𑌕𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌮 𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍋𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌮𑍍
Kurma Stotram in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥
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Origin & Story
Srimad Bhagavata Purana, Canto 3, Chapter 5 (verses 38–50) · Maharshi Veda Vyasa (traditional) · Puranic
Kurma is the tortoise incarnation of Vishnu, who bore the mountain Mandara on his back during the churning of the ocean of milk. This stotra, preserved in the Srimad Bhagavata Purana, is the prayer of surrender offered by the gods to the Supreme Lord. Bowing at his lotus feet, the devas extol him as the refuge of all sages and the primeval Person who incarnates to create, sustain and dissolve the worlds, and they beseech his grace and guiding vision to fulfil their appointed role in creation.
✦ As told in scripture
It is traditionally held that the lotus feet of the Lord, glorified in this hymn, when merely remembered bestow abhaya — fearlessness — upon the surrendered soul; devotees believe that sincere recitation, like the gods' own prayer, draws the Lord's protective grace and frees the heart from the threefold suffering of worldly life.
Complete Text with Meaning
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𑌨𑌮𑌾𑌮 𑌤𑍇 𑌦𑍇𑌵 𑌪𑌦𑌾𑌰𑌵𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌪𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌤𑌾𑌪𑍋𑌪𑌶𑌮𑌾𑌤𑌪𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌮𑍍 । 𑌯𑌨𑍍𑌮𑍂𑌲𑌕𑍇𑌤𑌾 𑌯𑌤𑌯𑍋𑌽𑌞𑍍𑌜𑌸𑍋𑌰𑍁𑌸𑌂𑌸𑌾𑌰𑌦𑍁𑌃𑌖𑌂 𑌬𑌹𑌿𑌰𑍁𑌤𑍍𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌿𑌪𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌿 ॥ ௧ ॥
namāma te deva padāravindaṃ prapannatāpopaśamātapatram | yanmūlaketā yatayo'ñjasorusaṃsāraduḥkhaṃ bahirutkṣipanti || 1 ||
Meaning:We bow to your lotus feet, O Lord — feet that are like a sheltering umbrella subduing the sufferings of all who surrender, the feet which sages take as their refuge and thereby cast far away the great misery of worldly existence.
𑌧𑌾𑌤𑌰𑍍𑌯𑌦𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌿𑌨𑍍 𑌭𑌵 𑌈𑌶 𑌜𑍀𑌵𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌪𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌯𑍇𑌣𑍋𑌪𑌹𑌤𑌾 𑌨 𑌶𑌰𑍍𑌮 । 𑌆𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌂𑌲𑍍𑌲𑌭𑌨𑍍𑌤𑍇 𑌭𑌗𑌵𑌂𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌵𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌘𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌚𑍍𑌛𑌾𑌯𑌾𑌂 𑌸𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌮𑌤 𑌆𑌶𑍍𑌰𑌯𑍇𑌮 ॥ ௨ ॥
dhātaryadasmin bhava īśa jīvāstāpatrayeṇopahatā na śarma | ātmam̐llabhante bhagavaṃstavāṅghricchāyāṃ savidyāmata āśrayema || 2 ||
Meaning:O Sustainer, O Lord, in this world the living beings, stricken by the threefold misery, find no happiness; therefore we take shelter in the shade of your feet, which is joined with true knowledge.
𑌮𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌗𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌿 𑌯𑌤𑍍𑌤𑍇 𑌮𑍁𑌖𑌪𑌦𑍍𑌮𑌨𑍀𑌡𑍈𑌶𑍍𑌛𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌃𑌸𑍁𑌪𑌰𑍍𑌣𑍈𑌰𑍃𑌷𑌯𑍋 𑌵𑌿𑌵𑌿𑌕𑍍𑌤𑍇 । 𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌘𑌮𑌰𑍍𑌷𑍋𑌦𑌸𑌰𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌾𑌯𑌾 𑌪𑌦𑌂 𑌪𑌦𑌂 𑌤𑍀𑌰𑍍𑌥𑌪𑌦𑌃 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌪𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌾𑌃 ॥ ௩ ॥
mārganti yatte mukhapadmanīḍaiśchandaḥsuparṇairṛṣayo vivikte | yasyāghamarṣodasaridvarāyā padaṃ padaṃ tīrthapadaḥ prapannāḥ || 3 ||
Meaning:In solitude the sages, like birds nesting in the lotus of your face through the Vedic hymns, seek you — surrendering at every step to the Lord whose feet are the supreme holy ford, the source of the sin-destroying celestial Ganga.
