Aditya Hridayam: Full Sanskrit Text with IAST and Meaning of Every Verse

Quick answer: The Aditya Hridayam is a hymn to the Sun from the Yuddha Kanda of the Valmiki Ramayana. The sage Agastya teaches it to Sri Rama on the battlefield, before the final fight with Ravana. It begins 'tato yuddhaparishrantam' and has 31 verses in the text given here. It is traditionally recited at sunrise, especially on Sundays.

Last updated: 18 October 2026. The Sanskrit on this page comes from the text published by sanskritdocuments.org, converted to Devanagari and IAST by software rather than retyped by hand. The English meanings are our own.

Aditya Hridayam is one of the best-loved Sanskrit hymns in Hindu homes. Part story and part prayer, it opens with Agastya's advice to Rama, gives a long list of the Sun's names and salutations, and ends with Rama, encouraged, taking up his bow. This page gives every verse with its meaning so you can recite it with understanding.

About the Aditya Hridayam

The setting is the war in Lanka. Rama is exhausted and anxious, and Ravana stands ready to fight. Agastya, who has come with the gods to watch, tells Rama of an 'ancient secret': worship of the Sun as the self of all the gods. Verses 6 to 24 praise the Sun as Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, as time, rain and the breath of beings, and as the witness of the world. In the last verses Rama recites the hymn three times, takes heart and advances, and the Sun himself urges him on.

Aditya Hridayam with meaning, verse by verse

Each verse appears in Devanagari, then IAST transliteration, then a plain-English meaning. Verses 3 to 27 are Agastya's words to Rama. In IAST, a line over a vowel (ā, ī, ū) marks a long vowel, ṃ is a nasal sound, and ś or ṣ is close to 'sh'.

Verses 1 to 5: Agastya comes to Rama

Verse 1

ततो युद्धपरिश्रान्तं समरे चिन्तया स्थितम् ।
रावणं चाग्रतो दृष्ट्वा युद्धाय समुपस्थितम् ॥ १॥

tato yuddhapariśrāntaṃ samare cintayā sthitam |
rāvaṇaṃ cāgrato dṛṣṭvā yuddhāya samupasthitam || 1||

Meaning: Rama stood on the battlefield, worn out by the fighting and deep in thought, and saw Ravana before him, ready to fight again.

Verse 2

दैवतैश्च समागम्य द्रष्टुमभ्यागतो रणम् ।
उपागम्याब्रवीद्राममगस्त्यो भगवानृषिः ॥ २॥

daivataiśca samāgamya draṣṭumabhyāgato raṇam |
upāgamyābravīdrāmamagastyo bhagavānṛṣiḥ || 2||

Meaning: The revered sage Agastya, who had come with the gods to watch the battle, approached Rama and spoke to him.

Verse 3

राम राम महाबाहो शृणु गुह्यं सनातनम् ।
येन सर्वानरीन्वत्स समरे विजयिष्यसि ॥ ३॥

rāma rāma mahābāho śṛṇu guhyaṃ sanātanam |
yena sarvānarīnvatsa samare vijayiṣyasi || 3||

Meaning: 'Rama, mighty-armed Rama, listen, my child, to this ancient secret, by which you will overcome all your enemies in battle.'

Verse 4

आदित्यहृदयं पुण्यं सर्वशत्रुविनाशनम् ।
जयावहं जपेन्नित्यमक्षयं परमं शिवम् ॥ ४॥

ādityahṛdayaṃ puṇyaṃ sarvaśatruvināśanam |
jayāvahaṃ japennityamakṣayaṃ paramaṃ śivam || 4||

Meaning: 'It is the holy Aditya Hridayam, the heart of the Sun. It destroys all enemies and brings victory; it is unfailing, supreme and auspicious, and should be recited always.'

Verse 5

सर्वमङ्गलमाङ्गल्यं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् ।
चिन्ताशोकप्रशमनं आयुर्वर्धनमुत्तमम् ॥ ५॥

sarvamaṅgalamāṅgalyaṃ sarvapāpapraṇāśanam |
cintāśokapraśamanaṃ āyurvardhanamuttamam || 5||

Meaning: 'It is the most auspicious of all blessings and removes all sins. It calms worry and grief and is the finest support for a long life.'

Verses 6 to 15: who the Sun is

Verse 6

रश्मिमन्तं समुद्यन्तं देवासुरनमस्कृतम् ।
पूजयस्व विवस्वन्तं भास्करं भुवनेश्वरम् ॥ ६॥

raśmimantaṃ samudyantaṃ devāsuranamaskṛtam |
pūjayasva vivasvantaṃ bhāskaraṃ bhuvaneśvaram || 6||

Meaning: 'Worship Vivasvan, the Sun crowned with rays, rising in the sky, honoured by gods and asuras alike, the maker of light, lord of the worlds.'

