murugankartikeyasubramanyaskanda

Subramanya Ashtakam (Karavalamba Stotram)

सुब्रह्मण्याष्टकम् (करावलम्ब स्तोत्र) in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 At dawn on rising; especially on Skanda Shashti, Tuesdays and Krittika nakshatra days·📜 A traditional hymn to Lord Subrahmanya (Murugan)

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglish

Origin & Story

A traditional hymn to Lord Subrahmanya (Murugan) · 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.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

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

Meaning:O 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 devendravandyamṛdupaṅkajamañjupāda | devarṣināradamunīndrasugītakīrte vallīśanātha mama dehi karāvalambam || 2||

Meaning:O 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 bhāgyapradānaparipūritabhaktakāma | śrutyāgamapraṇavavācyanijasvarūpa vallīśanātha mama dehi karāvalambam || 3||

Meaning:O 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 | śrīkuṇḍalīśadharatuṇḍaśikhīndravāha vallīśanātha mama dehi karāvalambam || 4||

Meaning:O 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 devendrapīṭhanakaraṃ dṛḍhacāpahastam | śūraṃ nihatya surakoṭibhirīḍyamāna vallīśanātha mama dehi karāvalambam || 5||

Meaning:O 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 keyūrakuṇḍalalasatkavacābhirāmam | he vīra tārakajayāmaravṛndavandya vallīśanātha mama dehi karāvalambam || 6||

Meaning:O 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 pañcāmṛtaiḥ pramuditendramukhairmunīndraiḥ | paṭṭābhiṣiktahariyukta parāsanātha vallīśanātha mama dehi karāvalambam || 7||

Meaning:O 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 kāmādirogakaluṣīkṛtaduṣṭacittam | siktvā tu māmava kalādharakāntikāntyā vallīśanātha mama dehi karāvalambam || 8||

Meaning:O 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 | te sarve muktimāyānti subrahmaṇyaprasādataḥ | subrahmaṇyāṣṭakaṃ idaṃ prātarutthāya yaḥ paṭhet | koṭijanmakṛtaṃ pāpaṃ tatkṣaṇādeva naśyati ||

Meaning:The 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 Meaning

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He Svāminātha🔊O Swaminatha (Lord and Master) — a name of Murugan

Karuṇākara dīnabandho🔊O ocean of compassion, O friend of the helpless

Vallīśanātha🔊O Lord of Valli (Murugan's consort)

Mama dehi karāvalambam🔊give me the support of your hand — the refrain of every verse

Devādhideva-suta🔊O son of the God of gods (Shiva)

Krauñchāsurendra-parikhaṇḍana🔊O destroyer of Krauncha, the lord of demons

Śakti-śūla-chāpādi-śastra🔊the Shakti-spear (Vel), trident, bow and other weapons in His hands

Śikhīndra-vāha🔊who rides the peacock, the king of birds

Tāraka-jaya🔊the conqueror of the demon Taraka

Śrī-Kārtikeya🔊the blessed Kartikeya (Murugan), nursed by the six Krittika mothers

Karuṇāmṛta-pūrṇa-dṛṣṭyā🔊with a glance brimming with the nectar of compassion

Prātar-utthāya🔊rising at dawn — the time prescribed for its recitation

Benefits of Chanting सुब्रह्मण्याष्टकम् (करावलम्ब स्तोत्र)

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Murugan's signature hymn — a nine-verse Subrahmanya Ashtakam, also called the Karavalamba Stotram, beginning 'He Swaminatha Karunakara Dheenabandho'

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Each verse adores Lord Murugan (Kartikeya / Subrahmanya) and ends with the plea 'Vallisha-natha mama dehi karavalambam' — 'O Lord of Valli, give me the support of your hand'

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Its closing verse promises that reciting it at dawn destroys the sins of ten million births and leads to liberation by Murugan's grace

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Recited especially on Skanda Shashti, on Tuesdays and Krittika nakshatra days, and at Murugan temples such as Tiruchendur and Palani

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Invoked for the removal of disease, the cooling of the 'fevers' of lust and ego, courage, and the protecting grace of the Lord's hand

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A heartfelt prayer of surrender, calling on Murugan to take the devotee by the hand

How to Chant सुब्रह्मण्याष्टकम् (करावलम्ब स्तोत्र)

Repetitions1times

Best TimeAt dawn on rising; especially on Skanda Shashti, Tuesdays and Krittika nakshatra days

Recite at dawn after a bath, before an image of Lord Murugan with his Vel (spear). Chant all eight verses with the refrain 'Vallisha-natha mama dehi karavalambam', then the closing phala-shruti. It is a prayer of surrender — recite it slowly, dwelling on the plea for the Lord to take you by the hand, and it is especially honoured during the six days of Skanda Shashti.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete सुब्रह्मण्याष्टकम् (करावलम्ब स्तोत्र) written in the English script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

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'.

'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.

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.

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.