𑌯𑌚𑍍𑌛𑍍𑌰𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌯𑌾 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍁𑌤𑌵𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌂 𑌚 𑌭𑌕𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌾 𑌸𑌂𑌮𑍃𑌜𑍍𑌯𑌮𑌾𑌨𑍇 𑌹𑍃𑌦𑌯𑍇𑌽𑌵𑌧𑌾𑌯 । 𑌜𑍍𑌞𑌾𑌨𑍇𑌨 𑌵𑍈𑌰𑌾𑌗𑍍𑌯𑌬𑌲𑍇𑌨 𑌧𑍀𑌰𑌾 𑌵𑍍𑌰𑌜𑍇𑌮 𑌤𑌤𑍍𑌤𑍇𑌽𑌙𑍍𑌘𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌸𑌰𑍋𑌜𑌪𑍀𑌠𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௪ ॥
yachchraddhayā śrutavatyāṃ cha bhaktyā saṃmṛjyamāne hṛdaye'vadhāya | jñānena vairāgyabalena dhīrā vrajema tatte'ṅghrisarojapīṭham || 4 ||
Meaning:Upon the heart cleansed by faith and devotion through hearing of you, the steadfast ones, by knowledge and the strength of dispassion, fix their minds and so reach that lotus-seat of your feet.
𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌜𑌨𑍍𑌮𑌸𑍍𑌥𑌿𑌤𑌿𑌸𑌂𑌯𑌮𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥𑍇 𑌕𑍃𑌤𑌾𑌵𑌤𑌾𑌰𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌪𑌦𑌾𑌮𑍍𑌬𑍁𑌜𑌂 𑌤𑍇 । 𑌵𑍍𑌰𑌜𑍇𑌮 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑍇 𑌶𑌰𑌣𑌂 𑌯𑌦𑍀𑌶 𑌸𑍍𑌮𑍃𑌤𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌯𑌚𑍍𑌛𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌭𑌯𑌂 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌪𑍁𑌂𑌸𑌾𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௫ ॥
viśvasya janmasthitisaṃyamārthe kṛtāvatārasya padāmbujaṃ te | vrajema sarve śaraṇaṃ yadīśa smṛtaṃ prayachchhatyabhayaṃ svapuṃsām || 5 ||
Meaning:For the creation, maintenance and dissolution of the universe you have taken your incarnation; we all go for refuge to your lotus feet, O Lord, which, merely remembered, bestow fearlessness upon your devotees.
𑌯𑌤𑍍𑌸𑌾𑌨𑍁𑌬𑌨𑍍𑌧𑍇𑌽𑌸𑌤𑌿 𑌦𑍇𑌹𑌗𑍇𑌹𑍇 𑌮𑌮𑌾𑌹𑌮𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍂𑌢𑌦𑍁𑌰𑌾𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌹𑌾𑌣𑌾𑌮𑍍 । 𑌪𑍁𑌂𑌸𑌾𑌂 𑌸𑍁𑌦𑍂𑌰𑌂 𑌵𑌸𑌤𑍋𑌽𑌪𑌿 𑌪𑍁𑌰𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌂 𑌭𑌜𑍇𑌮 𑌤𑌤𑍍𑌤𑍇 𑌭𑌗𑌵𑌨𑍍𑌪𑌦𑌾𑌬𑍍𑌜𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௬ ॥
yatsānubandhe'sati dehagehe mamāhamityūḍhadurāgrahāṇām | puṃsāṃ sudūraṃ vasato'pi puryāṃ bhajema tatte bhagavanpadābjam || 6 ||
Meaning:Though you dwell far from those who, clinging with the false notions of 'I' and 'mine' to the body and home with all their entanglements, are obstinate in delusion — yet, O Lord, may we worship those lotus feet of yours.
