Kanakadhara Stotram
Kanakadhara Stotram in English · English
✦ Meaning
The Kanakadhara Stotram was composed by Adi Shankaracharya when, moved by a poor woman who gave him her only gooseberry as alms, he prayed to Goddess Lakshmi — and she showered the woman’s home with golden amlas. Its verses adore Lakshmi’s glance of compassion, which bestows wealth and wellbeing. Reciting it is believed to remove poverty and misfortune and to invite abundance and grace.
Origin & Story
Composed by Adi Shankaracharya · Adi Shankaracharya · 8th century CE (composed at age 8)
As a young Brahmachari (student monk) of just 8 years, Shankaracharya went door to door begging for food. At one house, a desperately poor woman had nothing to offer but a single dried amla fruit. Moved by her selfless generosity despite having nothing, the child Shankaracharya composed the Kanakadhara Stotram on the spot, praising Lakshmi with 21 exquisite verses describing her divine glance. Pleased by his devotion, Lakshmi showered golden amla fruits upon the woman's house, ending her poverty forever.
✦ As told in scripture
According to the Shankaravijaya (biography of Shankaracharya), as the 8-year-old boy chanted each verse describing Lakshmi's glance, the sky darkened and golden gooseberries began falling like rain upon the poor woman's house. The entire village witnessed the miracle. The woman, who moments before had nothing, was suddenly surrounded by gold. This is considered one of the definitive miracles establishing Shankaracharya as a divine incarnation, and it demonstrates the stotra's power to manifest wealth from nothing.
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Complete Text with Meaning
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Vande vandarumandaramindiranandakandalam Amandanandasandohabandhuram sindhurananam
Meaning:I worship the elephant-faced Lord (Ganesha) — the wish-granting Mandara tree for those who bow to him, the joyous sprout of Indira's (Lakshmi's) delight, lovely with an abundant flood of bliss.
Angam hareh pulakabhushanamashrayanti Bhringanganeva mukulabharanam tamalam Angikritakhilavibhutirapangalila Mangalyadastu mama mangaladevatayah
Meaning:Resting upon the thrilled body of Hari like a female bee upon the budding tamala tree — may that sidelong glance of Lakshmi, who has assumed all glory, abide on me and bring prosperity for a moment.
Mugdha muhurvidadhati vadane murareh Prematrapapranihitani gatagatani Mala drishormadhukariva mahotpale ya Sa me shriyam dishatu sagarasambhavayah
Meaning:Casting again and again upon Murari's face her bashful, love-laden glances going to and fro — may that garland of Lakshmi's eyes, like a row of bees upon a honeyed lotus, grant me good.
Vishvamarendrapadavibhramadanadaksham Anandaheturadhikam muravidvishopi Ishannishidatu mayi kshanamikshanardham Indivarodarasahodaramindirayah
Meaning:Skilled in bestowing the sovereignty of the gods and the universe, the very source of bliss even to Vishnu (Mura's foe) — may that glance of Lakshmi settle, even a little, upon me.
Amilitakshamadhigamya muda mukundam Anandakandamanimeshamanangatantram Akekarasthitakaninikapakshmanetram Bhutyai bhavenmama bhujangashayanganayah
Meaning:Having reached the half-closed-eyed Mukunda, the root of bliss, unwinking, beyond Cupid's sway — may Lakshmi's sidelong, half-turned pupil-glance bring me fortune.
Bahvantare madhujitah shritakaustubhe ya Haravaliva harinilamayi vibhati Kamaprada bhagavatopi katakshamala Kalyanamavahatu me kamalalayayah
Meaning:Resting on the chest of the slayer of Madhu, beside the Kaustubha gem, shining like a string of sapphire-blue pearls — may she, the boon-giver even to the Lord, grant my desire.
Kalambudalilalitorasi kaitabhareh Dharadhare sphurati ya tadidanganeva Matussamastajagatam mahaniyamurtih Bhadrani me dishatu bhargavanandanayah
Meaning:On the dark-cloud-lovely chest of Kaitabha's foe (Vishnu) she shines like a streak of lightning upon a rain-cloud — to that Mother of all the worlds I offer my salutation.
Praptam padam prathamatah khalu yatprabhavat Mangalyabhaji madhumathini manmathena Mayyapatettadiha mantharamikshanardham Mandalasam cha makaralayakanyakayah
Meaning:O auspicious consort of the honey-slayer (Vishnu), by whose power Cupid first attained his station — may that glance fall upon me too, even for a moment.
Dadyaddayanupavano dravinambudharam Asminnakinchanavihangashishau vishanne Dushkarmagharmamapaniya chiraya duram Narayanapranayininayanambuvahah
Meaning:May the breeze of compassion shower a stream of wealth upon this poor, dejected fledgling bird — me — scorched by the heat of ill deeds.
