vishnukrishnaguruvayurguruvayurappan

𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀 𑌵𑌾𑌤𑌪𑍁𑌰𑌨𑌾𑌥𑌾𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌕𑌮𑍍

Vatapuranatha Ashtakam (Guruvayurappan) in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

🕉️ hindu·📿 8× repetitions·🕐 Morning after bath, or during darshan; especially Ekadashi, Ashtami Rohini (Krishna Janmashtami) and Guruvayur festival days·📜 Sri Vatapuranatha Ashtakam (hymn to Guruvayurappan)

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

Origin & Story

Sri Vatapuranatha Ashtakam (hymn to Guruvayurappan) · Mahamahopadhyaya Brahmasri Ganapati Sastri · Modern (composed at Guruvayur)

This ashtakam was composed by the great Sanskrit savant Mahamahopadhyaya Ganapati Sastri during his stay at the Guruvayur temple in Kerala, overwhelmed by the beauty of Lord Guruvayurappan. Set in an intricate, musical metre, its eight verses describe the Lord's jasmine-soft smile, His cloud-dark form, His childhood sports, and His grace as protector and healer of His devotees, each verse ending with the loving instruction to enshrine Him in the heart-lotus.

✦ As told in scripture

Guruvayur is renowned for miraculous cures: the saint-poet Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri is said to have been freed of crippling paralysis by composing the Narayaniyam before Guruvayurappan, and countless devotees through the centuries have reported the Lord of Vatapura healing their ailments when they took refuge in Him.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

𑌕𑍁𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌸𑍁𑌮𑌵𑍃𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌸𑌮𑌮𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌹𑌸𑌿𑌤𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌕𑍁𑌲𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌭𑌰𑌤𑍁𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌲𑌨𑌕𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌮𑍍 । 𑌪𑍂𑌤𑌨𑌿𑌜𑌗𑍀𑌤𑌲𑌵𑌧𑍂𑌤𑌦𑍁𑌰𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌤𑌂 𑌵𑌾𑌤𑌪𑍁𑌰𑌨𑌾𑌥𑌮𑌿𑌮𑌮𑌾𑌤𑌨𑍁 𑌹𑍃𑌦𑌬𑍍𑌜𑍇 ॥ ௧ ॥

kundasumavṛndasamamandahasitāsyaṃ nandakulanandabharatundalanakandam | pūtanijagītalavadhūtaduritaṃ taṃ vātapuranāthamimamātanu hṛdabje || 1 ||

Meaning:Establish in the lotus of your heart that Lord of Vatapura (Guruvayur), whose face wears a gentle smile soft as a cluster of jasmine blossoms, who is the abundant delight of Nanda's clan, and who washes away sin from those who sing His glory in purity. (1)

Verse 2

𑌨𑍀𑌲𑌤𑌰𑌜𑌾𑌲𑌧𑌰𑌭𑌾𑌲𑌹𑌰𑌿𑌰𑌮𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌲𑍋𑌲𑌤𑌰𑌶𑍀𑌲𑌯𑍁𑌤𑌬𑌾𑌲𑌜𑌨𑌲𑍀𑌲𑌮𑍍 । 𑌜𑌾𑌲𑌨𑌤𑌿𑌶𑍀𑌲𑌮𑌪𑌿 𑌪𑌾𑌲𑌯𑌿𑌤𑍁𑌕𑌾𑌮𑌂 𑌵𑌾𑌤𑌪𑍁𑌰𑌨𑌾𑌥𑌮𑌿𑌮𑌮𑌾𑌤𑌨𑍁 𑌹𑍃𑌦𑌬𑍍𑌜𑍇 ॥ ௨ ॥

nīlatarajāladharabhālahariramyaṃ lolataraśīlayutabālajanalīlam | jālanatiśīlamapi pālayitukāmaṃ vātapuranāthamimamātanu hṛdabje || 2 ||

Meaning:Establish in your heart's lotus that Lord of Guruvayur, lovely and dark as a deep rain-bearing cloud, given to the sweet sports of childhood, who longs to protect even those who but slightly bow to Him. (2)

