About this stotra
The Gītā Dhyānam, also called the Gītā Dhyāna or the Dhyāna Ślokas associated with the Gītā, is a 9-verse Sanskrit poem that has often been attached to the Bhagavad Gita, one of the most important scriptures of Hinduism. In English, its title can be translated literally as 'meditation on the Gita' and it is also sometimes called the Invocation to the Gita.
The nine Gita Dhyanam verses offer salutations to a variety of sacred scriptures, Gods, and other entities, characterize the relationship of the Gita to the Upanishads, and affirm the power of divine assistance.
Gita Dhyanam is like a prayer. The purpose of studying the prayer verses is to invoke the grace of the Lord so that we can successfully complete the study of the Bhagavad Gita. To ward off the obstacles that may come. You know Bhagavad Gita is part of Mahabharata but these prayer verses are not from Mahabharata. The prayer verses were written by a great acharya by name Madhusudana Saraswati before he wrote his commentary on the Bhagavad Gita. The name of his commentary is called Gudhartha Dipika, a lamp which illumines the hidden and deeper meanings of the Bhagavad Gita. It is a very famous commentary on the Gita. Before starting the actual Gita we study of the nine verses of Dhyana Sloka written by this Acharya. In these verses the Acharya offers Namaskarams to Mahabharatam (for it is the greatest book), Bhagavad Gita (looking upon Gita as mother Saraswati the embodiment of wisdom), Vyasacharya (the author of Mahabharatam and therefore the author of Gita also), and Krishna (who gives the Gita teaching to Arjuna).
Gita Dhyanam lyrics and meaning
॥ १ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 1
ॐ पार्थाय प्रतिबोधितां भगवता नारायणेन स्वयं
व्यासेन ग्रथितां पुराणमुनिना मध्ये महाभारते
अद्वैतामृतवर्षिणीं भगवतीमष्टादशाध्यायिनीं
अम्ब त्वामनुसन्दधामि भगवद्गीते भवद्वेषिणीम्
oṃ pārthāya pratibodhitāṃ bhagavatā nārāyaṇena svayaṃ
vyāsena grathitāṃ purāṇamuninā madhye mahābhārate
advaitāmṛtavarṣiṇīṃ bhagavatīmaṣṭādaśādhyāyinīṃ
amba tvāmanusandadhāmi bhagavadgīte bhavadveṣiṇīm
That which was taught to Arjuna by Lord Narayana himself,
Which was written by the epic sage Vyasa in the middle of Mahabaratha,
Oh Mother goddess who showers the nectar of advaitha called the Bhagavad Gita,
Which has eighteen chapters, I meditate on you mother destroyer of the round of worldly existence (saṃsāra)
Word by word
- ॐ (oṃ)
- sacred sound
- पार्थाय (pārthāya)
- to Arjuna
- प्रतिबोधितां (pratibodhitāṃ)
- taught
- भगवता (bhagavatā)
- by the Lord
- नारायणेन (nārāyaṇena)
- by Narayana
- स्वयं (svayaṃ)
- himself
- व्यासेन (vyāsena)
- by Vyasa
- ग्रथितां (grathitāṃ)
- composed
- पुराणमुनिना (purāṇamuninā)
- by the ancient sage (purāṇa:ancient | muninā:by the sage)
- मध्ये (madhye)
- in the middle
- महाभारते (mahābhārate)
- in the Mahabharata
- अद्वैतामृतवर्षिणीं (advaitāmṛtavarṣiṇīṃ)
- showering the nectar of non-duality (advaita:non-duality | amṛta:nectar | varṣiṇīṃ:showering)
- भगवतीम् (bhagavatīm)
- goddess
- अष्टादशाध्यायिनीं (aṣṭādaśādhyāyinīṃ)
- having eighteen chapters (aṣṭādaśa:eighteen | adhyāyinīṃ:chapters)
- अम्ब (amba)
- mother
- त्वाम् (tvām)
- you
- अनुसन्दधामि (anusandadhāmi)
- I meditate
- भगवद्गीते (bhagavadgīte)
- O Bhagavad Gita (bhagavat:divine | gīte:song)
- भवद्वेषिणीम् (bhavadveṣiṇīm)
- destroyer of worldly existence, the round of rebirth (bhava:worldly existence, saṃsāra | dveṣiṇīm:hostile to, destroyer of)
॥ २ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 2
नमोऽस्तु ते व्यास विशालबुद्धे
फुल्लारविन्दायतपत्रनेत्रे
येन त्वया भारततैलपूर्णः
प्रज्वलितो ज्ञानमयः प्रदीपः
namo'stu te vyāsa viśālabuddhe
phullāravindāyatapatranetre
yena tvayā bhāratatailapūrṇaḥ
prajvalito jñānamayaḥ pradīpaḥ
Salutations to Vyasa who has immense intellect, who has eyes like petals of a lotus flower,
Who has filled up the oil to the lamp of Mahabaratha, and kindled it as the lamp of knowledge.
