STANZAS 1 TO 25
Let this be my salutation to the
Auspicious ones, who are the embodiment of
art, whose heads are adorned by the
crescent moon, who are the fruits of
mutual penance, whose bounteousness is displayed
amongst (their) devotees, who are lavishly
auspicious to the three worlds, who appear
repeatedly in (my) heart and who
experience the bliss that wells up.
Oh Sambhu, let the wave of Siva's bliss,
which trickles forth from the river of
your life, which destroys the dust of
sin, which falls into the paths of
the streams of the intellect, which grants
the mitigation of the agony of wandering in
the circuit of worldly life and which
tarries in the heart of my heart, be
victorious.
I worship that Siva in my heart,
who is known through the three Vedas,
who is dear to the heart, who is
the destroyer of the three bodies (of
man), who is pre-eminent, who is three
eyed, who is distinguished with his
matted locks, who wears a moving serpent
as a necklace, who bears the deer(the
symbol of Maya), that Mahadeva, the self
luminous, who is compassionate to me,
who is the lord of all, who is
the basis of the intellect, who is
with the mother and who is very good
at imitation.
Oh Sambhu, a thousand gods exist in
the world, who are the bestowers of
trifling rewards. Not even in my
dreams do I consider following them
nor the benefits conferred by them. Oh
Siva, I beg always to worship your
lotus feet, difficult though it is
even for
Vishnu, Brahma and
(such) others, who have obtained proximity
to you.
I
am unskilled in the canons of law,
the scriptures, in medicine, augury, poetry,
music, grammar, ancient history, prayer, eulogy,
dance and in humour. How will kings favour
me? Who am I Oh Pasupati ?
Beast though I am, Oh Sarvagnya, Oh Vibhu,
save me by your famous compassion.
Earthern pot or clod of earth or
even an atom, smoke or fire on the
mountain, cloth or thread, will this (logic) remove the terrible
death ? You display in vain agitation
of your throat, by (such) vigorous
argument. Oh wise one, worship the lotus
feet of Sambhu and seek supreme happiness.
Let my mind dwell on your lotus
feet, my speech in effortless praise (of
you), my hands in worshipping (you) and
my ears in the practice of hearing
your tale. Let my intellect meditate on
you, and my eyes (dwell) on the
greatness of your image. Oh Paramasiva,
by what other means, beyond this, can
I know other texts ?
Just as the intellect considers the
oyster shell as silver, the glass flint
as a gem, the flour and water paste
as milk and the mirage as water,
likewise, the dull witted in delusion as
to who is god, worships one other
than you, Oh Pasupati, not having
considered you, the supreme self luminous
lord in their minds.
For the sake of a flower, the
dull witted one enters the deep lake
and the lonely, terrible forest and
wanders in the huge mountain. Having
submitted the one lotus flower of the
mind to you Oh Umanatha, man does
not know to remain in a state of
happiness. Why
alas !
Whether the birth is in human form
or divine form, the form of an
animal in the mountain or forest, a
mosquito, a domestic beast, a worm
or bird etc., how does that body
matter if the heart here is intent
always in taking pleasure in the
wave of supreme bliss by remembrance of
your lotus feet.
Celibate student or (married) householder,
ascetic (shaven headed) or one with matted
hair, or a man other than these, whoever he
is, let him be. Oh Bhava, what of
it ?. If the lotus of this heart
is ubservient to you, Oh Pasupati, you
are his Oh Sambhu and you bear the burden
(of his) wordly life.
Let him live in a cave or a
home, outside or in a forest or on
the mountain top, in the water or in
fire. Do tell, what purpose is (such)
a residence ? He whose mind also (in
addition to the external senses) is
always fixed on your feet, Oh Sambhu,
he alone is a supreme saint, he
alone is a happy man.
In the worthless circuit of worldly
life, not condusive to self contemplation,
I, the blind one am wandering, by virtue
of (my) dull wit and am worthy
of protection by your supreme compassion. Who
other than me is more pitiable to
you, a great expert in the protection
of the poor? Oh Pasupati, in all
three worlds who can be my protector other
than you ?
