A popular short prayer for worshipping Vāsudeva is Dwadashaakshar (the twelve-syllable mantra), consisting in the recitation of the phrase Om Namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya () (in devanagari: ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय), which is one of the most popular Hindu mantras, and the most important mantra in Vaishnavism. It means Om, I bow to Lord Vāsudeva, who is variously understood as Krishna or Vishnu.