Tripura Sundari Ashtakam
त्रिपुरसुन्दर्यष्टकम्
Also known as: tripura sundari ashtakam · tripurasundari ashtakam · tripurasundaryashtakam · kadamba vana charinim · kadamba vana ashtakam
Read in your language / script
✦ Meaning
The Tripura Sundari Ashtakam is a celebrated eight-verse hymn by Adi Shankaracharya to Goddess Tripurasundari (Lalita / Rajarajeshwari), the supreme deity of the Sri Vidya tradition. With rich, musical imagery it describes the Goddess wandering in the Kadamba forest, seated in a golden orb within the six chakras, holding the sugarcane bow, flower-arrows, noose and goad. Most verses culminate in the refrain 'I take refuge in Tripurasundari, consort of the three-eyed Lord.'
Origin & Story
Devotional hymn attributed to Adi Shankaracharya (Sri Vidya / Shakta tradition) · Adi Shankaracharya · c. 8th century CE (traditional attribution)
Among Adi Shankaracharya's many hymns to the Divine Mother, the Tripura Sundari Ashtakam stands out for its lyrical beauty and its grounding in Sri Vidya symbolism. The repeated image of the Kadamba forest evokes the Goddess's celestial garden, while references to the six lotuses and the golden orb point to her presence in the subtle body and the Sri Chakra. The hymn is cherished by Sri Vidya upasakas and is often recited as part of formal japa and Devi worship.
✦ As told in scripture
Practitioners hold that the third verse — which declares the devotee to be 'shielded as if by armour' (kavacita) by the play of the Goddess — makes this Ashtakam a living protective shield. Many Sri Vidya devotees recite it before japa, reporting that obstacles dissolve and the mind settles swiftly into the Mother's presence.
Complete Text with Meaning
Tap any line — or the ▶ button — to hear it recited
कदम्बवनचारिणीं मुनिकदम्बकादम्बिनीं नितम्बजितभूधरां सुरनितम्बिनीसेविताम् । नवाम्बुरुहलोचनामभिनवाम्बुदश्यामलां त्रिलोचनकुटुम्बिनीं त्रिपुरसुन्दरीमाश्रये ॥ १॥
kadambavanacāriṇīṃ munikadambakādambinīṃ nitambajitabhūdharāṃ suranitambinīsevitām | navāmburuhalocanāmabhinavāmbudaśyāmalāṃ trilocanakuṭumbinīṃ tripurasundarīmāśraye || 1||
Meaning:1. I take refuge in Tripurasundari, the beauty of the three worlds — who wanders in the Kadamba forest, who is a rain-cloud of grace to the assembly of sages, whose form surpasses the mountains, attended by celestial maidens, with eyes like fresh lotuses, dark as a new rain-cloud, the beloved consort of the three-eyed Shiva.
कदम्बवनवासिनीं कनकवल्लकीधारिणीं महार्हमणिहारिणीं मुखसमुल्लसद्वारुणीम् । दयाविभवकारिणीं विशदलोचनीं चारिणीं त्रिलोचनकुटुम्बिनीं त्रिपुरसुन्दरीमाश्रये ॥ २॥
kadambavanavāsinīṃ kanakavallakīdhāriṇīṃ mahārhamaṇihāriṇīṃ mukhasamullasadvāruṇīm | dayāvibhavakāriṇīṃ viśadalocanīṃ cāriṇīṃ trilocanakuṭumbinīṃ tripurasundarīmāśraye || 2||
Meaning:2. I take refuge in Tripurasundari — who dwells in the Kadamba forest, holding a golden veena, wearing a necklace of priceless gems, her face glowing as if with sweet wine, the bestower of the wealth of compassion, with wide clear eyes, the moving (ever-active) one, beloved of three-eyed Shiva.
कदम्बवनशालया कुचभरोल्लसन्मालया कुचोपमितशैलया गुरुकृपालसद्वेलया । मदारुणकपोलया मधुरगीतवाचालया कयापि घननीलया कवचिता वयं लीलया ॥ ३॥
kadambavanaśālayā kucabharollasanmālayā kucopamitaśailayā gurukṛpālasadvelayā | madāruṇakapolayā madhuragītavācālayā kayāpi ghananīlayā kavacitā vayaṃ līlayā || 3||
Meaning:3. By her who has the Kadamba forest as her abode, with a garland swaying on her bosom, with breasts like twin mountains, radiant with the swelling tide of a Guru's grace, with cheeks flushed as if with wine, ever murmuring sweet song, dark as a dense cloud — by that playful Goddess are we shielded as by armour.
कदम्बवनमध्यगां कनकमण्डलोपस्थितां षडम्बुरुहवासिनीं सततसिद्धसौदामिनीम् । विडम्बितजपारुचिं विकचचन्द्रचूडामणिं त्रिलोचनकुटुम्बिनीं त्रिपुरसुन्दरीमाश्रये ॥ ४॥
kadambavanamadhyagāṃ kanakamaṇḍalopasthitāṃ ṣaḍamburuhavāsinīṃ satatasiddhasaudāminīm | viḍambitajapāruciṃ vikacacandracūḍāmaṇiṃ trilocanakuṭumbinīṃ tripurasundarīmāśraye || 4||
Meaning:4. I take refuge in Tripurasundari — who abides in the midst of the Kadamba forest, seated within a golden disc, dwelling in the six lotuses (chakras), ever flashing like steady lightning, putting to shame the redness of the hibiscus, wearing the blossoming crescent moon as her crest-jewel, the consort of three-eyed Shiva.
