श्री अच्युताष्टकम्

Selected reading version. Scope and sources

आठ स्तुति-श्लोक

श्लोक 1–8: अच्युत, राम और कृष्ण के नामों, लीलाओं और रूप का वर्णन।

Shloka 1

अच्युतं केशवं रामनारायणं कृष्णदामोदरं वासुदेवं हरिम्।
श्रीधरं माधवं गोपिकावल्लभं जानकीनायकं रामचन्द्रं भजे॥

Acyutaṃ Keśavaṃ Rāmanārāyaṇaṃ Kṛṣṇadāmodaraṃ Vāsudevaṃ Harim |
Śrīdharaṃ Mādhavaṃ Gopikāvallabhaṃ Jānakīnāyakaṃ Rāmacandraṃ Bhaje ||

English meaning: I worship Achyuta, Keshava, Rama, Narayana, Krishna, Damodara, Vasudeva and Hari; Shridhara, Madhava, the beloved of the gopis, and Ramachandra, lord of Janaki (Sita).

हिंदी अर्थ: मैं अच्युत, केशव, राम, नारायण, कृष्ण, दामोदर, वासुदेव और हरि को; श्रीधर, माधव, गोपियों के प्रिय और जानकी के स्वामी रामचन्द्र को भजता हूँ।

Roman Hindi meaning: Main Achyut, Keshav, Ram, Narayan, Krishna, Damodar, Vasudev aur Hari ko; Shridhar, Madhav, gopiyon ke priya aur Janaki ke swami Ramchandra ko bhajta hoon.

Shloka 2

अच्युतं केशवं सत्यभामाधवं माधवं श्रीधरं राधिकाराधितम्।
इन्दिरामन्दिरं चेतसा सुन्दरं देवकीनन्दनं नन्दजं सन्दधे॥

Acyutaṃ Keśavaṃ Satyabhāmādhavaṃ Mādhavaṃ Śrīdharaṃ Rādhikārādhitam |
Indirāmandiraṃ Cetasā Sundaraṃ Devakīnandanaṃ Nandajaṃ Sandadhe ||

English meaning: Achyuta, Keshava, the lord of Satyabhama; Madhava, Shridhara, worshipped by Radhika; the dwelling of Indira (Lakshmi), the beautiful one, Devaki's joy and Nanda's son: him I hold in my mind.

हिंदी अर्थ: अच्युत, केशव, सत्यभामा के स्वामी; माधव, श्रीधर, राधिका द्वारा आराधित; इन्दिरा (लक्ष्मी) के निवास, सुन्दर, देवकी के आनन्द और नन्द के पुत्र—उन्हें मैं अपने चित्त में धारण करता हूँ।

Roman Hindi meaning: Achyut, Keshav, Satyabhama ke swami; Madhav, Shridhar, Radhika dwara aaradhit; Indira (Lakshmi) ke nivas, sundar, Devaki ke anand aur Nand ke putra—unhein main apne chitt mein dharan karta hoon.

Shloka 3

विष्णवे जिष्णवे शङ्खिने चक्रिणे रुक्मिणीरागिणे जानकीजानये।
बल्लवीवल्लभायार्चितायात्मने कंसविध्वंसिने वंशिने ते नमः॥

Viṣṇave Jiṣṇave Śaṅkhine Cakriṇe Rukmiṇīrāgiṇe Jānakījānaye |
Ballavīvallabhāyārcitāyātmane Kaṃsavidhvaṃsine Vaṃśine Te Namaḥ ||

English meaning: Salutation to you: to Vishnu, the victorious, bearer of the conch and the discus, devoted to Rukmini, husband of Janaki; beloved of the cowherd women, the worshipped one, the Self; destroyer of Kamsa and player of the flute.

हिंदी अर्थ: आपको नमस्कार है: विष्णु को, विजयी को, शंख और चक्र धारण करने वाले को, रुक्मिणी से प्रेम करने वाले को, जानकी के पति को; गोपियों के प्रिय, पूजित आत्मस्वरूप को; कंस का नाश करने वाले और बाँसुरी बजाने वाले को।

Roman Hindi meaning: Aapko namaskar hai: Vishnu ko, vijayi ko, shankh aur chakra dharan karne wale ko, Rukmini se prem karne wale ko, Janaki ke pati ko; gopiyon ke priya, poojit aatmaswaroop ko; Kans ka naash karne wale aur baansuri bajane wale ko.

Shloka 4

कृष्ण गोविन्द हे राम नारायण श्रीपते वासुदेवाजित श्रीनिधे।
अच्युतानन्त हे माधवाधोक्षज द्वारकानायक द्रौपदीरक्षक॥

Kṛṣṇa Govinda He Rāma Nārāyaṇa Śrīpate Vāsudevājita Śrīnidhe |
Acyutānanta He Mādhavādhokṣaja Dvārakānāyaka Draupadīrakṣaka ||

English meaning: O Krishna, Govinda, O Rama, Narayana; lord of Shri, Vasudeva, the unconquered, treasure-house of Shri; O Achyuta, the endless one, O Madhava, Adhokshaja; lord of Dvaraka and protector of Draupadi! The whole verse is a string of names addressed to the Lord.

