Rama · Stotram
Lyrics · Meaning · Audio
A graceful 17-verse hymn to Rama, the “delight of the Raghu clan” — dark as a sapphire mountain, lotus-eyed and golden-robed — that walks through the alphabet as it paints his form, and promises the highest state to whoever reads it with devotion.
Traditional, preserved in the Stotrarnava collection
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Sri Raghava 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.
इन्द्रनीलाचलश्याममिन्दीवरदृगुज्ज्वलम् ।
Indranilachalashyamamindivaradrigujjvalam
indranīlācalaśyāmamindīvaradṛgujjvalam
Dark as a sapphire mountain, radiant with eyes like blue lotuses,
इन्द्रादिदैवतैः सेव्यमीडे राघवनन्दनम् ॥ १ ॥
Indradidaivataih Sevyamide Raghavanandanam
indrādidaivataiḥ sevyamīḍe rāghavanandanam
served by Indra and the gods — I praise Raghava, the joy of the Raghus.
पालिताखिलदेवौघं पद्मगर्भं सनातनम् ।
Palitakhiladevaugham Padmagarbham Sanatanam
pālitākhiladevaughaṃ padmagarbhaṃ sanātanam
Protector of all the hosts of gods, lotus-centred, eternal,
पीनवक्षःस्थलं वन्दे पूर्णं राघवनन्दनम् ॥ २ ॥
Pinavakshahsthalam Vande Purnam Raghavanandanam
pīnavakṣaḥsthalaṃ vande pūrṇaṃ rāghavanandanam
broad-chested and complete — I bow to the joy of the Raghus.
दशग्रीवरिपुं भद्रं दावतुल्यं सुरद्विषाम् ।
Dashagrivaripum Bhadram Davatulyam Suradvisham
daśagrīvaripuṃ bhadraṃ dāvatulyaṃ suradviṣām
The foe of ten-headed Ravana, auspicious, a forest fire to the enemies of the gods,
दण्डकामुनिमुख्यानां दत्ताभयमुपास्महे ॥ ३ ॥
Dandakamunimukhyanam Dattabhayamupasmahe
daṇḍakāmunimukhyānāṃ dattābhayamupāsmahe
who gave fearlessness to the chief sages of the Dandaka forest — him we worship.
कस्तूरीतिलकाभासं कर्पूरनिकराकृतिम् ।
Kasturitilakabhasam Karpuranikarakritim
kastūrītilakābhāsaṃ karpūranikarākṛtim
Shining with a musk tilaka, white and fragrant as heaped camphor,
कातरीकृतदैत्यौघं कलये रघुनन्दनम् ॥ ४ ॥
Katarikritadaityaugham Kalaye Raghunandanam
kātarīkṛtadaityaughaṃ kalaye raghunandanam
who struck terror into the hordes of demons — I meditate on the joy of the Raghus.
खरदूषणहन्तारं खरवीर्यभुजोज्ज्वलम् ।
Kharadushanahantaram Kharaviryabhujojjvalam
kharadūṣaṇahantāraṃ kharavīryabhujojjvalam
Slayer of Khara and Dushana, his arms blazing with fierce strength,
खरकोदण्डहस्तं च खस्वरूपमुपास्महे ॥ ५ ॥
Kharakodandahastam Cha Khasvarupamupasmahe
kharakodaṇḍahastaṃ ca khasvarūpamupāsmahe
the fierce bow in his hand, whose nature is boundless as the sky — him we worship.
गजविक्रान्तगमनं गजार्तिहरतेजसम् ।
Gajavikrantagamanam Gajartiharatejasam
gajavikrāntagamanaṃ gajārtiharatejasam
Walking with an elephant’s stride, his splendour ending the elephant’s distress,
गम्भीरसत्त्वमैक्ष्वाकं गच्छामि शरणं सदा ॥ ६ ॥
Gambhirasattvamaikshvakam Gacchami Sharanam Sada
gambhīrasattvamaikṣvākaṃ gacchāmi śaraṇaṃ sadā
of deep goodness, the son of Ikshvaku — I always go to him for refuge.
