Ram Raksha Stotra

The Ram Raksha Stotra is one of the most cherished protective hymns in Sanatan Dharma, composed by the sage Budhakaushika. It is said the sage saw this stotra in a dream given by Bhagwan Shiva himself and wrote it down at dawn. The word "raksha" means protection, and this stotra invokes Shri Ram to guard every single part of the devotee's body and every direction of life, from the crown of the head to the soles of the feet.

अस्य श्रीरामरक्षास्तोत्रमन्त्रस्य। बुधकौशिक ऋषिः। श्रीसीतारामचंद्रो देवता। अनुष्टुप् छन्दः। सीता शक्तिः। श्रीमद्हनुमान् कीलकम्। श्रीरामचंद्रप्रीत्यर्थे रामरक्षास्तोत्रजपे विनियोगः।

ध्यायेदाजानुबाहुं धृतशरधनुषं बद्धपद्मासनस्थं पीतं वासो वसानं नवकमलदलस्पर्धिनेत्रं प्रसन्नम्। वामाङ्कारूढसीतामुखकमलमिलल्लोचनं नीरदाभं नानालङ्कारदीप्तं दधतमुरुजटामण्डलं रामचन्द्रम्॥

चरितं रघुनाथस्य शतकोटिप्रविस्तरम्। एकैकमक्षरं पुंसां महापातकनाशनम्॥

ध्यात्वा नीलोत्पलश्यामं रामं राजीवलोचनम्। जानकीलक्ष्मणोपेतं जटामुकुटमण्डितम्॥

सासितूणधनुर्बाणपाणिं नक्तंचरान्तकम्। स्वलीलया जगत्त्रातुमाविर्भूतमजं विभुम्॥

रामरक्षां पठेत्प्राज्ञः पापघ्नीं सर्वकामदाम्। शिरो मे राघवः पातु भालं दशरथात्मजः॥

कौसल्येयो दृशौ पातु विश्वामित्रप्रियः श्रुती। घ्राणं पातु मखत्राता मुखं सौमित्रिवत्सलः॥

जिह्वां विद्यानिधिः पातु कण्ठं भरतवन्दितः। स्कन्धौ दिव्यायुधः पातु भुजौ भग्नेशकार्मुकः॥

करौ सीतापतिः पातु हृदयं जामदग्न्यजित्। मध्यं पातु खरध्वंसी नाभिं जाम्बवदाश्रयः॥

सुग्रीवेशः कटी पातु सक्थिनी हनुमत्प्रभुः। ऊरू रघूत्तमः पातु रक्षःकुलविनाशकृत्॥

जानुनी सेतुकृत्पातु जङ्घे दशमुखान्तकः। पादौ विभीषणश्रीदः पातु रामोऽखिलं वपुः॥

एतां रामबलोपेतां रक्षां यः सुकृती पठेत्। स चिरायुः सुखी पुत्री विजयी विनयी भवेत्॥

पातालभूतलव्योमचारिणश्छद्मचारिणः। न द्रष्टुमपि शक्तास्ते रक्षितं रामनामभिः॥

रामेति रामभद्रेति रामचंद्रेति वा स्मरन्। नरो न लिप्यते पापैर्भुक्तिं मुक्तिं च विन्दति॥

जगज्जैत्रैकमन्त्रेण रामनाम्नाभिरक्षितम्। यः कण्ठे धारयेत्तस्य करस्थाः सर्वसिद्धयः॥

वज्रपंजरनामेदं यो रामकवचं स्मरेत्। अव्याहताज्ञः सर्वत्र लभते जयमंगलम्॥

आदिष्टवान्यथा स्वप्ने रामरक्षामिमां हरः। तथा लिखितवान्प्रातः प्रबुद्धो बुधकौशिकः॥

आरामः कल्पवृक्षाणां विरामः सकलापदाम्। अभिरामस्त्रिलोकानां रामः श्रीमान्स नः प्रभुः॥

तरुणौ रूपसंपन्नौ सुकुमारौ महाबलौ। पुण्डरीकविशालाक्षौ चीरकृष्णाजिनाम्बरौ॥

फलमूलाशिनौ दान्तौ तापसौ ब्रह्मचारिणौ। पुत्रौ दशरथस्यैतौ भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ॥