हिंदी अर्थ: हे कृष्ण, गोविन्द, हे राम, नारायण; श्रीपति, वासुदेव, अजित, श्री के निधि; हे अच्युत, अनन्त, हे माधव, अधोक्षज; द्वारका के स्वामी और द्रौपदी के रक्षक! पूरा श्लोक भगवान को सम्बोधित नामों की माला है।

Roman Hindi meaning: He Krishna, Govind, he Ram, Narayan; Shripati, Vasudev, Ajit, Shri ke nidhi; he Achyut, Anant, he Madhav, Adhokshaj; Dwarka ke swami aur Draupadi ke rakshak! Poora shlok Bhagwan ko sambodhit naamon ki maala hai.

Shloka 5

राक्षसक्षोभितः सीतया शोभितो दण्डकारण्यभूपुण्यताकारणः।
लक्ष्मणेनान्वितो वानरैः सेवितोऽगस्त्यसम्पूजितो राघवः पातु माम्॥

Rākṣasakṣobhitaḥ Sītayā Śobhito Daṇḍakāraṇyabhūpuṇyatākāraṇaḥ |
Lakṣmaṇenānvito Vānaraiḥ Sevito'gastyasampūjito Rāghavaḥ Pātu Mām ||

English meaning: May Raghava (Rama) protect me: he who was harried by the rakshasas and graced by Sita, who made the land of the Dandaka forest holy, who was accompanied by Lakshmana, served by the monkeys and honoured by the sage Agastya.

हिंदी अर्थ: राघव (राम) मेरी रक्षा करें—जिन्हें राक्षसों ने क्षुब्ध किया, जो सीता से सुशोभित हैं, जो दण्डकारण्य की भूमि के पवित्र होने का कारण बने, जो लक्ष्मण के साथ रहे, वानरों ने जिनकी सेवा की और ऋषि अगस्त्य ने जिनका पूजन किया।

Roman Hindi meaning: Raghav (Ram) meri raksha karein—jinhein rakshason ne kshubdh kiya, jo Sita se sushobhit hain, jo Dandakaranya ki bhoomi ke pavitra hone ka kaaran bane, jo Lakshman ke saath rahe, vanaron ne jinki seva ki aur rishi Agastya ne jinka poojan kiya.

Shloka 6

धेनुकारिष्टकोऽनिष्टकृद्द्वेषिणां केशिहा कंसहृद्वंशिकावादकः।
पूतनाकोपकः सूरजाखेलनो बालगोपालकः पातु मां सर्वदा॥

Dhenukāriṣṭako'niṣṭakṛddveṣiṇāṃ Keśihā Kaṃsahṛdvaṃśikāvādakaḥ |
Pūtanākopakaḥ Sūrajākhelano Bālagopālakaḥ Pātu Māṃ Sarvadā ||

English meaning: May the child cowherd always protect me: he who overcame the demons Dhenuka and Arishta and brings ruin on the hostile, the slayer of Keshi and of Kamsa, the flute-player, who roused Putana's wrath and who plays on the banks of the Yamuna, the Sun's daughter. (Some editions read dhenukāriṣṭahā, 'slayer of Dhenuka and Arishta', which gives the same sense.)

हिंदी अर्थ: बाल-गोपाल सदा मेरी रक्षा करें—जिन्होंने धेनुक और अरिष्ट असुरों को परास्त किया और जो द्वेष करने वालों का अनिष्ट करते हैं, जो केशी और कंस के संहारक, बाँसुरी बजाने वाले, पूतना के क्रोध को भड़काने वाले और सूर्य-पुत्री यमुना के तट पर खेलने वाले हैं। (कुछ संस्करण ‘धेनुकारिष्टहा’—धेनुक और अरिष्ट के संहारक—पढ़ते हैं; अर्थ वही रहता है।)

Roman Hindi meaning: Baal-Gopal sada meri raksha karein—jinhone Dhenuk aur Arishta asuron ko parast kiya aur jo dwesh karne walon ka anisht karte hain, jo Keshi aur Kans ke sanharak, baansuri bajane wale, Putana ke krodh ko bhadkane wale aur Surya-putri Yamuna ke tat par khelne wale hain. (Kuchh sanskaran 'dhenukarishtaha'—Dhenuk aur Arishta ke sanharak—padhte hain; arth wahi rehta hai.)

