Sunday, September 23, 2012

Śrī Subrahmanya Ashtottara Śata Nāmavali


Sri Valli-Teyvanai Samedha Murugan

Śrī Subrahmanya Ashtottara Śata Nāmavali:
The 108 Names of Lord Skanda Kumāra

Nandikeswarar instructed this incantation to Sage Agastya

Download this text as a PDF file

In truth, the names of Lord Skanda are innumerable. But for the sake of brevity, 108 of His descriptive names are enumerated in Sanskrit as below. In each instance, the sādhaka (practitioner) recites a name visualizing that the Lord stands before him or her, and mentally bows down before the Lord with each recitation. For the verbal root nam in Sanskrit literally means 'to bend'; hence the formula has the sense of "Ōm! I bow down to the Lord who is . . . ".

The following is the raw text in Sanskrit where vowels marked as long are twice as long as normal short vowels ('ō' is always long as in 'boat' and 'ē' is always long as in 'bay'}. Approximate English equivalents appear under each mantra.

The pictures at right are from a rare Kanda Sashti souvenir published in 1958 by Śrī-la-śrī Subrahmanya Deśika Paramacharya Swamigal of Tiruvavaduthurai Adhīnam.

Śrī Gajavāhana
Śrī Kumarar
Śrī Kumāra
Śrī Saktidharar
Śrī Śaktidhara
Śrī Subrahmanya
Śrī Subrahmanya
Śrī Brahmasastā
Śrī Kārttikeya
Krauñcabheda
Śrī Kandaswāmi
Śrī Śaravanabhavar
Senāni
  1. Ōm namō Skandāya namaha
    Hail Skanda! Vanquisher of the mighty foes!
  2. Ōm namō Guhāya namaha
    Praise be to the Invisible Lord—He who abides in the hearts of devotees true!
  3. Ōm namō Shanmukhāya namaha
    Praise be to the six-faced one!
  4. Ōm namō Bālanetrasutāya namaha
    Praise be to the Son of the Three-Eyed Siva!
  5. Ōm namō Prabhave namaha
    Praise be to the Lord Supreme!
  6. Ōm namō Pingalāya namaha
    Praise be to the golden-hued one!
  7. Ōm namō Krittikāsunave namaha
    Hail to the Son of the starry maids!
  8. Ōm namō Shikhivāhanāya namaha
    Hail to the rider on the peacock!
  9. Ōm namō Dvinadbhujāya namaha
    Hail to the Lord with the twelve hands!
  10. Ōm namō Dvinannetrāya namaha
    Hail to the Lord with the twelve eyes!
  11. Ōm namō Shaktidharāya namaha
    Hail to the wielder of the Lance!
  12. Ōm namō Pisidāsaprabhajanāya namaha
    Praise be to the destroyer of the Asuras!
  13. Ōm namō Tārakāsurasamhārine namaha
    Praise be to the slāyar of Tārakāsuran!
  14. Ōm namō Raksobalavimardanāya namaha
    Praise be to the Victor of the Asuric forces!
  15. Ōm namō Mattāya namaha
    Praise be to the Lord of felicity!
  16. Ōm namō Pramattāya namaha
    Praise be to the Lord of bliss!
  17. Ōm namō Unmattāya namaha
    Hail Oh passionate One!
  18. Ōm namō Surasainyasuraksakāya namaha
    (Suralangasya Rakshithre Namaha); Hail Saviour of the Devas!
  19. Ōm namō Devasenāpataye namaha
    Hail Commander of the Heavenly hosts!
  20. Ōm namō Pragnya namaha
    Hail, Lord of Wisdom!
  21. Ōm namō Kripalave namaha
    Hail Compassionate One!
  22. Ōm namō Bhaktavatsalāya namaha
    Lover of devout ones, Praise be to Thee!
  23. Ōm namō Umāsutāya namaha
    Son of Uma—Praise be to Thee!
  24. Ōm namō Śaktidharāya namaha
    Mighty Lord—Praise be to Thee!
  25. Ōm namō Kumārāya namaha
    Eternal youth—Praise be to Thee!
  26. Ōm namō Krauñcadharanāya namaha