Word by word
- नमः (namaḥ)
- salutations
- अस्तु (astu)
- let there be
- ते (te)
- to you
- व्यास (vyāsa)
- Vyasa
- विशालबुद्धे (viśālabuddhe)
- of immense intellect (viśāla:immense | buddhe:intellect)
- फुल्लारविन्द (phullāravinda)
- the full-blown lotus (phulla:blossomed | aravinda:lotus)
- आयतपत्रनेत्रे (āyatapatranetre)
- with eyes wide like [its] petals (āyata:extended, wide | patra:petal | netre:eyes)
- येन (yena)
- by whom
- त्वया (tvayā)
- by you
- भारततैलपूर्णः (bhāratatailapūrṇaḥ)
- filled with the oil of Bharata (bhārata:Bharata | taila:oil | pūrṇaḥ:filled)
- प्रज्वलितः (prajvalitaḥ)
- kindled
- ज्ञानमयः (jñānamayaḥ)
- full of knowledge (jñāna:knowledge | mayaḥ:full of)
- प्रदीपः (pradīpaḥ)
- lamp
॥ ३ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 3
प्रपन्नपारिजाताय
तोत्रवेत्रैकपाणये
ज्ञानमुद्राय कृष्णाय
गीतामृतदुहे नमः
prapannapārijātāya
totravetraikapāṇaye
jñānamudrāya kṛṣṇāya
gītāmṛtaduhe namaḥ
Salutations to Krishna the wish-giving tree for those who take refuge in him, who holds a cane to drive the cattle,
Who also shows the seal of Jnana, and gave us all the nectar of Gita.
Word by word
- प्रपन्नपारिजाताय (prapannapārijātāya)
- to the wish-giving tree (prapanna:surrendered | pārijātāya:to the wish-giving tree)
- तोत्रवेत्रैकपाणये (totravetraikapāṇaye)
- to the one holding a cane (totra:cane | vetra:stick | eka:one | pāṇaye:to the hand)
- ज्ञानमुद्राय (jñānamudrāya)
- to the one showing Jnana (jñāna:knowledge | mudrāya:to the gesture)
- कृष्णाय (kṛṣṇāya)
- to Krishna
- गीतामृतदुहे (gītāmṛtaduhe)
- to the milker of Gita nectar (gīta:Gita | amṛta:nectar | duhe:milker)
- नमः (namaḥ)
- salutations
॥ ४ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 4
सर्वोपनिषदो गावो
दोग्धा गोपालनन्दनः
पार्थो वत्सः सुधीर्भोक्ता
दुग्धं गीतामृतं महत्
sarvopaniṣado gāvo
dogdhā gopālanandanaḥ
pārtho vatsaḥ sudhīrbhoktā
dugdhaṃ gītāmṛtaṃ mahat
All the Upanishads are the cows and Krishna is the one who milks them,
Arjuna is the calf, the wise are the drinkers of the great nectar of Gita.
