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Mantra · Eleven verses on the Sun's orb, each ending in the Gayatri's words

Surya Mandala Stotram

नमोऽस्तु सूर्याय सहस्ररश्मये सहस्रशाखान्वितसम्भवात्मने । सहस्रयोगोद्भवभावभागिने सहस्रसङ्ख्यायुगधारिणे नमः ॥

Also known as Surya Mandala Ashtakam

In Devanagari, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English — with the meaning of every word, and the one syllable most people pronounce wrongly.

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What the Surya Mandala Stotram is

The Surya Mandala Stotram is a Sanskrit hymn to the mandala, the blazing orb of the Sun, rather than to Surya's figure in his chariot. Its closing line names the Bhavishyottara Purana as its source and frames it as part of a conversation between Sri Krishna and Arjuna; no individual poet is named. In the form chanted in South India it has thirteen verses. Verse 1 salutes Surya through the number one thousand, repeated four times: a thousand rays, a thousand branches, a thousand yogas, ages a thousand in number. Each of the next eleven verses opens with 'yanmandalam', that orb which, and ends on the same request, 'punatu mam tat savitur varenyam', may that most excellent light of Savitr purify me. Along the way the orb is called jewel-bright and without beginning, sung in the Rig, Yajur and Sama Vedas, the light of earth, sky and heaven, and finally the very self of the all-pervading Vishnu, reached by yogis. A single closing verse states the traditional reward.

The Gayatri's words in a Puranic hymn

The line printed after the closing verse reads, in substance: here ends the Surya Mandala Stotram from the Bhavishyottara Purana, in the dialogue of Sri Krishna and Arjuna. The Bhavishyottara is the last part of the Bhavishya Purana, often counted as a separate upapurana, and is chiefly a manual of vows, festival days, gifts and pilgrimage; the parent Bhavishya Purana carries a long run of chapters on Sun worship. The hymn itself tells no story. Its setting is the act of worship, and its refrain shows its roots. 'Tat savitur varenyam' are the opening words of the Gayatri, the Rigveda verse (3.62.10) attributed to the sage Vishvamitra and addressed to Savitr, the Sun as the one who sets the world in motion. Verse 6 adds 'bhur bhuvah svah', the three words spoken before the Gayatri. Each verse therefore restates the Gayatri's prayer in Puranic language, turning 'may he stir our thoughts' into 'may that light purify me'. Versions differ in length. Some printings open with a second salutation, 'namah savitre jagadekacakshushe', to the single eye of the world, and repeat the 'vedavido vadanti' verse near the end. One printing titles the poem Mandala Ashtakam and closes it as part of an Aditya Hridaya, a text distinct from the Ramayana hymn of that name.

The mantra, in six scripts

DevanagariSanskrit & Hindiनमोऽस्तु सूर्याय सहस्ररश्मये सहस्रशाखान्वितसम्भवात्मने । सहस्रयोगोद्भवभावभागिने सहस्रसङ्ख्यायुगधारिणे नमः ॥

Tamilநமோஸ்து ஸூர்யாய ஸஹஸ்ரரஶ்மயே ஸஹஸ்ரஶாகாந்விதஸம்பவாத்மநே । ஸஹஸ்ரயோகோத்பவபாவபாகிநே ஸஹஸ்ரஸங்க்யாயுகதாரிணே நமஃ ॥

Teluguనమోఽస్తు సూర్యాయ సహస్రరశ్మయే సహస్రశాఖాన్వితసమ్భవాత్మనే । సహస్రయోగోద్భవభావభాగినే సహస్రసఙ్ఖ్యాయుగధారిణే నమః ॥

Kannadaನಮೋಽಸ್ತು ಸೂರ್ಯಾಯ ಸಹಸ್ರರಶ್ಮಯೇ ಸಹಸ್ರಶಾಖಾನ್ವಿತಸಮ್ಭವಾತ್ಮನೇ । ಸಹಸ್ರಯೋಗೋದ್ಭವಭಾವಭಾಗಿನೇ ಸಹಸ್ರಸಙ್ಖ್ಯಾಯುಗಧಾರಿಣೇ ನಮಃ ॥

Malayalamനമോഽസ്തു സൂര്യായ സഹസ്രരശ്മയേ സഹസ്രശാഖാന്വിതസമ്ഭവാത്മനേ । സഹസ്രയോഗോദ്ഭവഭാവഭാഗിനേ സഹസ്രസങ്ഖ്യായുഗധാരിണേ നമഃ ॥

EnglishRoman transliterationnamo'stu sūryāya sahasraraśmaye sahasraśākhānvitasambhavātmane | sahasrayogodbhavabhāvabhāgine sahasrasaṅkhyāyugadhāriṇe namaḥ ||

“Salutations to Surya of a thousand rays, whose being has come forth in a thousand branches. Salutations to him who shares in the states born of a thousand yogas and who upholds ages beyond counting, a thousand in number.”

