About this stotra
The Gangashtakam is composed by the great sage and philosopher Adi Shankaracharya. Goddess Ganga, also known as the Ganges River, is one of the most revered deities in Hindu tradition. She is considered the personification of the sacred river Ganges and is worshipped for her purifying and life-giving properties. In Hindu mythology, Goddess Ganga is said to have descended from the heavens to cleanse the earth of sins and impurities.
The Ganga Ashtakam is a devotional hymn dedicated to Goddess Ganga, extolling her divine attributes and seeking her blessings. The first verse highlights the sanctity of even the smallest drop of her water, which can purify and elevate beings to celestial realms. The second verse describes her majestic descent from the heavens, flowing through the matted locks of Lord Shiva, and her power to cleanse the earth of sins. The third verse paints a vivid picture of her waters, filled with the fragrance of sandalwood and saffron, and frequented by sages and celestial beings for purification. The fourth verse is a personal prayer to Goddess Ganga, seeking her blessings at the time of one's departure from the mortal world, with a wish for eternal devotion to Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. The final verse promises that those who recite this hymn with devotion will be freed from all sins and attain the abode of Lord Vishnu. Overall, the Ganga Ashtakam emphasizes the purifying power of Goddess Ganga and the spiritual benefits of worshipping her.
Ganga Ashtakam lyrics and meaning
॥ १ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 1
भगवति भवलीलामौलिमाले तवांभः
कणमणुपरिमाणं प्राणिनो ये स्पृशन्ति ।
अमरनगरनारिचामरमरग्राहिणीनां
विगतकलिकलंकातंकमंके लुठन्ति ॥ १॥
bhagavati bhavalīlāmaulimāle tavāmbhaḥ
kaṇamaṇuparimāṇaṃ prāṇino ye spṛśanti .
amaranagaranāricāmaramaragrāhiṇīnāṃ
vigatakalikalaṅkātaṅkamaṅke luṭhanti .. 1..
Oh, Goddess who is the garland on the head of Lord Shiva,
And meant for his happiness,
Those beings, who are lucky,
To touch drops of your water,
Get relieved of all dark sins,
And would enjoy the caressing,
In the laps of those maidens of heaven,
Who hold fans in their hands.
Word by word
- भगवति (bhagavati)
- Oh Goddess
- भवलीलामौलिमाले (bhavalīlāmaulimāle)
- garland on Shiva's head (bhava:Shiva | līlā:play | mauli:head | māle:garland)
- तव (tava)
- your
- अम्भः (ambhaḥ)
- water
- कणमणुपरिमाणं (kaṇamaṇuparimāṇam)
- tiny drops (kaṇa:particle | maṇu:minute | parimāṇam:measure)
- प्राणिनः (prāṇinaḥ)
- beings
- ये (ye)
- who
- स्पृशन्ति (spṛśanti)
- touch
- अमरनगरनारिचामरमरग्राहिणीनां (amaranagaranāricāmaramaragrāhiṇīnām)
- maidens of heaven with fans (amara:immortal | nagara:city | nāri:women | cāmara:fan | mara:death | grāhiṇī:holding)
- विगतकलिकलंकातंकमंके (vigatakalikalaṅkātaṅkamaṅke)
- free from sins in laps (vigata:free from | kali:dark age | kalaṅka:stain | ātaṅka:fear | aṅke:laps)
- लुठन्ति (luṭhanti)
- roll
॥ २ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 2
ब्रह्माण्डं खंडयन्ती हरशिरसि जटावल्लिमुल्लासयन्ती
खर्ल्लोकात् आपतन्ती कनकगिरिगुहागण्डशैलात् स्खलन्ती ।
क्षोणी पृष्ठे लुठन्ती दुरितचयचमूनिंर्भरं भर्त्सयन्ती
पाथोधिं पुरयन्ती सुरनगरसरित् पावनी नः पुनातु ॥ २॥
brahmāṇḍaṃ khaṇḍayantī haraśirasi jaṭāvallimullāsayantī
kharllokāt āpatantī kanakagiriguhāgaṇḍaśailāt skhalantī .
kṣoṇī pṛṣṭhe luṭhantī duritacayacamūniṃrbharaṃ bhartsayantī
pāthodhiṃ purayantī suranagarasarit pāvanī naḥ punātu .. 2..