Word by word
- सर्वोपनिषदः (sarvopaniṣadaḥ)
- all Upanishads (sarva:all | upaniṣadaḥ:Upanishads)
- गावः (gāvaḥ)
- cows
- दोग्धा (dogdhā)
- milker
- गोपालनन्दनः (gopālanandanaḥ)
- son of Gopala (gopāla:Gopala | nandanaḥ:son)
- पार्थः (pārthaḥ)
- Arjuna
- वत्सः (vatsaḥ)
- calf
- सुधीः (sudhīḥ)
- wise
- भोक्ता (bhoktā)
- consumer
- दुग्धम् (dugdham)
- milk
- गीतामृतम् (gītāmṛtam)
- nectar of Gita (gīta:Gita | amṛtam:nectar)
- महत् (mahat)
- great
॥ ५ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 5
वसुदेवसुतं देवं
कंसचाणूरमर्दनम्
देवकीपरमानन्दं
कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम्
vasudevasutaṃ devaṃ
kaṃsacāṇūramardanam
devakīparamānandaṃ
kṛṣṇaṃ vande jagadgurum
I salute the teacher of the world, who is the son of Vasudeva,
Who killed Kamsa and Chanoora and is the one who gave divine joy to Devaki.
Word by word
- वसुदेवसुतं (vasudevasutaṃ)
- son of Vasudeva (vasudeva:Vasudeva | sutaṃ:son)
- देवं (devaṃ)
- god
- कंसचाणूरमर्दनम् (kaṃsacāṇūramardanam)
- destroyer of Kamsa and Chanoora (kaṃsa:Kamsa | cāṇūra:Chanoora | mardanam:destroyer)
- देवकीपरमानन्दं (devakīparamānandaṃ)
- divine joy to Devaki (devakī:Devaki | paramānandaṃ:divine joy)
- कृष्णं (kṛṣṇaṃ)
- Krishna
- वन्दे (vande)
- I salute
- जगद्गुरुम् (jagadgurum)
- teacher of the world (jagat:world | gurum:teacher)
॥ ६ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 6
भीष्मद्रोणतटा जयद्रथजला गान्धारीनीलोत्पला
शल्यग्राहवती कृपेण वहनी कर्णेन वेलाकुला
अश्वत्थामविकर्णघोरमकरा दुर्योधनावर्तिनी
सोत्तीर्णा खलु पाण्डवै रणनदी कैवर्तकः केशवः
bhīṣmadroṇataṭā jayadrathajalā gāndhārīnīlotpalā
śalyagrāhavatī kṛpeṇa vahanī karṇena velākulā
aśvatthāmavikarṇaghoramakarā duryodhanāvartinī
sottīrṇā khalu pāṇḍavai raṇanadī kaivartakaḥ keśavaḥ
Bheeshma and Drona were two banks, Jayadrada was the water, Gandhari was the blue lotus,
Salya was the crocodile, Kripa was the tide, Karna was the mighty wave,
Aswathama and Vikarna were the dangerous alligators and Duryodhana was the whirlpool,
And the Pandavas crossed this river of war with Krishna as their helmsman.
