The Poojyaya Raghavendraya mantra is the short Sanskrit salutation devotees chant before Rayaru’s Brindavana at Mantralaya. Almost everyone who recites it, though, chants only half of a two-verse namaskara. The missing half sits quietly in traditional parayana books. Without it, the Sanskrit sentence carries no verb of salutation at all.
This guide gives you the complete text and a plain-English meaning of every line. It also covers the stotra this verse travels with, and the benefits devotees associate with it. Because the wording circulating online varies so much, we flag the spellings and pairings that cause confusion.
Please note: srsmatha.org.in is an independent devotional guide. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or the official website of Sri Raghavendra Swamy Matha, Mantralaya. We accept no bookings, sevas or donations. For seva bookings, room reservations and e-hundi offerings, use only the official Matha portal at srsmatha.org.
Poojyaya Raghavendraya Mantra at a Glance
- What it is: a namaskara shloka, since it is a verse of salutation rather than a chapter of a longer hymn.
- Language and metre: Sanskrit, in the anushtubh metre, so each line runs to eight syllables.
- Companion verse: “Durvadi-dhvanta-ravaye”, which tradition places immediately before it.
- Usually chanted with: the 32-verse Sri Raghavendra Stotra by Appannacharya, although many chant it alone.
- Common counts: 3, 11, 21 or 108 repetitions, so Thursday parayana is common.
- Cost: nothing at all, since no fee, registration or intermediary exists.
The Full Text of the Poojyaya Raghavendraya Mantra
Below is the complete namaskara as parayana books print it, given in Roman letters. Chant the first verse and then the second, because together they form one whole salutation.
Durvādi-dhvānta-ravaye vaiṣṇavendīvarendave | Śrī-Rāghavendra-gurave namo’tyanta-dayāḷave ||
Pūjyāya Rāghavendrāya satya-dharma-ratāya ca | Bhajatāṃ kalpa-vṛkṣāya namatāṃ kāma-dhenave ||
Spellings vary widely online. You will see “Pujyaya”, “Poojyaaya” or “Poojyaya Raghavendraya slokam”, and each points to this same verse. Sanskrit sounds are simply being carried into English letters, so no single version is wrong.
What the Poojyaya Raghavendraya Mantra Means
The verse salutes Sri Raghavendra Swamy as one devoted to truth and righteousness. To those who worship him he is a kalpavriksha, the wish-granting tree. To those who bow before him he is Kamadhenu, the wish-granting cow. It is praise and surrender in two lines, with no request attached.
| Sanskrit word | Plain meaning. |
|---|---|
| Pūjyāya | To the one worthy of worship. |
| Rāghavendrāya | To Raghavendra. |
| Satya-dharma-ratāya | Devoted to truth and righteous conduct. |
| Bhajatāṃ kalpa-vṛkṣāya | A wish-granting tree for those who worship him. |
| Namatāṃ kāma-dhenave | A wish-granting cow for those who bow to him. |
The companion verse works differently. It calls Rayaru the sun that scatters the darkness of bad argument. It then names him the moon that opens the lotus of Vaishnava hearts. Finally it delivers the word the popular verse lacks, namely namah, meaning “salutations to the boundlessly compassionate one”.
The Half-Verse Most Devotees Leave Out
Read the popular couplet slowly and something is missing. Every word sits in the dative case, so the whole line reads as “to the one who…”. Yet no verb ever arrives to say what you are actually doing. Grammatically it hangs.
The “Durvadi-dhvanta-ravaye” verse supplies that missing namah. Traditional teachers therefore chant the two together as one salutation. Most modern audio tracks and social posts, however, carry only the second. Devotional attribution places the first verse with Sri Yogeendra Tirtha, Rayaru’s immediate successor at the Matha.
Nothing is spiritually wrong with the popular half alone, since bhakti is not a grammar test. Still, chant both if you want the Poojyaya Raghavendraya mantra as tradition hands it down. That single change is the most useful correction in this article.
Is the Poojyaya Raghavendraya Mantra Part of the Stotra?
