The Sankat Mochan Hanuman Ashtak is a powerful eight-verse hymn dedicated to Lord Hanuman, composed by the great saint Goswami Tulsidas. The name itself reveals its purpose: Sankat Mochan means the “Remover of Sufferings.” Unlike the Hanuman Chalisa, which is a broader praise of his glories, the Ashtak is a focused and potent prayer specifically recited to seek immediate relief from troubles, diseases, and deep-seated fears.
Each verse of this hymn recounts a legendary crisis where Hanumanji saved gods, saints, and his beloved Lord Rama from seemingly impossible situations. By meditating on these divine acts, the devotee invokes that same crisis-averting power into their own lives.
This guide provides the full lyrics, a detailed verse-by-verse meaning and commentary, and important context for this sacred prayer.
Benefits of Chanting the Hanuman Ashtak
Reciting the Hanuman Ashtak with sincere devotion is believed to be a direct appeal to Hanuman’s Sankat Mochan form. Its key benefits are:
- Relief from Sufferings (Sankat): Its primary purpose is to provide relief from all kinds of troubles, whether they are physical, mental, or external.
- Overcoming Diseases and Ailments: The hymn is often chanted to pray for recovery from chronic or severe illnesses.
- Dispelling Fear and Anxiety: Meditating on Hanuman’s heroic deeds instills immense courage and removes fear, anxiety, and negative thoughts.
- Protection from Evil Forces: The prayer acts as a powerful shield against ghosts, spirits, and other negative or malefic influences.
- Attaining Divine Grace: It is a powerful method to attract the grace of Lord Hanuman, who in turn bestows the blessings of Lord Rama upon the devotee.
Full Lyrics: Sankat Mochan Hanuman Ashtak
Here is the complete text of the hymn in Devanagari and English transliteration.
Chaupai (8 Verses)
(Full text of all 8 verses follows in the verse-by-verse section below)
Doha (Concluding Couplet)
लाल देह लाली लसे, अरु धरि लाल लंगूर। वज्र देह दानव दलन, जय जय जय कपि सूर॥ Lāla deha lālī lase, aru dhari lāla laṅgūra.Vajra deha dānava dalana, jaya jaya jaya kapi sūra.
Verse-by-Verse Meaning and Commentary
Chaupai (Main Verses)
Verse 1:
बाल समय रवि भक्षी लियो तब, तीनहुं लोक भयो अंधियारों। ताहि सों त्रास भयो जग को, यह संकट काहु सों जात न टारो। देवन आनि करी बिनती तब, छाड़ी दियो रवि कष्ट निवारो। को नहीं जानत है जग में कपि, संकटमोचन नाम तिहारो॥
Bāla samaya ravi bhakṣī liyo taba, tīnahuṁ loka bhayo andhiyāroṁ. Tāhi soṁ trāsa bhayo jaga ko, yaha saṅkaṭa kāhu soṁ jāta na ṭāro. Devana āni karī binatī taba, chāṛī diyo ravi kaṣṭa nivāro. Ko nahīṁ jānata hai jaga meṁ kapi, saṅkaṭamocana nāma tihāro.
- Meaning: In your childhood, you swallowed the sun, plunging the three worlds into darkness. The world was terrified by this, a crisis no one could avert. The gods came and pleaded, and you released the sun, ending the distress. O Monkey Lord, who in the world doesn’t know that your name is ‘Sankatmochan,’ the Remover of Suffering?
- Commentary: The Ashtak begins by establishing Hanuman’s identity as Sankatmochan. It cites his most famous childhood feat—casually swallowing the sun—to show that even cosmic-level crises, which terrified the gods, are mere child’s play for him to resolve.
Verse 2:
बालि की त्रास कपीस बसैं गिरि, जात महाप्रभु पंथ निहारो। चौंकि महामुनि साप दियो तब, चाहिए कौन बिचार बिचारो। कैद्विज रूप लिवाय महाप्रभु, सो तुम दास के सोक निवारो॥
Bāli kī trāsa kapīsa basaiṁ giri, jāta mahāprabhu pantha nihāro. Cauṁki mahāmuni sāpa diyo taba, cāhie kauna bicāra bicāro. Kaidvija rūpa livāya mahāprabhu, so tuma dāsa ke soka nivāro.
