Kamakshi Stotram
कामाक्षी स्तोत्रम्
What is the Kamakshi Stotram?
Kamakshi Stotram The Kamakshi Stotram is a ten-verse Sanskrit hymn composed by Adi Shankaracharya in praise of Goddess Kamakshi, the presiding deity of Kanchipuram and, in the Shri Vidya tradition, a form of Lalita Tripurasundari herself. Reciting it is traditionally said to calm the mind, dissolve obstacles and draw the goddess's protective grace.
Ask a devotee from Kanchipuram what the Kamakshi Stotram means to them and you will likely hear some version of the same answer: it is the prayer that opens the day. Adi Shankaracharya composed these ten verses for Goddess Kamakshi, whose temple sits at the centre of this old Tamil Nadu town and who is worshipped there as the supreme form of Devi within the Shri Vidya tradition.Each verse adds another line to her portrait, her dark hair, her lotus eyes, the unhurried grace of her walk, before folding back into the same closing phrase, vande maheshapriyam, I bow to the beloved of Mahesha. Chanting the Kamakshi Stotram is less about getting the pronunciation perfect and more about spending a few unhurried minutes inside that description before the day’s demands take over. This page carries the Sanskrit, a phonetic transliteration, a plain-English meaning for every verse, and notes on when and how it is usually recited at Kanchipuram.
Kamakshi Stotram Lyrics (Sanskrit & English)
Ten verses composed by Adi Shankaracharya, opening 'Kalpanokaha pushpajala vilasan-nilalakam matrkam' and closing with the colophon naming him as author. Cross-checked verbatim against sanskritdocuments.org ('Shri Kamakshi Stotram', doc_devii/kAmAkShIstotram3.html) and greenmesg.org, both carrying the identical Sanskrit text and colophon. This specific hymn is distinct from the other Kamakshi stotras attributed to Brahma or to Chandrasekhara Saraswati that share similar generic titles online.
kalpānokaha-puṣpajāla-vilasan-nīlālakāṁ mātṛkāṁ
kāntāṁ kañjadalekṣaṇāṁ kalimala-pradhvaṁsinīṁ kālikām
kāñcī-nūpura-hāra-dāma-subhagāṁ kāñcīpurī-nāyikāṁ
kāmākṣīṁ kari-kumbha-sannibha-kucāṁ vande maheśapriyām
कल्पानोकहपुष्पजालविलसन्नीलालकां मातृकां
कान्तां कञ्जदलेक्षणां कलिमलप्रध्वंसिनीं कालिकाम्
काञ्चीनूपुरहारदामसुभगां काञ्चीपुरीनायिकां
कामाक्षीं करिकुम्भसन्निभकुचां वन्दे महेशप्रियाम्
Meaning
She is pictured with dark, flower-laden hair, lotus-petal eyes and the ornaments of Kanchipuram's own queen, the one who dissolves the grime of this troubled age. I bow to this beloved of Mahesha.
kāśābhāṁśuka-bhāsurāṁ pravilasat-koṣātakī-sannibhāṁ
candrārkānala-locanāṁ surucirālaṅkāra-bhūṣojjvalām
brahma-śrīpati-vāsavādi-munibhiḥ saṁsevitāṅghridvayāṁ
kāmākṣīṁ gajarāja-mandagamanāṁ vande maheśapriyām
काशाभांशुकभासुरां प्रविलसत्कोशातकीसन्निभां
चन्द्रार्कानललोचनां सुरुचिरालङ्कारभूषोज्ज्वलाम्
ब्रह्मश्रीपतिवासवादिमुनिभिः संसेविताङ्घ्रिद्वयां
कामाक्षीं गजराजमन्दगमनां वन्दे महेशप्रियाम्
Meaning
Radiant in garments the colour of dawn, her three eyes are the sun, the moon and fire, and Brahma, Vishnu, Indra and the sages all attend her feet as she moves with the calm gait of a royal elephant.
