Navagraha Stotram
नवग्रह स्तोत्रम्
What is the Navagraha Stotram?
Navagraha Stotram The Navagraha Stotram is a nine-verse Sanskrit hymn attributed to sage Vyasa, with one verse dedicated to each of the nine grahas of Vedic astrology: Surya, Chandra, Mangala, Budha, Guru, Shukra, Shani, Rahu and Ketu. A closing phalashruti promises that reading it with a calm, focused mind removes obstacles and eases the effects of difficult planetary periods, which is why it is chanted for graha shanti.
Nine planets, nine verses, one prayer. That is the whole design of the Navagraha Stotram, a short Sanskrit hymn traditionally credited to the sage Vyasa. Instead of one long praise, it gives each graha, Surya, Chandra, Mangala, Budha, Guru, Shukra, Shani, Rahu and Ketu, a single verse built from its own colour, form and mythic origin. Someone who has never opened a Sanskrit text can still follow it: the sun verse glows like a hibiscus flower, the moon verse is pale as curd and conch shell, Shani is dark as collyrium, Rahu is a severed head with immense strength. That visual shorthand is what has kept the stotram in daily use for generations, in temples, in home pujas, and increasingly among people who first meet the navagrahas through a kundali or dosha report and then want the words that go with the chart.
Navagraha Stotram Lyrics (Sanskrit & English)
Each verse names one graha through its colour, birth story or planetary role. Tap a verse to read the line-by-line meaning alongside the Sanskrit and transliteration.
Japakusuma-sankasham kashyapeyam mahadyutim
Tamo-arim sarvapapaghnam pranato-asmi divakaram
जपाकुसुमसङ्काशं काश्यपेयं महाद्युतिम्
तमोऽरिं सर्वपापघ्नं प्रणतोऽस्मि दिवाकरम्
Meaning
Surya is described as glowing like a red hibiscus flower and as radiant as fire itself, born in the line of the sage Kashyapa. He is called the enemy of darkness and the destroyer of every sin, and the verse ends with a simple bow to the maker of the day. It is the verse most people already half-know, since it opens nearly every printed version of this stotram.
Dadhi-shankha-tusharabham kshirodarnava-sambhavam
Namami shashinam somam shambhor-mukuta-bhushanam
दधिशङ्खतुषाराभं क्षीरोदार्णवसम्भवम्
नमामि शशिनं सोमं शम्भोर्मुकुटभूषणम्
Meaning
Chandra is painted in three cool, white images at once, curd, a conch shell, and frost, then tied to his birth from the ocean of milk during the samudra manthan. The closing line places him where Hindu iconography always keeps him: as the crescent ornament resting in Lord Shiva's matted hair.
Dharani-garbha-sambhutam vidyut-kanti-samaprabham
Kumaram shakti-hastam tam mangalam pranamamyaham
धरणीगर्भसम्भूतं विद्युत्कान्तिसमप्रभम्
कुमारं शक्तिहस्तं तं मङ्गलं प्रणमाम्यहम्
Meaning
Mangala is called earth-born, a reference to the myth that places his origin in the sweat or blood of Bhumi Devi, and his brightness is compared to a flash of lightning. He is shown as Kumara, the eternally young warrior, holding a spear, which is why Mars is read as the graha of energy, courage and sudden action in a birth chart.
Priyangu-kalika-shyamam rupena-apratimam budham
Saumyam saumya-gunopetam tam budham pranamamyaham
प्रियङ्गुकलिकाश्यामं रूपेणाप्रतिमं बुधम्
सौम्यं सौम्यगुणोपेतं तं बुधं प्रणमाम्यहम्
Meaning
Budha's colour is compared to the bud of the priyangu creeper, a soft olive-green, and his form is called without equal. The verse leans hard on the word saumya, meaning gentle or pleasant, twice in one line, which mirrors how Mercury is read astrologically: the graha of intellect, speech and calm reasoning rather than force.
Devanam cha rishinam cha gurum kanchana-sannibham
Buddhi-bhutam trilokesham tam namami brihaspatim
देवानां च ऋषीणां च गुरुं काञ्चनसन्निभम्
बुद्धिभूतं त्रिलोकेशं तं नमामि बृहस्पतिम्
Meaning
This verse gives Brihaspati his full title in one line, teacher of both the gods and the great sages, with a golden complexion. He is also called the source of intellect and the lord of the three worlds, which is exactly why Jupiter is treated as the graha of wisdom, dharma and good fortune in Vedic astrology.