𑌤𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌵𑌾 𑌅𑌸𑌦𑍍𑌵𑍃𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌭𑌿𑌰𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌿𑌭𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌯𑍇 𑌪𑌰𑌾𑌹𑍃𑌤𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌰𑍍𑌮𑌨𑌸𑌃 𑌪𑌰𑍇𑌶 । 𑌅𑌥𑍋 𑌨 𑌪𑌶𑍍𑌯𑌨𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍁𑌰𑍁𑌗𑌾𑌯 𑌨𑍂𑌨𑌂 𑌯𑍇 𑌤𑍇 𑌪𑌦𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌸𑌵𑌿𑌲𑌾𑌸𑌲𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍍𑌮𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌃 ॥ ௭ ॥
tānvā asadvṛttibhirakṣibhirye parāhṛtāntarmanasaḥ pareśa | atho na paśyantyurugāya nūnaṃ ye te padanyāsavilāsalakṣmyāḥ || 7 ||
Meaning:Those whose inner minds are dragged away by the senses fixed on base pursuits surely do not behold, O much-glorified one, the splendour and beauty of the placing of your feet.
𑌪𑌾𑌨𑍇𑌨 𑌤𑍇 𑌦𑍇𑌵 𑌕𑌥𑌾𑌸𑍁𑌧𑌾𑌯𑌾𑌃 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌵𑍃𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌭𑌕𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌾 𑌵𑌿𑌶𑌦𑌾𑌶𑌯𑌾 𑌯𑍇 । 𑌵𑍈𑌰𑌾𑌗𑍍𑌯𑌸𑌾𑌰𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌤𑌿𑌲𑌭𑍍𑌯 𑌬𑍋𑌧𑌂 𑌯𑌥𑌾𑌞𑍍𑌜𑌸𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌵𑍀𑌯𑍁𑌰𑌕𑍁𑌣𑍍𑌠𑌧𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌣𑍍𑌯𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௮ ॥
pānena te deva kathāsudhāyāḥ pravṛddhabhaktyā viśadāśayā ye | vairāgyasāraṃ pratilabhya bodhaṃ yathāñjasānvīyurakuṇṭhadhiṣṇyam || 8 ||
Meaning:But those of pure heart who, by drinking the nectar of your divine stories with ever-growing devotion, attain the essence of dispassion and right knowledge, easily reach your unobstructed supreme abode.
𑌤𑌥𑌾𑌪𑌰𑍇 𑌚𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌸𑌮𑌾𑌧𑌿𑌯𑍋𑌗𑌬𑌲𑍇𑌨 𑌜𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌾 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌕𑍃𑌤𑌿𑌂 𑌬𑌲𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌠𑌾𑌮𑍍 । 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌮𑍇𑌵 𑌧𑍀𑌰𑌾𑌃 𑌪𑍁𑌰𑍁𑌷𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌶𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌿 𑌤𑍇𑌷𑌾𑌂 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑌮𑌃 𑌸𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌨 𑌤𑍁 𑌸𑍇𑌵𑌯𑌾 𑌤𑍇 ॥ ௯ ॥
tathāpare chātmasamādhiyogabalena jitvā prakṛtiṃ baliṣṭhām | tvāmeva dhīrāḥ puruṣaṃ viśanti teṣāṃ śramaḥ syānna tu sevayā te || 9 ||
Meaning:And others, the steadfast, having conquered mighty material nature by the power of yoga and self-absorption, enter into you, the Supreme Person; for them all toil ceases — though this is not as easy as serving you with devotion.
𑌤𑌤𑍍𑌤𑍇 𑌵𑌯𑌂 𑌲𑍋𑌕𑌸𑌿𑌸𑍃𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌯𑌾𑌦𑍍𑌯 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌾𑌨𑍁𑌸𑍃𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌭𑌿𑌰𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌭𑌿𑌃 𑌸𑍍𑌮 । 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑍇 𑌵𑌿𑌯𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌃 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌵𑌿𑌹𑌾𑌰𑌤𑌨𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌂 𑌨 𑌶𑌕𑍍𑌨𑍁𑌮𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌤𑍍𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌤𑌿𑌹𑌰𑍍𑌤𑌵𑍇 𑌤𑍇 ॥ ௧௦ ॥
tatte vayaṃ lokasisṛkṣayādya tvayānusṛṣṭāstribhirātmabhiḥ sma | sarve viyuktāḥ svavihāratantraṃ na śaknumastatpratihartave te || 10 ||
Meaning:Now, O Unborn One, we have been brought forth by you through your three forms (the gunas) for the creation of the worlds; yet, separated and each acting on its own, we are unable to carry out for you the work of creation.