नमोऽस्तु: namo'stu — let there be salutation
सूर्याय: sūryāya — to Surya
सहस्ररश्मये: sahasraraśmaye — of a thousand rays
सहस्रशाखान्वितसम्भवात्मने: sahasraśākhānvitasambhavātmane — whose being comes forth in a thousand branches
सहस्रयोगोद्भवभावभागिने: sahasrayogodbhavabhāvabhāgine — who shares in states born of a thousand yogas
सहस्रसङ्ख्यायुगधारिणे: sahasrasaṅkhyāyugadhāriṇe — upholder of ages a thousand in number
नमः: namaḥ — salutation

Surya Mandala Stotram lyrics in full

An opening salutation, eleven verses on the Sun's orb, and a closing verse on the reward, as chanted in South India.

All 14 verses, in Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English, each with its meaning. Choose a script:

Download the Surya Mandala Stotram PDFAll 14 verses with their meanings, in Sanskrit. Free to print and keep.

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Verse 1

नमोऽस्तु सूर्याय सहस्ररश्मये सहस्रशाखान्वितसम्भवात्मने ।
सहस्रयोगोद्भवभावभागिने सहस्रसङ्ख्यायुगधारिणे नमः ॥

Salutations to Surya of a thousand rays, whose being has come forth in a thousand branches. Salutations to him who shares in the states born of a thousand yogas and who upholds ages beyond counting, a thousand in number.

Verse 2

यन्मण्डलं दीप्तिकरं विशालं रत्नप्रभं तीव्रमनादिरूपम् ।
दारिद्र्यदुःखक्षयकारणं च पुनातु मां तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम् ॥

That orb which gives light, vast, shining like a jewel, fierce and without beginning, which brings an end to poverty and sorrow: may that most excellent light of Savitr purify me.

Verse 3

यन्मण्डलं देवगणैः सुपूजितं विप्रैः स्तुतं भावनमुक्तिकोविदम् ।
तं देवदेवं प्रणमामि सूर्यं पुनातु मां तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम् ॥

That orb well worshipped by the hosts of gods, praised by the learned, the knower of the way to liberation through meditation: I bow to Surya, that God of gods. May that most excellent light of Savitr purify me.

Verse 4

यन्मण्डलं ज्ञानघनं त्वगम्यं त्रैलोक्यपूज्यं त्रिगुणात्मरूपम् ।
समस्ततेजोमयदिव्यरूपं पुनातु मां तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम् ॥

That orb which is knowledge itself in solid form yet beyond reach, worshipped in the three worlds, whose nature is the three gunas, whose divine form is made of all radiance: may that most excellent light of Savitr purify me.

Verse 5

यन्मण्डलं गूढमतिप्रबोधं धर्मस्य वृद्धिं कुरुते जनानाम् ।
यत्सर्वपापक्षयकारणं च पुनातु मां तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम् ॥

That orb which awakens the hidden understanding, which makes dharma grow among people, and which brings an end to all sins: may that most excellent light of Savitr purify me.

Verse 6

यन्मण्डलं व्याधिविनाशदक्षं यदृग्यजुः सामसु सम्प्रगीतम् ।
प्रकाशितं येन च भूर्भुवः स्वः पुनातु मां तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम् ॥

That orb able to destroy illness, which is sung in the Rig, Yajur and Sama Vedas, and by which earth, sky and heaven are lit: may that most excellent light of Savitr purify me.

Verse 7

यन्मण्डलं वेदविदो वदन्ति गायन्ति यच्चारणसिद्धसङ्घाः ।
यद्योगिनो योगजुषां च सङ्घाः पुनातु मां तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम् ॥

That orb of which the knowers of the Veda speak, which the bands of Charanas and Siddhas sing, and which yogis and the companies devoted to yoga praise: may that most excellent light of Savitr purify me.