Verse 7

सर्वदेवात्मको ह्येष तेजस्वी रश्मिभावनः ।
एष देवासुरगणाँल्लोकान् पाति गभस्तिभिः ॥ ७॥

sarvadevātmako hyeṣa tejasvī raśmibhāvanaḥ |
eṣa devāsuragaṇām̐llokān pāti gabhastibhiḥ || 7||

Meaning: 'He is the self of all the gods, full of brilliance, the source of all rays. With his rays he sustains the gods, the asuras and all the worlds.'

Verse 8

एष ब्रह्मा च विष्णुश्च शिवः स्कन्दः प्रजापतिः ।
महेन्द्रो धनदः कालो यमः सोमो ह्यपां पतिः ॥ ८॥

eṣa brahmā ca viṣṇuśca śivaḥ skandaḥ prajāpatiḥ |
mahendro dhanadaḥ kālo yamaḥ somo hyapāṃ patiḥ || 8||

Meaning: 'He is Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Skanda and Prajapati. He is Indra, Kubera the giver of wealth, Time, Yama, Soma and Varuna, lord of the waters.'

Verse 9

पितरो वसवः साध्या ह्यश्विनौ मरुतो मनुः ।
वायुर्वह्निः प्रजाप्राण ऋतुकर्ता प्रभाकरः ॥ ९॥

pitaro vasavaḥ sādhyā hyaśvinau maruto manuḥ |
vāyurvahniḥ prajāprāṇa ṛtukartā prabhākaraḥ || 9||

Meaning: 'He is the ancestors, the Vasus, the Sadhyas, the Ashvins, the Maruts and Manu; he is wind and fire, the breath of all creatures, the maker of the seasons and the giver of light.'

Verse 10

आदित्यः सविता सूर्यः खगः पूषा गभस्तिमान् ।
सुवर्णसदृशो भानुर्हिरण्यरेता दिवाकरः ॥ १०॥

ādityaḥ savitā sūryaḥ khagaḥ pūṣā gabhastimān |
suvarṇasadṛśo bhānurhiraṇyaretā divākaraḥ || 10||

Meaning: 'He is Aditya, son of Aditi; Savita, who sets all in motion; Surya; the sky-traveller; Pusha, the nourisher; the lord of rays; golden-hued Bhanu; Hiranyareta, the golden seed; and Divakara, maker of the day.'

Verse 11

हरिदश्वः सहस्रार्चिः सप्तसप्तिर्मरीचिमान् ।
तिमिरोन्मथनः शम्भुस्त्वष्टा मार्ताण्ड अंशुमान् ॥ ११॥

haridaśvaḥ sahasrārciḥ saptasaptirmarīcimān |
timironmathanaḥ śambhustvaṣṭā mārtāṇḍa aṃśumān || 11||

Meaning: 'He is drawn by green horses and has a thousand rays; he has seven horses and is full of light. He destroys darkness, brings blessings, shapes all forms (Tvashta), and is Martanda and Amshuman, the radiant one.'

Verse 12

हिरण्यगर्भः शिशिरस्तपनो भास्करो रविः ।
अग्निगर्भोऽदितेः पुत्रः शङ्खः शिशिरनाशनः ॥ १२॥

hiraṇyagarbhaḥ śiśirastapano bhāskaro raviḥ |
agnigarbho'diteḥ putraḥ śaṅkhaḥ śiśiranāśanaḥ || 12||

Meaning: 'He is Hiranyagarbha, the cooling and the heating one, Bhaskara and Ravi; he carries fire within, he is the son of Aditi, Shankha, and the remover of cold.'

Verse 13

व्योमनाथस्तमोभेदी ऋग्यजुःसामपारगः ।
घनवृष्टिरपां मित्रो विन्ध्यवीथी प्लवङ्गमः ॥ १३॥

vyomanāthastamobhedī ṛgyajuḥsāmapāragaḥ |
ghanavṛṣṭirapāṃ mitro vindhyavīthī plavaṅgamaḥ || 13||

Meaning: 'He is lord of the sky and piercer of darkness, master of the Rig, Yajur and Sama Vedas. He brings heavy rain, is the friend of the waters, and moves swiftly along his path above the Vindhya range.'

