Achyutashtakam

Devanagari lyrics with meaning · composed by Ādi Śaṅkarācārya · stotra · 35 verses

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अच्युताष्टकम्

अच्युताष्टकम्

achyutashtakam

Verse 1 — अच्युताष्टकम्

अच्युताष्टकम्

acyutāṣṭakam

The Aṣṭakam to Acyuta — eight verses of Ādi Śaṅkara adoring Viṣṇu-Kṛṣṇa by His many names.

Verse 2 — अच्युतं केशवं रामनारायणं

अच्युतं केशवं रामनारायणं

acyutaṃ keśavaṃ rāmanārāyaṇaṃ

The unfallen Acyuta, Keśava, Rāma, Nārāyaṇa,

Verse 3 — कृष्णदामोदरं वासुदेवं हरिम् ॥

कृष्णदामोदरं वासुदेवं हरिम् ॥

kṛṣṇadāmodaraṃ vāsudevaṃ harim ||

Kṛṣṇa, Dāmodara, Vāsudeva, Hari;

Verse 4 — श्रीधरं माधवं गोपिकावल्लभं

श्रीधरं माधवं गोपिकावल्लभं

śrīdharaṃ mādhavaṃ gopikāvallabhaṃ

Śrīdhara, Mādhava, the beloved of the gopīs,

Verse 5 — जानकीनायकं रामचन्द्रं भजे

जानकीनायकं रामचन्द्रं भजे

jānakīnāyakaṃ rāmacandraṃ bhaje

the lord of Jānakī, Rāmacandra — Him I worship.

Verse 6 — अच्युतं केशवं सत्यभामाधवं

अच्युतं केशवं सत्यभामाधवं

acyutaṃ keśavaṃ satyabhāmādhavaṃ

The unfallen one, Keśava, consort of Satyabhāmā,

Verse 7 — माधवं श्रीधरं राधिकाराधितम् ॥

माधवं श्रीधरं राधिकाराधितम् ॥

mādhavaṃ śrīdharaṃ rādhikārādhitam ||

Mādhava, Śrīdhara, adored by Rādhikā;

Verse 8 — इन्दिरामन्दिरं चेतसा सुन्दरं

इन्दिरामन्दिरं चेतसा सुन्दरं

indirāmandiraṃ cetasā sundaraṃ

abode of Lakṣmī, lovely to the meditating mind,

Verse 9 — देवकीनन्दनं नन्दनं संदधे

देवकीनन्दनं नन्दनं संदधे

devakīnandanaṃ nandanaṃ saṃdadhe

the gladdening son of Devakī — on Him I fix my heart.

Verse 10 — विष्णवे जिष्णवे शङ्खिने चक्रिणे

विष्णवे जिष्णवे शङ्खिने चक्रिणे

viṣṇave jiṣṇave śaṅkhine cakriṇe

To Viṣṇu, the ever-victorious, bearer of conch and discus,

Verse 11 — रुक्मिनीरागिणे जानकीजानये ॥

रुक्मिनीरागिणे जानकीजानये ॥

rukminīrāgiṇe jānakījānaye ||

the lover of Rukmiṇī, the husband of Jānakī,

Verse 12 — वल्लवीवल्लभायाऽर्चितायात्मने

वल्लवीवल्लभायाऽर्चितायात्मने

vallavīvallabhāyā'rcitāyātmane

beloved of the cowherd-maidens, the worshipped Self,

Verse 13 — कंसविध्वंसिने वंशिने ते नमः

कंसविध्वंसिने वंशिने ते नमः

kaṃsavidhvaṃsine vaṃśine te namaḥ

the destroyer of Kaṃsa, the flute-holder — to You, my salutation!

