Śrī Subrahmanya Ashtottara Śata Nāmavali

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 Kumāra Śrī Śaktidhara Śrī Subrahmanya Śrī Subrahmanya Śrī Brahmasastā Śrī Kārttikeya Krauñcabheda Śrī Kandaswāmi Śrī Śaravanabhavar Senāni Ōm namō Skandāya namaha Hail Skanda! Vanquisher of the mighty foes! Ōm namō Guhāya namaha Praise be to the Invisible Lord—He who abides in the hearts of devotees true! Ōm namō Shanmukhāya namaha Praise be to the six-faced one! Ōm namō Bālanetrasutāya namaha Praise be to the Son of the Three-Eyed Siva! Ōm namō Prabhave namaha Praise be to the Lord Supreme! Ōm namō Pingalāya namaha Praise be to the golden-hued one! Ōm namō Krittikāsunave namaha Hail to the Son of the starry maids! Ōm namō Shikhivāhanāya namaha Hail to the rider on the peacock! Ōm namō Dvinadbhujāya namaha Hail to the Lord with the twelve hands! Ōm namō Dvinannetrāya namaha Hail to the Lord with the twelve eyes! Ōm namō Shaktidharāya namaha Hail to the wielder of the Lance! Ōm namō Pisidāsaprabhajanāya namaha Praise be to the destroyer of the Asuras! Ōm namō Tārakāsurasamhārine namaha Praise be to the slāyar of Tārakāsuran! Ōm namō Raksobalavimardanāya namaha Praise be to the Victor of the Asuric forces! Ōm namō Mattāya namaha Praise be to the Lord of felicity! Ōm namō Pramattāya namaha Praise be to the Lord of bliss! Ōm namō Unmattāya namaha Hail Oh passionate One! Ōm namō Surasainyasuraksakāya namaha (Suralangasya Rakshithre Namaha); Hail Saviour of the Devas! Ōm namō Devasenāpataye namaha Hail Commander of the Heavenly hosts! Ōm namō Pragnya namaha Hail, Lord of Wisdom! Ōm namō Kripalave namaha Hail Compassionate One! Ōm namō Bhaktavatsalāya namaha Lover of devout ones, Praise be to Thee! Ōm namō Umāsutāya namaha Son of Uma—Praise be to Thee! Ōm namō Śaktidharāya namaha Mighty Lord—Praise be to Thee! Ōm namō Kumārāya namaha Eternal youth—Praise be to Thee! Ōm namō Krauñcadharanāya namaha He who reft asunder the Krauñca Mount—Praise be to Thee! Ōm namō Senānye namaha Praise be to the Army Chief! Ōm namō Agnijanmane namaha To the effulgence of Fire, all Hail! Ōm namō Viskhāya namaha To Him who shone on the astral Visakha—All Hail! Ōm namō Śankarātmajāya namaha Thou Son of Śankara—All Hail! Ōm namō Śivasvāmine namaha Thou Preceptor of Śiva—All Hail! Ōm namō Ganaswāmine namaha On Lord of the Ganas—All Hail Ōm namō Sarvasvāmine namaha On Lord, God Almighty, All Hail! Ōm namō Sanātanāya namaha Oh Lord eternal, Praise be to Thee! Ōm namō Anantasaktaye namaha Thou potent Lord, Praise be to Thee! Ōm namō Aksobhyāya namaha Unsullied by arrows art Thou—Praise be to Thee! Ōm namō Parvatīpriyanandanāya namaha Thou beloved of Parvati, Praise be to Thee! Ōm namō Gangasutāya namaha Oh, son of Goddess Ganga—Praise be to Thee! Ōm namō Sarodbhutāya namaha Thou who did'st nestle in the Saravana Lake! Ōm namō Atmabhuve namaha Thou Unborn Lord! Ōm namō Pavakatmajāya namaha Thou who art born of Fire! Ōm namō Māyādharāya namaha Energy Art Thou—Praise be to Thee! Ōm namō Prajrimbhāya namaha Praise be to thee Auspicious One! (Blissful)! Ōm namō Ujjrimbhāya namaha Praise be to the Invincible One! Ōm namō Kamalāsanasamstutāya namaha Praise be to the Lord extolled by Brahma! Ōm namō Ekavarnāya namaha The one Word art Thou—All Hail! Ōm namō Dvivarnāya namaha In Two Art Thou—All Hail! Ōm namō Trivarnāya namaha Thou Art the Three—All Hail! Ōm namō Sumanoharāya namaha Thou Stealer of pure hearts—All Hail! Ōm namō Caturvarnāya namaha In four Art Thou—All Hail! Ōm namō Pancavarnāya namaha In five letters Art Thou—All Hail! Ōm namō Prajapataye namaha Father of all Creation—All Hail! Ōm namō Trumbāya namaha Praise be to Thee, Oh Peerless One! Ōm namō Agnigarbhāya namaha Thou who dost sustain the fire! Ōm namō Samigarbhāya namaha Hail Thou who arose out of the Vanni flame! (Fire of the Suma tree)! Ōm namō Visvaretase