The stotra for a child

Several people have asked us at the post about a mantra, slokha or stotra for begetting children.

We have always advised such people to get in touch with doctors and undergo the treatment that is recommended for them. However, as the saying goes, “God only helps those who help themselves.” What this means is that we need the grace or blessings of God apart from medicine for achieving many things in life.

A calm and peaceful atmosphere and a stressfree environment at home would lead to greater efficiency of work at office. Harmony at home would translate to a better life.

Our shastras, puranas and even the Geetha lay stress on well-being and good physical and mental environment. Remembering God, even if it is for a moment, would suffice. No religion in the world preaches hatred or enemity. All religions talk of  devotion, faith and sincerity.

So if you have faith in a particular god or religion, it would help you successfully climb and overcome difficult phases of your life. Our shastras and puranas are our heritage. There is nothing wrong if e learn about them or if we are guided by them, There are many aspects of life that have been dealt with in our scriptures and they include respect to women, right living and right thinking, non-violence, sincerity and devotion to God and several other aspects.

Today, the cases of  delayed child birth and/or childlessness is on the increase. Stress, hectic life style, junk food, alcohol and smoking and of course a sedentary life have all contributed to this problem. Several decades ago, when there was no medicine or treatment to deal with such issues, elders in a family advised childless couples to visit a temple of Subramanya and perform Sarpa Dosha. The Ghati subramanya nead Doddaballapur and Kukke Subramanya near Dharmastala are well-known for performing such rituals.

Apart from getting rid of Sarpa Dosha, our elders always asked us to keep faith in god and perform pooje to certain gods and goddesses. Today, such seves are regularly performed at Mantralaya, Abbur, Sonde and at various pilgrim places, including Cheluva Narayanaswamy in Melkote, Sri Krishna in Udupi, Manjunatha in Dharmastala, Marikamba in Sirsi and other places.

In case, you are not able to visit the holy places and perform seve,  our scriptures have said performing pooje at home is adequate.  There are several mantras and slokhas that are believed to have divine powers to help couples who want to have children. Of course this does not mean that a couple would get a child as soon as such a mantra or slokha is recited. Such slokhas will aid in the process.

One such slokha is called the Go Savitri Stotra. The lyrics are in Kannada and English and it starts with a prayer to Narayana or Hari.         

ಗೋಸಾವಿತ್ರೀ ಸ್ತೋತ್ರ

ನಾರಾಯಣಂ ನಮಸ್ಕೃತ್ಯ ದೇವೀಂ ತ್ರಿಭುವನೇಶ್ವರೀಮ್|
ಗೋಸಾವಿತ್ರೀಂ ಪ್ರವಕ್ಷ್ಯಾಮಿ ವ್ಯಾಸೇನೋಕ್ತಾಂ ಸನಾತನೀಂ        ||೧||

ಯಸ್ಯ ಶ್ರವಣ ಮಾತ್ರೇಣ ಸರ್ವಪಾಪೈಃ ಪ್ರಮುಚ್ಯತೇ|
ಗವಾಂ ನಿಶ್ವಸಿತಂ ವೇದಾಃ ಸಷಡಂಗಪದಕ್ರಮಾಃ            ||೨||

ಶಿಕ್ಷಾ ವ್ಯಾಕರಣಂ ಛಂಧೋ ನಿರುಕ್ತಂ ಜ್ಯೌತಿಷಂ ತಥಾ|
ಏತಾಸಾಮಗ್ರಶೃಂಗೇಷು ಇಂದ್ರವಿಷ್ಣೂ ಸ್ವಯಂಸ್ಥಿತೌ            ||೩||

ಶಿರೋ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಾ ಗುರುಃ ಸ್ಕಂಧೇ ಲಲಾಟೇ ವೃಷಭಧ್ವಜಃ |
ಕರ್ಣಯೋರಶ್ವಿನೌ ದೇವೌ ಚಕ್ಷುಷೋಃ ಶಶಿಭಾಸ್ಕರೌ            ||೪||