aiṁ klīṁ sauriti yāṁ vadanti munayas-tattvārtha-rūpāṁ parāṁ
vācām ādima-kāraṇaṁ hṛdi sadā dhyāyanti yāṁ yoginaḥ
bālāṁ phāla-vilocanāṁ nava-japā-varṇāṁ suṣumnāśritāṁ
kāmākṣīṁ kalitāvataṁsa-subhagāṁ vande maheśapriyām
ऐं क्लीं सौरिति यां वदन्ति मुनयस्तत्त्वार्थरूपां परां
वाचामादिमकारणं हृदि सदा ध्यायन्ति यां योगिनः
बालां फालविलोचनां नवजपावर्णां सुषुम्नाश्रितां
कामाक्षीं कलितावतंससुभगां वन्दे महेशप्रियाम्
Meaning
Sages know her through the seed syllables Aim, Klim, Sauh, and yogis meditate on her in the heart as the source behind all speech. She is Bala, the young Devi with the eye upon her brow, dwelling within the subtle channel called sushumna.
yat-pādāmbuja-reṇu-leśam aniśaṁ labdhvā vidhatte vidhir
viśvaṁ tat paripāti viṣṇur-akhilaṁ yasyāḥ prasādāc-ciram
rudraḥ saṁharati kṣaṇāt tad akhilaṁ yan-māyayā mohitaḥ
kāmākṣīm ati-citra-cāru-caritāṁ vande maheśapriyām
यत्पादाम्बुजरेणुलेशमनिशं लब्ध्वा विधत्ते विधिर्
विश्वं तत्परिपाति विष्णुरखिलं यस्याः प्रसादाच्चिरम्
रुद्रः संहरति क्षणात्तदखिलं यन्मायया मोहितः
कामाक्षीमतिचित्रचारुचरितां वन्दे महेशप्रियाम्
Meaning
A single grain of dust from her feet is enough for Brahma to keep creating, by her grace alone Vishnu sustains everything, and Rudra, caught up in her own maya, dissolves it all in a moment. Her ways are endlessly wondrous.
sūkṣmāt sūkṣmatarāṁ sulakṣita-tanuṁ kṣāntākṣarair-lakṣitāṁ
vīkṣā-śikṣita-rākṣasāṁ tribhuvana-kṣemaṅkarīm akṣayām
sākṣāl-lakṣaṇa-lakṣitākṣara-mayīṁ dākṣāyaṇīṁ sākṣiṇīṁ
kāmākṣīṁ śubha-lakṣaṇaiḥ sulalitāṁ vande maheśapriyām
सूक्ष्मात्सूक्ष्मतरां सुलक्षिततनुं क्षान्ताक्षरैर्लक्षितां
वीक्षाशिक्षितराक्षसां त्रिभुवनक्षेमङ्करीमक्षयाम्
साक्षाल्लक्षणलक्षिताक्षरमयीं दाक्षायणीं सक्षिणीं
कामाक्षीं शुभलक्षणैः सुललितां वन्दे महेशप्रियाम्
Meaning
Subtler than the subtlest, marked in every syllable by auspicious signs, she disciplines even demons with a glance and grants lasting wellbeing to the three worlds. She is Dakshayani, witness to all, gentle and gracious in every mark.
oṅkārāṅgaṇa-dīpikām upaniṣat-prāsāda-pārāvatīm
āmnāyāmbudhi-candrikām adhatamaḥ-pradhvaṁsa-haṁsaprabhām
kāñcī-paṭṭaṇa-pañjarāntara-śukīṁ kāruṇya-kallolinīṁ
kāmākṣīṁ śiva-kāmarāja-mahiṣīṁ vande maheśapriyām
ओङ्काराङ्गणदीपिकामुपनिषत्प्रासादपारावतीम्
आम्नायाम्बुधिचन्द्रिकामधतमःप्रध्वंसहंसप्रभाम्
काञ्चीपट्टणपञ्जरान्तरशुकीं कारुण्यकल्लोलिनीं
कामाक्षीं शिवकामराजमहिषीं वन्दे महेशप्रियाम्
Meaning
She is the lamp lit in the courtyard of Om, the dove within the Upanishads' own sanctum, moonlight on the ocean of the Vedas, the swan whose glow scatters ignorance, the parrot kept within Kanchipuram's cage of compassion, and queen consort to Shiva Kama Raja.