You are the lord Oh Pasupati who
is indeed the best relative of the
poor. I am moreover very prominent amongst
them (the poor). What more (needs to
be said) of the relationship between these
two (the poor man and his best
relative) ? Oh Siva, all my sins are
pardonable by you alone. You must (engage)
by endeavour to protect
me, (because)
this is the mode (of behaviour)
amongst relatives.
If not indifferent, why do you not
remove the writings of Brahma, (which make
me) indifferent to meditating on you and
which are largely composed of evil
desires ? If you are incapable Oh
Pasupati, how is it that you effortlessly
and by the mere tips of your finger
nails, crushed that head of Brahma, which
cannot be (easily)
plucked and
which is well rounded ?
Let Brahma have a long life. His
other four heads are deserving of
protection by you, for it was he who
has written (the fate of) poverty in
earth (for me). What doubt is there Oh
Vishada ? Oh Siva, the effect of
your glance, which by itself is intent
on protecting the poor, protects me
tenderly.
Either as a result of merits or
because of your compassion for me, Oh
Vibhu, Oh Swami, though you are present,
how will I see your pure pair
of lotus feet ? They are concealed from
me by the ruby studded gold crowns
of the groups of gods taking delight in
offering reverential salutations.
You alone are the giver of the
supreme object (liberation) to mankind. Those
who occupy divine positions because of
you, the principal of whom is
Vishnu, worship you repeatedly. Oh Siva,
how (great) is your kindness and how
(great) is my desire ! When will you
bear (responsibility) for my protection, by
a look full of compassion ?
In the endless circuit of worldly
life, composed mainly of evil desire,
which brings one to the door of the
evil master, which is the abode of
harm and which produces pain, why do you
not diminish my fatigue ? Whom does
it favour, tell ? If this be
your affection Oh Siva, we are
indeed fulfilled.
It (my mind) roams always in the
forest of delusion, it dances on the
physique of young women, it wanders
on the branches of desire rapidly, at
will all around. Oh Kapali, Oh Bhikshu,
tie my exceedingly fickle monkey like
heart, firmly by devotion. Oh Siva, Oh
Vibhu, make it subservient to you.
Oh Smarari, having reached along with
Sakthi, the spotless tent of my heart,
made of white cloth, which has firmness
for a pillar, which is bound by the
rope of steadiness, capable of movement,
which is beautiful, which is lotus shaped,
which is placed near the proper path
(towards the Supreme) every day and
worshipped by the demi god troops of
Siva, Oh Swami, Oh Vibhu, may you be
victorious
Oh Taskarapati, it ( the thief of
a heart) wanders in many ways, subservient
to robbing wealth through avarice etc.,
and diligent in entering the home of
the wealthy. How will I bear this theif
of a heart here Oh Sankara ?
Oh Vibhu, having made it subservient to
you, bestow compassion on me the sinless
one.
I worship you. Oh Vibhu, be the
bestower of happiness to me immediately.
If you verily grant the position of
Brahma or Vishnu as a result of
it (the worship), (I will be) traversing
the sky and earth as a bird or
beast in order to see you again.
Having not seen you, Oh Sankara, how
will I bear that sorrow here, Oh
Vibhu ?
I would like to know when I
will be living with the demigod attendants
in the gold and gem studded mansion in
Kailasa mountain, in front of Sambhu,
displaying hands clasped in salutation on the
head. I will (then) pass the days of
Brahma, as if (it is but) a moment,
in comfort, crying, Oh Vibhu, Oh Swami
who is with the mother, Oh Paramasiva
"save" (me).