- Meaning: Due to the terror of Bali, Sugriva lived on a mountain, watching the path for the great Lord. When a great sage cursed Bali, what other recourse was there? You, taking the form of a Brahmin, brought the great Lord (Rama) and thus removed the sorrows of your servant (Sugriva).
- Commentary: This verse recalls Hanuman’s role as a divine diplomat. It was Hanuman, in the guise of a Brahmin, who first met Rama and Lakshmana and orchestrated the alliance with Sugriva. This act of divine intervention not only saved Sugriva from the fear of his brother Bali but also set in motion the entire mission to find Sita.
Verse 3:
अंगद के संग लेन गए सिय, खोज कपीस यह बैन उचारो। जीवत ना बचिहौ हम सो जु, बिना सुधि लाये इहाँ पगु धारो। हेरी थके तट सिन्धु सबे तब, लाए सिया-सुधि प्राण उबारो॥
Aṅgada ke saṅga lena gae siya, khoja kapīsa yaha baina ucāro. Jīvata nā bacihau hama so ju, binā sudhi lāye ihāɱ pagu dhāro. Herī thake taṭa sindhu sabe taba, lāe siyā-sudhi prāṇa ubāro.
- Meaning: Going with Angad to find Sita, the monkey king (Sugriva) declared, “None of you will remain alive if you return here without news of Sita.” When all were exhausted at the ocean shore, it was you who brought news of Sita and saved their lives.
- Commentary: This highlights a moment of great despair among the monkey army. Facing a death sentence from Sugriva if they failed, the monkeys were helpless before the vast ocean. Hanuman’s single-handed leap across the sea was not just a feat of power, but an act that saved the lives of his entire search party.
Verse 4:
रावण त्रास दई सिय को सब, राक्षसी सों कही सोक निवारो। ताहि समय हनुमान महाप्रभु, जाए महा रजनीचर मरो। चाहत सीय असोक सों आगि सु, दै प्रभुमुद्रिका सोक निवारो॥
Rāvaṇa trāsa daī siya ko saba, rākṣasī soṁ kahī soka nivāro. Tāhi samaya hanumāna mahāprabhu, jāe mahā rajanīcara maro. Cāhata sīya asoka soṁ āgi su, dai prabhumudrikā soka nivāro.
- Meaning: When Ravana was terrorizing Sita and the demonesses were causing her sorrow, at that very moment, you, the great Lord Hanuman, went and killed the great demons. Just as Sita wished for fire from the Ashoka tree (to end her life), you gave her the Lord’s ring and ended her sorrow.
- Commentary: This verse captures Hanuman’s role as a divine comforter. He arrived at the most critical moment, when Sita’s hope was nearly extinguished. By delivering Rama’s ring, he delivered a message of hope, renewed her strength, and assured her of imminent rescue, thus dispelling her deepest sorrow.
Verse 5:
बान लाग्यो उर लछिमन के तब, प्राण तजे सूत रावन मारो। लै गृह बैद्य सुषेन समेत, तबै गिरि द्रोण सु बीर उपारो। आनि सजीवन हाथ दिए तब, लछिमन के तुम प्रान उबारो॥
Bāna lāgyo ura lachimana ke taba, prāṇa taje sūta rāvana māro. Lai gṛha baidya suṣena sameta, tabai giridroṇa su bīra upāro. Āni sajīvana hātha die taba, lachimana ke tuma prāna ubāro.
- Meaning: When an arrow struck Lakshmana’s chest and he was about to lose his life, you, the great hero, uprooted the Drona mountain along with the physician Sushena’s house. You brought the Sanjeevani herb and thus saved Lakshmana’s life.
- Commentary: This is one of Hanuman’s most celebrated feats. Faced with the impossible task of finding a specific herb on a mountain in the dark, he simply brought the entire mountain. This act demonstrates his incredible power, resourcefulness, and unwavering focus on serving his Lord, showing he will do whatever it takes to avert a crisis.
Verse 6:
रावन जुध अजान कियो तब, नाग कि फाँस सबै सिर डारो। श्रीरघुनाथ समेत सबै दल, मोह भयो यह संकट भारो। आनि खगेस तबै हनुमान जु, बंधन काटि सुत्रास निवारो॥
Rāvana judha ajāna kiyo taba, nāga ki phām̐sa sabai sira ḍāro. Śrīraghunātha sameta sabai dala, moha bhayo yaha saṅkaṭa bhāro. Āni khagesa tabai hanumāna ju, bandhana kāṭi sutrāsa nivāro.
