Shri Gaurishashtakam: Bhaja Gaurisham - Eight Verses of Shiva-Wisdom
Shri Gaurishashtakam - Sanskrit Text
भज गौरीशं भज गौरीशं
गौरीशं भज मन्दमते ।
जलभवदुस्तरजलधिसुतरणं
ध्येयं चित्ते शिवहरचरणम् ।
अन्योपायं न हि न हि सत्यं
गेयं शङ्कर शङ्कर नित्यम् ।
भज गौरीशं भज गौरीशं
गौरीशं भज मन्दमते ॥ १ ॥
दारापत्यं क्षेत्रं वित्तं
देहं गेहं सर्वमनित्यम् ।
इति परिभावय सर्वमसारं
गर्भविकृत्या स्वप्नविचारम् ।
भज गौरीशं भज गौरीशं
गौरीशं भज मन्दमते ॥ २ ॥
मलवैचित्ये पुनरावृत्तिः
पुनरपि जननीजठरोत्पत्तिः ।
पुनरप्याशाकुलितं जठरं
किं नहि मुञ्चसि कथयेश्चित्तम् ।
भज गौरीशं भज गौरीशं
गौरीशं भज मन्दमते ॥ ३ ॥
मायाकल्पितमैन्द्रं जालं
नहि तत्सत्यं दृष्टिविकारम् ।
ज्ञाते तत्त्वे सर्वमसारं
मा कुरु मा कुरु विषयविचारम् ।
भज गौरीशं भज गौरीशं
गौरीशं भज मन्दमते ॥ ४ ॥
रज्जौ सर्पभ्रमणारोपः
तद्वद्ब्रह्मणि जगदारोपः ।
मिथ्यामायामोहविकारं
मनसि विचारय बारम्बारम् ।
भज गौरीशं भज गौरीशं
गौरीशं भज मन्दमते ॥ ५ ॥
अध्वरकोटीगङ्गागमनं
कुरुते योगं चेन्द्रियदमनम् ।
ज्ञानविहीनः सर्वमतेन
न भवति मुक्तो जन्मशतेन ।
भज गौरीशं भज गौरीशं
गौरीशं भज मन्दमते ॥ ६ ॥
सोऽहं हंसो ब्रह्मैवाहं
शुद्धानन्दस्तत्त्वपरोऽहम् ।
अद्वैतोऽहं सङ्गविहीने
चेन्द्रिय आत्मनि निखिले लीने ।
भज गौरीशं भज गौरीशं
गौरीशं भज मन्दमते ॥ ७ ॥
शङ्करकिंकर मा कुरु चिन्तां
चिन्तामणिना विरचितमेतत् ।
यः सद्भक्त्या पठति हि नित्यं
ब्रह्मणि लीनो भवति हि सत्यम् ।
भज गौरीशं भज गौरीशं
गौरीशं भज मन्दमते ॥ ८ ॥
॥ इति श्रीचिन्तामणिविरचितं गौरीशाष्टकं सम्पूर्णम् ॥
Transliteration (Roman/IAST)
bhaja gaurīśaṃ bhaja gaurīśaṃ
gaurīśaṃ bhaja mandamate ।
jala-bhava-dustara-jaladhi-sutaraṇaṃ
dhyeyaṃ citte śiva-hara-caraṇam ।
anyopāyaṃ na hi na hi satyaṃ
geyaṃ śaṅkara śaṅkara nityam ।
bhaja gaurīśaṃ bhaja gaurīśaṃ
gaurīśaṃ bhaja mandamate ॥ 1 ॥
(The refrain "bhaja gaurīśaṃ bhaja gaurīśaṃ, gaurīśaṃ bhaja mandamate" - "Worship Gaurisha, worship Gaurisha, O dull-witted mind, worship Gaurisha" - repeats at the close of every verse.)
Meaning
Worship Gaurisha - Lord Shiva, the husband of Gauri - worship him, O foolish mind! The feet of Shiva, the remover (Hara), are the only raft to cross the unfathomable ocean of worldly existence; meditate on them in your heart. There is truly no other means; ever sing "Shankara, Shankara."
The verses then unfold a powerful message of discrimination and detachment (viveka and vairagya): wife, children, land, wealth, body and house are all impermanent - contemplate that all this is without essence, like a dream born of delusion. As long as one is caught in attachment, one is born again and again from the womb; so why not give up this restless craving? The world projected by maya is like a snake falsely seen in a rope superimposed on the rope - likewise the universe is superimposed on Brahman; reflect on this again and again. Mere rituals, pilgrimages and even yogic control of the senses do not by themselves liberate one without true knowledge. Realise: "I am That (so'ham), I am the swan, I am verily Brahman, pure bliss, the supreme reality; I am non-dual and free of attachment." The final verse reassures: "O servant of Shankara, do not worry - this has been composed by Chintamani; whoever recites it daily with true devotion truly becomes merged in Brahman."