    He who reft asunder the Krauñca Mount—Praise be to Thee!
  27. Ōm namō Senānye namaha
    Praise be to the Army Chief!
  28. Ōm namō Agnijanmane namaha
    To the effulgence of Fire, all Hail!
  29. Ōm namō Viskhāya namaha
    To Him who shone on the astral Visakha—All Hail!
  30. Ōm namō Śankarātmajāya namaha
    Thou Son of Śankara—All Hail!
  31. Ōm namō Śivasvāmine namaha
    Thou Preceptor of Śiva—All Hail!
  32. Ōm namō Ganaswāmine namaha
    On Lord of the Ganas—All Hail
  33. Ōm namō Sarvasvāmine namaha
    On Lord, God Almighty, All Hail!
  34. Ōm namō Sanātanāya namaha
    Oh Lord eternal, Praise be to Thee!
  35. Ōm namō Anantasaktaye namaha
    Thou potent Lord, Praise be to Thee!
  36. Ōm namō Aksobhyāya namaha
    Unsullied by arrows art Thou—Praise be to Thee!
  37. Ōm namō Parvatīpriyanandanāya namaha
    Thou beloved of Parvati, Praise be to Thee!
  38. Ōm namō Gangasutāya namaha
    Oh, son of Goddess Ganga—Praise be to Thee!
  39. Ōm namō Sarodbhutāya namaha
    Thou who did'st nestle in the Saravana Lake!
  40. Ōm namō Atmabhuve namaha
    Thou Unborn Lord!
  41. Ōm namō Pavakatmajāya namaha
    Thou who art born of Fire!
  42. Ōm namō Māyādharāya namaha
    Energy Art Thou—Praise be to Thee!
  43. Ōm namō Prajrimbhāya namaha
    Praise be to thee Auspicious One! (Blissful)!
  44. Ōm namō Ujjrimbhāya namaha
    Praise be to the Invincible One!
  45. Ōm namō Kamalāsanasamstutāya namaha
    Praise be to the Lord extolled by Brahma!
  46. Ōm namō Ekavarnāya namaha
    The one Word art Thou—All Hail!
  47. Ōm namō Dvivarnāya namaha
    In Two Art Thou—All Hail!
  48. Ōm namō Trivarnāya namaha
    Thou Art the Three—All Hail!
  49. Ōm namō Sumanoharāya namaha
    Thou Stealer of pure hearts—All Hail!
  50. Ōm namō Caturvarnāya namaha
    In four Art Thou—All Hail!
  51. Ōm namō Pancavarnāya namaha
    In five letters Art Thou—All Hail!
  52. Ōm namō Prajapataye namaha
    Father of all Creation—All Hail!
  53. Ōm namō Trumbāya namaha
    Praise be to Thee, Oh Peerless One!
  54. Ōm namō Agnigarbhāya namaha
    Thou who dost sustain the fire!
  55. Ōm namō Samigarbhāya namaha
    Hail Thou who arose out of the Vanni flame! (Fire of the Suma tree)!
  56. Ōm namō Visvaretase namaha
    Thou glory of the Absolute Paramasivam, All Hail!
  57. Ōm namō Surarighne namaha
    Oh, Subduer of the foes of the Devas, All Hail!
  58. Ōm namō Hiranyavarnāya namaha
    Thou resplendent One, All Hail!
  59. Ōm namō Subhakrite namaha
    Thou Auspicious One—All Hail!
  60. Ōm namō Vasumate namaha
    Thou Oh Splendour of the Vasus— (a class of Gods) All Hail!
  61. Ōm namō Vatuvesabhrite namaha
    Praise be to Thee, Oh lover of celibacy!
  62. Ōm namō Bhūshane namaha
    Thou Luminous Sun—All Hail!
  63. Ōm namō Kapastaye namaha
    Thou Effulgence divine, All Hail!
  64. Ōm namō Gahanāya namaha
    Thou Omniscient One—All Hail!
  65. Ōm namō Chandravarnāya namaha
    Thou Radiance of the Moon—Praise be to Thee!
  66. Ōm namō Kāladharāya namaha
    Thou who adorns the crescent—Praise be to Thee!
  67. Ōm namō Māyādharāya namaha
    Engergy art Thou—Praise be to Thee!
  68. Ōm namō Mahāmāyine namaha
    Great Artist of Deception too art Thou, Praise be to Thee!
  69. Ōm namō Kaivalyāya namaha
    Everlasting joy of attainment—Praise be to Thee!
