Shauddhodani (शौद्धोदनि, IAST: Śauddhodani) is a Sanskrit-origin Hindu boy-name meaning “Son of Śuddhodana; epithet of the Buddha avatāra”. From Śuddhodana (the Śākya king, father of Siddhārtha) with the patronymic suffix -i, this name identifies Viṣṇu in his Buddha avatāra as the son of the pure king.

Meaning, etymology & significance

Śuddhodana means 'one who possesses pure rice or pure grain,' a name of noble connotation in the Śākya lineage. The suffix -i (or -ni) forms a patronymic, meaning 'descendant of Śuddhodana.' In the Vaiṣṇava understanding, the Buddha is the ninth avatāra of Viṣṇu, who incarnated to redirect those who were misusing Vedic sacrificial injunctions and to cultivate compassion. This epithet thus grounds Viṣṇu's Buddha manifestation in its historical and genealogical context.

In the Viṣṇu Sahasranāma, this name reflects the Purāṇic acceptance of the Buddha within the avatāra lineage of Viṣṇu. Pronounced show-ddho-duh-ni, with the double dh sounded clearly.

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Scriptural source

Shauddhodani appears in the Vishnu Sahasranama, among the sacred names of Vishnu.

Astrology — nakshatra, rashi & numerology

By the standard Vedic correspondence between a name’s first syllable and the lunar mansion, Shauddhodani aligns with the Hasta nakshatra, under the Kanya rashi (Moon sign). Its Chaldean name-number is 1.