No, and this is where most pages online go wrong. The Sri Raghavendra Stotra by Appannacharya runs in 32 verses. It opens at “Śrī-pūrṇabodha-gurutīrtha” and closes with the colophon naming Appanna. The salutation verses come after that ending, as an appendix devotees recite to close the parayana.
Some printed editions number those appended verses as 33 and 34. That is exactly why you will find pages claiming the stotra has 34 slokas. Both counts describe the same book. The core hymn is 32 verses, while the namaskara shlokas are traditional additions to the recitation.
Appannacharya’s Sri Raghavendra Stotra: The Hymn Behind It
Appannacharya was a householder disciple of Rayaru, and tradition tells a striking story about this hymn. When Sri Raghavendra Swamy prepared to enter the Brindavana at Mantralaya in 1671, Appannacharya was across the Tungabhadra river. He swam back composing verses aloud as he ran.
He is said to have faltered at the final words, choked by grief. The tradition holds that a voice from within the sealed Brindavana completed them. The words were sākṣī hayāsyotra hi, meaning “Lord Hayagriva himself is witness to this”. Devotees treat that moment as the hymn’s seal of approval.
Śrī-pūrṇabodha-gurutīrtha-payodhi-pārā kāmāri-mākṣa-viṣamākṣa-śiroharā ca ||
This account comes from hagiography rather than documented record. We therefore present it as the tradition devotees hold, not as verified history. Sri Dheerendra Tirtha, a later pontiff of the Matha, wrote a Sanskrit commentary on the stotra. Scholars still read the hymn alongside that commentary.
What the 32 verses actually cover
Reading the stotra becomes far easier once you see its shape. The verses move in three broad blocks, so you always know where you are.
| Block | Roughly | Content. |
|---|---|---|
| Praise | Verses 1 to 12 | Rayaru’s scholarship and lineage, as well as his place in the Madhwa parampara. |
| Grace | Verses 13 to 20 | His compassion, and the protection devotees receive when they surrender. |
| Phalashruti | Verses 21 to 32 | The fruits promised to reciters, and finally the closing colophon. |
How to Chant the Poojyaya Raghavendraya Mantra
There is no gate-keeping here. Anyone may chant this verse at home, at any age, from any language background. A simple routine helps far more than elaborate arrangements.
- Bathe first, then sit facing east or north in a clean corner of the house.
- Light a lamp before a picture of Rayaru, if you keep one.
- Chant “Durvadi-dhvanta-ravaye” once, then chant the Poojyaya verse.
- Repeat the second verse for your chosen count, while keeping the rhythm steady.
- Finally, offer tulsi leaves or a flower, then sit quietly for a minute.
Thursday carries special weight because it is Guru’s day, so many families fix their weekly parayana then. Pronunciation matters less than steadiness. If a syllable defeats you, chant it as best you can and continue. The tradition treats sincerity as the real qualification.
How many times should you chant it?
Most devotees chant the Poojyaya Raghavendraya mantra 3, 11, 21 or 108 times. The count of 108 is customary across Hindu japa practice and suits a mala of 108 beads. No scriptural rule fixes a number for this particular verse. So choose what you can sustain daily, rather than a large count you abandon within a week.
Benefits Devotees Associate With the Poojyaya Raghavendraya Mantra
The phalashruti verses of the stotra are generous. They speak of relief from disease, and of restored sight and speech. They also promise freedom from debt and legal trouble, children for the childless, and protection from fear. Devotees have carried these promises for over three centuries.
Read them as the tradition’s own language of faith. A phalashruti is a devotional statement of merit, not a clinical claim. The Madhwa tradition itself frames the fruit as the grace of the Lord working through the guru. It is never framed as a mechanical result of repetition.
What devotees consistently report in ordinary terms is calmer nerves and a steadier mind. That much is easy to believe, because any focused daily recitation slows the breath and settles attention. Whether you credit grace or routine, the Poojyaya Raghavendraya mantra costs you nothing.
Where faith ends and medical care begins
Please treat this part seriously. The stotra’s verses about curing disease are matters of belief. No mantra replaces a doctor, prescribed medicine or treatment. If you are unwell, chant if it comforts you, yet keep your medical appointments and your medication.