Verse 3

𑌕𑌂𑌸𑌰𑌣𑌹𑌿𑌂𑌸𑌮𑌿𑌹 𑌸𑌂𑌸𑌰𑌣𑌜𑌾𑌤- 𑌕𑍍𑌲𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌭𑌰𑌶𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌕𑌰𑌕𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌝𑌰𑌵𑍀𑌤𑌮𑍍 । 𑌵𑌾𑌤𑌮𑍁𑌖𑌧𑌾𑌤𑍁𑌜𑌨𑌿𑌪𑌾𑌤𑌭𑌯𑌘𑌾𑌤𑌂 𑌵𑌾𑌤𑌪𑍁𑌰𑌨𑌾𑌥𑌮𑌿𑌮𑌮𑌾𑌤𑌨𑍁 𑌹𑍃𑌦𑌬𑍍𑌜𑍇 ॥ ௩ ॥

kaṃsaraṇahiṃsamiha saṃsaraṇajāta- klāntibharaśāntikarakāntijharavītam | vātamukhadhātujanipātabhayaghātaṃ vātapuranāthamimamātanu hṛdabje || 3 ||

Meaning:Establish in your heart that Lord of Guruvayur, the slayer of Kamsa, who is bathed in a peace-giving cascade of radiance that stills the weariness of the round of births, and who destroys the fear of afflictions arising from the (three) humours such as wind. (3)

Verse 4

𑌜𑌾𑌤𑍁𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌿𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁𑌕𑌮𑌿𑌹𑌾𑌤𑍁𑌰𑌜𑌨𑌂 𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌕𑍍 𑌶𑍋𑌕𑌭𑌰𑌮𑍂𑌕𑌮𑌪𑌿 𑌤𑍋𑌕𑌮𑌿𑌵 𑌪𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌮𑍍 । 𑌭𑍃𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌰𑍁𑌚𑌿𑌸𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌰𑌕𑍃𑌦𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌲𑌤𑌿𑌕𑌂 𑌤𑌂 𑌵𑌾𑌤𑌪𑍁𑌰𑌨𑌾𑌥𑌮𑌿𑌮𑌮𑌾𑌤𑌨𑍁 𑌹𑍃𑌦𑌬𑍍𑌜𑍇 ॥ ௪ ॥

jātudhuripātukamihāturajanaṃ drāk śokabharamūkamapi tokamiva pāntam | bhṛṅgarucisaṅgarakṛdaṅgalatikaṃ taṃ vātapuranāthamimamātanu hṛdabje || 4 ||

Meaning:Establish in your heart that Lord of Guruvayur, ever ready to protect the suffering, swiftly guarding even the soul rendered mute by the weight of grief as a parent guards a child — He whose body is graceful as a creeper with the dark lustre of a bee. (4)

Verse 5

𑌪𑌾𑌪𑌭𑌵𑌤𑌾𑌪𑌭𑌰𑌕𑍋𑌪𑌶𑌮𑌨𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥𑌾- 𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌸𑌕𑌰𑌭𑌾𑌸𑌮𑍃𑌦𑍁𑌹𑌾𑌸𑌰𑍁𑌚𑌿𑌰𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌯𑌮𑍍 । 𑌰𑍋𑌗𑌚𑌯𑌭𑍋𑌗𑌭𑌯𑌵𑍇𑌗𑌹𑌰𑌮𑍇𑌕𑌂 𑌵𑌾𑌤𑌪𑍁𑌰𑌨𑌾𑌥𑌮𑌿𑌮𑌮𑌾𑌤𑌨𑍁 𑌹𑍃𑌦𑌬𑍍𑌜𑍇 ॥ ௫ ॥

pāpabhavatāpabharakopaśamanārthā- śvāsakarabhāsamṛduhāsarucirāsyam | rogacayabhogabhayavegaharamekaṃ vātapuranāthamimamātanu hṛdabje || 5 ||

Meaning:Establish in your heart that one Lord of Guruvayur, whose radiant face, lovely with a soft, reassuring smile, is bent on quelling the heat and anger born of sin and worldly life, and who removes the onrush of disease, fear and harmful pleasures. (5)