ದಂತೇಷು ಮರುತೋ ದೇವಾ ಜಿಹ್ವಾಯಾಂ ಚ ಸರಸ್ವತೀ|
ಕಂಠೇ ಚ ವರುಣೋ ದೇವೋ ಹೃದಯೇ ಹವ್ಯವಾಹನಃ            ||೫||

ಉದರೇ ಪೃಥಿವೀ ದೇವೀ ಸಶೈಲವನಕಾನನಾ|
ಕಕುದಿ ದ್ಯೌಃ ಸನಕ್ಷತ್ರಾ ಪೃಷ್ಠೇ ವೈವಸ್ವತೋ ಯಮಃ                    ||೬||

ಊರ್ವೋಸ್ತು ವಸವೋ ದೇವಾ ವಾಯುರ್ಜಂಘೇ ಸಮಾಶ್ರಿತಃ|
ಆದಿತ್ಯಸ್ತ್ವಾಶ್ರಿತೋ ವಾಲೇ ಸಾಧ್ಯಾಃ ಸರ್ವಾಂಗಸಂಧಿಷು               ||೭||

ಅಪಾನೇ ಸರ್ವತೀರ್ಥಾನಿ ಗೋಮುತ್ರೇ ಜಾಹ್ನವೀ ಸ್ವಯಮ್|
ಧೃತಿಃ ಪುಷ್ಟಿರ್ಮಹಾಲಕ್ಷ್ಮೀರ್ಗೋಮಯೇ ಸಂಸ್ಥಿತಾಃ ಸದಾ              ||೮||

ನಾಸಿಕಾಯಾಂ ಚ ಶ್ರೀದೇವೀ ಜ್ಯೇಷ್ಠಾ ವಸತಿ ಭಾಮಿನೀ|
ಚತ್ವಾರಃ  ಸಾಗರಾಃ ಪೂರ್ಣಾ ಗವಾಂ ಹ್ಯೇವ ಪಯೋಧರೇ            ||೯||

ಖುರಮಧ್ಯೇಷು ಗಂಧರ್ವಾಃ ಖುರಾಗ್ರೇ ಪನ್ನಗಾಃ ಶ್ರಿತಾಃ|
ಖುರಾಣಾಂ ಪಶ್ಚಿಮೇ  ಭಾಗೇ ಹ್ಯಪ್ಸರಾಣಾಂ ಗಣಾಃ ಸ್ಮೃತಾಃ        ||೧೦||

ಶ್ರೋಣೀತಟೇಷು ಪಿತರೋ ರೋಮಲಾಂಗೂಲಮಾಶ್ರಿತಾಃ|
ಋಷಯೋ ರೋಮಕೂಪೇಷು ಚರ್ಮಣ್ಯೇವ ಪ್ರಜಾಪತಿಃ             ||೧೧||

ಹುಂಕಾರೇ ಚತುರೋ ವೇದಾ ಹುಂಶಬ್ದೇ ಚ ಪ್ರಜಾಪತಿಃ|
ಏವಂ ವೀಷ್ಣುಮಯಂ ಗಾತ್ರಂ ತಾಸಾಂ ಗೋಪ್ತಾ ಸ ಕೇಶವಃ        ||೧೨||

ಗವಾಂ ದೃಷ್ಟ್ವಾ ನಮಸ್ಕೃತ್ಯ ಕೃತ್ವಾ ಚೈವ ಪ್ರದಕ್ಷಿಣಮ್|
ಪ್ರದಕ್ಷಿಣೀಕೃತಾ ತೇನ ಸಪ್ತದ್ವೀಪಾ ವಸುಂಧರಾ                      ||೧೩||

ಕಾಮದೋಗ್ಧ್ರೀ ಸ್ವಯಂ ಕಾಮದೋಗ್ಧಾ ಸನ್ನಿಹಿತಾ ಮಮ|
ಗೋಗ್ರಾಸಸ್ಯ ವಿಶೇಷೋ ಅಸ್ತಿ ಹಸ್ತಸಂಪೂರ್ಣ ಮಾತ್ರತಃ          ||೧೪||

ಶತಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣ ಭುಕ್ತೇನ ಸಮಮಾಹುರ್ಯುಧಿಷ್ಠರ |
ಯ ಇದಂ ಪಠತೇ ನಿತ್ಯಂ ಶೃಣುಯಾದ್ವಾ ಸಮಾಹಿತಃ              ||೧೫||

ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣೋ ಲಭತೇ ವಿದ್ಯಾಂ ಕ್ಷತ್ರೀಯೋ ರಾಜ್ಯಮಶ್ನುತೇ|
ವೈಶ್ಯೋ ಧನಸಮೃದ್ಧಃ ಸ್ಯಾಚ್ಛೂದ್ರಃ ಪಾಪಾತ್ ಪ್ರಮುಚ್ಯತೇ        ||೧೬||

ಗರ್ಭೀಣೀ ಜನಯೇತ್ ಪುತ್ರಂ ಕನ್ಯಾ ಭರ್ತಾರಮಾಪ್ನುಯಾತ್|
ಸಾಯಂ ಪ್ರಾತಸ್ತು ಪಠತಾಂ ಶಾಂತಿಸ್ವಸ್ತ್ಯಯನಂ ಮಹತ್          ||೧೭||

ಅಹೋರಾತ್ರಕೃತೈಃ ಪಾಪೈಸ್ತತ್ಕ್ಷಣಾತ್ ಪರಿಮುಚ್ಯತೇ|
ಫಲಂ ತು ಗೋಸಹಸ್ರಸ್ಯೇತ್ಯುಕ್ತಂ ಹಿ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಣಾ ಪುರಾ               ||೧೮||

ಗಾವೋ ಮೇ ಹ್ಯಗ್ರತಃ ಸಂತು ಗಾವೋ ಮೇ ಸಂತು ಪೃಷ್ಠತಃ|
ಗಾವೋ ಮೇ ಹೃದಯೇ ಸಂತು ಗವಾಂ ಮಧ್ಯೇ ವಸಾಮ್ಯಹಮ್    ||೧೯||

ಸುರಭಿರ್ವೈಷ್ಣವೀ ಮಾತಾ ನಿತ್ಯಂ ವಿಷ್ಣುಪದೇ ಸ್ಥಿತಾ|
ಗೋಗ್ರಾಸಂ ತು ಮಯಾ ದತ್ತಂ ಸುರಭಿಃ ಪ್ರತಿಗೃಹ್ಯತಾಮ್        ||೨೦||

ಗಾವೋ ಮೇ ಮಾತರಃ ಸರ್ವಾಃ ಸರ್ವೇ ಮೇ ಪಿತರೋ ವೃಷಾಃ|
ಗ್ರಾಸಮುಷ್ಠಿಂ ಮಯಾ ದತ್ತಂ ಸುರಭಿಃ ಪ್ರತಿಗೃಹ್ಯತಾಮ್           ||೨೧||

ಫಲಾನಾಂ ಗೋಸಹಸ್ರಸ್ಯ ಪ್ರದದ್ಯಾದ್ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣೋತ್ತಮೇ|
ಸರ್ವತೀರ್ಥಾಧಿಕಂ ಪುಣ್ಯಮಿತ್ಯುಕ್ತಂ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಣಾ ಪುರಾ               ||೨೨||