  70. Ōm namō Sahatatmakāya namaha
    Art all-pervading—All Hail!
  71. Ōm namō Visvayōnaye namaha
    Source of all Existence—All Hail!
  72. Ōm namō Ameyatmane namaha
    Oh, Supreme Splendour, All Hail!
  73. Ōm namō Tejonidhaye namaha
    Illumination divine—All Hail!
  74. Ōm namō Anāmāyaya namaha
    Savior of all ills—All Hail!
  75. Ōm namō Parameshtine namaha
    Thou art Immaculate Lord, Praise be to Thee
  76. Ōm namō Parabrahmane namaha
    Thou Transcendant One, Praise be to Thee!
  77. Ōm namō Vedagarbhāya namaha
    The Source of the Vedas art Thou, Praise be to Thee!
  78. Ōm namō Viratsutāya namaha
    Immanent Art Thou in the Universe, Praise be to Thee!
  79. Ōm namō Pulindakanyābhartre namaha
    Praise be to the Lord of Valli, the Vedda belle!
  80. Ōm namō Mahāsarasvatavradāya namaha
    Praise be to the source of Gnosis
  81. Ōm namō āsritā Kiladhātre namaha
    Praise be to Him who showers grace on those who seek his solace!
  82. Ōm namō Choraghnāya namaha
    Praise be to Him who annihilates those who steal!
  83. Ōm namō Roganasanāya namaha
    Praise be to the divine Healer
  84. Ōm namō Anantamūrtaye namaha
    Praise be Thine whose forms are endless!
  85. Ōm namō ānandāya namaha
    Praise be Thine, Oh Thou infinite Bliss!
  86. Ōm namō Śikhandīkritagedanāya namaha
    Praise be Thine, Thou Lord of peacock banner!
  87. Ōm namō Dambhāya namaha
    Praise be Thine, Oh lover of gay exuberance!
  88. Ōm namō Paramadambhāya namaha
    Praise be Thine, Thou lover of supreme exuberance!
  89. Ōm namō Mahādambhāya namaha
    Praise be Thine, Oh Lord of lofty magnificence!
  90. Ōm namō Vrishakāpaye namaha
    Thou who art the culmination of righteousness—All Hail (Dharma)!
  91. Ōm namō Karanopātadehāya namaha
    Thou who deigned embodiment for a cause—All Hail!
  92. Ōm namō Kāranātita Vigrahāya namaha
    Form transcending causal experience
  93. Ōm namō Anīshvarāya namaha
    Oh Eternal peerless plentitude, All Hail
  94. Ōm namō Amritāya namaha
    Thou Ambrosia of Life—All Hail!
  95. Ōm namō Pranāya namaha
    Thou life of life, Praise unto Thee!
  96. Ōm namō Pranāyamaparāyanāya namaha
    Thou support of all beings—Praise unto Thee!
  97. Ōm namō Vritakandare namaha
    Praise unto Thee who subjugates all hostile forces!
  98. Ōm namō Viraghnāya namaha
    Thou vanquisher of heroic opponents, Praise unto Thee!
  99. Ōm namō Raktashyamagalāya namaha
    Thou art Love, and of crimson beauty— Praise unto Thee!
  100. Ōm namō Mahate namaha
    Oh Consummation of glory, All Praise to Thee!
  101. Ōm namō Subrahmanyāya namaha
    We praise Thee, Oh effulgent Radiance!
  102. Ōm namō Paravarāya namaha
    Oh Supreme (Sovereign) Goodness, Praise unto Thee!
  103. Ōm namō Brahmanyāya namaha
    We praise Thee, luminous wisdom serene!
  104. Ōm namō Brahmanapriyāya namaha
    Thou who art beloved of seers—Praise unto Thee!
  105. Ōm namō Loka Gurave Namaha
    Oh universal Teacher, All Praise to Thee!
  106. Ōm namō Guhapriyāya Namaha
    We praise Thee, Indweller in the core of our hearts!
  107. Ōm namō Aksāyaphalapradāya namaha
    We praise Thee, Oh bestower of indestructible results ineffable!
  108. Ōm namō Śrī Subrahmanyāya namaha
    We praise Thee, most glorious effulgent Radiance!

Om Saravanabhava Om!