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Wikipedia / Stotra

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. 'Stotra' derives from 'stu' meaning 'to praise'

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.

A common feature of most stotras other than Nama stotras is the repetition of a line at the end of every verse. For example, the last line of every verse in the Mahiṣāsura Mardinī Stotra ends in "Jaya Jaya Hē Mahiṣāsura-mardini Ramyakapardini śailasute."

Many stotra hymns praise aspects of the divine, such as Devi, Shiva, or Vishnu. Relating to word "stuti", coming from the same Sanskrit root stu- ("to praise"), and basically both mean "praise". Notable stotras are Shiva Tandava Stotram in praise of Shiva and Rama Raksha Stotra, a prayer for protection to Rama.

Stotras are a type of popular devotional literature. Among the early texts with Stotras are by Kuresha, which combine Ramanuja's Vedantic ideas on qualified monism about Atman and Brahman (ultimate, unchanging reality), with temple practices. Stotras are key in Hindu rituals and blessings.

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.

The genre of stotras spans from refined, personal works of poetic phrase such as kavya to impersonal lists of a deity's names (nama-stotras) that can function like mantras through repetition. Historically linked to Vedic hymns and other lyrical poetry, stotras appear in many South Asian traditions, including Buddhism, Jainism, Shaivism, and Vaishnavism, and are often included in larger works like the Mahabharata, Ramayana, and various Puranas and Tantras.

Example

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

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

Stotras for other Gods & Goddesses

  • Māruti Stotra

  • Anjaneya Sahasranama Stotra

  • Surya Sahasranama Stotra

  • Sanaischara Sahasranama

General / Philosophical Stotras

Jainism

See also

References

Bibliography