𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌨𑌾𑌥 𑌅𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌕𑌮𑍍
Vishwanatha Ashtakam in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥
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The Vishwanatha Ashtakam is a cherished traditional hymn. Eight verses in praise of Vishwanatha — Lord Shiva as the Lord of Kashi (Varanasi) — the supreme refuge of the city of liberation. A beloved hymn of pilgrims to the holy city on the Ganga.
✦ As told in scripture
It is said that to recite the Vishwanatha Ashtakam with a sincere and devoted heart is to draw near to the grace of the Lord, who never forsakes those who lovingly call upon Him.
The Mantra
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𑌆𑌦𑌿𑌶𑌮𑍍𑌭𑍁-𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌰𑍂𑌪-𑌮𑍁𑌨𑌿𑌵𑌰-𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌶𑍀𑌶-𑌜𑌟𑌾𑌧𑌰𑌂 𑌮𑍁𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌮𑌾𑌲-𑌵𑌿𑌶𑌾𑌲𑌲𑍋𑌚𑌨-𑌵𑌾𑌹𑌨𑌂 𑌵𑍃𑌷𑌭𑌧𑍍𑌵𑌜𑌮𑍍 । 𑌨𑌾𑌗𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰-𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌶𑍂𑌲𑌡𑌮𑌰𑍂 𑌭𑌸𑍍𑌮-𑌅𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌵𑌿𑌭𑍂𑌷𑌣𑌂 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌨𑍀𑌲𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌠-𑌹𑌿𑌮𑌾𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌜𑌲𑌧𑌰-𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌨𑌾𑌥𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑍇𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௧॥ 𑌗𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌸𑌙𑍍𑌗-𑌉𑌮𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌵𑌾𑌮𑍇-𑌕𑌾𑌮𑌦𑍇𑌵-𑌸𑍁𑌸𑍇𑌵𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌨𑌾𑌦𑌬𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍁𑌜-𑌯𑍋𑌗𑌸𑌾𑌧𑌨-𑌪𑌞𑍍𑌚𑌵𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌲𑍋𑌚𑌨𑌮𑍍 । 𑌇𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍁-𑌬𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍁𑌵𑌿𑌰𑌾𑌜-𑌶𑌶𑌿𑌧𑌰-𑌶𑌙𑍍𑌕𑌰𑌂 𑌸𑍁𑌰𑌵𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌨𑍀𑌲𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌠-𑌹𑌿𑌮𑌾𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌜𑌲𑌧𑌰-𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌨𑌾𑌥𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑍇𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௨॥ 𑌜𑍍𑌯𑍋𑌤𑌿𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗-𑌸𑍍𑌫𑍁𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌫𑌣𑌿𑌮𑌣𑌿-𑌦𑌿𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌦𑍇𑌵𑌸𑍁𑌸𑍇𑌵𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌮𑌾𑌲𑌤𑍀𑌸𑍁𑌰 -𑌪𑍁𑌷𑍍𑌪𑌮𑌾𑌲𑌾 -𑌕𑌞𑍍𑌜-𑌧𑍂𑌪-𑌨𑌿𑌵𑍇𑌦𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍 । 𑌅𑌨𑌲𑌕𑍁𑌮𑍍𑌭-𑌸𑍁𑌕𑍁𑌮𑍍𑌭𑌝𑌲𑌕𑌤-𑌕𑌲𑌶𑌕𑌞𑍍𑌚𑌨𑌶𑍋𑌭𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌨𑍀𑌲𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌠𑌹𑌿𑌮𑌾𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌜𑌲𑌧𑌰-𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌨𑌾𑌥𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑍇𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௩॥ 