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Mantra · Annan's 29 dawn verses that wake the Lord of the Seven Hills

Venkateswara Suprabhatam

कौसल्या सुप्रजा राम पूर्वा सन्ध्या प्रवर्तते । उत्तिष्ठ नरशार्दूल कर्तव्यं दैवमाह्निकम् ॥

Also known as Venkatesa Suprabhatam

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

What the Venkateswara Suprabhatam is

The Venkateswara Suprabhatam is a Sanskrit waking hymn addressed to Venkatesa, the form of Vishnu on the Venkata hill at Tirumala. It was composed in the fifteenth century by Prativadi Bhayankaram Annan, a disciple of Manavala Mamunigal. The 29 verses on this page are the Suprabhatam proper; the full recital continues with three more works by the same author, the Stotram, the Prapatti and the Mangalasasanam. The sequence moves like a morning in the temple. Verses 1 and 2 call the sleeper to rise, verses 3 and 4 greet Lakshmi as his beloved, and verses 5 to 12 end on the refrain Seshadri-shekhara-vibho while the scene fills with sages carrying lotuses, Narada's vina, waking parrots and churning pots. From verse 13 the refrain becomes Sri Venkatachalapate: gods wait at the door, the nine planets call themselves servants of his servants, verse 24 lists the ten avatars, and verse 29 states the reward of reciting it.

A morning hymn Mamunigal found missing

According to the Sri Vaishnava accounts of his life, Annan was born in Kanchipuram, in 1361 by one reckoning, and after his marriage settled at Tirumala to serve the Lord. His assigned service was to carry water from the Akasa Ganga stream for the deity's bath and to scent it before worship. One day a visitor from Srirangam met him at the stream and spoke at length about Manavala Mamunigal. Annan listened so closely that he forgot the fragrances, yet the story says the water reached the shrine more fragrant than ever, and he took this as a sign to seek out Mamunigal. He went to Srirangam and became one of his close disciples. Later, when Mamunigal travelled to Tirumala by way of Kanchipuram, he noticed that the Lord there had no morning hymn of his own and asked Annan to write one. Annan produced the Suprabhatam together with the Stotram, Prapatti and Mangalasasanam, usually dated between about 1420 and 1432, and Mamunigal had it recited daily. Verse 25, with its golden pots of heavenly river water scented with cardamom, clove and camphor, describes the same service the story gives Annan. At Tirumala the Suprabhata Seva is still recited at the Bangaru Vakili, the golden doorway, except in Dhanurmasa, when Andal's Tiruppavai takes its place.

The mantra, in six scripts

DevanagariSanskrit & Hindiकौसल्या सुप्रजा राम पूर्वा सन्ध्या प्रवर्तते । उत्तिष्ठ नरशार्दूल कर्तव्यं दैवमाह्निकम् ॥

Tamilகௌஸல்யா ஸுப்ரஜா ராம பூர்வா ஸந்த்யா ப்ரவர்ததே । உத்திஷ்ட நரஶார்தூல கர்தவ்யம் தைவமாஹ்நிகம் ॥

Teluguకౌసల్యా సుప్రజా రామ పూర్వా సన్ధ్యా ప్రవర్తతే । ఉత్తిష్ఠ నరశార్దూల కర్తవ్యం దైవమాహ్నికమ్ ॥

Kannadaಕೌಸಲ್ಯಾ ಸುಪ್ರಜಾ ರಾಮ ಪೂರ್ವಾ ಸನ್ಧ್ಯಾ ಪ್ರವರ್ತತೇ । ಉತ್ತಿಷ್ಠ ನರಶಾರ್ದೂಲ ಕರ್ತವ್ಯಂ ದೈವಮಾಹ್ನಿಕಮ್ ॥

Malayalamകൌസല്യാ സുപ്രജാ രാമ പൂര്വാ സന്ധ്യാ പ്രവര്തതേ । ഉത്തിഷ്ഠ നരശാര്ദൂല കര്തവ്യം ദൈവമാഹ്നികമ് ॥

EnglishRoman transliterationkausalyā suprajā rāma pūrvā sandhyā pravartate | uttiṣṭha naraśārdūla kartavyaṃ daivamāhnikam ||

“O Rama, worthy son of Kausalya, the eastern dawn is breaking. Rise, tiger among men; the daily rites owed to the gods are to be performed.”