The same caution applies to money and legal matters. Nobody should stop a treatment or delay a diagnosis. Nobody should hand cash to a person promising results through a “special” chanting done on your behalf. That promise is exactly where devotion gets exploited.
What Most Chanting Guides Get Wrong
After reading a great many pages on this verse, the same errors keep appearing. These are the ones worth knowing before you print a copy for your pooja shelf.
- Calling it part of the stotra — it closes the parayana, although Appannacharya’s hymn ends before it.
- Dropping the companion verse — the salutation stays incomplete without “Durvadi-dhvanta-ravaye”.
- Selling a “powerful” version — nobody owns this verse, so any paid or exclusive text is a red flag.
- Promising fixed outcomes — traditional phalashruti is framed as grace, and never as a guarantee.
- Fake booking links — sites offering paid parayana on your behalf are not the Matha.
That last point deserves emphasis. The Matha has publicly named srsmatha.org as its only website for sevas, rooms and e-hundi. Look-alike domains do collect money from devotees, so check the address before you pay.
Chanting the Poojyaya Raghavendraya Mantra at Mantralaya
Standing before the Brindavana while the stotra is chanted differs from home recitation. Many devotees complete a parayana in the pradakshina path, and groups often chant together on Thursdays. Nobody stops you, since no ticket or permission is needed for chanting.
If you are planning a visit, our Mantralaya darshan timings guide covers the daily schedule. The Rayaru home pooja guide explains the Thursday routine in detail. For the wider collection of Rayaru hymns, see our Sri Raghavendra stotra and mantras overview.
Before You Begin
Start with the pair of verses rather than the popular half, and you are already chanting more correctly than most. Add the 32-verse stotra when you feel ready, since the salutation makes fuller sense once you know the hymn it closes. Keep the practice small and daily, instead of ambitious and occasional.
Above all, hold the phalashruti gently. Rayaru is remembered as Kalpavriksha and Kamadhenu for a reason. Yet the tradition also asks devotees to walk their own path of satya and dharma. That request sits right there in the Poojyaya Raghavendraya mantra you are chanting.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the meaning of Poojyaya Raghavendraya?
It means “to the worshipful Raghavendra, devoted to truth and righteousness”. The verse then calls him a wish-granting tree for those who worship him. It also calls him a wish-granting cow for those who bow before him. The verse is pure salutation, with no request made.
Who composed the Sri Raghavendra Stotra?
Appannacharya, a householder disciple of Sri Raghavendra Swamy, composed the 32-verse hymn. Tradition says he wrote it as Rayaru entered the Brindavana at Mantralaya in 1671. A later pontiff, Sri Dheerendra Tirtha, wrote the Sanskrit commentary that scholars still use.
Can women and children chant this mantra?
Yes, anyone may chant it. This verse is a namaskara shloka rather than a Vedic mantra requiring initiation. No restriction of gender, age or caste applies. Families commonly teach it to children as their first Rayaru prayer.
How many times should the mantra be chanted daily?
Devotees commonly choose 3, 11, 21 or 108 repetitions. No scripture fixes a number for this verse, so pick a count you can maintain every day. Consistency matters far more than volume in traditional guidance.
Is Thursday the best day to chant it?
Thursday is traditionally Guru’s day, so devotees favour it for parayana and for Rayaru’s home pooja. That said, daily chanting is encouraged, and no day is forbidden. Many households simply chant a longer parayana on Thursday.
Does the mantra cure illness?
The stotra’s phalashruti verses speak of relief from disease, and devotees hold these as matters of faith. They are not medical claims. Continue prescribed treatment and consult your doctor, because chanting supports the mind rather than replacing care.
What is the difference between the stotra and the mantra?
The stotra is Appannacharya’s 32-verse hymn of praise. The Poojyaya Raghavendraya mantra is a short salutation chanted after it, along with its companion “Durvadi-dhvanta-ravaye”. Devotees often recite the salutation alone, without the longer hymn.
Where can I book a seva at Mantralaya?
Book only through the official Matha portal at srsmatha.org, which handles seva bookings, room reservations and e-hundi offerings. This site takes no bookings and no payments. Ignore look-alike domains and agents asking for money.