Hindu literature

thumb|360px|A Sanskrit manuscript page of [[Lotus Sutra (Buddhism) from South Turkestan in Brahmi script]] thumb|360px|A manuscript page from Kalpa Sūtra (Jainism)

manuscripts made out of dried palm leaves

classical Tamil literature

fifth chapter in Ramayan

Book by Dayananda Saraswati

storytelling format

The term ashtakam (), also often written astakam, is derived from the Sanskrit word aṣṭā, meaning "eight". In context of poetic compositions, 'ashtakam' refers to a particular form of poetry, written in eight stanzas.