The Meenakshi Pancharatnam is a short hymn of five verses (pancha means five and ratna means gem) in praise of Meenakshi, the goddess of Madurai, whose name means the fish-eyed one. It is attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, though scholars debate which stotras are his, and it is among the most compact hymns to her in Sanskrit.
Every verse follows one frame. Four lines describe her, one long chain of epithets and images, and the last line is a refrain: Meenakshim pranato ‘smi santatam aham karunya-varanidhim, which means I always bow to Meenakshi, the ocean of compassion. The descriptions mix form (jewels, red lips, a smile), family (consort of Sundara, mother of Shanmukha and Vighnaraja) and philosophy (the truth of things, the sound that is Brahman).
Below are the five verses in Devanagari, a simple transliteration and a meaning for each. For other goddess hymns attributed to the same teacher, see the Annapurna Ashtakam and the Devi Aparadha Kshamapana Stotram.
The text, transliteration and meaning
Each verse is one sentence: a string of descriptions in the accusative, completed by the last line. The meanings below give the sense in that order.
Verse 1
उद्यद्भानुसहस्रकोटिसदृशां केयूरहारोज्ज्वलां
बिम्बोष्ठीं स्मितदन्तपङ्क्तिरुचिरां पीताम्बरालङ्कृताम् ।
विष्णुब्रह्मसुरेन्द्रसेवितपदां तत्त्वस्वरूपां शिवां
मीनाक्षीं प्रणतोऽस्मि सन्ततमहं कारण्यवारान्निधिम् ॥
Udyadbhanusahasrakotisadrisham keyuraharojjvalam
Bimboshthim smitadantapanktiruchiram pitambaralankritam
Vishnubrahmasurendrasevitapadam tattvasvarupam shivam
Minakshim pranato'smi santatamaham karanyavarannidhim
MeaningShe shines like a thousand crores of rising suns, bright with armlets and necklaces, her lips like the red bimba fruit and her teeth in a lovely, smiling row, wrapped in a yellow garment. Her feet are served by Vishnu, Brahma and Indra, and she is the essence of truth, the auspicious one. I always bow to Meenakshi, the ocean of compassion.
Verse 2
मुक्ताहारलसत्किरीटरुचिरां पूर्णेन्दुवक्रप्रभां
शिञ्जन्नूपुरकिङ्किणीमणिधरां पद्मप्रभाभासुराम् ।
सर्वाभीष्टफलप्रदां गिरिसुतां वाणीरमासेवितां
मीनाक्षीं प्रणतोऽस्मि सन्ततमहं कारुण्यवारान्निधिम् ॥
Muktaharalasatkiritaruchiram purnenduvakraprabham
Shinjannupurakinkinimanidharam padmaprabhabhasuram
Sarvabhishtaphalapradam girisutam vaniramasevitam
Minakshim pranato'smi santatamaham karunyavarannidhim
MeaningShe is radiant with a pearl necklace and a crown, her face glowing like the full moon, wearing tinkling anklets, bells and jewels, shining with the glow of the lotus. She grants every desired fruit, is the daughter of the mountain, and is served by Vani and Rama, Saraswati and Lakshmi. I always bow to Meenakshi, the ocean of compassion.
Verse 3
श्रीविद्यां शिववामभागनिलयां ह्रींकारमन्त्रोज्ज्वलां
श्रीचक्राङ्कितबिन्दुमध्यवसतिं श्रीमत्सभानायकीम् ।
श्रीमत्षण्मुखविघ्नराजजननीं श्रीमज्जगन्मोहिनीं
मीनाक्षीं प्रणतोऽस्मि सन्ततमहं कारुण्यवारान्निधिम् ॥
Shrividyam shivavamabhaganilayam hrinkaramantrojjvalam
Shrichakrankitabindumadhyavasatim shrimatsabhanayakim
Shrimatshanmukhavighnarajajananim shrimajjaganmohinim
Minakshim pranato'smi santatamaham karunyavarannidhim
MeaningShe is Shri Vidya, dwelling on the left side of Shiva, radiant with the mantra hrim, abiding in the central point of the Shri Chakra, the mistress of the sacred assembly. She is mother of Shanmukha and of Vighnaraja, and she enchants the whole world. I always bow to Meenakshi, the ocean of compassion.
Verse 4
श्रीमत्सुन्दरनायकीं भयहरां ज्ञानप्रदां निर्मलां
श्यामाभां कमलासनार्चितपदां नारायणस्यानुजाम् ।
वीणावेणुमृदङ्गवाद्यरसिकां नानाविधाडम्बिकां
मीनाक्षीं प्रणतोऽस्मि सन्ततमहं कारुण्यवारान्निधिम् ॥
Shrimatsundaranayakim bhayaharam jnanapradam nirmalam
Shyamabham kamalasanarchitapadam narayanasyanujam
Vinavenumridangavadyarasikam nanavidhadambikam
Minakshim pranato'smi santatamaham karunyavarannidhim
MeaningShe is the queen of Sundara, takes away fear, grants knowledge and is spotless, dark of hue. Her feet are worshipped by the lotus-seated Brahma and she is the younger sister of Narayana, delighting in the music of the veena, flute and drum, and showing many splendours. I always bow to Meenakshi, the ocean of compassion.
