Rama · Stotram
Lyrics · Meaning · Audio
A dawn meditation on Rama, spoken by Brahma — first a vivid picture of Rama seated on his jewelled throne with Sita and Lakshmana, then sixteen holy names to recite, with the promise that Rama and Sita will appear in the heart of whoever remembers him this way.
Spoken by Brahma, preserved in the Stotrarnava collection
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Rama Anusmruti Stotram
Son of Kali · Power of Ram
Each line shows an easy way to say it, with its English meaning. Turn on the Sanskrit, the exact pronunciation or the word-by-word meaning whenever you want to go deeper.
वन्दे रामं जगद्वन्द्यं सुन्दरास्यं शुचिस्मितम् ।
Vande Ramam Jagadvandyam Sundarasyam Shuchismitam
vande rāmaṃ jagadvandyaṃ sundarāsyaṃ śucismitam
I bow to Rama, honoured by the world, with a beautiful face and a pure smile,
कन्दर्पकोटिलावण्यं कामितार्थप्रदायकम् ॥ १ ॥
Kandarpakotilavanyam Kamitarthapradayakam
kandarpakoṭilāvaṇyaṃ kāmitārthapradāyakam
lovelier than ten million Kamadevas, the giver of every wish.
भास्वत्किरीटकटककटिसूत्रोपशोभितम् ।
Bhasvatkiritakatakakatisutropashobhitam
bhāsvatkirīṭakaṭakakaṭisūtropaśobhitam
Adorned with a shining crown, bracelets and a jewelled girdle,
विशाललोचनं भ्राजत्तरुणारुणकुण्डलम् ॥ २ ॥
Vishalalochanam Bhrajattarunarunakundalam
viśālalocanaṃ bhrājattaruṇāruṇakuṇḍalam
with wide eyes and glowing earrings red as the rising sun;
श्रीवत्सकौस्तुभलसद्वक्षसं वनमालिनम् ।
Shrivatsakaustubhalasadvakshasam Vanamalinam
śrīvatsakaustubhalasadvakṣasaṃ vanamālinam
his chest shining with the Shrivatsa mark and the Kaustubha jewel, wearing a forest garland,
मुक्ताहारसुशोभाढ्यं मुद्रिकारत्नभासुरम् ॥ ३ ॥
Muktaharasushobhadhyam Mudrikaratnabhasuram
muktāhārasuśobhāḍhyaṃ mudrikāratnabhāsuram
beautiful with a pearl necklace, bright with jewelled rings;
सर्वाङ्गसुन्दरं हृद्यं द्विभुजं रघुनन्दनम् ।
Sarvangasundaram Hridyam Dvibhujam Raghunandanam
sarvāṅgasundaraṃ hṛdyaṃ dvibhujaṃ raghunandanam
lovely in every limb, dear to the heart, two-armed, the joy of the Raghus,
नीलजीमूतसङ्काशं नीलालकवृताननम् ॥ ४ ॥
Nilajimutasankasham Nilalakavritananam
nīlajīmūtasaṅkāśaṃ nīlālakavṛtānanam
dark as a rain cloud, his face framed by dark curling hair;
ज्ञानमुद्रालसद्वक्षोबाहुं ज्ञानमयं हरिम् ।
Jnanamudralasadvakshobahum Jnanamayam Harim
jñānamudrālasadvakṣobāhuṃ jñānamayaṃ harim
his hand at his chest in the gesture of wisdom, Hari, made of knowledge,
वामजानूपरिन्यस्तवामहस्ताम्बुजं प्रभुम् ॥ ५ ॥
Vamajanuparinyastavamahastambujam Prabhum
vāmajānūparinyastavāmahastāmbujaṃ prabhum
the Lord, his left lotus hand resting on his left knee;
वीरासने समासीनं विद्युत्पुञ्जनिभाम्बरम् ।
Virasane Samasinam Vidyutpunjanibhambaram