Verse 8

यन्मण्डलं सर्वजनैश्च पूजितं ज्योतिश्च कुर्यादिह मर्त्यलोके ।
यत्कालकालाद्यमनादिरूपं पुनातु मां तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम् ॥

That orb worshipped by all people, which makes light here in the world of mortals, which is the first of time and of the destroyer of time, and has no beginning: may that most excellent light of Savitr purify me.

Verse 9

यन्मण्डलं विष्णुचतुर्मुखाख्यं यदक्षरं पापहरं जनानाम् ।
यत्कालकल्पक्षयकारणं च पुनातु मां तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम् ॥

That orb called by the names of Vishnu and the four-faced Brahma, which is imperishable and takes away the sins of people, and which brings about the end of time and of the world-ages: may that most excellent light of Savitr purify me.

Verse 10

यन्मण्डलं विश्वसृजं प्रसिद्धमुत्पत्तिरक्षाप्रलयप्रगल्भम् ।
यस्मिन् जगत्संहरतेऽखिलं च पुनातु मां तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम् ॥

That orb renowned as the maker of the universe, mighty in creating, protecting and dissolving it, and into which the whole world is withdrawn: may that most excellent light of Savitr purify me.

Verse 11

यन्मण्डलं सर्वगतस्य विष्णोरात्मा परं धाम विशुद्धतत्त्वम् ।
सूक्ष्मान्तरैर्योगपथानुगम्यं पुनातु मां तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम् ॥

That orb which is the very self of the all-pervading Vishnu, the highest abode, the pure reality, reached along the path of yoga by those of subtle inner sight: may that most excellent light of Savitr purify me.

Verse 12

यन्मण्डलं वेदविदोपगीतं यद्योगिनां योगपथानुगम्यम् ।
तत्सर्ववेद्यं प्रणमामि सूर्यं पुनातु मां तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम् ॥

That orb sung by the knowers of the Veda, which yogis reach along the path of yoga: I bow to Surya, the one to be known through everything. May that most excellent light of Savitr purify me.

Phala Shruti 1

सूर्यमण्डलसुस्तोत्रं यः पठेत्सततं नरः ।
सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा सूर्यलोके महीयते ॥

The verse says that whoever recites this fine hymn to the orb of the Sun constantly becomes pure of all sins and is honoured in the world of the Sun.

Closing

इति श्रीभविष्योत्तरपुराणे श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवादे सूर्यमण्डलस्तोत्रं सम्पूर्णम् ॥

Thus ends the Surya Mandala Stotram, from the dialogue between Shri Krishna and Arjuna in the Bhavishyottara Purana.

The syllable people get wrong

In the refrain, vareṇyam (वरेण्यम्) has three syllables, va-reṇ-yam: the retroflex ṇ closes the second syllable and runs straight into ya. Saying 'va-re-ni-yam', with an extra i, is the common slip, and the same word is mispronounced the same way in the Gayatri.

Questions

It means 'may that most excellent light of Savitr purify me'. 'Tat savitur varenyam', that excellent splendour of Savitr, is taken word for word from the Gayatri of the Rigveda, and 'punatu mam', may it purify me, is the hymn's own request. Where the Gayatri asks Savitr to stir the thoughts of those who pray, this refrain asks the Sun's orb for cleansing. It closes all eleven 'yanmandalam' verses.

The line printed at its end assigns it to the Bhavishyottara Purana and places it in a dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna. The Bhavishyottara is the final part of the Bhavishya Purana, usually treated as an upapurana in its own right and given over mainly to vows and festivals. No poet is named, and the hymn comes down as anonymous tradition. One printing instead closes it as part of an Aditya Hridaya.

An ashtakam is normally a poem of eight verses, yet every printed form of this hymn is longer. The South Indian form has thirteen: an opening salutation, eleven verses beginning 'yanmandalam' and a closing verse. The printing that uses the Ashtakam title also runs to thirteen, and its closing verse calls the poem 'mandalashtatayam', the group of eight on the orb. The name has stayed even though the count has not.

To the Sun's orb, which the hymn steadily widens. Verse 4 gives it the nature of the three gunas, Verse 9 says it bears the names of Vishnu and the four-faced Brahma, Verse 10 makes it the maker, protector and dissolver of the universe, and Verse 11 calls it the very self of the all-pervading Vishnu, the highest abode, reached along the path of yoga. The orb is presented as the visible form of the supreme being.

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Surya Mandala Stotram

What the Surya Mandala Stotram is

The Gayatri's words in a Puranic hymn

The mantra, in six scripts

Surya Mandala Stotram lyrics in full

The syllable people get wrong

Questions

Have your chart read before you decide

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