𑌮𑍁𑌕𑍁𑌟𑌕𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌟-𑌸𑍁𑌕𑌨𑌕𑌕𑍁𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌲𑌰𑌞𑍍𑌜𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌮𑍁𑌨𑌿𑌮𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌹𑌾𑌰𑌮𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌾-𑌕𑌨𑌕𑌸𑍂𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌤-𑌸𑍁𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌰𑌂 𑌸𑍁𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍇𑌷𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍 । 𑌗𑌨𑍍𑌧𑌮𑌾𑌦𑌨-𑌶𑍈𑌲-𑌆𑌸𑌨-𑌦𑌿𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌜𑍍𑌯𑍋𑌤𑌿𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌕𑌾𑌶𑌨𑌂 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌨𑍀𑌲𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌠-𑌹𑌿𑌮𑌾𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌜𑌲𑌧𑌰-𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌨𑌾𑌥-𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑍇𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௪॥ 𑌮𑍇𑌘𑌡𑌮𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌛𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌧𑌾𑌰𑌣-𑌚𑌰𑌣𑌕𑌮𑌲-𑌵𑌿𑌲𑌾𑌸𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌪𑍁𑌷𑍍𑌪𑌰𑌥-𑌪𑌰𑌮𑌦𑌨𑌮𑍂𑌰𑌤𑌿-𑌗𑍗𑌰𑌿𑌸𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌸𑌦𑌾𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌮𑍍 । 𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍇𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌪𑌾𑌲-𑌕𑌪𑌾𑌲-𑌭𑍈𑌰𑌵-𑌕𑍁𑌸𑍁𑌮-𑌨𑌵𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌹𑌭𑍂𑌷𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌨𑍀𑌲𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌠-𑌹𑌿𑌮𑌾𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌜𑌲𑌧𑌰-𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌨𑌾𑌥-𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑍇𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௫॥ 𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌪𑍁𑌰𑌦𑍈𑌤𑍍𑌯-𑌵𑌿𑌨𑌾𑌶𑌕𑌾𑌰𑌕-𑌶𑌙𑍍𑌕𑌰𑌂 𑌫𑌲𑌦𑌾𑌯𑌕𑌂 𑌰𑌾𑌵𑌣𑌾𑌦𑍍𑌦𑌶𑌕𑌮𑌲𑌮𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌕-𑌪𑍂𑌜𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌵𑌰𑌦𑌾𑌯𑌕𑌮𑍍 । 𑌕𑍋𑌟𑌿𑌮𑌨𑍍𑌮𑌥𑌮𑌥𑌨-𑌵𑌿𑌷𑌧𑌰-𑌹𑌾𑌰𑌭𑍂𑌷𑌣-𑌭𑍂𑌷𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌨𑍀𑌲𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌠-𑌹𑌿𑌮𑌾𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌜𑌲𑌧𑌰-𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌨𑌾𑌥𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑍇𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௬॥ 𑌮𑌥𑌿𑌤𑌜𑌲𑌧𑌿𑌜-𑌶𑍇𑌷𑌵𑌿𑌗𑌲𑌿𑌤-𑌕𑌾𑌲𑌕𑍂𑌟𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍋𑌷𑌣𑌂 𑌜𑍍𑌯𑍋𑌤𑌿𑌵𑌿𑌗𑌲𑌿𑌤𑌦𑍀𑌪𑌨𑌯𑌨-𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌨𑍇𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌶𑌮𑍍𑌭𑍁-𑌸𑍁𑌰𑍇𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌮𑍍 । 𑌮𑌹𑌾𑌦𑍇𑌵𑌸𑍁𑌦𑍇𑌵-𑌸𑍁𑌰𑌪𑌤𑌿𑌸𑍇𑌵𑍍𑌯-𑌦𑍇𑌵𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌮𑍍𑌭𑌰𑌂 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌨𑍀𑌲𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌠-𑌹𑌿𑌮𑌾𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌜𑌲𑌧𑌰-𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌨𑌾𑌥𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑍇𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௭॥ 