hrīṅkārātmaka-varṇa-mātra-paṭhanād aindrīṁ śriyaṁ tanvatīṁ
cinmātrāṁ bhuvaneśvarīm anudinaṁ bhikṣā-pradāna-kṣamām
viśvāghaugha-nivāriṇīṁ vimalinīṁ viśvambharāṁ mātṛkāṁ
kāmākṣīṁ paripūrṇa-candra-vadanāṁ vande maheśapriyām
ह्रीङ्कारात्मकवर्णमात्रपठनादैन्द्रीं श्रियं तन्वतीं
चिन्मात्रां भुवनेश्वरीमनुदिनं भिक्षाप्रदानक्षमाम्
विश्वाघौघनिवारिणीं विमलिनीं विश्वम्भरां मातृकां
कामाक्षीं परिपूर्णचन्द्रवदनां वन्दे महेशप्रियाम्
Meaning
Simply reciting the syllable Hrim through her is said to extend royal fortune. Pure consciousness itself, ruler of all worlds, ever ready to grant what is asked, she keeps back the world's accumulated wrongs, the spotless mother who sustains everything, her face like a full moon.
vāgdevīti ca yāṁ vadanti munayaḥ kṣīrābdhi-kanyeti ca
kṣoṇībhṛt-tanayeti ca śruti-giro yām āmananti sphuṭam
ekāneka-phalapradāṁ bahuvidhākāra-tanūs-tanvatīṁ
kāmākṣīṁ sakalārti-bhañjana-parāṁ vande maheśapriyām
वाग्देवीति च यां वदन्ति मुनयः क्षीराब्धिकन्येति च
क्षोणीभृत्तनयेति च श्रुतिगिरो यामामनन्ति स्फुटम्
एकानेकफलप्रदां बहुविधाकारास्तनूस्तन्वतीं
कामाक्षीं सकलार्तिभञ्जनपरां वन्दे महेशप्रियाम्
Meaning
Sages call her the goddess of speech, others the daughter of the milk ocean or of the mountain, and the Vedas themselves speak of her plainly. She grants one fruit or many, takes on countless forms, and puts an end to every kind of suffering.
māyām ādima-kāraṇaṁ trijagatām ārādhitāṅghridvayām
ānandāmṛta-vāri-rāśi-nilayāṁ vidyāṁ vipaścid-dhiyām
māyā-mānuṣa-rūpiṇīṁ maṇi-lasan-madhyāṁ mahā-mātṛkāṁ
kāmākṣīṁ kari-rāja-mandagamanāṁ vande maheśapriyām
मायामादिमकारणं त्रिजगतामाराधिताङ्घ्रिद्वयाम्
आनन्दामृतवारिराशिनिलयां विद्यां विपश्चिद्धियाम्
मायामानुषरूपिणीं मणिलसन्मध्यां महामातृकां
कामाक्षीं करिराजमन्दगमनां वन्दे महेशप्रियाम्
Meaning
She is maya itself, the root cause behind the three worlds, worshipped at her own feet, dwelling in an ocean of blissful nectar, the knowledge held in the minds of the wise. She takes on a human form while a jewel gleams at her waist, the great mother moving with an elephant's unhurried calm.
kāntā kāma-dughā karīndra-gamanā kāmāri-vāmāṅkagā
kalyāṇī kalitāvatāra-subhagā kastūrikā-carcitā
kampātīra-rasāla-mūla-nilayā kāruṇya-kallolinī
kalyāṇāni karotu me bhagavatī kāñcīpurī-devatā
कान्ता कामदुघा करीन्द्रगमना कामारिवामाङ्कगा
कल्याणी कलितावतारसुभगा कस्तूरिकाचर्चिता
कम्पातीररसालमूलनिलया कारुण्यकल्लोलिनी
कल्याणानि करोतु मे भगवती काञ्चीपुरीदेवता
Meaning
Beloved one who grants every wish, moving like a queenly elephant, seated at the left of Shiva who conquered desire, ever auspicious, gracefully descended in this form, anointed with musk, dwelling on the banks of the Kampa river beneath a mango tree, an ocean of compassion: may this goddess of Kanchipuram grant me every good thing.
Meaning & Significance
Read straight through, the nine opening verses work like a single long sentence describing Kamakshi from every angle possible, her appearance, the seed mantras associated with her, her role as the quiet force behind creation, preservation and dissolution, and her identity with Vedic knowledge itself, before each one lands on the same line: I bow to this beloved of Mahesha. The tenth verse changes register. Instead of describing her, it asks her directly for kalyana, wellbeing, which is why some devotees treat it as the verse to linger on once the description is done.
How to Chant the Kamakshi Stotram
- Sit and settle – Find a quiet corner, sit facing east or towards an image of Kamakshi, and take a few slow breaths before starting.
