vishnuashtabhujakanchipuramprapatti

𑌅𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌭𑍁𑌜𑌾𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌕𑌮𑍍

Ashtabhuja Ashtakam in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

🕉️ hindu·📿 8× repetitions·🕐 Morning or evening; daily, and especially on Vishnu festivals and during pilgrimage to Kanchipuram·📜 Ashtabhuja Ashtakam (eight verses on the Ashtabhuja Perumal of Kanchipuram)

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

Origin & Story

Ashtabhuja Ashtakam (eight verses on the Ashtabhuja Perumal of Kanchipuram) · Vedanta Desika (Venkatanatha) · 13th-14th century CE

Swami Vedanta Desika, who lived for much of his life in Kanchipuram, composed this Ashtakam as a prapatti to Ashtabhuja Perumal, the eight-armed form of Vishnu in the Ashtabhujakaram Divya Desam. Overcome by the Lord's beauty and grace, and likening himself to the helpless Gajendra dragged by the crocodile of sense-objects, he surrendered himself entirely into the Lord's protection in eight verses, praying not for liberation as an end in itself but for the bliss of perpetual service at the Lord's feet.

✦ As told in scripture

The Lord is said to have taken the rare eight-armed (ashtabhuja) form at Kanchipuram to guard a great sacrifice from disruption, driving away the obstructing forces with the weapons in His eight hands; devotees hold that He who thus protected the yajna, and who once flew to save Gajendra, likewise shields all who surrender to Him through this Ashtakam.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

𑌗𑌜𑍇𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌰𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌭𑌵𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌂 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌹𑍈𑌰𑌿𑌵𑌾𑌹𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌷𑌯𑍈𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌕𑍃𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌃 । 𑌅𑌪𑌾𑌰𑌵𑌿𑌜𑍍𑌞𑌾𑌨𑌦𑌯𑌾𑌨𑍁𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌮𑍍 𑌆𑌪𑍍𑌤𑌂 𑌸𑌤𑌾𑌮𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌭𑍁𑌜𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌪𑌦𑍍𑌯𑍇 ॥ ௧ ॥

gajendrarakṣātvaritaṃ bhavantaṃ grāhairivāhaṃ viṣayairvikṛṣṭaḥ | apāravijñānadayānubhāvam āptaṃ satāmaṣṭabhujaṃ prapadye || 1 ||

Meaning:Even as Gajendra was seized by the crocodile, I am dragged about by the senses; I take refuge in You — the eight-armed Lord (Ashtabhuja) who rushed to rescue the elephant-king, the trusted resort of the holy, of boundless knowledge, compassion and power.

Verse 2

𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌦𑍇𑌕𑌶𑍇𑌷𑍋𑌽𑌹𑌮𑌨𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌤𑌨𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌤𑍍𑌪𑌾𑌦𑌲𑌿𑌪𑍍𑌸𑌾𑌂 𑌦𑌿𑌶𑌤𑌾 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌯𑍈𑌵 । 𑌅𑌸𑌤𑍍𑌸𑌮𑍋𑌽𑌪𑍍𑌯𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌭𑍁𑌜𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌪𑌦𑍇𑌶 𑌸𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌮𑍍 𑌇𑌦𑌾𑌨𑍀𑌮𑍍 𑌉𑌪𑌲𑌮𑍍𑌭𑌿𑌤𑍋𑌽𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌿 ॥ ௨ ॥

tvadekaśeṣo'hamanātmatantrastvatpādalipsāṃ diśatā tvayaiva | asatsamo'pyaṣṭabhujāspadeśa sattām idānīm upalambhito'smi || 2 ||

Meaning:I belong wholly to You and am not my own master. By You alone — who gave me the very longing for Your feet — I, though as good as non-existent, have now been brought into true being, O Lord of the Ashtabhuja shrine.