Verse 5
नानायोगिमुनीन्द्रहृन्निवसतीं नानार्थसिद्धिप्रदां
नानापुष्पविराजिताङ्घ्रियुगलां नारायणेनार्चिताम् ।
नादब्रह्ममयीं परात्परतरां नानार्थतत्त्वात्मिकां
मीनाक्षीं प्रणतोऽस्मि सन्ततमहं कारुण्यवारान्निधिम् ॥
Nanayogimunindrahrinnivasatim nanarthasiddhipradam
Nanapushpavirajitanghriyugalam narayanenarchitam
Nadabrahmamayim paratparataram nanarthatattvatmikam
Minakshim pranato'smi santatamaham karunyavarannidhim
MeaningShe lives in the hearts of many yogis and lords of sages, grants success in many aims, and her feet are adorned with many flowers and worshipped by Narayana. She is made of the sound that is Brahman, higher than the highest, the essence of many principles. I always bow to Meenakshi, the ocean of compassion.
Text: Sanskrit Wikisource, page “मीनाक्षीपञ्चरत्नम्” (a transcription of the printed book शङ्कराचार्यविरचितानि स्तोत्राणि (द्वितीयः भागः), pages 91 to 92). Transliteration is simplified; meanings are our own. Verse numbers appear as labels above each verse.
When and how it is traditionally recited
The hymn is short enough to be a daily prayer. Many devotees of Meenakshi recite it in the morning after a bath, in front of a lamp and a picture of the goddess, and temple-goers sometimes say it while queuing for darshan. Friday is a day many families keep for goddess worship, and the nine nights of Sharad Navratri are another common occasion; dates are on that festival page.
Some people recite the five verses once, some three times or eleven. Others sing only the refrain line between verses. In the Tamil country, where Meenakshi is most loved, there are also many songs and hymns in Tamil, but this page covers only the Sanskrit stotra. Customs differ by region and family, so follow your own household or teacher.
What the tradition says it is for
Tradition reads the hymn as a portrait for meditation. The verses walk from jewel and smile to the abstract: the Shri Chakra, the nada (sound) that is Brahman, and the principle beyond the highest. Devotees often say the shape of the poem leads the mind from a visible form to the idea behind it, which may be why it is so often learned by heart.
The goddess is called mother of both Shanmukha (Kartikeya) and Vighnaraja (Ganesha), consort of Sundara (a name of Shiva at Madurai) and younger sister of Narayana. These family relations are a regional tradition, and the stotra names them without telling the stories.
The hymn does not state a list of benefits of its own, and it is not a promise of outcomes. Many families recite it for peace of mind and as an act of devotion. For health, money or legal worries, please take practical and professional advice as well.
Pronunciation notes
Begin with the refrain, since you will say it five times: Meenakshim pranato ‘smi santatam aham karunya-varanidhim. The ee of Meenakshim is long, the ksh is pronounced as k followed by sh, and the apostrophe in ‘smi marks a dropped a, so say pranato smi without a pause. The final m of Meenakshim and santatam is a soft hum.
The compounds are long, so cut them at the natural joins: ud-yad-bha-nu sa-has-ra-ko-ti sa-drisham. The bh in bhanu and dh in varanidhim are breathy consonants. In the third verse the sound hrim is a seed syllable, said with a trilled-light r and a nasal hum. If you chant, follow your teacher’s rhythm; this stotra is usually sung at a relaxed pace.
Related mantras and pages
- Annapurna Ashtakam: another goddess hymn attributed to Shankaracharya
- Devi Suktam: a Rigveda hymn spoken by the goddess herself
- Durga Chalisa: a Hindi devotional poem to Durga
- Sharad Navratri: the nine nights when the goddess is worshipped
- Bhavani Ashtakam: a prayer of surrender to the Mother
- All mantras, stotras, chalisas and aartis
Frequently asked questions
↳ What does Meenakshi mean?
Meenakshi means the fish-eyed one, from meena (fish) and akshi (eye). It describes eyes that are long and graceful like a fish. She is the goddess of Madurai.
↳ What does Pancharatnam mean?
Pancha means five and ratna means jewel or gem. The name tells you the hymn has five verses and that each is a gem. Other hymns attributed to Shankaracharya use the same naming pattern.
↳ Who composed the Meenakshi Pancharatnam?
It is attributed to Adi Shankaracharya. Scholars debate which stotras are his, so most careful writers say attributed rather than composed by him.
↳ What is the refrain of the Meenakshi Pancharatnam?
Every verse ends: Meenakshim pranato 'smi santatam aham karunya-varanidhim. It means I always bow to Meenakshi, the ocean of compassion.
↳ When should I recite it?
There is no fixed rule. Many devotees recite it in the morning or on Fridays, and some on Navratri. Families and temples keep their own customs.