Nama Ramayanam: The Entire Ramayana in 108 Sacred Names of Rama
Nama Ramayanam - Sanskrit Text
॥ बालकाण्डः ॥
शुद्धब्रह्मपरात्पर राम् ॥ १ ॥
कालात्मकपरमेश्वर राम् ॥ २ ॥
शेषतल्पसुखनिद्रित राम् ॥ ३ ॥
ब्रह्माद्यामरप्रार्थित राम् ॥ ४ ॥
चण्डकिरणकुलमण्डन राम् ॥ ५ ॥
श्रीमद्दशरथनन्दन राम् ॥ ६ ॥
कौसल्यासुखवर्धन राम् ॥ ७ ॥
विश्वामित्रप्रियधन राम् ॥ ८ ॥
घोरताटकाघातक राम् ॥ ९ ॥
मारीचादिनिपातक राम् ॥ १० ॥
कौशिकमखसंरक्षक राम् ॥ ११ ॥
श्रीमदहल्योद्धारक राम् ॥ १२ ॥
गौतममुनिसम्पूजित राम् ॥ १३ ॥
सुरमुनिवरगणसंस्तुत राम् ॥ १४ ॥
नाविकधावितमृदुपद राम् ॥ १५ ॥
मिथिलापुरजनमोहक राम् ॥ १६ ॥
विदेहमानसरञ्जक राम् ॥ १७ ॥
त्र्यम्बककार्मुकभञ्जक राम् ॥ १८ ॥
सीतार्पितवरमालिक राम् ॥ १९ ॥
कृतवैवाहिककौतुक राम् ॥ २० ॥
भार्गवदर्पविनाशक राम् ॥ २१ ॥
श्रीमदयोध्यापालक राम् ॥ २२ ॥
राम् राम् जय राजा राम् ।
राम् राम् जय सीता राम् ॥
॥ अयोध्याकाण्डः ॥
अगणितगुणगणभूषित राम् ॥ २३ ॥
अवनीतनयाकामित राम् ॥ २४ ॥
राकाचन्द्रसमानन राम् ॥ २५ ॥
पितृवाक्याश्रितकानन राम् ॥ २६ ॥
प्रियगुहविनिवेदितपद राम् ॥ २७ ॥
तत्क्षालितनिजमृदुपद राम् ॥ २८ ॥
भरद्वाजमुखानन्दक राम् ॥ २९ ॥
चित्रकूटाद्रिनिकेतन राम् ॥ ३० ॥
दशरथसन्ततचिन्तित राम् ॥ ३१ ॥
कैकेयीतनयार्थित राम् ॥ ३२ ॥
विरचितनिजपितृकर्मक राम् ॥ ३३ ॥
भरतार्पितनिजपादुक राम् ॥ ३४ ॥
राम् राम् जय राजा राम् ।
राम् राम् जय सीता राम् ॥
॥ अरण्यकाण्डः ॥
दण्डकवनजनपावन राम् ॥ ३५ ॥
दुष्टविराधविनाशन राम् ॥ ३६ ॥
शरभङ्गसुतीक्ष्णार्चित राम् ॥ ३७ ॥
अगस्त्यानुग्रहवर्धित राम् ॥ ३८ ॥
गृध्राधिपसंसेवित राम् ॥ ३९ ॥
पञ्चवटीतटसुस्थित राम् ॥ ४० ॥
शूर्पणखार्तिविधायक राम् ॥ ४१ ॥
खरदूषणमुखसूदक राम् ॥ ४२ ॥
सीताप्रियहरिणानुग राम् ॥ ४३ ॥
मारीचार्तिकृदाशुग राम् ॥ ४४ ॥
विनष्टसीतान्वेषक राम् ॥ ४५ ॥
गृध्राधिपगतिदायक राम् ॥ ४६ ॥
शबरीदत्तफलाशन राम् ॥ ४७ ॥
कबन्धबाहुच्छेदक राम् ॥ ४८ ॥
राम् राम् जय राजा राम् ।
राम् राम् जय सीता राम् ॥
॥ किष्किन्धाकाण्डः ॥
हनुमत्सेवितनिजपद राम् ॥ ४९ ॥
नतसुग्रीवाभीष्टद राम् ॥ ५० ॥
गर्वितवालिसंहारक राम् ॥ ५१ ॥
वानरदूतप्रेषक राम् ॥ ५२ ॥
हितकरलक्ष्मणसंयुत राम् ॥ ५३ ॥
राम् राम् जय राजा राम् ।
राम् राम् जय सीता राम् ॥
॥ सुन्दरकाण्डः ॥
कपिवरसन्ततसंस्मृत राम् ॥ ५४ ॥
तद्गतिविघ्नध्वंसक राम् ॥ ५५ ॥
सीताप्राणाधारक राम् ॥ ५६ ॥
दुष्टदशाननदूषित राम् ॥ ५७ ॥
शिष्टहनूमद्भूषित राम् ॥ ५८ ॥
सीतावेदितकाकावन राम् ॥ ५९ ॥
कृतचूडामणिदर्शन राम् ॥ ६० ॥
कपिवरवचनाश्वासित राम् ॥ ६१ ॥
राम् राम् जय राजा राम् ।
राम् राम् जय सीता राम् ॥
॥ युद्धकाण्डः ॥
