Kasi Vishwanathashtakam
Kasi Vishwanathashtakam
काशी विश्वनाथाष्टकम्
गङ्गा तरङ्ग रमणीय जटा कलापं
गौरी निरन्तर विभूषित वाम भागं
नारायण प्रियमनङ्ग मदापहारं
वाराणशी पुरपतिं भज विश्वनाथम् ॥ 1 ॥
वाचामगोचरमनेक गुण स्वरूपं
वागीश विष्णु सुर सेवित पाद पद्मं
वामेण विग्रह वरेन कलत्रवन्तं
वाराणशी पुरपतिं भज विश्वनाथम् ॥ 2 ॥
भूतादिपं भुजग भूषण भूषिताङ्गं
व्याघ्राञ्जिनां बरधरं, जटिलं, त्रिनेत्रं
पाशाङ्कुशाभय वरप्रद शूलपाणिं
वाराणशी पुरपतिं भज विश्वनाथम् ॥ 3 ॥
सीतांशु शोभित किरीट विराजमानं
बालेक्षणातल विशोषित पञ्चबाणं
नागाधिपा रचित बासुर कर्ण पूरं
वाराणशी पुरपतिं भज विश्वनाथम् ॥ 4 ॥
पञ्चाननं दुरित मत्त मतङ्गजानां
नागान्तकं धनुज पुङ्गव पन्नागानां
दावानलं मरण शोक जराटवीनां
वाराणशी पुरपतिं भज विश्वनाथम् ॥ 5 ॥
तेजोमयं सगुण निर्गुणमद्वितीयं
आनन्द कन्दमपराजित मप्रमेयं
नागात्मकं सकल निष्कलमात्म रूपं
वाराणशी पुरपतिं भज विश्वनाथम् ॥ 6 ॥
आशां विहाय परिहृत्य परश्य निन्दां
पापे रथिं च सुनिवार्य मनस्समाधौ
आधाय हृत्-कमल मध्य गतं परेशं
वाराणशी पुरपतिं भज विश्वनाथम् ॥ 7 ॥
रागाधि दोष रहितं स्वजनानुरागं
वैराग्य शान्ति निलयं गिरिजा सहायं
माधुर्य धैर्य सुभगं गरलाभिरामं
वाराणशी पुरपतिं भज विश्वनाथम् ॥ 8 ॥
वाराणशी पुर पते स्थवनं शिवस्य
व्याख्यातं अष्टकमिदं पठते मनुष्य
विद्यां श्रियं विपुल सौख्यमनन्त कीर्तिं
सम्प्राप्य देव निलये लभते च मोक्षम् ॥
विश्वनाथाष्टकमिदं पुण्यं यः पठेः शिव सन्निधौ
शिवलोकमवाप्नोति शिवेनसह मोदते ॥
About This Stotram
Overview
The Kasi Vishwanathashtakam is an eight-verse Sanskrit ashtakam dedicated to Lord Vishwanatha (Shiva) as the presiding deity of Kashi (Varanasi). The verses praise Shiva's divine attributes, his association with the sacred Ganga, his consort Parvati, and the spiritual significance of the Kashi Kshetra. The text is attributed to Adi Shankaracharya and belongs to the Shaiva devotional tradition.
What are the benefits of chanting Kasi Vishwanathashtakam?
- Attainment of liberation (moksha) through the grace of Kashi Vishwanatha
- Removal of sins and accumulated negative karma
- Fulfillment of devotional aspirations
- Protection and blessing from Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati
When is the best time to recite this?
Morning and evening are the standard recitation times. The Maha Shivaratri festival, the months of Shravana and Kartik, and any occasion of pilgrimage to or connection with Varanasi are particularly appropriate.
What is the historical and traditional background?
The ashtakam is traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya (c. 788–820 CE), who established one of his four mathas at Dwaraka and traveled extensively across India, composing devotional hymns at major pilgrimage sites. Kashi holds a unique place in Shaiva theology as the city where Shiva is believed to personally grant liberation (moksha) to those who die within its boundaries. The hymn is not drawn from a larger Vedic or Puranic scripture but is an independent composition in the classical Sanskrit devotional style. Its enduring popularity has been sustained through its inclusion in temple recitation and private devotional practice across North India.
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
- Kala Bhairava Ashtakam — an ashtakam to Bhairava, Kashi's guardian deity, attributed to the same author
- Shiva Tandava Stotram — a celebrated Sanskrit hymn in praise of Shiva's cosmic dance