कुचाञ्चितविपञ्चिकां कुटिलकुन्तलालङ्कृतां कुशेशयनिवासिनीं कुटिलचित्तविद्वेषिणीम् । मदारुणविलोचनां मनसिजारिसम्मोहिनीं मतङ्गमुनिकन्यकां मधुरभाषिणीमाश्रये ॥ ५॥
kucāñcitavipañcikāṃ kuṭilakuntalālaṅkṛtāṃ kuśeśayanivāsinīṃ kuṭilacittavidveṣiṇīm | madāruṇavilocanāṃ manasijārisammohinīṃ mataṅgamunikanyakāṃ madhurabhāṣiṇīmāśraye || 5||
Meaning:5. I take refuge in her of sweet speech — who holds a veena to her bosom, adorned with curling tresses, dwelling in the lotus, hostile to the crooked of heart, with eyes red as if with wine, enchanting even Shiva (the foe of Kama), the daughter of the sage Matanga.
स्मरेत्प्रथमपुष्पिणीं रुधिरबिन्दुनीलाम्बरां गृहीतमधुपात्रिकां मदविघूर्णनेत्राञ्चलाम् । घनस्तनभरोन्नतां गलितचूलिकां श्यामलां त्रिलोचनकुटुम्बिनीं त्रिपुरसुन्दरीमाश्रये ॥ ६॥
smaretprathamapuṣpiṇīṃ rudhirabindunīlāmbarāṃ gṛhītamadhupātrikāṃ madavighūrṇanetrāñcalām | ghanastanabharonnatāṃ galitacūlikāṃ śyāmalāṃ trilocanakuṭumbinīṃ tripurasundarīmāśraye || 6||
Meaning:6. I take refuge in Tripurasundari, consort of three-eyed Shiva — meditated upon as one in first bloom, clad in garments blue as a drop of blood, holding a goblet of honey-wine, the corners of her eyes rolling with intoxication, lofty with the weight of full breasts, her hair-knot loosened, dark of hue.
सकुङ्कुमविलेपनामलिकचुम्बिकस्तूरिकां समन्दहसितेक्षणां सशरचापपाशाङ्कुशाम् । अशेषजनमोहिनीमरुणमाल्यभूषाम्बरां जपाकुसुमभासुरां जपविधौ स्मराम्यम्बिकाम् ॥ ७॥
sakuṅkumavilepanāmalikacumbikastūrikāṃ samandahasitekṣaṇāṃ saśaracāpapāśāṅkuśām | aśeṣajanamohinīmaruṇamālyabhūṣāmbarāṃ japākusumabhāsurāṃ japavidhau smarāmyambikām || 7||
Meaning:7. In the rite of japa I meditate on Mother Ambika — anointed with saffron, her brow kissed by musk, with a faintly smiling glance, bearing arrow, bow, noose and goad, the enchantress of all beings, adorned with crimson garlands, ornaments and raiment, radiant as the hibiscus blossom.
पुरन्दरपुरन्ध्रिकां चिकुरबन्धसैरन्ध्रिकां पितामहपतिव्रतां पटुपटीरचर्चारताम् । मुकुन्दरमणीमणीलसदलङ्क्रियाकारिणीं भजामि भुवनाम्बिकां सुरवधूटिकाचेटिकाम् ॥ ८॥
purandarapurandhrikāṃ cikurabandhasairandhrikāṃ pitāmahapativratāṃ paṭupaṭīracarcāratām | mukundaramaṇīmaṇīlasadalaṅkriyākāriṇīṃ bhajāmi bhuvanāmbikāṃ suravadhūṭikāceṭikām || 8||
Meaning:8. I worship Bhuvanambika, the Mother of the worlds — she who is the noble lady of Indra's city, the skilled hair-dresser, the devoted consort of Shiva (lord of the Grandsire Brahma), delighting in fragrant sandal-paste, adorned with gleaming jewels like Mukunda's beloved (Lakshmi), attended by the youthful women of the gods.
Word-by-Word Meaning
Click any word to hear its pronunciation
Benefits of Chanting Tripura Sundari Ashtakam
Invokes Tripurasundari (Lalita), the supreme Goddess of the Sri Vidya tradition, in a concise eight-verse form
Recited as a protective hymn — the third verse declares the devotee is 'shielded as by armour' by her grace
Especially recommended during japa and Devi worship, as verse seven is offered 'in the rite of japa'
Cultivates intense devotion and meditative visualisation of the Goddess
Believed to bestow grace, beauty, eloquence and the wealth of compassion (daya-vibhava)
Aids inner ascent through the six chakras, where the Goddess is described as dwelling
Brings prosperity and auspiciousness, befitting Rajarajeshwari, the sovereign Mother of the worlds
How to Chant Tripura Sundari Ashtakam
Recite the eight verses seated before an image or Sri Chakra of the Goddess, ideally after lighting a lamp and offering kumkum and red flowers. Visualise each detail — the Kadamba forest, the golden orb, the weapons of sugarcane bow and flower-arrows — as you chant. The seventh verse is traditionally offered during japa. The hymn may be recited once, or 3, 9 or 11 times; conclude by bowing to Bhuvanambika, the Mother of the worlds.