Sri Rudram Chamakam
श्री रुद्रं चमकम् in English · English
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Origin & Story
Krishna Yajurveda, Taittiriya Samhita 4.7 (Chamakaprashna) · Vedic rishis (apaurusheya — received, not composed) · c. 1200-1000 BCE
Chamakam forms the seventh prashna of the fourth kanda of the Taittiriya Samhita, paired since Vedic times with the Rudram-Namakam of the fifth prashna. Where Namakam bows, Chamakam asks: in eleven anuvakas the devotee requests from Rudra everything a human life can need — the breaths and the senses, grains and cattle, gold and dwelling, courage and fame, truth and immortality — each item joined by the refrain 'cha me', 'and may this be mine'. The hymn ends with a meditation on the numbers that build the cosmos and the prayer to think, speak and carry only honey — sweetness — to gods and men. It remains the most complete 'wish-list' in the Vedas, sanctified because every wish is asked through the sacrifice.
✦ As told in scripture
Chamakam may be the most comprehensive prayer ever composed: in eleven short sections it asks for 347 distinct blessings — from breakfast grains and farm animals to fearlessness, truth and immortality. Its genius is the tiny refrain 'cha me' ('and this too be mine'), which turns an inventory of human needs into a meditation: everything, from lentils to liberation, is received from the same divine source. Its closing ladder of numbers — odd to 33, even to 48 — has been read for centuries as a symbolic map of how the One unfolds into the manifold universe.
Complete Text with Meaning
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|| Prathama anuvaka || Om agnavishnu sajoshasema vardhantu vam girah | Dyumnairvajebhiragatam | Vajashcha me prasavashcha me prayatishcha me prasitishcha me Dhitishcha me kratushcha me svarashcha me shlokashcha me Shravashcha me shrutishcha me jyotishcha me suvashcha me Pranashcha mepanashcha me vyanashcha mesushcha me Chittam cha ma adhitam cha me vakcha me manashcha me Chakshushcha me shrotram cha me dakshashcha me balam cha ma Ojashcha me sahashcha ma ayushcha me jara cha ma Atma cha me tanushcha me sharma cha me varma cha Mengani cha mesthani cha me parugmshi cha me Sharirani cha me || 1 ||
Meaning:Om, may Agni and Vishnu, well pleased together, accept our words of praise and come to us with radiance and nourishment. The first anuvaka then begins the great litany of 'cha me' — 'may this be granted to me' — asking for food and vigour, divine impulse, effort and aspiration, thought, will, speech and mind, eyes and ears, the vital breaths (prana, apana, vyana), skill, strength, power, long life and honoured old age, the self, the body, protection, and healthy limbs, bones and bodies.
|| Dvitiya anuvaka || Jyaishthyam cha ma adhipatyam cha me manyushcha me Bhamashcha memashcha membhashcha me jema cha me Mahima cha me varima cha me prathima cha me Varshma cha me draghuya cha me vriddham cha me Vriddhishcha me satyam cha me shraddha cha me jagachcha me Dhanam cha me vashashcha me tvishishcha me krida cha me Modashcha me jatam cha me janishyamanam cha me Suktam cha me sukritam cha me vittam cha me Vedyam cha me bhutam cha me bhavishyachcha me Sugam cha me supatham cha ma riddham cha ma Riddhishcha me kluptam cha me kluptishcha me Matishcha me sumatishcha me || 2 ||
Meaning:The second anuvaka prays for the qualities of inner and outer sovereignty: pre-eminence and lordship, righteous force, dignity, abundant waters, victory, greatness, breadth, height and stature, growth and increase, truth and faith. It further asks for the world's goods — wealth, mastery, radiance, play and joy, all that is born and yet to be born, good hymns and good deeds, present and future prosperity, easy roads, success (riddhi), order, and clear and benevolent intelligence.