Shloka 7

विद्युदुद्द्योतवान्प्रस्फुरद्वाससं प्रावृडम्भोदवत्प्रोल्लसद्विग्रहम्।
वन्यया मालया शोभितोरःस्थलं लोहिताङ्घ्रिद्वयं वारिजाक्षं भजे॥

Vidyududdyotavānprasphuradvāsasaṃ Prāvṛḍambhodavatprollasadvigraham |
Vanyayā Mālayā Śobhitoraḥsthalaṃ Lohitāṅghridvayaṃ Vārijākṣaṃ Bhaje ||

English meaning: I worship the lotus-eyed Lord, whose garment gleams with the brilliance of lightning, whose form shines like a rain-cloud of the monsoon, whose chest is adorned with a garland of forest flowers and whose two feet are rosy red. (The printed text reads vidyududdyotavān, 'having the brilliance of lightning'; many editions read vidyududyotavat, 'like the flash of lightning', with the same sense.)

हिंदी अर्थ: मैं उन कमलनयन प्रभु को भजता हूँ, जिनका वस्त्र बिजली की चमक से दमकता है, जिनका शरीर वर्षा ऋतु के मेघ जैसा शोभित है, जिनका वक्षःस्थल वनमाला से सुशोभित है और जिनके दोनों चरण लाल आभा वाले हैं। (मुद्रित पाठ ‘विद्युदुद्द्योतवान्’—बिजली की चमक वाला—है; कई संस्करण ‘विद्युदुद्योतवत्’—बिजली की चमक के समान—पढ़ते हैं; अर्थ वही है।)

Roman Hindi meaning: Main un kamalnayan Prabhu ko bhajta hoon, jinka vastra bijli ki chamak se damakta hai, jinka shareer varsha ritu ke megh jaisa shobhit hai, jinka vakshasthal vanmala se sushobhit hai aur jinke dono charan laal aabha wale hain. (Mudrit paath 'vidyududdyotavan'—bijli ki chamak wala—hai; kai sanskaran 'vidyududyotavat'—bijli ki chamak ke samaan—padhte hain; arth wahi hai.)

Shloka 8

कुञ्चितैः कुन्तलैर्भ्राजमानाननं रत्नमौलिं लसत्कुण्डलं गण्डयोः।
हारकेयूरकं कङ्कणप्रोज्ज्वलं किङ्किणीमञ्जुलं श्यामलं तं भजे॥

Kuñcitaiḥ Kuntalairbhrājamānānanaṃ Ratnamauliṃ Lasatkuṇḍalaṃ Gaṇḍayoḥ |
Hārakeyūrakaṃ Kaṅkaṇaprojjvalaṃ Kiṅkiṇīmañjulaṃ Śyāmalaṃ Taṃ Bhaje ||

English meaning: I worship that dark-hued Lord, whose face shines framed by curling locks, who wears a jewelled crown and earrings that gleam against his cheeks, who is adorned with necklace and armlets, radiant with bracelets and charming with little bells.

हिंदी अर्थ: मैं उन श्यामवर्ण प्रभु को भजता हूँ, जिनका मुख घुँघराले केशों से दमकता है, जो रत्नजटित मुकुट पहनते हैं और जिनके कुण्डल गालों पर चमकते हैं, जो हार और बाजूबन्द से सजे, कंगनों से उज्ज्वल और छोटी घण्टियों (किंकिणी) से मनोहर हैं।

Roman Hindi meaning: Main un shyamvarn Prabhu ko bhajta hoon, jinka mukh ghunghrale keshon se damakta hai, jo ratnajatit mukut pehente hain aur jinke kundal gaalon par chamakte hain, jo haar aur bajuband se saje, kanganon se ujjwal aur chhoti ghantiyon (kinkini) se manohar hain.

फलश्रुति और समापन

श्लोक 9: पाठ का परम्परागत फल, स्तोत्र का अपना कथन; अन्त में शङ्कराचार्य का नाम देने वाली समापन-पंक्ति।

Shloka 9

अच्युतस्याष्टकं यः पठेदिष्टदं प्रेमतः प्रत्यहं पूरुषः सस्पृहम्।
वृत्ततः सुन्दरं कर्तृ विश्वम्भरं तस्य वश्यो हरिर्जायते सत्वरम्॥

Acyutasyāṣṭakaṃ Yaḥ Paṭhediṣṭadaṃ Premataḥ Pratyahaṃ Pūruṣaḥ Saspṛham |
Vṛttataḥ Sundaraṃ Kartṛ Viśvambharaṃ Tasya Vaśyo Harirjāyate Satvaram ||

English meaning: Phalashruti (the hymn's traditional closing claim, not one of the eight core stanzas): the verse says that when a person recites this octave on Achyuta every day with love and longing—an octave it calls a giver of what is wished for and beautiful in its metre—Hari, the all-sustaining Lord (Vishvambhara), soon comes under that devotee's sway. The printed words kartṛ viśvambharaṃ are hard to construe; the 1910 edition reads vedyaviśvambharaṃ, 'through which the all-sustaining Lord is known'. Valkala reports this as the text's own statement, not as a promised outcome.

