murugankartikeyasubramanyaskanda

Shanmukha Stotram (Shadananam Kumkuma Raktavarnam)

Shanmukha Stotram (Shadananam Kumkuma Raktavarnam) in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 11× repetitions·🕐 Daily at dawn after bath; especially on Skanda Shashti, Tuesdays and Krittika nakshatra days·📜 Traditional dhyana sloka of Lord Subrahmanya (Murugan)

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

The Shanmukha Stotram, opening 'Shadananam Kumkuma Raktavarnam', is the most beloved dhyana sloka of Lord Murugan (Guha / Subrahmanya), describing him as the six-faced, vermilion-hued, peacock-riding son of Shiva and commander of the gods, in whom the devotee forever takes refuge. It is paired with the salutation 'Jnana-shakti-dhara Skanda... Kartikeya namostute' and the mula-mantra 'Om Subrahmanyaya Namah'. These verses are among the most widely chanted daily meditation slokas on Murugan.

Origin & Story

Traditional dhyana sloka of Lord Subrahmanya (Murugan) · Traditional

'Shadananam Kumkuma Raktavarnam' is the dhyana sloka most loved and most often recited before the worship of Lord Murugan. In a single verse it paints his whole form — the six radiant faces, the deep vermilion glow, the divine peacock mount, the son of Rudra who leads the armies of heaven — and surrenders the devotee into refuge with the words 'Guham sada aham sharanam prapadye'. It is commonly joined with the salutation 'Jnana-shakti-dhara Skanda, Valli-kalyana-sundara, Devasena-manah-kanta, Kartikeya namostute', which hails Murugan as the bearer of the spear of wisdom and the beloved of his consorts Valli and Devasena, and is sealed with his mula-mantra, 'Om Subrahmanyaya Namah'.

✦ As told in scripture

Devotees say that to begin the day by picturing the six-faced Lord through this verse is to place oneself within his refuge — for Murugan, the bestower of jnana, brightens the intellect of those who meditate on him, and students are taught to chant it before their studies and examinations.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

ṣaḍānanaṃ kuṅkumaraktavarṇaṃ mahāmatiṃ divyamayūravāhanam | rudrasya sūnuṃ surasainyanāthaṃ guhaṃ sadāhaṃ śaraṇaṃ prapadye ||

Meaning:I forever take refuge in Guha — the six-faced Lord (Shanmukha) of a deep vermilion hue, of vast wisdom, who rides the divine peacock, the son of Rudra (Shiva) and the commander of the army of the gods.

Verse 2

jñānaśaktidhara skanda vallīkalyāṇasundara | devasenāmanaḥkānta kārtikeya namo'stu te ||

Meaning:O bearer of the spear of wisdom, O Skanda, O handsome bridegroom of Valli, O beloved of Devasena's heart, O Kartikeya — salutations be to you.

Verse 3

oṃ subrahmaṇyāya namaḥ |

Meaning:Om, salutations to Subrahmanya.

Word-by-Word Meaning

Click any word to hear its pronunciation

ṣaḍānanaṃ🔊the six-faced one (Shanmukha) — Murugan with his six countenances

kuṅkuma-rakta-varṇaṃ🔊of a deep red hue like kumkuma (vermilion)

mahā-matiṃ🔊of vast wisdom, the supremely intelligent

divya-mayūra-vāhanam🔊who rides the divine peacock

rudrasya sūnuṃ🔊the son of Rudra (Shiva)

sura-sainya-nāthaṃ🔊the lord and commander of the army of the gods

guhaṃ🔊Guha, who dwells in the secret cave of the heart

sadā ahaṃ śaraṇaṃ prapadye🔊I forever take refuge (in him)

jñāna-śakti-dhara🔊O bearer of the Shakti-spear of wisdom (the Vel)

skanda🔊O Skanda, the leaping spark of Shiva's energy

vallī-kalyāṇa-sundara🔊O handsome bridegroom of Valli

devasenā-manaḥ-kānta🔊O beloved of the heart of Devasena (Deivanai)

kārtikeya namo'stu te🔊O Kartikeya, salutations be to you

oṃ subrahmaṇyāya namaḥ🔊Om, salutations to Subrahmanya — the sealing mula-mantra

Benefits of Chanting Shanmukha Stotram (Shadananam Kumkuma Raktavarnam)

✦

The most beloved dhyana (meditation) sloka of Lord Murugan — a perfect, compact remembrance of his form

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Visualises the Lord as six-faced, vermilion-hued, peacock-riding and commander of the gods, aiding focused meditation

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Expresses complete refuge in Guha — 'Guham sada aham sharanam prapadye'

✦

Ideal opening sloka before any longer Murugan worship, archana or chanting

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Recited daily by devotees and by students seeking wisdom (Murugan being the bestower of jnana)

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Sealed with 'Om Subrahmanyaya Namah', it joins meditation, salutation and the mula-mantra in one short prayer

How to Chant Shanmukha Stotram (Shadananam Kumkuma Raktavarnam)

Repetitions11times

Best TimeDaily at dawn after bath; especially on Skanda Shashti, Tuesdays and Krittika nakshatra days

Sit before an image of Lord Murugan with his Vel and peacock. Recite the dhyana sloka 'Shadananam Kumkuma Raktavarnam' while visualising the six-faced Lord, then the salutation 'Jnana-shakti-dhara Skanda...', and seal with 'Om Subrahmanyaya Namah'. It is most often used as the opening meditation before a longer worship of Murugan, or chanted on its own as a quick yet complete daily prayer.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Shanmukha Stotram (Shadananam Kumkuma Raktavarnam) 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 the most famous dhyana sloka (meditation verse) of Lord Murugan, picturing him as Shanmukha — the six-faced, vermilion-coloured, wise Lord who rides the divine peacock, son of Shiva and commander of the gods — and ending 'Guham sada aham sharanam prapadye', 'I forever take refuge in Guha'.

'Shanmukha' (Shadanana) means 'the six-faced one', for Murugan was formed from six sparks of Shiva and nursed by the six Krittika mothers. 'Guha' means 'he who dwells in the cave' — both the cave of Saravana where he was born and the secret cave of the devotee's own heart.

It is most often the opening dhyana verse before a longer Murugan worship or archana, used to fix the mind on the Lord's form. Many also chant it on its own as a short daily prayer, followed by the salutation 'Jnana-shakti-dhara Skanda...' and the mula-mantra 'Om Subrahmanyaya Namah'.

It means 'Om, salutations to Subrahmanya'. This is the mula-mantra (root mantra) of Lord Murugan, used to seal the meditation; repeating it invokes the Lord's grace, wisdom and protection.