Narmada Ashtakam Meaning — Line by Line
नर्मदाष्टकम्
Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi
Meaning — Line by Line
Every verse of Narmada Ashtakam with its English meaning. Tap any word to hear it, or ▶ to recite the verse.
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- Verse 1. Sabindu-sindhu-suskhalat-taranga-bhanga-ranjitam
- Verse 2. Tvad-ambu-lina-dina-mina-divya-sampradayakam
- Verse 3. Maha-gabhira-nira-pura-papa-dhuta-bhutalam
- Verse 4. Gatam tadaiva me bhayam tvad-ambu vikshitam yada
- Verse 5. Alakshya-laksha-kinnar-amar-asur-adi-pujitam
- Verse 6. Sanat-kumara-nachiketa-kashyap-adi-shatpadaih
- Verse 7. Alaksha-laksha-laksha-papa-laksha-sara-sayudham
- Verse 8. Aho-amritam svanam shrutam mahesha-kesha-jat-tate
- Verse 9. Idam tu narmadashtakam tri-kalam eva ye sada
Sabindu-sindhu-suskhalat-taranga-bhanga-ranjitam
सबिन्दुसिन्धुसुस्खलत्तरङ्गभङ्गरञ्जितं द्विषत्सु पापजातजातकारिवारिसंयुतम्। कृतान्तदूतकालभूतभीतिहारि वर्मदे त्वदीयपादपङ्कजं नमामि देवि नर्मदे॥
Sabindu-sindhu-suskhalat-taranga-bhanga-ranjitam Dvisatsu papa-jata-jata-kari-vari-samyutam Kritanta-duta-kala-bhuta-bhiti-hari varmade Tvadiya-pada-pankajam namami devi narmade
MeaningI bow to your lotus-feet, O Goddess Narmada — radiant with gently rolling waves of countless sacred droplets, whose waters destroy the sins of those who are hostile, who removes the fear of the messengers of Death and of evil spirits, the bestower of protective armour.
Tvad-ambu-lina-dina-mina-divya-sampradayakam
त्वदम्बुलीनदीनमीनदिव्यसम्प्रदायकं कलौ मलौघभारहारि सर्वतीर्थनायकम्। सुमत्स्यकच्छनक्रचक्रवाकशर्मदे त्वदीयपादपङ्कजं नमामि देवि नर्मदे॥
Tvad-ambu-lina-dina-mina-divya-sampradayakam Kalau malaugha-bhara-hari sarva-tirtha-nayakam Su-matsya-kachha-nakra-chakra-vaka-sharmade Tvadiya-pada-pankajam namami devi narmade
MeaningI bow to your lotus-feet, O Goddess Narmada — who lovingly grants a divine refuge to the humble little fish dwelling in your waters, who in the Kali age carries away the heavy burden of impurities, the chief of all holy waters, the giver of joy to fish, tortoises, crocodiles and chakravaka birds.
Maha-gabhira-nira-pura-papa-dhuta-bhutalam
महागभीरनीरपूरपापधूतभूतलं ध्वनत्समस्तपातकारिदारितापदाचलम्। जगल्लये महाभये मृकण्डुसूनुहर्म्यदे त्वदीयपादपङ्कजं नमामि देवि नर्मदे॥
Maha-gabhira-nira-pura-papa-dhuta-bhutalam Dhvanat-samasta-pataka-ri-darit-apad-achalam Jagallaye maha-bhaye mrikandu-sunu-harmyade Tvadiya-pada-pankajam namami devi narmade
MeaningI bow to your lotus-feet, O Goddess Narmada — whose deep, vast flood of waters washes away the sins of the whole earth, whose roar shatters the mountains of calamity caused by all sinners, who became the very mansion of refuge for Markandeya even in the great deluge of cosmic dissolution.
Gatam tadaiva me bhayam tvad-ambu vikshitam yada
गतं तदैव मे भयं त्वदम्बु वीक्षितं यदा मृकण्डुसूनुशौनकासुरारिसेविसर्वदा। पुनर्भवाब्धिजन्मजं भवाब्धिदुःखवर्मदे त्वदीयपादपङ्कजं नमामि देवि नर्मदे॥
Gatam tadaiva me bhayam tvad-ambu vikshitam yada Mrikandu-sunu-shaunaka-surari-sevi-sarvada Punar-bhavabdhi-janmajam bhavabdhi-duhkha-varmade Tvadiya-pada-pankajam namami devi narmade
MeaningI bow to your lotus-feet, O Goddess Narmada — the moment I beheld your waters my fear was gone; ever served by Markandeya, by Shaunaka and even by the foes of the gods, you give protective armour against the sorrows of the ocean of repeated births.