Word by word
- भीष्मद्रोणतटा (bhīṣmadroṇataṭā)
- Bheeshma and Drona were banks (bhīṣma:Bheeshma | droṇa:Drona | taṭā:banks)
- जयद्रथजला (jayadrathajalā)
- Jayadratha was the water (jayadratha:Jayadratha | jalā:water)
- गान्धारीनीलोत्पला (gāndhārīnīlotpalā)
- Gandhari was the blue lotus (gāndhārī:Gandhari | nīlotpalā:blue lotus)
- शल्यग्राहवती (śalyagrāhavatī)
- Salya was the crocodile (śalya:Salya | grāha:crocodile | vatī:having)
- कृपेण (kṛpeṇa)
- by Kripa
- वहनी (vahanī)
- tide
- कर्णेन (karṇena)
- by Karna
- वेलाकुला (velākulā)
- mighty wave
- अश्वत्थामविकर्णघोरमकरा (aśvatthāmavikarṇaghoramakarā)
- Aswathama and Vikarna were alligators (aśvatthāma:Aswathama | vikarṇa:Vikarna | ghora:dangerous | makarā:alligators)
- दुर्योधनावर्तिनी (duryodhanāvartinī)
- Duryodhana was the whirlpool (duryodhana:Duryodhana | āvartinī:whirlpool)
- सोत्तीर्णा (sottīrṇā)
- crossed
- खलु (khalu)
- indeed
- पाण्डवै (pāṇḍavai)
- by the Pandavas
- रणनदी (raṇanadī)
- the river of battle (raṇa:battle | nadī:river)
- कैवर्तकः (kaivartakaḥ)
- helmsman
- केशवः (keśavaḥ)
- Krishna
॥ ७ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 7
पाराशर्यवचः सरोजममलं गीतार्थगन्धोत्कटं
नानाख्यानककेशरं हरिकथासम्बोधनाबोधितम्
लोके सज्जनषट्पदैरहरहः पेपीयमानं मुदा
भूयाद्भारतपङ्कजं कलिमलप्रध्वंसनं श्रेयसे
pārāśaryavacaḥ sarojamamalaṃ gītārthagandhotkaṭaṃ
nānākhyānakakeśaraṃ harikathāsambodhanābodhitam
loke sajjanaṣaṭpadairaharahaḥ pepīyamānaṃ mudā
bhūyādbhāratapaṅkajaṃ kalimalapradhvaṃsanaṃ śreyase
Let the spotless lotus of the Mahabharata — sprung from the words of Parashara's son (Vyasa), fragrant with the meaning of the Gita, its filaments the many stories, unfolded by the discourse on the tales of Hari,
drunk day after day with joy by the good people who are its bees
— destroy the impurities of the Kali age and bring us welfare.
Word by word
- पाराशर्यवचः (pārāśaryavacaḥ)
- words of Parashara's son (pārāśarya:son of Parashara | vacaḥ:words)
- सरोजम् (sarojam)
- lotus
- अमलम् (amalam)
- pure
- गीतार्थगन्धोत्कटम् (gītārthagandhotkaṭam)
- fragrant with Gita's meaning (gīta:Gita | artha:meaning | gandha:fragrance | utkaṭa:intense)
- नानाख्यानककेशरम् (nānākhyānakakeśaram)
- with diverse story filaments (nānā:diverse | ākhyāna:stories | keśara:filaments)
- हरिकथासम्बोधनाबोधितम् (harikathāsambodhanābodhitam)
- awakened by Hari's stories (hari:Hari | kathā:stories | sambodhana:addressing | ābodhita:awakened)
- लोके (loke)
- in the world
- सज्जनषट्पदैः (sajjanaṣaṭpadaiḥ)
- by good people's bees (sajjana:good people | ṣaṭpada:bees)
- अहरहः (aharahaḥ)
- day by day
- पेपीयमानम् (pepīyamānam)
- being drunk
- मुदा (mudā)
- with joy
- भूयात् (bhūyāt)
- may it be
- भारतपङ्कजम् (bhāratapaṅkajam)
- lotus of Mahabharata (bhārata:Mahabharata | paṅkaja:lotus)
- कलिमलप्रध्वंसनम् (kalimalapradhvaṃsanam)
- destroying Kali's impurities (kali:Kali | mala:impurities | pradhvaṃsana:destroying)
- श्रेयसे (śreyase)
- for the welfare
॥ ८ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 8
मूकं करोति वाचालं
पङ्गुं लङ्घयते गिरिम्
यत्कृपा तमहं वन्दे
परमानन्दमाधवम्
mūkaṃ karoti vācālaṃ
paṅguṃ laṅghayate girim
yatkṛpā tamahaṃ vande
paramānandamādhavam
I salute that Maadhava, the source of supreme bliss, whose grace makes the dumb man eloquent and the cripple cross mountains.
