Mantras

Shri Dashavatar Stotram (Pralaya Payodhi Jale): Sanskrit, Meaning & Benefits

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Astro Logics Admin

8 August 2026 · 7 min read

Shri Dashavatar Stotram (Pralaya Payodhi Jale): Sanskrit, Meaning & Benefits

Jayadeva's lyric vision of Vishnu's cosmic compassion

Jayadeva, the twelfth-century poet-saint of Bengal, composed the Gita Govinda as an extended meditation on divine love, and the Dashavatar Stotram that opens it stands as one of the most philosophically luminous passages in all of Sanskrit devotional literature. Rather than merely cataloguing the ten avatars, Jayadeva meditates on the compassionate impulse behind each descent - Vishnu taking form again and again out of love for his creation. The opening words, Pralaya payodhi jale, conjure the primordial ocean of dissolution, placing the very first avatar, Matsya, within the cosmic cycle of creation and destruction. This framing immediately lifts the stotram beyond narrative into the realm of philosophical wonder.

Devotees recite this hymn on Ekadashi, on Vishnu's festival days, and especially on occasions celebrating any of the ten avatars individually - from Rama Navami to Vamana Dwadashi. In the Jyotish tradition, Jupiter (Brihaspati) governs the principle of dharmic expansion and divine grace that the avatar doctrine embodies, and this stotram is sometimes recommended as a Jupiter-strengthening practice. What gives Jayadeva's composition its enduring appeal is its emotional warmth: the wonder of a creator who stoops to save, who enters the ocean, lifts the earth, befriends the frightened - and will yet appear, tradition holds, as Kalki to restore righteousness at the close of this age.

Shri Dashavatar Stotram - Sanskrit Text

प्रलयपयोधिजले धृतवानसि वेदम् ।
विहितवहित्रचरित्रमखेदम् ।
केशव धृतमीनशरीर जय जगदीश हरे ॥१॥

क्षितिरतिविपुलतरे तव तिष्ठति पृष्ठे ।
धरणिधरणकिणचक्रगरिष्ठे ।
केशव धृतकच्छपरूप जय जगदीश हरे ॥२॥

वसति दशनशिखरे धरणी तव लग्ना ।
शशिनि कलङ्कलेव निमग्ना ।
केशव धृतसूकररूप जय जगदीश हरे ॥३॥

तव करकमलवरे नखमद्भुतशृङ्गम् ।
दलितहिरण्यकशिपुतनुभृङ्गम् ।
केशव धृतनरहरिरूप जय जगदीश हरे ॥४॥

छलयसि विक्रमणे बलिमद्भुतवामन ।
पदनखनीरजनितजनपावन ।
केशव धृतवामनरूप जय जगदीश हरे ॥५॥

क्षत्रियरुधिरमये जगदपगतपापम् ।
स्नपयसि पयसि शमितभवतापम् ।
केशव धृतभृगुपतिरूप जय जगदीश हरे ॥६॥

वितरसि दिक्षु रणे दिक्पतिकमनीयम् ।
दशमुखमौलिबलिं रमणीयम् ।
केशव धृतरघुपतिवेष जय जगदीश हरे ॥७॥

वहसि वपुषि विशदे वसनं जलदाभम् ।
हलहतिभीतिमिलितयमुनाभम् ।
केशव धृतहलधररूप जय जगदीश हरे ॥८॥

निन्दसि यज्ञविधेरहह श्रुतिजातम् ।
सदयहृदय दर्शितपशुघातम् ।
केशव धृतबुद्धशरीर जय जगदीश हरे ॥९॥

म्लेच्छनिवहनिधने कलयसि करवालम् ।
धूमकेतुमिव किमपि करालम् ।
केशव धृतकल्किशरीर जय जगदीश हरे ॥१०॥

श्रीजयदेवकवेरिदमुदितमुदारम् ।
शृणु सुखदं शुभदं भवसारम् ।
केशव धृतदशविधरूप जय जगदीश हरे ॥११॥

Transliteration (Roman/IAST)

pralaya-payodhi-jale dhṛtavān asi vedam ।
vihita-vahitra-caritram akhedam ।
keśava dhṛta-mīna-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare ॥1॥

kṣitir ati-vipula-tare tava tiṣṭhati pṛṣṭhe ।
dharaṇi-dharaṇa-kiṇa-cakra-gariṣṭhe ।
keśava dhṛta-kacchapa-rūpa jaya jagadīśa hare ॥2॥

vasati daśana-śikhare dharaṇī tava lagnā ।
śaśini kalaṅkaleva nimagnā ।
keśava dhṛta-sūkara-rūpa jaya jagadīśa hare ॥3॥

