Advaitashtakam (Huhunkara Garjanadi)
Eight verses, ending in meditation on the lotus feet of Advaita Acharya, attributed to Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya, in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition.
Verses
Roaring with loud shouts of 'Huhunkara', contemplating noble virtues day and night, praying 'O Krishna! O Lord of Radhika!', offering incense, lamps, musk, and sandalwood paste, and meditating on the lotus feet of Sri Advaita Acharya, the husband of Sita.
Verse 1
Offering enchanting Ganges water and Tulsi Manjari (spikes), shedding tears of divine love in knowledge and continuous meditation on Krishna, praying 'O Ocean of Mercy, O Lord of Compassion!', meditate on the lotus feet of Sri Advaita Acharya, the husband of Sita.
Verse 2
Loudly singing 'Krishna, Krishna' again and again, praying 'O Lord! O Protector of the universe! Please appear before my eyes. O compassionate Lord with two arms! Grant me Your beautiful vision', meditate on the lotus feet of Sri Advaita Acharya, the husband of Sita.
Verse 3
Due to the earnest prayers of Sri Advaita Acharya, the merciful Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu descended from the womb of Mother Sachi in the house of Jagannath Mishra, and He joyfully performs Kirtan in the company of Sri Advaita; meditate on the lotus feet of Sri Advaita Acharya, the husband of Sita.
Verse 4
Gaining knowledge of, meditating upon, and contemplating the lotus feet of Sri Advaita, ever bearing His foot-dust upon one's head, and praying 'O Lord of the Universe! Grant devotion to me, who am devoid of worship, and protect me', meditate on the lotus feet of Sri Advaita Acharya, the husband of Sita.
Verse 5
O eternal giver of all, Lord of Sita, Lord of life, repository of virtues! Praying 'O Lord of Compassion! Instantly bestow Bhakti-yoga upon those who chant and meditate only on the lotus feet of Sri Advaita, the husband of Sita', meditate on the lotus feet of Sri Advaita Acharya, the husband of Sita.
Verse 6
Merciful Sri Chaitanya, Sri Advaita, and Sri Nityananda—who are one in body yet embody the three divine realms, ever remaining in eternal youth—roar loudly with shouts of 'Hunkara' to spread devotion and knowledge for the deliverance of living beings; meditate on the lotus feet of Sri Advaita Acharya, the husband of Sita.
Verse 7
Bestowing loving devotion even upon the humble, fallen, and blasphemers, the giver of everything, the Lord of Sita, the leader of Shantipur, and the deliverer from attachment, worldly pleasures, bad company, and the bondage of karma—meditate on the lotus feet of Sri Advaita Acharya, the husband of Sita.
Verse 8
Thus ends the Advaitashtakam composed by Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya.
Verse 9
Worship Guidelines & Chanting Benefits (Phalashruti)
Wednesday (Budhwar), Thursday (Guruwar) & Ekadashi
Early Morning (Brahma Muhurta) or Sandhya (Twilight)
Tulsi leaves, Butter (Makhan), Mishri, Yellow flowers & Chandan
- Awakening of pure divine love (Prema Bhakti), mental joy, and freedom from anxiety
Background
The Advaitashtakam belongs to the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, which centers on devotion to Krishna and the teachings of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The Sanskrit Documents text attributes it to Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya, a scholar of logic who became a follower of Chaitanya at Puri (Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya 6). Advaita Acharya is honored as an intimate associate of Chaitanya and an embodiment of divine compassion. Devotees sing it in worship of Advaita Acharya. Its refrain, 'Sītānāthādvaita-caraṇāravinda-bhāvanam', asks the devotee to meditate on the lotus feet of Advaita, the lord of Sita.
About this Text
Composed by: Adi Shankaracharya · Classical Philosopher-Saint · 8th century CE, Kaladi (Kerala)
A philosopher and monk born in Kaladi, Kerala, credited with systematizing Advaita Vedanta (non-dual philosophy) and establishing four monastic seats (mathas) across India. Alongside his commentaries on the Upanishads and Brahma Sutras, he composed numerous devotional hymns to various deities in classical Sanskrit.
Did You Know?
Author
The Sanskrit Documents text attributes this stotra to Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya, a leading logician. In the Gaudiya account of Chaitanya Charitamrita (Madhya 6), he met Chaitanya Mahaprabhu at Puri and became his devoted follower.
The Refrain
Every verse ends with the same line: “Sītānāthādvaita-caraṇāravinda-bhāvanam” — “meditation on the lotus feet of Advaita, the lord of Sita.” The title “Sītānātha” highlights Advaita’s wife, Sita Devi, showing that he is a householder incarnation, a key feature of Gaudiya Vaishnavism.
Theological significance
Verse 7 names Chaitanya, Advaita and Nityananda as “eka aṅga tridhā mūrti”, one body in three forms. This is a core Gaudiya teaching about the complete manifestation of the Supreme Lord.
The devotee's plea
The poet repeatedly asks for the sight of the Lord. Verse 3 reads “dvibhuja karuṇānātha dīyatāṃ sudarśanam”, a prayer for the vision of the compassionate two-armed Lord. Verse 5 asks for pure devotion and protection. This emphasis on loving service over impersonal liberation is a hallmark of the Gaudiya tradition.
Poetic context
The Advaitashtakam is a Sanskrit stotra of eight verses, with verse 4 recalling how Advaita's prayers brought Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to take birth from Mother Sachi in the house of Jagannath Mishra. Verse 8 hails Advaita as the leader of Shantipur.
Krishna
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