Asita Giri Samam Syat — Benefits & How to Chant
असितगिरिसमं स्यात्
Complete guide to chanting correctly for maximum benefit
Benefits of Chanting Asita Giri Samam Syat
Evokes awe and devotion through its sublime image of Shiva's infinite glory
A cherished standalone verse, often quoted to convey the limitlessness of the Divine
Recitation is believed to deepen bhakti and dissolve the ego's pride in knowledge
Invokes both Shiva and Goddess Sharada (Saraswati), uniting devotion and learning
Brings peace and expansiveness of mind through contemplation of the boundless
Forms the climactic praise of the Shiva Mahimna Stotra, the foremost hymn to Shiva
How to Chant Asita Giri Samam Syat
Instructions
Recite this verse slowly, allowing its grand imagery to unfold in the mind as a meditation on Shiva's boundlessness. It is often chanted near the conclusion of the Shiva Mahimna Stotra; it may also be recited on its own before a Shiva Linga, or invoked by students and seekers of wisdom (as it praises Goddess Sharada). Pair it with the full stotra for the complete blessing.
Spiritual Significance
This verse is treasured by devotees as the supreme expression of Shiva's infinitude; tradition holds that contemplating it dissolves intellectual pride and awakens humble devotion, the very mood that won Pushpadanta release from his curse through this hymn.
Origin & History
Source: Shiva Mahimna Stotra, verse 32
Author: Pushpadanta (king of the Gandharvas)
Toward the close of the Shiva Mahimna Stotra, the Gandharva poet Pushpadanta — having extolled Shiva through many verses — confesses the impossibility of ever completing his praise. In this celebrated verse he summons the grandest images he can conceive: the ocean as inkpot, a mountain of ink, the wish-tree as pen, the earth as paper and Saraswati as the writer, only to declare that even these could never reach the end of the Lord's glory.