Dashain Tika Mantra 2083: Male & Female Mantra in Nepali, Meaning & Tika Rules

By Wilson Shrestha, Kathmandu · Updated 6 October 2026 (Asoj 20, 2083)

Every Dashain, millions of Nepalis kneel in front of an elder, feel the cool rice-and-yogurt tika pressed on the forehead, and hear a verse most of us have never actually read. We know the rhythm. We rarely know the words, and even fewer of us know what they mean.

This guide gives you both Dashain tika mantras in correct Devanagari, an easy Roman version for reading aloud, a line-by-line meaning, and the things most pages leave out: why the male mantra has two different third lines, why a Kaurava prince is part of a blessing, the most common mispronunciations, and which direction to face this year.

Dashain Tika Mantras at a Glance

Dashain Tika Mantra for Male (पुरुषलाई टीका लगाउँदा भनिने मन्त्र)

Elders recite this verse for sons, grandsons, brothers, nephews and other younger males. It is one complete four-line shloka.

Meaning in one sentence: May you have the long life of Ashwatthama, the prosperity of Dasharatha, Rama’s power over enemies, the wealth of Nahusha, the speed of the wind, the self-respect of Duryodhana, the valour of Bhishma, the strength of Balarama, the truthfulness of Yudhishthira, the wisdom of Vidura and the fame of Narayana – may all these be yours.

Line-by-line meaning of the male mantra

The trick to understanding this verse is its pattern: each phrase pairs one virtue with one person famous for it. Read it as a list of eleven wishes.

The phrase भवन्तु भवतां (bhavantu bhavatam) in the last line is the glue that turns the list into a blessing: it means “may these be yours”.

Why the third line has two versions

If your family’s mantra sounds slightly different, you are not imagining it. The third line circulates in two forms, and both are widely used in Nepal:

Both lines fit the verse’s Shardula Vikridita metre syllable for syllable, which is most likely why both have survived in oral tradition side by side. Neither is “wrong”. Use the one your family’s priest or elders use; if you are learning it fresh, either is fine.

Why is Duryodhana in a Dashain blessing?

This is the question children ask most, and it is a good one – Duryodhana is the villain of the Mahabharata. But the verse never asks for his character. It asks only for his मान (maan): pride in the sense of self-respect. Duryodhana refused to bow to anyone, even in defeat. The blessing takes that single trait – the refusal to be humiliated – and leaves the rest behind. It is a quietly sophisticated idea: you can learn one good quality even from a flawed person.

The 11 Virtues of the Male Mantra (Visual Guide)

Colour shows where each figure comes from. Notice that the Mahabharata supplies most of the verse.

Dashain Tika Mantra for Female (महिलालाई टीका लगाउँदा भनिने मन्त्र)

For daughters, granddaughters, sisters, nieces and daughters-in-law, elders recite a completely different verse. It is the opening of the Argala Stotram, a hymn traditionally recited together with the Durga Saptashati (Chandi Path) – the same text read in many homes during the nine nights of Navaratri.

Meaning: “O Goddess – you who are Jayanti, Mangala, Kali, Bhadrakali, Kapalini, Durga, Kshama, Shiva, Dhatri, Swaha and Swadha – I bow to you.”

The 11 names of the goddess and what they mean

Blessing or salutation? The difference most pages miss

Read the two mantras side by side and you notice something. The male verse wishes qualities onto the receiver: “may these be yours”. The female verse does not wish anything – it bows. “Namo’stu te” means “salutations to you”.

In the ritual, the girl or woman receiving tika is honoured as a form of the goddess herself, the same Shakti worshipped for the previous nine days. That is why the verse sounds like prayer rather than advice. Scholars interviewed by the Kathmandu Post describe it in exactly these terms: women are blessed as embodiments of the goddess’s strength, compassion and protective power.

The longer version some families use

Many priests and elders continue with the next verses. The second verse of the Argala Stotram is the most common addition, and some families close with the well-known “Sarva mangala” verse from the Devi Mahatmya:

Victory to you, Goddess Chamunda, remover of every being’s suffering; victory to you, all-pervading Goddess; salutations to you, Kalaratri. O auspiciousness of all that is auspicious, fulfiller of every purpose, refuge of all, three-eyed Gauri, Narayani – salutations to you.

How to Give Tika with the Mantra: Step by Step

The mantra is only one part of the tika ritual. If you are the elder this year for the first time, this is the usual order in Nepali homes:

Traditionally the family priest or the most senior member gives tika first, and only then does the family go out to receive tika from other relatives. If your child needs to write about the festival for school, our easy essay on Dashain for students explains the festival in simple English.

Which direction to face when receiving tika

According to Prof. Dr. Devmani Bhattarai of the Nepal Panchanga Nirnayak Bikas Samiti, the long-standing custom is East–West: the person receiving tika faces East and the elder giving it faces West. South is avoided because it is the direction reserved for rites for the dead.

