ramavishnumandodariramayana

Mandodari Stuti

मन्दोदरी स्तुति in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 3× repetitions·🕐 Early morning during Rama worship; on Ram Navami and during Ramayana parayana (recitation)·📜 Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 111

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

The Mandodari Stuti is the profound recognition spoken by Mandodari, the chief queen of Ravana, in the Yuddha Kanda of Valmiki's Ramayana (Sarga 111). Standing over the slain body of her husband, her grief gives way to spiritual insight, and she declares that Rama is no ordinary man but Vishnu himself — the eternal Supreme Self, bearer of the conch, discus and mace — who took human form for the good of the worlds. Her lament is treasured as one of the clearest revelations of Rama's divinity within the Ramayana.

Origin & Story

Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 111 · Maharshi Valmiki (the words spoken by Mandodari) · Ancient (Itihasa / Ramayana period)

After Rama slew Ravana on the field of Lanka, the demon king's chief queen Mandodari — daughter of the Asura Maya and renowned for her virtue and wisdom — came to the battlefield and broke into a long lament over her husband's body. Amid her sorrow, her insight pierced through: she recognised that one who had conquered Indra and the three worlds could not be slain by a mere mortal. In these verses she declares that Rama is the eternal Paramatma, Vishnu himself, bearing the conch, discus and mace, who had taken human form surrounded by the gods in the guise of monkeys, in order to relieve the burden of the worlds. She further reproaches Ravana that the very senses he had once mastered to win the three worlds had, in the end, brought about his ruin.

✦ As told in scripture

Tradition holds that Mandodari, though born among the Rakshasas, attained spiritual merit by this very recognition of Rama's divinity at the hour of her deepest grief — turning a lament of loss into a hymn of truth. Devotees say that to behold the Lord even in moments of darkness and defeat, as Mandodari did, is itself the beginning of liberation.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

vyaktam-eṣa mahā-yogī paramātmā sanātanaḥ | anādi-madhya-nidhano mahataḥ paramo mahān ||

Meaning:It is now clear to me: this Rama is the great Yogi, the eternal Supreme Self, without beginning, middle or end, greater than the greatest, the supreme Mahat.

Verse 2

tamasaḥ paramo dhātā śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-dharaḥ | śrīvatsa-vakṣā nitya-śrīr-ajayyaḥ śāśvato dhruvaḥ ||

Meaning:He is the highest sustainer, beyond all darkness, the bearer of conch, discus and mace, his chest marked with the Shrivatsa, ever attended by Shri, unconquerable, eternal and changeless.

Verse 3

mānuṣaṃ rūpam-āsthāya viṣṇuḥ satya-parākramaḥ | sarvaiḥ parivṛto devair-vānaratvam-upāgataiḥ ||

Meaning:Having assumed a human form, he is Vishnu of unfailing valour, surrounded by all the gods who had taken the shape of monkeys to aid him.

Verse 4

sarva-lokeśvaraḥ śrīmān lokānāṃ hita-kāmyayā | sa-rākṣasa-parīvāraṃ hatavāṃs-tvāṃ mahā-dyutiḥ ||

Meaning:That glorious Lord of all the worlds, of mighty splendour, out of his wish for the good of the worlds, has slain you along with your whole host of Rakshasas.

Verse 5

indriyāṇi purā jitvā jitaṃ tri-bhuvanaṃ tvayā | smaradbhir-iva tad-vairam-indriyair-eva nirjitaḥ ||

Meaning:Of old, by conquering your senses you had conquered the three worlds; now, as if remembering that old enmity, it is by those very senses that you have been overcome.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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vyaktam🔊clearly, evidently (it is now plain to me)

eṣa mahā-yogī🔊this (Rama) is the great Yogi, the supreme master of yoga

paramātmā sanātanaḥ🔊the eternal Supreme Self

anādi-madhya-nidhanaḥ🔊without beginning, middle or end

mahataḥ paramo mahān🔊greater than the greatest, the supreme great one

tamasaḥ paramo dhātā🔊the sustainer who is beyond all darkness (ignorance)

śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-dharaḥ🔊the bearer of the conch, discus and mace (Vishnu)

śrīvatsa-vakṣāḥ🔊bearing the Shrivatsa mark upon his chest

nitya-śrīḥ🔊ever accompanied by Shri (Lakshmi), eternally glorious

ajayyaḥ śāśvato dhruvaḥ🔊the unconquerable, the eternal, the changeless

mānuṣaṃ rūpam āsthāya🔊having assumed a human form

viṣṇuḥ satya-parākramaḥ🔊Vishnu, whose valour is ever true

sarvaiḥ parivṛto devaiḥ🔊surrounded by all the gods

vānaratvam upāgataiḥ🔊who had taken the form of monkeys (to assist him)

sarva-lokeśvaraḥ śrīmān🔊the glorious Lord of all the worlds

lokānāṃ hita-kāmyayā🔊out of the desire for the welfare of all the worlds

sa-rākṣasa-parīvāram🔊together with your retinue of demons (Rakshasas)

hatavāṃs-tvāṃ mahā-dyutiḥ🔊that one of great splendour has slain you

indriyāṇi purā jitvā🔊having of old conquered your senses

jitaṃ tri-bhuvanaṃ tvayā🔊you had conquered the three worlds

indriyair-eva nirjitaḥ🔊you have now been undone by those very senses (which avenged their former defeat)

Benefits of Chanting मन्दोदरी स्तुति

✦

Reveals the supreme truth that Lord Rama is none other than Vishnu, the eternal Paramatma

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Inspires the recognition of the divine even amid grief and apparent defeat

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Deepens devotion to Sri Rama as the Lord of all the worlds (Sarva-lokeshvara)

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Teaches the spiritual lesson that mastery of the senses is the true conquest of the three worlds

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Recited to cultivate dispassion (vairagya) and clarity of discernment (viveka)

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Cherished by devotees of the Ramayana as a hymn of awakening and surrender

How to Chant मन्दोदरी स्तुति

Repetitions3times

Best TimeEarly morning during Rama worship; on Ram Navami and during Ramayana parayana (recitation)

Recite these verses calmly after meditating on the form of Sri Rama bearing the conch, discus and mace as Vishnu. Reflect on Mandodari's awakening — that beneath the human form of Rama stands the eternal Supreme Self. The verses are best chanted as part of a Yuddha Kanda parayana or during Rama bhajan, with the heart turned toward recognition of the Lord's divinity and the futility of pride.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete मन्दोदरी स्तुति written in the English script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

It is the lament and recognition spoken by Mandodari, the principal queen of Ravana, over her husband's dead body in the Yuddha Kanda of the Valmiki Ramayana (Sarga 111). In it she realises and proclaims that Rama, who slew Ravana, is in truth Lord Vishnu, the eternal Supreme Being, descended in human form.

Mandodari was wise and far-seeing. Seeing that her husband — who had conquered the gods and the three worlds — could be killed only by Rama, she understood that Rama must be the Supreme Lord himself. She describes him with the unmistakable marks of Vishnu: the conch, discus and mace, the Shrivatsa on his chest, and the constant presence of Shri (Lakshmi).

It teaches that true victory lies in conquering the senses, not the world. Mandodari observes that Ravana had won the three worlds by first mastering his senses, but was finally undone when those same senses (his desire for Sita) overcame him. The verses point to discernment, dispassion and recognition of the Divine.

It appears in the Yuddha Kanda (the Book of War) of Valmiki's Ramayana, in Sarga 111, immediately after the death of Ravana, as Mandodari mourns and beholds the divine nature of the one who vanquished him.