About this Stotra
Gaurishashtakam is a vairagya (dispassion) hymn modelled on the famous Bhaja Govindam of Adi Shankaracharya, but directing the same urgent call to worship toward Gaurisha - Shiva, the Lord of Gauri (Parvati). Its colophon attributes the composition to Sri Chintamani. Like Bhaja Govindam, it combines a haunting, repetitive refrain with verses of pointed Advaita Vedanta teaching, warning the "dull-witted mind" (mandamati) that ritual and worldly attachment alone cannot save one - only devotion to the Lord and knowledge of the non-dual Self can.
Significance & Spiritual Benefits
This hymn is a compact lesson in Advaita: it cultivates detachment from the impermanent, exposes the illusory nature of the world (the rope-snake analogy), and culminates in the great realisation "so'ham" - "I am That." Regular recitation is said to weaken worldly craving, deepen devotion to Shiva, and, as the final verse promises, lead the sincere devotee toward merging in Brahman. For the spiritual seeker it serves as both a daily reminder of life's transience and a meditation on the Self.
Astrological Relevance
Lord Shiva, as Gaurisha, is the supreme deity of dissolution, detachment and liberation, and in Vedic astrology he is the presiding deity invoked to pacify Shani (Saturn) - the great teacher of discipline, renunciation and karmic justice - and the shadow planets Rahu and Ketu, Ketu in particular being the karaka of moksha and spiritual detachment, qualities at the very heart of this hymn. Worship of Shiva is the classical remedy during Sade Sati, Shani dhaiya, and afflictions of Rahu-Ketu, granting equanimity, protection and freedom from fear. The hymn's theme of viveka and vairagya makes it especially suited to those undergoing Saturn's testing periods, helping transform hardship into spiritual growth.
How to Chant (Vidhi)
Bathe and sit before a Shiva lingam or an image of Shiva-Parvati (Gaurisha-Gauri). Light a lamp and offer bilva (bel) leaves and water. Recite all eight verses with attention to their meaning, allowing the refrain to settle the mind. Daily recitation, as the hymn itself recommends, is the traditional practice. It pairs naturally with the chanting of "Om Namah Shivaya" and offering of water on the Shiva lingam (abhishekam).
Best Day & Time
Monday (Somwar), the day of Shiva, and Saturday (Shaniwar), for pacifying Saturn, are most suitable. Maha Shivaratri and the monthly Pradosh and Shivaratri tithis are especially powerful. Early morning or the pradosh (twilight) period are the recommended times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Gaurisha in this hymn?
Gaurisha means "the Lord (isha) of Gauri" - that is, Lord Shiva, the consort of Goddess Gauri (Parvati). The hymn calls on the mind to worship him.
Is Gaurishashtakam related to Bhaja Govindam?
Yes, it follows the same form and spirit as Adi Shankaracharya's Bhaja Govindam - an urgent, repetitive call to worship combined with Advaita Vedanta teaching on detachment - but addressed to Shiva (Gaurisha) rather than to Govinda.
What does "so'ham" in the seventh verse mean?
"So'ham" means "I am That" - the great Advaitic realisation that the individual self is none other than the supreme Brahman, pure consciousness and bliss, beyond all attachment.
Advaitic wisdom in the language of gentle reproach
The Gaurishashtakam belongs to a tradition of hymns that wear their philosophy lightly, addressing the deity with an urgent, compassionate nudge to the wandering mind. The refrain - urging the dull-witted one (mandamate) to worship Gaurisha - borrows the pedagogical spirit of Bhaja Govindam, where the teacher shakes the student out of complacency. The body ages, wealth disperses, relationships shift - yet the mind clings as if these were permanent. Against this backdrop, the repeated invitation to worship Shiva, the Lord of Gauri, becomes a loving reminder of where lasting peace resides. The pairing of Gauri - the brilliant, auspicious goddess - with Shiva as her lord gives the hymn a quality of wholeness: Shakti and Shiva, form and formlessness, held together in every verse.
The Advaitic framework makes this hymn valuable beyond any single sectarian context: practitioners of self-enquiry find a call to turn inward, while bhaktas hear a direct invitation to Shiva's feet. Devotees recite it on Mondays and during Shivaratri, but it is equally suited to quiet personal practice where its philosophical weight can be absorbed slowly. The composition is widely treated as belonging to the Advaitic devotional lineage, though a firm individual attribution is not universally established. Practitioners believe that returning to the refrain as a mantra gradually loosens the grip of the ego's false certainties about what is real and lasting.