम् । शयने पद्मनाभं च विवाहे च प्रजापतिम् ॥
युद्धे चक्रधरं देवं प्रवासे च त्रिविक्रमम् । नारायणं तनुत्यागे श्रीधरं प्रियसंगमे ॥
दु:स्वप्ने स्मर गोविन्दं संकटे मधुसूदनम् । कानने नारसिंहं च पावके जलशायिनम् ॥
जलमध्ये वराहं च पर्वते रघुनन्दनम् । गमने वामनं चैव सर्वकार्येषु माधवम् ॥
षोडशैतानि नामानि प्रातरुत्थाय य: पठेत् । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो विष्णुलोके महीयते ॥
Meaning
One should contemplate (चिंतन करना) of Vishnu when consuming medicines to get it effective and Janardan when eating as he provides us the food. Padmanabh before sleeping and Prajapati during ones marriage since he has created the universe and is responsible for procreation (सन्तानोत्पत्ति). Lord Chakradhar (Vishnu or Krushna) when fighting a battle to win it and Trivikram during a journey to make the journey sucessfull. Narayan at the time of death to get salvation and Shridhar during the Sex intercourse (समागम) with the beloved (परमप्रिय) to thank him for providing the ablity and opportunity to enjoy this. Remembering Govind in case of Nightmare (दुस्वप्न), Madhusudan in a calamity (विपत्ति). Narsinha when lost in the forest and the form of Vishnu in the celestial ocean (क्षीरसागर) when threatened by the fire, His Varaha incarnation when there is fear of drowning (डूबना) and Raghunandan when there is fear of fall from a mountain or height. Baman after loosing everything as only he can return them all as he did it in his Baman incarnation with King Bali when he lost his everything and Madhav when performing day-to-day chores (काम-काज). Whoever recites these sixteen names out of one thousand names of Lord Vishnu after waking up in the morning, He gets free from all sins (पापों से) and goes to Lord Vishnu's World at the end that means gets salvation (मुक्ति) from the cycle of life and death.
Vishnu Yachana (विष्णु याचना)
लाभस्तेषां जयस्तेषां कुतस्तेषां पराजयः ।
येषामिन्दीवरः श्याम: हृदयस्थो जनार्दनः ॥
Meaning
For those, who have him in their hearts, who has the splendours (भव्यता) of a blue lotus (नीलकमल), who has a dusty skin, who is empathetic (समानुभूतिमय) to the pains and sorrows (संतापों) of people, theirs is all gain and gain, theirs is all victory and victory, how can they ever face defeat (पराजय).
This completes the collection of small mantras that can be recited (पाठन) by the devotee once a day for doind his worship in todays fast life. One can also follow the meenings of these Shlokas translated here in there day to day life on vasrous moments as described.
I would like to give speical thanks to Mr. S. L. Abhyankar for providing me translation of "Vishnu Yachana" as well as helping me alot in getting me correct translations of other shlokas through a wonderful blog "Learn Sanskarit" (Click here) run by Mr. Himanshu Pota for a grate cause.
My next post will focus on an overview of 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu.