Lord Kartikeya

subrahmaṇya stotraṃ (nīlakaṇṭha vāhanaṃ)

(Subrahmanya Stotram (Nilakantha Vahanam) in English (IAST))

Adi Shankaracharya

This elegant stotram serves as a profound invocation to Lord Kartikeya, the commander of the celestial armies. Attributed to the great philosopher Adi Shankaracharya, the verses vividly describe the Lord riding his peacock mount, adorned in divine radiance with six faces and twelve arms. Reciting this hymn is believed to instill courage, sharpen the intellect, and destroy the negative tendencies of the mind. By meditating on the beauty and strength of Subrahmanya through these rhythmic lines, a devotee seeks spiritual clarity, protection from adversaries, and the grace to overcome obstacles on the path to liberation.

nīlakaṇṭha vāhanaṃ dviṣaḍbujaṃ kirīṭinaṃ
lola ratna kuṇḍala prabābhirāma ṣaṇmukhaṃ
śūla śakti daṇḍa kukku tākṣamālikā dharam
bālamīśvaraṃ kumāraśaila vāsinaṃ bhaje ||
valli devayānikā samullasanta mīśvaraṃ
mallikādi divyapuṣpa mālikā virājitaṃ
jallali nināda śaṅkha vādanapriyaṃ sadā
pallavāruṇaṃ kumāraśaila vāsinaṃ bhaje ||
ṣaḍānanaṃ kuṅkuma raktavarṇaṃ
mahāmatiṃ divya mayūra vāhanaṃ
rudrasya sūnuṃ sura sainya nāthaṃ
guhaṃ sadā śaraṇamahaṃ bhaje ||
mayūrādhirūḍhaṃ mahāvākyagūḍhaṃ
manohāridehaṃ mahaccittageham
mahīdevadevaṃ mahāvedabhāvaṃ
mahādevabālaṃ bhaje lokapālam ||

Explore More