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Tripura Sundari Ashtakam Meaning — Line by Line

त्रिपुरसुन्दर्यष्टकम्

Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi

Meaning — Line by Line

Every verse of Tripura Sundari Ashtakam with its English meaning. Tap any word to hear it, or ▶ to recite the verse.

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  1. Verse 1. kadambavanacāriṇīṃ munikadambakādambinīṃ
  2. Verse 2. kadambavanavāsinīṃ kanakavallakīdhāriṇīṃ
  3. Verse 3. kadambavanaśālayā kucabharollasanmālayā
  4. Verse 4. kadambavanamadhyagāṃ kanakamaṇḍalopasthitāṃ
  5. Verse 5. kucāñcitavipañcikāṃ kuṭilakuntalālaṅkṛtāṃ
  6. Verse 6. smaretprathamapuṣpiṇīṃ rudhirabindunīlāmbarāṃ
  7. Verse 7. sakuṅkumavilepanāmalikacumbikastūrikāṃ
  8. Verse 8. purandarapurandhrikāṃ cikurabandhasairandhrikāṃ
Verse 1#

kadambavanacāriṇīṃ munikadambakādambinīṃ

कदम्बवनचारिणीं मुनिकदम्बकादम्बिनीं नितम्बजितभूधरां सुरनितम्बिनीसेविताम् नवाम्बुरुहलोचनामभिनवाम्बुदश्यामलां त्रिलोचनकुटुम्बिनीं त्रिपुरसुन्दरीमाश्रये १॥

kadambavanacāriṇīṃ munikadambakādambinīṃ nitambajitabhūdharāṃ suranitambinīsevitām | navāmburuhalocanāmabhinavāmbudaśyāmalāṃ trilocanakuṭumbinīṃ tripurasundarīmāśraye || 1||

Meaning1. 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.

Verse 2#

kadambavanavāsinīṃ kanakavallakīdhāriṇīṃ

कदम्बवनवासिनीं कनकवल्लकीधारिणीं महार्हमणिहारिणीं मुखसमुल्लसद्वारुणीम् दयाविभवकारिणीं विशदलोचनीं चारिणीं त्रिलोचनकुटुम्बिनीं त्रिपुरसुन्दरीमाश्रये २॥

kadambavanavāsinīṃ kanakavallakīdhāriṇīṃ mahārhamaṇihāriṇīṃ mukhasamullasadvāruṇīm | dayāvibhavakāriṇīṃ viśadalocanīṃ cāriṇīṃ trilocanakuṭumbinīṃ tripurasundarīmāśraye || 2||

Meaning2. 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.

Verse 3#

kadambavanaśālayā kucabharollasanmālayā

कदम्बवनशालया कुचभरोल्लसन्मालया कुचोपमितशैलया गुरुकृपालसद्वेलया मदारुणकपोलया मधुरगीतवाचालया कयापि घननीलया कवचिता वयं लीलया ३॥

kadambavanaśālayā kucabharollasanmālayā kucopamitaśailayā gurukṛpālasadvelayā | madāruṇakapolayā madhuragītavācālayā kayāpi ghananīlayā kavacitā vayaṃ līlayā || 3||

Meaning3. 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.

Verse 4#

kadambavanamadhyagāṃ kanakamaṇḍalopasthitāṃ

कदम्बवनमध्यगां कनकमण्डलोपस्थितां षडम्बुरुहवासिनीं सततसिद्धसौदामिनीम् विडम्बितजपारुचिं विकचचन्द्रचूडामणिं त्रिलोचनकुटुम्बिनीं त्रिपुरसुन्दरीमाश्रये ४॥

kadambavanamadhyagāṃ kanakamaṇḍalopasthitāṃ ṣaḍamburuhavāsinīṃ satatasiddhasaudāminīm | viḍambitajapāruciṃ vikacacandracūḍāmaṇiṃ trilocanakuṭumbinīṃ tripurasundarīmāśraye || 4||

Meaning4. 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.

Verse 5#

kucāñcitavipañcikāṃ kuṭilakuntalālaṅkṛtāṃ

कुचाञ्चितविपञ्चिकां कुटिलकुन्तलालङ्कृतां कुशेशयनिवासिनीं कुटिलचित्तविद्वेषिणीम् मदारुणविलोचनां मनसिजारिसम्मोहिनीं मतङ्गमुनिकन्यकां मधुरभाषिणीमाश्रये ५॥

kucāñcitavipañcikāṃ kuṭilakuntalālaṅkṛtāṃ kuśeśayanivāsinīṃ kuṭilacittavidveṣiṇīm | madāruṇavilocanāṃ manasijārisammohinīṃ mataṅgamunikanyakāṃ madhurabhāṣiṇīmāśraye || 5||

Meaning5. 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.

Verse 6#

smaretprathamapuṣpiṇīṃ rudhirabindunīlāmbarāṃ

स्मरेत्प्रथमपुष्पिणीं रुधिरबिन्दुनीलाम्बरां गृहीतमधुपात्रिकां मदविघूर्णनेत्राञ्चलाम् घनस्तनभरोन्नतां गलितचूलिकां श्यामलां त्रिलोचनकुटुम्बिनीं त्रिपुरसुन्दरीमाश्रये ६॥

smaretprathamapuṣpiṇīṃ rudhirabindunīlāmbarāṃ gṛhītamadhupātrikāṃ madavighūrṇanetrāñcalām | ghanastanabharonnatāṃ galitacūlikāṃ śyāmalāṃ trilocanakuṭumbinīṃ tripurasundarīmāśraye || 6||

Meaning6. 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.

