Complete · ~6 min chant
Dakshinamurti Stotram
दक्षिणामूर्ति स्तोत्रम्
Dakṣiṇāmūrti Stotram
Ten verses of Advaita Vedanta: from the mirrored universe to the phala of sarvatmatva.
10 verses · About 6 min · Guru and Dakshinamurti
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Dakshinamurti Stotram, often searched as Dakshinamurthy Stotram, praises Shiva as the silent teacher. Traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, this edition presents Sanskrit, English meaning, and Advaita study notes, with Telugu and other regional script transliteration in Reading settings.
Dakshinamurti Stotram is the fuller hymn traditionally attributed to Sri Adi Shankaracharya, often called Dakshinamurti Ashtakam in popular usage. The complete work comprises ten stotra verses: the famous eight on maya, the Self, and the Guru, plus a ninth on the Lord's subtle eightfold form as the elements, and a tenth phala shruti on sarvatmatva.
More about this stotra
The stotra is a cornerstone of Vedantic teaching. Sureshvaracharya wrote the Manasollasa commentary; later traditions honour it with dhyana shlokas and a closing verse to the banyan-seated Lord. Each main verse salutes the Guru-murti, affirming that the outer teacher points to the inner Dakshinamurti.
This edition presents all ten stotra verses. Dhyana shlokas and the final namami verse are omitted here to match the ten-verse canonical count used in the project catalogue. Editorial notes accompany each verse for contemplative study.
At a glance
- Verses
- 10 verses
- Chant time
- About 6 minutes
- Attribution
- Traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya
- Sanskrit source
- sanskritdocuments.org · All sources
- Also spelled
- Dakshinamurthy Stotram
- Theme
- The silent guru
- Guide
- Reading guide
Traditional context
Dakshinamurti Stotram praises Shiva as the silent guru facing south beneath the banyan tree. It is among the most studied hymns in Advaita Vedanta, linking outer iconography to the inner teacher who grants recognition of the Self.
Temples and ashrams recite it during Guru Purnima and Vedanta study sessions.
Structure of this recension
This edition presents the extended recension including verses on the eight elemental forms and phala shruti where present in the working text. Each verse closes with salutation to the Guru-murti.
Imagery includes the world as a city seen in a mirror and manifestation unfolding from the unmanifest like a seed.
How to read this edition
Philosophy notes highlight Vedantic themes without claiming to be Shankara's own bhāṣya. Use Study mode for English exposition after chanting.
Suggested practice
Read alongside Dakshinamurti Ashtakam for the core eight verses. See the guru collection and Shankaracharya biography page for context.
Verse overview
- 1
The world appears outside through maya yet abides within like a reflection in a mirror. Awakening is the direct recognition that the non-dual Self alone is…
- 2
The universe unmanifest in the seed-state unfolds through maya's play of time and space. The Lord who projects it at will is the same consciousness that…
- 3
The light of the Self makes the unreal seem real until the Guru teaches tat tvam asi. Direct knowledge of identity with Brahman ends rebirth in the ocean of…
- 4
Consciousness shines through the senses like light through holes in a pot, yet itself is not confined. The 'I know' that illumines all experience is the Self…
- 5
Those who mistake body, breath, mind, or void for the Self remain caught in maya's great delusion. The Guru cuts that confusion and points to the witness…
- 6
In deep sleep the Self persists as pure being while maya veils it like an eclipse. Waking recalls that prior state, showing the continuity of the witness…
- 7
The inner 'I' persists unchanged through childhood, waking, dream, and sleep. The Guru's jnana mudra makes manifest the Self that was never absent in any state.
- 8
Maya projects teacher and disciple, parent and child, master and servant in waking and dream alike. Salutation to the Guru who reveals the one Self beyond…
- 9
The eight elements and all moving and unmoving forms are manifestations of the one Lord. For the discriminating sage, nothing apart from that supreme Brahman…
- 10
This hymn declares the identity of the Self with all. Hearing and meditating on it ripens the conviction of sarvatmatva, the natural lordship that is one's own…
All verses
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Common questions
- Who composed Dakshinamurti Stotram?
- Dakshinamurti Stotram is traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya. The site presents a working recension with editorial study notes and does not claim to settle every historical authorship question.
- How many verses are in Dakshinamurti Stotram?
- This edition presents 10 verses with Devanagari, IAST transliteration, English meaning, word breakdown, and editorial Advaita study notes.
- Does Dakshinamurti Stotram include English meaning?
- Yes. Each verse includes an editorial English meaning and Advaita study note. Sanskrit is in Devanagari, with IAST and Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, or Kannada transliteration in Reading settings. This edition does not include Hindi meanings.
- Can I read Dakshinamurti Stotram in regional scripts?
- Yes. Use Reading settings or the reader toolbar to view the Sanskrit as Devanagari, IAST, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, or Kannada transliteration. Those views are script transliterations, not separate language translations.
- Is Dakshinamurthy Stotram the same as Dakshinamurti Stotram?
- Yes. Dakshinamurthy is the usual English search spelling; Dakshinamurti follows Sanskrit transliteration. This hub is that hymn, not Dakshinamurti Ashtakam, which is a separate eight-verse work on this site.