रावणनिधनप्रस्थित राम् ॥ ६२ ॥
वानरसैन्यसमावृत राम् ॥ ६३ ॥
शोषितसरिदीशार्थित राम् ॥ ६४ ॥
विभीषणाभयदायक राम् ॥ ६५ ॥
पर्वतसेतुनिबन्धक राम् ॥ ६६ ॥
कुम्भकर्णशिरच्छेदक राम् ॥ ६७ ॥
राक्षससङ्घविमर्दक राम् ॥ ६८ ॥
अहिमहिरावणचारण राम् ॥ ६९ ॥
संहृतदशमुखरावण राम् ॥ ७० ॥
विधिभवमुखसुरसंस्तुत राम् ॥ ७१ ॥
खस्थितदशरथवीक्षित राम् ॥ ७२ ॥
सीतादर्शनमोदित राम् ॥ ७३ ॥
अभिषिक्तविभीषणनत राम् ॥ ७४ ॥
पुष्पकयानारोहण राम् ॥ ७५ ॥
भरद्वाजादिनिषेवण राम् ॥ ७६ ॥
भरतप्राणप्रियकर राम् ॥ ७७ ॥
साकेतपुरीभूषण राम् ॥ ७८ ॥
सकलस्वीयसमानत राम् ॥ ७९ ॥
रत्नलसत्पीठास्थित राम् ॥ ८० ॥
पट्टाभिषेकालङ्कृत राम् ॥ ८१ ॥
पार्थिवकुलसम्मानित राम् ॥ ८२ ॥
विभीषणार्पितरङ्गक राम् ॥ ८३ ॥
कीशकुलानुग्रहकर राम् ॥ ८४ ॥
सकलजीवसंरक्षक राम् ॥ ८५ ॥
समस्तलोकाधारक राम् ॥ ८६ ॥
राम् राम् जय राजा राम् ।
राम् राम् जय सीता राम् ॥
॥ उत्तरकाण्डः ॥
आगतमुनिगणसंस्तुत राम् ॥ ८७ ॥
विश्रुतदशकण्ठोद्भव राम् ॥ ८८ ॥
सीतालिङ्गननिर्वृत राम् ॥ ८९ ॥
नीतिसुरक्षितजनपद राम् ॥ ९० ॥
विपिनत्याजितजनकज राम् ॥ ९१ ॥
कारितलवणासुरवध राम् ॥ ९२ ॥
स्वर्गतशम्बुकसंस्तुत राम् ॥ ९३ ॥
स्वतनयकुशलवनन्दित राम् ॥ ९४ ॥
अश्वमेधक्रतुदीक्षित राम् ॥ ९५ ॥
कालावेदितसुरपद राम् ॥ ९६ ॥
आयोध्यकजनमुक्तिद राम् ॥ ९७ ॥
विधिमुखविबुधानन्दक राम् ॥ ९८ ॥
तेजोमयनिजरूपक राम् ॥ ९९ ॥
संसृतिबन्धविमोचक राम् ॥ १०० ॥
धर्मस्थापनतत्पर राम् ॥ १०१ ॥
भक्तिपरायणमुक्तिद राम् ॥ १०२ ॥
सर्वचराचरपालक राम् ॥ १०३ ॥
सर्वभवामयवारक राम् ॥ १०४ ॥
वैकुण्ठालयसंस्थित राम् ॥ १०५ ॥
नित्यानन्दपदस्थित राम् ॥ १०६ ॥
राम् राम् जय राजा राम् ॥ १०७ ॥
राम् राम् जय सीता राम् ॥ १०८ ॥
राम् राम् जय राजा राम् ।
राम् राम् जय सीता राम् ॥
॥ इति नामरामायणम् सम्पूर्णम् ॥
Transliteration (Roman/IAST)
(Opening of the Balakanda; the same pattern continues through all 108 names.)
śuddha-brahma-parātpara rām ॥ 1 ॥
kālātmaka-parameśvara rām ॥ 2 ॥
śeṣa-talpa-sukha-nidrita rām ॥ 3 ॥
brahmādy-amara-prārthita rām ॥ 4 ॥
...
rām rām jaya rājā rām ।
rām rām jaya sītā rām ॥
Meaning
Nama Ramayanam tells the entire story of the Ramayana through 108 names of Lord Rama, each name being a compact phrase that recalls one episode of the epic. The opening names salute Rama as the Supreme Brahman beyond the highest (shuddha-brahma-paratpara), as the Lord who is the very soul of Time, who sleeps in bliss upon the serpent Shesha, and who is prayed to by Brahma and all the gods.
