Dashavatara Stotram lyrics in Sanskrit & English, with meaning
-
Matsya#
प्रलयपयोधिजले धृतवानसि वेदं
विहितवहित्रचरित्रमखेदम् ।
केशव धृतमीनशरीर जय जगदीश हरे ॥pralayapayodhijale dhṛtavānasi vedaṃ
vihitavahitracaritramakhedam |
keśava dhṛtamīnaśarīra jaya jagadīśa hare ||प्रलय के सागर के जल में आपने नौका का काम सहज करते हुए वेदों को धारण किया। हे मत्स्य-शरीर धारण करने वाले केशव, जगदीश हरि, आपकी जय हो!
In the waters of the ocean of dissolution you held up the Veda, easily acting as a boat. O Keshava, who took the body of a fish — victory, Lord of the world, Hari!
-
Kurma#
क्षितिरतिविपुलतरे तव तिष्ठति पृष्ठे
धरणिधरणकिणचक्रगरिष्ठे ।
केशव धृतकच्छपरूप जय जगदीश हरे ॥kṣitirativipulatare tava tiṣṭhati pṛṣṭhe
dharaṇidharaṇakiṇacakragariṣṭhe |
keśava dhṛtakacchaparūpa jaya jagadīśa hare ||पृथ्वी आपकी अत्यन्त विशाल पीठ पर टिकी है, जो उसे धारण करने से पड़े गोल घट्टे से और भी भारी है। हे कच्छप-रूप धारण करने वाले केशव, जगदीश हरि, आपकी जय हो!
The earth rests on your vast back, made mighty by the round callus of bearing it. O Keshava, who took the form of a tortoise — victory, Lord of the world, Hari!
-
Varaha#
वसति दशनशिखरे धरणी तव लग्ना
शशिनि कलङ्ककलेव निमग्ना ।
केशव धृतसूकररूप जय जगदीश हरे ॥vasati daśanaśikhare dharaṇī tava lagnā
śaśini kalaṅkakaleva nimagnā |
keśava dhṛtasūkararūpa jaya jagadīśa hare ||पृथ्वी आपके दाँत की नोक पर ऐसे टिकी है जैसे चन्द्रमा में डूबी हुई कलंक की रेखा। हे वराह-रूप धारण करने वाले केशव, जगदीश हरि, आपकी जय हो!
The earth rests on the tip of your tusk, like the mark sunk in the moon. O Keshava, who took the form of a boar — victory, Lord of the world, Hari!
-
Narasimha#
तव करकमलवरे नखमद्भुतशृङ्गं
दलितहिरण्यकशिपुतनुभृङ्गम् ।
केशव धृतनरहरिरूप जय जगदीश हरे ॥tava karakamalavare nakhamadbhutaśṛṅgaṃ
dalitahiraṇyakaśiputanubhṛṅgam |
keśava dhṛtanaraharirūpa jaya jagadīśa hare ||आपके सुन्दर करकमल में अद्भुत नोकों वाले नख हैं, जिन्होंने हिरण्यकशिपु के शरीर को भौंरे की तरह चीर डाला। हे नरसिंह-रूप धारण करने वाले केशव, जगदीश हरि, आपकी जय हो!
On your fine lotus hand the nails are wondrous points that tore the body of Hiranyakashipu as one crushes a bee. O Keshava, who took the form of the man-lion — victory, Lord of the world, Hari!
-
Vamana#
छलयसि विक्रमणे बलिमद्भुतवामन
पदनखनीरजनितजनपावन ।
केशव धृतवामनरूप जय जगदीश हरे ॥chalayasi vikramaṇe balimadbhutavāmana
padanakhanīrajanitajanapāvana |
keśava dhṛtavāmanarūpa jaya jagadīśa hare ||हे अद्भुत वामन, अपने पगों से आपने बलि को छला; आपके पैर के नख से निकले जल (गंगा) से लोग पवित्र होते हैं। हे वामन-रूप धारण करने वाले केशव, जगदीश हरि, आपकी जय हो!
O wondrous dwarf, with your great strides you outwitted Bali; the water from your toenail (the Ganga) purifies all people. O Keshava, who took the form of the dwarf — victory, Lord of the world, Hari!
-
Parashurama#
क्षत्रियरुधिरमये जगदपगतपापं
स्नपयसि पयसि शमितभवतापम् ।
केशव धृतभृगुपतिरूप जय जगदीश हरे ॥kṣatriyarudhiramaye jagadapagatapāpaṃ
snapayasi payasi śamitabhavatāpam |
keśava dhṛtabhṛgupatirūpa jaya jagadīśa hare ||आप (अत्याचारी) क्षत्रियों के रक्त रूपी जल में जगत् को स्नान कराते हैं, जिससे उसके पाप दूर होते हैं और संसार का ताप शान्त होता है। हे भृगुपति (परशुराम) रूप धारण करने वाले केशव, जगदीश हरि, आपकी जय हो!
