Lord Skanda-Murugan
 

Śrī Subrahmanya Ashtottara Śata Nāmavali:
The 108 Names of Lord Skanda Kumāra

Nandikeswarar instructed this incantation to Sage Agastya

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In truth, the names of Lord Skanda are innumerable. But for the sake of brevity, 108 of His descriptive names are enumerated in Sanskrit as below. In each instance, the sādhaka (practitioner) recites a name visualizing that the Lord stands before him or her, and mentally bows down before the Lord with each recitation. For the verbal root nam in Sanskrit literally means 'to bend'; hence the formula has the sense of "Ōm! I bow down to the Lord who is . . . ".

The following is the raw text in Sanskrit where vowels marked as long are twice as long as normal short vowels ('ō' is always long as in 'boat' and 'ē' is always long as in 'bay'}. Approximate English equivalents appear under each mantra.

The pictures at right are from a rare Kanda Sashti souvenir published in 1958 by Śrī-la-śrī Subrahmanya Deśika Paramacharya Swamigal of Tiruvavaduthurai Adhīnam. Click on any image to view it at full size.

  1. Ōm Skandāya namaha
    Hail Skanda! Vanquisher of the mighty foes!
  2. Ōm Guhāya namaha
    Praise be to the Invisible Lord—He who abides in the hearts of devotees true!
  3. Ōm Shanmukhāya namaha
    Praise be to the six-faced one!
  4. Ōm Bālanetrasutāya namaha
    Praise be to the Son of the Three-Eyed Siva!
  5. Ōm Prabhave namaha
    Praise be to the Lord Supreme!
  6. Ōm Pingalāya namaha
    Praise be to the golden-hued one!
  7. Ōm Krittikāsunave namaha
    Hail to the Son of the starry maids!
  8. Ōm Śikhivāhanāya namaha
    Hail to the rider on the peacock!
  9. Ōm Dvinadbhujāya namaha
    Hail to the Lord with the twelve hands!
  10. Ōm Dvinannetrāya namaha
    Hail to the Lord with the twelve eyes!
  11. Ōm Śaktidharāya namaha
    Hail to the wielder of the Lance!
  12. Ōm Pisidāsaprabhajanāya namaha
    Praise be to the destroyer of the Asuras!
  13. Ōm Tārakāsurasamhārine namaha
    Praise be to the slāyar of Tārakāsuran!
  14. Ōm Raksobalavimardanāya namaha
    Praise be to the Victor of the Asuric forces!
  15. Ōm Mattāya namaha
    Praise be to the Lord of felicity!
  16. Ōm Pramattāya namaha
    Praise be to the Lord of bliss!
  17. Ōm Unmattāya namaha
    Hail Oh passionate One!
  18. Ōm Surasainyasuraksakāya namaha
    (Suralangasya Rakshithre Namaha); Hail Saviour of the Devas!
  19. Ōm Devasenāpataye namaha
    Hail Commander of the Heavenly hosts!
  20. Ōm Pragnya namaha
    Hail, Lord of Wisdom!
  21. Ōm Kripalave namaha
    Hail Compassionate One!
  22. Ōm Bhaktavatsalāya namaha
    Lover of devout ones, Praise be to Thee!
  23. Ōm Umāsutāya namaha
    Son of Uma—Praise be to Thee!
  24. Ōm Śaktidharāya namaha
    Mighty Lord—Praise be to Thee!
  25. Ōm Kumārāya namaha
    Eternal youth—Praise be to Thee!
  26. Ōm Krauñcadharanāya namaha
    He who reft asunder the Krauñca Mount—Praise be to Thee!
  27. Ōm Senānye namaha
    Praise be to the Army Chief!
  28. Ōm Agnijanmane namaha