tava kara-kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-śṛṅgam ।
dalita-hiraṇyakaśipu-tanu-bhṛṅgam ।
keśava dhṛta-narahari-rūpa jaya jagadīśa hare ॥4॥

chalayasi vikramaṇe balim adbhuta-vāmana ।
pada-nakha-nīra-janita-jana-pāvana ।
keśava dhṛta-vāmana-rūpa jaya jagadīśa hare ॥5॥

kṣatriya-rudhira-maye jagad-apagata-pāpam ।
snapayasi payasi śamita-bhava-tāpam ।
keśava dhṛta-bhṛgupati-rūpa jaya jagadīśa hare ॥6॥

vitarasi dikṣu raṇe dik-pati-kamanīyam ।
daśa-mukha-mauli-baliṁ ramaṇīyam ।
keśava dhṛta-raghupati-veṣa jaya jagadīśa hare ॥7॥

vahasi vapuṣi viśade vasanaṁ jaladābham ।
hala-hati-bhīti-milita-yamunābham ।
keśava dhṛta-haladhara-rūpa jaya jagadīśa hare ॥8॥

nindasi yajña-vidher ahaha śruti-jātam ।
sa-daya-hṛdaya darśita-paśu-ghātam ।
keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare ॥9॥

mleccha-nivaha-nidhane kalayasi karavālam ।
dhūmaketum iva kim api karālam ।
keśava dhṛta-kalki-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare ॥10॥

śrī-jayadeva-kaver idam uditam udāram ।
śṛṇu sukhadaṁ śubhadaṁ bhava-sāram ।
keśava dhṛta-daśa-vidha-rūpa jaya jagadīśa hare ॥11॥

Meaning

Each verse praises one of Vishnu's ten incarnations and ends with the refrain "O Keshava, bearer of this form, O Lord of the universe, Hari, be victorious!" As Matsya (fish) He held up the Vedas in the waters of cosmic dissolution; as Kurma (tortoise) He bore the earth on His back; as Varaha (boar) He lifted the earth on His tusk; as Narasimha (man-lion) He tore apart Hiranyakashipu; as Vamana (dwarf) He deceived Bali in three strides; as Parashurama He cleansed the earth of corrupt warriors; as Rama He destroyed the ten-headed Ravana; as Balarama He wore dark-blue garments and bore the plough; as Buddha He showed compassion that turned hearts from animal sacrifice; and as the coming Kalki He wields a terrible sword like a comet to end the age of degradation. The closing verse offers this song of the poet Jayadeva for the listener's joy and welfare.

About this Stotra

The Dashavatar Stotram forms the opening hymn (Pralaya Payodhi Jale) of the first canto of the Gita Govinda, the celebrated twelfth-century lyric poem by the Vaishnava poet Jayadeva of Bengal. In just eleven mellifluous verses it garlands the ten principal descents (avatars) of Lord Vishnu, weaving cosmic mythology with intensely devotional poetry. Because of its musical metre and compact completeness, it has become one of the most widely sung Vishnu hymns across India, recited in temples, kirtans and morning prayers alike.

Significance & Spiritual Benefits

To chant the Dashavatar Stotram is to remember, in a single sitting, the entire sweep of divine intervention in the world - the Lord descending again and again to protect dharma. Devotees believe regular recitation cultivates unwavering faith, dissolves accumulated sins (as the hymn itself promises), and grants the listener welfare and inner joy. It is regarded as a complete devotional act, since meditating on all ten forms is held to equal the worship of Vishnu in His totality.

Astrological Relevance

Lord Vishnu is the cosmic sustainer associated with the preservation principle and is invoked in remedies for afflictions to benefic planets, especially a weak or troubled Guru (Jupiter), and for general protection of the chart. The ten avatars are themselves traditionally linked to planetary and cosmic forces - Rama with the Sun (Surya) and royal dignity, Krishna/Balarama with the Moon, Narasimha with fierce protective energy invoked against malefic transits, and Kalki with the resolution of Saturn-ruled Kali-yuga karma. Chanting this stotra is recommended for those seeking the steadying, sustaining grace of Vishnu when Jupiter is weak or when one needs protection from recurring obstacles.

How to Chant (Vidhi)

Bathe and sit facing east or north before an image of Vishnu or Krishna. Light a ghee lamp and offer tulsi leaves, sandal paste and a flower. Begin with a salutation to your chosen form of the Lord, then recite all eleven verses with attention to the refrain "jaya jagadisha hare." One, three, or eleven full rounds may be done. Conclude by bowing and offering the merit of the recitation to the Lord.

Best Day & Time

Ekadashi, Thursday (the day of Vishnu and Guru), and the Brahma Muhurta in the early morning are ideal. It is also especially auspicious during Vaishnava festivals such as Janmashtami, Rama Navami and Vaikuntha Ekadashi.