You bathe the world in the blood of the (wicked) kshatriyas, washing away its sin and calming its suffering. O Keshava, who took the form of the lord of the Bhrigus (Parashurama) — victory, Lord of the world, Hari!
-
Rama#
वितरसि दिक्षु रणे दिक्पतिकमनीयं
दशमुखमौलिबलिं रमणीयम् ।
केशव धृतरामशरीर जय जगदीश हरे ॥vitarasi dikṣu raṇe dikpatikamanīyaṃ
daśamukhamaulibaliṃ ramaṇīyam |
keśava dhṛtarāmaśarīra jaya jagadīśa hare ||युद्ध में आप दसमुख रावण के सिरों की सुन्दर बलि दिशाओं में बाँटते हैं, जो दिक्पालों को प्रिय है। हे राम-शरीर धारण करने वाले केशव, जगदीश हरि, आपकी जय हो!
In battle you scatter to the directions the heads of ten-faced Ravana, a fine offering pleasing to the guardians of the directions. O Keshava, who took the body of Rama — victory, Lord of the world, Hari!
-
Balarama#
वहसि वपुषि विशदे वसनं जलदाभं
हलहतिभीतिमिलितयमुनाभम् ।
केशव धृतहलधररूप जय जगदीश हरे ॥vahasi vapuṣi viśade vasanaṃ jaladābhaṃ
halahatibhītimilitayamunābham |
keśava dhṛtahaladhararūpa jaya jagadīśa hare ||अपने उज्ज्वल शरीर पर आप मेघ के रंग का वस्त्र पहनते हैं, जो हल के प्रहार के डर से आपके पास आई यमुना जैसा है। हे हलधर (बलराम) रूप धारण करने वाले केशव, जगदीश हरि, आपकी जय हो!
On your fair body you wear a garment the colour of a rain cloud, like the Yamuna, which came to you in fear of the blow of your plough. O Keshava, who took the form of the plough-bearer (Balarama) — victory, Lord of the world, Hari!
-
Buddha#
निन्दसि यज्ञविधेरहह श्रुतिजातं
सदयहृदयदर्शितपशुघातम् ।
केशव धृतबुद्धशरीर जय जगदीश हरे ॥nindasi yajñavidherahaha śrutijātaṃ
sadayahṛdayadarśitapaśughātam |
keśava dhṛtabuddhaśarīra jaya jagadīśa hare ||अहा, दयालु हृदय से आप उन यज्ञ-विधानों वाली श्रुतियों की निन्दा करते हैं जिनमें पशुओं की हिंसा बताई गई है। हे बुद्ध-शरीर धारण करने वाले केशव, जगदीश हरि, आपकी जय हो!
Ah, with a compassionate heart you reject the rules of sacrifice in scripture that call for killing animals. O Keshava, who took the body of the Buddha — victory, Lord of the world, Hari!
-
Kalki#
म्लेच्छनिवहनिधने कलयसि करवालं
धूमकेतुमिव किमपि करालम् ।
केशव धृतकल्किशरीर जय जगदीश हरे ॥mlecchanivahanidhane kalayasi karavālaṃ
dhūmaketumiva kimapi karālam |
keśava dhṛtakalkiśarīra jaya jagadīśa hare ||दुष्टों के समूह का नाश करने के लिए आप धूमकेतु के समान भयंकर तलवार धारण करते हैं। हे कल्कि-शरीर धारण करने वाले केशव, जगदीश हरि, आपकी जय हो!
To destroy the hordes of the wicked you wield a sword, terrible like a comet. O Keshava, who will take the body of Kalki — victory, Lord of the world, Hari!
-
Shloka 11#
श्रीजयदेवकवेरिदमुदितमुदारं
शृणु सुखदं शुभदं भवसारम् ।
केशव धृतदशविधरूप जय जगदीश हरे ॥śrījayadevakaveridamuditamudāraṃ
śṛṇu sukhadaṃ śubhadaṃ bhavasāram |
keśava dhṛtadaśavidharūpa jaya jagadīśa hare ||कवि श्री जयदेव द्वारा कहे गए इस उदार गीत को सुनो, जो सुख और शुभ देने वाला तथा संसार का सार है। हे दस रूप धारण करने वाले केशव, जगदीश हरि, आपकी जय हो!
Listen to this noble song spoken by the poet Shri Jayadeva — giving happiness and good, the essence of existence. O Keshava, who took these ten forms — victory, Lord of the world, Hari!
