Bhramaramba Ashtakam
भ्रमराम्बाष्टकम् in English · English
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✦ Meaning
The Bhramaramba Ashtakam is a celebrated eight-verse hymn by Adi Shankaracharya to Goddess Bhramaramba (Bhramarambika), the Shakti of Lord Mallikarjuna at the Srisailam Shakti Peetha in Andhra Pradesh. Composed when Shankara visited Srisailam, each verse vividly describes the Mother's beauty, her presence in the six chakras and the Sri Chakra, and her cosmic glory, ending with the refrain 'I meditate on the Goddess, the divine Mother who dwells at Srisailam.' The eighth verse beautifully strings together her names beginning with the syllable 'ga'.
Origin & Story
Devotional hymn attributed to Adi Shankaracharya (associated with the Srisailam Shakti Peetha) · Adi Shankaracharya · c. 8th century CE (traditional attribution)
Srisailam, on the banks of the Krishna river in Andhra Pradesh, is unique as both a Jyotirlinga (Mallikarjuna) and a Maha Shakti Peetha (Bhramaramba). The Goddess is celebrated as Bhramari, who took the form of a swarm of bees to slay the demon Arunasura. Adi Shankaracharya, on his pilgrimage to this great kshetra, is traditionally said to have composed the Bhramaramba Ashtakam in her praise, weaving together her beauty, her presence in the Sri Vidya tradition, and her identity with the cosmic Mother.
✦ As told in scripture
According to the Devi Mahatmya and local tradition, when the demon Arunasura — invincible against all two- and four-legged creatures — terrorised the worlds, the Goddess assumed the form of countless bees (bhramara) and destroyed him, thus becoming Bhramaramba. Devotees hold that meditating on her through this Ashtakam at Srisailam dissolves the six inner enemies and grants the Mother's swift protection.
Complete Text with Meaning
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cāñcalyāruṇalocanāñcitakṛpācandrārkapaṭṭodarāṃ cārusmeramukhīṃ carācarajagatsaṃrakṣaṇīṃ tatparām | nityaṃ cinmayakaustubhaprabhṛtibhirbhūṣāmaṇībhūṣitāṃ śrīśailasthalavāsinīṃ bhagavatīṃ śrīmātaraṃ bhāvaye || 1||
Meaning:1. I meditate on the Goddess, the divine Mother who dwells at Srisailam — with restless reddish eyes brimming with grace, her form like a tablet of moon and sun, with a lovely smiling face, ever intent on protecting the whole world of moving and unmoving beings, adorned with jewels such as the Kaustubha of pure Consciousness.
kastūrītilakāñcitenduvilasatprodbhāsiphālasthalīṃ karpūradravamiśracūrṇakhadirāmodollasadvīṭikām | lolāpāṅgataraṅgitairadhikṛpāsārairnatānandinīṃ śrīśailasthalavāsinīṃ bhagavatīṃ śrīmātaraṃ bhāvaye || 2||
Meaning:2. I meditate on the divine Mother of Srisailam — her brow shining with a musk tilaka bright as the moon, enjoying a betel-roll fragrant with camphor and catechu, gladdening those who bow with waves of abundant grace flowing from the corners of her rolling eyes.
rājanmattamarālamandagamanāṃ rājīvapatrekṣaṇāṃ rājīvaprabhavādidevamakuṭairārādhitāṃghridvayām | rājīvāyatamandahāsavadanāṃ rākendubimbānanāṃ śrīśailasthalavāsinīṃ bhagavatīṃ śrīmātaraṃ bhāvaye || 3||
Meaning:3. I meditate on the divine Mother of Srisailam — moving gently as a regal, joyful swan, with eyes like lotus petals, her pair of feet worshipped by the crowns of Brahma and the foremost gods, her face bearing a soft lotus-like smile, radiant as the orb of the full moon.
ṣaṭtāraṅgaṇadīpikāṃ śivasatīṃ ṣaḍvairivargāpahāṃ ṣaṭcakrāntarasaṃsthitāṃ varasudhāṃ ṣaḍyoginīveṣṭitām | ṣaṭkoṇāntaravartinīṃ suranutāṃ ṣaḍbhāvagāṃ ṣaṇmukhīṃ śrīśailasthalavāsinīṃ bhagavatīṃ śrīmātaraṃ bhāvaye || 4||
Meaning:4. I meditate on the divine Mother of Srisailam — the lamp of the six stars, the chaste consort of Shiva, remover of the six inner foes (lust, anger, greed, delusion, pride, envy), abiding within the six chakras as the supreme nectar, encircled by the six yoginis, dwelling within the six-cornered yantra, praised by the gods, present in the six states, the six-faced one.
