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Subramanya Ashtakam (Karavalamba Stotram) Meaning — Line by Line

सुब्रह्मण्याष्टकम् (करावलम्ब स्तोत्र)

Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi

Meaning — Line by Line

Every verse of Subramanya Ashtakam (Karavalamba Stotram) with its English meaning. Tap any word to hear it, or ▶ to recite the verse.

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  1. Verse 1. he svāminātha karuṇākara dīnabandho
  2. Verse 2. devādhidevasuta devagaṇādhinātha
  3. Verse 3. nityānnadānaniratākhilarogahārin
  4. Verse 4. krauñcāsurendraparikhaṇḍana śaktiśūlacāpādiśastraparimaṇḍitadivyapāṇe |
  5. Verse 5. devādhidevarathamaṇḍalamadhyave’dya
  6. Verse 6. hārādiratnamaṇiyuktakirīṭahāra
  7. Verse 7. pañcākṣarādimanumantritagāṅgatoyaiḥ
  8. Verse 8. śrīkārtikeya karuṇāmṛtapūrṇadṛṣṭyā
  9. Verse 9. subrahmaṇyāṣṭakaṃ puṇyaṃ ye paṭhanti dvijottamāḥ |
Verse 1#

he svāminātha karuṇākara dīnabandho

हे स्वामिनाथ करुणाकर दीनबन्धो श्रीपार्वतीशमुखपङ्कजपद्मबन्धो श्रीशादिदेवगणपूजितपादपद्म वल्लीशनाथ मम देहि करावलम्बम् १॥

he svāminātha karuṇākara dīnabandho śrīpārvatīśamukhapaṅkajapadmabandho | śrīśādidevagaṇapūjitapādapadma vallīśanātha mama dehi karāvalambam || 1||

MeaningO Swaminatha, ocean of compassion, friend of the helpless; O kinsman who arose from the lotus-face of Shiva, the lord of Parvati; O you whose lotus-feet are worshipped by Vishnu and all the gods — O Lord of Valli, give me the support of your hand.

Verse 2#

devādhidevasuta devagaṇādhinātha

देवाधिदेवसुत देवगणाधिनाथ देवेन्द्रवन्द्यमृदुपङ्कजमञ्जुपाद देवर्षिनारदमुनीन्द्रसुगीतकीर्ते वल्लीशनाथ मम देहि करावलम्बम् २॥

devādhidevasuta devagaṇādhinātha devendravandyamṛdupaṅkajamañjupāda | devarṣināradamunīndrasugītakīrte vallīśanātha mama dehi karāvalambam || 2||

MeaningO son of the God of gods (Shiva), O supreme lord of the hosts of heaven; O you whose soft lotus-feet are saluted by Indra; O you whose glory is sweetly sung by the divine sage Narada and the foremost of munis — O Lord of Valli, give me the support of your hand.

Verse 3#

nityānnadānaniratākhilarogahārin

नित्यान्नदाननिरताखिलरोगहारिन् भाग्यप्रदानपरिपूरितभक्तकाम श्रुत्यागमप्रणववाच्यनिजस्वरूप वल्लीशनाथ मम देहि करावलम्बम् ३॥

nityānnadānaniratākhilarogahārin bhāgyapradānaparipūritabhaktakāma | śrutyāgamapraṇavavācyanijasvarūpa vallīśanātha mama dehi karāvalambam || 3||

MeaningO you ever devoted to the giving of food, remover of every disease; O fulfiller of your devotees' desires by the gift of good fortune; O you whose very nature is declared by the Vedas, the Agamas and the Pranava (Om) — O Lord of Valli, give me the support of your hand.

Verse 4#

krauñcāsurendraparikhaṇḍana śaktiśūlacāpādiśastraparimaṇḍitadivyapāṇe |

क्रौञ्चासुरेन्द्रपरिखण्डन शक्तिशूलचापादिशस्त्रपरिमण्डितदिव्यपाणे श्रीकुण्डलीशधरतुण्डशिखीन्द्रवाह वल्लीशनाथ मम देहि करावलम्बम् ४॥

krauñcāsurendraparikhaṇḍana śaktiśūlacāpādiśastraparimaṇḍitadivyapāṇe | śrīkuṇḍalīśadharatuṇḍaśikhīndravāha vallīśanātha mama dehi karāvalambam || 4||

MeaningO destroyer of Krauncha, the lord of demons; O you whose divine hands are adorned with the Shakti-spear (Vel), trident, bow and other weapons; O you who ride the great peacock, king of birds, that holds the serpent in its beak — O Lord of Valli, give me the support of your hand.