-
Summary#
वेदानुद्धरते जगन्निवहते भूगोलमुद्बिभ्रते
दैत्यं दारयते बलिं छलयते क्षत्रक्षयं कुर्वते ।
पौलस्त्यं जयते हलं कलयते कारुण्यमातन्वते
म्लेच्छान्मूर्च्छयते दशाकृतिकृते कृष्णाय तुभ्यं नमः ॥vedānuddharate jagannivahate bhūgolamudbibhrate
daityaṃ dārayate baliṃ chalayate kṣatrakṣayaṃ kurvate |
paulastyaṃ jayate halaṃ kalayate kāruṇyamātanvate
mlecchānmūrcchayate daśākṛtikṛte kṛṣṇāya tubhyaṃ namaḥ ||वेदों का उद्धार करने वाले, जगत् को धारण करने वाले, पृथ्वी को उठाने वाले, दैत्य को चीरने वाले, बलि को छलने वाले, क्षत्रियों का नाश करने वाले, रावण को जीतने वाले, हल धारण करने वाले, करुणा फैलाने वाले और दुष्टों को परास्त करने वाले — दस रूप धारण करने वाले हे कृष्ण, आपको नमस्कार।
To you who rescue the Vedas, bear the world, lift the globe of the earth, tear the demon apart, outwit Bali, destroy the (wicked) kshatriyas, conquer Ravana, wield the plough, spread compassion and strike down the wicked — to you, Krishna, who took these ten forms, salutations.
Completed your Dashavatara Stotram path?
Count it below, light a diya, or share it with family.
Read nextShiva Tandava Stotramशिव ताण्डव स्तोत्रम्Spotted an error? Suggest a correction.
What Dashavatara Stotram means
Jayadeva's song takes Vishnu's ten avatars in order — Matsya the fish, Kurma the tortoise, Varaha the boar, Narasimha the man-lion, Vamana the dwarf, Parashurama, Rama, Balarama, the Buddha and Kalki — giving each a single vivid image. For Jayadeva, Krishna is the source of all the avatars, so Balarama takes the eighth place and the final verse bows to Krishna "who took the ten forms".
The refrain "jaya jagadisha hare" — victory to Hari, Lord of the world — later gave its words to the aarti "Om Jai Jagdish Hare".
How to chant Dashavatara Stotram
- WhenJagannath Rath Yatra, Janmashtami, Ekadashi, evening bhajan
- TimeAbout 4 minutes
- StyleSung — it is a song (ashtapadi) with a raga in the Gita Govinda
- Learn the refrain. Everyone can join in "Keshava dhrita ... jaya jagadisha hare".
- Sing one avatar per verse. Picture each form as you sing.
- End with the summary verse. "Vedan uddharate ..." names all ten in one line.
The song is part of daily worship at the Jagannath temple in Puri and is a classic piece in Odissi dance.
Where Dashavatara Stotram comes from
Jayadeva, a 12th-century poet from Odisha (or, by other accounts, Bengal), wrote the Gita Govinda, a lyrical poem on the love of Radha and Krishna. This song is its first ashtapadi. The Gita Govinda has been sung at the Jagannath temple in Puri for centuries.
About Dashavatara Stotram
Pralaya-payodhi-jale — Jayadeva's song of the ten avatars of Vishnu from the Gita Govinda, each verse ending "keshava dhrita ... jaya jagadisha hare". Sung in Odissi dance, Jagannath temple worship and Bhajan sessions across India. It was composed by Jayadeva (Gita Govinda), 12th century CE. The text is in Sanskrit.
Sanskrit text: Sanskrit Wikisource. Transliteration and meanings by The Hindu Book.
Frequently asked questions
Who wrote Dashavatara Stotram?
Dashavatara Stotram was composed by Jayadeva (Gita Govinda) (12th century CE).
Where can I read Dashavatara Stotram lyrics in English?
This page has the full Dashavatara Stotram in Sanskrit (Devanagari) with the English transliteration under every verse, and the meaning of each verse in Hindi and English. Use the Chant and Meaning buttons above the verses to show only what you need.
दशावतारस्तोत्रम् का अर्थ क्या है?
इस पेज पर दशावतारस्तोत्रम् के हर पद के नीचे उसका सरल हिंदी अर्थ और अंग्रेज़ी अर्थ दिया गया है।
How many verses are there in Dashavatara Stotram?
Dashavatara Stotram has 12 verses as given on this page.
In which language is Dashavatara Stotram?
Dashavatara Stotram is in Sanskrit. This page gives the original text in Devanagari with Roman transliteration and meaning in Hindi and English.
How long does it take to recite Dashavatara Stotram?
A full recitation takes about 4 min.
To whom is Dashavatara Stotram dedicated?
Dashavatara Stotram is dedicated to Vishnu. Pralaya-payodhi-jale — Jayadeva's song of the ten avatars of Vishnu from the Gita Govinda, each verse ending "keshava dhrita ... jaya jagadisha hare". Sung in Odissi dance, Jagannath temple worship and Bhajan sessions across India.
Why is Balarama listed instead of Krishna?
In Jayadeva's Vaishnava view Krishna is the source of all avatars, so he is the one praised in all ten forms; Balarama takes the eighth place.
Is the Buddha an avatar of Vishnu?
Many Puranas and Jayadeva include the Buddha as the ninth avatar, praised here for his compassion and opposition to animal sacrifice. Other lists place Krishna or Balarama differently.
