Bhavani Ashtakam: The Ultimate Prayer of Surrender by Adi Shankaracharya

Introduction

There comes a moment in every seeker's life when knowledge (Jnana), rituals (Karma), and yoga (Dhyana) fail.
The mind becomes exhausted, the ego collapses, and there is nowhere left to turn.

In that moment of utter helplessness, only one prayer remains:

“You are my only refuge.”

The Bhavani Ashtakam, composed by the great Adi Shankaracharya, is that cry of the soul — a raw outpouring declaring that amidst the temporary nature of worldly relationships, only the Divine Mother (Bhavani) is the eternal shelter.

The 8 Verses of Surrender

1. I Have No One But You

Shankara begins by negating all worldly identities and relationships.

न तातो न माता न बन्धुर्न दाता न पुत्रो न पुत्री न भृत्यो न भर्ता । न जाया न विद्या न वृत्तिर्ममैव गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥ १॥

"I have no father, no mother, no brother, no benefactor. I have no son, no daughter, no servant, no master. I have no wife, no education, no profession. You alone are my refuge, O Mother Bhavani."

2. The Ocean of Suffering

He describes his helplessness in the cycle of worldly existence (Samsara).

भवाब्धावपारे महादुःखभीरु पपात प्रकामी प्रलोभी प्रमत्तः । कुसंसारपाशप्रबद्धः सदाहं गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥ २॥

"I am drowning in this endless ocean of worldly existence, filled with sorrow and fear. I am full of desire, greed, and heedlessness. I am bound tightly by the ropes of Samsara. You alone are my refuge."

3. I Know Not Charity or Yoga

He confesses his lack of spiritual discipline.

न जानामि दानं न च ध्यानयोगं न जानामि तन्त्रं न च स्तोत्रमन्त्रम् । न जानामि पूजां न च न्यासयोगं गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥ ३॥

"I do not know charity or meditation or yoga. I do not understand Tantra, hymns, or mantras. I do not know how to worship or perform sacred rites. You alone are my refuge."

4. I Know Not Merit or Pilgrimage

He accepts that he has no accumulated spiritual merit.

न जानामि पुण्यं न जानामि तीर्थं न जानामि मुक्तिं लयं वा कदाचित् । न जानामि भक्तिं व्रतं वापि मातः गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥ ४॥

"I know not how to earn merit, nor the sanctity of pilgrimages. I know nothing of liberation nor dissolution. I know not devotion or vows, O Mother. You alone are my refuge."

5. I Am Full of Flaws

A complete surrender with honesty and humility.

कुकर्मी कुसङ्गी कुबुद्धिः कुदासः कुलाचारहीनः कदाचारलीनः । कुदृष्टिः कुवाक्यप्रबन्धः सदाहं गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥ ५॥

"I have committed wrong actions, kept bad company, entertained impure thoughts, and served unworthy masters. I have abandoned noble conduct. My vision is impure, and my words are harsh. Still, You alone are my refuge."

6. I Know Not Other Gods

He declares undivided devotion to the Mother.

प्रजेशं रमेशं महेशं सुरेशं दिनेशं निशीथेश्वरं वा कदाचित् । न जानामि चान्यत् सदाहं शरण्ये गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥ ६॥

"I do not seek Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Indra, the Sun, or the Moon. I do not take refuge in anyone else. You alone are my eternal shelter, O Mother Bhavani."

7. The Protector in Difficulty

This verse is traditionally used as a protective Kavacham.

विवादे विषादे प्रमादे प्रवासे जले चानले पर्वते शत्रुमध्ये । अरण्ये शरण्ये सदा मां प्र पाहि गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥ ७॥

"In quarrels, in sorrow, in mistakes, in foreign lands; in water, in fire, on mountains, and amid enemies; in forests — O Protector, please always guard me. You alone are my refuge."

8. The Final Cry

The prayer ends with a surge of vulnerability and complete dependence.

अनाथो दरिद्रो जरारोगयुक्तो महाक्षीणदीनः सदा जाड्यवक्त्रः । विपत्तौ प्रविष्टः प्रनष्टः सदाहं गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥ ८॥

"I am an orphan, poor and stricken by age and disease. I am weak, miserable, and unable to speak. I am lost in calamity. O Mother, You alone are my refuge, my movement, my destination."

Conclusion

You do not need to be a scholar to chant this.
You do not need perfect Sanskrit.
You only need a heart that calls the Mother.

When you say
“Gatistvam Gatistvam Tvameka Bhavani”,
you are telling the Universe:

I surrender. Take care of me.

If you can chant only one line today, chant this — with faith, not perfection:

गति स्त्वं गति स्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि।

Jai Maa Bhavani.