Sacred Stotras & Hymns
Authentic Sanskrit hymns composed by Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya and ancient sages. Complete with Devanagari text, Roman transliteration, word-by-word meaning, and the divine fruits of recitation (Phala Shruti).
Annapurna Stotram — The Hymn to the Mother of Sustenance
Composed by Adi Shankaracharya in Kashi, this 12-verse prayer invokes Goddess Annapurna — the Queen of Kashi who feeds both the physical hunger of all living creatures and the spiritual hunger for wisdom and renunciation (Jnana-Vairagya Siddhyartham).
Bilvashtakam — The Eight Verses of Offering Bilva Leaves
The sacred 8-stanza hymn chanted while offering the trifoliate Bel (Bilva / Aegle marmelos) leaf onto the Shiva Lingam. Each three-lobed leaf represents the three Gunas, the three eyes of Shiva, the three weapons, and washes away sins of three lifetimes.
Ganga Stotram — Adi Shankara's Hymn to Holy Mother Ganga
Composed on the ghats of Varanasi by Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya, this tender and reverent prayer praises Goddess Ganga as the cleanser of three worlds, the destroyer of hellish rebirth, and the direct current of divine liberation.
Kalabhairava Ashtakam — The Hymn to the Guardian of Kashi
Composed by Adi Shankaracharya, this revered 8-verse hymn glorifies Lord Kalabhairava — the fierce Kotwal (Divine Magistrate) of Kashi without whose permission no one can enter, stay, or attain liberation in the holy city.
Kashi Vishwanathashtakam — The Eight Verses to Lord Vishwanath
Composed by Adi Shankaracharya, this hymn extols Lord Vishwanath, the presiding Jyotirlinga of Varanasi. Each verse contemplates Shiva as the eternal master of Kashi, the ferryman across samsara, and the supreme benefactor of liberation.
Lingashtakam — The Eight Verses Praising the Sacred Shiva Lingam
The universal 8-verse prayer glorifying the Shiva Lingam as the formless form (Arupa-Rupa) of Para-Brahman. Sung during daily Abhishekam across temples worldwide, this stotra destroys the eight kinds of poverty and leads to Shivaloka.
Maha Mrityunjaya Stotram — The Great Death-Conquering Hymn
Revealed by Sage Markandeya when confronted by Yamaraja (Lord of Death). This powerful hymn invokes Lord Shiva as the vanquisher of mortality, granting physical rejuvenation, protection from untimely demise, and spiritual immortality (Amritatvam).
Manikarnikashtakam — The Eight Verses to the Ghat of Liberation
Composed on the banks of Manikarnika Ghat by Adi Shankaracharya, this hymn extols the sacred cremation ghat where Shiva whispers the Taraka Mantra into the right ear of departing souls, liberating them from rebirth.
Nirvana Shatakam — The Six Stanzas on Absolute Freedom
Composed by 8-year-old Adi Shankaracharya when asked 'Who are you?' by his Guru Govinda Bhagavatpada on the banks of the Narmada. This sublime Advaitic masterpiece negates all false identifications with body, mind, and senses, declaring 'Chidananda Rupah Shivoham Shivoham' (I am Consciousness and Pure Bliss, I am Shiva!).
Shiva Panchakshara Stotram — The Hymn of the Five Holy Syllables
Composed by Adi Shankaracharya, this meditation structures each stanza upon one of the five syllables of the primordial mantra — NA, MA, SHI, VA, YA. Contemplating these verses unlocks the five elements and cosmic actions of Shiva.
Shiva Tandava Stotram — The Cosmic Dance Hymn of Ravana
Composed in high Panchachamara meter by Ravana, King of Lanka, while his pride was crushed beneath Mount Kailasa. This electrifying stotra describes the cosmic ecstasy, rhythmic thunder, and transcendent majesty of Shiva's Tandava dance.
🪔 Rules of Auspicious Stotra Recitation in Kashi
Reciting during twilight transitions (dawn or dusk) activates the Sushumna Nadi, amplifying the vibrational resonance of the Sanskrit syllables.
Face East (Purva) for wisdom or North (Uttara) for spiritual liberation and peace, sitting comfortably on a natural wool or cotton mat.
Adi Shankaracharya taught that Sanskrit stotras work through Bhava. Understanding the meaning turns mechanical recitation into direct communion.