घनराजिलसद्देहं घनपीताम्बरोज्ज्वलम् ।
Ghanarajilasaddeham Ghanapitambarojjvalam
ghanarājilasaddehaṃ ghanapītāmbarojjvalam
His body shining like a bank of clouds, bright in a deep-yellow robe,
घूत्कारद्रुतरक्षौघं प्रपद्ये रघुनन्दनम् ॥ ७ ॥
Ghutkaradrutarakshaugham Prapadye Raghunandanam
ghūtkāradrutarakṣaughaṃ prapadye raghunandanam
at whose battle-roar the demon hordes flee — I surrender to the joy of the Raghus.
चलपीताम्बराभासं चलत्किङ्किणिभूषितम् ।
Chalapitambarabhasam Chalatkinkinibhushitam
calapītāmbarābhāsaṃ calatkiṅkiṇibhūṣitam
Glowing in a flowing yellow robe, adorned with tinkling bells,
चन्द्रबिम्बमुखं वन्दे चतुरं रघुनन्दनम् ॥ ८ ॥
Chandrabimbamukham Vande Chaturam Raghunandanam
candrabimbamukhaṃ vande caturaṃ raghunandanam
with a face like the full moon — I bow to the wise joy of the Raghus.
सुस्मिताञ्चितवक्त्राब्जं सुनूपुरपदद्वयम् ।
Susmitanchitavaktrabjam Sunupurapadadvayam
susmitāñcitavaktrābjaṃ sunūpurapadadvayam
His lotus face lit by a gentle smile, his two feet adorned with fine anklets,
सुदीर्घबाहुयुगलं सुनाभिं राघवं भजे ॥ ९ ॥
Sudirghabahuyugalam Sunabhim Raghavam Bhaje
sudīrghabāhuyugalaṃ sunābhiṃ rāghavaṃ bhaje
his two arms long, his navel beautiful — I worship Raghava.
हसिताञ्चितनेत्राब्जं हताखिलसुरद्विषम् ।
Hasitanchitanetrabjam Hatakhilasuradvisham
hasitāñcitanetrābjaṃ hatākhilasuradviṣam
His lotus eyes bright with laughter, the slayer of all the enemies of the gods,
हरिं रविकुलोद्भूतं हाटकालङ्कृतं भजे ॥ १० ॥
Harim Ravikulodbhutam Hatakalankritam Bhaje
hariṃ ravikulodbhūtaṃ hāṭakālaṅkṛtaṃ bhaje
Hari, born of the Sun’s line, adorned with gold — him I worship.
रविकोटिनिभं शान्तं राघवाणामलङ्कृतिम् ।
Ravikotinibham Shantam Raghavanamalankritim
ravikoṭinibhaṃ śāntaṃ rāghavāṇāmalaṅkṛtim
Bright as ten million suns, peaceful, the ornament of the Raghavas,
रक्षोगणयुगान्ताग्निं रामचन्द्रमुपास्महे ॥ ११ ॥
Rakshoganayugantagnim Ramachandramupasmahe
rakṣogaṇayugāntāgniṃ rāmacandramupāsmahe
the fire at the end of an age for the demon hordes — Ramachandra we worship.
लक्ष्मीसमाश्रितोरस्कं लावण्यमधुराकृतिम् ।
Lakshmisamashritoraskam Lavanyamadhurakritim
lakṣmīsamāśritoraskaṃ lāvaṇyamadhurākṛtim
On whose chest Lakshmi rests, sweet and lovely in form,
लसदिन्दीवरश्यामं लक्ष्मणाग्रजमाश्रये ॥ १२ ॥
Lasadindivarashyamam Lakshmanagrajamashraye
lasadindīvaraśyāmaṃ lakṣmaṇāgrajamāśraye
dark as a shining blue lotus — I take refuge in Lakshmana’s elder brother.
वालिप्रमथनाकारं वालिसूनुसहायिनम् ।
Valipramathanakaram Valisunusahayinam
vālipramathanākāraṃ vālisūnusahāyinam
Who struck down Vali, and helped Vali’s son,
वरपीताम्बराभासं वन्दे राघवभूषणम् ॥ १३ ॥
Varapitambarabhasam Vande Raghavabhushanam
varapītāmbarābhāsaṃ vande rāghavabhūṣaṇam
shining in a fine yellow robe — I bow to the jewel of the Raghavas.