Verse 14

आतपी मण्डली मृत्युः पिङ्गलः सर्वतापनः ।
कविर्विश्वो महातेजाः रक्तः सर्वभवोद्भवः ॥ १४॥

ātapī maṇḍalī mṛtyuḥ piṅgalaḥ sarvatāpanaḥ |
kavirviśvo mahātejāḥ raktaḥ sarvabhavodbhavaḥ || 14||

Meaning: 'He gives heat and is a radiant disc; he is death and the tawny one who warms all. He is the seer, the universe itself, of great splendour, red in colour, and the source of all that comes into being.'

Verse 15

नक्षत्रग्रहताराणामधिपो विश्वभावनः ।
तेजसामपि तेजस्वी द्वादशात्मन्नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ १५॥

nakṣatragrahatārāṇāmadhipo viśvabhāvanaḥ |
tejasāmapi tejasvī dvādaśātmannamo'stu te || 15||

Meaning: 'He is lord of the stars, planets and constellations, the origin of the universe, the most brilliant of all that shines. Salutations to you who take twelve forms.'

Verses 16 to 21: salutations to the Sun

Verse 16

नमः पूर्वाय गिरये पश्चिमायाद्रये नमः ।
ज्योतिर्गणानां पतये दिनाधिपतये नमः ॥ १६॥

namaḥ pūrvāya giraye paścimāyādraye namaḥ |
jyotirgaṇānāṃ pataye dinādhipataye namaḥ || 16||

Meaning: 'Salutations to him as the eastern mountain and the western mountain, where he rises and sets. Salutations to the lord of the heavenly lights and lord of the day.'

Verse 17

जयाय जयभद्राय हर्यश्वाय नमो नमः ।
नमो नमः सहस्रांशो आदित्याय नमो नमः ॥ १७॥

jayāya jayabhadrāya haryaśvāya namo namaḥ |
namo namaḥ sahasrāṃśo ādityāya namo namaḥ || 17||

Meaning: 'Salutations again and again to the victorious one, whose victory brings blessings, who is drawn by green horses. Salutations to the one of a thousand rays, to Aditya.'

Verse 18

नम उग्राय वीराय सारङ्गाय नमो नमः ।
नमः पद्मप्रबोधाय मार्ताण्डाय नमो नमः ॥ १८॥

nama ugrāya vīrāya sāraṅgāya namo namaḥ |
namaḥ padmaprabodhāya mārtāṇḍāya namo namaḥ || 18||

Meaning: 'Salutations to the fierce, the heroic, the swift. Salutations to the one who opens the lotus, to Martanda.'

Verse 19

ब्रह्मेशानाच्युतेशाय सूर्यायादित्यवर्चसे ।
भास्वते सर्वभक्षाय रौद्राय वपुषे नमः ॥ १९॥

brahmeśānācyuteśāya sūryāyādityavarcase |
bhāsvate sarvabhakṣāya raudrāya vapuṣe namaḥ || 19||

Meaning: 'Salutations to the lord of Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu, to Surya who shines with Aditya's splendour, to the brilliant one who consumes all, whose form is fierce.'

Verse 20

तमोघ्नाय हिमघ्नाय शत्रुघ्नायामितात्मने ।
कृतघ्नघ्नाय देवाय ज्योतिषां पतये नमः ॥ २०॥

tamoghnāya himaghnāya śatrughnāyāmitātmane |
kṛtaghnaghnāya devāya jyotiṣāṃ pataye namaḥ || 20||

Meaning: 'Salutations to the destroyer of darkness, cold and enemies, whose self is beyond measure; to the one who brings down the ungrateful, to the god who is lord of all lights.'

Verse 21

तप्तचामीकराभाय वह्नये विश्वकर्मणे ।
नमस्तमोऽभिनिघ्नाय रुचये लोकसाक्षिणे ॥ २१॥

taptacāmīkarābhāya vahnaye viśvakarmaṇe |
namastamo'bhinighnāya rucaye lokasākṣiṇe || 21||

Meaning: 'Salutations to him who glows like molten gold, who is fire and the maker of all; to the dispeller of darkness, the radiant one, the witness of the world.'

Verses 22 to 24: the Sun as sustainer of all

Verse 22

नाशयत्येष वै भूतं तदेव सृजति प्रभुः ।
पायत्येष तपत्येष वर्षत्येष गभस्तिभिः ॥ २२॥

nāśayatyeṣa vai bhūtaṃ tadeva sṛjati prabhuḥ |
pāyatyeṣa tapatyeṣa varṣatyeṣa gabhastibhiḥ || 22||

Meaning: 'This Lord destroys all beings and creates them again. With his rays he sustains them, gives heat and sends the rain.'