Verse 5#

devādhidevarathamaṇḍalamadhyave’dya

देवाधिदेवरथमण्डलमध्यवेऽद्य देवेन्द्रपीठनकरं दृढचापहस्तम् शूरं निहत्य सुरकोटिभिरीड्यमान वल्लीशनाथ मम देहि करावलम्बम् ५॥

devādhidevarathamaṇḍalamadhyave’dya devendrapīṭhanakaraṃ dṛḍhacāpahastam | śūraṃ nihatya surakoṭibhirīḍyamāna vallīśanātha mama dehi karāvalambam || 5||

MeaningO you who, amid the array of the gods' chariots, firm bow in hand, slew the demon (Surapadma) and stand extolled by millions of gods — O Lord of Valli, give me the support of your hand.

Verse 6#

hārādiratnamaṇiyuktakirīṭahāra

हारादिरत्नमणियुक्तकिरीटहार केयूरकुण्डललसत्कवचाभिरामम् हे वीर तारकजयामरवृन्दवन्द्य वल्लीशनाथ मम देहि करावलम्बम् ६॥

hārādiratnamaṇiyuktakirīṭahāra keyūrakuṇḍalalasatkavacābhirāmam | he vīra tārakajayāmaravṛndavandya vallīśanātha mama dehi karāvalambam || 6||

MeaningO you resplendent in a crown set with rows of jewels and gems, beautiful with armlets, earrings and gleaming armour; O hero, conqueror of the demon Taraka, saluted by the whole host of the immortals — O Lord of Valli, give me the support of your hand.

Verse 7#

pañcākṣarādimanumantritagāṅgatoyaiḥ

पञ्चाक्षरादिमनुमन्त्रितगाङ्गतोयैः पञ्चामृतैः प्रमुदितेन्द्रमुखैर्मुनीन्द्रैः पट्टाभिषिक्तहरियुक्त परासनाथ वल्लीशनाथ मम देहि करावलम्बम् ७॥

pañcākṣarādimanumantritagāṅgatoyaiḥ pañcāmṛtaiḥ pramuditendramukhairmunīndraiḥ | paṭṭābhiṣiktahariyukta parāsanātha vallīśanātha mama dehi karāvalambam || 7||

MeaningO you who were consecrated with Ganga-water hallowed by the five-syllabled and other sacred mantras, and with the five nectars, amid the rejoicing of Indra and the foremost of sages; O supreme and anointed Lord — O Lord of Valli, give me the support of your hand.

Verse 8#

śrīkārtikeya karuṇāmṛtapūrṇadṛṣṭyā

श्रीकार्तिकेय करुणामृतपूर्णदृष्ट्या कामादिरोगकलुषीकृतदुष्टचित्तम् सिक्त्वा तु मामव कलाधरकान्तिकान्त्या वल्लीशनाथ मम देहि करावलम्बम् ८॥

śrīkārtikeya karuṇāmṛtapūrṇadṛṣṭyā kāmādirogakaluṣīkṛtaduṣṭacittam | siktvā tu māmava kalādharakāntikāntyā vallīśanātha mama dehi karāvalambam || 8||

MeaningO blessed Kartikeya, with your glance brimming with the nectar of compassion, and with the cooling loveliness of your moon-like radiance, sprinkle and protect me, whose mind is defiled by the diseases of lust and the rest — O Lord of Valli, give me the support of your hand.