Verse 6

𑌘𑍋𑌷𑌕𑍁𑌲𑌦𑍋𑌷𑌹𑌰𑌵𑍇𑌷𑌮𑍁𑌪𑌯𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌂 𑌪𑍂𑌷𑌶𑌤𑌦𑍂𑌷𑌕𑌵𑌿𑌭𑍂𑌷𑌣𑌗𑌣𑌾𑌢𑍍𑌯𑌮𑍍 । 𑌭𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌮𑌪𑌿 𑌮𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌮𑌤𑌿𑌭𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌷𑍁 𑌦𑌦𑌾𑌨𑌂 𑌵𑌾𑌤𑌪𑍁𑌰𑌨𑌾𑌥𑌮𑌿𑌮𑌮𑌾𑌤𑌨𑍁 𑌹𑍃𑌦𑌬𑍍𑌜𑍇 ॥ ௬ ॥

ghoṣakuladoṣaharaveṣamupayāntaṃ pūṣaśatadūṣakavibhūṣaṇagaṇāḍhyam | bhuktimapi muktimatibhaktiṣu dadānaṃ vātapuranāthamimamātanu hṛdabje || 6 ||

Meaning:Establish in your heart that Lord of Guruvayur, who appears in a guise that removes the troubles of the cowherd folk, rich with ornaments that outshine a hundred suns, and who bestows upon the deeply devoted both worldly enjoyment and liberation. (6)

Verse 7

𑌪𑌾𑌪𑌕𑌦𑍁𑌰𑌾𑌪𑌮𑌤𑌿𑌤𑌾𑌪𑌹𑌰𑌶𑍋𑌭- 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌪𑌘𑌨𑌮𑌾𑌮𑌤𑌦𑍁𑌮𑌾𑌪𑌤𑌿𑌸𑌮𑍇𑌤𑌮𑍍 । 𑌦𑍂𑌨𑌤𑌰𑌦𑍀𑌨𑌸𑍁𑌖𑌦𑌾𑌨𑌕𑍃𑌤𑌦𑍀𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌂 𑌵𑌾𑌤𑌪𑍁𑌰𑌨𑌾𑌥𑌮𑌿𑌮𑌮𑌾𑌤𑌨𑍁 𑌹𑍃𑌦𑌬𑍍𑌜𑍇 ॥ ௭ ॥

pāpakadurāpamatitāpaharaśobha- svāpaghanamāmatadumāpatisametam | dūnataradīnasukhadānakṛtadīkṣaṃ vātapuranāthamimamātanu hṛdabje || 7 ||

Meaning:Establish in your heart that Lord of Guruvayur, whose beauty is hard for the wicked to attain and dispels great anguish — a very rain-cloud of repose — present here with the Lord of Uma (Shiva), and consecrated to granting happiness to the deeply afflicted and the destitute. (7)

Verse 8

𑌪𑌾𑌦𑌪𑌤𑌦𑌾𑌦𑌰𑌣𑌮𑍋𑌦𑌪𑌰𑌿𑌪𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌣𑌂 𑌜𑍀𑌵𑌮𑍁𑌖𑌦𑍇𑌵𑌜𑌨𑌸𑍇𑌵𑌨𑌫𑌲𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌘𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌮𑍍 । 𑌰𑍂𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌭𑌵𑌮𑍋𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌕𑍃𑌤𑌦𑍀𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌨𑌿𑌜𑌵𑍀𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌂 𑌵𑌾𑌤𑌪𑍁𑌰𑌨𑌾𑌥𑌮𑌿𑌮𑌮𑌾𑌤𑌨𑍁 𑌹𑍃𑌦𑌬𑍍𑌜𑍇 ॥ ௮ ॥

pādapatadādaraṇamodaparipūrṇaṃ jīvamukhadevajanasevanaphalāṅghrim | rūkṣabhavamokṣakṛtadīkṣanijavīkṣaṃ vātapuranāthamimamātanu hṛdabje || 8 ||