Verse 23

एष सुप्तेषु जागर्ति भूतेषु परिनिष्ठितः ।
एष एवाग्निहोत्रं च फलं चैवाग्निहोत्रिणाम् ॥ २३॥

eṣa supteṣu jāgarti bhūteṣu pariniṣṭhitaḥ |
eṣa evāgnihotraṃ ca phalaṃ caivāgnihotriṇām || 23||

Meaning: 'Dwelling in all beings, he stays awake while they sleep. He is the sacred fire offering (agnihotra) and also its fruit for those who offer it.'

Verse 24

वेदाश्च क्रतवश्चैव क्रतूनां फलमेव च ।
यानि कृत्यानि लोकेषु सर्व एष रविः प्रभुः ॥ २४॥

vedāśca kratavaścaiva kratūnāṃ phalameva ca |
yāni kṛtyāni lokeṣu sarva eṣa raviḥ prabhuḥ || 24||

Meaning: 'He is the Vedas, the sacrifices and their fruits. Ravi, the Lord, is present in every act performed in the worlds.'

Verses 25 to 31: the fruit of recitation and Rama's resolve

Verse 25

एनमापत्सु कृच्छ्रेषु कान्तारेषु भयेषु च ।
कीर्तयन् पुरुषः कश्चिन्नावसीदति राघव ॥ २५॥

enamāpatsu kṛcchreṣu kāntāreṣu bhayeṣu ca |
kīrtayan puruṣaḥ kaścinnāvasīdati rāghava || 25||

Meaning: 'Raghava, whoever praises him in danger, in hardship, in a wilderness or in fear does not lose heart.'

Verse 26

पूजयस्वैनमेकाग्रो देवदेवं जगत्पतिम् ।
एतत् त्रिगुणितं जप्त्वा युद्धेषु विजयिष्यसि ॥ २६॥

pūjayasvainamekāgro devadevaṃ jagatpatim |
etat triguṇitaṃ japtvā yuddheṣu vijayiṣyasi || 26||

Meaning: 'Worship this god of gods, lord of the universe, with a focused mind. Reciting this three times, you will be victorious in battle.'

Verse 27

अस्मिन्क्षणे महाबाहो रावणं त्वं वधिष्यसि ।
एवमुक्त्वा तदाऽगस्त्यो जगाम च यथागतम् ॥ २७॥

asminkṣaṇe mahābāho rāvaṇaṃ tvaṃ vadhiṣyasi |
evamuktvā tadā'gastyo jagāma ca yathāgatam || 27||

Meaning: 'In this very moment, mighty-armed one, you will defeat Ravana.' Having said this, Agastya left the way he had come.

Verse 28

एतच्छ्रुत्वा महातेजा नष्टशोकोऽभवत्तदा ।
धारयामास सुप्रीतो राघवः प्रयतात्मवान् ॥ २८॥

etacchrutvā mahātejā naṣṭaśoko'bhavattadā |
dhārayāmāsa suprīto rāghavaḥ prayatātmavān || 28||

Meaning: Hearing this, the radiant Rama was freed from sorrow. Pleased and with a disciplined mind, he took the hymn to heart.

Verse 29

आदित्यं प्रेक्ष्य जप्त्वा तु परं हर्षमवाप्तवान् ।
त्रिराचम्य शुचिर्भूत्वा धनुरादाय वीर्यवान् ॥ २९॥

ādityaṃ prekṣya japtvā tu paraṃ harṣamavāptavān |
trirācamya śucirbhūtvā dhanurādāya vīryavān || 29||

Meaning: Gazing at the Sun and reciting it, he was filled with great joy. Sipping water three times and purifying himself, the valiant hero took up his bow.

Verse 30

रावणं प्रेक्ष्य हृष्टात्मा युद्धाय समुपागमत् ।
सर्व यत्नेन महता वधे तस्य धृतोऽभवत् ॥ ३०॥

rāvaṇaṃ prekṣya hṛṣṭātmā yuddhāya samupāgamat |
sarva yatnena mahatā vadhe tasya dhṛto'bhavat || 30||

Meaning: Seeing Ravana, Rama advanced to fight with a glad heart, resolved with all his effort to bring about his end.

Verse 31

अथ रविरवदन्निरीक्ष्य रामं
मुदितमनाः परमं प्रहृष्यमाणः ।
निशिचरपतिसङ्क्षयं विदित्वा
सुरगणमध्यगतो वचस्त्वरेति ॥ ३१॥

atha raviravadannirīkṣya rāmaṃ
muditamanāḥ paramaṃ prahṛṣyamāṇaḥ |
niśicarapatisaṅkṣayaṃ viditvā
suragaṇamadhyagato vacastvareti || 31||

Meaning: Then the Sun, standing among the gods and knowing that the end of the lord of the night-wanderers was near, looked at Rama with delight, rejoicing greatly, and said: 'Hurry!'