Ishtavishishtamatayopi yaya dayardra- Drishtya trivishtapapadam sulabham labhante Drishtih prahrishtakamalodaradiptirishtam Pushtim krishishta mama pushkaravishtarayah
Meaning:By whose mercy-moistened glance even the dull-witted easily attain the abode of heaven (Indra) — may that glance of Lakshmi, just a little, turn toward me.
Girdevateti garudadhvajasundariti Shakambhariti shashishekharavallabheti Srishtisthitipralayakelishu samsthitayai Tasyai namastribhuvanaikagurostarunyai
Meaning:Goddess of Speech (Saraswati), the beauty of Garuda-bannered Vishnu, Shakambhari, the beloved of the moon-crested Shiva — you who, in sport, carry out creation, preservation and dissolution: salutations.
Shrutyai namostu shubhakarmaphalaprasutyai Ratyai namostu ramaniyagunarnavayai Shaktyai namostu shatapatraniketanayai Pushtyai namostu purushottamavallabhayai
Meaning:Salutations to you, the Sruti (Veda) that yields the fruit of good deeds; salutations to Rati, the ocean of lovely virtues; salutations to Shakti — to the consort of Vishnu, salutations.
Namostu nalikanibhananayai Namostu dugdhodadhijanmabhumyai Namostu somamritasodarayai Namostu narayanavallabhayai
Meaning:Salutations to the lotus-faced one; salutations to her born of the milk-ocean; salutations to the sister of the moon and of nectar; salutations to the beloved of Narayana.
Sampatkarani sakalendriyanandanani Samrajyadanavibhavani saroruhakshi Tvadvandanani duritaharanodyatani Mameva mataranisham kalayantu manye
Meaning:Salutations to you whose worship grants wealth and delights every sense, bestowing the glory of empire, O lotus-eyed one — your adorations, by word, body and mind.
Yatkatakshasamupasanavidhih Sevakasya sakalarthasampadah Santanoti vachanangamanasaih Tvam murarihridayeshvarim bhaje
Meaning:The worship of whose mere sidelong glance bestows upon the devotee, by word, limb and mind, all riches and the fullness of every aim — to you, O beloved of Murari, I bow.
Sarasijanilaye sarojahaste Dhavalatamamshukagandhamalyashobhe Bhagavati harivallabhe manojne Tribhuvanabhutikari prasida mahyam
Meaning:O you who dwell on the lotus, lotus in hand, resplendent with whitest garments, fragrance and garlands — O Goddess, beloved of Hari, lovely, worshipped by the three worlds: protect me.
Dig hastibhih kanakakumbhamukhavasrishta- Svarvahinivimalacharujalaplutangim Pratarnamami jagatam jananimashesha- Lokadhinathagrihinimamritabdhiputrim
Meaning:Her limbs bathed by the pure, lovely waters of the heavenly Ganga poured from the golden pitchers held by the elephants of the directions — I bow to her at dawn.
Kamale kamalakshavallabhe tvam Karunapuratarangitairapangaih Avalokaya mamakinchananam Prathamam patramakritrimam dayayah
Meaning:O Kamala, beloved of the lotus-eyed Vishnu — with your sidelong glances surging with waves of compassion, look upon me, the foremost of the destitute.
Stuvanti ye stutibhiramibhiranvaham Trayimayim tribhuvanamataram ramam Gunadhika gurutarabhagyabhagino Bhavanti te bhuvi budhabhavitashayah
Meaning:Those who daily praise with these hymns Rama (Lakshmi), the threefold Veda embodied, the Mother of the three worlds, become endowed with surpassing, weighty virtues and attain the supreme abode.
Word-by-Word Meaning
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Benefits of Chanting Kanakadhara Stotram
Composed by Shankaracharya specifically to remove poverty
The 'golden rain' miracle makes this the most famous wealth-attracting stotra
Each verse describes Lakshmi's glance — her grace brings all prosperity
Extremely effective when chanted during Diwali, Dhanteras, and Fridays
Removes Daridra Dosha (poverty karma) as per scriptural tradition
One of the most searched Lakshmi prayers for financial improvement
How to Chant Kanakadhara Stotram
Sit before an image of Lakshmi or Vishnu-Lakshmi together. Light a ghee diya. Offer lotus flowers or yellow flowers. Chant 11 times on Fridays for regular practice. During Diwali week, chanting 108 times is considered extremely powerful. The key is to visualize Lakshmi's compassionate glance falling upon you — this is the central imagery of every verse.
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Read the full Kanakadhara Stotram with verse-by-verse meaning, or explore more sacred texts