Meaning:Establish in your heart that Lord of Guruvayur, brimming with delight at the reverence of those who fall at His feet — whose feet are the fruit of all service offered by living beings and the gods — and whose very glance is vowed to liberating souls from harsh worldly existence. (8)

Verse 9

॥ 𑌇𑌤𑌿 𑌮𑌹𑌾𑌮𑌹𑍋𑌪𑌾𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌯 𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀 𑌗𑌣𑌪𑌤𑌿𑌶𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌵𑌿𑌰𑌚𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌵𑌾𑌤𑌪𑍁𑌰𑌨𑌾𑌥𑌾𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌕𑌮𑍍 𑌸𑌮𑍍𑌪𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌣𑌮𑍍 ॥

|| iti mahāmahopādhyāya brahmaśrī gaṇapatiśāstriviracitaṃ śrīvātapuranāthāṣṭakam sampūrṇam ||

Meaning:Thus is completed the Sri Vatapuranatha Ashtakam composed by Mahamahopadhyaya Brahmasri Ganapati Sastri.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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𑌕𑍁𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌸𑍁𑌮𑌵𑍃𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌸𑌮🔊kundasumavṛndasamaLike a cluster of jasmine flowers

𑌮𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌹𑌸𑌿𑌤𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌯𑌂🔊mandahasitāsyaṃWhose face wears a gentle smile

𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌕𑍁𑌲𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦🔊nandakulanandaThe joy/delight of the clan of Nanda (the cowherds)

𑌵𑌾𑌤𑌪𑍁𑌰𑌨𑌾𑌥𑌮𑍍🔊vātapuranāthamThe Lord of Vatapura (Guruvayur) — i.e. Guruvayurappan

𑌇𑌮𑌮𑍍 𑌆𑌤𑌨𑍁 𑌹𑍃𑌦𑌬𑍍𑌜𑍇🔊imam ātanu hṛdabjePlace (establish) Him in the lotus of (your) heart — the refrain of every verse

𑌨𑍀𑌲𑌤𑌰𑌜𑌾𑌲𑌧𑌰🔊nīlatarajāladharaDark like a deep-blue rain cloud

𑌬𑌾𑌲𑌜𑌨𑌲𑍀𑌲𑌮𑍍🔊bālajanalīlamWho sports with childlike beings / engaged in childhood play

𑌪𑌾𑌲𑌯𑌿𑌤𑍁𑌕𑌾𑌮𑌂🔊pālayitukāmaṃDesirous of protecting (those who bow to Him)

𑌕𑌂𑌸𑌰𑌣𑌹𑌿𑌂𑌸𑌮𑍍🔊kaṃsaraṇahiṃsamThe slayer of Kamsa in battle

𑌸𑌂𑌸𑌰𑌣𑌜𑌾𑌤𑌕𑍍𑌲𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌿🔊saṃsaraṇajātaklāntiThe weariness born of the cycle of worldly existence (samsara)

𑌶𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌕𑌰𑌕𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌝𑌰𑌵𑍀𑌤𑌮𑍍🔊śāntikarakāntijharavītamPervaded by a peace-bestowing cascade of radiance

𑌆𑌤𑍁𑌰𑌜𑌨𑌂 𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌕𑍍 ... 𑌪𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌮𑍍🔊āturajanaṃ drāk ... pāntamWho at once protects the afflicted, as a parent protects a child

𑌤𑍋𑌕𑌮𑌿𑌵 𑌪𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌮𑍍🔊tokamiva pāntamProtecting (the devotee) as one would protect one's own child

𑌪𑌾𑌪𑌭𑌵𑌤𑌾𑌪𑌭𑌰🔊pāpabhavatāpabharaThe burning weight of sin and worldly existence

𑌮𑍃𑌦𑍁𑌹𑌾𑌸𑌰𑍁𑌚𑌿𑌰𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌯𑌮𑍍🔊mṛduhāsarucirāsyamWhose face is lovely with a soft, gentle smile

𑌰𑍋𑌗𑌚𑌯𑌭𑍋𑌗𑌭𑌯𑌵𑍇𑌗𑌹𑌰𑌮𑍍🔊rogacayabhogabhayavegaharamWho removes the onrush of disease, fear and (harmful) indulgence