|| Tritiya anuvaka || Sham cha me mayashcha me priyam cha menukamashcha me Kamashcha me saumanasashcha me bhadram cha me shreyashcha me Vasyashcha me yashashcha me bhagashcha me dravinam cha me Yanta cha me dharta cha me kshemashcha me dhritishcha me Vishvam cha me mahashcha me samvichcha me jnatram cha me Sushcha me prasushcha me siram cha me layashcha ma Ritam cha memritam cha meyakshmam cha Menamayachcha me jivatushcha me dirghayutvam cha Menamitram cha mebhayam cha me sugam cha me Shayanam cha me susha cha me sudinam cha me || 3 ||
Meaning:Here the seeker asks for happiness and delight (sham and mayah), for what is dear, for desire and its fulfilment, kindness of heart, welfare and betterment, comfort, fame and fortune. He prays for a guide and a supporter, for security and steadfastness, for universal knowledge and the power of understanding, and then for the deepest gifts — cosmic truth (ritam) and immortality (amritam), freedom from disease and illness, long life, freedom from enmity, fearlessness, restful sleep, beautiful dawns and good days.
|| Chaturtha anuvaka || Urkcha me sunrita cha me payashcha me rasashcha me Ghritam cha me madhu cha me sagdhishcha me sapitishcha me Krishishcha me vrishtishcha me jaitram cha ma audbhidyam cha me Rayishcha me rayashcha me pushtam cha me pushtishcha me Vibhu cha me prabhu cha me bahu cha me bhuyashcha me Purnam cha me purnataram cha mekshitishcha me Kuyavashcha mennam cha mekshuchcha me vrihayashcha me Yavashcha me mashashcha me tilashcha me mudgashcha me Khalvashcha me godhumashcha me masurashcha me Priyangavashcha menavashcha me shyamakashcha me Nivarashcha me || 4 ||
Meaning:The fourth anuvaka is the prayer for food in all its forms: the essence of nourishment, kind speech, milk, sap, ghee and honey, meals eaten and drunk in good company, agriculture and rain, victorious land and the produce that springs from it, wealth and prosperity, plenty and ever more, fullness and greater fullness, and imperishability. It ends by naming the grains themselves — rice, barley, black gram, sesame, green gram, khalva, wheat, lentils, and the millets priyangu, anu, shyamaka and wild nivara.
|| Panchama anuvaka || Ashma cha me mrittika cha me girayashcha me parvatashcha me Sikatashcha me vanaspatayashcha me hiranyam cha Meyashcha me sisam cha me trapushcha me shyamam cha me Loham cha megnishcha ma apashcha me virudhashcha ma Oshadhayashcha me krishtapachyam cha mekrishtapachyam cha me Gramyashcha me pashava aranyashcha yajnena kalpantam Vittam cha me vittishcha me bhutam cha me bhutishcha me Vasu cha me vasatishcha me karma cha me shaktishcha Merthashcha ma emashcha ma itishcha me gatishcha me || 5 ||
Meaning:This anuvaka asks for the mineral and living wealth of the earth: stone and clay, hills and mountains, sands and forest trees, gold and iron, lead, tin and copper, fire and water, creepers and healing herbs, the produce of tilled and untilled land. May village and forest animals be secured to me through the yajna; may I have wealth and the winning of wealth, well-being and its increase, goods and a good dwelling, action and the capacity for it, purpose, attainment, movement and a goal.
|| Shashthama anuvaka || Agnishcha ma indrashcha me somashcha ma indrashcha me Savita cha ma indrashcha me sarasvati cha ma indrashcha me Pusha cha ma indrashcha me brihaspatishcha ma indrashcha me Mitrashcha ma indrashcha me varunashcha ma indrashcha me Tvashta cha ma indrashcha me dhata cha ma indrashcha me Vishnushcha ma indrashcha meshvinau cha ma indrashcha me Marutashcha ma indrashcha me vishve cha me deva indrashcha me Prithivi cha ma indrashcha mentariksham cha ma indrashcha me Dyaushcha ma indrashcha me dishashcha ma indrashcha me Murdha cha ma indrashcha me prajapatishcha ma indrashcha me || 6 ||
Meaning:In the sixth anuvaka every blessing is asked together with Indra, the lord of divine energy: may Agni and Indra be mine, Soma and Indra, Savitr and Indra, Sarasvati and Indra, Pushan, Brihaspati, Mitra, Varuna, Tvashtr, Dhatr, Vishnu, the two Ashvins, the Maruts and the Vishvedevas, each paired with Indra. Even earth, atmosphere and heaven, the directions, the summit of all things, and Prajapati himself are sought with Indra — for without the power the gifts cannot be held.