One caveat almost nobody mentions: the Samiti sometimes decides direction by the Moon’s position for that year. In 2079 (2022), for example, it advised the opposite – receivers facing West – because the Moon was in Capricorn. So East is the safe default, but check the Samiti’s notice when the 2083 sait is published.

Dashain Tika Date and Sait 2083

The dates below come from the 2083 calendar released by the Nepal Panchanga Nirnayak Bikas Samiti.

Your 5-day tika window

If you cannot reach an elder on Vijaya Dashami, you have not missed Dashain. Tika is received from elders and relatives from Dashami right up to Kojagrat Purnima.

Is the 2083 tika sait 11:53 AM? No – that was last year

Several websites already list “11:53 AM” as the 2083 tika sait. That time was announced for Vijaya Dashami 2082 (2 October 2025). The sait is calculated fresh every year, and it moves a lot:

The Samiti normally announces the sait a couple of weeks before Dashain. This page will be updated with the official 2083 time once it is published.

Common Mistakes When Reciting the Dashain Tika Mantra

Because most of us learned these verses by ear, a few errors have spread widely – even into printed cards and viral videos. Watch out for these:

If You Don’t Know the Sanskrit: Simple Nepali Blessings

Plenty of loving grandparents never learned the Sanskrit verse, and a tika given with heartfelt words in plain Nepali is still a tika. These everyday blessings are commonly spoken in Nepali homes:

• आयु बढोस्, सुख शान्ति मिलोस्। – May your life be long and full of peace.
• पढाइमा सधैँ सफल होऊ। – May you always succeed in your studies. (for students)
• जागिर र काममा उन्नति होस्। – May you progress in your job and work.
• घरमा लक्ष्मी भित्रियोस्, परिवार सुखी रहोस्। – May prosperity enter your home and your family stay happy.
• जहाँ गए पनि दुर्गा माताले रक्षा गरून्। – Wherever you go, may Mother Durga protect you. (for family abroad)

Want to send these as a message instead? See our 150+ Happy Dashain wishes in Nepali language 2083, sorted by who you are sending to.

Copy the Dashain Tika Mantra in Nepali Unicode

Select the text below to copy it into a WhatsApp message, a Facebook caption or a printed card. It is in standard Unicode, so it displays correctly on any modern phone.

Printing a mantra card for the family? Install the free Kalimati Nepali Unicode font so the conjunct letters like द्र and क्ष render cleanly, or type your own blessing with the English to Nepali Unicode converter. For a ready-made design, grab a free Dashain greeting card for 2083.

Dashain Tika Mantra: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Dashain tika mantra for male?

It is “Ayurdronasute shriyo dasharathe shatrukshayam raghave, aishwaryam nahushe gatishcha pavane manancha duryodhane, shauryam shantanave balam haladhare satyancha kuntisute, vigyanam vidure bhavantu bhavatam kirtishcha narayane.” It wishes the receiver eleven virtues, from Ashwatthama’s long life to Narayana’s fame.

What is the Dashain tika mantra for female?

It is “Jayanti mangala kali bhadrakali kapalini, durga kshama shiva dhatri swaha swadha namostu te,” the opening verse of the Argala Stotram. It salutes eleven names of Goddess Durga and honours the woman receiving tika as a form of the goddess.

What does “Ayurdronasute” mean?

“Ayuh” means life span and “dronasute” means “in the son of Drona”, that is, Ashwatthama. Together they mean “may you have a life as long as Ashwatthama’s”, since he is counted among the immortals.

Why is Duryodhana mentioned in the tika mantra?

Only for one quality: maan, meaning self-respect and honour. Duryodhana never bowed to anyone, even in defeat. The blessing asks for that single trait, not his character.

What is the Dashain tika sait for 2083?

As of 6 October 2026, the Nepal Panchanga Nirnayak Bikas Samiti had not announced the 2083 sait. The widely shared 11:53 AM was the 2082 (2025) time. Vijaya Dashami 2083 is on Wednesday, 21 October 2026.

Which direction should you face when receiving Dashain tika?

By long-standing custom, the person receiving tika faces East and the elder giving it faces West. The Samiti occasionally advises a different direction based on the Moon’s position, so check its notice for the year.

Until when can you receive Dashain tika in 2083?

From Vijaya Dashami on 21 October 2026 until Kojagrat Purnima on 25 October 2026 (Kartik 4 to Kartik 8, 2083).

Is it okay to give tika without reciting the Sanskrit mantra?

Yes. Many elders give tika with simple blessings in Nepali, such as “aayu badhos, sukha shanti milos”. The Sanskrit verse is traditional, but the blessing and the elder’s intention are what the ritual is about.

A Blessing Worth Understanding

The Dashain tika mantra takes about fifteen seconds to recite. In that time, an elder wishes you the best trait of eleven legendary figures – or, if you are a daughter, bows to the goddess in you. Knowing the words changes the moment. This Vijaya Dashami, try reading the verse along with the elder giving you tika, or ask them which version of the third line your family uses. It is a small way to keep a very old blessing alive.

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