About this stotra
The Tripura Sundari Ashtakam is an eight-verse hymn attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, in praise of Tripura Sundari — also known as Lalita or Rajarajeshvari — the supreme feminine principle of the Sri Vidya tradition. The Goddess is portrayed roaming the kadamba forest, seated on her golden throne, bearing her iconic weapons of bow, arrow, noose and goad, and radiating a beauty that transcends the three worlds.
Each verse builds a vivid portrait of the Goddess and ends with bhajeham... tripurasundarim, 'I meditate on that Tripura Sundari.' The ninth verse is the colophon naming Shankaracharya as the author in the lineage of his guru Govinda Bhagavatpada.
Tripura Sundari Ashtakam lyrics and meaning
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Verse 1
कदम्बवनचारिणीं मुनिकदम्बकादम्बिनीं
नितम्बजितभूधरां सुरनितम्बिनीसेविताम् ।
नवाम्बुरुहलोचनामभिनवाम्बुदश्यामलां
त्रिलोचनकुटुम्बिनीं त्रिपुरसुन्दरीमाश्रये ॥ १ ॥
kadambavanachāriṇīṃ munikadambakādambinīṃ
nitambajitabhūdharāṃ suranitambinīsēvitām ।
navāmburuhalōchanāmabhinavāmbudaśyāmalāṃ
trilōchanakuṭumbinīṃ tripurasundarīmāśrayē ॥ 1 ॥
She who roams in the kadamba forest, the very cloud refreshing the assembly of sages, whose hips surpass the beauty of mountains, served by divine women — with fresh lotus eyes — I meditate on that Tripura Sundari.
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Verse 2
कदम्बवनवासिनीं कनकवल्लकीधारिणीं
महार्हमणिहारिणीं मुखसमुल्लसद्वारुणीम् ।
दयाविभवकारिणीं विशदरोचनाचारिणीं
त्रिलोचनकुटुम्बिनीं त्रिपुरसुन्दरीमाश्रये ॥ २ ॥
kadambavanavāsinīṃ kanakavallakīdhāriṇīṃ
mahārhamaṇihāriṇīṃ mukhasamullasadvāruṇīm ।
dayāvibhavakāriṇīṃ viśadarōchanāchāriṇīṃ
trilōchanakuṭumbinīṃ tripurasundarīmāśrayē ॥ 2 ॥
She who dwells in the kadamba forest, bearing a golden vina, wearing a magnificent gem-studded necklace, her face radiant with bliss — compassionate bestower of grace, of clear and spotless luster — I meditate on that Tripura Sundari.
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Verse 3
कदम्बवनशालया कुचभरोल्लसन्मालया
कुचोपमितशैलया गुरुकृपालसद्वेलया ।
मदारुणकपोलया मधुरगीतवाचालया
कयापि घननीलया कवचिता वयं लीलया ॥ ३ ॥
kadambavanaśālayā kuchabharōllasanmālayā
kuchōpamitaśailayā gurukṛpālasadvēlayā ।
madāruṇakapōlayā madhuragītavāchālayā
kayāpi ghananīlayā kavachitā vayaṃ līlayā ॥ 3 ॥
She of the kadamba grove, with garlands radiant upon her bosom, mountains rivaled by her breasts, flowing with the grace of the Guru — with flushed glowing cheeks, of sweet speech and song — I meditate on that Tripura Sundari.
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Verse 4
कदम्बवनमध्यगां कनकमण्डलोपस्थितां
षडम्बुरुहवासिनीं सततसिद्धसौदामिनीम् ।
विडम्बितजपारुचिं विकचचन्द्रचूडामणिं
त्रिलोचनकुटुम्बिनीं त्रिपुरसुन्दरीमाश्रये ॥ ४ ॥
kadambavanamadhyagāṃ kanakamaṇḍalōpasthitāṃ
ṣaḍamburuhavāsinīṃ satatasiddhasaudāminīm ।
viḍambitajapāruchiṃ vikachachandrachūḍāmaṇiṃ
trilōchanakuṭumbinīṃ tripurasundarīmāśrayē ॥ 4 ॥
She who abides at the center of the kadamba forest, seated on a golden throne, dwelling in the six chakra-lotuses, eternally the lightning-flash of the perfected siddhas — of the splendor of the red hibiscus, with blooming lotus eyes — I meditate on that Tripura Sundari.
