Harivarasanam

Harivarasanam is a Sanskritised Malayalam ashtakam sung as a lullaby to Hindu god Ayyappan at the Sabarimala Temple, in Kerala, India. The traditional version of the song is sung vocally inside the temple during the closing ceremony, while various popular versions of the song are sung by the devotees.

Background

Harivarasanam is an ashtakam (eight metre stanzas) composed in Malayalam. The song is used as a lullaby to Hindu god Ayyappan at the Sabarimala Temple, in Kerala, India. ^{[1] [2]} The exact origin of the original song is unclear. Kambakudi Kulathur Srinivasa Iyer, who authored a collection of devotional songs, is claimed to the author of the song. However, descendants of Konnakathu Janaki Amma claimed that she had composed the song as an offering to Ayyappan when her father, Ananthakrishna Iyer, was the chief priest of Sabarimala. ^{[1] [2]} Swami Vimochanananda was the first to recite the song at Sabarimala in the early 1950s, at the end of the day's rituals to put Lord Ayyapa to sleep, and the tradition has continued since. ^{[1] [2]}

The popular version of the song, often sung by the devotees, was part of the 1975 Malayalam film Swami Ayyappan . The song was rendered by K. J. Yesudas with background music by G. Devarajan. ^{[1] [2]} The centenary celebrations of the composing of the song was celebrated in 2023 by the Sabarimala Ayyappa Seva Samajam. ^[3]

