Sadhana

Stotras & Suktasस्तोत्र एवं सूक्त

Sanskrit hymns of praise and Vedic suktas — Shiva Tandava, Lingashtakam, Rudrashtakam, Shri Suktam and more. Every stotra has the complete text in Devanagari, Roman transliteration, and meaning in Hindi and English, verse by verse.

Stotras & Suktas
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17 verses · 5 min Shiva Tandava Stotram शिव ताण्डव स्तोत्रम् Powerful stotra composed by Ravana extolling Shiva's cosmic dance — rhythmically intense Sanskrit. Read with meaning → 8 verses · 3 min Lingashtakam लिङ्गाष्टकम् Eight-verse hymn by Adi Shankaracharya extolling the Shiva Linga. Read with meaning → 8 verses · 4 min Rudrashtakam रुद्राष्टकम् Tulsidas's eight-verse Sanskrit hymn to Shiva from the Uttar Kand of the Ramcharitmanas, where Kakbhushundi's guru sings it to calm Shiva's anger. Read with meaning → 8 verses · 3 min Bhavani Ashtakam भवान्यष्टकम् Shankaracharya's surrender hymn to Mother Bhavani — "I know no one but You." Read with meaning → 16 verses · 6 min Shri Suktam श्रीसूक्तम् Vedic hymn to Shri/Lakshmi from the Khila portion of Rigveda — chanted for prosperity. Read with meaning → 16 verses · 7 min Purusha Suktam पुरुषसूक्तम् Rigvedic hymn describing the cosmic Purusha from whom all creation arises. Read with meaning → 13 verses · 5 min Narayan Suktam नारायणसूक्तम् Vedic hymn to Narayana — the supreme refuge, declared in the Taittiriya Aranyaka. Read with meaning → 9 verses · 3 min Achyutashtakam अच्युताष्टकम् Achyutam Keshavam Rama Narayanam — Shankaracharya's hymn that strings together the names of Vishnu as Krishna and Rama. Its first verse is one of the most popular bhajans in India. Read with meaning → 31 verses · 8 min Aditya Hridayam आदित्यहृदयम् The hymn to the Sun that sage Agastya taught Rama on the battlefield before his final battle with Ravana — recited for strength, courage and freedom from fear. Read with meaning → 12 verses · 6 min Annapurna Stotram अन्नपूर्णास्तोत्रम् Nityanandakari — Shankaracharya's hymn to Annapurna, the goddess of food and nourishment who reigns in Kashi. Every verse ends "bhiksham dehi kripavalambana-kari mata annapurneshvari" — Mother Annapurna, give me alms, you who uphold us with your grace. Read with meaning → 30 verses · 8 min Argala Stotram अर्गलास्तोत्रम् The hymn recited after the Devi Kavach and before the Durga Saptashati, whose refrain asks the Goddess: "Give me beauty, give me victory, give me glory, destroy my enemies." Argala means the bolt that opens the door to the Saptashati. Read with meaning → 59 verses · 8 min Bajrang Baan बजरंग बाण The full Bajrang Baan — "the arrow of Bajrang" — a fervent prayer calling on Hanuman to rush like an arrow and destroy the devotee's troubles, enemies and fears. Opening and closing dohas with 57 chaupais, in Devanagari with transliteration and meanings in Hindi and English. Read with meaning → 31 verses · 10 min Bhaja Govindam भज गोविन्दम् (मोहमुद्गरः) Bhaja govindam mudhamate — "Worship Govinda, O foolish mind!" Shankaracharya's "hammer for delusion" (Moha Mudgara): simple, rhyming verses on the shortness of life, the emptiness of chasing wealth and pleasure, and the need for devotion, good company and self-knowledge. Read with meaning → 9 verses · 2 min Bilvashtakam बिल्वाष्टकम् The hymn of the bilva (bel) leaf. Each verse ends "eka-bilvam shivarpanam" — I offer one bilva leaf to Shiva — and praises the three-lobed leaf as dearer to Shiva than the greatest gifts and sacrifices. Read with meaning → 10 verses · 5 min Dakshinamurti Stotram दक्षिणामूर्तिस्तोत्रम् Vishvam darpana-drishyamana — ten dense verses of Advaita addressed to Dakshinamurti, Shiva as the silent teacher seated under the banyan tree. The world is like a city seen in a mirror; the Self alone is real. Each verse ends "to that Shri Dakshinamurti, the guru, salutations". Read with meaning → 12 verses · 4 min Dashavatara Stotram दशावतारस्तोत्रम् 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. Read with meaning → 57 verses · 12 min Devi Kavach देव्याः कवचम् (श्रीचण्डीकवच) The 'armour of the Goddess', taught by Brahma to the sage Markandeya: the nine Durgas are named, and each direction and each part of the body is placed under the protection of a form of the Goddess. Recited before the Durga Saptashati, and on its own for protection, especially during Navratri. Read with meaning → 78 verses · 20 min Durga Saptashati Chapter 1 दुर्गासप्तशती प्रथमोऽध्यायः — मधुकैटभवध The first chapter of the Durga Saptashati (Devi Mahatmya): King Suratha and the merchant Samadhi meet the sage Medhas, who tells how Mahamaya, Vishnu's yoga-nidra, was praised by Brahma and released Vishnu to slay the demons Madhu and Kaitabha. Verse numbers follow the Markandeya Purana; recitation books that number each speaker line separately count 104 mantras. Read with meaning → 27 verses · 8 min Durga Saptashati Chapter 10 दुर्गासप्तशती दशमोऽध्यायः — शुम्भवध Chapter 10 of the Durga Saptashati (Devi Mahatmya): Shumbha taunts the Goddess for fighting with others' help; she draws all her powers back into herself, declares 'I alone am here in the world', and slays him. Verse numbers follow the Markandeya Purana (chapter 90); recitation books that number each speaker line separately count more mantras. Read with meaning → 51 verses · 15 min Durga Saptashati Chapter 11 दुर्गासप्तशती एकादशोऽध्यायः — नारायणीस्तुति Chapter 11 of the Durga Saptashati (Devi Mahatmya): The gods praise the Goddess as Narayani — 'Sarvamangala mangalye' — and she promises to return whenever the world is troubled by evil. Verse numbers follow the Markandeya Purana (chapter 91); recitation books that number each speaker line separately count more mantras. Read with meaning → 38 verses · 11 min Durga Saptashati Chapter 12 दुर्गासप्तशती द्वादशोऽध्यायः — फलस्तुति Chapter 12 of the Durga Saptashati (Devi Mahatmya): The Goddess herself describes the fruits of reciting her story, especially in the autumn worship (Sharad Navratri), and then vanishes. Verse numbers follow the Markandeya Purana (chapter 92); recitation books that number each speaker line separately count more mantras. Read with meaning → 17 verses · 5 min Durga Saptashati Chapter 13 दुर्गासप्तशती त्रयोदशोऽध्यायः — सुरथवैश्ययोर्वरप्रदान Chapter 13 of the Durga Saptashati (Devi Mahatmya): The sage Medhas ends his story; King Suratha and the merchant Samadhi worship the Goddess for three years, and she grants the king his kingdom and the merchant knowledge. Verse numbers follow the Markandeya Purana (chapter 93); recitation books that number each speaker line separately count more mantras. Read with meaning → 70 verses · 18 min Durga Saptashati Chapter 2 दुर्गासप्तशती द्वितीयोऽध्यायः — महिषासुरसैन्यवध The second chapter of the Durga Saptashati (Devi Mahatmya): the gods, defeated by Mahishasura, go to Vishnu and Shiva; from the combined radiance of all the gods the Goddess appears, receives their weapons, and destroys the armies of Mahishasura. Verse numbers follow the Markandeya Purana (chapter 82). Read with meaning → 44 verses · 12 min Durga Saptashati Chapter 3 दुर्गासप्तशती तृतीयोऽध्यायः — महिषासुरवध The third chapter of the Durga Saptashati (Devi