Verse 3

𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌰𑍂𑌪𑌰𑍂𑌪𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌵𑌿𑌭𑍂𑌷𑌣𑌾𑌦𑍍𑌯𑍈𑌃 𑌪𑌰𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌚𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌂 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌿 𑌦𑍁𑌰𑍍𑌨𑌿𑌵𑌾𑌰𑌾𑌮𑍍 । 𑌭𑍋𑌗𑍇 𑌮𑍃𑌦𑍂𑌪𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌮𑌤𑌾𑌮𑍍 𑌅𑌭𑍀𑌪𑍍𑌸𑌨𑍍 𑌶𑍀𑌲𑌾𑌦𑌿𑌭𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌰𑌯𑌸𑍀𑌵 𑌪𑍁𑌂𑌸𑌾𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௩ ॥

svarūparūpāstravibhūṣaṇādyaiḥ paratvacintāṃ tvayi durnivārām | bhoge mṛdūpakramatām abhīpsan śīlādibhirvārayasīva puṃsām || 3 ||

Meaning:The awe of Your supremacy — hard to overcome — that arises in me from Your divine essence, form, weapons and ornaments, You seem gently to dispel, desiring to make Yourself enjoyable, through Your accessibility, gracious character and other such qualities.

Verse 4

𑌶𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌂 𑌶𑌰𑌣𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌰𑌶𑌬𑍍𑌦𑌭𑌾𑌜𑌾𑌂 𑌸𑌾𑌰𑌂 𑌚 𑌸𑌨𑍍𑌤𑍋𑌲𑍍𑌯 𑌫𑌲𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌰𑌾𑌣𑌾𑌮𑍍 । 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌦𑍍𑌦𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌯𑌹𑍇𑌤𑍋𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌿 𑌨𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌶𑌙𑍍𑌕𑌂 𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌨𑌾𑌂 𑌨𑌾𑌥 𑌬𑌿𑌭𑌰𑍍𑌷𑌿 𑌭𑌾𑌰𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௪ ॥

śaktiṃ śaraṇyāntaraśabdabhājāṃ sāraṃ ca santolya phalāntarāṇām | tvaddāsyahetostvayi nirviśaṅkaṃ nyastātmanāṃ nātha bibharṣi bhāram || 4 ||

Meaning:Having weighed the (limited) power of those called 'other refuges' and the (lesser) essence of other fruits, O Lord, for the sake of loving service to You, You bear the burden of those who have without hesitation entrusted their selves to You.

Verse 5

𑌅𑌭𑍀𑌤𑌿𑌹𑍇𑌤𑍋𑌰𑌨𑍁𑌵𑌰𑍍𑌤𑌨𑍀𑌯𑌂 𑌨𑌾𑌥 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌦𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌨 𑌵𑌿𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌯𑌾𑌮𑌿 । 𑌭𑌯𑌂 𑌕𑍁𑌤𑌃 𑌸𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌤𑍍 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌿 𑌸𑌾𑌨𑍁𑌕𑌮𑍍𑌪𑍇 𑌰𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌾 𑌕𑍁𑌤𑌃 𑌸𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌤𑍍 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌿 𑌜𑌾𑌤𑌰𑍋𑌷𑍇 ॥ ௫ ॥

abhītihetoranuvartanīyaṃ nātha tvadanyaṃ na vibhāvayāmi | bhayaṃ kutaḥ syāt tvayi sānukampe rakṣā kutaḥ syāt tvayi jātaroṣe || 5 ||

Meaning:I can conceive of no resort to be followed for fearlessness other than You, O Lord. What fear can there be when You are full of compassion? And what (need of other) protection can there be when (only) You could ever be roused to anger?

