Bhutanatha Stotram (Bhutanatha Sadananda) Meaning — Line by Line

भूतनाथ स्तोत्रम् (भूतनाथ सदानन्द)

Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi

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Meaning — Line by Line

Every verse of Bhutanatha Stotram (Bhutanatha Sadananda) with its English meaning. Tap any word to hear it, or ▶ to recite the verse.

Verse 1#

भूतनाथ सदानन्द सर्वभूतदयापर । रक्ष रक्ष महाबाहो शास्त्रे तुभ्यं नमो नमः ॥

bhūtanātha sadānanda sarvabhūtadayāpara | rakṣa rakṣa mahābāho śāstre tubhyaṃ namo namaḥ ||

MeaningO Bhutanatha, Lord of all beings, ever-blissful, full of compassion towards every creature; protect me, protect me, O mighty-armed one — O Shasta, to you be salutations again and again.

Verse 2#

ॐ श्रीमहाशास्त्रे नमः ।

oṃ śrīmahāśāstre namaḥ |

MeaningOm, salutations to the great Lord Shasta.

Word-by-Word Breakdown

भूतनाथ

bhūtanātha

O Lord of all beings (Bhutanatha) — a name of Ayyappa / Shasta

सदानन्द

sadānanda

O ever-blissful one, eternally joyous

सर्वभूतदयापर

sarva-bhūta-dayāpara

O you who are full of compassion towards all beings

रक्ष रक्ष

rakṣa rakṣa

protect, protect (me) — the plea repeated for emphasis

महाबाहो

mahābāho

O mighty-armed one, O great hero

शास्त्रे

śāstre

O Shasta (the Lord and ruler) — vocative of Shasta, a name of Ayyappa

तुभ्यं नमो नमः

tubhyaṃ namo namaḥ

to you, salutations again and again

ॐ श्रीमहाशास्त्रे नमः

oṃ śrī-mahā-śāstre namaḥ

Om, salutations to the great Lord Shasta — the sealing mula-mantra

Origin & History

Source: Traditional Ayyappa / Sri Dharma Shasta dhyana sloka

Author: Traditional

'Bhutanatha Sadananda' is the dhyana sloka by which devotees open the worship of Lord Ayyappa, the deity of Sabarimala, revered as Bhutanatha — the Lord of all beings. Ayyappa is worshipped as Hariharaputra, the son born of Hari (Vishnu, as Mohini) and Hara (Shiva), and as Manikanta, raised in the Pandya royal household. This single verse gathers the heart of his devotees' prayer: it hails him as ever-blissful (sadananda) and compassionate to every creature (sarva-bhuta-dayapara), and twice cries 'raksha raksha' — 'protect, protect, O mighty-armed one'. It is sealed with his salutation 'Om Sri Maha-Shastre Namah' and resounds through the pilgrimage season with the cry 'Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa'.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Bhutanatha Stotram?▼

It is the classic dhyana sloka of Lord Ayyappa (Sri Dharma Shasta), beginning 'Bhutanatha Sadananda'. In one verse it salutes him as Bhutanatha — the Lord of all beings, ever-blissful and compassionate — and prays 'raksha raksha', 'protect, protect', ending 'Shastre tubhyam namo namah'.

Who is Bhutanatha?▼

'Bhutanatha' means 'Lord of all beings (bhutas)'. It is a name of Ayyappa / Dharma Shasta, the deity of Sabarimala, worshipped as Hariharaputra (son of Vishnu and Shiva) and as Manikanta. As Bhutanatha he is the compassionate protector and ruler of all creatures.

How is this sloka used?▼

It is the dhyana (meditation) verse most often recited at the very start of Ayyappa worship, to fix the mind on the Lord and to surrender oneself for his protection. Many also chant it on its own as a short daily prayer, followed by 'Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa'.

When do devotees recite it?▼

It is recited daily by Ayyappa devotees, and especially during the 41-day vratam and the Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season, when devotees observe austerity before the journey to Sabarimala.

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