Shri Ram Raksha Stotram: Sanskrit Text, Meaning & Benefits
Shri Ram Raksha Stotram - Sanskrit Text
विनियोग:
अस्य श्रीरामरक्षास्तोत्रमन्त्रस्य बुधकौशिक ऋषिः।
श्री सीतारामचंद्रो देवता।
अनुष्टुप् छंदः। सीता शक्तिः।
श्रीमान् हनुमान् कीलकम्।
श्री सीतारामचंद्रप्रीत्यर्थे रामरक्षास्तोत्रजपे विनियोगः।
अथ ध्यानम्:
ध्यायेदाजानुबाहुं धृतशरधनुषं बद्धपद्मासनस्थं,
पीतं वासो वसानं नवकमल दल स्पर्धिनेत्रम् प्रसन्नम्।
वामांकारूढ़ सीता मुखकमलमिलल्लोचनम्नी,
रदाभम् नानालंकारदीप्तं दधतमुरुजटामण्डलम् रामचंद्रम् ॥
राम रक्षा स्तोत्रम्:
चरितं रघुनाथस्य शतकोटि प्रविस्तरम् ।
एकैकमक्षरं पुंसां महापातकनाशनम् ॥1॥
ध्यात्वा नीलोत्पलश्यामं रामं राजीवलोचनम् ।
जानकीलक्ष्मणोपेतं जटामुकुटमण्डितं ॥2॥
सासितूणधनुर्बाणपाणिं नक्तंचरान्तकम् ।
स्वलीलया जगत्त्रातुमाविर्भूतमजं विभुम् ॥3॥
रामरक्षां पठेत् प्राज्ञः पापघ्नीं सर्वकामदाम् ।
शिरो मे राघवः पातु भालं दशरथात्मजः ॥4॥
कौसल्येयो दृशौ पातु विश्वामित्रप्रियः श्रुती ।
घ्राणं पातु मखत्राता मुखं सौमित्रिवत्सलः ॥5॥
जिह्वां विद्यानिधिः पातु कण्ठं भरतवन्दितः ।
स्कन्धौ दिव्यायुधः पातु भुजौ भग्नेशकार्मुकः ॥6॥
करौ सीतापतिः पातु हृदयं जामदग्न्यजित् ।
मध्यं पातु खरध्वंसी नाभिं जाम्बवदाश्रयः ॥7॥
सुग्रीवेशः कटी पातु सक्थिनी हनुमत्प्रभुः ।
उरु रघूत्तमः पातु रक्षःकुलविनाशकृतः ॥8॥
जानुनी सेतुकृत् पातु जंघे दशमुखांतकः ।
पादौ विभीषणश्रीदः पातु रामअखिलं वपुः ॥9॥
एतां रामबलोपेतां रक्षां यः सुकृति पठेत् ।
स चिरायुः सुखी पुत्री विजयी विनयी भवेत् ॥10॥
पातालभूतल व्योम चारिणश्छद्मचारिणः ।
न द्रष्टुमपि शक्तास्ते रक्षितं रामनामभिः ॥11॥
रामेति रामभद्रेति रामचंद्रेति वा स्मरन् ।
नरो न लिप्यते पापैर्भुक्तिं मुक्तिं च विन्दति ॥12॥
जगज्जैत्रैकमन्त्रेण रामनाम्नाभिरक्षितम् ।
यः कण्ठे धारयेत्तस्य करस्थाः सर्वसिद्धयः ॥13॥
वज्रपञ्जरनामेदं यो रामकवचं स्मरेत् ।
अव्याहताज्ञाः सर्वत्र लभते जयमंगलम् ॥14॥
आदिष्टवान् यथा स्वप्ने रामरक्षामिमां हरः ।
तथा लिखितवान् प्रातः प्रबुद्धो बुधकौशिकः ॥15॥
आरामः कल्पवृक्षाणां विरामः सकलापदाम् ।
अभिरामस्त्रिलोकानां रामः श्रीमान स नः प्रभुः ॥16॥
तरुणौ रूपसम्पन्नौ सुकुमारौ महाबलौ ।
पुण्डरीकविशालाक्षौ चीरकृष्णाजिनाम्बरौ ॥17॥
फलमूलाशिनौ दान्तौ तापसौ ब्रह्मचारिणौ ।
पुत्रौ दशरथस्यैतौ भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ ॥18॥
शरण्यौ सर्वसत्वानां श्रेष्ठौ सर्वधनुष्मताम् ।
रक्षःकुलनिहन्तारौ त्रायेतां नो रघूत्तमौ ॥19॥
आत्तसज्जधनुषाविषुस्पृशा वक्ष याशुगनिषङ्गसङ्गिनौ ।
रक्षणाय मम रामलक्ष्मणावग्रतः पथि सदैव गच्छताम् ॥20॥
सन्नद्धः कवची खड्गी चापबाणधरो युवा ।
गच्छन् मनोरथान् नश्च रामः पातु सलक्ष्मणः ॥21॥
रामो दाशरथी शूरो लक्ष्मणानुचरो बली ।
काकुत्स्थः पुरुषः पूर्णः कौसल्येयो रघूत्तमः ॥22॥
वेदान्तवेद्यो यज्ञेशः पुराणपुरुषोत्तमः ।
जानकीवल्लभः श्रीमानप्रमेयपराक्रमः ॥23॥
इत्येतानि जपन् नित्यं मद्भक्तः श्रद्धयान्वितः ।
अश्वमेधाधिकं पुण्यं सम्प्राप्नोति न संशयः ॥24॥
