ramaashtakamvyasaadvaita

Rama Ashtakam

Rama Ashtakam in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 8× repetitions·🕐 Early morning (Brahma Muhurta), Ram Navami, Ekadashi, or during meditation·📜 Traditional Sanskrit hymn; attributed to Vyasa

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

The Rama Ashtakam ('Bhaje Vishesha Sundaram') is an eight-verse hymn attributed to the sage Vyasa that praises Lord Rama not only as the beautiful prince but as the non-dual (advaita) Supreme Brahman. Each verse ends with the refrain 'Bhajeha Ramam Advayam' (I worship Rama, the One without a second), revealing him as the formless Self awakened by the Vedic Mahavakyas. Its closing verse promises knowledge, prosperity, fame and final liberation to those who recite or hear it.

Origin & Story

Traditional Sanskrit hymn; attributed to Vyasa · Attributed to Veda Vyasa · Classical

This Rama Ashtakam belongs to the Advaita (non-dualist) devotional tradition, in which the personal Lord Rama is adored as identical with the impersonal Supreme Brahman. Its verses move from Rama's enchanting beauty to ever more abstract truths — Rama as the awakener of the Self, beyond name and form, the single reality of consciousness revealed by the great Vedic sayings (Mahavakyas). The closing verse, naming Vyasa as its speaker, sets out the fruits of its recitation.

✦ As told in scripture

The hymn's own phalashruti is its promised wonder: whoever recites this Rama Ashtakam, or even hears it, is said to obtain knowledge, prosperity, vast happiness and unending fame in this life, and to attain liberation (moksha) at the dissolution of the body — the highest fruit of devotion to Rama as the non-dual Self.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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

Verse 1

Bhaje Vishesha Sundaram Samasta Papa Khandanam Svabhakta Chitta Ranjanam Sadaiva Ramam Advayam

Meaning:I worship the exceedingly beautiful Rama, destroyer of all sins, the eternal delighter of his devotees' hearts — Rama the non-dual.

Verse 2

Jata Kalapa Shobhitam Samasta Papa Nashakam Svabhakta Bhiti Bhanjanam Bhajeha Ramam Advayam

Meaning:Adorned with a crown of matted locks, destroyer of all sins, shatterer of his devotees' fears — I worship that Rama, the non-dual.

Verse 3

Nija Svarupa Bodhakam Kripakaram Bhavapaham Samam Shivam Niranjanam Bhajeha Ramam Advayam

Meaning:The awakener of one's own true Self, the ocean of compassion, the remover of worldly existence; the impartial, the auspicious, the stainless — I worship that Rama, the non-dual.

Verse 4

Saha Prapancha Kalpitam Hy Anama Rupa Vastavam Nirakritim Niramayam Bhajeha Ramam Advayam

Meaning:Who appears together with the whole manifest universe yet is in truth beyond name and form; the formless, the flawless — I worship that Rama, the non-dual.

Verse 5

Nishprapancha Nirvikalpa Nirmalam Niramayam Chid Eka Rupa Santatam Bhajeha Ramam Advayam

Meaning:Beyond all diversity, beyond all alternatives, pure and free of blemish; the unbroken, single reality of consciousness — I worship that Rama, the non-dual.

Verse 6

Bhavabdhi Pota Rupakam Hy Ashesha Deha Kalpitam Gunakaram Kripakaram Bhajeha Ramam Advayam

Meaning:Who is the very boat to cross the ocean of existence, who is imagined in countless bodies; the mine of virtues, the ocean of grace — I worship that Rama, the non-dual.

Verse 7

Maha Suvakya Bodhakair Virajamana Vak Padaih Parabrahma Vyapakam Bhajeha Ramam Advayam

Meaning:Revealed by the great Vedic sayings (Mahavakyas) through their resplendent words; the all-pervading Supreme Brahman — I worship that Rama, the non-dual.

Verse 8

Shivapradam Sukhapradam Bhavach Chhidam Bhramapaham Virajamana Daishikam Bhajeha Ramam Advayam

Meaning:Bestower of blessedness and of happiness, severer of worldly bondage, dispeller of delusion; the radiant supreme teacher — I worship that Rama, the non-dual.