|| Saptama anuvaka || Agmshushcha me rashmishcha medabhyashcha medhipatishcha ma Upagmshushcha mentaryamashcha ma aindravayavashcha me Maitravarunashcha ma ashvinashcha me pratiprasthanashcha me Shukrashcha me manthi cha ma agrayanashcha me vaishvadevashcha me Dhruvashcha me vaishvanarashcha ma ritugrahashcha Metigrahyashcha ma aindragnashcha me vaishvadevashcha me Marutvatiyashcha me mahendrashcha ma adityashcha me Savitrashcha me sarasvatashcha me paushnashcha me Patnivatashcha me hariyojanashcha me || 7 ||
Meaning:The seventh anuvaka asks that all the sacred soma-draughts and ritual cups of the yajna be granted: amshu and rashmi, the invincible adabhya, the sovereign adhipati, upamshu and antaryama, the cups of Indra-Vayu, Mitra-Varuna and the Ashvins, pratiprasthana, shukra and manthi, agrayana, the vaishvadeva and dhruva cups, vaishvanara, the seasonal ritugrahas and atigrahyas, and the draughts of Indra-Agni, the Maruts, Mahendra, Aditya, Savitr, Sarasvati, Pushan, the patnivata and the hariyojana — the complete equipment of divine communion.
|| Ashtama anuvaka || Idhmashcha me barhishcha me vedishcha me dhishniyashcha me Sruchashcha me chamasashcha me gravanashcha me svaravashcha ma Uparavashcha medhishavane cha me dronakalashashcha me Vayavyani cha me putabhrichcha ma adhavaniyashcha ma Agnidhram cha me havirdhanam cha me grihashcha me Sadashcha me purodashashcha me pachatashcha Mevabhrithashcha me svagakarashcha me || 8 ||
Meaning:Here the chant asks for every implement and station of the sacrifice: the firewood and the sacred barhis grass, the altar and the fire-hearths, the ladles and the soma cups, the pressing stones and the sacrificial posts, the sounding holes and pressing boards, the drona vessel, the vayavya vessels, the putabhrit and adhavaniya, the agnidhra shed and the havirdhana, the halls of the ritual and the sadas, the purodasha cakes and cooked offerings, the avabhritha (the concluding purificatory bath) and the auspicious closing exclamation.
|| Navama anuvaka || Agnishcha me gharmashcha merkashcha me suryashcha me Pranashcha meshvamedhashcha me prithivi cha meditishcha me Ditishcha me dyaushcha me shakkvarirangulayo dishashcha me Yajnena kalpantamrikcha me sama cha me stomashcha me Yajushcha me diksha cha me tapashcha ma ritushcha me Vratam cha mehoratrayorvrishtya brihadrathantare cha me Yajnena kalpetam || 9 ||
Meaning:The ninth anuvaka prays that the great fires and rites themselves be perfected: Agni and the gharma cauldron, arka, the Sun, prana, the Ashvamedha, Earth, Aditi and Diti, heaven, and the mighty fingers that perform the rites, with the directions — may they all be accomplished through the yajna. May the Rik and the Saman, the stoma and the yajus, initiation and austerity, the seasons and the vows, and the blessing of rain by day and night, and the Brihat and Rathantara chants, all be established for me by the sacrifice.