रामं दुर्वादलश्यामं पद्माक्षं पीतवाससम् ।
स्तुवन्ति नामभिर्दिव्यैर्न ते संसारिणो नरः ॥25॥
रामं लक्ष्मणपूर्वजं रघुवरं सीतापतिं सुन्दरं,
काकुत्स्थं करुणार्णवं गुणनिधिं विप्रप्रियं धार्मिकम् ।
राजेन्द्रं सत्यसंधं दशरथतनयं श्यामलं शांतमूर्तिं,
वन्दे लोकाभिरामं रघुकुलतिलकं राघवं रावणारिम् ॥26॥
रामाय रामभद्राय रामचंद्राय वेधसे ।
रघुनाथाय नाथाय सीतायाः पतये नमः ॥27॥
श्रीराम राम रघुनन्दनराम राम,
श्रीराम राम भरताग्रज राम राम ।
श्रीराम राम रणकर्कश राम राम,
श्रीराम राम शरणं भव राम राम ॥28॥
श्रीराम चन्द्रचरणौ मनसा स्मरामि,
श्रीराम चंद्रचरणौ वचसा गृणामि ।
श्रीराम चन्द्रचरणौ शिरसा नमामि,
श्रीराम चन्द्रचरणौ शरणं प्रपद्ये ॥29॥
माता रामो मत्पिता रामचंन्द्रः ।
स्वामी रामो मत्सखा रामचंद्रः ।
सर्वस्वं मे रामचन्द्रो दयालु ।
नान्यं जाने नैव जाने न जाने ॥30॥
दक्षिणे लक्ष्मणो यस्य वामे च जनकात्मज ।
पुरतो मारुतिर्यस्य तं वन्दे रघुनन्दनम् ॥31॥
लोकाभिरामं रणरंगधीरं राजीवनेत्रं रघुवंशनाथं ।
कारुण्यरूपं करुणाकरं तं श्रीरामचन्द्रं शरणं प्रपद्ये ॥32॥
मनोजवं मारुततुल्यवेगं जितेन्द्रियं बुद्धिमतां वरिष्ठम् ।
वातात्मजं वानरयूथमुख्यं श्रीराम दूतं शरणं प्रपद्ये ॥33॥
कूजन्तं रामरामेति मधुरं मधुराक्षरम् ।
आरुह्य कविताशाखां वन्दे वाल्मीकिकोकिलम् ॥34॥
आपदामपहर्तारं दातारं सर्वसम्पदाम् ।
लोकाभिरामं श्रीरामं भूयो भूयो नमाम्यहम् ॥35॥
भर्जनं भवबीजानामर्जनं सुखसम्पदाम् ।
तर्जनं यमदूतानां रामरामेति गर्जनम् ॥36॥
रामो राजमणिः सदा विजयते,
रामं रमेशं भजे रामेणाभिहता,
निशाचरचमू रामाय तस्मै नमः ।
रामान्नास्ति परायणं परतरं,
रामस्य दासोस्म्यहं रामे चित्तलयः,
सदा भवतु मे भो राम मामुद्धराः ॥37॥
राम रामेति रामेति रमे रामे मनोरमे ।
सहस्त्रनाम तत्तुल्यं रामनाम वरानने ॥38॥
Transliteration (Roman/IAST)
charitaṃ raghunāthasya śata-koṭi pravistaram |
ekaikam akṣaraṃ puṃsāṃ mahā-pātaka-nāśanam ||1||
rāmarakṣāṃ paṭhet prājñaḥ pāpaghnīṃ sarvakāmadām |
śiro me rāghavaḥ pātu bhālaṃ daśarathātmajaḥ ||4||
rāmāya rāmabhadrāya rāmacandrāya vedhase |
raghunāthāya nāthāya sītāyāḥ pataye namaḥ ||27||
rāma rāmeti rāmeti rame rāme manorame |
sahasranāma tattulyaṃ rāmanāma varānane ||38|| (full 38-verse stotra transliterated in like manner)
Meaning
The Ram Raksha Stotram is an “armour” (kavacha) of protection. After the opening meditation on Rama - dark-hued, lotus-eyed, bearing bow and arrows, seated with Sita - the sage invokes Rama to guard every part of the body: “May Raghava protect my head, the son of Dasharatha my forehead, the beloved of Kausalya my eyes…” Verse by verse the devotee is sheathed from crown to feet in Rama’s name. The closing verses declare that whoever wears this “diamond-cage” (vajra-panjara) of Rama’s name is untouched by sin, gains both worldly enjoyment and liberation, and that a single utterance of “Rama” equals the thousand names of Vishnu.