    To the effulgence of Fire, all Hail!
  29. Ōm Visakhāya namaha
    To Him who shone on the astral Visakha—All Hail!
  30. Ōm Shankarātmajāya namaha
    Thou Son of Sankara—All Hail!
  31. Ōm Sivasvāmine namaha
    Thou Preceptor of Siva—All Hail!
  32. Ōm Ganaswāmine namaha
    On Lord of the Ganas—All Hail
  33. Ōm Sarvasvāmine namaha
    On Lord, God Almighty, All Hail!
  34. Ōm Sanātanāya namaha
    Oh Lord eternal, Praise be to Thee!
  35. Ōm Anantasaktaye namaha
    Thou potent Lord, Praise be to Thee!
  36. Ōm Aksobhyāya namaha
    Unsullied by arrows art Thou—Praise be to Thee!
  37. Ōm Parvatīpriyanandanāya namaha
    Thou beloved of Parvati, Praise be to Thee!
  38. Ōm Gangasutāya namaha
    Oh, son of Goddess Ganga—Praise be to Thee!
  39. Ōm Sarodbhutāya namaha
    Thou who did'st nestle in the Saravana Lake!
  40. Ōm Atmabhuve namaha
    Thou Unborn Lord!
  41. Ōm Pavakatmajāya namaha
    Thou who art born of Fire!
  42. Ōm Māyādharāya namaha
    Energy Art Thou—Praise be to Thee!
  43. Ōm Prajrimbhāya namaha
    Praise be to thee Auspicious One! (Blissful)!
  44. Ōm Ujjrimbhāya namaha
    Praise be to the Invincible One!
  45. Ōm Kamalāsanasamstutāya namaha
    Praise be to the Lord extolled by Brahma!
  46. Ōm Ekavarnāya namaha
    The one Word art Thou—All Hail!
  47. Ōm Dvivarnāya namaha
    In Two Art Thou—All Hail!
  48. Ōm Trivarnāya namaha
    Thou Art the Three—All Hail!
  49. Ōm Sumanoharāya namaha
    Thou Stealer of pure hearts—All Hail!
  50. Ōm Caturvarnāya namaha
    In four Art Thou—All Hail!
  51. Ōm Pancavarnāya namaha
    In five letters Art Thou—All Hail!
  52. Ōm Prajapataye namaha
    Father of all Creation—All Hail!
  53. Ōm Trumbāya namaha
    Praise be to Thee, Oh Peerless One!
  54. Ōm Agnigarbhāya namaha
    Thou who dost sustain the fire!
  55. Ōm Samigarbhāya namaha
    Hail Thou who arose out of the Vanni flame! (Fire of the Suma tree)!
  56. Ōm Visvaretase namaha
    Thou glory of the Absolute Paramasivam, All Hail!
  57. Ōm Surarighne namaha
    Oh, Subduer of the foes of the Devas, All Hail!
  58. Ōm Hiranyavarnāya namaha
    Thou resplendent One, All Hail!
  59. Ōm Subhakrite namaha
    Thou Auspicious One—All Hail!
  60. Ōm Vasumate namaha
    Thou Oh Splendour of the Vasus— (a class of Gods) All Hail!
  61. Ōm Vatuvesabhrite namaha
    Praise be to Thee, Oh lover of celibacy!
  62. Ōm Bhūshane namaha
    Thou Luminous Sun—All Hail!
  63. Ōm Kapastaye namaha
    Thou Effulgence divine, All Hail!
  64. Ōm Gahanāya namaha
    Thou Omniscient One—All Hail!
  65. Ōm Chandravarnāya namaha
    Thou Radiance of the Moon—Praise be to Thee!
  66. Ōm Kāladharāya namaha
    Thou who adorns the crescent—Praise be to Thee!
  67. Ōm Māyādharāya namaha
    Engergy art Thou—Praise be to Thee!
  68. Ōm Mahāmāyine namaha
    Great Artist of Deception too art Thou, Praise be to Thee!
  69. Ōm Kaivalyāya namaha
    Everlasting joy of attainment—Praise be to Thee!
  70. Ōm Sahatatmakāya namaha
    Art all-pervading—All Hail!
  71. Ōm Visvayōnaye namaha
    Source of all Existence—All Hail!