Let the pure waters of the heavenly Ganga,
Originating from the breaking the universe in to two,
Watering the hair curls of Lord Shiva’s head,
Falling from the heights of heaven,
Coming out of the sandal wood trees of the caves of Meru,
Falling torrentially on the earth,
Washing away the crowds of sins,
And making full the waters of the sea,
Take care of all of us.
Word by word
- ब्रह्माण्डं (brahmāṇḍaṃ)
- universe
- खंडयन्ती (khaṇḍayantī)
- breaking
- हरशिरसि (haraśirasi)
- on Shiva's head (hara:Shiva | śirasi:on the head)
- जटावल्लिम् (jaṭāvallim)
- hair curls (jaṭā:hair | vallim:curls)
- उल्लासयन्ती (ullāsayantī)
- making shine
- खर्ल्लोकात् (kharllokāt)
- from the heights of heaven (khar:heaven | lokāt:from the heights)
- आपतन्ती (āpatantī)
- falling
- कनकगिरिगुहागण्डशैलात् (kanakagiriguhāgaṇḍaśailāt)
- from the caves of Meru (kanaka:golden | giri:mountain | guhā:cave | gaṇḍa:cheek | śailāt:from the mountain)
- स्खलन्ती (skhalantī)
- falling
- क्षोणी (kṣoṇī)
- earth
- पृष्ठे (pṛṣṭhe)
- on the surface
- लुठन्ती (luṭhantī)
- rolling
- दुरितचयचमूनिंर्भरं (duritacayacamūniṃrbharaṃ)
- crowds of sins (durita:sins | caya:crowds | camūniṃ:armies | bharam:full)
- भर्त्सयन्ती (bhartsayantī)
- frightening
- पाथोधिं (pāthodhiṃ)
- ocean
- पुरयन्ती (purayantī)
- filling
- सुरनगरसरित् (suranagarasarit)
- heavenly river (sura:heavenly | nagara:city | sarit:river)
- पावनी (pāvanī)
- pure
- नः (naḥ)
- us
- पुनातु (punātu)
- may purify
॥ ३ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 3
मज्जनमातंगकुंभच्युतमदमदिरामोदमत्तालिजालं
स्नानंः सिद्धांगनानां कुचयुगविगलत् कुंकुमासंगपिंगम् ।
सायंप्रातर्मुनीनां कुशकुसुमचयैः छन्नतीरस्थनीरं
पाय न्नो गांगमंभः करिकलभकराक्रान्तरं हस्तरंगम् ॥ ३॥
majjanamātaṅgakumbhacyutamadamadirāmodamattālijālaṃ
snānaṃḥ siddhāṅganānāṃ kucayugavigalat kuṅkumāsaṅgapiṅgam .
sāyamprātarmunīnāṃ kuśakusumacayaiḥ channatīrasthanīraṃ
pāya nno gāṅgamambhaḥ karikalabhakarākrāntaraṃ hastaraṅgam .. 3..
Let this waters of Ganga,
Which is full of several crowds of bees rushing to drink,
The water coming out of the bathing elephants,
Which is fully red because of the saffron coloured water,
Flowing from the head through the busts of holy ladies,
Which is full of different types floating grasses and flowers,
After the dawn and dusk salutations done by saints in the morn and evening,
And which is full of waves created by the playful elephants and calves,
Because of their beating the water with their trunks,
Save all of us.
