Hari Ashtakam is a prayer dedicated to Vishnu as Hari. Hari means one who shows you the true path and eliminates the illusion or Maya in which you live. This Ashtakam/Stotram was composed and recited to Hari’s glory by Pralhad, the Daitya or Demon, one of Vishnu’s greatest devotees.
Because of his unwavering devotion and love, Vishnu saved his life again and again and put him on the right path of Moksha or the final liberation.
This is a Stotra if it is recited with greatest devotion, place it on the right path of Moksha or the final liberation.
The name Hari, even when recited with a bad mind will destroy all our sins just like the fire which burns the hand even when touched inadvertently.
Sri Haryashtakam Lyrics in Gujarati:
શ્રીહર્યષ્ટકમ્
પ્રહ્લાદકૃતમ્
હરિર્હરતિ પાપાનિ દુષ્ટચિત્તૈરપિ સ્મૃતઃ ।
અનિચ્છયાઽપિ સંસ્પૃષ્ટો દહત્યેવ હિ પાવકઃ ॥ ૧ ॥
સ ગઙ્ગા સ ગયા સેતુઃ સ કાશી સ ચ પુષ્કરમ્ ।
જિહ્વાગ્રે વર્તતે યસ્ય હરિરિત્યક્ષરદ્વયમ્ ॥ ૨ ॥
વારાણસ્યાં કુરુક્ષેત્રે નૈમિશારણ્ય એવ ચ ।
યત્કૃતં તેન યેનોક્તં હરિરિત્યક્ષરદ્વયમ્ ॥ ૩ ॥
પૃથિવ્યાં યાનિ તીર્થાનિ પુણ્યાન્યાયતનાનિ ચ ।
તાનિ સર્વાણ્યશેષાણિ હરિરિત્યક્ષરદ્વયમ્ ॥ ૪ ॥
ગવાં કોટિસહસ્રાણિ હેમકન્યાસહસ્રકમ્ ।
દત્તં સ્યાત્તેન યેનોક્તં હરિરિત્યક્ષરદ્વયમ્ ॥ ૫ ॥
ઋગ્વેદોઽથ યજુર્વેદઃ સામવેદોઽપ્યથર્વણઃ ।
અધીતસ્તેન યેનોક્તં હરિરિત્યક્ષરદ્વયમ્ ॥ ૬ ॥
અશ્વમેધૈર્મહાયજ્ઞૈર્નરમેધૈસ્તથૈવ ચ ।
ઇષ્ટં સ્યાત્તેન યેનોક્તં હરિરિત્યક્ષરદ્વયમ્ ॥ ૭ ॥
પ્રાણઃ પ્રયાણપાથેયં સંસારવ્યાધિનાશનમ્ ।
દુઃખાત્યન્તપરિત્રાણં હરિરિત્યક્ષરદ્વયમ્ ॥ ૮ ॥
બદ્ધઃ પરિકરસ્તેન મોક્ષાય ગમનં પ્રતિ ।
સકૃદુચ્ચારિતં યેન હરિરિત્યક્ષરદ્વયમ્ ॥ ૯ ॥
હર્યષ્ટકમિદં પુણ્યં પ્રાતરુત્થાય યઃ પઠેત્ ।
આયુષ્યં બલમારોગ્યં યશો વૃદ્ધિશ્શ્રિયાવહમ્ ॥ ૧૦ ॥
પ્રહ્લાદેન કૃતં સ્તોત્રં દુઃખસાગરશોષણમ્ ।
યઃ પઠેત્સ નરો યાતિ તદ્વિષ્ણોઃ પરમં પદમ્ ॥ ૧૧ ॥
ઇતિ પ્રહ્લાદકૃતં શ્રીહર્યષ્ટકં સમ્પૂર્ણમ્ ।
Sri Hari Ashtakam Meaning :
Lord’s name is so powerful that if we recite it even unwillingly, our sins gets destroyed. Such being the case, what about those who lovingly chant this name? || 1 ||
If the two syllables Hari is in our tongue always, then it is equal to having bath at Ganga, performing Sraaddha at Gaya, visiting sacred places like Kashi, Puskara etc.,
No pilgrimage is required if we remember Hari always. || 2 ||
The good deeds performed at Varanasi, Kurukshetra and Naimisharanya are equal to the chanting of two syllables Hari everyday. Again here, it is said that the chanting of the word Hari will bestow all good results that would be obtained by performing sacred karmas at various pilgrim centers. || 3 ||
By reciting the two syllables Hari one gets all the punya (good results || that is being got by visiting all the pilgrimage centers in the entire world. || 4 ||
Kanyadaana (performing daughter’s marriage || and Godaana (offering the cow || are considered very sacred. If we chant the name of Hari, it is equal to donating thousands of cows and performing thousands of marriages. || 5 ||
The chanting of Harinama is equal to systematic recital of Rik Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva Veda. Veda paaraayana bestows utmost benefits. Such benefits are obtained by mere recital of Harinama. || 6 ||
Harinama is equal to performing Ashwamedha Yajna and other similar sacrifices. One can get the benefits they desire by chanting such Harinama. || 7 ||
The chanting of Harinama is like carrying the food towards the last journey, which also destroys the pain of samsaara. It is saviour from many dire troubles of life. The chanting of Harinama at the time of last journey of a man will relieve him of all pains of samsaara. || 8 ||
Even if the Harinama is chanted only once, it will lead to salvation by removing bondage. No other means to salvation is required if one recites Harinama. || 9 ||
The recital of this Hariasthakam every day morning will confer long life, strength, health, wealth and glory.
This is the phalasruti. || 10 ||
One who recites this stotra told by Sri prahlada, attains the abode the Lord Vishnu namely Paramapada, besides all benefits in this world. || 11 ||