Sarv Bhayanak Rog Nashak Mantra: Bhaktamar Verse 45 for Healing - Text & Meaning
Sarv Bhayanak Rog Nashak Mantra - Sanskrit Text
उद्भूत-भीषण-जलोदर-भार-भुग्नाः,
शोच्यां दशा-मुपगताश्-च्युत-जीविताशाः ।
त्वत्पाद-पंकज-रजोऽमृत-दिग्ध-देहाः,
मर्त्या भवन्ति मकर-ध्वज-तुल्य-रूपाः ॥
Transliteration (Roman/IAST)
udbhūta-bhīṣaṇa-jalodara-bhāra-bhugnāḥ,
śocyāṃ daśām upagatāś cyuta-jīvitāśāḥ |
tvat-pāda-paṅkaja-rajo'mṛta-digdha-dehāḥ,
martyā bhavanti makara-dhvaja-tulya-rūpāḥ ||
Meaning
Mortals who are bent and broken by the dreadful weight of advanced dropsy, who have fallen into a pitiable condition and have given up all hope of living - when their bodies are anointed by the nectar-like dust of your lotus feet, they become as radiant and beautiful as Kamadeva (the god of love, whose emblem is the crocodile).
About this Mantra
This is the celebrated 45th verse of the Bhaktamara Stotra, a Sanskrit hymn of forty-eight stanzas composed by Acharya Manatunga in praise of the first Jain Tirthankara, Adinatha (Rishabhadeva). Each verse of the Bhaktamara is traditionally regarded as a self-contained mantra with a specific power; this verse is famous in the tradition as a “rog-nashak” mantra - a destroyer of frightening and severe disease. Its imagery contrasts the worst extremes of bodily suffering with the transforming, healing grace of the Tirthankara’s feet.
Significance & Spiritual Benefits
Devotees recite this verse with deep faith for relief from chronic and dangerous ailments, particularly those affecting the abdomen and the build-up of fluids, and more broadly for any condition that has reached a hopeless stage. Beyond the physical, the verse instils hope, surrender and the conviction that devotion itself is a purifying, restorative force. It is counted among the most powerful protective stanzas of the Bhaktamara Stotra.
Astrological Relevance
Severe, lingering illness is read in Jyotisha through an afflicted sixth house (roga-bhava), a weak Lagna lord, and the malefic influence of Shani (Saturn), Rahu and Ketu over the ascendant or Moon. This healing verse functions as a devotional remedy for such combinations, complementing the worship of the Tirthankara with a focused appeal for bodily and mental recovery. As with all spiritual remedies, it is meant to support - never replace - qualified medical treatment.
How to Chant (Vidhi)
Bathe, sit on a clean seat facing east, and steady the mind. Recite the verse with sincere concentration, ideally 108 times, visualising the healing nectar of the Tirthankara’s feet soothing the afflicted body. Many practitioners pair the recitation with the prescribed yantra and rite associated with this verse of the Bhaktamara. Maintain purity of food and conduct during the practice.
Best Day & Time
Early morning after bathing is ideal. The verse may be recited daily; beginning on an auspicious day and sustaining it for a fixed period such as forty days deepens its effect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which stotra is this verse from?
It is the 45th verse of the Bhaktamara Stotra by Acharya Manatunga, a revered Jain hymn to the first Tirthankara, Adinatha.
What is this mantra used for?
It is traditionally chanted for relief from severe and frightening diseases - especially dropsy and abdominal swelling - and for protection when illness seems hopeless.
Does reciting it replace medical treatment?
No. It is a devotional support that brings hope and inner strength and should be practised alongside proper medical care.
The Bhaktamar's healing verse and the courage of complete surrender
The Bhaktamar Stotra is one of the most celebrated Sanskrit hymns in the Jain tradition, traditionally attributed to the Digambara saint Acharya Manatunga, and its forty-fifth verse - the Sarv Bhayanak Rog Nashak mantra - holds a particularly revered place among its devotees as a recitation for protection from severe illness. The Bhaktamar as a whole is a hymn of extraordinary literary beauty addressed to Adinath (Rishabhdev), the first of the twenty-four Tirthankaras, and each of its verses is traditionally associated with a specific form of difficulty that sincere recitation is believed to alleviate or transform. The forty-fifth verse addresses fearful and severe diseases, and its power in the devotional imagination is connected to the purity of the Tirthankara's transcendent compassion - a compassion that does not intervene magically but that, when truly meditated upon, is said to dissolve the fear and inner turbulence that so often accompany physical suffering.
In astrological traditions that intersect with Jain practice across Rajasthan and Gujarat, verses like this one are sometimes recited in alignment with planetary periods (dashas) that challenge bodily vitality, with the understanding that sincere devotional engagement can strengthen the practitioner's inner resilience and equanimity. Devotees recite this verse with focused intent, often as part of the full Bhaktamar recitation on auspicious occasions, trusting that the surrender expressed - the offering of oneself to the Tirthankara's example of purity - carries its own healing quality of fearlessness and calm.