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Verse 5
कुचाञ्चितविपञ्चिकां कुटिलकुन्तलालङ्कृतां
कुशेशयनिवासिनीं कुटिलचित्तविद्वेषिणीम् ।
मदारुणविलोचनां मनसिजारिसम्मोहिनीं
मतङ्गमुनिकन्यकां मधुरभाषिणीमाश्रये ॥ ५ ॥
kuchāñchitavipañchikāṃ kuṭilakuntalālaṅkṛtāṃ
kuśēśayanivāsinīṃ kuṭilachittavidvēṣiṇīm ।
madāruṇavilōchanāṃ manasijārisammōhinīṃ
mataṅgamunikanyakāṃ madhurabhāṣiṇīmāśrayē ॥ 5 ॥
She whose vina rests adorned upon her bosom, her flowing locks curling and adorned — dwelling in the lotus of the heart, destroyer of wicked and crooked minds — with intoxicated reddened eyes, the beloved consort of Shiva — I meditate on that Tripura Sundari.
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Verse 6
स्मरेत्प्रथमपुष्पिणीं रुधिरबिन्दुनीलाम्बरां
गृहीतमधुपात्रिकां मदविघूर्णनेत्राञ्चलाम् ।
घनस्तनभरोन्नतां गलितचूलिकां श्यामलां
त्रिलोचनकुटुम्बिनीं त्रिपुरसुन्दरीमाश्रये ॥ ६ ॥
smarētprathamapuṣpiṇīṃ rudhirabindunīlāmbarāṃ
gṛhītamadhupātrikāṃ madavighūrṇanētrāñchalām ।
ghanastanabharōnnatāṃ galitachūlikāṃ śyāmalāṃ
trilōchanakuṭumbinīṃ tripurasundarīmāśrayē ॥ 6 ॥
One should meditate on her as the first-bloomed, wearing garments of deep red, holding a cup filled with wine, her eyes rolling in blissful intoxication — with a bosom heavy and exalted — I meditate on that Tripura Sundari.
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Verse 7
सकुङ्कुमविलेपनामलकचुम्बिकस्तूरिकां
समन्दहसितेक्षणां सशरचापपाशाङ्कुशाम् ।
अशेषजनमोहिनीमरुणमाल्यभूषाम्बरां
जपाकुसुमभासुरां जपविधौ स्मराम्यम्बिकाम् ॥ ७ ॥
sakuṅkumavilēpanāmalakachumbikastūrikāṃ
samandahasitēkṣaṇāṃ saśarachāpapāśāṅkuśām ।
aśēṣajanamōhinīmaruṇamālyabhūṣāmbarāṃ
japākusumabhāsurāṃ japavidhau smarāmyambikām ॥ 7 ॥
Smeared with saffron paste, her tresses kissed by bees drawn to the musk fragrance — with a gentle sweet smile playing in her glance, bearing the bow, arrow, noose and goad — the enchantress of all beings, adorned with red garlands — I meditate on that Tripura Sundari.
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Verse 8
पुरन्दरपुरन्ध्रिकाचिकुरबन्धसैरन्ध्रिकां
पितामहपतिव्रतापटुपटीरचर्चारताम् ।
मुकुन्दरमणीमणीलसदलङ्क्रियाकारिणीं
भजामि भुवनाम्बिकां सुरवधूटिकाचेटिकाम् ॥ ८ ॥
purandarapurandhrikāchikurabandhasairandhrikāṃ
pitāmahapativratāpaṭupaṭīracharchāratām ।
mukundaramaṇīmaṇīlasadalaṅkriyākāriṇīṃ
bhajāmi bhuvanāmbikāṃ suravadhūṭikāchēṭikām ॥ 8 ॥
Who serves as handmaid to Sachi (Indra's consort) for tying her tresses, who was the skilled sandal-paste attendant for Saraswati (Brahma's consort) — the luminous gem-jewel, the beloved of Mukunda (Vishnu), shining with pristine loveliness — I meditate on that Tripura Sundari.
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Verse 9
इति श्रीमत्परमहंसपरिव्राजकाचार्यस्य श्रीगोविन्दभगवत्पूज्यपादशिष्यस्य श्रीमच्छङ्करभगवतः कृतौ त्रिपुरसुन्दर्यष्टकम् ।
iti śrīmatparamahaṃsaparivrājakāchāryasya śrīgōvindabhagavatpūjyapādaśiṣyasya śrīmachChaṅkarabhagavataḥ kṛtau tripurasundaryaṣṭakam ।
Thus ends the Tripura Sundari Ashtakam composed by Shankaracharya, disciple of the venerable Govinda Bhagavatpada, most revered among wandering ascetics of the Paramahamsa order. (Colophon)
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