śrīnāthādṛtapālitatribhuvanāṃ śrīcakrasañcāriṇīṃ jñānāsaktamanojayogamahitāṃ śrībindunādapriyām | mātaṅgīṃ madhupānalolamanasaṃ māheśvarīṃ śrīpradāṃ śrīśailasthalavāsinīṃ bhagavatīṃ śrīmātaraṃ bhāvaye || 5||
Meaning:5. I meditate on the divine Mother of Srisailam — who, cherished by the Lord of Shri (Vishnu/Shiva), protects the three worlds, who moves within the Sri Chakra, honoured by the yoga of the mind devoted to knowledge, beloved of the Bindu and Nada, who is Matangi, her mind delighting in the nectar-draught, the great Maheshwari, bestower of prosperity.
lāvaṇyādhikabhūṣitāṅgalatikāṃ lākṣārasārañjitāṃ sevāyātasamastadevavanitāṃ sīmātigāsthāṃ śivām | vāṇīvallabhavāsavaprabhṛtibhiḥ saṃsevitāṅghridvayāṃ śrīśailasthalavāsinīṃ bhagavatīṃ śrīmātaraṃ bhāvaye || 6||
Meaning:6. I meditate on the divine Mother of Srisailam — her creeper-like body adorned with surpassing loveliness, tinged with red lac, attended by all the women of the gods who come to serve her, abiding beyond all bounds, the auspicious Shiva-Shakti, her two feet served by Brahma, Indra and the rest.
dhanyāṃ somavibhāvanīyacaritāṃ dhātrādisampūjitāṃ vedāntapratipāditāṃ bhagavatīṃ śrīśambhusammānitām | nityaṃ brahmamukhaprakīrtitayaśāṃ śrīnāradādyaiḥ stutāṃ śrīśailasthalavāsinīṃ bhagavatīṃ śrīmātaraṃ bhāvaye || 7||
Meaning:7. I meditate on the divine Mother of Srisailam — the blessed one whose deeds are worthy of contemplation like the moon, worshipped by Brahma and the gods, expounded by Vedanta, honoured by Shri Shambhu (Shiva), her fame ever sung by the mouth of Brahma, praised by Narada and the other sages.
gāyatrīṃ garuḍadhvajāṃ gaganagāṃ gāndharvagānapriyāṃ gambhīrāṃ gajagāminīṃ girisutāṃ gandhākṣatālaṅkṛtām | gaṅgāgautamagargasannutapadāṃ gāṃ gautamīṃ gomatīṃ śrīśailasthalavāsinīṃ bhagavatīṃ śrīmātaraṃ bhāvaye || 8||
Meaning:8. I meditate on the divine Mother of Srisailam — who is Gayatri, who bears Garuda on her banner, who moves through the sky, who loves celestial (Gandharva) song, the profound one, moving with an elephant's grace, the daughter of the mountain, adorned with sandal and sacred rice, whose feet are praised by Ganga and sages Gautama and Garga — who is the Earth (Go), the Gautami (Godavari) and the Gomati.
Word-by-Word Meaning
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Benefits of Chanting भ्रमराम्बाष्टकम्
Invokes Bhramaramba of Srisailam, one of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas, in a concise eight-verse form
The fourth verse prays to the Goddess as the remover of the six inner foes (lust, anger, greed, delusion, pride, envy)
Cultivates devotion and meditative visualisation of the Divine Mother (each verse is a 'bhavaye' — 'I meditate')
Aids inner ascent, describing the Goddess as present in the six chakras and the Sri Chakra
Believed to bestow protection, prosperity (Shri-prada) and the Mother's all-encompassing grace
Especially powerful for pilgrims and devotees of the Srisailam Mallikarjuna-Bhramaramba kshetra
Its rich Sanskrit and alliteration (the 'ga' and 'sha' verses) make it a beloved hymn for chanting
How to Chant भ्रमराम्बाष्टकम्
Recite the eight verses seated before an image of Bhramaramba or the Devi, ideally after a bath and lighting a lamp, offering kumkum and flowers. Each verse is a meditation ('bhavaye') — visualise the Mother as described, dwelling at Srisailam, present in the chakras and the Sri Chakra. The hymn may be recited once or 3, 9 or 11 times. It is especially auspicious during a pilgrimage to the Srisailam Shakti Peetha.
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