Gauri Dashakam
गौरीदशकम् in English · English
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✦ Meaning
The Gauri Dashakam is a profound ten-verse hymn by Adi Shankaracharya to Goddess Gauri (Parvati / Ambika). Each verse ends with the refrain 'I adore Gauri, the lotus-eyed Mother', and together they portray her as the Supreme Power who creates and dissolves the worlds in play, who is Sat-Chit-Ananda, who rises as Kundalini through the chakras, and who is inseparable from Shiva as half his body. An eleventh phala-shruti verse promises eloquence, prosperity and devotion to Shiva for those who recite it at dawn.
Origin & Story
Devotional hymn attributed to Adi Shankaracharya (Shakta / Advaita tradition) · Adi Shankaracharya · c. 8th century CE (traditional attribution)
The Gauri Dashakam reflects Adi Shankaracharya's vision of the Goddess as Brahman itself in its dynamic, creative aspect (Shakti). While teaching the non-dual Absolute, Shankara composed many hymns to the Divine Mother; here he praises Gauri as the lotus-eyed Mother who is at once the transcendent Sat-Chit-Ananda sought by yogis and the gracious deity dwelling with Shiva on Kailasa. The hymn weaves together Advaitic metaphysics, Kundalini yoga and tender devotion.
✦ As told in scripture
Devotees and traditional commentators hold that, true to its phala-shruti, sincere daily recitation of the Gauri Dashakam at dawn confers vak-siddhi — the power of effective, truthful speech — so that the words of the reciter come to carry weight and bear fruit, along with prosperity and unwavering devotion to Shiva.
Complete Text with Meaning
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līlārabdhasthāpitaluptākhilalokāṃ lokātītairyogibhirantaściramṛgyām | bālādityaśreṇisamānadyutipuñjāṃ gaurīmambāmamburuhākṣīmahamīḍe || 1||
Meaning:1. I adore Gauri, the lotus-eyed Mother, who in mere play creates, sustains and withdraws all the worlds, whom world-transcending yogis long seek within, a mass of light like a row of rising suns.
pratyāhāradhyānasamādhisthitibhājāṃ nityaṃ citte nirvṛtikāṣṭhāṃ kalayantīm | satyajñānānandamayīṃ tāṃ tanurūpāṃ gaurīmambāmamburuhākṣīmahamīḍe || 2||
Meaning:2. I adore the lotus-eyed Mother Gauri, who is the very summit of bliss in the hearts of those steeped in pratyahara, meditation and samadhi — she who is of the nature of Truth, Knowledge and Bliss, and yet wears a gracious form.
candrāpīḍānanditamandasmitavaktrāṃ candrāpīḍālaṅkṛtanīlālakabhārām | indropendrādyarcitapādāmburuhāṃ tāṃ gaurīmambāmamburuhākṣīmahamīḍe || 3||
Meaning:3. I adore the lotus-eyed Mother Gauri, whose face is brightened by a gentle smile and crowned with the moon, whose mass of dark curls is adorned by the crescent, and whose lotus feet are worshipped by Indra, Vishnu and the foremost gods.
ādikṣāntāmakṣaramūrtyā vilasantīṃ bhūte bhūte bhūtakadambaprasavitrīm | śabdabrahmānandamayīṃ tāṃ taṭidābhāṃ gaurīmambāmamburuhākṣīmahamīḍe || 4||
Meaning:4. I adore the lotus-eyed Mother Gauri, who shines as the embodiment of all letters from 'a' to 'ksha', who in every element is the mother that brings forth the multitude of beings, who is the bliss of the Sound-Absolute, radiant as lightning.
mūlādhārādutthitarūpāṃ śaśināḍī- madhyākāśe śuddhamarīciṃ prakaṭantīm | haste mudrāmakṣavalīṃ pustakamambāṃ gaurīmambāmamburuhākṣīmahamīḍe || 5||
Meaning:5. I adore the lotus-eyed Mother Gauri, whose form rises from the root-chakra, manifesting pure radiance in the space of the central (Sushumna/moon) channel, bearing in her hands the mudra, the rosary of beads and the book.