कौसल्या: kausalyā — of Kausalya
सुप्रजा: suprajā — worthy son
राम: rāma — O Rama
पूर्वा: pūrvā — the eastern
सन्ध्या: sandhyā — dawn twilight
प्रवर्तते: pravartate — is breaking
उत्तिष्ठ: uttiṣṭha — rise
नरशार्दूल: naraśārdūla — O tiger among men
कर्तव्यं: kartavyaṃ — is to be performed
दैवमाह्निकम्: daivamāhnikam — the daily rite to the gods

Venkateswara Suprabhatam lyrics in full

All 29 verses, in Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English, each with its meaning. Choose a script:

Download the Venkateswara Suprabhatam PDFAll 29 verses with their meanings, in Sanskrit. Free to print and keep.

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Verse 1

कौसल्या सुप्रजा राम पूर्वा सन्ध्या प्रवर्तते ।
उत्तिष्ठ नरशार्दूल कर्तव्यं दैवमाह्निकम् ॥

O Rama, worthy son of Kausalya, the eastern dawn is breaking. Rise, tiger among men; the daily rites owed to the gods are to be performed.

Verse 2

उत्तिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ गोविन्द उत्तिष्ठ गरुडध्वज ।
उत्तिष्ठ कमलाकान्त त्रैलोक्यं मङ्गलं कुरु ॥

Rise, rise, O Govinda; rise, O you whose banner bears Garuda. Rise, O beloved of Lakshmi, and make the three worlds auspicious.

Verse 3

मातस्समस्तजगतां मधुकैटभारेः वक्षोविहारिणि मनोहरदिव्यमूर्ते ।
श्रीस्वामिनि श्रितजनप्रियदानशीले श्रीवेङ्कटेशदयिते तव सुप्रभातम् ॥

O Mother of all the worlds, who dwells on the chest of Vishnu, the slayer of Madhu and Kaitabha, O you of enchanting divine form. O sovereign lady, ever giving what is dear to those who seek refuge, beloved of Sri Venkatesa, may your dawn be auspicious.

Verse 4

तव सुप्रभातमरविन्दलोचने भवतु प्रसन्नमुखचन्द्रमण्डले ।
विधिशङ्करेन्द्रवनिताभिरर्चिते वृषशैलनाथदयिते दयानिधे ॥

O lotus-eyed one, whose face shines like the calm full moon, may your dawn be auspicious. O you who are worshipped by the consorts of Brahma, Shiva and Indra, beloved of the Lord of the Vrisha hill, treasure of compassion.

Verse 5

अत्र्यादिसप्तऋषयस्समुपास्य सन्ध्यां आकाशसिन्धुकमलानि मनोहराणि ।
आदाय पादयुगमर्चयितुं प्रपन्नाः शेषाद्रिशेखरविभो तव सुप्रभातम् ॥

The seven sages led by Atri have finished their dawn worship and have come with lovely lotuses from the heavenly Ganga to worship your two feet. O Lord who crowns the Seshadri hill, may your dawn be auspicious.

Verse 6

पञ्चाननाब्जभवषण्मुखवासवाद्याः त्रैविक्रमादिचरितं विबुधाः स्तुवन्ति ।
भाषापतिः पठति वासरशुद्धिमारात् शेषाद्रिशेखरविभो तव सुप्रभातम् ॥

The gods, led by five-faced Shiva, lotus-born Brahma, six-faced Skanda and Indra, praise your deeds such as the Trivikrama incarnation. Brihaspati, lord of speech, stands near and recites the purity of the day. O Lord of the Seshadri hill, may your dawn be auspicious.

Verse 7

ईषत्प्रफुल्लसरसीरुहनारिकेल पूगद्रुमादिसुमनोहरपालिकानाम् ।
आवाति मन्दमनिलः सह दिव्यगन्धैः शेषाद्रिशेखरविभो तव सुप्रभातम् ॥

A gentle breeze blows, carrying the divine fragrance of half-opened lotuses and of the lovely rows of coconut, areca and other trees. O Lord of the Seshadri hill, may your dawn be auspicious.

Verse 8

उन्मील्य नेत्रयुगमुत्तमपञ्जरस्थाः पात्रावशिष्टकदलीफलपायसानि ।
भुक्त्वा सलीलमथ केलिशुकाः पठन्ति शेषाद्रिशेखरविभो तव सुप्रभातम् ॥

The pet parrots in their fine cages open their eyes, playfully eat the banana and sweet rice left in their bowls, and begin to recite. O Lord of the Seshadri hill, may your dawn be auspicious.