- Offer a short prayer first – A brief mental pranam to Ganesha and to your own family deity or guru before the stotram itself is customary.
- Chant verse by verse – Read the Sanskrit or the transliteration slowly, pausing at each danda, the vertical mark, instead of rushing on to the next line.
- Keep the refrain steady – Let 'vande maheshapriyam' land the same way every time. It is the thread that ties all nine verses together.
- Treat the tenth verse as a request – Where the earlier verses describe her, the last one asks directly for her blessing, so it helps to slow down here rather than treating it as one more description.
- Sit for a moment after finishing – Stay seated for a breath or two once the tenth verse is done instead of getting up immediately, to let the recitation settle.
What Are the Benefits of Chanting?
Devotees who chant the Kamakshi Stotram regularly point to a few recurring effects, though naturally these vary from person to person:
- Settles a restless mind: The steady, repeating structure of the verses works like a gentle anchor for attention, which is why some people use it before study, work or sleep.
- Draws on Devi's protective grace: It is traditionally recited when facing setbacks or fear, since the hymn addresses Kamakshi directly as the force quietly running the affairs of the three worlds.
- Fits naturally into Shri Vidya practice: Practitioners of Shri Vidya often add it as a short daily stotra alongside longer recitations like the Lalita Sahasranama.
- Connects you to a living Kanchipuram tradition: Reciting it links you to the ongoing worship at the Kamakshi Amman Temple, where these same verses are still sung during daily rituals.
- Suits a short daily routine: At ten verses it takes only a few minutes, which makes it practical for anyone who wants a Devi stotra without a long time commitment.
- Marks Friday and Navratri observance well: Many households add it to Friday prayers or the nine days of Navratri as a focused hymn addressed to the Mother.
Who Composed This Stotram?
Adi Shankaracharya is credited with the Kamakshi Stotram, and the structure supports that attribution. Each verse circles back to the same closing phrase, a technique he used in several of his hymns to Devi. The goddess he describes, Kamakshi, is enshrined at the Kamakshi Amman Temple in Kanchipuram, one of the oldest temple towns in Tamil Nadu and among the sites long associated with Devi worship in the south.
Within the Shri Vidya tradition followed by the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, which tradition holds Shankaracharya himself established, Kamakshi is not treated as a separate goddess but as Lalita Tripurasundari in her Kanchi form. The stotram reflects that theology quite directly: the third verse names her through the bija mantras central to Shri Vidya, and the sixth verse calls her the consort of Shiva Kama Raja, a phrase that anyone familiar with that tradition’s inner worship will recognise immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote the Kamakshi Stotram?
It is attributed to Adi Shankaracharya. The closing line names him directly: 'iti shrimad adishankaracharya-virachitam shri kamakshi stotram sampurnam', meaning this Kamakshi Stotram was composed by the revered Adi Shankaracharya.
How many verses does the Kamakshi Stotram have?
Ten verses in total. The first nine follow the same pattern, building up a picture of Kamakshi before closing on 'vande maheshapriyam', I bow to the beloved of Mahesha, and the tenth verse closes the hymn with a direct request for her blessings.
Is this the same hymn as the Kamakshi Ashtakam or the Kamakshi Suprabhatam?
No. Sanskrit devotional literature includes several independent Kamakshi hymns, among them a Kamakshi Ashtakam, a Kamakshi Suprabhatam and a Kamakshi Panchashati. The stotram on this page is the specific ten-verse hymn opening with 'Kalpanokaha pushpajala vilasan-nilalakam', carrying Adi Shankaracharya's colophon, and it is distinct from other Kamakshi stotras that circulate under similar generic titles but are attributed to different authors.
What does the name Kamakshi mean?
Kamakshi joins kama, meaning wish or desire, with akshi, meaning eyes, and is usually rendered as 'she whose eyes fulfil every wish'. She is worshipped at Kanchipuram as a form of Parvati and, within Shri Vidya, as Lalita Tripurasundari herself.
When is the best time to recite the Kamakshi Stotram?
Fridays, Navratri and Kamakshi Jayanti are the customary occasions, though many devotees simply fold it into a daily morning routine since the full recitation takes only a few minutes.
Can someone who does not read Sanskrit chant this stotram?
Yes. The transliteration on this page uses standard Roman spelling so it can be read phonetically. Going slowly, verse by verse, the rhythm becomes familiar after only a few repetitions.
॥ श्री कामाक्ष्यै नमः ॥