Word by word
- मज्जनमातंगकुंभच्युतमदमदिरामोदमत्तालिजालं (majjanamātaṅgakumbhacyutamadamadirāmodamattālijālaṃ)
- crowds of bees rushing (majjana:bathing | mātaṅga:elephant | kumbha:head | cyuta:fallen | mada:intoxication | madirā:liquor | moda:joy | matta:intoxicated | āli:bee | jāla:crowd)
- स्नानंः (snānaṃḥ)
- bathing
- सिद्धांगनानां (siddhāṅganānāṃ)
- of holy ladies (siddha:holy | aṅganā:lady)
- कुचयुगविगलत् (kucayugavigalat)
- flowing from busts (kuca:bust | yuga:pair | vigalat:flowing)
- कुंकुमासंगपिंगम् (kuṅkumāsaṅgapiṅgam)
- saffron colored (kuṅkuma:saffron | āsaṅga:attached | piṅga:reddish)
- सायंप्रातर्मुनीनां (sāyaṃprātarmunīnāṃ)
- of saints in morn/evening (sāyam:evening | prātaḥ:morning | munīnām:of saints)
- कुशकुसुमचयैः (kuśakusumacayaiḥ)
- with grass and flowers (kuśa:grass | kusuma:flower | caya:collection)
- छन्नतीरस्थनीरं (channatīrasthanīraṃ)
- covered riverbank water (channa:covered | tīra:bank | sthanīra:water)
- पाय (pāya)
- save
- न्नो (no)
- us
- गांगमंभः (gāṅgamambhaḥ)
- Ganga's water (gāṅga:Ganga | ambhaḥ:water)
- करिकलभकराक्रान्तरं (karikalabhakarākrāntaraṃ)
- trampled by elephant calves (kari:elephant | kalabha:calf | kara:hand | ākrānta:trampled)
- हस्तरंगम् (hastaraṅgam)
- waves by trunks (hasta:trunk | raṅga:waves)
॥ ४ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 4
आदावादि पितामहस्य नियमव्यापारपात्रे जलं
पश्चात् पन्नगशायिनो भगवतः पादोदकं पावनम् ।
भूयः शंभुजटाविभूषणमणिः जहनोर्महर्षेरियं
कन्या कल्मषनाशिनी भगवती भागीरथी दृश्यते ॥ ४॥
ādāvādi pitāmahasya niyamavyāpārapātre jalaṃ
paścāt pannagaśāyino bhagavataḥ pādodakaṃ pāvanam .
bhūyaḥ śambhujaṭāvibhūṣaṇamaṇiḥ jahanormaharṣeriyaṃ
kanyā kalmaṣanāśinī bhagavatī bhāgīrathī dṛśyate .. 4..
This Goddess brought down by King Bhageerath,
Was initially seen as the water of worship from the pot of Brahma,
Later it became the purest holy waters washing the feet of Vishnu,
And then became an ornamental gem on the head of Lord Shiva,
And then later was born as the daughter of sage Jahnu.
Word by word
- आदौ (ādau)
- initially
- आदि (ādi)
- beginning
- पितामहस्य (pitāmahasya)
- of Brahma
- नियमव्यापारपात्रे (niyamavyāpārapātre)
- in the pot of worship (niyama:worship | vyāpāra:activity | pātre:in the pot)
- जलं (jalaṃ)
- water
- पश्चात् (paścāt)
- later
- पन्नगशायिनः (pannagaśāyinaḥ)
- of Vishnu (pannaga:serpent | śāyinaḥ:reclining)
- भगवतः (bhagavataḥ)
- of the Lord
- पादोदकं (pādodakaṃ)
- water washing feet (pāda:feet | udakaṃ:water)
- पावनम् (pāvanam)
- pure
- भूयः (bhūyaḥ)
- again
- शंभुजटाविभूषणमणिः (śambhujaṭāvibhūṣaṇamaṇiḥ)
- ornamental gem on Shiva's head (śambhu:Shiva | jaṭā:matted hair | vibhūṣaṇa:ornament | maṇiḥ:gem)
- जहनोः (jahanor)
- of Jahnu
- महर्षेः (maharṣeḥ)
- of the sage
- इयं (iyaṃ)
- this
- कन्या (kanyā)
- daughter
- कल्मषनाशिनी (kalmaṣanāśinī)
- destroyer of sins (kalmaṣa:sins | nāśinī:destroyer)
- भगवती (bhagavatī)
- Goddess
- भागीरथी (bhāgīrathī)
- Bhagirathi
- दृश्यते (dṛśyate)
- is seen
॥ ५ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 5
शैलेन्द्रात् अवतारिणी निजजले मज्जत् जनोत्तारिणी
पारावारविहारिणी भवभयश्रेणी समुत्सारिणी ।
शेषाहेरनुकारिणी हरशिरोवल्लिदलाकारिणी
काशीप्रान्तविहारिणी विजयते गंगा मनूहारिणो ॥ ५॥
śailendrāt avatāriṇī nijajale majjat janottāriṇī
pārāvāravihāriṇī bhavabhayaśreṇī samutsāriṇī .
