ramavishnumandodariramayana

𑌮𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍋𑌦𑌰𑍀 𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍁𑌤𑌿

Mandodari Stuti in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

🕉️ hindu·📿 3× repetitions·🕐 Early morning during Rama worship; on Ram Navami and during Ramayana parayana (recitation)·📜 Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 111

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

Origin & Story

Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 111 · Maharshi Valmiki (the words spoken by Mandodari) · Ancient (Itihasa / Ramayana period)

After Rama slew Ravana on the field of Lanka, the demon king's chief queen Mandodari — daughter of the Asura Maya and renowned for her virtue and wisdom — came to the battlefield and broke into a long lament over her husband's body. Amid her sorrow, her insight pierced through: she recognised that one who had conquered Indra and the three worlds could not be slain by a mere mortal. In these verses she declares that Rama is the eternal Paramatma, Vishnu himself, bearing the conch, discus and mace, who had taken human form surrounded by the gods in the guise of monkeys, in order to relieve the burden of the worlds. She further reproaches Ravana that the very senses he had once mastered to win the three worlds had, in the end, brought about his ruin.

✦ As told in scripture

Tradition holds that Mandodari, though born among the Rakshasas, attained spiritual merit by this very recognition of Rama's divinity at the hour of her deepest grief — turning a lament of loss into a hymn of truth. Devotees say that to behold the Lord even in moments of darkness and defeat, as Mandodari did, is itself the beginning of liberation.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌮𑍇𑌷 𑌮𑌹𑌾𑌯𑍋𑌗𑍀 𑌪𑌰𑌮𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌾 𑌸𑌨𑌾𑌤𑌨𑌃। 𑌅𑌨𑌾𑌦𑌿𑌮𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌨𑌿𑌧𑌨𑍋 𑌮𑌹𑌤𑌃 𑌪𑌰𑌮𑍋 𑌮𑌹𑌾𑌨𑍍॥

vyaktam-eṣa mahā-yogī paramātmā sanātanaḥ | anādi-madhya-nidhano mahataḥ paramo mahān ||

Meaning:It is now clear to me: this Rama is the great Yogi, the eternal Supreme Self, without beginning, middle or end, greater than the greatest, the supreme Mahat.

Verse 2

𑌤𑌮𑌸𑌃 𑌪𑌰𑌮𑍋 𑌧𑌾𑌤𑌾 𑌶𑌙𑍍𑌖𑌚𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌗𑌦𑌾𑌧𑌰𑌃। 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌵𑌤𑍍𑌸𑌵𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌾 𑌨𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌰𑌜𑌯𑍍𑌯𑌃 𑌶𑌾𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌤𑍋 𑌧𑍍𑌰𑍁𑌵𑌃॥

tamasaḥ paramo dhātā śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-dharaḥ | śrīvatsa-vakṣā nitya-śrīr-ajayyaḥ śāśvato dhruvaḥ ||

Meaning:He is the highest sustainer, beyond all darkness, the bearer of conch, discus and mace, his chest marked with the Shrivatsa, ever attended by Shri, unconquerable, eternal and changeless.

Verse 3

𑌮𑌾𑌨𑍁𑌷𑌂 𑌰𑍂𑌪𑌮𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌥𑌾𑌯 𑌵𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌣𑍁𑌃 𑌸𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌪𑌰𑌾𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌮𑌃। 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑍈𑌃 𑌪𑌰𑌿𑌵𑍃𑌤𑍋 𑌦𑍇𑌵𑍈𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌨𑌰𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌮𑍁𑌪𑌾𑌗𑌤𑍈𑌃॥

mānuṣaṃ rūpam-āsthāya viṣṇuḥ satya-parākramaḥ | sarvaiḥ parivṛto devair-vānaratvam-upāgataiḥ ||

Meaning:Having assumed a human form, he is Vishnu of unfailing valour, surrounded by all the gods who had taken the shape of monkeys to aid him.