nityaḥ śuddho niṣkala eko jagadīśaḥ sākṣī yasyāḥ sargavidhau saṃharaṇe ca | viśvatrāṇakrīḍanalolāṃ śivapatnīṃ gaurīmambāmamburuhākṣīmahamīḍe || 6||
Meaning:6. I adore the lotus-eyed Mother Gauri, the consort of Shiva — that eternal, pure, partless, one Lord of the universe who is but the witness in her acts of creation and dissolution — she who delights in the playful protection of the worlds.
yasyāḥ kukṣau līnamakhaṇḍaṃ jagadaṇḍaṃ bhūyo bhūyaḥ prādurabhūdutthitameva | patyā sārdhaṃ tāṃ rajatādrau nivasantīṃ gaurīmambāmamburuhākṣīmahamīḍe || 7||
Meaning:7. I adore the lotus-eyed Mother Gauri, in whose womb the undivided cosmic egg lies merged and from whom, again and again, it issues forth anew — she who dwells with her Lord upon the silver mountain (Kailasa).
yasyāmotaṃ protamaśeṣaṃ maṇimālā- sūtre yadvatkvāpi caraṃ cāpyacaraṃ ca | tāṃ sarvajñāṃ sarvagatāṃ satyavirūpāṃ gaurīmambāmamburuhākṣīmahamīḍe || 8||
Meaning:8. I adore the lotus-eyed Mother Gauri, in whom all that moves and moves not is woven through and through, like gems strung upon a single thread — the all-knowing, all-pervading One, whose form is Truth itself.
nānākāraiḥ śaktikadambairbhuvanāni vyāpya svairaṃ krīḍati yaiṣā svayamekā | kalyāṇīṃ tāṃ kalpalatāmānatibhājāṃ gaurīmambāmamburuhākṣīmahamīḍe || 9||
Meaning:9. I adore the lotus-eyed Mother Gauri, who, alone and one, pervades all the worlds with her hosts of diverse powers and sports at will — the auspicious Kalyani, a wish-fulfilling creeper to those who bow before her.
āśāpāśakleśavināśaṃ vidadhānāṃ pādāmbhojadhyānaparāṇāṃ puruṣāṇām | īśāmīśārdhāṅgaharāṃ tāmabhirāmāṃ gaurīmambāmamburuhākṣīmahamīḍe || 10||
Meaning:10. I adore the lovely lotus-eyed Mother Gauri, who destroys the snare and torment of desire for those devoted to meditating on her lotus feet — she, the sovereign Goddess, who claims half the body of the Lord.
prātaḥkāle bhāvaviśuddhaḥ praṇidhānāt bhaktyā nityaṃ jalpati gaurīdaśakaṃ yaḥ | vācāṃ siddhiṃ sampadamagryāṃ śivabhaktiṃ tasya prayacchatyacirānmātṛsametā || 11||
Meaning:11. To the one who, with a heart made pure, recites this Gauri Dashakam daily at dawn with devotion and concentration, the Mother (together with the Lord) swiftly grants mastery of speech, foremost prosperity and devotion to Shiva.
Word-by-Word Meaning
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Benefits of Chanting गौरीदशकम्
Grants mastery and power of speech (vacham siddhi), as promised in the phala-shruti verse
Bestows foremost prosperity (sampadam agryam) and steadfast devotion to Shiva
A deep philosophical hymn uniting Advaita (Sat-Chit-Ananda) with devotion to the Divine Mother
Aids meditation and the inner ascent of Kundalini through the chakras (verse five)
Cultivates a pure, concentrated mind when recited at dawn with devotion
Invokes Gauri as both the transcendent Brahman-Shakti and the gracious, lotus-eyed Mother
Removes the bondage and torment of worldly desire (asha-pasha) for sincere seekers
How to Chant गौरीदशकम्
As stated in the closing verse, recite the Gauri Dashakam at dawn (pratahkale) with a purified heart (bhava-vishuddha) and one-pointed concentration (pranidhana). Sit facing east before an image of Gauri/Parvati, recite the ten verses slowly while contemplating their meaning, and finish with the eleventh phala-shruti verse. Daily recitation is the traditional practice for gaining its fruits of eloquence, prosperity and devotion.
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