śeṣāheranukāriṇī haraśirovallidalākāriṇī
kāśīprāntavihāriṇī vijayate gaṅgā manūhāriṇo .. 5..
Victory to that pretty Ganga, who took birth from king of mountains,
Who makes people who dip in her waters cross the ocean of life,
Who reaches and plays in the ocean,
Who completely uproots sorrows from life,
Who imitates Adhisesha and bends and flows,
Who appears like leaves on the hairs of Lord Shiva,
And who flows very near the city of Kasi.
Word by word
- शैलेन्द्रात् (śailendrāt)
- from the king of mountains (śaila:mountain | indra:king | āt:from)
- अवतारिणी (avatāriṇī)
- descended
- निजजले (nijajale)
- in her own waters (nija:own | jale:in waters)
- मज्जत् (majjat)
- immersed
- जनोत्तारिणी (janottāriṇī)
- uplifting people (jana:people | uttāriṇī:uplifting)
- पारावारविहारिणी (pārāvāravihāriṇī)
- playing in the ocean (pārāvāra:ocean | vihāriṇī:playing)
- भवभयश्रेणी (bhavabhayaśreṇī)
- series of life's fears (bhava:life | bhaya:fear | śreṇī:series)
- समुत्सारिणी (samutsāriṇī)
- completely uprooting
- शेषाहेरनुकारिणी (śeṣāheranukāriṇī)
- imitating Adhisesha (śeṣa:Adhisesha | aha:serpent | anukāriṇī:imitating)
- हरशिरोवल्लिदलाकारिणी (haraśirovallidalākāriṇī)
- like leaves on Shiva's head (hara:Shiva | śiraḥ:head | valli:creeper | dala:leaf | ākāriṇī:like)
- काशीप्रान्तविहारिणी (kāśīprāntavihāriṇī)
- flowing near Kasi (kāśī:Kasi | prānta:near | vihāriṇī:flowing)
- विजयते (vijayate)
- victorious
- गंगा (gaṅgā)
- Ganga
- मनूहारिणो (manūhāriṇo)
- captivating the mind
॥ ६ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 6
कुतो वीचिर्वीचिस्तव यदि गता लोचनपथं
त्वमापीता पीतांबरपुग्निवासं वितरसि ।
त्वदुत्संगे गंगे पतति यदि कायस्तनुभृतां
तदा मातः शातक्रतवपदलाभोऽप्यतिलघुः ॥ ६॥
kuto vīcirvīcistava yadi gatā locanapathaṃ
tvamāpītā pītāmbarapugnivāsaṃ vitarasi .
tvadutsaṅge gaṅge patati yadi kāyastanubhṛtāṃ
tadā mātaḥ śātakratavapadalābho'pyatilaghuḥ .. 6..
Hey river Ganga, Where are the pains of hell to him,
Whose eyes see at least one of your waves?