शमिताखिलपापौघं शान्त्यादिगुणवारिधिम् ।
Shamitakhilapapaugham Shantyadigunavaridhim
śamitākhilapāpaughaṃ śāntyādiguṇavāridhim
Who ends the whole flood of sin, an ocean of peace and every virtue,
शतपत्रदृशं वन्दे शुभं दशरथात्मजम् ॥ १४ ॥
Shatapatradrisham Vande Shubham Dasharathatmajam
śatapatradṛśaṃ vande śubhaṃ daśarathātmajam
with eyes like hundred-petalled lotuses — I bow to the auspicious son of Dasharatha.
कुन्दकुड्मलदन्ताभं कुङ्कुमाङ्कितवक्षसम् ।
Kundakudmaladantabham Kunkumankitavakshasam
kundakuḍmaladantābhaṃ kuṅkumāṅkitavakṣasam
With teeth like jasmine buds, his chest marked with kumkum,
कुसुम्भवस्त्रसंवीतं पुत्रं राघवमाश्रये ॥ १५ ॥
Kusumbhavastrasamvitam Putram Raghavamashraye
kusumbhavastrasaṃvītaṃ putraṃ rāghavamāśraye
wrapped in saffron-red cloth — I take refuge in Raghava, the son.
मल्लिकामालतीजातिमाधवीपुष्पशोभितम् ।
Mallikamalatijatimadhavipushpashobhitam
mallikāmālatījātimādhavīpuṣpaśobhitam
Adorned with jasmine, malati, jati and madhavi flowers,
महनीयमहं वन्दे महतां कीर्तिवर्धनम् ॥ १६ ॥
Mahaniyamaham Vande Mahatam Kirtivardhanam
mahanīyamahaṃ vande mahatāṃ kīrtivardhanam
worthy of honour — I bow to him who increases the fame of the great.
इदं यो राघवस्तोत्रं नरः पठति भक्तिमान् ।
Idam Yo Raghavastotram Narah Pathati Bhaktiman
idaṃ yo rāghavastotraṃ naraḥ paṭhati bhaktimān
Whoever reads this hymn to Raghava with devotion
मुक्तः संसृतिबन्धाद्धि स याति परमं पदम् ॥ १७ ॥
Muktah Samsritibandhaddhi Sa Yati Paramam Padam
muktaḥ saṃsṛtibandhāddhi sa yāti paramaṃ padam
is freed from the bonds of worldly life and reaches the highest state.
The Sri Raghava Stotram is a short devotional hymn to Rama as Raghava — the descendant of King Raghu. It is preserved in the Stotrarnava, a large collection of traditional Sanskrit hymns.
Its charm lies in its form. Most of the verses begin with successive letters of the Sanskrit alphabet — i, pa, da, ka, kha, ga, gha, cha… — so the poem moves through the sounds of the language while it moves over Rama’s form: his sapphire-dark body, lotus eyes, broad chest, golden robes, tinkling ornaments and moon-like face, and his deeds against Ravana, Khara and Vali.
Each verse ends with an act of devotion — I praise, I worship, I take refuge in — so the hymn works equally well as a meditation on Rama’s form and as a prayer.
Rama is called Raghava, Raghunandana and Raghupati because he was born into the solar dynasty of King Raghu, a ruler so generous that he gave away all his wealth in a great sacrifice.
The Ramayana traces the dynasty back through Raghu and Ikshvaku to the Sun himself — which is why the hymn calls Rama “born of the Sun’s line” (ravikulodbhuta) and “as bright as ten million suns.”
When to chant
How many times
Once, slowly.
Sit before an image of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman.
Picture each detail of Rama’s form as the verses describe it.
End with “Sri Rama Jaya Rama Jaya Jaya Rama.”
The sounds that trip people up most in this hymn, and how to say them.
rāghava
raa-gha-va — the long “aa”, then an aspirated “gh”.
raghunandanam
ra-ghu-nun-da-num — “joy of the Raghus.”
upāsmahe
u-paas-ma-hay — “we worship.”
What is the Sri Raghava Stotram?
A 17-verse Sanskrit hymn praising Lord Rama’s form and deeds, preserved in the Stotrarnava collection.
What does Raghava mean?
“Descendant of Raghu” — Rama’s royal ancestor in the solar dynasty.
What is special about its verses?
Most verses begin with successive letters of the Sanskrit alphabet, so the hymn is an alphabetical garland of praise.
What does the hymn promise?
Its last verse says whoever reads it with devotion is freed from the bonds of worldly life and reaches the highest state.