ramavishnuashtakambrahmananda

ශ්රී රාමාෂ්ටකම් (නමාමි රාමමීශ්වරම්)

Shri Rama Ashtakam (Namami Ramamishvaram) in Sinhala · සිංහල

🕉️ hindu·📿 8× repetitions·🕐 Morning during Rama worship, on Ram Navami, Vijayadashami, and on Tuesdays·📜 Shri Ramashtakam composed by Paramahamsa Swami Brahmananda

Read in your language / script

हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ Englishසිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

Origin & Story

Shri Ramashtakam composed by Paramahamsa Swami Brahmananda · Paramahamsa Swami Brahmananda · Medieval / early modern devotional period

This Ramashtakam belongs to the Bhakti tradition of compressing the entire Ramayana into a short, singable hymn of praise. Composed by the saint Paramahamsa Swami Brahmananda, it differs from the Vedantic Ramashtakam of Vyasa: instead of dwelling on Rama's non-dual nature, it narrates Rama's deeds one after another — protecting sages, redeeming Ahalya, breaking Shiva's bow, going to the forest, slaying demons, befriending the vanaras, bridging the ocean, destroying Ravana, and ruling Ayodhya — and crowns each with the affirmation that this very hero is 'Ishvara', the Supreme Lord. The hymn thus unites the loving remembrance of Rama's story with recognition of his divinity.

✦ As told in scripture

Devotees cherish how this hymn, in just eight short verses, lets one re-live the whole Ramayana — and traditionally hold that one who lovingly remembers Rama through such a stotra, recalling how he removed the burdens of gods, sages and subjects alike, finds his own burdens lightened and his mind drawn from the darkness of worry into the light of devotion ('jagat-tamo-divaakaram').

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

කෘතාර්තදේවවන්දනං දිනේශවංශනන්දනම්. සුශෝභිභාලචන්දනං නමාමි රාමමීශ්වරම්..1..

Kritaarta-deva-vandanam dinesha-vamsha-nandanam, Sushobhi-bhaala-chandanam namaami raamam-eeshvaram. (1)

Meaning:I bow to Lord Rama, the Supreme Lord — to whom the distressed gods offered their prayers, the delight of the Solar dynasty, whose forehead is beautifully adorned with sandal-paste.

Verse 2

මුනීන්ද්රයජ්ඤකාරකං ශිලාවිපත්තිහාරකම්. මහාධනුර්විදාරකං නමාමි රාමමීශ්වරම්..2..

Muneendra-yajna-kaarakam shilaa-vipatti-haarakam, Mahaa-dhanur-vidaarakam namaami raamam-eeshvaram. (2)

Meaning:I bow to Lord Rama, the Supreme Lord — protector of the sacrifice of the great sage Vishvamitra, remover of the calamity of the stone (who liberated Ahalya), the breaker of the mighty bow of Shiva.

Verse 3

ස්වතාතවාක්යකාරිණං තපෝවනේ විහාරිණම්. කරේ සුචාපධාරිණං නමාමි රාමමීශ්වරම්..3..

Svataata-vaakya-kaarinam tapovane vihaarinam, Kare suchaapa-dhaarinam namaami raamam-eeshvaram. (3)

Meaning:I bow to Lord Rama, the Supreme Lord — who obeyed the word of his own father (and accepted exile), who roamed in the forest of austerities, holding the beautiful bow in his hand.

Verse 4

කුරංගමුක්තසායකං ජටායුමෝක්ෂදායකම්. ප්රවිද්ධකීශනායකං නමාමි රාමමීශ්වරම්..4..

Kurangam-ukta-saayakam jataayu-moksha-daayakam, Pravidhda-keesha-naayakam namaami raamam-eeshvaram. (4)

Meaning:I bow to Lord Rama, the Supreme Lord — who loosed his arrow at the (golden) deer, who granted liberation to Jatayu, who became the cherished leader of the monkeys.

Verse 5

ප්ලවංගසංගසම්මතිං නිබද්ධනිම්නගාපතිම්. දශාස්යවංශසඞ්ක්ෂතිං නමාමි රාමමීශ්වරම්..5..

Plavanga-sanga-sammatim nibaddha-nimnagaa-patim, Dashaasya-vamsha-sankshatim namaami raamam-eeshvaram. (5)

Meaning:I bow to Lord Rama, the Supreme Lord — who took counsel with the host of monkeys, who bound the lord of rivers (the ocean) by the bridge, the destroyer of the dynasty of the ten-faced Ravana.