Hey Ganga, You give to anyone taking a sip of your water,
Permanent residence in Vaikunta,
And Oh, mother, to any being whose body falls on you,
Even the post of Indra become worthless
Word by word
- कुतः (kutaḥ)
- where
- वीचिः (vīciḥ)
- wave
- वीचिः (vīciḥ)
- wave
- तव (tava)
- your
- यदि (yadi)
- if
- गता (gatā)
- gone
- लोचनपथं (locanapathaṃ)
- path of the eyes (locana:eyes | pathaṃ:path)
- त्वम् (tvam)
- you
- आपिता (āpītā)
- sipped
- पीतांबरपुग्निवासं (pītāmbarapugnivāsaṃ)
- residence in Vaikunta (pīta:yellow | ambara:garment | pug:group | nivāsaṃ:residence)
- वितरसि (vitarasi)
- you give
- त्वदुत्सङ्गे (tvadutsaṅge)
- in your lap (tvad:your | utsaṅge:lap)
- गङ्गे (gaṅge)
- O Ganga
- पतति (patati)
- falls
- यदि (yadi)
- if
- कायः (kāyaḥ)
- body
- तनुभृतां (tanubhṛtāṃ)
- of embodied beings (tanu:body | bhṛtāṃ:bearing)
- तदा (tadā)
- then
- मातः (mātaḥ)
- O mother
- शातक्रतवपदलाभः (śātakratavapadalābhaḥ)
- gain of Indra's position (śātakratu:Indra | pada:position | lābhaḥ:gain)
- अपि (api)
- even
- अतिलघुः (atilaghuḥ)
- very insignificant
॥ ७ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 7
गंगे त्रैलोक्यसारे सकलसुरवधूधौतविस्तीर्णतोये
पूर्णब्रह्मस्वरूपे हरिचरणरजोहारिणि स्वर्गमार्गे ।
प्रायश्चितं यदि स्यात् तव जलकाणिक्रा ब्रह्महत्यादिपापे
कस्त्वां स्तोतुं समर्थः त्रिजगदघहरे देवि गंगे प्रसीद ॥ ७॥
gaṅge trailokyasāre sakalasuravadhūdhautavistīrṇatoye
pūrṇabrahmasvarūpe haricaraṇarajohāriṇi svargamārge .
prāyaścitaṃ yadi syāt tava jalakāṇikrā brahmahatyādipāpe
kastvāṃ stotuṃ samarthaḥ trijagadaghahare devi gaṅge prasīda .. 7..
Hey Ganga, who is most important in all the three worlds,
Who is so wide and big that all women of heaven dip and bathe in you,
Who is having the full form of the eternal truth,
Who flows carrying the dust of the feet of Lord Vishnu,
Who flows in the paths of heaven,
And whose one drop is the only cure for sins like killing of Brahmana,
Hey Ganga, who can be capable of praying you adequately?
And who is more capable of washing any sin in the three worlds,
Be pleased with me.
Word by word
- गंगे (gaṅge)
- O Ganga
- त्रैलोक्यसारे (trailokyasāre)
- essence of three worlds (trai:three | lokya:worlds | sāre:essence)
- सकलसुरवधूधौतविस्तीर्णतोये (sakalasuravadhūdhautavistīrṇatoye)
- wide with all celestial women bathing (sakala:all | sura:celestial | vadhū:women | dhauta:bathed | vistīrṇa:wide | toye:in water)
- पूर्णब्रह्मस्वरूपे (pūrṇabrahmasvarūpe)
- full form of eternal truth (pūrṇa:full | brahma:eternal truth | svarūpe:in form)
- हरिचरणरजोहारिणि (haricaraṇarajohāriṇi)
- carrying dust of Vishnu's feet (hari:Vishnu | caraṇa:feet | rajaḥ:dust | hāriṇi:carrying)
- स्वर्गमार्गे (svargamārge)
- in the path of heaven (svarga:heaven | mārge:in the path)
- प्रायश्चितं (prāyaścitaṃ)
- atonement
- यदि (yadi)
- if
- स्यात् (syāt)
- is
- तव (tava)
- your
- जलकाणिक्रा (jalakāṇikrā)
- drop of water (jala:water | kāṇikā:drop)
- ब्रह्महत्यादिपापे (brahmahatyādipāpe)
- sins like killing of Brahmana (brahmahatyā:killing of Brahmana | ādi:like | pāpe:sins)
- कः (kaḥ)
- who
- त्वां (tvāṃ)
- you
- स्तोतुं (stotuṃ)
- to praise
- समर्थः (samarthaḥ)
- capable
- त्रिजगदघहरे (trijagadaghahare)
- remover of sins in three worlds (tri:three | jagat:worlds | agha:sins | hare:remover)
- देवि (devi)
- O Goddess
- गंगे (gaṅge)
- O Ganga
- प्रसीद (prasīda)
- be pleased
॥ ८ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 8
मातर्जाह्नवी शंभुसंगवलिते मौलै निधायाञ्जलिं
त्वत्तीरे वपुषोऽवसानसमये नारायणांध्रिद्वयम् ।
सानन्दं स्मरतो भविष्यति मम प्राणप्रयाणोत्सवे
भूयात् भक्तिरविच्युता हरिहरद्वैतात्मिका शाश्वती ॥ ८॥
mātarjāhnavī śambhusaṅgavalite maulai nidhāyāñjaliṃ
tvattīre vapuṣo'vasānasamaye nārāyaṇāndhridvayam .