Hima-kunda-mrinalabham daityanam paramam gurum
Sarva-shastra-pravaktaram bhargavam pranamamyaham
हिमकुन्दमृणालाभं दैत्यानां परमं गुरुम्
सर्वशास्त्रप्रवक्तारं भार्गवं प्रणमाम्यहम्
Meaning
Shukra is described through three white, cool images, snow, the kunda flower and a lotus stalk, marking him as the graha of comfort and refinement rather than heat. He is named as the supreme teacher of the daityas and a speaker of every branch of scripture, tying Venus to beauty, learning and material ease.
Nilanjana-samabhasam raviputram yamagrajam
Chhaya-martanda-sambhutam tam namami shanaishcharam
नीलाञ्जनसमाभासं रविपुत्रं यमाग्रजम्
छायामार्ताण्डसम्भूतं तं नमामि शनैश्चरम्
Meaning
Shani's colour is dark as collyrium, a striking contrast to his father Surya's brightness. He is named as the son of the sun and the elder brother of Yama, born from Surya's shadow-consort Chhaya, which is exactly the lineage most people quote when they explain why Shani rules discipline, delay and karmic accounting.
Ardha-kayam mahaviryam chandraditya-vimardanam
Simhika-garbha-sambhutam tam rahum pranamamyaham
अर्धकायं महावीर्यं चन्द्रादित्यविमर्दनम्
सिंहिकागर्भसम्भूतं तं राहुं प्रणमाम्यहम्
Meaning
Rahu is described as having only half a body, a direct nod to the churning-of-the-ocean story where Vishnu's discus severed him at the neck, yet he is called immensely powerful and the one who clashes with the sun and moon during eclipses. The verse names his mother Simhika, fixing his identity as a shadow graha rather than a physical planet.
Palasha-pushpa-sankasham tarakagraha-mastakam
Raudram raudratmakam ghoram tam ketum pranamamyaham
पलाशपुष्पसङ्काशं तारकाग्रहमस्तकम्
रौद्रं रौद्रात्मकं घोरं तं केतुं प्रणमाम्यहम्
Meaning
Ketu, Rahu's counterpart, is coloured like the flame-of-the-forest blossom, a smoky reddish orange, and is called the head among the star-planets, an echo of him being the severed head half of the same asura body. The final line stacks three fierce words in a row, marking Ketu as the graha of sudden upheaval, detachment and unpredictable turns of fate.
Phalashruti
Iti vyasa-mukhodgitam yah pathet susamahitah
Diva va yadi va ratrau vighna-shantir-bhavishyati Nara-nari-nripanam cha bhaved duh-svapna-nashanam
Aishvaryam atulam teshaam arogyam pushti-vardhanam Graha-nakshatrajah pidas-taskaragni-samudbhavah
Tah sarvah prashamam yanti vyaso brute na samshayah
इति व्यासमुखोद्गीतं यः पठेत् सुसमाहितः
दिवा वा यदि वा रात्रौ विघ्नशान्तिर्भविष्यति नरनारीनृपाणां च भवेद्दुःस्वप्ननाशनम्
ऐश्वर्यमतुलं तेषामारोग्यं पुष्टिवर्धनम् ग्रहनक्षत्रजाः पीडास्तस्कराग्निसमुद्भवाः
ताः सर्वाः प्रशमं यान्ति व्यासो ब्रूते न संशयः
Meaning
The closing section is a fruit-of-recitation passage. It says that whoever reads this hymn spoken by Vyasa with a calm, gathered mind, whether by day or by night, will find obstacles quieted. Men, women and rulers alike are freed from bad dreams and gain unmatched prosperity, health and vitality. Troubles arising from planets, stars, thieves or fire all subside, and the text closes by saying Vyasa states this without any doubt, a formal seal that closes the hymn.
Meaning & Significance
Read straight through, the nine verses work like a portrait gallery rather than a single prayer. Each graha gets exactly one image to hold onto: Surya as a hibiscus flower, Chandra as curd and frost, Mangala as lightning, Budha as a soft green flower bud, Guru as gold, Shukra as snow and lotus stalk, Shani as dark collyrium, Rahu as a severed body, Ketu as a smoky red blossom. That is not decoration, it is the whole method behind the stotram: instead of explaining what each planet means astrologically, it gives you something to picture, and the picture carries the meaning. Someone chanting the Shani verse is not reciting an abstract idea about discipline, they are picturing a dark figure born of a shadow, walking a slower path than his radiant father, which is a far more memorable way to hold the idea of Saturn’s pace and weight.
The phalashruti at the end is doing something different from the nine verses before it. Where each planet-verse is descriptive, the closing lines are a promise: read this with attention and obstacles ease, bad dreams stop, health and prosperity grow, and troubles tied to planets, stars, thieves or fire quiet down. That last line, troubles from planets and stars, is the reason this hymn sits at the center of graha shanti practice rather than being treated as a general devotional piece. It is chanted specifically because it addresses the nine grahas by name, one at a time, and asks nothing more complicated than a steady, unhurried reading.
