Harivarasanam (Hariharatmaja Ashtakam)
Harivarasanam (Hariharatmaja Ashtakam)
हरिवरासनम् (हरिहरात्मज अष्टकम्)
हरिवरासनं विश्वमोहनम्
हरिदधीश्वरं आराध्यपादुकम् ।
अरिविमर्दनं नित्यनर्तनम्
हरिहरात्मजं देवमाश्रये ॥ 1 ॥
शरणकीर्तनं भक्तमानसम्
भरणलोलुपं नर्तनालसम् ।
अरुणभासुरं भूतनायकम्
हरिहरात्मजं देवमाश्रये ॥ 2 ॥
प्रणयसत्यकं प्राणनायकम्
प्रणतकल्पकं सुप्रभाञ्चितम् ।
प्रणवमन्दिरं कीर्तनप्रियम्
हरिहरात्मजं देवमाश्रये ॥ 3 ॥
तुरगवाहनं सुन्दराननम्
वरगदायुधं वेदवर्णितम् ।
गुरुकृपाकरं कीर्तनप्रियम्
हरिहरात्मजं देवमाश्रये ॥ 4 ॥
त्रिभुवनार्चितं देवतात्मकम्
त्रिनयनप्रभुं दिव्यदेशिकम् ।
त्रिदशपूजितं चिन्तितप्रदम्
हरिहरात्मजं देवमाश्रये ॥ 5 ॥
भवभयापहं भावुकावकम्
भुवनमोहनं भूतिभूषणम् ।
धवलवाहनं दिव्यवारणम्
हरिहरात्मजं देवमाश्रये ॥ 6 ॥
कलमृदुस्मितं सुन्दराननम्
कलभकोमलं गात्रमोहनम् ।
कलभकेसरीवाजिवाहनम्
हरिहरात्मजं देवमाश्रये ॥ 7 ॥
श्रितजनप्रियं चिन्तितप्रदम्
श्रुतिविभूषणं साधुजीवनम् ।
श्रुतिमनोहरं गीतलालसम्
हरिहरात्मजं देवमाश्रये ॥ 8 ॥
शरणं अय्यप्पा स्वामि शरणं अय्यप्पा ।
शरणं अय्यप्पा स्वामि शरणं अय्यप्पा ॥
About This Stotram
Overview
The Harivarasanam, also known as Hariharatmaja Ashtakam, is an eight-verse Sanskrit hymn dedicated to Lord Ayyappan, who is described as the son of both Hari (Vishnu) and Hara (Shiva). The text is used as a closing ritual song sung each night before the sanctum of the Sabarimala Ayyappan temple in Kerala is shut, functioning as a devotional lullaby placing the deity to rest. It belongs to the Ayyappan devotional tradition of South India.
What are the benefits of chanting Harivarasanam?
- Recitation is associated with peace, tranquility, and the removal of obstacles
- Said to fulfill sincere devotional prayers and provide protection
- Cultivates devotion to Ayyappan through the image of the deity being sung to sleep
- Daily or evening recitation is common among Ayyappan devotees
When is the best time to recite this?
Evening recitation, particularly before sleep, mirrors the ritual context of the original Sabarimala practice. The Sabarimala pilgrimage season, centered on the Mandalam–Makaravilakku period (November–January), is the most significant time. It is also recited daily in Ayyappan temples as the closing ritual.
What is the historical and traditional background?
Lord Ayyappan is a deity particular to Kerala and neighboring South Indian states, with the Sabarimala temple as the principal center of worship. The temple at Sabarimala is among the most visited pilgrimage sites in India, drawing millions of devotees during the annual season. The Harivarasanam is closely associated with the singer Yesudas, whose recording of it in 1975 brought the hymn to wide popular attention and became the standard version broadcast from the temple. The hymn's authorship is attributed to Kumbalaththu Pattu in some sources, though the text itself circulates without confirmed historical documentation of its origin.
Available scripts
This text is available in 14 scripts: devanagari, tamil, telugu, kannada, malayalam, gujarati, bengali, iast, gurmukhi, oriya, assamese, sinhala, itrans, hk. Use the script selector above to switch between them.
Related Texts
- Ayyappan Sahasranamam — the 1,000-name text for the extended worship of Lord Ayyappan
- Sabarimala Sthuthi — a praise text specifically associated with the Sabarimala pilgrimage tradition