Verse 14 — कृष्ण गोविन्द हे राम नारायण

कृष्ण गोविन्द हे राम नारायण

kṛṣṇa govinda he rāma nārāyaṇa

O Kṛṣṇa, Govinda, O Rāma, Nārāyaṇa,

Verse 15 — श्रीपते वासुदेवाजित श्रीनिधे ॥

श्रीपते वासुदेवाजित श्रीनिधे ॥

śrīpate vāsudevājita śrīnidhe ||

O lord of Śrī, Vāsudeva, unconquered one, treasury of fortune!

Verse 16 — अच्युतानन्त हे माधवाधोक्षज

अच्युतानन्त हे माधवाधोक्षज

acyutānanta he mādhavādhokṣaja

O Acyuta, O infinite Ananta, O Mādhava, Adhokṣaja,

Verse 17 — द्वारकानायक द्रौपदीरक्षक

द्वारकानायक द्रौपदीरक्षक

dvārakānāyaka draupadīrakṣaka

O lord of Dvārakā, protector of Draupadī,

Verse 18 — राक्षसक्षोभितः सीतया शोभितो

राक्षसक्षोभितः सीतया शोभितो

rākṣasakṣobhitaḥ sītayā śobhito

harried by the demons, made radiant beside Sītā,

Verse 19 — दण्डकारण्यभूपुण्यताकारणः ॥

दण्डकारण्यभूपुण्यताकारणः ॥

daṇḍakāraṇyabhūpuṇyatākāraṇaḥ ||

the very cause of the Daṇḍaka forest's sanctity;

Verse 20 — लक्ष्मणेनान्वितो वानरैः सेवितोऽ

लक्ष्मणेनान्वितो वानरैः सेवितोऽ

lakṣmaṇenānvito vānaraiḥ sevito'

attended by Lakṣmaṇa, served by the vānaras,

Verse 21 — गस्त्यसंपूजितो राघवः पातु माम्

गस्त्यसंपूजितो राघवः पातु माम्

gastyasaṃpūjito rāghavaḥ pātu mām

worshipped by Agastya — may that Rāghava protect me.

Verse 22 — धेनुकारिष्टकोऽनिष्टकृद्द्वेषिणां

धेनुकारिष्टकोऽनिष्टकृद्द्वेषिणां

dhenukāriṣṭako'niṣṭakṛddveṣiṇāṃ

Slayer of Dhenuka and Ariṣṭa, thwarter of his enemies' designs,

Verse 23 — केशिहा कंसहृद्वंशिकावादकः ॥

केशिहा कंसहृद्वंशिकावादकः ॥

keśihā kaṃsahṛdvaṃśikāvādakaḥ ||

killer of Keśī, ender of Kaṃsa's life, and player of the flute;

Verse 24 — पूतनाकोपकः सूरजाखेलनो

पूतनाकोपकः सूरजाखेलनो

pūtanākopakaḥ sūrajākhelano

the bane of Pūtanā, who sports in the Yamunā (the Sun's daughter),

Verse 25 — बालगोपालकः पातु माम् सर्वदा

बालगोपालकः पातु माम् सर्वदा

bālagopālakaḥ pātu mām sarvadā

the child cowherd — may He protect me for ever.

Verse 26 — विद्युदुद्धयोतवानप्रस्फुरद्वाससं

विद्युदुद्धयोतवानप्रस्फुरद्वाससं

vidyududdhayotavānaprasphuradvāsasaṃ

Him whose garment flashes bright as lightning,

Verse 27 — प्रावृडम्भोदवत्प्रोल्लसद्विग्रहम् ॥

प्रावृडम्भोदवत्प्रोल्लसद्विग्रहम् ॥

prāvṛḍambhodavatprollasadvigraham ||

whose form gleams like a monsoon rain-cloud,

Verse 28 — वन्यया मालया शोभितोरःस्थलं

वन्यया मालया शोभितोरःस्थलं

vanyayā mālayā śobhitoraḥsthalaṃ

whose chest is graced with a garland of wild-wood flowers,

Verse 29 — लोहितांघ्रिद्वयं वारिजाक्षं भजे

लोहितांघ्रिद्वयं वारिजाक्षं भजे

lohitāṃghridvayaṃ vārijākṣaṃ bhaje

whose two feet are rosy, whose eyes are lotuses — Him I worship.