Verse 6

විදීනදේවහර්ෂණං කපීප්සිතාර්ථවර්ෂණම්. ස්වබන්ධුශෝකකර්ෂණං නමාමි රාමමීශ්වරම්..6..

Videena-deva-harshanam kapeepsita-artha-varshanam, Svabandhu-shoka-karshanam namaami raamam-eeshvaram. (6)

Meaning:I bow to Lord Rama, the Supreme Lord — who gladdened the dejected gods, who showered the monkeys with the boons they desired, who dispelled the grief of his own kinsmen.

Verse 7

ගතාරිරාජ්යරක්ෂණං ප්රජාජනාර්තිභක්ෂණම්. කෘතාස්තමෝහලක්ෂණං නමාමි රාමමීශ්වරම්..7..

Gataari-raajya-rakshanam prajaajana-aarti-bhakshanam, Kritaasta-moha-lakshanam namaami raamam-eeshvaram. (7)

Meaning:I bow to Lord Rama, the Supreme Lord — who, his foes vanquished, protected the realm, who devoured the sufferings of his subjects, who ended the marks of delusion.

Verse 8

හෘතාඛිලාචලාභරං ස්වධාමනීතනාගරම්. ජගත්තමෝදිවාකරං නමාමි රාමමීශ්වරම්..8..

Hritaakhila-achalaa-bharam svadhaama-neeta-naagaram, Jagat-tamo-divaakaram namaami raamam-eeshvaram. (8)

Meaning:I bow to Lord Rama, the Supreme Lord — who removed the entire burden of the earth, who led the citizens of Ayodhya to his own divine abode, the sun that dispels the darkness of the world.

Verse 9

.. ඉති ශ්රීපරමහංසස්වාමිබ්රහ්මානන්දවිරචිතං ශ්රීරාමාෂ්ටකං සම්පූර්ණම් ..

Iti shree-paramahamsa-svaami-brahmaananda-virachitam shree-raamaashtakam sampoornam.

Meaning:Thus ends the Shri Ramashtakam composed by Paramahamsa Swami Brahmananda.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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කෘතාර්තදේවවන්දනම්🔊krita-aarta-deva-vandanamThe one to whom the distressed gods offered their prayers (and who heeded them)

දිනේශවංශනන්දනම්🔊dinesha-vamsha-nandanamThe delight of the Solar dynasty (the line of Surya, the sun-lord)

සුශෝභිභාලචන්දනම්🔊sushobhi-bhaala-chandanamWhose forehead is beautifully adorned with sandal-paste

නමාමි රාමමීශ්වරම්🔊namaami raamam-eeshvaramI bow to Lord Rama, the Supreme Lord (Ishvara)

මුනීන්ද්රයජ්ඤකාරකම්🔊muneendra-yajna-kaarakamThe protector of the sacrifice of the great sage (Vishvamitra)

ශිලාවිපත්තිහාරකම්🔊shilaa-vipatti-haarakamThe remover of the calamity of the stone (liberating Ahalya from her curse)

මහාධනුර්විදාරකම්🔊mahaa-dhanur-vidaarakamThe breaker of the great bow (Shiva's bow, at Sita's swayamvara)

ස්වතාතවාක්යකාරිණම්🔊sva-taata-vaakya-kaarinamThe one who obeyed the word of his own father (Dasharatha) and went into exile

තපෝවනේ විහාරිණම්🔊tapovane vihaarinamWho roamed in the forest of austerities (the Dandaka forest)

කරේ සුචාපධාරිණම්🔊kare suchaapa-dhaarinamHolding the beautiful bow in his hand

කුරංගමුක්තසායකම්🔊kurangam-ukta-saayakamWho released his arrow at the deer (Maricha disguised as the golden deer)

ජටායුමෝක්ෂදායකම්🔊jataayu-moksha-daayakamThe giver of liberation (moksha) to Jatayu (the vulture who fought Ravana)

ප්රවිද්ධකීශනායකම්🔊pravidhda-keesha-naayakamWho befriended and won over the monkey-king (Sugriva)

ප්ලවංගසංගසම්මතිම්🔊plavanga-sanga-sammatimWho took counsel together with the host of monkeys

නිබද්ධනිම්නගාපතිම්🔊nibaddha-nimnagaa-patimWho bound the lord of rivers (the ocean) by building the bridge (Setu)

