rajarajeshwarilalitatripura-sundaridevi

Rajarajeshwari Ashtakam

Rajarajeshwari Ashtakam in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 9× repetitions·🕐 Fridays, during Navaratri, and at dawn or dusk before the Devi·📜 Stotra attributed to Adi Shankaracharya

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

The Rajarajeshwari Ashtakam (also called Ambashtakam) is a celebrated eight-verse hymn by Adi Shankaracharya in praise of the Supreme Goddess Sri Rajarajeshwari — the sovereign 'Empress of emperors', identical with Lalita Tripurasundari. Each verse heaps the Devi's many names and forms — Parvati, Kali, Gayatri, Varahi, Saraswati and Lakshmi — and closes with the resounding refrain 'Chidrupi Paradevata Bhagavati Sri Rajarajeshwari'. The closing verse promises unbroken prosperity and final liberation to those who recite it.

Origin & Story

Stotra attributed to Adi Shankaracharya · Adi Shankaracharya · c. 8th century CE (traditional attribution)

Adi Shankaracharya, the founder of Advaita Vedanta, was also a supreme devotee of the Divine Mother and composed numerous Shakta hymns. In the Rajarajeshwari Ashtakam he addresses the Goddess as the highest sovereignty (Rajarajeshwari) and as pure Consciousness (chidrupi), weaving together her countless names and forms — Saguna in description yet Nirguna in essence. The hymn reflects his vision that the Mother of the universe and the formless Brahman are one.

✦ As told in scripture

Devotees of Sri Rajarajeshwari hold that sincere daily recitation of this Ambashtakam draws the Mother's kataksha — her single glance of grace that the hymn says 'beautifies' the reciter — bringing about sudden turns of fortune, the lifting of long-standing want, and at the last, as the phalashruti promises, the gift of liberation.

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Complete Text with Meaning

Tap any line — or the ▶ button — to hear it recited

Verse 1

amba shambhavi chandramaulir-abala aparna uma parvati kali haimavati shiva trinayani katyayani bhairavi | savitri navayauvana shubhakari samrajya-lakshmi-prada chidrupi paradevata bhagavati shri-rajarajeshwari ||1||

Meaning:O Mother, you are Shambhavi who bears the crescent moon, the slender one, Aparna, Uma, Parvati; you are Kali, daughter of Himavan, the auspicious, three-eyed Katyayani and Bhairavi; you are Savitri, ever-youthful, the doer of good, the bestower of imperial fortune — O Consciousness-formed Supreme Goddess Bhagavati, Sri Rajarajeshwari!

Verse 2

amba mohini devata tribhuvani ananda-sandhayini vani pallava-pani venu-murali gana-priya lolini | kalyani uduraja-bimba-vadana dhumraksha-samharini chidrupi paradevata bhagavati shri-rajarajeshwari ||2||

Meaning:O Mother, you are the enchanting deity of the three worlds, the giver of bliss; you are Vani (Saraswati) with tender hands, delighting in the music of flute and pipe; you are Kalyani, moon-faced, the slayer of Dhumraksha — O Consciousness-formed Supreme Goddess, Sri Rajarajeshwari!

Verse 3

amba nupura-ratna-kankana-dhari keyura-haravali jati-champaka-vaijayanti-lahari graiveyakair-ajita | vina-venu-vinoda-mandita-kara virasane samsthita chidrupi paradevata bhagavati shri-rajarajeshwari ||3||

Meaning:O Mother, adorned with jewelled anklets and bangles, with armlets and rows of necklaces, shining with garlands of jasmine and champaka and neck-ornaments, your hands graced with the play of vina and flute, seated in the heroic posture — O Consciousness-formed Supreme Goddess, Sri Rajarajeshwari!

Verse 4

amba raudrini bhadrakali bagala jvalamukhi vaishnavi brahmani tripurantaki suranuta dedipyamanojjvala | chamundashrita-raksha-posha-janani dakshayani pallavi chidrupi paradevata bhagavati shri-rajarajeshwari ||4||

Meaning:O Mother, you are the fierce Bhadrakali, Bagala, Jvalamukhi, Vaishnavi, Brahmani, destroyer of Tripura, praised by the gods, blazing with splendour; the nourishing mother who protects those who take refuge in Chamunda, Dakshayani, the tender one — O Consciousness-formed Supreme Goddess, Sri Rajarajeshwari!

Verse 5

amba shula-dhanuh-kushankusha-dhari ardhendu-bimbadhari varahi madhu-kaitabha-prashamani vani rama-sevita | malladyasura-muka-daitya-damani maheshwari ambika chidrupi paradevata bhagavati shri-rajarajeshwari ||5||

Meaning:O Mother, bearer of trident, bow, noose and goad, with lips like the crescent moon, you are Varahi, queller of Madhu and Kaitabha, served by Vani and Rama (Saraswati and Lakshmi); subduer of the demons Malla and the rest and of the mute Daitya, the great Maheshwari, Ambika — O Consciousness-formed Supreme Goddess, Sri Rajarajeshwari!

