Stotra (Sanskrit: स्तोत्र) is a Sanskrit word that means "ode, eulogy or a hymn of praise."Monier Williams, Monier Williams' Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, Article on Stotra 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.Vishnu Sahasranamam on Hindupedia, the Online Hindu Encyclopedia 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 Śiva Tāṇḍava Stotra Śiva Mahimna Stotra Panchākṣara Stotra Nataraja Stotra Asitakṛtam Śivastotram Dakshinamūrti Stotra
Stotras for Devi Mahiṣāsura Mardinī Stotra Aṣṭalakshmī Stotra Agasti Lakshmi Stotra Annapūrṇa Stotra Radha Sahasranama StotraRita Thyagarajan, Sri Radha SahasranamaYaśodā Kumāra Dāsa, Sri Radha Sahasranama Stotram Lalita Sahasranama Stotra Bala Tripurasundari Sahasranama Stotra Bhavani Sahasranama StotraDurga Lal Sharma Raj Purohit Kishtavad, Bhavani Sahasranama StavarajShri Bhavani Sahasra Nam Stotram,Chaukhamba Sanskrit Pratisthan, DelhiSwami Nirdosha, Bhavani Sahasranama Stotram Dakaradi Sridurga Sahasranama Stotra Durga Sahasranama StotraDurga Sahasranama Stotram chanting in Sanskrit Gayathri Sahasranama StotraBengaluru Sister, Sri Gayathri Sahasranama Kali Sahasranama Stotra Kalika Sahasranama StotraStotranidhi.comKalika Sahasranama Stotra (From Kalika Kulasarvasva) Lalitarahasya Sahasranama Stotra Lakshmi Sahasranama StotraLakshmi Sahasranama Stotram, translated by P. R. RamachanderLakshmi Sahasranama Stotram with lyrics Minakshi Sahasranama Stotra Parvati Sahasranama StotraShri Parvati Sahasranama Stotram in SanskritKoushik K, Parvati Sahasranama from Kurma Purana Saraswati Sahasranama StotraSarasvati Sahasra Nama StotramEssence of Skanda Purana by Kamakoti PeethamPrema Rangarajen, Saraswati Sahasranama Stotram Sita Sahasranama StotraPrem Prakesh Dubey, Sri Sita Sahasranama StotramAnika Aggarwal, Sri Sita Sahasranama Stotram with lyrics Sodasi Rajarajeswari Sahasranama StotraShri Rajarajeswari Sahasranama Stotram chanting Syamala Sahasranama StotraShri Syamala Sahasranama Chants by Dr.R.Thiagarajan
Stotras for Vishnu & avatara Hayagrīva Stotra Hari Stotra Vishnu Sahasranama Stotra Narasimha Kavacham Stotra Rāma Raksha Stotra Venkatesa Sahasranama Stotra Santanagopala Sahasranama Stotra Rakaradi Srirama Sahasranama Stotra Makaradi Srirama Sahasranama Stotra Lakshminarasimha Sahasranama Stotra Kakaradi Krishna Sahasranama Stotra
Stotras for other Gods & Goddesses Māruti Stotra Anjaneya Sahasranama StotraTangirala Lakshmi Murty, Sri Hanuman, Anjaneya Sahasranamam Surya Sahasranama StotraRajalakshmee Sanjay, Surya SahasranamaSurya Sahassthranaam by Rattan Mohan Sharma Sanaischara SahasranamaShri Sanaischara Sahasranama, Chants by Dr.R.Thiagarajan
General / Philosophical Stotras Dvādaśa Stotra by Madhvacharya Mohamudgara Stotra (Bhaja Govindam) by Sankaracharya
Jainism Bhaktamara Stotra Uvasagharam Stotra
See also Khadgamala List of suktas and stutis
References
Bibliography
External links Read Stotras in multiple languages (archived 14 May 2011) Alphabetical List of the Stotras Read Samskrit Stotra with their English Translation and English Transcription