Verse 9

तन्त्रीप्रकर्षमधुरस्वनया विपञ्च्या गायत्यनन्तचरितं तव नारदोऽपि ।
भाषासमग्रमसकृत्करचाररम्यं शेषाद्रिशेखरविभो तव सुप्रभातम् ॥

Narada too sings your endless story again and again on his vina, sweet with the fine tone of its strings, in full and rich words, graceful with the movement of his hands. O Lord of the Seshadri hill, may your dawn be auspicious.

Verse 10

भृङ्गावली च मकरन्दरसानुविद्ध झङ्कारगीतनिनदैः सह सेवनाय ।
निर्यात्युपान्तसरसीकमलोदरेभ्यः शेषाद्रिशेखरविभो तव सुप्रभातम् ॥

Swarms of bees, steeped in honey, come out from the hearts of the lotuses in the nearby lakes with humming songs to serve you. O Lord of the Seshadri hill, may your dawn be auspicious.

Verse 11

योषागणेन वरदध्नि विमथ्यमाने घोषालयेषु दधिमन्थनतीव्रघोषाः ।
रोषात्कलिं विदधते ककुभश्च कुम्भाः शेषाद्रिशेखरविभो तव सुप्रभातम् ॥

In the cowherd homes, as the women churn the rich curd, the loud sounds of churning from the pots seem to quarrel angrily with the echoing directions. O Lord of the Seshadri hill, may your dawn be auspicious.

Verse 12

पद्मेशमित्रशतपत्रगतालिवर्गाः हर्तुं श्रियं कुवलयस्य निजाङ्गलक्ष्म्या ।
भेरीनिनादमिव बिभ्रति तीव्रनादं शेषाद्रिशेखरविभो तव सुप्रभातम् ॥

The swarms of bees in the lotuses that are friends of the sun, wishing to outshine the blue lily with the beauty of their own dark bodies, raise a loud hum like the beating of war drums. O Lord of the Seshadri hill, may your dawn be auspicious.

Verse 13

श्रीमन्नभीष्टवरदाखिललोकबन्धो श्रीश्रीनिवास जगदेकदयैकसिन्धो ।
श्रीदेवतागृहभुजान्तरदिव्यमूर्ते श्रीवेङ्कटाचलपते तव सुप्रभातम् ॥

O glorious one who grants the boons we desire, kinsman of all the worlds, O Srinivasa, the one ocean of compassion for the world. O you of divine form whose chest is the home of goddess Lakshmi, Lord of the Venkata hill, may your dawn be auspicious.

Verse 14

श्रीस्वामिपुष्करिणिकाऽऽप्लवनिर्मलाङ्गाः श्रेयोऽर्थिनो हरविरिञ्चिसनन्दनाद्याः ।
द्वारे वसन्ति वरवेत्रहतोत्तमाङ्गाः श्रीवेङ्कटाचलपते तव सुप्रभातम् ॥

Shiva, Brahma, Sanandana and others, seeking the highest good, their bodies made pure by bathing in the Swami Pushkarini tank, wait at your door, their heads struck by the gatekeepers' canes. O Lord of the Venkata hill, may your dawn be auspicious.

Verse 15

श्रीशेषशैलगरुडाचलवेङ्कटाद्रि नारायणाद्रिवृषभाद्रिवृषाद्रिमुख्याम् ।
आख्यां त्वदीयवसतेरनिशं वदन्ति श्रीवेङ्कटाचलपते तव सुप्रभातम् ॥

People constantly speak the names of your dwelling place: Seshasaila, Garudachala, Venkatadri, Narayanadri, Vrishabhadri, Vrishadri and others. O Lord of the Venkata hill, may your dawn be auspicious.

Verse 16

सेवापराः शिवसुरेशकृशानुधर्म रक्षोऽम्बुनाथपवमानधनाधिनाथाः ।
बद्धाञ्जलिप्रविलसन्निजशीर्षदेशाः श्रीवेङ्कटाचलपते तव सुप्रभातम् ॥

The guardians of the directions, Shiva, Indra, Agni, Yama, Nirriti, Varuna, Vayu and Kubera, stand ready to serve, their heads shining with hands joined in salutation. O Lord of the Venkata hill, may your dawn be auspicious.

Verse 17

धाटीषु ते विहगराजमृगाधिराज नागाधिराजगजराजहयाधिराजाः ।
स्वस्वाधिकारमहिमादिकमर्थयन्ते श्रीवेङ्कटाचलपते तव सुप्रभातम् ॥

In your processions, Garuda king of birds, the king of beasts, the king of serpents, the king of elephants and the king of horses each ask for their own office of service, its glory and all that goes with it. O Lord of the Venkata hill, may your dawn be auspicious.

