Manikarnika Ashtakam is an eight verse devotional hymn, composed by Shri Adi Shankaracharya in praise of Manikarnika, one of the most sacred ghats on the banks of the River Ganga in Varanasi. This hymn praises Manikarnika as a place of liberation.
When Lord Shiva wandered the universe in grief, carrying the lifeless body of Sati, Lord Vishnu, to restore cosmic order, released his Sudarshana Chakra to dismember the body. As the parts fell across the Indian subcontinent, they formed the Shakti Peethas. At Manikarnika, it is believed that the gemstones (manis) from Sati’s earrings fell to the ground – giving the ghat its name: Manikarnika (meaning “ear jewel”).
Get Manikarnika Ashtakam in English Lyrics Pdf here and recite it.
Manikarnika Ashtakam in English
tvattīrē maṇikarṇikē hariharau sāyujyamuktipradau
vādantau kurutaḥ parasparamubhau jantōḥ prayāṇōtsavē |
madrūpō manujō:’yamastu hariṇā prōktaḥ śivastatkṣaṇā-
ttanmadhyādbhr̥gulāñchanō garuḍagaḥ pītāmbarō nirgataḥ || 1 ||
indrādyāstridaśāḥ patanti niyataṁ bhōgakṣayē yē puna-
rjāyantē manujāstatōpi paśavaḥ kīṭāḥ pataṅgādayaḥ |
yē mātarmaṇikarṇikē tava jalē majjanti niṣkalmaṣāḥ
sāyujyē:’pi kirīṭakaustubhadharā nārāyaṇāḥ syurnarāḥ || 2 ||
kāśī dhanyatamā vimuktanagarī sālaṅkr̥tā gaṅgayā
tatrēyaṁ maṇikarṇikā sukhakarī muktirhi tatkiṅkarī |
svarlōkastulitaḥ sahaiva vibudhaiḥ kāśyā samaṁ brahmaṇā
kāśī kṣōṇitalē sthitā gurutarā svargō laghutvaṁ gataḥ || 3 ||
gaṅgātīramanuttamaṁ hi sakalaṁ tatrāpi kāśyuttamā
tasyāṁ sā maṇikarṇikōttamatamā yētrēśvarō muktidaḥ |
dēvānāmapi durlabhaṁ sthalamidaṁ pāpaughanāśakṣamaṁ
pūrvōpārjitapuṇyapuñjagamakaṁ puṇyairjanaiḥ prāpyatē || 4 ||
duḥkhāmbhōdhigatō hi jantunivahastēṣāṁ kathaṁ niṣkr̥tiḥ
jñātvā taddhi viriñcinā viracitā vārāṇasī śarmadā |
lōkāḥsvargasukhāstatō:’pi laghavō bhōgāntapātapradāḥ
kāśī muktipurī sadā śivakarī dharmārthamōkṣapradā || 5 ||
ēkō vēṇudharō dharādharadharaḥ śrīvatsabhūṣādharaḥ
yō:’pyēkaḥ kila śaṅkarō viṣadharō gaṅgādharō mādhavaḥ |
yē mātarmaṇikarṇikē tava jalē majjanti tē mānavāḥ
rudrā vā harayō bhavanti bahavastēṣāṁ bahutvaṁ katham || 6 ||
tvattīrē maraṇaṁ tu maṅgalakaraṁ dēvairapi ślāghyatē
śakrastaṁ manujaṁ sahasranayanairdraṣṭuṁ sadā tatparaḥ |
āyāntaṁ savitā sahasrakiraṇaiḥ pratyudgatō:’bhūtsadā
puṇyō:’sau vr̥ṣagō:’thavā garuḍagaḥ kiṁ mandiraṁ yāsyati || 7 ||
madhyāhnē maṇikarṇikāsnapanajaṁ puṇyaṁ na vaktuṁ kṣamaḥ
svīyairabdhaśataiścaturmukhadharō vēdārthadīkṣāguruḥ |
yōgābhyāsabalēna candraśikharastatpuṇyapāraṅgata-
stvattīrē prakarōti suptapuruṣaṁ nārāyaṇaṁ vā śivam || 8 ||
kr̥cchrai kōṭiśataiḥ svapāpanidhanaṁ yaccāśvamēdhaiḥ phalaṁ
tatsarvē maṇikarṇikāsnapanajē puṇyē praviṣṭaṁ bhavēt |
snātvā stōtramidaṁ naraḥ paṭhati cētsaṁsārapāthōnidhiṁ
tīrtvā palvalavatprayāti sadanaṁ tējōmayaṁ brahmaṇaḥ || 9 ||
ithi sri manikarnikastakam sampurnam ||
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