Verse 9

Ramashtakam Pathati Yah Sukaram Supunyam Vyasena Bhashitam Idam Shrinute Manushyah Vidyam Shriyam Vipula Saukhyam Ananta Kirtim Samprapya Deha Vilaye Labhate Cha Moksham

Meaning:Whoever recites, or the person who hears, this easy and most meritorious Rama Ashtakam spoken by Vyasa — having gained knowledge, prosperity, abundant happiness and endless fame — attains liberation when the body falls away.

Word-by-Word Meaning

Click any word to hear its pronunciation

Bhaje🔊I worship / I adore

Vishesha Sundaram🔊The exceedingly, uniquely beautiful one

Samasta Papa Khandanam🔊The destroyer of all sins

Svabhakta Chitta Ranjanam🔊Delighter of the hearts of his own devotees

Ramam Advayam🔊Rama, the non-dual (one without a second) — the refrain of every verse

Bhajeha🔊Worship (him) here / I worship (bhaje + iha)

Jata Kalapa Shobhitam🔊Adorned with a crown of matted locks (as the ascetic-prince)

Svabhakta Bhiti Bhanjanam🔊Shatterer of the fears of his devotees

Nija Svarupa Bodhakam🔊The awakener of one's own true Self

Kripakaram🔊The mine / ocean of compassion

Bhavapaham🔊Remover of worldly existence (samsara)

Shivam Niranjanam🔊The auspicious, the stainless / unblemished

Anama Rupa🔊Beyond name and form

Nishprapancha🔊Beyond the manifest universe / free of all diversity

Chid Eka Rupa🔊Of the nature of pure consciousness alone

Bhavabdhi Pota Rupakam🔊Who is like a boat across the ocean of worldly existence

Maha Suvakya🔊The great Vedic sayings (Mahavakyas, e.g. 'Tat Tvam Asi')

Parabrahma Vyapakam🔊The all-pervading Supreme Brahman

Shivapradam Sukhapradam🔊Bestower of blessedness and of happiness

Bhavach Chhidam🔊Severer of the bondage of worldly existence

Vyasena Bhashitam🔊Spoken / composed by (sage) Vyasa

Labhate Cha Moksham🔊And attains liberation

Benefits of Chanting Rama Ashtakam

✦

Unites devotion to Rama with the Vedantic vision of him as the non-dual Brahman

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Each verse contemplates a deeper truth — Self-knowledge, formlessness, pure consciousness, liberation

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The phalashruti promises knowledge (vidya), prosperity (shri), great happiness and endless fame

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Declared to grant moksha (liberation) at the time of death to those who recite or hear it

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Short, rhythmic and meditative — well suited to contemplative japa and study

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Helps cross the 'ocean of samsara' by fixing the mind on Rama as the inner Self

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Ideal for Ram Navami, Ekadashi and daily morning contemplation

How to Chant Rama Ashtakam

Repetitions8times

Best TimeEarly morning (Brahma Muhurta), Ram Navami, Ekadashi, or during meditation

Sit calmly facing east before an image of Lord Rama. Recite the eight verses slowly, letting the refrain 'Bhajeha Ramam Advayam' settle the mind on Rama as the one, non-dual reality. Because this is a contemplative (Vedantic) hymn, reflect on each verse's meaning — Rama as the Self, beyond name and form, revealed by the Mahavakyas. Conclude with the ninth (phalashruti) verse. Daily recitation in the morning is traditional.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Rama 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.

It is an eight-verse Sanskrit hymn to Lord Rama, beginning 'Bhaje Vishesha Sundaram', attributed to the sage Vyasa. Unusually, it praises Rama as the non-dual (advaita) Supreme Brahman — the formless Self — rather than only as the hero of the Ramayana.

Tradition ascribes it to Veda Vyasa, as stated in its own closing verse ('Vyasena bhashitam idam' — 'this spoken by Vyasa'). There are several different Rama Ashtakams; this one is identified by its first line 'Bhaje Vishesha Sundaram'.

'Advayam' means 'non-dual', without a second. The refrain 'Bhajeha Ramam Advayam' means 'I worship Rama, the One without a second' — affirming that Rama is the one infinite reality (Brahman) underlying all names and forms.

Its phalashruti verse promises that one who recites or even hears this hymn gains knowledge, prosperity, abundant happiness and endless fame, and attains liberation (moksha) when the body falls away.