- Meaning: When Ravana, fighting deceitfully, unleashed the serpent-noose, ensnaring the entire army, including Lord Raghunath, a great crisis of delusion fell upon them. At that moment, Hanuman, you brought Garuda (the king of birds), who cut the bonds and removed their terror.
- Commentary: This refers to the Nagapasha weapon used by Indrajit. It was Hanuman who, on the advice of Vibhishana, flew to fetch Garuda, the divine eagle and enemy of serpents, to instantly free the entire army. This shows Hanuman as the one who brings the ultimate remedy to even the most binding of problems.
Verse 7:
बंधू समेत जबै अहिरावन, लै रघुनाथ पताल सिधारो। देबिन्हीं पूजि भलि विधि सों बलि, देउ सबै मिलि मन्त्र विचारो। जाये सहाए भयो तब ही, अहिरावन सैन्य समेत संहारो॥
Bandhū sameta jabai ahirāvana, lai raghunātha patāla sidhāro. Debinhīṁ pūji bhali vidhi soṁ bali, deu sabai mili mantra vicāro. Jāye sahāe bhayo taba hī, ahirāvana sainya sameta sanhāro.
- Meaning: When Ahiravana, along with his brother, took Lord Raghunath to the netherworld to sacrifice him to the Goddess, you went to their aid and destroyed Ahiravana and his entire army.
- Commentary: This episode highlights Hanuman’s power across all realms. He penetrated the heavily guarded netherworld (Patala), defeated the powerful sorcerer Ahiravana, and rescued Rama and Lakshmana from a certain sacrificial death.
Verse 8:
काज किये बड़ देवन के तुम, बीर महाप्रभु देखि बिचारो। कौन सो संकट मोर गरीब को, जो तुमसे नहिं जात है टारो। बेगि हरो हनुमान महाप्रभु, जो कछु संकट होए हमारो॥
Kāja kiye baṛa devana ke tuma, bīra mahāprabhu dekhi bicāro. Kauna so saṅkaṭa mora garība ko, jo tumase nahiṁ jāta hai ṭāro. Begi haro hanumāna mahāprabhu, jo kachu saṅkaṭa hoe hamāro.
- Meaning: You have accomplished the great tasks of the gods, O valiant Mahaprabhu, please consider this. What crisis of this poor devotee could there be that you cannot avert? O Hanuman, Mahaprabhu, quickly remove whatever suffering is ours.
- Commentary: The final verse is a direct, personal appeal. The devotee reasons that if Hanuman can solve the immense problems of the gods, then their own troubles must be insignificant in comparison. It is a prayer of complete surrender, asking for immediate (begi) intervention and relief from all suffering.
Doha (Concluding Couplet)
लाल देह लाली लसे, अरु धरि लाल लंगूर। वज्र देह दानव दलन, जय जय जय कपि सूर॥
Lāla deha lālī lase, aru dhari lāla laṅgūra. Vajra deha dānava dalana, jaya jaya jaya kapi sūra.
- Meaning: Your red body is adorned with vermillion, and you wear a red loincloth. Your body is strong like a thunderbolt, the destroyer of demons. Victory, victory, victory to you, O valiant Monkey Lord!
- Commentary: The concluding doha is a powerful visualization of Hanuman’s radiant and mighty form. His red color symbolizes his vibrant energy and power. He is hailed as the divine hero with an indestructible body, whose very purpose is to vanquish evil.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Who wrote the Hanuman Ashtak? The Sankat Mochan Hanuman Ashtak was composed by the 16th-century poet-saint Goswami Tulsidas, who also wrote the Hanuman Chalisa and the epic Ramcharitmanas.
- What is the difference between the Hanuman Chalisa and the Hanuman Ashtak? The Hanuman Chalisa is a 40-verse hymn of general praise (stuti), detailing Hanuman’s powers and devotion. The Hanuman Ashtak is a shorter, eight-verse hymn specifically focused on his role as Sankat Mochan (the Remover of Sufferings), and it is recited to seek relief from specific troubles.
- When is the best time to recite the Hanuman Ashtak? It is most effective when recited during a time of personal crisis, illness, or fear. Like the Chalisa, chanting it on Tuesdays and Saturdays is considered especially beneficial.