Mahatmya): the Goddess slays Mahishasura's generals and then Mahishasura himself, who changes form from buffalo to lion to man to elephant and back, until she pins him under her foot. Verse numbers follow the Markandeya Purana (chapter 83). Read with meaning → 38 verses · 12 min Durga Saptashati Chapter 4 दुर्गासप्तशती चतुर्थोऽध्यायः — शक्रादिस्तुति Chapter 4 of the Durga Saptashati (Devi Mahatmya): The gods, led by Indra, praise the Goddess after the death of Mahishasura — the hymn 'Devya yaya tatam idam' — and she grants them the boon to come whenever she is remembered. Verse numbers follow the Markandeya Purana (chapter 84); recitation books that number each speaker line separately count more mantras. Read with meaning → 79 verses · 22 min Durga Saptashati Chapter 5 दुर्गासप्तशती पञ्चमोऽध्यायः — देवीदूतसंवाद Chapter 5 of the Durga Saptashati (Devi Mahatmya): The gods, oppressed by Shumbha and Nishumbha, praise the Goddess on the Himalaya with 'Ya Devi sarvabhuteshu'; Ambika comes forth from Parvati's body, and Shumbha's messenger brings her his proposal. Verse numbers follow the Markandeya Purana (chapter 85); recitation books that number each speaker line separately count more mantras. Read with meaning → 20 verses · 6 min Durga Saptashati Chapter 6 दुर्गासप्तशती षष्ठोऽध्यायः — धूम्रलोचनवध Chapter 6 of the Durga Saptashati (Devi Mahatmya): Shumbha sends Dhumralochana to drag the Goddess to him; she turns him to ashes with a single 'hum', and her lion destroys his army. Verse numbers follow the Markandeya Purana (chapter 86); recitation books that number each speaker line separately count more mantras. Read with meaning → 26 verses · 8 min Durga Saptashati Chapter 7 दुर्गासप्तशती सप्तमोऽध्यायः — चण्डमुण्डवध Chapter 7 of the Durga Saptashati (Devi Mahatmya): Kali springs from the Goddess's brow and slays Chanda and Munda, and the Goddess names her Chamunda. Verse numbers follow the Markandeya Purana (chapter 87); recitation books that number each speaker line separately count more mantras. Read with meaning → 61 verses · 17 min Durga Saptashati Chapter 8 दुर्गासप्तशती अष्टमोऽध्यायः — रक्तबीजवध Chapter 8 of the Durga Saptashati (Devi Mahatmya): The Mothers — the powers of the gods — join the battle; the Goddess sends Shiva as her messenger (Shivaduti), and Kali drinks the blood of Raktabija so that no new demons arise from it. Verse numbers follow the Markandeya Purana (chapter 88); recitation books that number each speaker line separately count more mantras. Read with meaning → 39 verses · 11 min Durga Saptashati Chapter 9 दुर्गासप्तशती नवमोऽध्यायः — निशुम्भवध Chapter 9 of the Durga Saptashati (Devi Mahatmya): The battle with Nishumbha, who falls to the Goddess's trident and sword. Verse numbers follow the Markandeya Purana (chapter 89); recitation books that number each speaker line separately count more mantras. Read with meaning → 16 verses · 10 min Ganapati Atharvashirsha गणपत्यथर्वशीर्षम् The Upanishad of Ganapati, which declares Ganesha to be Brahman itself and gives his mantra 'Om Gam Ganapataye Namah' — recited at the start of every undertaking and in full on Ganesh Chaturthi. Read with meaning → 6 verses · 3 min Ganesha Pancharatnam गणेशपञ्चरत्नम् Mudakarata-modakam — "the five jewels" of praise for Ganesha by Adi Shankaracharya, famous for its bouncing rhythm. The closing verse promises health, freedom from faults, learning, good children and a long life to those who recite it each morning. Read with meaning → 14 verses · 4 min Ganga Stotram गङ्गास्तोत्रम् Devi sureshvari bhagavati gange — Shankaracharya's song to the