Ashtabhuja Ashtakam Meaning — Line by Line
अष्टभुजाष्टकम्
Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi
Meaning — Line by Line
Every verse of Ashtabhuja Ashtakam with its English meaning. Tap any word to hear it, or ▶ to recite the verse.
Jump to a verse ▾
- Verse 1. gajendrarakṣātvaritaṃ bhavantaṃ grāhairivāhaṃ viṣayairvikṛṣṭaḥ |
- Verse 2. tvadekaśeṣo'hamanātmatantrastvatpādalipsāṃ diśatā tvayaiva |
- Verse 3. svarūparūpāstravibhūṣaṇādyaiḥ paratvacintāṃ tvayi durnivārām |
- Verse 4. śaktiṃ śaraṇyāntaraśabdabhājāṃ sāraṃ ca santolya phalāntarāṇām |
- Verse 5. abhītihetoranuvartanīyaṃ nātha tvadanyaṃ na vibhāvayāmi |
- Verse 6. tvadekatantraṃ kamalāsahāya svenaiva māṃ rakṣitum arhasi tvam |
- Verse 7. samādhibhaṅgeṣvapi sampatatsu śaraṇyabhūte tvayi baddhakakṣye |
- Verse 8. prāptābhilāṣaṃ tvadanugrahānmām padmāniṣevye tava pādapadme |
gajendrarakṣātvaritaṃ bhavantaṃ grāhairivāhaṃ viṣayairvikṛṣṭaḥ |
गजेन्द्ररक्षात्वरितं भवन्तं ग्राहैरिवाहं विषयैर्विकृष्टः । अपारविज्ञानदयानुभावम् आप्तं सतामष्टभुजं प्रपद्ये ॥ १ ॥
gajendrarakṣātvaritaṃ bhavantaṃ grāhairivāhaṃ viṣayairvikṛṣṭaḥ | apāravijñānadayānubhāvam āptaṃ satāmaṣṭabhujaṃ prapadye || 1 ||
MeaningEven 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.
tvadekaśeṣo'hamanātmatantrastvatpādalipsāṃ diśatā tvayaiva |
त्वदेकशेषोऽहमनात्मतन्त्रस्त्वत्पादलिप्सां दिशता त्वयैव । असत्समोऽप्यष्टभुजास्पदेश सत्ताम् इदानीम् उपलम्भितोऽस्मि ॥ २ ॥
tvadekaśeṣo'hamanātmatantrastvatpādalipsāṃ diśatā tvayaiva | asatsamo'pyaṣṭabhujāspadeśa sattām idānīm upalambhito'smi || 2 ||
MeaningI 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.
svarūparūpāstravibhūṣaṇādyaiḥ paratvacintāṃ tvayi durnivārām |
स्वरूपरूपास्त्रविभूषणाद्यैः परत्वचिन्तां त्वयि दुर्निवाराम् । भोगे मृदूपक्रमताम् अभीप्सन् शीलादिभिर्वारयसीव पुंसाम् ॥ ३ ॥
svarūparūpāstravibhūṣaṇādyaiḥ paratvacintāṃ tvayi durnivārām | bhoge mṛdūpakramatām abhīpsan śīlādibhirvārayasīva puṃsām || 3 ||
MeaningThe 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.
śaktiṃ śaraṇyāntaraśabdabhājāṃ sāraṃ ca santolya phalāntarāṇām |
शक्तिं शरण्यान्तरशब्दभाजां सारं च सन्तोल्य फलान्तराणाम् । त्वद्दास्यहेतोस्त्वयि निर्विशङ्कं न्यस्तात्मनां नाथ बिभर्षि भारम् ॥ ४ ॥
śaktiṃ śaraṇyāntaraśabdabhājāṃ sāraṃ ca santolya phalāntarāṇām | tvaddāsyahetostvayi nirviśaṅkaṃ nyastātmanāṃ nātha bibharṣi bhāram || 4 ||
MeaningHaving 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.
abhītihetoranuvartanīyaṃ nātha tvadanyaṃ na vibhāvayāmi |
अभीतिहेतोरनुवर्तनीयं नाथ त्वदन्यं न विभावयामि । भयं कुतः स्यात् त्वयि सानुकम्पे रक्षा कुतः स्यात् त्वयि जातरोषे ॥ ५ ॥
abhītihetoranuvartanīyaṃ nātha tvadanyaṃ na vibhāvayāmi | bhayaṃ kutaḥ syāt tvayi sānukampe rakṣā kutaḥ syāt tvayi jātaroṣe || 5 ||
MeaningI 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?
tvadekatantraṃ kamalāsahāya svenaiva māṃ rakṣitum arhasi tvam |
त्वदेकतन्त्रं कमलासहाय स्वेनैव मां रक्षितुम् अर्हसि त्वम् । त्वयि प्रवृत्ते मम किं प्रयासैस्त्वय्यप्रवृत्ते मम किं प्रयासैः ॥ ६ ॥
tvadekatantraṃ kamalāsahāya svenaiva māṃ rakṣitum arhasi tvam | tvayi pravṛtte mama kiṃ prayāsaistvayyapravṛtte mama kiṃ prayāsaiḥ || 6 ||
MeaningO 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?
samādhibhaṅgeṣvapi sampatatsu śaraṇyabhūte tvayi baddhakakṣye |
समाधिभङ्गेष्वपि सम्पतत्सु शरण्यभूते त्वयि बद्धकक्ष्ये । अपत्रपे सोढुम् अकिञ्चनोऽहं दूराधिरोहं पतनं च नाथ ॥ ७ ॥
samādhibhaṅgeṣvapi sampatatsu śaraṇyabhūte tvayi baddhakakṣye | apatrape soḍhum akiñcano'haṃ dūrādhirohaṃ patanaṃ ca nātha || 7 ||
MeaningEven 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.
prāptābhilāṣaṃ tvadanugrahānmām padmāniṣevye tava pādapadme |
प्राप्ताभिलाषं त्वदनुग्रहान्माम् पद्मानिषेव्ये तव पादपद्मे । आदेहपातादपराधदूरम् आत्मान्तकैङ्कर्यरसं विधेयाः ॥ ८ ॥
prāptābhilāṣaṃ tvadanugrahānmām padmāniṣevye tava pādapadme | ādehapātādaparādhadūram ātmāntakaiṅkaryarasaṃ vidheyāḥ || 8 ||
MeaningHaving 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 Breakdown
Origin & History
Source: Ashtabhuja Ashtakam (eight verses on the Ashtabhuja Perumal of Kanchipuram)
Author: Vedanta Desika (Venkatanatha)
Period: 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Ashtabhuja Perumal?▼
Who composed the Ashtabhuja Ashtakam?▼
What is the significance of the reference to Gajendra in the first verse?▼
What does the devotee finally ask for in this hymn?▼
Ready to start chanting?
See Benefits & How to Chant →