sānandaṃ smarato bhaviṣyati mama prāṇaprayāṇotsave
bhūyāt bhaktiravicyutā hariharadvaitātmikā śāśvatī .. 8..
Hey mother Jahnavi, at the end of my wanderings devoted for search
For the company of lord Shiva, the end celebration of my travel of the soul,
Would happen in your bank, while I would be meditating,
Holding my two hands in salute over my head,
With happiness, on the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu.
Let my devotion to Vishnu and Shiva be permanent, Oh Goddess.
Word by word
- मातर् (mātar)
- mother
- जाह्नवी (jāhnavī)
- Jahnavi
- शंभुसंगवलिते (śambhusaṅgavalite)
- surrounded by Shiva's company (śambhu:Shiva | saṅga:company | valite:surrounded by)
- मौलै (maulai)
- on the head
- निधाय (nidhāya)
- placing
- अञ्जलिं (añjaliṃ)
- salute
- त्वत् (tvat)
- your
- तीरे (tīre)
- on the bank
- वपुषः (vapuṣaḥ)
- of the body
- अवसानसमये (avasānasamaye)
- at the end time (avasāna:end | samaye:time)
- नारायण (nārāyaṇa)
- Narayana
- अन्ध्रिद्वयम् (andhridvayam)
- two feet (andhri:feet | dvayam:two)
- सानन्दं (sānandaṃ)
- with happiness
- स्मरतः (smarataḥ)
- remembering
- भविष्यति (bhaviṣyati)
- will happen
- मम (mama)
- my
- प्राणप्रयाणोत्सवे (prāṇaprayāṇotsave)
- at the soul's journey festival (prāṇa:soul | prayāṇa:journey | utsave:festival)
- भूयात् (bhūyāt)
- may it be
- भक्तिः (bhaktiḥ)
- devotion
- अविच्युता (avicyutā)
- unwavering
- हरिहरद्वैतात्मिका (hariharadvaitātmikā)
- essence of Vishnu and Shiva (hari:Vishnu | hara:Shiva | dvaita:dual | ātmikā:essence)
- शाश्वती (śāśvatī)
- eternal
॥ ९ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 9
गंगाष्टकमिदं पुण्यं यः पठेत् प्रयतो नरः ।
सर्वपापविनिर्भुक्तो विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति ॥
gaṅgāṣṭakamidaṃ puṇyaṃ yaḥ paṭhet prayato naraḥ .
sarvapāpavinirbhukto viṣṇulokaṃ sa gacchati ..
That holy devotee who reads this holy octet on Ganga,
Would become free of all sins and reach the world of Vishnu.
Word by word
- गङ्गाष्टकम् (gaṅgāṣṭakam)
- octet on Ganga (gaṅgā:Ganga | aṣṭakam:octet)
- इदं (idaṃ)
- this
- पुण्यम् (puṇyam)
- holy
- यः (yaḥ)
- who
- पठेत् (paṭhet)
- would read
- प्रयतः (prayataḥ)
- devoted
- नरः (naraḥ)
- man
- सर्वपापविनिर्भुक्तः (sarvapāpavinirbhuktaḥ)
- free of all sins (sarva:all | pāpa:sins | vinirbhuktaḥ:free from)
- विष्णुलोकं (viṣṇulokaṃ)
- world of Vishnu (viṣṇu:Vishnu | lokam:world)
- स (sa)
- he
- गच्छति (gacchati)
- goes
ॐ