𑌰𑍁𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌰𑍂𑌪𑌭𑌯𑌙𑍍𑌕𑌰𑌂 𑌕𑍃𑌤𑌭𑍂𑌰𑌿𑌪𑌾𑌨-𑌹𑌲𑌾𑌹𑌲𑌂 𑌗𑌗𑌨𑌵𑍇𑌧𑌿𑌤-𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌮𑍂𑌲-𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌶𑍂𑌲𑌕𑌰𑌧𑌰-𑌶𑌙𑍍𑌕𑌰𑌮𑍍 । 𑌕𑌾𑌮𑌕𑍁𑌞𑍍𑌜𑌰-𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌮𑌰𑍍𑌦𑌨-𑌮𑌹𑌾𑌕𑌾𑌲-𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑍇𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌂 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌨𑍀𑌲𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌠-𑌹𑌿𑌮𑌾𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌜𑌲𑌧𑌰-𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑍇𑌨𑌾𑌥𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑍇𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௮॥ 𑌋𑌤𑍁𑌵𑌸𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌵𑌿𑌲𑌾𑌸-𑌚𑌹𑍁𑌂𑌦𑌿𑌶𑌿 𑌦𑍀𑌪𑍍𑌯𑌤𑍇 𑌫𑌲𑌦𑌾𑌯𑌕𑌂 𑌦𑌿𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌕𑌾𑌶𑌿𑌕𑌧𑌾𑌮𑌵𑌾𑌸𑍀-𑌮𑌨𑍁𑌜𑌮𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌲𑌦𑌾𑌯𑌕𑌮𑍍 । 𑌅𑌮𑍍𑌬𑌿𑌕𑌾𑌤𑌟-𑌵𑍈𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌨𑌾𑌥𑌂 𑌶𑍈𑌲𑌶𑌿𑌖𑌰𑌮𑌹𑍇𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌂 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌨𑍀𑌲𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌠-𑌹𑌿𑌮𑌾𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌜𑌲𑌧𑌰-𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌨𑌾𑌥𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑍇𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௯॥ 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍋𑌤𑍍𑌰-𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌤𑌿𑌦𑌿𑌨-𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌨𑌧𑌰-𑌆𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌮𑌯-𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌤𑌿𑌪𑌾𑌦𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌧𑌨-𑌧𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌯-𑌸𑌮𑍍𑌪𑌤𑌿-𑌗𑍃𑌹𑌵𑌿𑌲𑌾𑌸𑌿𑌤-𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌨𑌾𑌥-𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌸𑌾𑌦𑌜𑌮𑍍 । 𑌹𑌰-𑌧𑌾𑌮-𑌚𑌿𑌰𑌗𑌣-𑌸𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌶𑍋𑌭𑌿𑌤-𑌭𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌵𑌰-𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑌮𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌆𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌵𑌨-𑌆𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌛𑌵𑌿-𑌆𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦-𑌕𑌨𑍍𑌦-𑌵𑌿𑌭𑍂𑌷𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௧௦॥ 𑌇𑌤𑌿 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌦𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌮𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌰𑌶𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌸𑌂𑌸𑍍𑌕𑍃𑌤𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌨𑌾𑌥𑌾𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌕𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍋𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌂 𑌸𑌮𑍍𑌪𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌣𑌮𑍍 ।