As the verses progress, each name evokes a deed: the joy of Kausalya's son, the slayer of Tataka, the redeemer of Ahalya, the breaker of Shiva's bow at Sita's swayamvara, the dweller of Chitrakuta, the destroyer of Khara and Dushana, the one served by Hanuman, the bridge-builder across the ocean, the slayer of Kumbhakarna and ten-headed Ravana, the king crowned at Ayodhya, and finally the Lord established in eternal bliss in Vaikuntha. Between each kanda comes the joyful refrain: "Rama Rama, victory to King Rama; Rama Rama, victory to Sita's Rama." To chant the whole hymn is, in effect, to recite the whole Ramayana.
About this Stotra
Nama Ramayanam is a condensed, devotional retelling of Valmiki's Ramayana, structured in the same seven kandas (Bala, Ayodhya, Aranya, Kishkindha, Sundara, Yuddha and Uttara) as the original epic. Its 108 names follow the narrative in order, so the listener relives the whole story from Rama's birth to his return to his eternal abode. The hymn is especially beloved in South India, where it is chanted daily and during Rama Navami, while in the North the Ramcharitmanas of Tulsidas holds a similar place. Its great appeal is that it offers the entire Ramayana in a form short enough to chant in a single sitting.
Significance & Spiritual Benefits
The name of Rama (Rama-nama) is held in the tradition to be as powerful as the Lord himself - indeed, sages say even the act of remembering his name purifies the heart. By weaving 108 names with the entire epic narrative, Nama Ramayanam combines nama-japa (repetition of the divine name) with lila-smarana (remembrance of the Lord's deeds). Regular recitation is believed to bestow peace of mind, removal of fear and obstacles, protection from negativity, family harmony, and ultimately liberation (moksha), as the closing names "samsriti-bandha-vimochaka" (liberator from worldly bondage) and "nityananda-pada-sthita" (established in eternal bliss) make clear.
Astrological Relevance
Lord Rama is revered as the seventh avatar of Vishnu and, importantly, was born in the solar (Surya) dynasty (Suryavansha) and is himself a karaka-deity associated with the Sun (Surya) - the graha of the soul, vitality, leadership, dharma and royal authority. Worship of Rama is therefore a classical remedy to strengthen a weak or afflicted Sun, to enhance confidence, reputation and right conduct, and to bless one with the qualities of an ideal ruler and ideal person (maryada purushottama). Because the hymn also honours Hanuman, it carries the protective grace associated with Mangal (Mars) and is excellent for courage and the removal of enemies and obstacles. Devotees facing solar afflictions, Pitru-related issues, or seeking dharmic strength are traditionally advised to chant Rama's names.
How to Chant (Vidhi)
Bathe and sit before an image of Sri Rama (often with Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman) in a clean place. Light a lamp and incense, and chant the 108 names melodiously, observing the kanda divisions and singing the refrain "Rama Rama jaya raja Rama, Rama Rama jaya Sita Rama" between sections. The hymn may be chanted once daily or multiple times; many devotees sing it as a group bhajan. Conclude by prostrating and seeking the Lord's blessings. It can also be chanted during a Rama Navami vrat or a continuous Rama-nama japa.
Best Day & Time
Rama Navami (the birthday of Sri Rama in the month of Chaitra) is the most auspicious occasion. Among weekdays, Sunday (Ravivar), the day of the Sun, suits Rama worship, while Tuesday and Saturday are favoured for the accompanying worship of Hanuman. The early morning Brahma Muhurta and the evening sandhya are ideal times for chanting.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many names are in Nama Ramayanam?
There are 108 names of Lord Rama, arranged in the order of the seven kandas of the Ramayana, each name recalling a specific episode of the epic.
Is Nama Ramayanam the same as the full Ramayana?
It is a faithful condensation. By following the seven kandas in sequence and naming each major event, the hymn lets a devotee "recite" the entire Ramayana story in just a few minutes of chanting.
What is the refrain sung between the kandas?
The refrain is "Rama Rama jaya raja Rama, Rama Rama jaya Sita Rama" - "Rama, Rama, victory to King Rama; Rama, Rama, victory to Sita's Rama" - repeated joyfully at the end of each kanda.
The Ramayana's entire arc distilled into 108 sacred names
The Nama Ramayanam is a remarkable devotional achievement: the entire sweep of Valmiki's Ramayana - from Rama's birth in Ayodhya to his triumphant return - compressed into 108 epithets arranged kanda by kanda. Each name is not merely a label but a luminous memory-point, summoning an entire episode and its emotional weight in a single word. To recite Vishvamitra priya is to see the young prince following the sage into the forest; to recite Setukrit is to witness the building of the bridge across the ocean. In this way, the act of recitation becomes a form of pilgrimage through the entire epic within the space of a few minutes.
The stotram is traditionally recited on Rama Navami, on all Ekadashis, and during the Navratri dedicated to Rama in the month of Chaitra. It is also a beloved daily practice for those who cannot find time for the complete Ramayana path but wish to keep its essence alive in their hearts. In the Jyotish tradition, Rama as an avatar of Vishnu is associated with the Sun (Surya) - the planet of dharma, courage, and righteous authority - and devotees believe that regular recitation of the Nama Ramayanam strengthens these solar qualities within the practitioner. The great gift of this stotram is its accessibility: whoever recites it with sincere attention, devotees believe, receives the merit and the blessing of the entire Ramayana.