Sri Rama Raksha Stotram

caritaṃ raghunāthasya śatakoṭi pravistaram
ekaikamakṣaraṃ puṃsāṃ mahāpātakanāśanam ||1||

The life-story of Rama is spread over hundreds of crores of verses
Every single letter of it destroys the worst sins of mankind

dhyātvā nīlotpalaśyāmaṃ rāmaṃ rājīvalocanam
jānakīlakṣmaṇopetaṃ jaṭāmakuṭamaṇḍitam ||2||

Having meditated on Rama — blue-lotus-dark, with lotus eyes
Accompanied by Sita and Lakshmana, crowned with matted-hair locks

sāsitūṇadhanurbāṇapāṇiṃ naktañcarāntakam
svalīlayā jagattrātum āvirbhūtamajaṃ vibhum ||3||

Holding sword, quiver, bow and arrows — the slayer of demons who roam at night
Who is unborn and omnipresent, manifested of His own will to protect the world

rāmarakṣāṃ paṭhetprājñaḥ pāpaghnīṃ sarvakāmadām
śiro me rāghavaḥ pātu bhālaṃ daśarathātmajaḥ ||4||

The wise should recite this Rama Raksha, which destroys sins and grants all wishes
May Rama (Raghava) protect my head; may Dasharatha's son protect my forehead

kausalyeyo dṛśau pātu viśvāmitrapriyaḥ śrutī
ghrāṇaṃ pātu makhatrātā mukhaṃ saumitrivatsalaḥ ||5||

May Rama (Kausalya's son) protect my eyes; Vishvamitra's dear one protect my ears
May the guardian of the yagna protect my nose; Sumitra's dear Rama protect my face

jihvāṃ vidyānidhiḥ pātu kaṇṭhaṃ bharatavanditaḥ
skandhau divyāyudhaḥ pātu bhujau bhagneśakārmukaḥ ||6||

May the treasure of wisdom (Rama) guard my tongue; and the one Bharata worships guard my throat
May the bearer of divine weapons protect my shoulders; the breaker of Shiva's bow protect my arms

karau sītāpatiḥ pātu hṛdayaṃ jamadagnyajit
madhyaṃ pātu kharadhvaṃsī nābhiṃ jāmbavadāśrayaḥ ||7||

May Sita's husband guard my hands; the conqueror of Parashurama guard my heart
May the killer of demon Khara guard my waist; Jambavan's patron guard my navel

sugrīveśaḥ kaṭī pātu sakthinī hanumatprabhuḥ
ūrū raghūttamaḥ pātu jānunī setukṛtpātu ||8||

May Sugriva's lord guard my hips; Hanuman's master guard my thighs
May the finest of Raghu's line protect my upper legs; the bridge-builder protect my knees

jaṅghe daśamukhāntakaḥ pādau vibhīṣaṇaśrīdaḥ
pātu rāmo'khilaṃ vapuḥ ||9||

May Ravana's slayer protect my calves; the one who gave Vibhishana his kingdom protect my feet
May Rama protect my whole being

etāṃ rāmabalopetāṃ rakṣāṃ yaḥ sukṛtī paṭhet
sa cirāyuḥ sukhī putrī vijayī vinayī bhavet ||10||

The pious one who reads this Rama-power-imbued protection
He shall have long life, happiness, sons, victory and humility

pātālabhūtalavyomacāriṇaśchadmacāriṇaḥ
na draṣṭumapi śaktāste rakṣitaṃ rāmanāmabhiḥ ||11||

Beings who wander through the underworld, earth, and sky — even those in disguise
None of them can even look upon one who is protected by Rama's name

rāmeti rāmabhadreti rāmacandreti vā smaran
naro na lipyate pāpairbhuktiṃ muktiṃ ca vindati ||12||

Recalling Him as Rama, Ramabhadra, or Ramachandra
Is untouched by sin and gains both enjoyment in this world and final liberation

jagajjaitraikamantreṇa rāmanāmnābhirakṣitam
yaḥ kaṇṭhe dhārayettasya karasthāḥ sarvasiddhayaḥ ||13||

Guarded by the sole world-conquering mantra — the name of Rama
Whoever keeps this at the throat (commits it to memory) gains all spiritual powers

vajrapañjaranāmedaṃ yo rāmakavacaṃ smaret
avyāhatājñaḥ sarvatra labhate jayamaṅgal̤am ||14||