Verse 6

𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌦𑍇𑌕𑌤𑌨𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌂 𑌕𑌮𑌲𑌾𑌸𑌹𑌾𑌯 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑍇𑌨𑍈𑌵 𑌮𑌾𑌂 𑌰𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌿𑌤𑍁𑌮𑍍 𑌅𑌰𑍍𑌹𑌸𑌿 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌮𑍍 । 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌿 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌵𑍃𑌤𑍍𑌤𑍇 𑌮𑌮 𑌕𑌿𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌯𑌾𑌸𑍈𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌯𑍍𑌯𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌵𑍃𑌤𑍍𑌤𑍇 𑌮𑌮 𑌕𑌿𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌯𑌾𑌸𑍈𑌃 ॥ ௬ ॥

tvadekatantraṃ kamalāsahāya svenaiva māṃ rakṣitum arhasi tvam | tvayi pravṛtte mama kiṃ prayāsaistvayyapravṛtte mama kiṃ prayāsaiḥ || 6 ||

Meaning:O consort of Kamala, since I depend wholly upon You, You alone, of Your own will, ought to protect me. When You undertake it, what need of effort on my part? And if You do not, what use is any effort of mine?

Verse 7

𑌸𑌮𑌾𑌧𑌿𑌭𑌙𑍍𑌗𑍇𑌷𑍍𑌵𑌪𑌿 𑌸𑌮𑍍𑌪𑌤𑌤𑍍𑌸𑍁 𑌶𑌰𑌣𑍍𑌯𑌭𑍂𑌤𑍇 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌿 𑌬𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌕𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍍𑌯𑍇 । 𑌅𑌪𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌪𑍇 𑌸𑍋𑌢𑍁𑌮𑍍 𑌅𑌕𑌿𑌞𑍍𑌚𑌨𑍋𑌽𑌹𑌂 𑌦𑍂𑌰𑌾𑌧𑌿𑌰𑍋𑌹𑌂 𑌪𑌤𑌨𑌂 𑌚 𑌨𑌾𑌥 ॥ ௭ ॥

samādhibhaṅgeṣvapi sampatatsu śaraṇyabhūte tvayi baddhakakṣye | apatrape soḍhum akiñcano'haṃ dūrādhirohaṃ patanaṃ ca nātha || 7 ||

Meaning:Even when my concentration is broken and (distractions) assail me, since You — my refuge — are girded and resolved (to save me), I, helpless and unashamed, can endure both the hard ascent (of self-effort) and the danger of falling, O Lord.

Verse 8

𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌪𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌭𑌿𑌲𑌾𑌷𑌂 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌦𑌨𑍁𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌹𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌮𑍍 𑌪𑌦𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌿𑌷𑍇𑌵𑍍𑌯𑍇 𑌤𑌵 𑌪𑌾𑌦𑌪𑌦𑍍𑌮𑍇 । 𑌆𑌦𑍇𑌹𑌪𑌾𑌤𑌾𑌦𑌪𑌰𑌾𑌧𑌦𑍂𑌰𑌮𑍍 𑌆𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌕𑍈𑌙𑍍𑌕𑌰𑍍𑌯𑌰𑌸𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌧𑍇𑌯𑌾𑌃 ॥ ௮ ॥

prāptābhilāṣaṃ tvadanugrahānmām padmāniṣevye tava pādapadme | ādehapātādaparādhadūram ātmāntakaiṅkaryarasaṃ vidheyāḥ || 8 ||

Meaning:Having attained my heart's desire by Your grace, O Lord whose lotus feet are served by Lakshmi, make me — kept far from all offence until this body falls — relish the joy of intimate, total service at Your lotus feet.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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𑌗𑌜𑍇𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌰𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍🔊gajendrarakṣātvaritam(You who) hastened to rescue Gajendra, the king of elephants

𑌭𑌵𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌮𑍍🔊bhavantamYou (the Lord)

𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌹𑍈𑌃 𑌇𑌵 𑌅𑌹𑌮𑍍 𑌵𑌿𑌷𑌯𑍈𑌃 𑌵𑌿𑌕𑍃𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌃🔊grāhaiḥ iva aham viṣayaiḥ vikṛṣṭaḥI, dragged about by sense-objects as (Gajendra was) by the crocodile