namaha Thou glory of the Absolute Paramasivam, All Hail! Ōm namō Surarighne namaha Oh, Subduer of the foes of the Devas, All Hail! Ōm namō Hiranyavarnāya namaha Thou resplendent One, All Hail! Ōm namō Subhakrite namaha Thou Auspicious One—All Hail! Ōm namō Vasumate namaha Thou Oh Splendour of the Vasus— (a class of Gods) All Hail! Ōm namō Vatuvesabhrite namaha Praise be to Thee, Oh lover of celibacy! Ōm namō Bhūshane namaha Thou Luminous Sun—All Hail! Ōm namō Kapastaye namaha Thou Effulgence divine, All Hail! Ōm namō Gahanāya namaha Thou Omniscient One—All Hail! Ōm namō Chandravarnāya namaha Thou Radiance of the Moon—Praise be to Thee! Ōm namō Kāladharāya namaha Thou who adorns the crescent—Praise be to Thee! Ōm namō Māyādharāya namaha Engergy art Thou—Praise be to Thee! Ōm namō Mahāmāyine namaha Great Artist of Deception too art Thou, Praise be to Thee! Ōm namō Kaivalyāya namaha Everlasting joy of attainment—Praise be to Thee! Ōm namō Sahatatmakāya namaha Art all-pervading—All Hail! Ōm namō Visvayōnaye namaha Source of all Existence—All Hail! Ōm namō Ameyatmane namaha Oh, Supreme Splendour, All Hail! Ōm namō Tejonidhaye namaha Illumination divine—All Hail! Ōm namō Anāmāyaya namaha Savior of all ills—All Hail! Ōm namō Parameshtine namaha Thou art Immaculate Lord, Praise be to Thee Ōm namō Parabrahmane namaha Thou Transcendant One, Praise be to Thee! Ōm namō Vedagarbhāya namaha The Source of the Vedas art Thou, Praise be to Thee! Ōm namō Viratsutāya namaha Immanent Art Thou in the Universe, Praise be to Thee! Ōm namō Pulindakanyābhartre namaha Praise be to the Lord of Valli, the Vedda belle! Ōm namō Mahāsarasvatavradāya namaha Praise be to the source of Gnosis Ōm namō āsritā Kiladhātre namaha Praise be to Him who showers grace on those who seek his solace! Ōm namō Choraghnāya namaha Praise be to Him who annihilates those who steal! Ōm namō Roganasanāya namaha Praise be to the divine Healer Ōm namō Anantamūrtaye namaha Praise be Thine whose forms are endless! Ōm namō ānandāya namaha Praise be Thine, Oh Thou infinite Bliss! Ōm namō Śikhandīkritagedanāya namaha Praise be Thine, Thou Lord of peacock banner! Ōm namō Dambhāya namaha Praise be Thine, Oh lover of gay exuberance! Ōm namō Paramadambhāya namaha Praise be Thine, Thou lover of supreme exuberance! Ōm namō Mahādambhāya namaha Praise be Thine, Oh Lord of lofty magnificence! Ōm namō Vrishakāpaye namaha Thou who art the culmination of righteousness—All Hail (Dharma)! Ōm namō Karanopātadehāya namaha Thou who deigned embodiment for a cause—All Hail! Ōm namō Kāranātita Vigrahāya namaha Form transcending causal experience Ōm namō Anīshvarāya namaha Oh Eternal peerless plentitude, All Hail Ōm namō Amritāya namaha Thou Ambrosia of Life—All Hail! Ōm namō Pranāya namaha Thou life of life, Praise unto Thee! Ōm namō Pranāyamaparāyanāya namaha Thou support of all beings—Praise unto Thee! Ōm namō Vritakandare namaha Praise unto Thee who subjugates all hostile forces! Ōm namō Viraghnāya namaha Thou vanquisher of heroic opponents, Praise unto Thee! Ōm namō Raktashyamagalāya namaha Thou art Love, and of crimson beauty— Praise unto Thee! Ōm namō Mahate namaha Oh Consummation of glory, All Praise to Thee! Ōm namō Subrahmanyāya namaha We praise Thee, Oh effulgent Radiance! Ōm namō Paravarāya namaha Oh Supreme (Sovereign) Goodness, Praise unto Thee! Ōm namō Brahmanyāya namaha We praise Thee, luminous wisdom serene! Ōm namō Brahmanapriyāya namaha Thou who art beloved of seers—Praise unto Thee! Ōm namō Loka Gurave Namaha Oh universal Teacher, All Praise to Thee! Ōm namō Guhapriyāya Namaha We praise Thee, Indweller in the core of our hearts! Ōm namō Aksāyaphalapradāya namaha We praise Thee, Oh bestower of indestructible results ineffable! Ōm namō Śrī Subrahmanyāya namaha We praise Thee, most glorious effulgent Radiance! Om Saravanabhava Om!