Sankata Nama Ashtakam is the Slokam in praise of and prayer to Sri Sankata Hara Devi, one of the manifestations of the Saptha Mathrikas, the seven divine mothers. The Saptha Mathrikas are Sri Brahmani, Sri Maheshvari, Sri Kaumari, Sri Vaishnavi, Sri Varahi, Sri Indrani and Sri Chamunda.
Sri Sankata Hara Devi, as the name suggests, is the Goddess who removes the worries, sorrows and obstacles. She is one of the presiding Deities of Kashi. She is also called as Vikata Mathrika as She is fierce and has ten hands. The Slokam describes the attributes of Sri Sankata Hara Devi.
Sankata Nama Ashtakam is said to be extracted from Sri Padma Puran as the conversation between Sage Narada, Yudhistra and Sage Markandeya.
The Slokam is presented in Devanagari and English scripts.
नारद उवाच
जैगीषव्य मुनिश्रेष्ठ सर्वज्ञ सुखदायक
आख्यातानि सुपुण्यानि श्रुतानि त्वत्प्रसादतः (1)
naaradha uvaacha
jaigeeShavya munishraeShTa sarvajna sukhadhaayaka
aakhyaathaani supuNyaani shruthaani thvathprasaadhathah
न तृप्तिमधिगच्छामि तव वागमृतेन च
वदस्वैकं महाभाग सङ्कटाख्यानमुत्तमम् (2)
na thrupthi-maDhi-gachChaami thava vaagamruthaena cha
vadhasvaikaM mahaabhaaga sanGkata-akhyaanam-uththamam
इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा जैगीषव्योऽब्रवीत्ततः
सङ्कष्टनाशनं स्तोत्रं शृणु देवर्षिसत्तम (3)
ithi thasya vachah shruthvaa jaigeeShavyoa(A)braveeththathah
sanGkaShta-naashanaM sthoathraM shruuNu dhaevarShi-saththama
द्वापरे तु पुरा वृत्ते भ्रष्टराज्यो युधिष्ठिरः
भ्रातृभिस्सहितो राज्यनिर्वेदं परमं गतः (4)
dhvaaparae thu puraa vruththae bhraShtaraajyoa yuDhiShTirah
bhraathrubhis-sahithoa raajya-nirvaedhaM paramaM gathah
तदानीं तु ततः काशीं पुरीं यातो महामुनिः
मार्कण्डेय इति ख्यातः सह शिष्यैर्महायशाः (5)
thadhaaneeM thu thathah kaasheeM pureeM yaathoa mahaamunih
maarkaNdaeya ithi khyaatah saha shiShyair-mahaayashaah
तं दृष्ट्वा स समुत्थाय प्रणिपत्य सुपूजितः
किमर्थं म्लानवदन एतत्त्वं मां निवेदय (6)
thaM druShtvaa sa samuthThaaya praNipathya supoojithah
kimarThaM mlaanavadhana aethaththvaM maaM nivaedhaya
युधिष्ठिर उवाच-
सङ्कष्टं मे महत्प्राप्तमेतादृग्वदनं ततः
एतन्निवारणोपायं किञ्चिद्ब्रूहि मुने मम (7)
yuDhiShTira uvaacha-
sanGkaShtaM mae mahath-praaptha-maethaadhrug-vadhanaM thathah
aethan-nivaaraNoa-paayaM kincchidhbroohi munae mama
मार्कण्डेय उवाच-
आनन्दकानने देवी सङ्कटा नाम विश्रुता
वीरेश्वरोत्तरे भागे पूर्वं चन्द्रेश्वरस्य च (8)
maarkaNdaeya uvaacha-
aanandhakaananae dhaevee sanGkataa naama vishruthaa
veeraeshvaroaththarae bhaagae poorvaM chandhra-eshvarasya cha
शृणु नामाष्टकं तस्याः सर्वसिद्धिकरं नृणाम्
सङ्कटा प्रथमं नाम द्वितीयं विजया तथा (9)
shruNu naama-aShtakaM thasyaah sarva-sidhDhikaraM nruNaam
sanGkataa praThamaM naama dvitheeyaM vijayaa thaThaa
तृतीयं कामदा प्रोक्तं चतुर्थं दुःखहारिणी
शर्वाणी पञ्चमं नाम षष्ठं कात्यायनी तथा (10)
thrutheeyaM kaamadhaa prokthaM chathurThaM dhuhkha-haariNee
sharvaaNee panchchamaM naama ShaShTaM kaathyaayanee thaThaa
सप्तमं भीमनयना सर्वरोगहराऽष्टमम्
नामाष्टकमिदं पुण्यं त्रिसन्ध्यं श्रद्धयान्वितः (11)
sapthamaM bheema-nayanaa sarva-roga-hara-(A)Shtamam
naamaaShtakam-idhaM puNyaM thrisanDhyaM shradhDha-yaanvithah
यः पठेत्पाठयेद्वापि नरो मुच्येत सङ्कटात्
इत्युक्त्वा तु द्विजश्रेष्ठमृषिर्वाराणसीं ययौ (12)
yah paTaeth-paaTayaedh-vaapi naro muchyaetha sanGkataath
ithyukthvaa thu dhvija-shraeShTa-mruShirva-araaNaseeM yayau
इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा नारदो हर्षनिर्भरः
ततः सम्पूजितां देवीं वीरेश्वरसमन्विताम् (13)
ithi thasya vachah shruthvaa naaradhoa harShanirbharah
thathah sampoojithaaM dhaeveeM veera-eshvara-samanvithaam
भुजैस्तु दशभिर्युक्तां लोचनत्रयभूषिताम्
मालाकमण्डलुयुतां पद्मशङ्खगदायुताम् (14)
bhujaishtu dhashabhir-yukthaaM loachana-thraya-bhooShithaam
maalaa-kamaNdalu-yuthaaM padhma-shanGkha-gadha-ayuthaam
त्रिशूलडमरुधरां खड्गचर्मविभूषिताम्
वरदाभयहस्तां तां प्रणम्य विधिनन्दनः (15)
trishoola-damaru-DharaaM khadga-charma-vibhooShithaam
varadha-abhaya-hasthaaM thaaM praNamya vidhi-nandhanah
वारत्रयं गृहीत्वा तु ततो विष्णुपुरं ययौ
एतत् स्तोत्रस्य पठनं पुत्रपौत्रविवर्धनम्
vaarathrayaM gruheethvaa thu thathoa viShNu-puraM yayau
aethath-sthoathrasya paTanaM puthra-pauthra-vivarDhanam
सङ्कष्टनाशनं चैव त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम्
गोपनीयं प्रयत्नेन महावन्ध्याप्रसूतिकृत्
sanGkaShta-naashanaM chaiva thriShu loakaeShu vishrutham
goapaneeyaM prayathnaena mahaa-vandhyaa-prasoothikruth
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे सङ्कटनामाष्टकम्
ithi shree-padma-puraaNae sanGkata-naama-aShtakam