𑌅𑌪𑌾𑌰𑌵𑌿𑌜𑍍𑌞𑌾𑌨𑌦𑌯𑌾𑌨𑍁𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌮𑍍🔊apāravijñānadayānubhāvamof boundless knowledge, compassion and power

𑌆𑌪𑍍𑌤𑌮𑍍 𑌸𑌤𑌾𑌮𑍍🔊āptam satāmthe trusted refuge of the holy

𑌅𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌭𑍁𑌜𑌮𑍍 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌪𑌦𑍍𑌯𑍇🔊aṣṭabhujam prapadyeI take refuge in the eight-armed Lord (Ashtabhuja)

𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌦𑍇𑌕𑌶𑍇𑌷𑌃 𑌅𑌹𑌮𑍍🔊tvadekaśeṣaḥ ahamI, who belong solely to You (Your exclusive subordinate)

𑌅𑌨𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌤𑌨𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌃🔊anātmatantraḥnot independent, not my own master

𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌤𑍍𑌪𑌾𑌦𑌲𑌿𑌪𑍍𑌸𑌾𑌮𑍍 𑌦𑌿𑌶𑌤𑌾 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌾 𑌏𑌵🔊tvatpādalipsām diśatā tvayā evaby You alone, who granted the very longing for Your feet

𑌅𑌸𑌤𑍍𑌸𑌮𑌃 𑌅𑌪𑌿🔊asatsamaḥ apithough (as good as) non-existent

𑌸𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌮𑍍 𑌇𑌦𑌾𑌨𑍀𑌮𑍍 𑌉𑌪𑌲𑌮𑍍𑌭𑌿𑌤𑌃 𑌅𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌿🔊sattām idānīm upalambhitaḥ asmiI have now been granted (true) existence

𑌪𑌰𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌚𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌮𑍍 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌿 𑌦𑍁𑌰𑍍𑌨𑌿𑌵𑌾𑌰𑌾𑌮𑍍🔊paratvacintāṃ tvayi durnivārāmthe (awe-filled) thought of Your supremacy, hard to overcome

𑌶𑍀𑌲𑌾𑌦𑌿𑌭𑌿𑌃 𑌵𑌾𑌰𑌯𑌸𑌿 𑌇𑌵🔊śīlādibhiḥ vārayasi ivaYou seem to dispel by Your gracious character (sausilya) and the like

𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌦𑍍𑌦𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌯𑌹𑍇𑌤𑍋𑌃🔊tvaddāsyahetoḥfor the sake of (loving) servitude to You

𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌨𑌾𑌮𑍍 𑌨𑌾𑌥 𑌬𑌿𑌭𑌰𑍍𑌷𑌿 𑌭𑌾𑌰𑌮𑍍🔊nyastātmanāṃ nātha bibharṣi bhāramO Lord, You bear the burden of those who have surrendered themselves

𑌅𑌭𑍀𑌤𑌿𑌹𑍇𑌤𑍋𑌃 𑌅𑌨𑍁𑌵𑌰𑍍𑌤𑌨𑍀𑌯𑌮𑍍🔊abhītihetoḥ anuvartanīyamas a resort to be followed for freedom from fear

𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌦𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌮𑍍 𑌨 𑌵𑌿𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌯𑌾𑌮𑌿🔊tvadanyaṃ na vibhāvayāmiI can conceive of none other than You

𑌭𑌯𑌮𑍍 𑌕𑍁𑌤𑌃 𑌸𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌤𑍍 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌿 𑌸𑌾𑌨𑍁𑌕𑌮𑍍𑌪𑍇🔊bhayaṃ kutaḥ syāt tvayi sānukampewhat fear can there be when You are compassionate?

𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌦𑍇𑌕𑌤𑌨𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌮𑍍 𑌕𑌮𑌲𑌾𑌸𑌹𑌾𑌯🔊tvadekatantraṃ kamalāsahāyaO consort of Kamala (Lakshmi), depending wholly on You

𑌸𑍍𑌵𑍇𑌨 𑌏𑌵 𑌮𑌾𑌮𑍍 𑌰𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌿𑌤𑍁𑌮𑍍 𑌅𑌰𑍍𑌹𑌸𑌿🔊svena eva māṃ rakṣitum arhasiYou alone, of Your own accord, ought to protect me

𑌶𑌰𑌣𑍍𑌯𑌭𑍂𑌤𑍇 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌿 𑌬𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌕𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍍𑌯𑍇🔊śaraṇyabhūte tvayi baddhakakṣyewhen You, the refuge, are girded up (resolved to protect)

𑌅𑌕𑌿𑌞𑍍𑌚𑌨𑌃 𑌅𑌹𑌮𑍍🔊akiñcanaḥ ahamI, utterly without (any other) means

𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌪𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌭𑌿𑌲𑌾𑌷𑌮𑍍 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌦𑌨𑍁𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌹𑌾𑌤𑍍🔊prāptābhilāṣaṃ tvadanugrahāthaving attained my desire by Your grace

𑌤𑌵 𑌪𑌾𑌦𑌪𑌦𑍍𑌮𑍇 𑌆𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌕𑍈𑌙𑍍𑌕𑌰𑍍𑌯𑌰𑌸𑌮𑍍 𑌵𑌿𑌧𑍇𑌯𑌾𑌃🔊tava pādapadme ātmāntakaiṅkaryarasaṃ vidheyāḥmake me relish the joy of inmost service at Your lotus feet (till the body falls)

Benefits of Chanting Ashtabhuja Ashtakam

✦

Invokes the protection of Ashtabhuja Perumal, the eight-armed Lord ever ready to rescue His devotees

✦

A complete prayer of saranagati (surrender), like the Gajendra-moksha, for those who feel dragged about by the senses

✦

Instils confidence that the Lord Himself bears the burden of those who take refuge in Him

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Cultivates the longing for eternal, intimate service (kainkarya) at the Lord's feet

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Recited by devotees of the Kanchipuram Ashtabhujakaram Divya Desam and lovers of Vedanta Desika's stotras

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Removes fear and anxiety by resting wholly on the Lord's compassion and grace

How to Chant Ashtabhuja Ashtakam

Repetitions8times

Best TimeMorning or evening; daily, and especially on Vishnu festivals and during pilgrimage to Kanchipuram

Sit cleanly facing east before an image of Vishnu, ideally Ashtabhuja Perumal. Recall the story of Gajendra and the Lord's swift grace, then recite the eight verses with devotion, offering yourself into His protection as Swami Desika does. Dwell especially on the surrender of verses one, six and eight. Conclude by praying to be kept far from fault and to relish loving service at His lotus feet.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Ashtabhuja Ashtakam written in the Grantha script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

Ashtabhuja ('eight-armed') Perumal is a unique form of Lord Vishnu enshrined at the Ashtabhujakaram (Adikesava Perumal) temple in Kanchipuram, one of the 108 Divya Desams. He bears eight arms holding different weapons and emblems. Tradition relates that the Lord assumed this eight-armed form to protect a sacrifice and to grant grace to His devotees.

It was composed by Swami Vedanta Desika (1268-1369 CE), the great Sri Vaishnava acharya, as a prapatti (act of surrender) at the feet of Ashtabhuja Perumal of Kanchipuram.

Desika compares himself to Gajendra, the elephant-king seized by a crocodile and saved when he cried out to the Lord. Just as the Lord rushed to rescue Gajendra, Desika, feeling himself dragged about by the senses, takes refuge in the same compassionate Lord, the Ashtabhuja.

Not worldly gains, but the joy of eternal, intimate service (kainkarya) at the Lord's lotus feet, free from all offence, until the very end of this life (verse 8). This reflects the Sri Vaishnava ideal of service as the highest goal.