Verse 9#

subrahmaṇyāṣṭakaṃ puṇyaṃ ye paṭhanti dvijottamāḥ |

सुब्रह्मण्याष्टकं पुण्यं ये पठन्ति द्विजोत्तमाः ते सर्वे मुक्तिमायान्ति सुब्रह्मण्यप्रसादतः सुब्रह्मण्याष्टकं इदं प्रातरुत्थाय यः पठेत् कोटिजन्मकृतं पापं तत्क्षणादेव नश्यति

subrahmaṇyāṣṭakaṃ puṇyaṃ ye paṭhanti dvijottamāḥ | te sarve muktimāyānti subrahmaṇyaprasādataḥ | subrahmaṇyāṣṭakaṃ idaṃ prātarutthāya yaḥ paṭhet | koṭijanmakṛtaṃ pāpaṃ tatkṣaṇādeva naśyati ||

MeaningThe noble twice-born who recite this holy Subrahmanya Ashtakam all attain liberation by the grace of Subrahmanya. Whoever recites it on rising at dawn — the sins of ten million births are destroyed that very instant.

Word-by-Word Breakdown

हे स्वामिनाथ
He Svāminātha
O Swaminatha (Lord and Master) — a name of Murugan
करुणाकर दीनबन्धो
Karuṇākara dīnabandho
O ocean of compassion, O friend of the helpless
वल्लीशनाथ
Vallīśanātha
O Lord of Valli (Murugan's consort)
मम देहि करावलम्बम्
Mama dehi karāvalambam
give me the support of your hand — the refrain of every verse
देवाधिदेवसुत
Devādhideva-suta
O son of the God of gods (Shiva)
क्रौञ्चासुरेन्द्रपरिखण्डन
Krauñchāsurendra-parikhaṇḍana
O destroyer of Krauncha, the lord of demons
शक्तिशूलचापादिशस्त्र
Śakti-śūla-chāpādi-śastra
the Shakti-spear (Vel), trident, bow and other weapons in His hands
शिखीन्द्रवाह
Śikhīndra-vāha
who rides the peacock, the king of birds
तारकजय
Tāraka-jaya
the conqueror of the demon Taraka
श्रीकार्तिकेय
Śrī-Kārtikeya
the blessed Kartikeya (Murugan), nursed by the six Krittika mothers
करुणामृतपूर्णदृष्ट्या
Karuṇāmṛta-pūrṇa-dṛṣṭyā
with a glance brimming with the nectar of compassion
प्रातरुत्थाय
Prātar-utthāya
rising at dawn — the time prescribed for its recitation

Origin & History

Source: A traditional hymn to Lord Subrahmanya (Murugan)

Author: Traditional

The Subrahmanya Ashtakam, or Karavalamba Stotram, is among the most beloved hymns to Lord Murugan (Kartikeya / Subrahmanya), the warrior-son of Shiva who rides the peacock and wields the Vel. In nine impassioned verses it adores the Lord — destroyer of the demons Taraka, Krauncha and Surapadma, commander of the gods, worshipped by Vishnu, Indra and the sages — and each verse ends with the same surrendering plea: 'Vallisha-natha mama dehi karavalambam', 'O Lord of Valli, give me the support of your hand'. Its closing verse promises that reciting it at dawn dissolves the sins of countless births. It is cherished above all during the six days of Skanda Shashti.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Subramanya Ashtakam?
It is a hymn of nine verses to Lord Murugan (Subrahmanya / Kartikeya), also known as the Karavalamba Stotram, famous by its opening 'He Swaminatha Karunakara Dheenabandho'. Each verse praises the Lord and ends with the plea 'Vallisha-natha mama dehi karavalambam' — 'O Lord of Valli, give me the support of your hand'.
What does 'karavalamba' mean?
'Kara-avalamba' means 'the support (avalamba) of the hand (kara)'. In each verse the devotee surrenders and begs Murugan to reach out and take him by the hand — to lift and protect him. This refrain gives the hymn its name, the Karavalamba Stotram.
Who is Subramanya?
Subrahmanya — also called Murugan, Kartikeya, Skanda, Kumara and Vallinatha — is the son of Shiva and Parvati and the younger brother of Ganesha. The commander of the army of the gods, he rides a peacock and wields the Vel (divine spear), and slew the demons Taraka, Krauncha and Surapadma. He is especially beloved in South India.
When should the Subramanya Ashtakam be recited?
The hymn prescribes recitation at dawn (pratar-utthaya). It is especially recited on Skanda Shashti, on Tuesdays and on Krittika nakshatra days, and at the great Murugan temples such as Tiruchendur and Palani.

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