murugankartikeyasubramanyaskanda

Subrahmanya Shodasanama Stotram

Subrahmanya Shodasanama Stotram in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 16× repetitions·🕐 Daily at dawn after bath; especially on Skanda Shashti, Tuesdays and Krittika nakshatra days·📜 Skanda Purana

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

The Subrahmanya Shodasanama Stotram is a short, powerful hymn from the Skanda Purana enumerating the sixteen sacred names of Lord Murugan — from Jnana-shakti-dhara and Skanda to Krauncha-bhetta and Shikhi-vahana. Its phala-shruti promises that one who recites these sixteen names daily is freed from all sins, gains the wisdom of Brihaspati and the radiance of Brahman, and obtains every desire. It is a favourite daily prayer of Subrahmanya devotees.

Origin & Story

Skanda Purana · Traditional (from the Skanda Purana) · Puranic

The Subrahmanya Shodasanama Stotram is drawn from the Skanda Purana and belongs to the cherished class of 'shodasa-nama' (sixteen-name) hymns. In a few compact verses it gathers sixteen of Lord Murugan's most beloved names, each one a doorway into his story — Jnana-shakti-dhara who bears the spear of wisdom, Skanda the leaping spark of Shiva's power, Sharakanana-sambhava born among the reeds, Tarakantaka and Krauncha-bhetta who slew the demons, Brahma-shasta who taught Brahma the meaning of Om, and Shikhi-vahana who rides the peacock. The hymn closes with the promise that the daily reciter is freed from all sin and blessed with wisdom and grace.

✦ As told in scripture

It is told that one who keeps these sixteen names on his lips each day is shielded by Murugan's grace as surely as the gods were shielded by his Vel — his sins dissolving, his intellect brightening like that of Brihaspati, and his heart's wishes coming to pass.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

jñānaśaktidharaḥ skando devasenāpatistathā | subrahmaṇyo gajārūḍhaḥ śarakānanasambhavaḥ || 1||

Meaning:Jnana-shakti-dhara (bearer of the spear of wisdom), Skanda, and likewise Deva-senapati (commander of the gods' army); Subrahmanya, Gajarudha (mounted on the elephant), Sharakanana-sambhava (born in the reed-forest);

Verse 2

kārtikeyaḥ kumāraśca ṣaṇmukhastārakāntakaḥ | senānīrbrahmaśāstā ca vallīkalyāṇasundaraḥ || 2||

Meaning:Kartikeya, Kumara, Shanmukha (the six-faced), Tarakantaka (slayer of Taraka); Senani (the general), Brahma-shasta (instructor of Brahma), and Valli-kalyana-sundara (the handsome groom of Valli);

Verse 3

bālaśca krauñcabhettā ca śikhivāhana eva ca | etāni svāmināmāni ṣoḍaśa pratyahaṃ naraḥ || 3||

Meaning:Bala (the child), Krauncha-bhetta (splitter of Krauncha), and Shikhi-vahana (rider of the peacock) — these are the sixteen names of the Lord.

Verse 4

yaḥ paṭhetsarvapāpebhyaḥ sa mucyate mahāmune |

Meaning:The man who recites these sixteen names every day is freed from all sins, O great sage.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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jñāna-śakti-dharaḥ🔊(1) the bearer of the power of wisdom — the Vel as the spear of knowledge

skandaḥ🔊(2) Skanda, who 'leaps forth' — the emanation of Shiva's power

deva-senāpatiḥ🔊(3) the commander of the army of the gods

subrahmaṇyaḥ🔊(4) Subrahmanya, dear to the Brahman, the auspicious one

gajārūḍhaḥ🔊(5) the one mounted on the elephant (in his Devasena aspect)

śara-kānana-sambhavaḥ🔊(6) born in the forest of reeds (Saravana)

kārtikeyaḥ🔊(7) Kartikeya, nursed by the six Krittika mothers

kumāraḥ🔊(8) Kumara, the ever-youthful divine child

ṣaṇmukhaḥ🔊(9) Shanmukha, the six-faced one

tārakāntakaḥ🔊(10) the slayer of the demon Taraka

senānīḥ🔊(11) the leader of armies, the general

brahma-śāstā🔊(12) who instructed even Brahma (in the meaning of Pranava, Om)

vallī-kalyāṇa-sundaraḥ🔊(13) the handsome bridegroom of Valli

bālaḥ🔊(14) the child, in his youthful boy-form

krauñca-bhettā🔊(15) the splitter of the Krauncha mountain (and slayer of the asura Krauncha)

śikhi-vāhanaḥ🔊(16) who rides the peacock (shikhin)

etāni svāmi-nāmāni ṣoḍaśa🔊these sixteen names of the Lord (Swami / Murugan)

pratyahaṃ yaḥ paṭhet🔊whoever recites them every day

sarva-pāpebhyaḥ sa mucyate🔊he is freed from all sins, O great sage (mahamune)

Benefits of Chanting Subrahmanya Shodasanama Stotram

✦

A short Skanda Purana stotram naming the sixteen most sacred names (shodasa-nama) of Lord Murugan

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Its phala-shruti declares that daily recitation frees the devotee from all sins

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Tradition holds that the reciter gains the wisdom of Brihaspati (guru of the gods) and the radiance of Brahman

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Each name is a meditation on one of Murugan's deeds and forms — a complete remembrance of the Lord

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Easy to memorise and ideal for daily japa; especially recited on Skanda Shashti, Tuesdays and Krittika days

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Invoked for wisdom, protection, removal of sins, and the fulfilment of cherished desires

How to Chant Subrahmanya Shodasanama Stotram

Repetitions16times

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

Bathe and sit before an image of Lord Murugan with his Vel. Recite the verses naming the sixteen names with attention to each name's meaning, then the concluding phala line. As the names are short, many recite them sixteen or more times as daily japa, dwelling on each form of the Lord as it is named. Conclude by offering the merit at his feet.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Subrahmanya Shodasanama Stotram 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 a short hymn from the Skanda Purana that names the 'sixteen names' (shodasa-nama) of Lord Murugan (Subrahmanya / Skanda) — such as Jnana-shakti-dhara, Skanda, Shanmukha, Tarakantaka and Shikhi-vahana — followed by a phala-shruti praising the fruit of its daily recitation.

They are: Jnana-shakti-dhara, Skanda, Deva-senapati, Subrahmanya, Gajarudha, Sharakanana-sambhava, Kartikeya, Kumara, Shanmukha, Tarakantaka, Senani, Brahma-shasta, Valli-kalyana-sundara, Bala, Krauncha-bhetta, and Shikhi-vahana — each recalling a name, form or deed of Lord Murugan.

The hymn's own phala-shruti states that one who recites these sixteen names every day is freed from all sins. Tradition adds that the devotee gains the wisdom of Brihaspati and the lustre of Brahman, and that his cherished desires are fulfilled.

It is recited daily, and especially on Skanda Shashti, Tuesdays and Krittika nakshatra days. Because the names are short and easily memorised, devotees often repeat them sixteen or more times as a simple daily japa to Lord Murugan.