ādiśambhu-svarūpa-munivara-candraśīśa-jaṭādharaṃ muṇḍamāla-viśālalocana-vāhanaṃ vṛṣabhadhvajam | nāgacandra-triśūlaḍamarū bhasma-aṅgavibhūṣaṇaṃ śrīnīlakaṇṭha-himādrijaladhara-viśvanāthaviśveśvaram || 1|| gaṅgasaṅga-umāṅgavāme-kāmadeva-susevitaṃ nādabinduja-yogasādhana-pañcavaktatrilocanam | indu-binduvirāja-śaśidhara-śaṅkaraṃ suravanditaṃ śrīnīlakaṇṭha-himādrijaladhara-viśvanāthaviśveśvaram || 2|| jyotiliṅga-sphuliṅgaphaṇimaṇi-divyadevasusevitaṃ mālatīsura -puṣpamālā -kañja-dhūpa-niveditam | analakumbha-sukumbhajhalakata-kalaśakañcanaśobhitaṃ śrīnīlakaṇṭhahimādrijaladhara-viśvanāthaviśveśvaram || 3|| mukuṭakrīṭa-sukanakakuṇḍalarañjitaṃ munimaṇḍitaṃ hāramuktā-kanakasūtrita-sundaraṃ suviśeṣitam | gandhamādana-śaila-āsana-divyajyotiprakāśanaṃ śrīnīlakaṇṭha-himādrijaladhara-viśvanātha-viśveśvaram || 4|| meghaḍamvarachatradhāraṇa-caraṇakamala-vilāsitaṃ puṣparatha-paramadanamūrati-gaurisaṅgasadāśivam | kṣetrapāla-kapāla-bhairava-kusuma-navagrahabhūṣitaṃ śrīnīlakaṇṭha-himādrijaladhara-viśvanātha-viśveśvaram || 5|| tripuradaitya-vināśakāraka-śaṅkaraṃ phaladāyakaṃ rāvaṇāddaśakamalamastaka-pūjitaṃ varadāyakam | koṭimanmathamathana-viṣadhara-hārabhūṣaṇa-bhūṣitaṃ śrīnīlakaṇṭha-himādrijaladhara-viśvanāthaviśveśvaram || 6|| mathitajaladhija-śeṣavigalita-kālakūṭaviśoṣaṇaṃ jyotivigalitadīpanayana-trinetraśambhu-sureśvaram | mahādevasudeva-surapatisevya-devaviśvambharaṃ śrīnīlakaṇṭha-himādrijaladhara-viśvanāthaviśveśvaram || 7|| rudrarūpabhayaṅkaraṃ kṛtabhūripāna-halāhalaṃ gaganavedhita-viśvamūla-triśūlakaradhara-śaṅkaram | kāmakuñjara-mānamardana-mahākāla-viśveśvaraṃ śrīnīlakaṇṭha-himādrijaladhara-viśvenāthaviśveśvaram || 8|| ṛtuvasantavilāsa-cahu~diśi dīpyate phaladāyakaṃ divyakāśikadhāmavāsī-manujamaṅgaladāyakam | ambikātaṭa-vaidyanāthaṃ śailaśikharamaheśvaraṃ śrīnīlakaṇṭha-himādrijaladhara-viśvanāthaviśveśvaram || 9|| śivastotra-pratidina-dhyānadhara-ānandamaya-pratipāditaṃ dhana-dhānya-sampati-gṛhavilāsita-viśvanātha-prasādajam | hara-dhāma-ciragaṇa-saṅgaśobhita-bhaktavara-priyamaṇḍitaṃ ānandavana-ānandachavi-ānanda-kanda-vibhūṣitam || 10|| iti śrīśivadattamiśraśāstrisaṃskṛtaṃ viśvanāthāṣṭakastotraṃ sampūrṇam |
Meaning:Eight verses in praise of Vishwanatha — Lord Shiva as the Lord of Kashi (Varanasi) — the supreme refuge of the city of liberation. A beloved hymn of pilgrims to the holy city on the Ganga.
Benefits of Chanting Vishwanatha Ashtakam
Recitation of the Vishwanatha Ashtakam is held to bring the grace, blessings and protection of the Lord.
Cultivates devotion, calms the mind and steadies the heart in the Lord’s remembrance.
Most auspicious on Mondays, and during Maha Shivaratri, Pradosh and the month of Shravan.
A short, melodious hymn that anyone can learn and recite daily with faith.
How to Chant Vishwanatha Ashtakam
Bathe and sit facing east or north before an image of the deity. Light a lamp and recite the Vishwanatha Ashtakam slowly and with devotion. It may be chanted daily, or especially during Maha Shivaratri, Pradosh and the month of Shravan. Conclude with a prayer for grace and protection.
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Read the full Vishwanatha Ashtakam with verse-by-verse meaning, or explore more sacred texts