Verse 4

𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌲𑍋𑌕𑍇𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌃 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌮𑌾𑌨𑍍 𑌲𑍋𑌕𑌾𑌨𑌾𑌂 𑌹𑌿𑌤𑌕𑌾𑌮𑍍𑌯𑌯𑌾। 𑌸𑌰𑌾𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌸𑌪𑌰𑍀𑌵𑌾𑌰𑌂 𑌹𑌤𑌵𑌾𑌂𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌂 𑌮𑌹𑌾𑌦𑍍𑌯𑍁𑌤𑌿𑌃॥

sarva-lokeśvaraḥ śrīmān lokānāṃ hita-kāmyayā | sa-rākṣasa-parīvāraṃ hatavāṃs-tvāṃ mahā-dyutiḥ ||

Meaning:That glorious Lord of all the worlds, of mighty splendour, out of his wish for the good of the worlds, has slain you along with your whole host of Rakshasas.

Verse 5

𑌇𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑌾𑌣𑌿 𑌪𑍁𑌰𑌾 𑌜𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌾 𑌜𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌭𑍁𑌵𑌨𑌂 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌾। 𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌰𑌦𑍍𑌭𑌿𑌰𑌿𑌵 𑌤𑌦𑍍𑌵𑍈𑌰𑌮𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑍈𑌰𑍇𑌵 𑌨𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌜𑌿𑌤𑌃॥

indriyāṇi purā jitvā jitaṃ tri-bhuvanaṃ tvayā | smaradbhir-iva tad-vairam-indriyair-eva nirjitaḥ ||

Meaning:Of old, by conquering your senses you had conquered the three worlds; now, as if remembering that old enmity, it is by those very senses that you have been overcome.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌮𑍍🔊vyaktamclearly, evidently (it is now plain to me)

𑌏𑌷 𑌮𑌹𑌾𑌯𑍋𑌗𑍀🔊eṣa mahā-yogīthis (Rama) is the great Yogi, the supreme master of yoga

𑌪𑌰𑌮𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌾 𑌸𑌨𑌾𑌤𑌨𑌃🔊paramātmā sanātanaḥthe eternal Supreme Self

𑌅𑌨𑌾𑌦𑌿𑌮𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌨𑌿𑌧𑌨𑌃🔊anādi-madhya-nidhanaḥwithout beginning, middle or end

𑌮𑌹𑌤𑌃 𑌪𑌰𑌮𑌃 𑌮𑌹𑌾𑌨𑍍🔊mahataḥ paramo mahāngreater than the greatest, the supreme great one

𑌤𑌮𑌸𑌃 𑌪𑌰𑌮𑌃 𑌧𑌾𑌤𑌾🔊tamasaḥ paramo dhātāthe sustainer who is beyond all darkness (ignorance)

𑌶𑌙𑍍𑌖𑌚𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌗𑌦𑌾𑌧𑌰𑌃🔊śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-dharaḥthe bearer of the conch, discus and mace (Vishnu)

𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌵𑌤𑍍𑌸𑌵𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌾𑌃🔊śrīvatsa-vakṣāḥbearing the Shrivatsa mark upon his chest

𑌨𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌃🔊nitya-śrīḥever accompanied by Shri (Lakshmi), eternally glorious

𑌅𑌜𑌯𑍍𑌯𑌃 𑌶𑌾𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌤𑌃 𑌧𑍍𑌰𑍁𑌵𑌃🔊ajayyaḥ śāśvato dhruvaḥthe unconquerable, the eternal, the changeless

𑌮𑌾𑌨𑍁𑌷𑌂 𑌰𑍂𑌪𑌮𑍍 𑌆𑌸𑍍𑌥𑌾𑌯🔊mānuṣaṃ rūpam āsthāyahaving assumed a human form

𑌵𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌣𑍁𑌃 𑌸𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌪𑌰𑌾𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌮𑌃🔊viṣṇuḥ satya-parākramaḥVishnu, whose valour is ever true

𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑍈𑌃 𑌪𑌰𑌿𑌵𑍃𑌤𑌃 𑌦𑍇𑌵𑍈𑌃🔊sarvaiḥ parivṛto devaiḥsurrounded by all the gods

