Brihaspati Stotra: Sanskrit Text, Meaning & Benefits
Brihaspati Stotra - Sanskrit Text
पीताम्बरः पीतवपुः किरीटी
चतुर्भुजो देवगुरुः प्रशान्तः ।
दधाति दण्डं च कमण्डलुं च
तथाक्षसूत्रं वरदोऽस्तु मह्यम् ॥1॥
नमः सुरेन्द्रवन्द्याय देवाचार्याय ते नमः ।
नमस्त्वनन्तसामर्थ्य देवसिद्धान्तपारग ॥2॥
सदानन्द नमस्तेऽस्तु नमः पीडाहराय च ।
नमो वाचस्पते तुभ्यं नमस्ते पीतवाससे ॥3॥
नमोऽद्वितीयरूपाय लम्बकूर्चाय ते नमः ।
नमः प्रहृष्टनेत्राय विप्राणां पतये नमः ॥4॥
नमो भार्गवशिष्याय विपन्नहितकारिणे ।
नमस्ते सुरसैन्याय विपन्नत्राणहेतवे ॥5॥
विषमस्थस्तथा नॄणां सर्वकष्टप्रणाशनम् ।
प्रत्यहं तु पठेद्यो वै तस्य कामफलप्रदम् ॥6॥
Transliteration (Roman/IAST)
pītāmbaraḥ pīta-vapuḥ kirīṭī catur-bhujo deva-guruḥ praśāntaḥ |
dadhāti daṇḍaṃ ca kamaṇḍaluṃ ca tathākṣa-sūtraṃ varado'stu mahyam ||1||
namaḥ surendra-vandyāya devācāryāya te namaḥ |
namastvananta-sāmarthya deva-siddhānta-pāraga ||2||
Meaning
The opening dhyana verse paints Brihaspati, the preceptor of the gods: clad in yellow, golden-bodied, crowned, four-armed, serene; he holds a staff (danda), a water-pot (kamandalu) and a rosary (akshasutra) - 'may that boon-giver be gracious to me'. The following verses are a litany of salutations: 'Salutations to you, revered by Indra, teacher of the gods; salutations, O one of boundless power, master of the divine sciences (siddhanta). Salutations, ever-blissful one; salutations, remover of suffering; salutations to you, Vachaspati (lord of speech and wisdom), clad in yellow.'
'Salutations to the one of non-dual form, with a flowing beard; salutations to the bright-eyed lord of the brahmanas. Salutations to the disciple of Bhargava (Shukra), benefactor of those in distress; salutations to the army of the gods, the cause of rescue from calamity.' The final verse gives the phala-shruti: for one beset by difficulty, this hymn destroys all troubles, and whoever recites it daily obtains the fruit of his desires.
About this Stotra
The Brihaspati Stotra is a hymn to Guru / Brihaspati, the planet Jupiter and the divine preceptor (Devaguru) of the gods. Brihaspati is the great teacher, the lord of wisdom, speech (Vachaspati), dharma and the sacred sciences, who guides Indra and the devas. This short stotra, recited as one of the Navagraha stotras, both visualises his benign four-armed form and offers a string of namaskaras to his many aspects, ending with the promise of relief from troubles and fulfilment of desires for the daily reciter.
Significance & Spiritual Benefits
Recitation of the Brihaspati Stotra is believed to bestow wisdom, knowledge, good counsel, prosperity, progeny, and success in education and spiritual life. As the hymn's last verse states, it destroys all difficulties for one who is troubled and grants the fruit of one's wishes. It is chanted to win the grace of the Guru-graha, to strengthen faith and dharma, to gain a good teacher and sound judgement, and for the well-being of children and family - domains all governed by Jupiter.
Astrological Relevance
Brihaspati is Jupiter (Guru), the greatest benefic of Vedic astrology - the karaka of wisdom, knowledge, dharma, wealth, children (especially for women, as the husband-karaka and putra-karaka), teachers, gurus and good fortune. Jupiter rules Sagittarius and Pisces, is exalted in Cancer, debilitated in Capricorn, and owns the Punarvasu, Vishakha and Purva Bhadrapada nakshatras. A strong Jupiter blesses with wisdom, prosperity, optimism and good guidance; an afflicted or weak Jupiter can bring lack of direction, debt, problems with children or education, and loss of faith. This stotra, chanted on Thursdays with yellow offerings, is a classic remedy to strengthen Jupiter, alongside wearing yellow sapphire (pukhraj), donating yellow items (turmeric, gram dal, gold) and feeding teachers and the needy.
How to Chant (Vidhi)
On a Thursday morning after bathing, wear yellow or sit on a yellow asana facing east or north-east. Light a ghee lamp and offer yellow flowers, turmeric, chana dal and a banana to Brihaspati or to Lord Vishnu/Dakshinamurti (Jupiter's presiding deities). Recite the dhyana verse, then the salutations, ideally with the Jupiter bija mantra 'oṃ graṃ grīṃ grauṃ saḥ guruve namaḥ' (108 times) on a yellow or rudraksha mala. Daily recitation, as the hymn promises, removes obstacles. Conclude with charity of yellow items.
Best Day & Time
Thursday (Guruvar / Brihaspativar) is Jupiter's day; Thursday sunrise and the Guru hora are ideal. The waxing fortnight (Shukla Paksha), Guru Pushya yoga, and Jupiter's own transits and dasha/antardasha periods are especially powerful for this hymn. Thursday fasting with yellow food is the traditional accompaniment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Brihaspati?
Brihaspati is the Devaguru, preceptor of the gods, and the deity of the planet Jupiter (Guru). He is the lord of wisdom, speech, dharma and the sacred sciences, and the great benefic among the nine planets.
What is the benefit of reciting the Brihaspati Stotra?
It is said to grant wisdom, prosperity, good guidance and progeny, and - per its final verse - to destroy all difficulties and fulfil the desires of one who recites it daily. It is a key remedy for strengthening Jupiter.
When should it be chanted?
Thursday, Jupiter's day, especially at sunrise, is ideal. It is chanted with yellow offerings and often the Jupiter bija mantra, and is particularly recommended during a weak or afflicted Jupiter period.
Wisdom enthroned in gold: the serene splendour of Brihaspati worship
The Brihaspati Stotra invites the devotee into the presence of a deity who embodies not power through force but power through wisdom - the counsel of the gods, the voice that spoke the Vedas into cosmic order. Visualising Brihaspati in a four-armed golden form seated upon a lotus of knowledge, the stotra addresses him by one of his most evocative epithets: Vachaspati, the lord of speech and eloquence. This is a hymn whose mood is not urgent petition but contemplative reverence, as though the devotee is sitting quietly in the presence of the greatest teacher imaginable and allowing that luminosity to permeate the mind.
In the Jyotish tradition, Guru (Jupiter) governs dharma, progeny, higher learning, spiritual wisdom and the grace of the preceptor. Brihaspati Stotra is recited on Thursdays - Guruvar - with yellow flowers, yellow cloth and offerings of chana dal or turmeric as part of a broader Jupiter-strengthening sadhana. Devotees believe it is particularly beneficial during Jupiter retrograde or mahadasha periods, and it is traditionally recited by students before examinations, by teachers before instruction, and by householders seeking to restore harmony in family and dharmic life. The stotra's closing as a remover of suffering underlines that in the Vedic understanding, wisdom and well-being are not separate: where Guru's light shines clearly, suffering loses its grip on the heart.