Alakshya-laksha-kinnar-amar-asur-adi-pujitam
अलक्षलक्षकिन्नरामरासुरादिपूजितं सुलक्षनीरतीरधीरपक्षिलक्षकूजितम्। वसिष्ठसिष्टपिप्पलादिकर्दमादिशर्मदे त्वदीयपादपङ्कजं नमामि देवि नर्मदे॥
Alakshya-laksha-kinnar-amar-asur-adi-pujitam Su-laksha-nira-tira-dhira-pakshi-laksha-kujitam Vasishtha-sishta-pippal-adi-kardam-adi-sharmade Tvadiya-pada-pankajam namami devi narmade
MeaningI bow to your lotus-feet, O Goddess Narmada — worshipped by Kinnaras, gods, demons and others, where countless steadfast birds warble along your auspicious banks, the bestower of blessings upon Vasishtha, the righteous, Pippalada, Kardama and other sages.
Sanat-kumara-nachiketa-kashyap-adi-shatpadaih
सनत्कुमारनाचिकेतकश्यपादिषट्पदैः धृतं स्वकीयमानसेषु नारदादिषट्पदैः। रवीन्द्ररन्तिदेवदेवराजकर्मशर्मदे त्वदीयपादपङ्कजं नमामि देवि नर्मदे॥
Sanat-kumara-nachiketa-kashyap-adi-shatpadaih Dhritam svakiya-manaseshu narad-adi-shatpadaih Ravindra-rantideva-deva-raja-karma-sharmade Tvadiya-pada-pankajam namami devi narmade
MeaningI bow to your lotus-feet, O Goddess Narmada — held within their hearts like bees by sages such as Sanatkumara, Nachiketa and Kashyapa, and by Narada and others; you grant the merit of the deeds of the Sun, Indu, Rantideva and the king of the gods.
Alaksha-laksha-laksha-papa-laksha-sara-sayudham
अलक्षलक्षलक्षपापलक्षसारसायुधं ततस्तु जीवजन्तुतन्तुभुक्तिमुक्तिदायकम्। विरञ्चिविष्णुशङ्करस्वकीयधामवर्मदे त्वदीयपादपङ्कजं नमामि देवि नर्मदे॥
Alaksha-laksha-laksha-papa-laksha-sara-sayudham Tatastu jiva-jantu-tantu-bhukti-mukti-dayakam Viranchi-vishnu-shankara-svakiya-dhama-varmade Tvadiya-pada-pankajam namami devi narmade
MeaningI bow to your lotus-feet, O Goddess Narmada — armed as it were with countless lotus-arrows that destroy the countless sins of beings; you bestow upon every living creature, woven into the web of existence, both enjoyment and liberation, and grant Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva the armour of their own abodes.
Aho-amritam svanam shrutam mahesha-kesha-jat-tate
अहोऽमृतं स्वनं श्रुतं महेशकेशजात्तटे किरातसूतवाडवेषु पण्डिते शठे नटे। दुरन्तपापतापहारि सर्वजन्तुशर्मदे त्वदीयपादपङ्कजं नमामि देवि नर्मदे॥
Aho-amritam svanam shrutam mahesha-kesha-jat-tate Kirata-suta-vadaveshu pandite shathe nate Duranta-papa-tapa-hari sarva-jantu-sharmade Tvadiya-pada-pankajam namami devi narmade
MeaningI bow to your lotus-feet, O Goddess Narmada — Ah! your sweet, nectar-like murmur is heard along the banks descending from the matted locks of Shiva; to hunters, charioteers, brahmins, scholars, the wicked and the actor alike you remove endless sin and suffering and bring joy to all beings.
Idam tu narmadashtakam tri-kalam eva ye sada
इदं तु नर्मदाष्टकं त्रिकालमेव ये सदा पठन्ति ते निरन्तरं न यान्ति दुर्गतिं कदा। सुलभ्यदेहदुर्लभं महेशधामगौरवं पुनर्भवा नरा न वै विलोकयन्ति रौरवम्॥
Idam tu narmadashtakam tri-kalam eva ye sada Pathanti te nirantaram na yanti durgatim kada Sulabhya-deha-durlabham mahesha-dhama-gauravam Punar-bhava nara na vai vilokayanti rauravam
MeaningThose who recite this Narmada Ashtakam ever at the three junctions of the day never fall into a wretched state; attaining the rare glory of Shiva's abode though they have human bodies, such people are not born again, nor do they ever behold the hell named Raurava.
Word-by-Word Breakdown
Origin & History
Source: Traditional Sanskrit stotra literature (Shaiva / Shakta devotional tradition)
Author: Adi Shankaracharya (attributed)
Period: c. 8th century CE
The Narmada Ashtakam belongs to the tradition of river hymns through which sages personified India's great rivers as goddesses. The Narmada, flowing westward through the Vindhya and Satpura ranges, is held to have emerged from the body of Lord Shiva, and is the only river whose full circumambulation (parikrama) is a recognised lifelong vow. Adi Shankaracharya, who travelled across the subcontinent establishing the worship of the divine, is credited with this eight-verse hymn celebrating her power to destroy sin and bestow liberation. The hymn echoes the Puranic teaching that the very darshan of the Narmada purifies, and that sage Markandeya and others attained refuge on her banks.
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