Verse 7#

sakuṅkumavilepanāmalikacumbikastūrikāṃ

सकुङ्कुमविलेपनामलिकचुम्बिकस्तूरिकां समन्दहसितेक्षणां सशरचापपाशाङ्कुशाम् अशेषजनमोहिनीमरुणमाल्यभूषाम्बरां जपाकुसुमभासुरां जपविधौ स्मराम्यम्बिकाम् ७॥

sakuṅkumavilepanāmalikacumbikastūrikāṃ samandahasitekṣaṇāṃ saśaracāpapāśāṅkuśām | aśeṣajanamohinīmaruṇamālyabhūṣāmbarāṃ japākusumabhāsurāṃ japavidhau smarāmyambikām || 7||

Meaning7. 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.

Verse 8#

purandarapurandhrikāṃ cikurabandhasairandhrikāṃ

पुरन्दरपुरन्ध्रिकां चिकुरबन्धसैरन्ध्रिकां पितामहपतिव्रतां पटुपटीरचर्चारताम् मुकुन्दरमणीमणीलसदलङ्क्रियाकारिणीं भजामि भुवनाम्बिकां सुरवधूटिकाचेटिकाम् ८॥

purandarapurandhrikāṃ cikurabandhasairandhrikāṃ pitāmahapativratāṃ paṭupaṭīracarcāratām | mukundaramaṇīmaṇīlasadalaṅkriyākāriṇīṃ bhajāmi bhuvanāmbikāṃ suravadhūṭikāceṭikām || 8||

Meaning8. 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 Breakdown

कदम्बवनचारिणीम्
kadamba-vana-cāriṇīm
she who roams in the forest of Kadamba trees
मुनिकदम्बकादम्बिनीम्
muni-kadamba-kādambinīm
she who is like a rain-cloud (of grace) to the multitude of sages
नितम्बजितभूधराम्
nitamba-jita-bhūdharām
whose hips surpass (are heavier/grander than) the mountains
सुरनितम्बिनीसेविताम्
sura-nitambinī-sevitām
served by the beautiful women of the gods (celestial maidens)
नवाम्बुरुहलोचनाम्
navāmburuha-locanām
with eyes like fresh lotuses
अभिनवाम्बुदश्यामलाम्
abhinavāmbuda-śyāmalām
dark-hued like a fresh rain-cloud
त्रिलोचनकुटुम्बिनीम्
trilocana-kuṭumbinīm
the consort (household-partner) of the three-eyed Lord Shiva
त्रिपुरसुन्दरीम् आश्रये
tripurasundarīm āśraye
I take refuge in Tripurasundari (the beauty of the three worlds)
कनकवल्लकीधारिणीम्
kanaka-vallakī-dhāriṇīm
holding a golden veena (vallaki lute)
महार्हमणिहारिणीम्
mahārha-maṇi-hāriṇīm
wearing a necklace of priceless gems
दयाविभवकारिणीम्
dayā-vibhava-kāriṇīm
the bestower of the glory of compassion
कुचभरोल्लसन्मालया
kucabhara-ullasan-mālayā
with a garland resting upon her full bosom
गुरुकृपालसद्वेलया
guru-kṛpā-lasad-velayā
shining with a tide of profound grace
कनकमण्डलोपस्थिताम्
kanaka-maṇḍala-upasthitām
seated within a golden orb/disc
षडम्बुरुहवासिनीम्
ṣaḍ-amburuha-vāsinīm
dwelling in the six lotuses (the six chakras)
सततसिद्धसौदामिनीम्
satata-siddha-saudāminīm
ever like an established flash of lightning
विकचचन्द्रचूडामणिम्
vikaca-candra-cūḍāmaṇim
wearing the radiant crescent moon as a crest-jewel
मनसिजारिसम्मोहिनीम्
manasija-ari-sammohinīm
she who enchants even Shiva, the foe of Manmatha (the mind-born god of love)
मतङ्गमुनिकन्यकाम्
mataṅga-muni-kanyakām
the daughter of the sage Matanga (Matangi / Shyamala aspect)
सशरचापपाशाङ्कुशाम्
sa-śara-cāpa-pāśa-aṅkuśām
bearing the arrows, bow, noose and goad
जपाकुसुमभासुराम्
japā-kusuma-bhāsurām
radiant like the red hibiscus flower
भुवनाम्बिकाम्
bhuvana-ambikām
the Mother of all the worlds

Origin & History

Source: Devotional hymn attributed to Adi Shankaracharya (Sri Vidya / Shakta tradition)

Author: Adi Shankaracharya

Period: 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Tripura Sundari?
Tripura Sundari, also called Lalita, Rajarajeshwari and Maha Tripurasundari, is the supreme Goddess of the Sri Vidya tradition — 'the beautiful one of the three worlds (or three cities)'. She is the same Devi worshipped through the Lalita Sahasranama and the Sri Chakra.
Who composed the Tripura Sundari Ashtakam?
It is traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, who composed several hymns to the Divine Mother in the Sri Vidya tradition. Each verse paints the Goddess in vivid, melodious Sanskrit.
Is this the same as the Tripurasundari Stotram on this site?
No. The other entry (Tripurasundari Stotram) is the 'Dvadasha Shloki', a different twelve-verse hymn focusing on the matrika letters. This Ashtakam — beginning 'Kadamba vana charinim' — is Shankaracharya's eight-verse hymn describing the Goddess's beauty and form.
What are the weapons the Goddess holds?
Tripurasundari holds the sugarcane bow (representing the mind), five flower-arrows (the five senses/tanmatras), the noose (pasha, attachment/desire) and the goad (ankusha, repulsion/control) — symbols central to Sri Vidya.

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