About this Stotra
The Ram Raksha Stotram was composed by the sage Budhakaushika, who - according to the text’s own colophon - received it in a dream from Lord Shiva and wrote it down at dawn. It belongs to the family of “kavacha” hymns, protective litanies that mentally clothe the reciter in the grace of a deity. Across thirty-eight verses it moves from meditation, to a head-to-foot shield, to a garland of Rama’s names and epithets, ending in surrender. For centuries it has been one of the most widely memorised Sanskrit prayers in Indian households, recited at dawn, during travel, and in times of fear.
Significance & Spiritual Benefits
The stotra is valued as a complete spiritual safeguard. Devotees recite it for protection from accident, illness, enemies, and unseen malefic forces; for courage and confidence; and for the steady mind that comes from repeating the divine name. Its repeated promise - “he becomes long-lived, happy, blessed with children, victorious and humble” - frames Rama’s name as the source of both security and inner refinement. Because the hymn equates Rama’s name with Vishnu-sahasranama, even a short daily reading is held to carry vast merit.
Astrological Relevance
Rama is revered as the seventh avatar of Vishnu and, in jyotisha tradition, is linked to the Sun (Surya), being born in the solar Raghu dynasty (Suryavansha) under the lunar mansion Punarvasu. Recitation of the Ram Raksha is widely prescribed as a remedy to strengthen a weak or afflicted Sun - supporting vitality, leadership, confidence and the father-significations of the chart. As a protective kavacha it is also used to calm fear and instability indicated by an afflicted Moon or a troublesome Mars/Rahu, and during dashas or transits that bring obstacles, since the hymn is classically invoked for “removal of all calamities” (viramaḥ sakalāpadām).
How to Chant (Vidhi)
Bathe and sit facing east before an image of Rama or Rama-Sita-Lakshmana-Hanuman. Light a lamp, offer flowers, and begin with the viniyoga and dhyana verses. Recite the full stotra slowly and clearly, ideally from memory once learned. A common practice is one to eleven readings daily; many keep a regular count through a 40-day anushthana. Close by bowing and offering the merit to Lord Rama. Cleanliness, steadiness of posture, and devotion matter more than speed.
Best Day & Time
Brahma-muhurta (the pre-dawn hour) and the early morning after bathing are ideal. Tuesdays and Saturdays are favoured for protective recitation, and the hymn is especially auspicious on Ram Navami, during Chaitra and Kartik, and on any day of travel or difficulty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who composed the Ram Raksha Stotram?
The sage Budhakaushika. The text states he received it in a dream from Lord Shiva and recorded it upon waking, which is why it is regarded as divinely revealed.
Can it be recited by anyone?
Yes. It has no caste or gender restriction and is traditionally taught to children as a daily protective prayer. Reciting with clean body, clear pronunciation and faith is all that is required.
What is the “vajra-panjara” mentioned in the hymn?
It means the “diamond cage” - a metaphor for the impenetrable shield formed around the devotee by Rama’s name when the stotra is held in the heart and recited regularly.
A kavacha woven from the very name of Rama
The Shri Ram Raksha Stotram holds a singular place among Sanskrit protective hymns because its blessing is inseparable from its form: the text itself is the armour. Attributed in its framing verse to the sage Budhakaushika, who is said to have received it in a dream vision, the stotra invokes Lord Rama to guard every limb of the devotee, creating a full-body shield - a kavacha - through the power of the sacred name. This tradition of nama-kavacha, where the repetition and contemplation of the Divine Name is itself a form of protection, is central to the bhakti streams of Maharashtra and North India alike, and the Ram Raksha remains among the most widely recited Sanskrit texts in Maharashtrian households to this day.
In the Jyotish tradition, the Sun (Surya) governs vitality, courage, and the soul's luminous core, and Lord Rama - born in the solar Ikshvaku lineage - is intimately linked with Surya's energy. Chanting the Ram Raksha Stotram on Sundays or at sunrise is considered especially auspicious by devotees, and it is often recommended as a sadhana for those seeking clarity of purpose, relief from fear, or strength in the face of adversity. The mood it evokes is one of serene, unshakeable refuge - the feeling that one has placed oneself entirely in the hands of a protector who neither sleeps nor falters.