Lyrics

In Malayalam	IAST transcription [4]	English translation [5]
ഹരിവരാസനം വിശ്വമോഹനം ഹരിദധീശ്വരം ആരാധ്യപാദുകം അരി വിമര്‍ദ്ദനം നിത്യ നര്‍ത്തനം ഹരിഹരാത്മജം ദേവമാശ്രയേ ശരണ കീര്‍ത്തനം ഭക്തമാനസം ഭരണലോലുപം നര്‍ത്തനാലസം അരുണഭാസുരം ഭൂതനായകം ഹരിഹരാത്മജം ദേവമാശ്രയേ പ്രണയസത്യകം പ്രാണനായകം പ്രണതകല്പകം സുപ്രഭാഞ്ചിതം പ്രണവ മന്ദിരം കീര്‍ത്തനപ്രിയം ഹരിഹരാത്മജം ദേവമാശ്രയേ തുരഗവാഹനം സുന്ദരാനനം വരഗദായുധം വേദവർണ്ണിതം ഗുരുകൃപാകരം കീര്‍ത്തനപ്രിയം ഹരിഹരാത്മജം ദേവമാശ്രയേ ത്രിഭുവനാര്‍ച്ചിതം ദേവതാത്മകം ത്രിനയനം പ്രഭും ദിവ്യദേശികം ത്രിദശപൂജിതം ചിന്തിതപ്രദം ഹരിഹരാത്മജം ദേവമാശ്രയേ ഭവഭയാവഹം ഭാവുകാവഹം ഭുവനമോഹനം ഭൂതിഭൂഷണം ധവളവാഹനം ദിവ്യവാരണം ഹരിഹരാത്മജം ദേവമാശ്രയേ കളമൃദുസ്മിതം സുന്ദരാനനം കളഭകോമളം ഗാത്രമോഹനം കളഭകേസരി വാജിവാഹനം ഹരിഹരാത്മജം ദേവമാശ്രയേ ശ്രിതജനപ്രിയം ചിന്തിതപ്രദം ശ്രുതിവിഭൂഷണം സാധുജീവനം ശ്രുതിമനോഹരം ഗീതലാലസം ഹരിഹരാത്മജം ദേവമാശ്രയേ ശരണമയ്യപ്പാ സ്വാമി ശരണമയ്യപ്പാ ശരണമയ്യപ്പാ സ്വാമി ശരണമയ്യപ്പാ	harivarāsanaṃ viśvamōhanam haridadhīśvaraṃ ārādhyapādukam arivimardanaṃ nityanartanam hariharātmajaṃ dēvamāśrayē śaraṇakīrtanaṃ bhaktamānasam bharaṇalōlupaṃ nartanālasam aruṇabhāsuraṃ bhūtanāyakam hariharātmajaṃ dēvamāśrayē praṇayasatyakaṃ prāṇanāyakam praṇatakalpakaṃ suprabhāñchitam praṇavamandiraṃ kīrtanapriyam hariharātmajaṃ dēvamāśrayē turagavāhanaṃ sundarānanam varagadāyudhaṃ vēdavarṇitam gurukṛpākaraṃ kīrtanapriyam hariharātmajaṃ dēvamāśrayē tribhuvanārchitaṃ dēvatātmakam trinayanaprabhuṃ divyadēśikam tridaśapūjitaṃ chintitapradam hariharātmajaṃ dēvamāśrayē bhavabhayāpahaṃ bhāvukāvakam bhuvanamōhanaṃ bhūtibhūṣaṇam dhavaḻavāhanaṃ divyavāraṇam hariharātmajaṃ dēvamāśrayē kaḻamṛdusmitaṃ sundarānanam kaḻabhakōmalaṃ gātramōhanam kaḻabhakēsarīvājivāhanam hariharātmajaṃ dēvamāśrayē śritajanapriyaṃ chintitapradam śrutivibhūṣaṇaṃ sādhujīvanam śrutimanōharaṃ gītalālasam hariharātmajaṃ dēvamāśrayē śaraṇaṃ ayyappā svāmi śaraṇaṃ ayyappā śaraṇaṃ ayyappā svāmi śaraṇaṃ ayyappā	Repository of Hari’s boons, Enchanter of the universe, Essence of Hari’s grace, He whose holy feet is worshipped, He who kills enemies by good thought, He who dances the cosmic dance daily, Son of Hari and Hara, I take refuge in thee, Oh Lord He who likes song of refuge, He who is in the mind of devotees, He who is the great ruler, He who loves to dance, He who shines like the rising sun, He who is the king of all beings, Son of Hari and Hara, I take refuge in thee, Oh Lord He whose is true love, He who is the darling of soul, He who created the universe, He who shines with a glittering halo, He who is the temple of 'om, He who loves songs, Son of Hari and Hara, I take refuge in thee, Oh Lord He who rides a horse, He who has a pretty face, He who has the blessed mace as his weapon, He who is glorified by the Vedas He who bestows grace like a teacher, He who loves songs, Son of Hari and Hara, I take refuge in thee, Oh Lord He who is worshiped by the three worlds, He who is the soul of all Gods, He who is the Three - eyed Lord (Shiva), He who is worshipped by the devas He who is worshipped three times a day, He whose thought itself is fulfilling, Son of Hari and Hara, I take refuge in thee, Oh Lord He who destroys fear, He who brings prosperity, He who is the enchanter of universe, He who wears holy ash as an ornament, He who rides a white noble elephant, Son of Hari and Hara, I take refuge in thee, Oh Lord He who blesses with an enchanting smile, He who has a pretty face, He who is adorned with sandalwood paste, He who has a pretty physique, He who rides on a royal lion and tiger, Son of Hari and Hara, I take refuge in thee, Oh Lord He who is dear to his devotees, He whose thought itself is fulfilling, He who is praised by songs, He who lives life of an ascetic, He who is the essence of hearing sweet music, He who enjoys divine music, Son of Hari and Hara, I take refuge in thee, Oh Lord My refuge is in you Ayyappa, My refuge is in you Ayyappa

Harivarasanam Award

The Harivarasanam Award was instituted in 2012 and is jointly awarded by the Government of Kerala and the Travancore Devaswom Board. It is awarded for contributions towards propagation of secularism, equanimity, and universal brotherhood of Sabarimala through music. ^[6] The award winner is announced ahead of the annual Makaravilakku festival. ^[7]

See also

• Mahishasuramardini Stotra
• Shasta

References

1. "This Sabarimala season, an updated lullaby for Lord Ayyappan". The Hindu . 19 November 2017. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 25 December 2023.
2. "Harivarasanam, the lullaby of the Lord". The New Indian Express . 15 January 2025. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 25 December 2023.
3. "Governors inaugurate Harivarasanam Centenary celebrations". Chennai Vision. 13 June 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
4. "Harivarasanam (Hariharatmaja Ashtakam)". Vignanam. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
5. Ltd, Celextel Enterprises Pvt (11 July 2018). "Vedanta Shastras Library". Vedanta Shastras Library. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
6. "Renowned music composer Ilaiyaraaja was awarded the Harivarasanam Award for 2020 by the Kerala Government". Vajiram. 16 January 2021. Archived from the original on 17 November 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
7. "Harivarasanam Award for Ilaiyaraja". The Times of India . 28 December 2019. Archived from the original on 17 January 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2020.