Sri Rama Ashtakam

By the BhaktiRas Editorial Team · Updated 25 July 2026

Few Sanskrit hymns compress so much philosophy into eight verses. The Sri Rama Ashtakam praises the Rama of the Ramayana – the exiled prince with matted locks, the compassionate king – and then, verse by verse, lifts him past that story entirely, naming him the formless, non-dual Brahman spoken of in the Upanishads’ mahavakyas. Tradition often credits Adi Shankaracharya with hymns like this one, but the phalashruti verse names its true author: Maharishi Vedavyasa. Chanted at dawn or dusk, especially on Rama Navami, it is treated as both an act of devotion and a short course in non-dual thought.

Sri Rama Ashtakam Lyrics

Meaning and Significance

The Sri Rama Ashtakam reads less like a prayer to a king and more like a meditation on ultimate reality that happens to carry Rama’s name. Every verse closes on the same refrain, bhaje ha ramam advayam – I worship Rama, the one without a second – and that repetition is the point: by the final verse the listener has moved from Rama’s matted hair and forest exile to Rama as the formless Brahman the Upanishads describe.

The opening two verses stay closest to the familiar life of Lord Rama – his uncommon beauty, his years of exile marked by matted locks, his power to dissolve sin and calm a devotee’s fear. From the third verse onward the hymn shifts register. Rama becomes the one who reveals a person’s true nature, the boat that carries a soul across worldly struggle, and finally the Supreme Brahman named directly by the great Upanishadic statements, the mahavakyas. The closing phalashruti brings the philosophy back down to earth, promising the reciter learning, prosperity, and, at the end of life, liberation.

Why Advayam Matters

Every verse ends on the word advayam, non-dual, without a second. It is a quiet but deliberate claim: the same Rama who strung Shiva’s bow and built a bridge to Lanka is, in this hymn, identified with the changeless awareness underlying everything. That is what separates the Ramashtakam from a simple list of Rama’s virtues – it functions as much as a Vedantic teaching as it does a hymn of praise.

How to Chant the Sri Rama Ashtakam

1. Bathe and settle in – A short wash and clean clothes signal to the mind that the next few minutes are set apart from the rest of the day.
2. Face east or north – Sit on a simple mat facing east or north, the directions traditionally held to be most receptive for morning prayer.
3. Set up a simple altar – A picture or small murti of Rama, ideally with Lakshmana, Sita and Hanuman, plus a lit oil or ghee lamp, gives the eyes somewhere steady to rest.
4. Offer what you have – Fresh flowers, a few tulsi leaves, or a piece of fruit are enough; the hymn does not ask for elaborate ritual.
5. Recite slowly, eyes closed if it helps – Move through the nine verses at a pace that lets each phrase land, picturing Rama’s calm, smiling form rather than rushing to the phalashruti.

What Are the Benefits of Chanting?

The Ramashtakam is short enough to fit into a few unhurried minutes, yet its claimed benefits run from everyday steadiness to the ultimate goal of moksha.

• Loosens the grip of guilt: The hymn is chanted as a way of processing past mistakes rather than carrying them silently.
• Steadies a fearful mind: Its second verse names fear directly, and many reciters use it before something that unsettles them – travel, an exam, a difficult conversation.
• Supports learning and livelihood: The phalashruti verse links regular recitation to vidya (knowledge) and shri (prosperity), which is why students and those starting new work often turn to it.
• Builds a habit of daily devotion: Nine short verses fit into even a packed morning, making the Ramashtakam an easy hymn to return to every day rather than only on festivals.
• Introduces non-dual thought through devotion: Because the refrain keeps naming Rama advayam, regular reciters absorb a piece of Vedantic philosophy without needing to study it separately.
• Prepares the mind for its final promise: The closing verse ties consistent recitation to moksha, liberation at the end of life – the long-term aim behind the hymn’s daily use.

Who Composed the Sri Rama Ashtakam?

The hymn is popularly recited alongside works of Adi Shankaracharya, and many collections list it under his name, but its own closing verse settles the question directly – vyasena bhashitamidam, spoken by Vyasa. That is Maharishi Vedavyasa, the sage traditionally credited with compiling the Vedas, authoring the Mahabharata, and arranging the Puranas.

Placing the Ramashtakam beside a text like the Ram Chalisa shows two different ways devotion to Rama has been expressed across Indian tradition – one in accessible vernacular verse recounting Rama’s deeds, the other in dense Sanskrit that treats those same deeds as a doorway into non-dual philosophy. Both are still recited daily in homes and temples, each suited to a different moment of practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

॥ इति श्री वेदव्यास विरचितं श्री रामाष्टकं सम्पूर्णम् ॥