Whoever recalls this Rama armour called the Diamond Cage
His authority goes unhindered everywhere; he gains victory and all auspiciousness

ādiṣṭavān yathā svapne rāmarakṣāmimāṃ haraḥ
tathā likhitavān prātaḥ prabuddho budhakauśikaḥ ||15||

Just as Shiva revealed this Rama Raksha in a dream (to the sage)
So sage Budha-Kaushika wrote it down on waking at dawn

ārāmaḥ kalpavṛkṣāṇāṃ virāmaḥ sakalāpadām
abhirāmastrilokānāṃ rāmaḥ śrīmān sa naḥ prabhuḥ ||16||

He who is a grove of wish-granting trees and an end to all troubles
The one who enchants all three worlds — that glorious Rama is our master

taruṇau rūpasampannau sukumārau mahābalau
puṇḍarīkaviśālākṣau cīrakṛṣṇājināmbarau ||17||

Two young men — beautiful, delicate yet tremendously powerful
With wide lotus eyes, dressed in bark-cloth and black deerskins

phalamūlāśinau dāntau tāpasau brahmacāriṇau
putrau daśarathasyaitau bhrātarau rāmalakṣmaṇau ||18||

Living on fruits and roots, self-controlled, austere and celibate
These two — brothers Rama and Lakshmana, sons of Dasharatha

śaraṇyau sarvasattvānāṃ śreṣṭhau sarvadhanuṣmatām
rakṣaḥkulanihantārau trāyetāṃ no raghūttamau ||19||

The shelter of all creatures, the finest among all bowmen
Slayers of the demon clan — may those finest Raghu scions protect us

āttasajjadhanuṣā viṣuspṛśā vakṣayāśuganiṣaṅgasaṅginau
rakṣaṇāya mama rāmalakṣmaṇā vagrataḥ pathi sadaiva gacchatām ||20||

With drawn bows, fingers on the string, carrying quivers of endless swift arrows
May Rama and Lakshmana ever walk before me on the path, to protect me

sannaddhaḥ kavacī khaḍgī cāpabāṇadharo yuvā
gacchanmanoratho'smākaṃ rāmaḥ pātu salakṣmaṇaḥ ||21||

Armed with armour, sword, bow and arrows — a youthful warrior
May Rama — fulfiller of our wishes — along with Lakshmana protect us

rāmo dāśarathiḥ śūro lakṣmaṇānucaro balī
kākutsthaḥ puruṣaḥ pūrṇaḥ kausalyeyo raghūttamaḥ ||22||

Rama son of Dasharatha, the valiant hero, followed by powerful Lakshmana
Of Kakutstha's line, the perfect Being, Kausalya's son, finest of Raghus

vedāntavedyo yajñeśaḥ purāṇapuruṣottamaḥ
jānakīvallabhaḥ śrīmānaprameyaparākramaḥ ||23||

Known through Vedanta, master of yajnas, the Purushottama of the Puranas
Sita's beloved, glorious, of boundless valour

ityetaṃ japataḥ prītyā nityamittyabhidhāyinām
aśvamedhāyutaṃ puṇyaṃ samprāpnotyasaṃśayaḥ ||24||

For those who lovingly recite these names of Rama every day
Without doubt, they earn merit equal to ten thousand horse-sacrifices

rāmaṃ dūrvādalaśyāmaṃ padmākṣaṃ pītavāsasam
stuvanti nāmabhirdivyairna te saṃsāriṇo narāḥ ||25||

Rama — dark as Durva grass, lotus-eyed, dressed in yellow
Those who praise Him with divine names are freed from the cycle of rebirth

rāmaṃ lakṣmaṇapūrvajaṃ raghuvaraṃ sītāpatiṃ sundaram
kākutsthaṃ karuṇārṇavaṃ guṇanidhiṃ viprapriyaṃ dhārmikam

rājendraṃ satyasandhaṃ daśarathanandanaṃ śyāmalaṃ śāntamūrtim
vande lokābhirāmaṃ raghukulatilakaṃ rāghavaṃ rāvaṇārim ||26||

Rama — Lakshmana's elder, best of Raghus, Sita's lord, the handsome one
Of Kakutstha's clan, an ocean of compassion, treasure of virtues, dear to Brahmins, righteous
King of kings, true to vows, Dasharatha's son, dark, of peaceful appearance
I salute Him who enchants all worlds, the Raghu clan's gem, Raghava — foe of Ravana

rāmāya rāmabhadrāya rāmacandrāya vedhase
raghunāthāya nāthāya sītāyāḥ pataye namaḥ ||27||