|| Dashama anuvaka || Garbhashcha me vatsashcha me tryavishcha me tryavi cha me Dityavat cha me dityauhi cha me panchavishcha me Panchavi cha me trivatsashcha me trivatsa cha me Turyavat cha me turyauhi cha me pashthavat cha me Pashthauhi cha ma uksha cha me vasha cha ma rishabhashcha me Vehachcha menadvancha me dhenushcha ma Ayuryajnena kalpatam prano yajnena kalpatamapano Yajnena kalpatam vyano yajnena kalpatam Chakshuryajnena kalpatag shrotram yajnena kalpatam Mano yajnena kalpatam vagyajnena kalpatamatma Yajnena kalpatam yajno yajnena kalpatam || 10 ||
Meaning:This anuvaka seeks the wealth of cattle in every stage of life: embryos and calves, yearlings male and female, two-year-olds, two-and-a-half-year-olds, three- and four-year-olds, the ox and the barren cow, the bull, the pregnant cow, the draught ox and the milch cow. Then it rises to the inner sacrifice: may my life be perfected through yajna, my prana, apana and vyana, my eye and my ear, my mind and my speech, my very self — may the sacrifice itself be perfected through sacrifice.
|| Ekadasha anuvaka || Eka cha me tisrashcha me pancha cha me sapta cha me Nava cha ma ekadasha cha me trayodasha cha me Panchadasha cha me saptadasha cha me navadasha cha ma Ekavigmshatishcha me trayovigmshatishcha me Panchavigmshatishcha me saptavigmshatishcha me navavigmshatishcha ma Ekatrigmshachcha me trayastrigmshachcha me chatasrashcha Meshtau cha me dvadasha cha me shodasha cha me Vigmshatishcha me chaturvigmshatishcha meshtavigmshatishcha me Dvatrigmshachcha me shattrigmshachcha me chatvarigmshachcha me Chatushchatvarigmshachcha meshtachatvarigmshachcha me vajashcha Prasavashchapijashcha kratushcha suvashcha murdha cha Vyashniyashchantyayanashchantyashcha bhauvanashcha Bhuvanashchadhipatishcha || 11 || Om ida devahurmanuryajnanirbrihaspatirukthamadani Shagmsishadvishvedevah suktavachah prithivimatarma ma Higmsirmadhu manishye madhu janishye madhu vakshyami Madhu vadishyami madhumatim devebhyo vachamudyasagm Shushrushenyam manushyebhyastam ma deva avantu Shobhayai pitaronumadantu || Om shantih shantih shantih ||
Meaning:The final anuvaka chants the mystical ladder of numbers — one, three, five, up to thirty-three (the odd numbers, seen as the divine principles), and four, eight, twelve up to forty-eight (the even numbers, the manifest world) — asking that all the graded powers of creation be harmonised for the seeker. It closes by invoking food and its source, the head of all things, the lords of the ends and of the worlds, and then the beautiful Ida passage: 'May I think honey, beget honey, speak honey; may I bear to the gods speech full of honey, and may the gods and the fathers rejoice in me.' Om, peace, peace, peace.
Word-by-Word Meaning
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Benefits of Chanting श्री रुद्रं चमकम्
The great Vedic prayer for abundance — asks for every material and spiritual blessing needed for a complete life
Chanted after Namakam, it is believed to fill with grace the space purified by the salutations to Rudra
Invokes health, long life, fearlessness, good food, wealth, cattle and prosperity for the whole household
Its 'cha me' refrain trains the mind to see every good thing as flowing from the divine, not from ego
Traditionally recited in homas and abhishekas for both worldly welfare and spiritual elevation
The eleventh anuvaka's number-ladder is contemplated as a map of creation from unity to multiplicity
How to Chant श्री रुद्रं चमकम्
Chamakam is always chanted after Namakam — first the salutations, then the asking. It is a Vedic chant with svaras (tonal accents), so learn it from a qualified teacher or follow a traditional recitation closely. Sit facing east or north after a bath, ideally before a Shivalinga or the sacrificial fire. In the Ekadasha Rudram tradition, one anuvaka of Chamakam is chanted after each complete recitation of Namakam, so that eleven Namakams complete one Chamakam.
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