දශාස්යවංශසඞ්ක්ෂතිම්🔊dashaasya-vamsha-sankshatimThe destroyer of the dynasty of the ten-faced one (Ravana)

විදීනදේවහර්ෂණම්🔊videena-deva-harshanamWho brought joy to the dejected, suffering gods

කපීප්සිතාර්ථවර්ෂණම්🔊kapi-eepsita-artha-varshanamWho showered upon the monkeys the rewards they desired

ස්වබන්ධුශෝකකර්ෂණම්🔊sva-bandhu-shoka-karshanamWho drew away (dispelled) the grief of his own kinsmen

ගතාරිරාජ්යරක්ෂණම්🔊gata-ari-raajya-rakshanamWho, his enemies gone, protected the kingdom (with righteous rule)

ප්රජාජනාර්තිභක්ෂණම්🔊prajaajana-aarti-bhakshanamWho consumed (removed) the sufferings of his subjects

කෘතාස්තමෝහලක්ෂණම්🔊krita-asta-moha-lakshanamWho put an end to the marks of delusion (in his devotees)

හෘතාඛිලාචලාභරම්🔊hrita-akhila-achalaa-bharamWho removed the entire burden of the earth

ස්වධාමනීතනාගරම්🔊svadhaama-neeta-naagaramWho led the citizens (of Ayodhya) to his own divine abode

ජගත්තමෝදිවාකරම්🔊jagat-tamo-divaakaramThe sun that dispels the darkness (of ignorance) of the world

ඊශ්වරම්🔊eeshvaramThe Supreme Lord, the Ruler (Ishvara)

Benefits of Chanting Shri Rama Ashtakam (Namami Ramamishvaram)

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Each verse beautifully recalls a key episode of the Ramayana, making it a complete remembrance of Rama's life-story

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Affirms Rama as 'Ishvara' — the Supreme Lord — deepening devotion beyond the human story

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Praised as 'jagat-tamo-divaakaram', the sun that dispels the darkness of ignorance, hence chanted for clarity and wisdom

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Recalls how Rama removed the suffering of gods, sages, monkeys and subjects — invoked for relief from one's own troubles

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Ideal for daily Rama worship and especially powerful on Ram Navami and Vijayadashami

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Cultivates the ideals of dharma — obedience, courage, friendship and just rule — embodied by Rama

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Short, rhythmic and melodious, easy to memorize and chant for the whole family

How to Chant Shri Rama Ashtakam (Namami Ramamishvaram)

Repetitions8times

Best TimeMorning during Rama worship, on Ram Navami, Vijayadashami, and on Tuesdays

After a bath, sit before an image of Sri Rama (with Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman) and light a lamp. Recite all eight verses melodiously, allowing the mind to follow the unfolding story of the Ramayana that each verse paints — from the gods' prayer to Rama's reign in Ayodhya — and bowing inwardly at every refrain 'namaami raamam-eeshvaram'. It may be recited 8 times for its eight verses, or as a daily part of Rama worship. Its rhythmic meter makes it especially suited to be sung.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Shri Rama Ashtakam (Namami Ramamishvaram) written in the Sinhala 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 in which every verse ends with 'namaami raamam-eeshvaram' — 'I bow to Lord Rama, the Supreme Lord.' Each verse compresses a major episode of the Ramayana into a single image, so that the whole hymn becomes a swift, devotional retelling of Rama's life.

This Ramashtakam was composed by Paramahamsa Swami Brahmananda, as stated in its closing colophon ('iti shree-paramahamsa-svaami-brahmaananda-virachitam'). It is distinct from the other well-known Ramashtakam attributed to Sage Vyasa that begins 'Bhaje visheshasundaram'.

In order, the verses recall: the gods' plea to Rama; the protection of Vishvamitra's sacrifice and the liberation of Ahalya; the breaking of Shiva's bow; the exile and forest life; the slaying of Maricha (the golden deer) and liberation of Jatayu; the friendship with Sugriva; building the bridge over the ocean and destroying Ravana's line; gladdening the gods and kinsmen; the righteous reign; and finally leading the people of Ayodhya to his divine abode.

It is especially recited on Ram Navami (Rama's birthday) and Vijayadashami, on Tuesdays, and as part of daily morning Rama worship. Because it is short and melodious, it is well suited to group singing and family recitation.