शारदा भुजङ्गम् — Benefits & How to Chant
शारदा भुजङ्गम्
Complete guide to chanting correctly for maximum benefit
Benefits of Chanting शारदा भुजङ्गम्
Invokes the grace of Goddess Sharada (Saraswati) for knowledge, memory and eloquence
Especially powerful during Navaratri and on Mahanavami for students and seekers
Bestows mastery in music, dance, poetry and all the arts (kalas)
The melodious bhujangaprayata metre calms and concentrates the mind for study
Removes mental dullness and kindles intuitive wisdom and discrimination
Recited at Sringeri Sharada Peetham and by followers of Adi Shankaracharya for divine blessings
Deepens devotion to the Divine Mother as the source of all learning
How to Chant शारदा भुजङ्गम्
Instructions
Sit facing east or north before an image of Goddess Sharada or Saraswati, ideally with a book, veena or musical instrument placed before you. Chant the eight verses melodiously, observing the flowing bhujangaprayata rhythm. Recite all eight verses as one continuous offering, completing with the refrain 'Bhaje Sharadambam Ajasram Madambam'. Daily recitation for nine days of Navaratri is especially recommended for students and artists.
Spiritual Significance
Tradition at Sringeri holds that Goddess Sharada herself accompanied Adi Shankaracharya and made the seat her permanent abode, blessing sincere devotees with the gift of speech and learning. Devotees relate that those who were dull or mute have, through her grace and the recitation of such hymns, become eloquent and wise — echoing the hymn's praise of her as the one before whom even silent tongues find voice.
Origin & History
Source: Composed by Adi Shankaracharya (Shankaracharya virachita); preserved in the Stotra tradition and at the Sringeri Sharada Peetham
Author: Adi Shankaracharya (8th century CE)
Adi Shankaracharya, the great Advaita teacher, established four monastic seats (mathas) across India, the southern one being at Sringeri in Karnataka, where he consecrated Goddess Sharada. This Bhujanga Prayata Ashtakam is his ecstatic eight-verse hymn to her, composed in the lilting bhujangaprayata metre. Each verse paints the Mother in loving detail — her nectar-giving form, her compassionate glance, her rosary and book, her mounts and her enchanting smile — and surrenders to her as 'my own Mother', making it one of the most beloved Saraswati hymns in the Shankara tradition.