Verse 30 — कुञ्चितैः कुन्तलैर्भ्राजमानाननं

कुञ्चितैः कुन्तलैर्भ्राजमानाननं

kuñcitaiḥ kuntalairbhrājamānānanaṃ

His face resplendent with clustering curls,

Verse 31 — रत्नमौलिं लसत् कुण्डलं गण्डयोः ॥

रत्नमौलिं लसत् कुण्डलं गण्डयोः ॥

ratnamauliṃ lasat kuṇḍalaṃ gaṇḍayoḥ ||

a jewelled crown, ear-rings glinting upon His cheeks,

Verse 32 — हारकेयूरकं कङ्कणप्रोज्ज्वलं

हारकेयूरकं कङ्कणप्रोज्ज्वलं

hārakeyūrakaṃ kaṅkaṇaprojjvalaṃ

radiant with necklace, armlets and bangles,

Verse 33 — किङ्किणीमञ्जुलं श्यामलं तं भजे

किङ्किणीमञ्जुलं श्यामलं तं भजे

kiṅkiṇīmañjulaṃ śyāmalaṃ taṃ bhaje

sweet with tinkling waist-bells, the dark-hued one — Him I worship.

Verse 34 — अच्युतस्याष्टकं यः पठेदिष्टदं प्रेमतः प्रत्यहं…

अच्युतस्याष्टकं यः पठेदिष्टदं प्रेमतः प्रत्यहं पूरुषः सस्पृहम् ।

acyutasyāṣṭakaṃ yaḥ paṭhediṣṭadaṃ premataḥ pratyahaṃ pūruṣaḥ saspṛham |

Whoever, with love and longing, recites daily this wish-granting Aṣṭakam of Acyuta,

Verse 35 — वृत्ततः सुंदरं कर्तृ विश्वंभरं तस्य वश्यो…

वृत्ततः सुंदरं कर्तृ विश्वंभरं तस्य वश्यो हरिर्जायते सत्वरम्

vṛttataḥ suṃdaraṃ kartṛ viśvaṃbharaṃ tasya vaśyo harirjāyate satvaram

beautiful in its metre and honouring the all-sustaining Lord — to him Hari swiftly becomes bound in love.

About Achyutashtakam

Achyutashtakam is a Sanskrit stotra, composed by Ādi Śaṅkarācārya, addressed to Vishnu — a Ashtakam. It is presented here in Devanagari, Roman (IAST), Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, each verse with its English meaning. Source text: Sanskrit Wikisource.

The preeminent Advaita Vedānta ācārya and a prolific composer of devotional stotras revered across the Hindu traditions.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the Achyutashtakam?

Achyutashtakam is an eight-verse hymn to Viṣṇu by Ādi Śaṅkarācārya, each stanza a devotion to Acyuta (the infallible one), Keśava and Nārāyaṇa. It is a compact expression of Vaiṣṇava bhakti in the Ādi Śaṅkara tradition.

Who composed the Achyutashtakam?

Achyutashtakam is attributed to Ādi Śaṅkarācārya, the Advaita philosopher-saint. Despite his Advaita reputation, Śaṅkara's Vaiṣṇava stotras — including this one — reveal a deep personal devotion to Viṣṇu.

What does Achyuta mean?

"Acyuta" means "the infallible one" — a compound of a (not) + cyuta (fallen). It is one of Viṣṇu's principal epithets, and the opening word of Achyutashtakam, recurring in each verse as an address to the lord who never abandons his devotees.

How do I read the Achyutashtakam on Avabodhak?

Every verse of Achyutashtakam is shown in Devanagari, Roman (IAST) and English meaning. Free to read, no login required; the practice view lets you chant along verse by verse.