𑌘𑍋𑌷𑌕𑍁𑌲𑌦𑍋𑌷𑌹𑌰𑌵𑍇𑌷𑌮𑍍🔊ghoṣakuladoṣaharaveṣamWhose very appearance removes the troubles of the cowherd folk

𑌭𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌮𑌪𑌿 𑌮𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌮𑍍 ... 𑌦𑌦𑌾𑌨𑌂🔊bhuktimapi muktim ... dadānaṃWho grants both worldly enjoyment and liberation to His devotees

𑌅𑌤𑌿𑌭𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌷𑍁 𑌦𑌦𑌾𑌨𑌂🔊atibhaktiṣu dadānaṃBestowing (these gifts) upon those of deep devotion

𑌉𑌮𑌾𑌪𑌤𑌿𑌸𑌮𑍇𑌤𑌮𑍍🔊umāpatisametamAccompanied by the Lord of Uma (Shiva) — alluding to the Lord's grace upon Shiva at Guruvayur

𑌮𑍋𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌕𑍃𑌤𑌦𑍀𑌕𑍍𑌷🔊mokṣakṛtadīkṣaVowed/consecrated to granting liberation

𑌜𑍀𑌵𑌮𑍁𑌖𑌦𑍇𑌵𑌜𑌨𑌸𑍇𑌵𑌨𑌫𑌲𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌘𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌮𑍍🔊jīvamukhadevajanasevanaphalāṅghrimWhose feet are the very fruit of service rendered by living beings and the gods

Benefits of Chanting Vatapuranatha Ashtakam (Guruvayurappan)

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Invokes the grace of Guruvayurappan, the beloved Lord of Guruvayur (Kerala)

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Each verse anchors the Lord's beautiful form firmly in the devotee's heart through meditation

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Traditionally cherished for invoking the Lord's healing power over disease and affliction

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Cultivates deep, childlike devotion (bhakti) to Krishna-Vishnu

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Brings peace by stilling the weariness and fear born of worldly existence (samsara)

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Believed to grant both worldly well-being (bhukti) and liberation (mukti) to the devout

How to Chant Vatapuranatha Ashtakam (Guruvayurappan)

Repetitions8times

Best TimeMorning after bath, or during darshan; especially Ekadashi, Ashtami Rohini (Krishna Janmashtami) and Guruvayur festival days

Bathe and sit calmly facing an image of Guruvayurappan or Krishna. Recite the eight verses slowly and melodiously, and at each refrain 'vātapuranāthamimamātanu hṛdabje' visualise the dark-hued, smiling Lord and lovingly install Him in the lotus of your heart. It is especially dear to those who pray at Guruvayur for health and protection. Reciting all eight verses daily with devotion is the traditional practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Vatapuranatha Ashtakam (Guruvayurappan) written in the Grantha 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.

Vatapuranatha means 'the Lord of Vatapura'. Vatapura (the town of the wind-god Vayu) is Guruvayur, so Vatapuranatha is Guruvayurappan — the enchanting form of Krishna-Vishnu (holding conch, discus, mace and lotus) enshrined at the famous Guruvayur temple in Kerala, often called the 'Bhuloka Vaikuntha' (Vaikuntha on earth).

It was composed by Mahamahopadhyaya Brahmasri Ganapati Sastri, a celebrated Sanskrit scholar, who wrote this melodious eight-verse hymn while staying at Guruvayur, a disciple of Mannargudi Raja Sastrigal.

Every verse ends with 'vātapuranāthamimamātanu hṛdabje' — 'establish this Lord of Guruvayur in the lotus of your heart'. The whole ashtakam is thus a guided meditation that paints the Lord's beauty and gently installs Him within the devotee's heart.

Guruvayurappan is traditionally revered as a healer (the temple is linked with Dhanvantari and Ayurveda). The third and fifth verses specifically praise the Lord as one who removes the fear of diseases arising from the bodily humours and who quells the onrush of illness, so devotees seeking health hold this hymn especially dear.