| Religion: | Hinduism |
| Author: | Yamunacharya |
| Language: | Sanskrit |
| Caption: | Painting of Lakshmi (centre right) and her consort Vishnu (centre left), venerated in this work. Ravi Varma Press |
| Verses: | 4 |
| Chatuh Shloki | |
The Chatuh Shloki is a Sanskrit hymn by the Hindu philosopher Yamunacharya of the Sri Vaishnava tradition.[1] Comprising four verses,[2] the Chatuh Shloki extols Lakshmi, the consort of the deity Vishnu.[3]
Chatuh Shloki is Sanskrit for "four verses".[4]
The four stanzas of the work describe the various attributes of the goddess Lakshmi, her greatness and mercy, the grace she offers to her devotees, and her inseparability in form from her consort Vishnu (Lakshmi Narayana) respectively.[5] Lakshmi is represented as an intermediary between a devotee and Vishnu; she is described to present a devotee's piety to her consort, offering her consort's grace to the devotee in turn. The work is regarded to be a pioneer in offering descriptions of the personality of the goddess and her relationship with a devotee and her consort in Vaishnava philosophy.[6]
The first stanza of the hymn describes the attributes of Lakshmi and her standing among other beings:[7] [8]