Verse 18

सूर्येन्दुभौमबुधवाक्पतिकाव्यसौरि स्वर्भानुकेतुदिविषत्परिषत्प्रधानाः ।
त्वद्दासदासचरमावधिदासदासाः श्रीवेङ्कटाचलपते तव सुप्रभातम् ॥

The Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu, chiefs of the assembly of the heavens, are servants of the last in the line of the servants of your servants. O Lord of the Venkata hill, may your dawn be auspicious.

Verse 19

त्वत्पादधूलिभरितस्फुरितोत्तमाङ्गाः स्वर्गापवर्गनिरपेक्षनिजान्तरङ्गाः ।
कल्पागमाकलनयाऽऽकुलतां लभन्ते श्रीवेङ्कटाचलपते तव सुप्रभातम् ॥

Those whose heads shine, covered with the dust of your feet, and whose hearts want neither heaven nor liberation, grow anxious at the thought of a new age coming. O Lord of the Venkata hill, may your dawn be auspicious.

Verse 20

त्वद्गोपुराग्रशिखराणि निरीक्षमाणाः स्वर्गापवर्गपदवीं परमां श्रयन्तः ।
मर्त्या मनुष्यभुवने मतिमाश्रयन्ते श्रीवेङ्कटाचलपते तव सुप्रभातम् ॥

Mortals who gaze at the tips of your temple towers, even while on the high road to heaven and liberation, set their minds on staying in the world of men. O Lord of the Venkata hill, may your dawn be auspicious.

Verse 21

श्रीभूमिनायक दयादिगुणामृताब्धे देवाधिदेव जगदेकशरण्यमूर्ते ।
श्रीमन्ननन्तगरुडादिभिरर्चिताङ्घ्रे श्रीवेङ्कटाचलपते तव सुप्रभातम् ॥

O consort of Sri and Bhu, nectar-ocean of compassion and other virtues, God of gods, the one refuge of the world. O glorious one whose feet are worshipped by Ananta, Garuda and others, Lord of the Venkata hill, may your dawn be auspicious.

Verse 22

श्रीपद्मनाभ पुरुषोत्तम वासुदेव वैकुण्ठ माधव जनार्दन चक्रपाणे ।
श्रीवत्सचिह्न शरणागतपारिजात श्रीवेङ्कटाचलपते तव सुप्रभातम् ॥

O Padmanabha, Purushottama, Vasudeva, Vaikuntha, Madhava, Janardana, bearer of the discus. O you who bear the Srivatsa mark, wish-granting tree for those who seek refuge, Lord of the Venkata hill, may your dawn be auspicious.

Verse 23

कन्दर्पदर्पहरसुन्दरदिव्यमूर्ते कान्ताकुचाम्बुरुहकुट्मललोलदृष्टे ।
कल्याणनिर्मलगुणाकरदिव्यकीर्ते श्रीवेङ्कटाचलपते तव सुप्रभातम् ॥

O divine form whose beauty humbles the pride of Kamadeva, whose glance lingers on the lotus-bud bosom of your beloved; O mine of auspicious, spotless virtues, of divine renown, O Lord of the Venkata hill, may your dawn be auspicious.

Verse 24

मीनाकृते कमठ कोल नृसिंह वर्णिन् स्वामिन् परश्वथतपोधन रामचन्द्र ।
शेषांशराम यदुनन्दन कल्किरूप श्रीवेङ्कटाचलपते तव सुप्रभातम् ॥

O Lord who took the forms of the Fish, the Tortoise, the Boar, Narasimha and the young Brahmin Vamana; O ascetic with the axe, O Ramachandra. O Balarama, part of Sesha, O Krishna of the Yadus, O Kalki, Lord of the Venkata hill, may your dawn be auspicious.

Verse 25

एलालवङ्गघनसारसुगन्धितीर्थं दिव्यं वियत्सरिति हेमघटेषु पूर्णम् ।
धृत्वाऽद्य वैदिकशिखामणयः प्रहृष्टाः तिष्ठन्ति वेङ्कटपते तव सुप्रभातम् ॥

The foremost Vedic scholars stand joyfully today holding golden pots filled from the heavenly river with holy water scented with cardamom, clove and camphor. O Lord of Venkata, may your dawn be auspicious.