Salutations to Rama, Ramabhadra, Ramachandra — He who is the Creator
To Raghu's lord, our protector, husband of Sita — salutations

śrīrāma rāma raghunandana rāma rāma
śrīrāma rāma bharatāgraja rāma rāma
śrīrāma rāma raṇakarkaśa rāma rāma
śrīrāma rāma śaraṇaṃ bhava rāma rāma ||28||

O Sri Rama, Rama, delight of the Raghus — Rama, Rama
O Sri Rama, Rama, Bharata's elder — Rama, Rama
O Sri Rama, Rama, fierce warrior in battle — Rama, Rama
O Sri Rama, Rama, be my shelter — Rama, Rama

śrīrāmacandracaraṇau manasā smarāmi
śrīrāmacandracaraṇau vacasā gṛṇāmi
śrīrāmacandracaraṇau śirasā namāmi
śrīrāmacandracaraṇau śaraṇaṃ prapadye ||29||

I recall Sri Ramachandra's feet in my heart
I sing of Sri Ramachandra's feet with my words
I bow my head at Sri Ramachandra's feet
I take shelter at Sri Ramachandra's feet

mātā rāmo matpitā rāmacandraḥ svāmī rāmo matsakhā rāmacandraḥ
sarvasvaṃ me rāmacandro dayālurnānyaṃ jāne naiva jāne na jāne ||30||

Rama is my mother and father; Rama is my master and my friend
Compassionate Ramachandra is my all — I know no other, truly none other

dakṣiṇe lakṣmaṇo yasya vāme tu janakātmajā
purato mārutiryasya taṃ vande raghunandanam ||31||

Lakshmana on whose right, Sita on whose left
And before whom stands Hanuman — I salute that son of the Raghu line

lokābhirāmaṃ raṇaraṅgadhīraṃ rājīvanetraṃ raghuvaṃśanātham
kāruṇyarūpaṃ karuṇākaraṃ taṃ śrīrāmacandraṃ śaraṇaṃ prapadye ||32||

World-enchanting, battlefield-fearless, lotus-eyed, lord of the Raghu dynasty
The very form of compassion, source of mercy — I surrender to that Sri Ramachandra

manojavaṃ mārutulyavegaṃ jitendriyaṃ buddhimatāṃ variṣṭham
vātātmajaṃ vānarayūthamukhyaṃ śrīrāmadūtaṃ śaraṇaṃ prapadye ||33||

Mind-swift, wind-fast, master of senses, greatest of the wise
Son of the Wind, chief of monkey army, Sri Rama's messenger — I take refuge in him

kūjantaṃ rāmarāmeti madhuraṃ madhurākṣaram
āruhya kavitāśākhāṃ vande vālmīkikokilam ||34||

Who sings sweetly "Rama, Rama" with melodious syllables
Perched on the branch of poetry — I salute that cuckoo, Valmiki

āpadāmapahartāraṃ dātāraṃ sarvasampadām
lokābhirāmaṃ śrīrāmaṃ bhūyo bhūyo namāmyaham ||35||

Remover of all troubles, giver of all wealth
World-delighting Sri Rama — I bow to you again and again

bharjanaṃ bhavabījānāmarjanaṃ sukhasampadām
tarjanaṃ yamadūtānāṃ rāma rāmeti garjanam ||36||

It burns away seeds of rebirth and gathers happiness and wealth
It terrifies Yama's messengers — this thunderous chant of "Rama, Rama!"

rāmo rājamaṇiḥ sadā vijayate rāmaṃ rameśaṃ bhaje
rāmeṇābhihatā niśācaracamū rāmāya tasmai namaḥ
rāmānnāsti parāyaṇaṃ parataraṃ rāmasya dāso'smyaham
rāme cittalayaḥ sadā bhavatu me bho rāma māmuddhara ||37||

Rama, crown jewel of kings, ever victorious — I worship Rama, Lakshmi's lord
By Rama the demon army was crushed — I bow to that Rama
There is no greater refuge than Rama — I am Rama's servant
May my mind always rest in Rama — O Rama, lift me up!

śrīrāma rāma rāmeti rame rāme manorame
sahasranāmatattulyaṃ rāmanāma varānane ||38||

Sri Rama, Rama, Rama — I revel in Rama, mind-enchanting Rama
O beautiful one! The name Rama equals the entire Vishnu Sahasranama in merit