श्री मल्लिकार्जुन मंगलाशासनम् — Benefits & How to Chant
श्री मल्लिकार्जुन मंगलाशासनम्
Complete guide to chanting correctly for maximum benefit
Benefits of Chanting श्री मल्लिकार्जुन मंगलाशासनम्
Invokes the auspicious blessings (mangalam) and grace of Lord Mallikarjuna, the Srisailam Jyotirlinga
Said to fulfil cherished desires, as the first verse calls him 'kāmitārtha-pradāyī'
the bestower of all that is wished
Honours both the Jyotirlinga (Mallikarjuna) and the Shakti Peetha (Bhramaramba) together, harmonising Shiva and Shakti worship
Recited as a concluding 'mangala' hymn at the end of Shiva puja or Srisailam worship to seal the rite with auspiciousness
Cultivates devotion and a sense of pilgrimage to the sacred mountain of Srisailam even from afar
Traditionally held to bring prosperity, protection and ultimately liberation (mukti), as praised in the fourth verse
How to Chant श्री मल्लिकार्जुन मंगलाशासनम्
Instructions
Recite all six verses with devotion, facing east or a Shiva Lingam. The first four verses each close with 'śrī-girīśāya maṅgalam' — let each be an offering of blessing to the Lord of Srisailam. The fifth verse names the many shrines, deities and tirthas of the holy mountain, and the sixth is a final bow to the Srisaila Lingam. It is often chanted at the very end of worship as a mangala (auspicious closing). Those who have visited or wish to visit Srisailam may mentally offer the hymn at the feet of Mallikarjuna and Bhramaramba.
Spiritual Significance
Tradition holds that even the gods worship at Srisailam, and that a mere darshan of the Mallikarjuna Lingam destroys lifetimes of sin. It is said that those who behold the summit of Srisailam (Sikhara-darshan) are freed from rebirth — a glory the fifth verse celebrates by naming 'Shikhareshwara', the Lord of the peak.
Origin & History
Source: Shaiva stotra tradition of Srisailam; popularly attributed to Adi Shankaracharya
Author: Adi Shankaracharya (traditional attribution)
Srisailam, set amid the Nallamala hills on the Krishna river, is among the most ancient and revered shrines of Lord Shiva, where he is worshipped as Mallikarjuna ('Arjuna worshipped with jasmine / mallika') and his consort as Bhramaramba. It is at once one of the twelve Jyotirlingas and one of the eighteen Maha Shakti Peethas. Devotees and acharyas have long offered 'mangalam' hymns here, blessing the Lord and the holy mountain. This Mangalashasanam, attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, weaves together the Lord's grace-bestowing nature and the many sacred shrines, fords and forms found upon Srisailam.