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Harivarasanam in Grantha Ā· ššš°šØšš„
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Origin & Story
Devotional Sanskrit stotra to Lord Ayyappa; sung as the nightly closing prayer at Sabarimala Ā· Attributed to Kambakudi Kulathur Srinivasa Iyer Ā· Traditional; popularised in the 20th century
Ayyappa is Hariharatmaja, born of the union of Vishnu (as Mohini) and Shiva ā uniting the two great streams of Hindu devotion. Harivarasanam is sung at Sabarimala as the 'urakka paattu', the lullaby that puts the Lord to sleep: as the last verse fades, the sanctum lamp is dimmed and the doors are closed for the night. Carried across the world by the voice of K. J. Yesudas, it has become the signature prayer of every Ayyappa devotee.
⦠As told in scripture
Pilgrims who complete the arduous 41-day vratham and climb to Sabarimala describe the nightly Harivarasanam as the most moving moment of all ā the whole hill falls silent, and the gentle hymn carries thousands into a shared surrender at the Lord's feet. Devotees say that ending the day with this prayer brings deep, untroubled rest and a sense of being held in Ayyappa's care.
Complete Text with Meaning
Tap any line ā or the ā¶ button ā to hear it recited
š¹š°šæšµš°š¾šøšØš šµšæš¶ššµš®šš¹šØš š¹š°šæš¦š§šš¶ššµš°š šš°š¾š§ššÆšŖš¾š¦ššš®šą„¤ š š°šæšµšæš®š°šš¦šØš šØšæš¤ššÆšØš°šš¤šØš š¹š°šæš¹š°š¾š¤šš®šš š¦ššµš®š¾š¶šš°šÆšą„„
Harivarasanam Vishwamohanam Haridadhishwaram Aradhyapadukam Arivimardanam Nityanartanam Hariharatmajam Devamashraye
Meaning:I take refuge in Hariharatmaja (Ayyappa) ā seated on the noble throne of Hari, enchanter of the world, whose sandals are worshipped, destroyer of foes, ever in blissful dance.
š¶š°š£ššš°šš¤šØš š¶ššš¤š®š¾šØšøš šššØš®š¾šØšøš šØš°šš¤šØš¾š²šøš®šą„¤ š š°šš£šš¾šøšš°š ššš¤šØš¾šÆšš š¹š°šæš¹š°š¾š¤šš®šš š¦ššµš®š¾š¶šš°šÆšą„„
Sharanakirtanam Shaktamanasam Bhajanamanasam Nartanalasam Arunabhasuram Bhutanayakam Hariharatmajam Devamashraye
Meaning:I take refuge in the Lord praised by the Saranam chants, ever in the hearts of devotees, radiant as the dawn, master of all beings.
šŖšš°š£šÆšøš¤ššÆšš šŖšš°š¾š£šØš¾šÆšš šŖšš°š£š¤šš²ššŖšš šøššŖšš°šš¾ššššæš¤š®šą„¤ šŖšš°š£šµš®šØšš¦šæš°š ššš°šš¤šØšŖšš°šæšÆš š¹š°šæš¹š°š¾š¤šš®šš š¦ššµš®š¾š¶šš°šÆšą„„
Pranayasatyakam Prananayakam Pranatakalpakam Suprabhanchitam Pranavamandiram Kirtanapriyam Hariharatmajam Devamashraye
Meaning:I take refuge in the Lord of true love, leader of life-breath, fulfiller of the prayers of those who bow, ever luminous, who dwells in Om and delights in song.
š¤šš°ššµš¾š¹šØš šøššØšš¦š°š¾šØšØš šµš°šš¦š¾šÆšš§š š¦ššµšµš°šš£šæš¤š®šą„¤ ššš°ššššŖš¾šš°š ššš°šš¤šØšŖšš°šæšÆš š¹š°šæš¹š°š¾š¤šš®šš š¦ššµš®š¾š¶šš°šÆšą„„
Turagavahanam Sundarananam Varagadayudham Devavarnitam Gurukripakaram Kirtanapriyam Hariharatmajam Devamashraye
Meaning:I take refuge in him who rides the horse, of beautiful face, bearing the noble mace, praised by the gods, bestower of the guru's grace, lover of kirtan.
