Bhavānī Aṣṭakam — Ādi Śaṅkara's eight-verse hymn of total surrender to the Divine Mother: “You alone are my refuge.”
Verse 2 — na tāto na mātā na bandhurna dātā na putro na…
na tāto na mātā na bandhurna dātā na putro na putrī na bhṛtyo na bhartā | na jāyā na vidyā na vṛttirmamaiva gatistvaṃ gatistvaṃ tvamekā bhavāni ||
I have no father, no mother, no kin, no giver; no son, no daughter, no servant, no husband; no wife, no learning, no livelihood of my own — You are my refuge, You alone, O Bhavānī.
Fearful of immense sorrow in the shoreless ocean of becoming, I have fallen — lustful, greedy, heedless, forever bound by the noose of wretched worldliness — You are my refuge, You alone, O Bhavānī.
Verse 4 — na jānāmi dānaṃ na ca dhyānayogaṃ na jānāmi…
na jānāmi dānaṃ na ca dhyānayogaṃ na jānāmi tantraṃ na ca stotramantram | na jānāmi pūjāṃ na ca nyāsayogaṃ gatistvaṃ gatistvaṃ tvamekā bhavāni ||
I know no charity, no meditation or yoga; no tantra, no hymns or mantras; no worship, no ritual gestures — You are my refuge, You alone, O Bhavānī.
Verse 5 — na jānāmi puṇyaṃ na jānāmi tīrthaṃ na jānāmi…
na jānāmi puṇyaṃ na jānāmi tīrthaṃ na jānāmi muktiṃ layaṃ vā kadācit | na jānāmi bhaktiṃ vrataṃ vāpi mātaḥ gatistvaṃ gatistvaṃ tvamekā bhavāni ||
I know no merit, no pilgrimage; never liberation or absorption; no devotion, no vow, O Mother — You are my refuge, You alone, O Bhavānī.
Wrongdoer, ill-companioned, ill-minded, ill-serving; void of family custom, steeped in misconduct; ill-seeing, ever weaving ill words — You are my refuge, You alone, O Bhavānī.
In dispute, in despair, in error, in exile; in water, in fire, on mountains, among foes — in forests, O refuge, protect me always — You are my refuge, You alone, O Bhavānī.
Shelterless, poor, afflicted by age and disease; utterly wasted, wretched, ever dull-faced; plunged into calamity, ruined am I — You are my refuge, You alone, O Bhavānī.
About Bhavānī Aṣṭakam
Bhavānī Aṣṭakam is a Sanskrit stotra, composed by Ādi Śaṅkarācārya, addressed to Durga — 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.
Bhavānī Aṣṭakam is a Sanskrit stotra (devotional hymn), composed by Ādi Śaṅkarācārya, addressed to Durga, of 9 verses. On Avabodhak every verse is shown with its English meaning, so you can understand the text line by line as you read.
How do I pronounce Bhavānī Aṣṭakam correctly?
Avabodhak presents Bhavānī Aṣṭakam in Devanagari, Roman (IAST), Kannada, Telugu, Tamil alongside IAST Roman transliteration that marks every long vowel (ā, ī, ū) and conjunct consonant. Reading the Devanagari text with the IAST line lets you follow the exact pronunciation syllable by syllable, and the guided practice mode replays it line by line.
What is the word-by-word meaning of Bhavānī Aṣṭakam?
Avabodhak pairs each verse of Bhavānī Aṣṭakam with its English meaning, and the practice view breaks lines into individual words — so you learn what each word means, not just the overall sense.
Who composed Bhavānī Aṣṭakam?
Bhavānī Aṣṭakam is attributed to Ādi Śaṅkarācārya.
In which scripts can I read Bhavānī Aṣṭakam?
Bhavānī Aṣṭakam is available in Devanagari, Roman (IAST), Kannada, Telugu, Tamil on Avabodhak, each with English meaning and IAST transliteration.
Can I chant or practice Bhavānī Aṣṭakam online?
Yes — Avabodhak offers a free reading view plus guided practice and word-puzzle modes to help you chant and memorise Bhavānī Aṣṭakam.