Word by word
- मूकं (mūkaṃ)
- dumb
- करोति (karoti)
- makes
- वाचालं (vācālaṃ)
- eloquent
- पङ्गुं (paṅguṃ)
- cripple
- लङ्घयते (laṅghayate)
- crosses
- गिरिम् (girim)
- mountain
- यत्कृपा (yatkṛpā)
- whose grace (yat:whose | kṛpā:grace)
- तमहं (tamahaṃ)
- that I (tam:that | aham:I)
- वन्दे (vande)
- salute
- परमानन्दमाधवम् (paramānandamādhavam)
- supreme bliss Maadhava (paramānanda:supreme bliss | mādhavam:Maadhava)
॥ ९ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 9
यं ब्रह्मा वरुणेन्द्ररुद्रमरुतः स्तुन्वन्ति दिव्यैः स्तवैर्
वेदैः साङ्गपदक्रमोपनिषदैर्गायन्ति यं सामगाः
ध्यानावस्थिततद्गतेन मनसा पश्यन्ति यं योगिनो
यस्यान्तं न विदुः सुरासुरगणा देवाय तस्मै नमः
yaṃ brahmā varuṇendrarudramarutaḥ stunvanti divyaiḥ stavair
vedaiḥ sāṅgapadakramopaniṣadairgāyanti yaṃ sāmagāḥ
dhyānāvasthitatadgatena manasā paśyanti yaṃ yogino
yasyāntaṃ na viduḥ surāsuragaṇā devāya tasmai namaḥ
I salute him who is worshipped by divine chants by Brahma, Varuna, Indra, Rudra and the Maruts. Who is pleased by singers of Sama Veda, by singing Vedas and Upanishads, by following the word sequence. Who is seen by yogis who are absorbed in him, with their mind merging in him, and whose end is not known even by the devas and asuras.
Word by word
- यं (yaṃ)
- whom
- ब्रह्मा (brahmā)
- Brahma
- वरुणेन्द्ररुद्रमरुतः (varuṇendrarudramarutaḥ)
- Varuna, Indra, Rudra, Maruts (varuṇa:Varuna | indra:Indra | rudra:Rudra | marutaḥ:Maruts)
- स्तुन्वन्ति (stunvanti)
- praise
- दिव्यैः (divyaiḥ)
- divine
- स्तवैः (stavaiḥ)
- hymns
- वेदैः (vedaiḥ)
- by the Vedas
- साङ्गपदक्रमोपनिषदैः (sāṅgapadakramopaniṣadaiḥ)
- with Vedas, limbs, sequences, Upanishads (sāṅga:with limbs | pada:words | krama:sequence | upaniṣadaiḥ:by Upanishads)
- गायन्ति (gāyanti)
- sing
- यं (yaṃ)
- whom
- सामगाः (sāmagāḥ)
- singers of Sama Veda
- ध्यानावस्थिततद्गतेन (dhyānāvasthitatadgatena)
- absorbed in meditation (dhyāna:meditation | avasthita:absorbed | tadgatena:focused on him)
- मनसा (manasā)
- with the mind
- पश्यन्ति (paśyanti)
- see
- यं (yaṃ)
- whom
- योगिनः (yoginaḥ)
- yogis
- यस्यान्तं (yasyāntaṃ)
- whose end
- न (na)
- not
- विदुः (viduḥ)
- know
- सुरासुरगणा (surāsuragaṇā)
- gods and demons (sura:gods | asura:demons | gaṇā:groups)
- देवाय (devāya)
- to the god
- तस्मै (tasmai)
- to him
- नमः (namaḥ)
- salutation
ॐ
