Illustration for Subrahmanya Bhujangam on warm parchment

Complete · ~18 min chant

Subrahmanya Bhujangam

Subrahmaṇya Bhujaṅgam

Thirty-three verses born at Tiruchendur, from Ganesha's blessing to prayer at life's final hour.

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All verses

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 17
  18. 18
  19. 19
  20. 20
  21. 21
  22. 22
  23. 23
  24. 24
  25. 25
  26. 26
  27. 27
  28. 28
  29. 29
  30. 30
  31. 31
  32. 32
  33. 33
About this stotra

Subrahmanya Bhujangam is a major hymn attributed to Sri Adi Shankaracharya, said to have flowed spontaneously in the bhujanga metre when he meditated upon Lord Skanda at Tiruchendur on the Tamil coast. Tradition holds that the acharya beheld Adishesha worshipping the Lord and adopted this serpentine, musical metre.

The stotra opens with Ganesha's blessing and the acharya's humility, then praises Skanda as the goal of the Mahavakyas, the guide across the ocean of samsara, and the dweller on the Sugandha hill. Long meditative sequences describe his feet, waist, chest, arms, faces, and eyes, before turning to fervent prayers for protection at death, destruction of mental sorrow, and surrender of the household to the Lord.

Thirty-three verses make this one of Shankara's longest single-deity bhujangams. It is treasured in South Indian Skanda devotion and recited especially during Skanda Shashti. This edition presents the complete text with curated focus notes inviting study rather than replacing traditional commentary.