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भवान्यष्टकम्
Devi · Durga · ashtakam · 8 verses
Adi Shankaracharya
Adi Shankaracharya — Bhavani Ashtakam
The Bhavani Ashtakam by Adi Shankaracharya is one of the most moving surrender-prayers in all of devotional literature. Each verse catalogues the devotee's complete lack of qualifications — no father, no mother, no knowledge, no yoga, no puja, no punya — and concludes with the refrain 'gatis tvaṃ gatis tvaṃ tvam-ekā Bhavāni' (You alone are my refuge, O Bhavani). It is simultaneously a confession of spiritual poverty and an act of total sharanagati (self-surrender). The seventh verse enumerates the dangers of life — water, fire, forest, enemies — and asks only for protection.
Famous for the refrain 'Gatis tvaṃ gatis tvaṃ tvam-ekā Bhavāni' (You are my refuge, my only refuge, O Bhavani).
न तातो न माता न बन्धुर्न दाता न पुत्रो न पुत्री न भृत्यो न भर्ता।
न जाया न विद्या न वृत्तिर्ममैव गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि॥
na tāto na mātā na bandhur-na dātā na putro na putrī na bhṛtyo na bhartā।
na jāyā na vidyā na vṛttir-mamaiva gatis-tvaṃ gatis-tvaṃ tvam-ekā bhavāni॥
I have no father, no mother, no kinsman, no benefactor; no son, no daughter, no servant, no spouse; no wife, no learning, no occupation. You alone are my refuge — you, you alone, O Bhavani.
भवाब्धावपारे महादुःखभीरुः पपात प्रकामी प्रलोभी प्रमत्तः।
कुसंसारपाशप्रबद्धः सदाहं गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि॥
bhavābdhāv-apāre mahā-duḥkha-bhīruḥ papāta prakāmī pralobhī pramattaḥ।
ku-saṃsāra-pāśa-prabaddhaḥ sadāhaṃ gatis-tvaṃ gatis-tvaṃ tvam-ekā bhavāni॥
In the boundless ocean of samsara, terrified of great sorrow, I have fallen — full of desire, greed, and intoxication. Bound forever by the rope of evil samsara — you alone are my refuge, O Bhavani.
न जानामि दानं न च ध्यानयोगं न जानामि तन्त्रं न च स्तोत्रमन्त्रम्।
न जानामि पूजां न च न्यासयोगं गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि॥
na jānāmi dānaṃ na ca dhyāna-yogaṃ na jānāmi tantraṃ na ca stotra-mantram।
na jānāmi pūjāṃ na ca nyāsa-yogaṃ gatis-tvaṃ gatis-tvaṃ tvam-ekā bhavāni॥
I know not charity, I know not meditation-yoga; I know not tantra, I know no stotra or mantra; I know not puja, I know not nyasa-yoga. You alone are my refuge, O Bhavani.
न जानामि पुण्यं न जानामि तीर्थं न जानामि मुक्तिं लयं वा कदाचित्।
न जानामि भक्तिं व्रतं वापि मातः गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि॥
na jānāmi puṇyaṃ na jānāmi tīrthaṃ na jānāmi muktiṃ layaṃ vā kadācit।
na jānāmi bhaktiṃ vrataṃ vāpi mātaḥ gatis-tvaṃ gatis-tvaṃ tvam-ekā bhavāni॥
I know no merit, no holy place, no liberation, no dissolution-in-Brahman; I know no devotion, no fast, O Mother. You alone are my refuge, O Bhavani.
कुकर्मी कुसङ्गी कुबुद्धिः कुदासः कुलाचारहीनः कदाचारलीनः।
कुदृष्टिः कुवाक्यप्रबन्धः सदाहं गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि॥
ku-karmī ku-saṅgī ku-buddhiḥ ku-dāsaḥ kulācāra-hīnaḥ kadācāra-līnaḥ।
ku-dṛṣṭiḥ ku-vākya-prabandhaḥ sadāhaṃ gatis-tvaṃ gatis-tvaṃ tvam-ekā bhavāni॥
I am a doer of evil deeds, in evil company, of evil intelligence, an evil servant; without family duty, sunk in evil conduct; of evil sight, ever speaking evil words. You alone are my refuge, O Bhavani.
प्रजेशं रमेशं महेशं सुरेशं दिनेशं निशीथेश्वरं वा कदाचित्।
न जानामि चान्यत् सदाहं शरण्ये गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि॥
prajeśaṃ rameśaṃ maheśaṃ sureśaṃ dineśaṃ niśīthe-śvaraṃ vā kadācit।
na jānāmi cānyat sadāhaṃ śaraṇye gatis-tvaṃ gatis-tvaṃ tvam-ekā bhavāni॥
Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Indra, the sun, the moon — I know none of them; nor anything else, ever, O refuge of all. You alone are my refuge, O Bhavani.
विवादे विषादे प्रमादे प्रवासे जले चानले पर्वते शत्रुमध्ये।
अरण्ये शरण्ये सदा मां प्रपाहि गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि॥
vivāde viṣāde pramāde pravāse jale cānale parvate śatru-madhye।
araṇye śaraṇye sadā māṃ prapāhi gatis-tvaṃ gatis-tvaṃ tvam-ekā bhavāni॥
In quarrel, in despair, in negligence, in foreign lands; in water, fire, mountains, amid enemies; in the forest — protect me always, O refuge! You alone are my refuge, O Bhavani.
अनाथो दरिद्रो जरारोगयुक्तो महाक्षीणदीनः सदा जाड्यवक्त्रः।
विपत्तौ प्रविष्टः प्रनष्टः सदाहं गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि॥
anātho daridro jarā-roga-yukto mahā-kṣīṇa-dīnaḥ sadā jāḍya-vaktraḥ।
vipattau praviṣṭaḥ pranaṣṭaḥ sadāhaṃ gatis-tvaṃ gatis-tvaṃ tvam-ekā bhavāni॥
Without protector, poor, afflicted by old age and disease, utterly worn-out and miserable, dull-faced; sunk in calamity, ever ruined — you alone are my refuge, O Bhavani.
Sources: Adi Shankaracharya — Bhavani Ashtakam. Awaiting scholar verification.