हिंदी अर्थ: फलश्रुति (स्तोत्र का परम्परागत समापन-कथन, आठ मूल श्लोकों में से एक नहीं): यह श्लोक कहता है कि जो व्यक्ति अच्युत के इस अष्टक का—जिसे यह इष्ट देने वाला और छन्द की दृष्टि से सुन्दर बताता है—प्रतिदिन प्रेम और उत्कण्ठा से पाठ करता है, उसके वश में सबका पालन करने वाले (विश्वम्भर) हरि शीघ्र हो जाते हैं। मुद्रित शब्द ‘कर्तृ विश्वम्भरं’ का अन्वय स्पष्ट नहीं है; 1910 का संस्करण ‘वेद्यविश्वम्भरं’—जिससे विश्वम्भर प्रभु जाने जाते हैं—पढ़ता है। वाल्कला इसे स्तोत्र का अपना कथन मानकर प्रस्तुत करता है, किसी निश्चित परिणाम का वादा नहीं।

Roman Hindi meaning: Phalashruti (stotra ka paramparagat samapan-kathan, aath mool shlokon mein se ek nahin): yeh shlok kehta hai ki jo vyakti Achyut ke is ashtak ka—jise yeh isht dene wala aur chhand ki drishti se sundar batata hai—pratidin prem aur utkantha se path karta hai, uske vash mein sabka palan karne wale (Vishvambhar) Hari sheeghra ho jaate hain. Mudrit shabd 'kartri vishvambharam' ka anvay spasht nahin hai; 1910 ka sanskaran 'vedyavishvambharam'—jisse Vishvambhar Prabhu jaane jaate hain—padhta hai. Valkala ise stotra ka apna kathan maankar prastut karta hai, kisi nishchit parinaam ka vaada nahin.

Colophon

इति श्रीशङ्कराचार्यविरचितमच्युताष्टकं सम्पूर्णम्॥

Iti Śrīśaṅkarācāryaviracitamacyutāṣṭakaṃ Sampūrṇam ||

English meaning: Here ends the Achyutashtakam composed by the revered Shankaracharya; the author's name is given by this closing line. It is not a numbered verse.

हिंदी अर्थ: यहाँ श्री शङ्कराचार्य द्वारा रचित अच्युताष्टक पूरा होता है; रचयिता का यह नाम समापन-पंक्ति देती है। यह समापन पंक्ति कोई क्रमांकित श्लोक नहीं है।

Roman Hindi meaning: Yahaan Shri Shankaracharya dwara rachit Achyutashtak poora hota hai; rachayita ka yeh naam samaapan-pankti deti hai. Yeh samaapan pankti koi kramaankit shlok nahin hai.

What is Shri Achyutashtakam?

Achyutashtakam is an eight-stanza Sanskrit hymn that opens “Acyutaṃ Keśavaṃ Rāmanārāyaṇaṃ” and praises Vishnu through his names and through the lives of Rama and Krishna. Its printed colophon names Shankaracharya as the author. A separate ninth phalashruti verse states the traditional fruit of recitation; it is the hymn’s claim, not a promised outcome.

Acyutaṃ Keśavaṃ

The hymn opens with a string of names—Achyuta, Keshava, Rama, Narayana, Krishna, Damodara, Vasudeva, Hari—and the first two stanzas end with the worshipper holding the Lord in mind. The fourth stanza is made entirely of names addressed to him.

Rama and Krishna together

The stanzas move between two avataras of Vishnu. Stanza 5 prays to Rama in the Dandaka forest with Sita, Lakshmana, the monkeys and the sage Agastya; stanzas 6–8 turn to Krishna as the child cowherd, the slayer of demons and the dark, jewelled Lord.

Eight stanzas and a phalashruti

The eight core stanzas are followed by a ninth verse, the phalashruti, shown in its own section, which states what tradition says daily recitation brings. Valkala presents it as the text’s own claim, not a guaranteed result. A closing colophon names the work and its author and is not counted as a verse.

Source and attribution

The text follows item 14 on printed pages 44–45 of the public-domain Brihat Stotra Ratnakara (Nirnaya Sagar Press, 1912), checked against the 1916 reprint, which corrects a misprint in verse 1. Its colophon names Shankaracharya as the author. A 1910 edition of Shankaracharya’s hymns, transcribed on Sanskrit Wikisource, was compared: it agrees on the text as a whole but differs in a few words, which the meanings note where it matters.

Aids for reciting stotrams and ashtaks

These praise hymns are often recited seated before the deity, with incense and a mala at hand. Here are a few reviewed options.

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