Verse 6

amba srishti-vinasha-palana-kari arya visamshobhita gayatri pranavakshara-amrita-rasah purnanusandhi-krita | omkari vinuta surarchita-pada uddanda-daityapaha chidrupi paradevata bhagavati shri-rajarajeshwari ||6||

Meaning:O Mother, you carry out creation, destruction and preservation, the noble one resplendent; you are Gayatri, the nectar-essence of the syllable Om, attained through complete contemplation; the embodiment of Om, praised and worshipped by the gods, destroyer of arrogant demons — O Consciousness-formed Supreme Goddess, Sri Rajarajeshwari!

Verse 7

amba shashvata agamadi-vinuta arya mahadevata ya brahmadi-pipilikanta-janani ya vai jagan-mohini | ya pancha-pranavadi-repha-janani ya chit-kala malini chidrupi paradevata bhagavati shri-rajarajeshwari ||7||

Meaning:O Mother, eternally praised by the Vedas and Agamas, the noble Supreme Deity, mother of all from Brahma to the ant, the very enchantress of the universe, source of the sacred syllables and the garland of conscious energies — O Consciousness-formed Supreme Goddess, Sri Rajarajeshwari!

Verse 8

amba palita-bhakta-rajir-anisham ambashtakam yah pathet amba-loka-kataksha-viksha-lalita aishwaryam-avyahatam | amba pavana-mantra-raja-pathanad-ante cha moksha-prada chidrupi paradevata bhagavati shri-rajarajeshwari ||8||

Meaning:O Mother, who ever protects the multitude of your devotees — whoever recites this Ambashtakam, beautified by your gracious sidelong glance, gains unbroken prosperity, and through the recitation of your purifying king-of-mantras attains liberation in the end — O Consciousness-formed Supreme Goddess, Sri Rajarajeshwari!

Word-by-Word Meaning

Click any word to hear its pronunciation

amba🔊O Mother

shambhavi🔊Consort of Shambhu (Shiva)

chandramaulih🔊One who (with Shiva) bears the moon on her crest

aparna uma parvati🔊Aparna, Uma, Parvati — names of the Daughter of the Mountain

trinayani🔊The three-eyed Goddess

katyayani bhairavi🔊Katyayani and Bhairavi — fierce forms of the Devi

samrajya-lakshmi-prada🔊Bestower of imperial fortune and sovereign prosperity

chidrupi🔊One whose nature is pure Consciousness

paradevata🔊The Supreme Deity, the highest divinity

bhagavati🔊The Divine Goddess endowed with all majesty

shri-rajarajeshwari🔊The Empress of emperors, sovereign Goddess (the refrain ending every verse)

mohini🔊The enchantress who bewitches the three worlds

ananda-sandhayini🔊Bestower of bliss

venu-murali gana-priya🔊Fond of the music of flute and pipe

uduraja-bimba-vadana🔊Whose face is like the orb of the moon (king of stars)

virasane samsthita🔊Seated firmly in the heroic posture (virasana)

jvalamukhi vaishnavi brahmani🔊She is Jvalamukhi, Vaishnavi and Brahmani (the Matrika powers)

madhu-kaitabha-prashamani🔊Slayer of the demons Madhu and Kaitabha

gayatri pranavakshara🔊She is the Gayatri and the syllable Om (pranava)

brahmadi-pipilikanta-janani🔊Mother of all beings, from Brahma down to the tiniest ant

moksha-prada🔊Granter of liberation to those who recite her hymn

Benefits of Chanting Rajarajeshwari Ashtakam

✦

Invokes Sri Rajarajeshwari (Lalita Tripurasundari) as the supreme sovereign Goddess

✦

Promises 'samrajya-lakshmi' — imperial fortune, prosperity and abundance

✦

The phalashruti assures unbroken aishwarya (prosperity) and ultimately moksha (liberation)

✦

Gathers the Devi's many forms — Parvati, Kali, Saraswati, Lakshmi, Varahi — into one worship

✦

Bestows the Mother's gracious kataksha (sidelong glance) of blessing

✦

Especially auspicious during Navaratri and on Fridays for the Devi's grace

✦

Cultivates one-pointed devotion and the bliss (ananda) the hymn celebrates

How to Chant Rajarajeshwari Ashtakam

Repetitions9times

Best TimeFridays, during Navaratri, and at dawn or dusk before the Devi

Bathe and sit before an image or Sri Chakra of the Goddess. Light a lamp and offer kumkum and flowers. Recite the eight verses with attention to the recurring refrain 'Chidrupi Paradevata Bhagavati Sri Rajarajeshwari', letting the mind rest on the Goddess as pure Consciousness (chit). Nine or eleven recitations on Fridays and through the nine nights of Navaratri are especially recommended for her grace and prosperity.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Rajarajeshwari Ashtakam written in the English 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.

Rajarajeshwari means 'the Empress of even kings of kings'. She is the supreme form of the Divine Mother, identical with Lalita Tripurasundari, worshipped as the sovereign of the universe and the deity at the centre of the Sri Chakra.

It is traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, the great 8th-century teacher and devotee of the Divine Mother, who composed many Devi hymns including the Soundarya Lahari.

Every verse begins with the word 'Amba' (O Mother), so the hymn is also known as the Ambashtakam — the 'eight verses to the Mother'. The final verse itself uses the word 'ambashtakam'.

'Chidrupi Paradevata Bhagavati Sri Rajarajeshwari' means 'the Consciousness-formed Supreme Deity, the Divine Goddess Sri Rajarajeshwari'. It affirms that the Mother of all forms is in essence pure Consciousness (chit).