The lyrics in English are as follows:

nArAyaNaM namaskRutya dEvIM triBuvanESvarIm |

gOsAvitrIM pravakShyAmi vyAsEnOktAM sanAtanIm || 1 ||

yasya SravaNamAtrENa sarvapApaiH pramuchyatE |

gavAM niSvasitaM vEdAH saShaDaMgapadakramAH || 2 ||

SikShA vyAkaraNaM CaMdO niruktaM jyoutiShaM tathA |

EtAsAmagraSRuMgEShu iMdraviShNU svayaMsthitou || 3 ||

SirO brahmA guruH skaMdhE lalATE vRuShaBadhvajaH |

karNayOraSvinou dEvou chakShuShOH SaSiBAskarou || 4 ||

daMtEShu marutO dEvA jihvAyAM cha sarasvatI |

kaMThE cha varuNO dEvO hRudayE havyavAhanaH || 5 ||

udarE pRuthivI dEvI saSailavanakAnanA |

kakudi dyouH sanakShatrA pRuShThE vaivasvatO yamaH || 6 ||

UrvOstu vasavO dEvA vAyurjaMGE samASritaH |

AdityastvASritO vAlE sAdhyAH sarvAMgasaMdhiShu || 7 ||

apAnE sarvatIrthAni gOmUtrE jAhnavI svayam |

dhRutiH puShTirmahAlakShmIrgOmayE saMsthitAH sadA || 8 ||

nAsikAyAM cha SrIdEvI jyEShThA vasati BAminI |

chatvAraH sAgarAH pUrNA gavAM hyEva payOdharE || 9 ||

KuramadhyEShu gaMdharvAH KurAgrE pannagAH SritAH |

KurANAM paSchimE BAgE hyapsarANAM gaNAH smRutAH ||

10 ||

SrONItaTEShu pitarO rOmalAMgUlamASritAH |

RuShayO rOmakUpEShu carmaNyEva prajApatiH || 11 ||

huMkArE chaturO vEdA huMSabdE cha prajApatiH |

EvaM viShNumayaM gAtraM tAsAM gOptA sa kESavaH || 12 ||

gavAM dRuShTvA namaskRutya kRutvA chaiva pradakShiNam |

pradakShiNIkRutA tEna saptadvIpA vasuMdharA || 13 ||

kAmadOgdhrI svayaM kAmadOgdhA sannihitA matA |

gOgrAsasya viSEShO&sti hastasaMpUrNamAtrataH || 14 ||

SatabrAhmaNaBuktEna samamAhuryudhiShThira |

 ya idaM paThatE nityaM SRuNuyAdvA samAhitaH || 15 ||

brAhmaNO laBatE vidyAM kShatriyO rAjyamaSnutE |

vaiSyO dhanasamRuddhaH syAcCUdraH pApAt pramuchyatE || 16 ||

garBiNI janayEt putraM kanyA BartAramApnuyAt |

sAyaM prAtastu paThatAM SAMtisvastyayanaM mahat || 17 ||

ahOrAtrakRutaiH pApaistatkShaNAt parimuchyatE |

phalaM tu gOsahasrasyEtyuktaM hi brahmaNA purA || 18 ||

gAvO mE hyagrataH saMtu gAvO mE saMtu pRuShThataH |

gAvO mE hRudayE saMtu gavAM madhyE vasAmyaham || 19 ||

suraBirvaiShNavI mAtA nityaM viShNupadE sthitA |

gOgrAsaM tu mayA dattaM suraBiH pratigRuhyatAm || 20 ||

gAvO mE mAtaraH sarvAH sarvE mE pitarO vRuShAH |

grAsamuShTiM mayA dattaM suraBiH pratigRuhyatAm || 21 ||

phalAnAM gOsahasrasya pradadyAdbrAhmaNOttamE |

sarvatIrthAdhikaM puNyamityuktaM brahmaNA purA || 22 ||

|| iti SrImanmahABAratE BIShmayudhiShThirasaMvAdE

gOsAvitrIstOtram ||

This is one of the many stotras on begetting a child. There are several other stotras and slokas. As you can see, it will take three minutes or less to recite the entire slokha. If we can spend thousands of rupees on medicine and on doctors, can’t we spend only a few minutes remembering God. After all, there is no money for reciting these mantras and slokhas. All that is needed is devotion, faith and sincerity.

Just as medical intervention too takes time, our faith and devotion too takes time for the Gods to accede to our prayer. Never lose faith and you will always be rewarded.