river goddess who flows from Vishnu's feet through Shiva's hair. Sung on the ghats at Ganga aarti, on Ganga Dussehra and at every holy dip. Read with meaning → 9 verses · 4 min Govindashtakam गोविन्दाष्टकम् Satyam jnanam anantam — Shankaracharya's hymn that holds two pictures of Krishna side by side: the infinite Brahman beyond all form, and the toddler crawling in the cowherds' courtyard, scolded by Yashoda for eating mud. Each verse ends "pranamata govindam paramanandam". Read with meaning → 9 verses · 3 min Guru Ashtakam गुर्वष्टकम् Shariram surupam — Shankaracharya lists everything the world prizes: beauty, family, wealth, learning, fame, power. Each verse asks: if the mind is not fixed at the guru's lotus feet, "tatah kim?" — then what use is it? Read with meaning → 9 verses · 3 min Hari Stotram हरिस्तोत्रम् Jagajjalapalam — a rhythmic hymn to Vishnu, protector of the web of the world, with every verse ending "bhaje'ham bhaje'ham", I worship him, I worship him. Popular in Kerala and across India. Read with meaning → 9 verses · 4 min Kalabhairava Ashtakam कालभैरवाष्टकम् Eight verses to Kala Bhairava, the fierce form of Shiva who guards Kashi (Varanasi) as its kotwal. Each verse ends "kashika-puradhinatha kalabhairavam bhaje" — I worship Kalabhairava, lord of the city of Kashi. Read with meaning → 22 verses · 7 min Kanakadhara Stotram कनकधारास्तोत्रम् The hymn to Mahalakshmi that young Shankara sang for a poor woman who gave him her only amla as alms — tradition says a shower of golden amlas (kanaka-dhara) followed. Recited for prosperity and the grace of the Goddess. Read with meaning → 15 verses · 5 min Keelak Stotram कीलकस्तोत्रम् The third of the hymns recited before the Durga Saptashati (after the Devi Kavach and Argala). It tells how Shiva "locked" the power of the Saptashati and how a devotee "unlocks" it through surrender to the Goddess. Read with meaning → 9 verses · 2 min Krishnashtakam श्रीकृष्णाष्टकम् Vasudeva-sutam devam — the popular Krishnashtakam whose every verse ends "krishnam vande jagadgurum", I bow to Krishna, the teacher of the world. Simple, rhythmic and easy to learn. Read with meaning → 8 verses · 2 min Madhurashtakam मधुराष्टकम् Adharam madhuram — "his lips are sweet". Vallabhacharya's eight verses find sweetness in everything about Krishna: his face, his walk, his flute, the Yamuna, the gopis, even the cows. Each verse ends "madhuradhipater akhilam madhuram" — everything about the Lord of sweetness is sweet. Read with meaning → 11 verses · 3 min Mahalakshmi Ashtakam श्रीमहालक्ष्म्यष्टकम् Namaste'stu mahamaye — the eight verses Indra sang to Mahalakshmi, each ending "mahalakshmi namo'stu te". Recited especially on Fridays, on Diwali and during Navratri for prosperity and protection. Read with meaning → 22 verses · 9 min Mahishasura Mardini Stotram महिषासुरमर्दिनी स्तोत्रम् 'Ayi Giri Nandini' — the rhythmic hymn to Durga as the slayer of the buffalo-demon Mahishasura, sung above all during Navratri. Its sound-play mirrors the dance and battle of the Goddess. Readings of some lines differ between editions. Read with meaning → 5 verses · 3 min Meenakshi Pancharatnam मीनाक्षीपञ्चरत्नम् Udyad-bhanu-sahasra-koti — five jewels of praise for Meenakshi, the fish-eyed goddess of Madurai, Parvati as the queen of Shiva-Sundareshvara. Each verse ends "I always bow to Meenakshi, the ocean of compassion". Read with meaning → 9 verses · 4 min Narmadashtakam नर्मदाष्टकम् Sabindu-sindhu-suskhalat — the hymn to the Narmada that Shankaracharya is said to have sung on its banks, where he met his guru. Every verse ends "tvadiya-pada-pankajam namami devi narmade" — O goddess Narmada, I bow to your lotus feet. Read with meaning → 6 verses · 3 min Nirvana Shatakam निर्वाणषट्कम् Six verses of pure Advaita, also called Atma Shatakam. Tradition says the boy Shankara gave this answer when his guru Govindapada asked "Who are you?" — I am not the body, mind or senses; I am consciousness and bliss, I am Shiva. Read with meaning → 40 verses · 10 min Shri Ram Raksha Stotram श्रीरामरक्षास्तोत्रम् The 'armour of Rama' — a kavacha in which each part of the body is placed under the protection of one of Rama's names. Tradition says Shiva revealed it to the sage Budha Kaushika in a dream. Recited daily for protection, and especially on Ram Navami. Read with meaning → 9 verses · 5 min Sankat Mochan Hanumanashtak संकटमोचन हनुमानाष्टक The eight verses of the Sankat Mochan Hanumanashtak, each recalling a time Hanuman removed a crisis — from swallowing the sun to saving Lakshmana with the Sanjivani — and ending with the refrain "who in the world does not know your name, Sankat Mochan?" With Devanagari, transliteration, and meanings in Hindi and English. Read with meaning → 40 verses · 20 min Shiva Mahimna Stotram शिवमहिम्नःस्तोत्रम् Mahimnah param te — "your greatness has no farther shore". The gandharva Pushpadanta's great hymn on the glory (mahimna) of Shiva: beyond words and thought, yet reached by every path as rivers reach the ocean. One of the most revered hymns in Shaiva worship. Read with meaning → 5 verses · 3 min Shiva Manasa Puja शिवमानसपूजा A complete puja offered only in the mind: a jewelled seat, bath, silk, sandal, flowers, lamp, a golden plate of food, music and dance — and finally one's whole life. "Whatever I do, O Shambhu, is your worship." Read with meaning → 6 verses · 2 min Shiva Panchakshara Stotram शिवपञ्चाक्षरस्तोत्रम् Five verses, one for each syllable of the mantra "Namah Shivaya" — na, ma, shi, va, ya. Each verse begins with its syllable and ends "tasmai ... namah shivaya". One of the most loved short hymns to Shiva. Read with meaning → 63 verses · about 90 min Sundar Kand सुन्दरकाण्ड The complete Sundar Kand, the fifth book of Goswami Tulsidas's Shri Ramcharitmanas — Hanuman's leap across the ocean, his meeting with Sita in the Ashoka grove, the burning of Lanka, Vibhishana's refuge with Rama and the Ocean's surrender — with the full text in Devanagari, transliteration, and meanings in Hindi and English for every doha. Read with meaning → 171 verses · 30 min Vishnu Sahasranamam श्रीविष्णुसहस्रनामस्तोत्रम् The thousand names of Vishnu, taught by Bhishma to Yudhishthira from his bed of arrows in the Anushasana Parva of the Mahabharata. Given here in full: the opening verses (purva bhaga), the viniyoga, the dhyana, the 108 shlokas of the names with the meaning of each name, and the closing phala-shruti. The meanings follow the traditional interpretation of Adi Shankaracharya's commentary. Read with meaning → 33 shlokas · 7 min Ekatmata Stotra एकात्मता स्तोत्र The hymn of national unity naming Bharat’s rivers, mountains, saints and heroes. Open →

Frequently asked questions

What is a stotra?

A stotra is a Sanskrit hymn of praise to a deity, often in a fixed number of verses such as an ashtakam (eight verses).

What is a sukta?

A sukta is a hymn from the Vedas. The Shri Suktam, Purusha Suktam and Narayan Suktam are recited in daily worship and major rituals.

Who composed the Shiva Tandava Stotram?

By tradition the Shiva Tandava Stotram is attributed to Ravana, the great devotee of Shiva.

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