शरण्यौ सर्वसत्त्वानां श्रेष्ठौ सर्वधनुष्मताम्। रक्षःकुलनिहन्तारौ त्रायेतां नो रघूत्तमौ॥

सन्नद्धः कवची खड्गी चापबाणधरो युवा। गच्छन्मनोरथोऽस्माकं रामः पातु सलक्ष्मणः॥

रामो दाशरथिः शूरो लक्ष्मणानुचरो बली। काकुत्स्थः पुरुषः पूर्णः कौसल्येयो रघूत्तमः॥

वेदान्तवेद्यो यज्ञेशः पुराणपुरुषोत्तमः। जानकीवल्लभः श्रीमानप्रमेयपराक्रमः॥

इत्येतानि जपन्नित्यं मद्भक्तः श्रद्धयान्वितः। अश्वमेधाधिकं पुण्यं संप्राप्नोति न संशयः॥

रामं दुर्वादलश्यामं पद्माक्षं पीतवाससम्। स्तुवन्ति नामभिर्दिव्यैर्न ते संसारिणो नराः॥

रामं लक्ष्मणपूर्वजं रघुवरं सीतापतिं सुंदरम्। काकुत्स्थं करुणार्णवं गुणनिधिं विप्रप्रियं धार्मिकम्॥

राजेन्द्रं सत्यसंधं दशरथतनयं श्यामलं शान्तमूर्तिम्। वन्दे लोकाभिरामं रघुकुलतिलकं राघवं रावणारिम्॥

रामाय रामभद्राय रामचन्द्राय वेधसे। रघुनाथाय नाथाय सीतायाः पतये नमः॥

श्रीराम राम रघुनन्दन राम राम। श्रीराम राम भरताग्रज राम राम। श्रीराम राम रणकर्कश राम राम। श्रीराम राम शरणं भव राम राम॥

श्रीराम चंद्र चरणौ मनसा स्मरामि। श्रीराम चंद्र चरणौ शिरसा नमामि। श्रीराम चंद्र चरणौ वचसा गृणामि। श्रीराम चंद्र चरणौ शरणं प्रपद्ये॥

माता रामो मत्पिता रामचंद्रः स्वामी रामो मत्सखा रामचंद्रः। सर्वस्वं मे रामचंद्रो दयालुर्नान्यं जाने नैव जाने न जाने॥

दक्षिणे लक्ष्मणो यस्य वामे तु जनकात्मजा। पुरतो मारुतिर्यस्य तं वंदे रघुनन्दनम्॥

लोकाभिरामं रणरंगधीरं राजीवनेत्रं रघुवंशनाथम्। कारुण्यरूपं करुणाकरं तं श्रीरामचंद्रं शरणं प्रपद्ये॥

मनोजवं मारुततुल्यवेगं जितेन्द्रियं बुद्धिमतां वरिष्ठम्। वातात्मजं वानरयूथमुख्यं श्रीरामदूतं शरणं प्रपद्ये॥

कूजन्तं राम रामेति मधुरं मधुराक्षरम्। आरुह्य कविताशाखां वंदे वाल्मीकिकोकिलम्॥

आपदामपहर्तारं दातारं सर्वसंपदाम्। लोकाभिरामं श्रीरामं भूयो भूयो नमाम्यहम्॥

भर्जनं भवबीजानामर्जनं सुखसंपदाम्। तर्जनं यमदूतानां रामरक्षां करोतु नः॥

रामो राजमणिः सदा विजयते रामं रमेशं भजे रामेणाभिहता निशाचरचमू रामाय तस्मै नमः। रामान्नास्ति परायणं परतरं रामस्य दासोऽस्म्यहं रामे चित्तलयः सदा भवतु मे भो राम मामुद्धर॥

राम रामेति रामेति रमे रामे मनोरमे। सहस्रनाम तत्तुल्यं रामनाम वरानने॥

इति श्रीबुधकौशिकविरचितं श्रीरामरक्षास्तोत्रं संपूर्णम्।

The opening lines declare that the mere fame of Shri Ram, spread across a hundred crore verses, is so pure that even one syllable of it destroys great sins. The dhyana verse pictures Shri Ram standing with arms reaching to his knees, holding bow and arrow, seated in lotus posture, clothed in yellow, his eyes like fresh lotus petals, seated beside Mother Sita, radiant as a monsoon cloud.

The central portion of the stotra is the actual "kavach" or armour: it asks Shri Ram, in his many forms and relationships (son of Dasharath, beloved of Kaushalya, dear to Vishwamitra, cherished by Lakshman, worshipped by Bharat), to protect each part of the body in turn — the head, forehead, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, tongue, throat, shoulders, arms, hands, heart, waist, thighs, knees, shins and feet. This is why the stotra is called a kavacha (armour) — it wraps the devotee's entire body in Shri Ram's protection, limb by limb.

The following verses promise that one who recites this with devotion becomes long-lived, happy, blessed with good children, victorious and humble; that beings of the netherworld, earth and sky who move in disguise cannot even see one protected by Ram's name; that simply remembering the names Ram, Ramabhadra or Ramachandra frees a person from sin and grants both worldly comfort and liberation.

The middle section glorifies Ram and Lakshman together as the refuge of all beings, foremost among archers, destroyers of the demon clans, and asks them to protect the devotee. It closes with some of the most beloved verses in all of Ram bhakti — "Ram is my mother, Ram is my father, Ram is my friend, Ram is my everything, I know none other, I truly know none other" — and the famous verse to Hanuman, "I take refuge in Shri Ram's messenger, swift as the mind, equal in speed to the wind, master of the senses, foremost among the wise." The final phalashruti (fruit of recitation) verses declare that this stotra burns the seeds of worldly bondage, brings all auspicious wealth, and terrifies the messengers of death — may Ram Raksha protect us always.

The Ram Raksha Stotra is chanted for all-round protection — of the body, of the mind, and of one's undertakings. Sage Budhakaushika composed it specifically as a kavach, so it is traditionally recited first thing in the morning before stepping out into the world, before a journey, before an important task, or whenever a person or family feels the need for spiritual safety. It is also considered highly auspicious to recite for children, for protection from negative influences, and for cultivating unwavering devotion (bhakti) toward Shri Ram.

Bathe and sit facing east or north in a clean, quiet place, ideally at sunrise (Brahma Muhurta) or in the morning. Light a diya before an image of Shri Ram, Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman. Offer a short invocation to Shri Ram, then recite the complete stotra with a calm and devoted mind, either from memory or from a printed text. It may be read once daily; those with a special sankalp sometimes read it repeatedly on Ram Navami or on Tuesdays and Saturdays, which are considered favourable for Ram and Hanuman upasana. No mala is strictly required, but if you wish to count repetitions, a Tulsi mala is considered most appropriate.

Maintain cleanliness of body and mind before reciting. Do not rush through the verses only for the sake of speed — clear, unhurried recitation with understanding is more fruitful than mechanical repetition. Avoid non-vegetarian food and intoxicants on the day of a special sankalp reading. It need not be read only by scholars — any sincere devotee, regardless of background, may recite it with faith.

Tradition holds that Bhagwan Shiva himself revealed this stotra to sage Budhakaushika in a dream so that devotees would have a simple, complete armour of Ram's protection. Because it invokes Ram's name for every limb of the body and every direction of danger, it is regarded as one of the most powerful and complete protective stotras in the Sanatan tradition, comparable in importance to the Hanuman Chalisa for the devotee's daily safety and peace of mind.

Can anyone recite the Ram Raksha Stotra, or is it only for scholars? Any devotee with sincere faith can recite it. No special initiation is required; only cleanliness, a calm mind, and devotion to Shri Ram.

What is the best time to recite the Ram Raksha Stotra? Early morning after bathing is considered ideal, but it may also be read before an important task, before travel, or at night for peace of mind.

How many times should it be recited? Once daily with full devotion is enough for regular protection. On special days like Ram Navami, devotees may read it multiple times as per their sankalp.

What if I cannot read Sanskrit fluently? You may read it slowly with the help of a transliteration, or listen to it recited by someone else while following along; sincerity of intent matters more than perfect pronunciation, though care should be taken to improve pronunciation over time.