  72. Ōm Ameyatmane namaha
    Oh, Supreme Splendour, All Hail!
  73. Ōm Tejonidhaye namaha
    Illumination divine—All Hail!
  74. Ōm Anāmāyaya namaha
    Savior of all ills—All Hail!
  75. Ōm Parameshtine namaha
    Thou art Immaculate Lord, Praise be to Thee
  76. Ōm Parabrahmane namaha
    Thou Transcendant One, Praise be to Thee!
  77. Ōm Vedagarbhāya namaha
    The Source of the Vedas art Thou, Praise be to Thee!
  78. Ōm Viratsutāya namaha
    Immanent Art Thou in the Universe, Praise be to Thee!
  79. Ōm Pulindakanyābhartre namaha
    Praise be to the Lord of Valli, the Vedda belle!
  80. Ōm Mahāsarasvatavradāya namaha
    Praise be to the source of Gnosis
  81. Ōm āsritā Kiladhātre namaha
    Praise be to Him who showers grace on those who seek his solace!
  82. Ōm Choraghnāya namaha
    Praise be to Him who annihilates those who steal!
  83. Ōm Roganasanāya namaha
    Praise be to the divine Healer
  84. Ōm Anantamūrtaye namaha
    Praise be Thine whose forms are endless!
  85. Ōm ānandāya namaha
    Praise be Thine, Oh Thou infinite Bliss!
  86. Ōm Shikhandīkritagedanāya namaha
    Praise be Thine, Thou Lord of peacock banner!
  87. Ōm Dambhāya namaha
    Praise be Thine, Oh lover of gay exuberance!
  88. Ōm Paramadambhāya namaha
    Praise be Thine, Thou lover of supreme exuberance!
  89. Ōm Mahādambhāya namaha
    Praise be Thine, Oh Lord of lofty magnificence!
  90. Ōm Vrishakāpaye namaha
    Thou who art the culmination of righteousness—All Hail (Dharma)!
  91. Ōm Karanopātadehāya namaha
    Thou who deigned embodiment for a cause—All Hail!
  92. Ōm Kāranātita Vigrahāya namaha
    Form transcending causal experience
  93. Ōm Anīshvarāya namaha
    Oh Eternal peerless plentitude, All Hail
  94. Ōm Amritāya namaha
    Thou Ambrosia of Life—All Hail!
  95. Ōm Pranāya namaha
    Thou life of life, Praise unto Thee!
  96. Ōm Pranāyamaparāyanāya namaha
    Thou support of all beings—Praise unto Thee!
  97. Ōm Vritakandare namaha
    Praise unto Thee who subjugates all hostile forces!
  98. Ōm Viraghnāya namaha
    Thou vanquisher of heroic opponents, Praise unto Thee!
  99. Ōm Raktashyamagalāya namaha
    Thou art Love, and of crimson beauty— Praise unto Thee!
  100. Ōm Mahate namaha
    Oh Consummation of glory, All Praise to Thee!
  101. Ōm Subrahmanyāya namaha
    We praise Thee, Oh effulgent Radiance!
  102. Ōm Paravarāya namaha
    Oh Supreme (Sovereign) Goodness, Praise unto Thee!
  103. Ōm Brahmanyāya namaha
    We praise Thee, luminous wisdom serene!
  104. Ōm Brahmanapriyāya namaha
    Thou who art beloved of seers—Praise unto Thee!
  105. Ōm Loka Gurave Namaha
    Oh universal Teacher, All Praise to Thee!
  106. Ōm Guhapriyāya Namaha
    We praise Thee, Indweller in the core of our hearts!
  107. Ōm Aksāyaphalapradāya namaha
    We praise Thee, Oh bestower of indestructible results ineffable!
  108. Ōm Śrī Subrahmanyāya namaha
    We praise Thee, most glorious effulgent Radiance!

Om Saravanabhava Om!

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Index of sacred texts in Tamil, Sanskrit and English