š¤šš°šæšššµšØš¾š°šššæš¤š š¦ššµš¤š¾š¤šš®šš š¤šš°šæšØšÆšØš šŖšš°ššš š¦šæšµššÆš¦šš¶šæšš®šą„¤ š¤šš°šæš¦š¶šŖšššæš¤š ššæšØšš¤šæš¤šŖšš°š¦š š¹š°šæš¹š°š¾š¤šš®šš š¦ššµš®š¾š¶šš°šÆšą„„
Tribhuvanarchitam Devatatmakam Trinayanam Prabhum Divyadeshikam Tridashapujitam Chintitapradam Hariharatmajam Devamashraye
Meaning:I take refuge in him worshipped in the three worlds, the soul of the gods, three-eyed Lord, divine teacher, adored by the celestials, granting all that is wished.
ššµššÆš¾šŖš¹š šš¾šµššš¾šµš¹š šššµšØš®šš¹šØš ššš¤šæššš·š£š®šą„¤ š§šµš²šµš¾š¹šØš š¦šæšµššÆšµš¾š°š£š š¹š°šæš¹š°š¾š¤šš®šš š¦ššµš®š¾š¶šš°šÆšą„„
Bhavabhayapaham Bhavukavaham Bhuvanamohanam Bhutibhushanam Dhavalavahanam Divyavaranam Hariharatmajam Devamashraye
Meaning:I take refuge in him who removes the fear of birth and death, who brings auspiciousness, enchanter of the worlds, adorned with sacred ash, of white mount and divine elephant.
šš²š®šš¦ššøšš®šæš¤š šøššØšš¦š°š¾šØšØš šš²šššš®š²š šš¾š¤šš°š®šš¹šØš®šą„¤ šš²ššššøš°š šµš¾ššæšµš¾š¹šØš š¹š°šæš¹š°š¾š¤šš®šš š¦ššµš®š¾š¶šš°šÆšą„„
Kalamridusmitam Sundarananam Kalabhakomalam Gatramohanam Kalabhakesari Vajivahanam Hariharatmajam Devamashraye
Meaning:I take refuge in him of gentle smile and lovely face, tender as a young elephant, of enchanting form, lion-like, rider of the horse.
š¶šš°šæš¤ššØšŖšš°šæšÆš ššæšØšš¤šæš¤šŖšš°š¦š š¶šš°šš¤šæšµšæššš·š£š šøš¾š§ššššµšØš®šą„¤ š¶šš°šš¤šæš®šØšš¹š°š ššš¤š²š¾š²šøš š¹š°šæš¹š°š¾š¤šš®šš š¦ššµš®š¾š¶šš°šÆšą„„
Shritajanapriyam Chintitapradam Shrutivibhushanam Sadhujivanam Shrutimanoharam Gitalalasam Hariharatmajam Devamashraye
Meaning:I take refuge in him dear to those who seek him, granter of wishes, ornament of the Vedas, life of the virtuous, ravisher of hearts through the scriptures, fond of song.
Word-by-Word Meaning
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Benefits of Chanting Harivarasanam
The 'urakka paattu' (sleep song) sung as the doors of Sabarimala close each night
An eight-verse refuge prayer to Lord Ayyappa, son of Hari (Vishnu) and Hara (Shiva)
Each verse ends 'Hariharatmajam Devamashraye' ā 'I take refuge in that Lord'
Soothing and slow ā a perfect night prayer to end the day in surrender
Immortalised in the voice of K. J. Yesudas, heard in Ayyappa temples everywhere
How to Chant Harivarasanam
Sing slowly and gently, as a lullaby of surrender, letting each verse close on 'Hariharatmajam Devamashraye'. It is the final prayer of the day at Sabarimala, sung as the sanctum lamp is dimmed and the Lord is laid to rest ā chant it likewise as the last act before sleep.
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