Closing line

इति आदित्यहृदयं मन्त्रम् ॥

iti ādityahṛdayaṃ mantram ||

Meaning: Thus ends the Aditya Hridayam.

When Aditya Hridayam is traditionally recited

• Sunday mornings: Sunday (Ravivar) is the Sun's day. Many devotees recite the hymn after offering water (arghya) to the rising Sun. See our guide to praying to Surya Dev on Sunday.
• At sunrise every day: some recite it daily as part of morning prayer, often with the 12 Surya Namaskar mantras.
• Sun festivals: Ratha Saptami, Makar Sankranti and Chhath Puja.
• Before a hard task: because Rama received it before his final battle, many people recite it before an exam, an interview or a difficult day, as a prayer for courage.

How to recite Aditya Hridayam

1. Bathe early and, if you can, stand or sit facing the east as the sun rises.
2. Offer water to the Sun from a small copper or steel vessel (arghya), letting it fall in a thin stream while you look towards the sun. Do not stare directly at the sun.
3. Sit calmly, light a lamp if you wish, and remember Lord Rama and sage Agastya.
4. Recite the 31 verses slowly. Verse 26 speaks of three recitations; once a day is also a common practice.
5. End with a short prayer and a few moments of silence.

The full hymn takes about ten minutes. If you are learning, take five verses a day with their meaning; the many names in verses 10 to 14 come more easily once you know what they mean.

Significance

The hymn sees the Sun not only as a planet or a god among gods but as the light within all the gods, the one who gives rain, keeps time and stays awake in sleeping beings (verse 23). It is traditionally believed to bring courage, calm the mind and support health and long life, and Agastya's words in verses 4, 5 and 25 promise victory and freedom from despair. These are statements of faith from the Ramayana, not guarantees; the hymn is best recited as an act of devotion.

For the Sun's place among the nine grahas, see the Navagraha Stotram with meaning.

Also read: Surya Kavacham with meaning.

Frequently asked questions

Where does the Aditya Hridayam come from?

It is part of the Yuddha Kanda of the Valmiki Ramayana. On the battlefield of Lanka, the sage Agastya teaches it to a tired Sri Rama just before his final fight with Ravana. The chapter number differs between editions of the Ramayana.

How many verses does the Aditya Hridayam have?

The text on this page has 31 verses. Verses 1 to 30 are in the short anushtubh metre, and verse 31, in which the Sun himself encourages Rama, is in a longer metre. Some books number the hymn as 30 verses or add an opening invocation, so counts vary a little.

When should Aditya Hridayam be recited?

Traditionally at sunrise, facing the east, and especially on Sundays, the Sun's day. Many devotees also recite it on Ratha Saptami, Makar Sankranti and during Chhath. Verse 26 speaks of reciting it three times.

Can anyone recite the Aditya Hridayam?

It is widely recited at home by men, women and children as a devotional hymn. Families who follow particular rules for Vedic or Puranic recitation can follow their own guru or family tradition.

What is the meaning of Aditya Hridayam?

Aditya is the Sun, son of Aditi, and hridayam means heart. The name can be read as 'the heart of the Sun' or 'the hymn dear to the heart of the Sun'. It praises the Sun as the light within all the gods and all beings.

What are the benefits of reciting Aditya Hridayam?

In the Ramayana, Agastya says the hymn brings victory, calms worry and grief and supports long life (verses 4, 5 and 25). Devotees traditionally believe it gives courage and clarity in difficult times. These are statements of faith from the text, not guarantees.

Editor's note (18 October 2026)

The Aditya Hridayam text on this page is taken from Aditya Hridayam (Valmiki Ramayana) on sanskritdocuments.org (file adityahriday.itx), converted from ITRANS to Devanagari and IAST with the indic_transliteration software and checked line by line against the site's Devanagari page. No corrections were needed. The source notes a few alternative readings, which we have not used: 'bhanurvishvareta' in verse 10, 'martanda' with a short a in verses 11 and 18, 'prachandaya' in verse 18 and 'haraye vishvakarmane' in verse 21. The source also gives a viniyoga and nyasa (preparatory dedication) before the hymn, which is not reproduced here. The English meanings are our own plain renderings, and the hymn is presented as an act of devotion with no promise of particular results.

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