Verse 26

भास्वानुदेति विकचानि सरोरुहाणि सम्पूरयन्ति निनदैः ककुभो विहङ्गाः ।
श्रीवैष्णवास्सततमर्थितमङ्गलास्ते धामाश्रयन्ति तव वेङ्कट सुप्रभातम् ॥

The sun is rising, the lotuses have opened, and birds fill the directions with their calls. The Sri Vaishnavas, ever praying for your welfare, come to your shrine. O Venkata, may your dawn be auspicious.

Verse 27

ब्रह्मादयः सुरवरास्समहर्षयस्ते सन्तस्सनन्दनमुखास्त्वथ योगिवर्याः ।
धामान्तिके तव हि मङ्गलवस्तुहस्ताः श्रीवेङ्कटाचलपते तव सुप्रभातम् ॥

Brahma and the chief gods with the great sages, and the saints and great yogis led by Sanandana, stand near your shrine holding auspicious offerings in their hands. O Lord of the Venkata hill, may your dawn be auspicious.

Verse 28

लक्ष्मीनिवास निरवद्यगुणैकसिन्धो संसारसागरसमुत्तरणैकसेतो ।
वेदान्तवेद्यनिजवैभव भक्तभोग्य श्रीवेङ्कटाचलपते तव सुप्रभातम् ॥

O abode of Lakshmi, sole ocean of faultless virtues, the one bridge for crossing the ocean of worldly life. O you whose glory is known through the Vedanta, who are the delight of your devotees, Lord of the Venkata hill, may your dawn be auspicious.

Verse 29

इत्थं वृषाचलपतेरिह सुप्रभातं ये मानवाः प्रतिदिनं पठितुं प्रवृत्ताः ।
तेषां प्रभातसमये स्मृतिरङ्गभाजां प्रज्ञां परार्थसुलभां परमां प्रसूते ॥

The verse says that for those who take up reciting this dawn hymn of the Lord of the Vrisha hill every day, the remembrance of it at daybreak brings forth the highest wisdom, which is easily turned to the good of others.

The syllable people get wrong

The refrain word suprabhātam ends every verse from 3 to 28: the bh is an aspirated b with a breath after it, the middle ā is long, and the final t is a soft dental t with the tongue against the teeth, so it is su-pra-BHAA-tam. The common spelling 'Suprabhatham' is a Tamil-style romanization; it does not mean an English 'th' as in 'thin'.

When the Venkateswara Suprabhatam is chanted

Weekday. Thursday

Festival. The daily Suprabhata Seva at Tirumala (replaced by Tiruppavai in Dhanurmasa)

Questions

Prativadi Bhayankaram Annan, also called Hastigirinatha Annan, a Sri Vaishnava scholar from Kanchipuram and one of the eight senior disciples of Manavala Mamunigal. He composed it in the early fifteenth century at his teacher's request. The opening verse is older: it is taken from the Bala Kanda of Valmiki's Ramayana (1.23.2), and Annan built the rest of the hymn after it. The Tirumala temple's own page on the Suprabhata Seva credits the work to Annan.

The Tirumala temple counts 70 verses in four parts, all by Annan. The Suprabhatam proper on this page has 29. It is followed by the Venkatesa Stotram of 11 verses, a praise of the Lord's form; the Prapatti of 16 verses, which seeks refuge at his feet; and the Mangalasasanam of 14 verses, which wishes him well. The whole four-part sequence is often called simply the Suprabhatam, so verse counts quoted in books and recordings differ depending on which parts are meant.

Verse 1, kausalya supraja rama, is the line in the Ramayana where the sage Vishvamitra wakes the young Rama on their journey: the eastern dawn is breaking, rise, the day's rites are due. The whole genre of Sanskrit suprabhata hymns traces itself to this verse. Annan opens with it to place Venkatesa in the line of Rama, then verse 2 calls on Govinda, the bearer of the Garuda banner and the beloved of Lakshmi, before the hymn turns to the Venkata hill.

Verse 29 begins ittham vrishachalapater iha suprabhatam, naming the Lord of the Vrisha hill, one of the names of Tirumala listed in verse 15. The verse says that for those who take up reading this dawn hymn every day, its remembrance at daybreak brings forth the highest wisdom, one that is easily turned to the good of others. It does not speak of wealth or worldly gain; the reward it names is understanding put to use for others.

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Venkateswara Suprabhatam

What the Venkateswara Suprabhatam is

A morning hymn Mamunigal found missing

The mantra, in six scripts

Venkateswara Suprabhatam lyrics in full

The syllable people get wrong

When the Venkateswara Suprabhatam is chanted

Questions

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