How to Chant the Navagraha Stotram
- Sit calmly – Choose a quiet spot, sit facing east, and settle the breath before beginning. The stotram itself asks for a susamahitah, a gathered, undistracted mind, more than any elaborate setup.
- Light a lamp – A simple diya or incense stick is enough. Many households keep a small navagraha image or yantra nearby, though it is not required.
- Recite verse by verse – Go through Surya to Ketu in order, pausing briefly between each verse rather than rushing the nine together. If Sanskrit pronunciation feels unfamiliar at first, the transliteration above can be read at a slower, deliberate pace.
- Close with the phalashruti – End with the three closing verses, which is what actually names the benefits of the recitation. Skipping straight from Ketu to silence leaves the hymn feeling unfinished.
- Repeat if doing a fixed count – For a graha shanti sankalpa, the stotram is sometimes read 9, 11 or 108 times over several days rather than once. Follow whatever count a family priest has suggested for the specific dosha being addressed.
What Are the Benefits of Chanting?
The phalashruti verses are explicit about what regular recitation is said to bring, and later tradition has layered a few practical uses on top of that original promise.
- Obstacle removal: The stotram's own closing line says vighna-shanti, a quieting of obstacles, follows from reading it with attention, whether during the day or at night.
- Relief from bad dreams: The phalashruti names duhsvapna-nashanam, the ending of disturbing dreams, as a direct result for men and women alike.
- Health and vitality: Arogyam and pushti-vardhanam, health and the growth of strength, are both named outcomes in the closing verses.
- Easing planetary difficulty: This is the verse most people reach for it: graha-nakshatra-ja pidah, troubles arising from planets and stars, are said to subside, which is why it is central to graha shanti chanting for a weak or afflicted planet shown in a birth chart.
- A structured way to honour all nine grahas: Rather than chanting nine separate mantras, one verse per planet gives a compact, complete way to acknowledge Surya through Ketu in a single sitting, useful during Navagraha puja or before a new undertaking.
Who Composed This Stotram?
The Navagraha Stotram is traditionally attributed to the sage Vyasa, the same figure credited with compiling the Mahabharata and the Puranas, though as with most stotra literature this authorship rests on tradition rather than a datable manuscript trail. What is verifiable is that the nine-graha framework it draws on, Surya, Chandra, Mangala, Budha, Guru, Shukra, Shani, Rahu and Ketu, is itself the standard planetary set of Vedic astrology, with Rahu and Ketu treated as shadow points rather than physical bodies. The stotram compresses each graha’s mythology, Chandra’s churning-of-the-ocean birth, Rahu and Ketu’s shared origin as one body split in two, Shani’s descent from Surya and Chhaya, into a single memorable line, which is likely why it has stayed in continuous use across temple recitation, home puja and, more recently, as reference text alongside kundali readings and graha shanti consultations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Navagraha Stotram used for?
It is chanted to honour all nine grahas of Vedic astrology in one sitting and, per its own phalashruti, to ease obstacles, bad dreams and difficulties tied to planetary influence. It is a standard part of graha shanti rituals and Navagraha puja.
Who wrote the Navagraha Stotram?
Tradition attributes it to the sage Vyasa, and the closing line itself, iti vyasa-mukhodgitam, literally means spoken from the mouth of Vyasa. As with much stotra literature, this is a traditional attribution rather than something confirmed by external historical record.
Which verse belongs to which planet?
The order is fixed: verse 1 is Surya, 2 Chandra, 3 Mangala, 4 Budha, 5 Guru, 6 Shukra, 7 Shani, 8 Rahu, 9 Ketu, followed by the phalashruti. Each verse names its graha directly in the final line, so the sequence is easy to follow even without translation.
When is the best time to chant the Navagraha Stotram?
Morning, after bathing, is the most commonly followed time, and Saturday is often preferred since it is associated with Shani, though the hymn is suitable on any day. It is also chanted during Navagraha puja, Sankranti, and before starting significant new work.
Is the Navagraha Stotram connected to graha shanti and dosha remedies?
Yes. The stotram's own closing verses specifically mention relief from graha-nakshatra-ja pidah, troubles caused by planets and stars, which is why it is recited alongside remedies for a weak or troubled planet identified in a birth chart, for instance during a Sade Sati period or when a kundali reading flags a particular graha.
Can beginners chant it in transliteration instead of Sanskrit script?
Yes, reciting from a clear Roman transliteration is a common and accepted way to learn the stotram, and the meaning and benefit are tied to attentive recitation, not to script literacy. Many people start with transliteration and pick up the Devanagari over time.
इति श्रीवेदव्यासविरचितं नवग्रहस्तोत्रं सम्पूर्णम्