vīrāsane samāsīnaṃ vidyutpuñjanibhāmbaram
seated in the hero’s posture, his robe like a mass of lightning,
कोटिसूर्यप्रतीकाशं कोमलाङ्गसमुज्ज्वलम् ॥ ६ ॥
Kotisuryapratikasham Komalangasamujjvalam
koṭisūryapratīkāśaṃ komalāṅgasamujjvalam
bright as ten million suns, radiant with tender limbs;
जानकीलक्ष्मणाभ्यां च वामदक्षिणशोभितम् ।
Janakilakshmanabhyam Cha Vamadakshinashobhitam
jānakīlakṣmaṇābhyāṃ ca vāmadakṣiṇaśobhitam
graced by Janaki on his left and Lakshmana on his right,
हनुमद्रविमुख्यादिकपिमुख्यैश्च सेवितम् ॥ ७ ॥
Hanumadravimukhyadikapimukhyaishcha Sevitam
hanumadravimukhyādikapimukhyaiśca sevitam
served by Hanuman, Sugriva and the chiefs of the monkeys;
दिव्यरत्नसमायुक्तसिंहासनगतं प्रभुम् ।
Divyaratnasamayuktasimhasanagatam Prabhum
divyaratnasamāyuktasiṃhāsanagataṃ prabhum
the Lord seated on a throne set with divine jewels —
प्रत्यहं प्रातरुत्थाय ध्यात्वैवं राघवं हृदि ॥ ८ ॥
Pratyaham Pratarutthaya Dhyatvaivam Raghavam Hridi
pratyahaṃ prātarutthāya dhyātvaivaṃ rāghavaṃ hṛdi
each day, rising at dawn and meditating on Raghava like this in the heart,
एभिः षोडशभिर्नामपदैः स्तुत्वा नमेद्धरिम् ।
Ebhih Shodashabhirnamapadaih Stutva Nameddharim
ebhiḥ ṣoḍaśabhirnāmapadaiḥ stutvā nameddharim
one should praise Hari with these sixteen names and bow to him:
ॐ नमो रामाय शुद्धाय बुद्धाय परमात्मने ॥ ९ ॥
Om Namo Ramaya Shuddhaya Buddhaya Paramatmane
oṃ namo rāmāya śuddhāya buddhāya paramātmane
Om, salutations to Rama, the pure, the awakened, the supreme Self;
विशुद्धज्ञानदेहाय रघुनाथाय ते नमः ।
Vishuddhajnanadehaya Raghunathaya Te Namah
viśuddhajñānadehāya raghunāthāya te namaḥ
to the Lord of the Raghus, whose body is pure knowledge, salutations to you;
नमो रावणहन्त्रे ते नमो वालिविनाशिने ॥ १० ॥
Namo Ravanahantre Te Namo Valivinashine
namo rāvaṇahantre te namo vālivināśine
salutations to you, slayer of Ravana; salutations to the destroyer of Vali;
नमो वैकुण्ठनाथाय नमो विष्णुस्वरूपिणे ।
Namo Vaikunthanathaya Namo Vishnusvarupine
namo vaikuṇṭhanāthāya namo viṣṇusvarūpiṇe
salutations to the Lord of Vaikuntha, to him whose form is Vishnu,
नमो यज्ञस्वरूपाय यज्ञभोक्त्रे नमो नमः ॥ ११ ॥
Namo Yajnasvarupaya Yajnabhoktre Namo Namah
namo yajñasvarūpāya yajñabhoktre namo namaḥ
salutations to him whose form is sacrifice, the enjoyer of sacrifice, salutations again and again;
योगिध्येयाय योगाय परमानन्दरूपिणे ।
Yogidhyeyaya Yogaya Paramanandarupine
yogidhyeyāya yogāya paramānandarūpiṇe
to the one on whom yogis meditate, to yoga itself, whose form is supreme bliss,
शङ्करप्रियमित्राय जानकीजानये नमः ॥ १२ ॥
Shankarapriyamitraya Janakijanaye Namah
śaṅkarapriyamitrāya jānakījānaye namaḥ
to Shankara’s dear friend, the beloved of Janaki — salutations.