𑌵𑌾𑌨𑌰𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌮𑍍 𑌉𑌪𑌾𑌗𑌤𑍈𑌃🔊vānaratvam upāgataiḥwho had taken the form of monkeys (to assist him)

𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌲𑍋𑌕𑍇𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌃 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌮𑌾𑌨𑍍🔊sarva-lokeśvaraḥ śrīmānthe glorious Lord of all the worlds

𑌲𑍋𑌕𑌾𑌨𑌾𑌂 𑌹𑌿𑌤𑌕𑌾𑌮𑍍𑌯𑌯𑌾🔊lokānāṃ hita-kāmyayāout of the desire for the welfare of all the worlds

𑌸𑌰𑌾𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌸𑌪𑌰𑍀𑌵𑌾𑌰𑌮𑍍🔊sa-rākṣasa-parīvāramtogether with your retinue of demons (Rakshasas)

𑌹𑌤𑌵𑌾𑌨𑍍 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌮𑍍 𑌮𑌹𑌾𑌦𑍍𑌯𑍁𑌤𑌿𑌃🔊hatavāṃs-tvāṃ mahā-dyutiḥthat one of great splendour has slain you

𑌇𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑌾𑌣𑌿 𑌪𑍁𑌰𑌾 𑌜𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌾🔊indriyāṇi purā jitvāhaving of old conquered your senses

𑌜𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌭𑍁𑌵𑌨𑌂 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌾🔊jitaṃ tri-bhuvanaṃ tvayāyou had conquered the three worlds

𑌇𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑍈𑌃 𑌏𑌵 𑌨𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌜𑌿𑌤𑌃🔊indriyair-eva nirjitaḥyou have now been undone by those very senses (which avenged their former defeat)

Benefits of Chanting Mandodari Stuti

✦

Reveals the supreme truth that Lord Rama is none other than Vishnu, the eternal Paramatma

✦

Inspires the recognition of the divine even amid grief and apparent defeat

✦

Deepens devotion to Sri Rama as the Lord of all the worlds (Sarva-lokeshvara)

✦

Teaches the spiritual lesson that mastery of the senses is the true conquest of the three worlds

✦

Recited to cultivate dispassion (vairagya) and clarity of discernment (viveka)

✦

Cherished by devotees of the Ramayana as a hymn of awakening and surrender

How to Chant Mandodari Stuti

Repetitions3times

Best TimeEarly morning during Rama worship; on Ram Navami and during Ramayana parayana (recitation)

Recite these verses calmly after meditating on the form of Sri Rama bearing the conch, discus and mace as Vishnu. Reflect on Mandodari's awakening — that beneath the human form of Rama stands the eternal Supreme Self. The verses are best chanted as part of a Yuddha Kanda parayana or during Rama bhajan, with the heart turned toward recognition of the Lord's divinity and the futility of pride.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Mandodari Stuti 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.

It is the lament and recognition spoken by Mandodari, the principal queen of Ravana, over her husband's dead body in the Yuddha Kanda of the Valmiki Ramayana (Sarga 111). In it she realises and proclaims that Rama, who slew Ravana, is in truth Lord Vishnu, the eternal Supreme Being, descended in human form.

Mandodari was wise and far-seeing. Seeing that her husband — who had conquered the gods and the three worlds — could be killed only by Rama, she understood that Rama must be the Supreme Lord himself. She describes him with the unmistakable marks of Vishnu: the conch, discus and mace, the Shrivatsa on his chest, and the constant presence of Shri (Lakshmi).

It teaches that true victory lies in conquering the senses, not the world. Mandodari observes that Ravana had won the three worlds by first mastering his senses, but was finally undone when those same senses (his desire for Sita) overcame him. The verses point to discernment, dispassion and recognition of the Divine.

It appears in the Yuddha Kanda (the Book of War) of Valmiki's Ramayana, in Sarga 111, immediately after the death of Ravana, as Mandodari mourns and beholds the divine nature of the one who vanquished him.