Stotra (Sanskrit: स्तोत्र) is a Sanskrit word that means "ode, eulogy or a hymn of praise." It is a literary genre of Indian religious texts designed to be melodically sung, in contrast to a shastra which is composed to be recited.

A stotra can be a prayer, a description, or a conversation, but always with a poetic structure. It may be a simple poem expressing praise and personal devotion to a deity for example, or poems with embedded spiritual and philosophical doctrines.

Etymology and definition

Stotra comes from the Sanskrit root stu- which means "to praise, eulogize or laud" combined with the ṣṭran suffix. Literally, the term refers to "poems of praise". The earliest trace of stotras are Vedic, particularly in the Samaveda.

Example

thumb|right|A seated Ardhanarishvara with both the vahanas

The following is a Peterson translation of a Stotra by the Tamil poet Appar for Ardhanarishvara, the Hindu concept of a god who incorporates both the masculine and the feminine as inseparable halves.

Nama-stotra

The nama-stotra is based on chanting a litany of names for a deity. The Sahasranama, a type of nama-stotra, is a litany of a thousand names for a particular deity. Sahasranama means "1000 names"; Sahasra means 1000 and nama means names. For example, Vishnu Sahasranama means 1000 names of Vishnu. Other nama-stotras may include 100 or 108 epithets of the deity. According to Hinduism, the names of God are valuable tools for devotion.

Notable stotras

Stotras for Siva

  • Śiva Tāṇḍava Stotra
  • Śiva Mahimna Stotra
  • Panchākṣara Stotra
  • Nataraja Stotra
  • Asitakṛtam Śivastotram
  • Dakshinamūrti Stotra

Stotras for Devi

  • Mahiṣāsura Mardinī Stotra
  • Aṣṭalakshmī Stotra
  • Agasti Lakshmi Stotra
  • Annapūrṇa Stotra
  • Radha Sahasranama Stotra
  • Lalita Sahasranama Stotra
  • Bala Tripurasundari Sahasranama Stotra
  • Bhavani Sahasranama Stotra
  • Dakaradi Sridurga Sahasranama Stotra
  • Durga Sahasranama Stotra
  • Gayathri Sahasranama Stotra
  • Kali Sahasranama Stotra
  • Kalika Sahasranama Stotra
  • Lalitarahasya Sahasranama Stotra
  • Lakshmi Sahasranama Stotra
  • Minakshi Sahasranama Stotra
  • Parvati Sahasranama Stotra
  • Saraswati Sahasranama Stotra
  • Sita Sahasranama Stotra
  • Sodasi Rajarajeswari Sahasranama Stotra
  • Syamala Sahasranama Stotra

Stotras for Vishnu & avatara

  • Hayagrīva Stotra
  • Hari Stotra
  • Vishnu Sahasranama Stotra
  • Narasimha Kavacham Stotra
  • Rāma Raksha Stotra
  • Venkatesa Sahasranama Stotra
  • Santanagopala Sahasranama Stotra
  • Rakaradi Srirama Sahasranama Stotra
  • Makaradi Srirama Sahasranama Stotra
  • Lakshminarasimha Sahasranama Stotra
  • Kakaradi Krishna Sahasranama Stotra

Stotras for other Gods & Goddesses

  • Māruti Stotra
  • Anjaneya Sahasranama Stotra
  • Surya Sahasranama Stotra
  • Sanaischara Sahasranama

General / Philosophical Stotras

  • Dvādaśa Stotra by Madhvacharya
  • Mohamudgara Stotra (Bhaja Govindam) by Sankaracharya

Jainism

  • Bhaktamara Stotra
  • Uvasagharam Stotra

See also

  • Khadgamala
  • List of suktas and stutis

References

Bibliography

  • Read Stotras in multiple languages (archived 14 May 2011)
  • Alphabetical List of the Stotras
  • Read Samskrit Stotra with their English Translation and English Transcription