𑌧𑌰𑍍𑌮𑌶𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌾 𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍋𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌮𑍍 (𑌲𑍋𑌕𑌵𑍀𑌰𑌂 𑌮𑌹𑌾𑌪𑍂𑌜𑍍𑌯𑌮𑍍)
धर्मशास्ता स्तोत्रम् (लोकवीरं महापूज्यम्) in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥
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Origin & Story
Traditional Ayyappa / Sri Dharma Shasta Namaskara Slokam · Traditional
The Dharma Shasta Stotram, universally known by its opening words 'Loka Veeram Mahapoojyam', is the most widely recited prayer of salutation to Lord Ayyappa, the deity of Sabarimala. Ayyappa is worshipped as Hariharaputra — the son born of Hari (Vishnu, as Mohini) and Hara (Shiva) — and as Manikanta, raised in the Pandya royal household, and as Bhutanatha, the lord of all beings. In five verses the hymn salutes him as the world's hero, protector of all, remover of obstacles, destroyer of enemies and lord of Kerala, each verse sealed with the bow 'Shastaram Pranamamyaham'. It is chanted daily by his devotees and resounds throughout the Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season with the cry 'Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa'.
✦ As told in scripture
Ayyappa devotees hold that this prayer of prostration, recited with faith through the 41-day vratam, draws the Lord's protecting grace upon the household — scattering enemies and obstacles as Shasta once subdued the demoness Mahishi, and carrying the pilgrim safely to his darshan upon the eighteen sacred steps of Sabarimala.
Complete Text with Meaning
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𑌲𑍋𑌕𑌵𑍀𑌰𑌂 𑌮𑌹𑌾𑌪𑍂𑌜𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌾𑌕𑌰𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌭𑍁𑌮𑍍 । 𑌪𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌤𑍀𑌹𑍃𑌦𑌯𑌾𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌂 𑌶𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌰𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌣𑌮𑌾𑌮𑍍𑌯𑌹𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௧॥
lokavīraṃ mahāpūjyaṃ sarvarakṣākaraṃ vibhum | pārvatīhṛdayānandaṃ śāstāraṃ praṇamāmyaham || 1||
Meaning:मैं शास्ता को प्रणाम करता हूँ — लोकवीर, परम पूज्य, समस्त प्राणियों की रक्षा करने वाले सर्वव्यापी प्रभु, पार्वती के हृदय के आनन्दस्वरूप।
𑌵𑌿𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌪𑍂𑌜𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌵𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌣𑍁𑌶𑌮𑍍𑌭𑍋𑌃 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑌂 𑌸𑍁𑌤𑌮𑍍 । 𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌿𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌸𑌾𑌦𑌨𑌿𑌰𑌤𑌂 𑌶𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌰𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌣𑌮𑌾𑌮𑍍𑌯𑌹𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௨॥
viprapūjyaṃ viśvavandyaṃ viṣṇuśambhoḥ priyaṃ sutam | kṣipraprasādaniratam śāstāraṃ praṇamāmyaham || 2||
Meaning:मैं शास्ता को प्रणाम करता हूँ — ब्राह्मणों से पूजित, समस्त विश्व से वन्दित, विष्णु और शम्भु (शिव) के प्रिय पुत्र (हरिहरपुत्र), शीघ्र ही कृपा प्रदान करने में तत्पर।
𑌮𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌮𑌾𑌤𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌗𑌮𑌨𑌂 𑌕𑌾𑌰𑍁𑌣𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌮𑍃𑌤𑌪𑍂𑌰𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍 । 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌵𑌿𑌘𑍍𑌨𑌹𑌰𑌂 𑌦𑍇𑌵𑌂 𑌶𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌰𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌣𑌮𑌾𑌮𑍍𑌯𑌹𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௩॥
mattamātaṅgagamanaṃ kāruṇyāmṛtapūritam | sarvavighnaharaṃ devaṃ śāstāraṃ praṇamāmyaham || 3||
Meaning:मैं शास्ता को प्रणाम करता हूँ — मतवाले हाथी की चाल से चलने वाले, करुणामृत से परिपूर्ण, समस्त विघ्नों को हरने वाले देव।
𑌅𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌤𑍍𑌕𑍁𑌲𑍇𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌂 𑌦𑍇𑌵𑌂 𑌅𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌚𑍍𑌛𑌤𑍍𑌰𑍁𑌵𑌿𑌨𑌾𑌶𑌨𑌮𑍍 । 𑌅𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌦𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌦𑌾𑌤𑌾𑌰𑌂 𑌶𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌰𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌣𑌮𑌾𑌮𑍍𑌯𑌹𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௪॥
asmatkuleśvaraṃ devaṃ asmacchatruvināśanam | asmadiṣṭapradātāraṃ śāstāraṃ praṇamāmyaham || 4||
Meaning:मैं शास्ता को प्रणाम करता हूँ — हमारे कुल के ईश्वर, हमारे शत्रुओं के विनाशक, हमारी इष्ट कामनाओं को प्रदान करने वाले।
𑌪𑌾𑌣𑍍𑌡𑍍𑌯𑌵𑌂𑌶𑌸𑌮𑍁𑌦𑍍𑌭𑍂𑌤𑌂 𑌦𑍇𑌵𑌂 𑌕𑍇𑌰𑌲𑌨𑌾𑌯𑌕𑌮𑍍 । 𑌭𑍂𑌤𑌨𑌾𑌥𑌂 𑌸𑌦𑌾𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌂 𑌶𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌰𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌣𑌮𑌾𑌮𑍍𑌯𑌹𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௫॥
pāṇḍyavaṃśasamudbhūtaṃ devaṃ keralanāyakam | bhūtanāthaṃ sadānandaṃ śāstāraṃ praṇamāmyaham || 5||
Meaning:मैं शास्ता को प्रणाम करता हूँ — पाण्ड्यवंश में प्रकट हुए, केरल के नायक, समस्त भूतों के नाथ (भूतनाथ), सदा आनन्दमय।
Word-by-Word Meaning
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Benefits of Chanting धर्मशास्ता स्तोत्रम् (लोकवीरं महापूज्यम्)
The principal Namaskara Slokam (prayer of prostration) to Lord Ayyappa / Sri Dharma Shasta — a complete daily prayer in five verses
Each verse offers a bow to the Lord and closes with 'Shastaram Pranamamyaham', 'I bow to Shasta'
Adores Ayyappa as Hariharaputra, son of Vishnu and Shiva, protector of all, remover of every obstacle
Invoked for protection, the destruction of enemies, and the swift fulfilment of cherished desires
Recited daily by Ayyappa devotees and central to the Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage to Sabarimala
Cultivates surrender, courage and devotion, fitting the discipline of the 41-day Ayyappa vratam
How to Chant धर्मशास्ता स्तोत्रम् (लोकवीरं महापूज्यम्)
Bathe and sit before an image of Lord Ayyappa, ideally after lighting a lamp. Recite the five verses with the refrain 'Shastaram Pranamamyaham', bowing at each. Devotees observing the Ayyappa vratam chant it morning and evening, often followed by 'Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa'. It is a prayer of prostration, so recite it slowly and reverently, prostrating before the Lord.
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