य एवं प्रातरुत्थाय भक्तिश्रद्धासमन्वितः ।
Ya Evam Pratarutthaya Bhaktishraddhasamanvitah
ya evaṃ prātarutthāya bhaktiśraddhāsamanvitaḥ
Whoever, rising at dawn this way with devotion and faith,
षोडशैतानि नामानि रामचन्द्रस्य नित्यशः ॥ १३ ॥
Shodashaitani Namani Ramachandrasya Nityashah
ṣoḍaśaitāni nāmāni rāmacandrasya nityaśaḥ
recites these sixteen names of Ramachandra every day —
पठेद्विद्वान् स्मरन् रामं स एव स्याद्रघूत्तमः ।
Pathedvidvan Smaran Ramam Sa Eva Syadraghuttamah
paṭhedvidvān smaran rāmaṃ sa eva syādraghūttamaḥ
that wise one, remembering Rama, becomes the best of the Raghus himself;
श्रीरामे भक्तिरचला भवत्येव हि सर्वदा ॥ १४ ॥
Shrirame Bhaktirachala Bhavatyeva Hi Sarvada
śrīrāme bhaktiracalā bhavatyeva hi sarvadā
unshakeable devotion to Sri Rama surely arises in him for ever.
समये समनुप्राप्ते राघवः सीतया सह ।
Samaye Samanuprapte Raghavah Sitaya Saha
samaye samanuprāpte rāghavaḥ sītayā saha
When the time is ripe, Raghava together with Sita
हृदि सन्दृश्यते तस्य साक्षात् सौमित्रिणा सह ॥ १५ ॥
Hridi Sandrishyate Tasya Sakshat Saumitrina Saha
hṛdi sandṛśyate tasya sākṣāt saumitriṇā saha
is seen directly in that person’s heart, with Lakshmana too.
नित्यं चापररात्रेषु रामस्यैतां समाहितः ।
Nityam Chapararatreshu Ramasyaitam Samahitah
nityaṃ cāpararātreṣu rāmasyaitāṃ samāhitaḥ
And whoever, with a collected mind, in the last hours of each night,
मुच्यतेऽनुस्मृतिं जप्त्वा मृत्युदारिद्र्यपातकैः ॥ १६ ॥
Muchyatenusmritim Japtva Mrityudaridryapatakaih
mucyate'nusmṛtiṃ japtvā mṛtyudāridryapātakaiḥ
repeats this remembrance of Rama is freed from death, poverty and sin.
Anusmriti means “remembering again and again.” This short hymn, spoken by the creator Brahma, is a method for remembering Rama: first build his image clearly in the mind, then honour him with sixteen sacred names.
Verses 1–8 are a dhyana, a guided visualisation — Rama’s smiling face, crown and earrings, the Kaustubha jewel and forest garland on his chest, his right hand in the gesture of wisdom, seated in the hero’s posture on a jewelled throne with Sita on his left, Lakshmana on his right and Hanuman and the monkey chiefs serving him.
Verses 9–12 give the sixteen names (“Salutations to Rama, the pure, the awakened, the supreme Self…”), and the closing verses say that whoever rises at dawn and recites them will gain unshakeable devotion — and, in time, see Rama and Sita in their own heart.
Rama is usually pictured standing with his bow. Here he is pictured seated in virasana, the hero’s posture, with his right hand in jnana mudra, the gesture of wisdom (thumb and forefinger touching) held at his chest — the way a teacher sits.
It is the image of Rama as the Self, the teacher of liberating knowledge, which is why the names that follow call him “pure, awakened, the supreme Self, whose body is pure knowledge.”
When to chant
How many times
Once daily; the sixteen names can be repeated more.
Sit quietly before sunrise.
Read verses 1–8 slowly, building the image of Rama on his throne in your mind.
Recite the sixteen names in verses 9–12 with a bow.
Rest for a moment with Rama and Sita in the heart.
The sounds that trip people up most in this hymn, and how to say them.
anusmṛti
a-noo-smri-tee — “remembering again and again.”
jagadvandyam
ja-gud-vun-dyum — “honoured by the world.”
ṣoḍaśa
sho-da-sha — “sixteen.”
What does Anusmruti mean?
“Remembering again and again.” The hymn is a method for keeping Rama constantly in mind.
Who speaks this hymn?
Brahma, the creator, according to its closing line.
What are the sixteen names?
They are given in verses 9–12: Rama the pure, the awakened, the supreme Self, whose body is pure knowledge, lord of the Raghus, slayer of Ravana, destroyer of Vali, lord of Vaikuntha, Vishnu’s own form, the form of sacrifice, the enjoyer of sacrifice, the one yogis meditate on, yoga itself, whose form is supreme bliss, Shiva’s dear friend, and the husband of Janaki.
When should it be recited?
The hymn recommends rising at dawn, or the last part of the night, and reciting it with devotion every day.