𑌯𑌾𑌵𑌦𑍍𑌬𑌲𑌿𑌂 𑌤𑍇𑌽𑌜 𑌹𑌰𑌾𑌮 𑌕𑌾𑌲𑍇 𑌯𑌥𑌾 𑌵𑌯𑌂 𑌚𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌮𑌦𑌾𑌮 𑌯𑌤𑍍𑌰 । 𑌯𑌥𑍋𑌭𑌯𑍇𑌷𑌾𑌂 𑌤 𑌇𑌮𑍇 𑌹𑌿 𑌲𑍋𑌕𑌾 𑌬𑌲𑌿𑌂 𑌹𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌤𑍋𑌽𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌮𑌦𑌨𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌨𑍂𑌹𑌾𑌃 ॥ ௧௧ ॥
yāvadbaliṃ te'ja harāma kāle yathā vayaṃ chānnamadāma yatra | yathobhayeṣāṃ ta ime hi lokā baliṃ haranto'nnamadantyanūhāḥ || 11 ||
Meaning:Grant, O Unborn, that we may at the proper time offer you our oblations and partake of our food, so that both we and these created beings, offering tribute and eating, may flourish free of anxiety.
𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌨𑌃 𑌸𑍁𑌰𑌾𑌣𑌾𑌮𑌸𑌿 𑌸𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌾𑌨𑌾𑌂 𑌕𑍂𑌟𑌸𑍍𑌥 𑌆𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌃 𑌪𑍁𑌰𑍁𑌷𑌃 𑌪𑍁𑌰𑌾𑌣𑌃 । 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌦𑍇𑌵𑌶𑌕𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌂 𑌗𑍁𑌣𑌕𑌰𑍍𑌮𑌯𑍋𑌨𑍗 𑌰𑍇𑌤𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌜𑌾𑌯𑌾𑌂 𑌕𑌵𑌿𑌮𑌾𑌦𑌧𑍇𑌽𑌜𑌃 ॥ ௧௨ ॥
tvaṃ naḥ surāṇāmasi sānvayānāṃ kūṭastha ādyaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ | tvaṃ devaśaktyāṃ guṇakarmayonau retastvajāyāṃ kavimādadhe'jaḥ || 12 ||
Meaning:You are the unchanging, primeval, ancient Supreme Person, the source of us gods and our lineage; you, the Unborn, as the Purusha placed the seed in Prakriti (the womb of the gunas and karma) to bring forth the creator (Brahma).
𑌤𑌤𑍋 𑌵𑌯𑌂 𑌸𑌤𑍍𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌮𑍁𑌖𑌾 𑌯𑌦𑌰𑍍𑌥𑍇 𑌬𑌭𑍂𑌵𑌿𑌮𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌨𑍍𑌕𑌰𑌵𑌾𑌮 𑌕𑌿𑌂 𑌤𑍇 । 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌨𑌃 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌚𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍁𑌃 𑌪𑌰𑌿𑌦𑍇𑌹𑌿 𑌶𑌕𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌾 𑌦𑍇𑌵𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥𑍇 𑌯𑌦𑌨𑍁𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌹𑌾𑌣𑌾𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௧௩ ॥
tato vayaṃ satpramukhā yadarthe babhūvimātmankaravāma kiṃ te | tvaṃ naḥ svachakṣuḥ paridehi śaktyā devakriyārthe yadanugrahāṇām || 13 ||
Meaning:For what purpose, then, have we and the foremost beings come into being? O Lord, what shall we do for you? Graciously bestow on us your own guiding vision and power, that we may accomplish the work of the gods that depends on your grace.
Word-by-Word Meaning
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Benefits of Chanting Kurma Stotram
A powerful prayer of sharanagati (surrender) at the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu
Remembering the Lord's feet through this hymn is said to bestow fearlessness (abhaya)
Cultivates dispassion (vairagya) and discernment (jnana) as praised in its verses
Drawn directly from the sacred Srimad Bhagavata Purana, carrying its scriptural sanctity
Calms the threefold suffering (tapatraya) of body, mind and circumstance
Deepens devotion through reflection on the refuge of the Lord's incarnations
Suitable for daily recitation as a contemplative Vaishnava prayer
How to Chant Kurma Stotram
Sit calmly before an image of Lord Vishnu, light a lamp and recite the verses slowly, meditating on the Lord's lotus feet as the sole refuge that dispels all fear and sorrow. Reflect on each prayer of surrender. It is fittingly chanted on Ekadashi, during Vishnu festivals, and as part of regular Bhagavata study and recitation.
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