When will I see you with the
deer (and) hatchet borne in the hand,
the blue necked three eyed one, whose
body was embraced by Uma, seated on
the hump of the rutting great bull, with
the jests of the demigod attendants,
the praises of Brahma and others and the
ascetics saying "may you be victorious,
may you be victorious"
STANZAS 26 TO 50
I would like to know when I
will experience joy in my heart, not
obtainable (even) to Brahma and others,
having seen you Oh Girisa, and having
grasped your auspicious pair of feet by
the hands, and carrying it on
(my) head, eyes and chest, having embraced
well and inhaled the fragrant smell of
the lotus blossom (in it).
In your hand is the Meru mountain
Oh Girisa, Kubera is near you, the
group (consisting of) the wish yeilding
tree, cow and gem are in (your)
home. On your head is the moon and
in your feet are all things
auspicious. What object shall I give (you,
then) ? Let my mind be yours.
Saarupyam is in your worship. Saamipyam
is in devotional glorification by words such
as Oh Siva, Oh Mahadeva ! Saalokyam is in
conversing together with the assemblage of
people with devotion to Siva as the
foremost responsibility. Saayujyam is in meditation on your
body composed of the moveable and the
immoveable and is a certainty for me
here Oh Bhavanipati. Oh Swami I am
fulfilled.
I worship your lotus feet. I think
of you the supreme one every day. I
approach you the lord for refuge. By
words I beg only of you Oh Vibhu.
Bestow on me the glance of the eye
(endowed) with compassion, sought for long
by the celestials. Oh Sambhu, Oh Preceptor
of the world, instruct for the happiness
of my mind.
Oh one with the waxing moon for
the crest jewel, if only I were
pocessed of a thousand arms for the
ceremonial throwing on of the garment, if
only I were all pervasive for the
worship with flowers, if only I were
capable of wafting fragrance for the offering
of fragrance, if only I were the leader of
the fire for the offering of cooked food,
if only I were Brahma for creating
the vessel (of worship), (then alone)
can
I do service to you Oh Pasupati, Oh
Swami, Oh Preceptor of
the
three worlds.
This one great help alone, is it
not enough Oh lord of beings ?
Seeing the groups of the moveable and
immoveable, those within and without, and
in order to protect (them), the poison
which is the medicine causing flight
of all the immortals, which blazes
excessively and which is frightening was
placed by you in the neck. It
was not swallowed
nor was it spat out.
How was it possible that the poison
which blazes fiercely, and which is the
cause of excessive fear (amongst) all the
immortals was seen by you and
moreover borne in the hand ? Was it
a ripe rose apple in the palm
of the hand ? And placed on the tongue, was
it a medicinal pill? Held in the area
of the neck, was it your ornament
with a blue gem ? Oh Sambhu, Oh
Supreme soul, speak (of) this.
Oh Deva, your worship, bowing in
salutation and praising, adoration and mental
recitation of your name, listening to your
story and beholding you has been
done only once. Is it not enough for one
like me ? Oh Swami, what is
obtained by the fatigue of following the impermanent
gods ? What is liberation? Where is
it if not here?
In
that case, what (further) is to be
prayed for ?
What do we say about your courage
Oh Pasupati ? Oh Sambhu, who has your
composure and such a state of the
self ? And how can others obtain
this ? The assemblage of gods run
away, the assemblage of ascetics tremble, the
universe is destroyed to dissolution. Seeing (this),
fearless and all alone, being intensely
joyful, you go about for pleasure.
To you, who is laden with the
duties of acquisition and preservation, who
perseveres for all good, who is
skilled in the instruction of the known
and unknown doctrines, whois all pervading, without
and within, who is all knowing, who
is compassionate, what needs to be told by
me ? Oh Sambhu, you are the most
beloved,
thus
I recollect every day in my mind.
Oh Samba, I the devotee, seeking the most cordial
auspiciousness, display the ceremonial
purificatory day (for) bringing purity of
the dwelling place of one's body, with
the pure pitcher of the mind,
surrounded by the thread of devotion,
filled with the water of joy, having
placed the sprout of the pair of
your feet and the fruit of knowledge
(on it) and uttering excellent prayer.
The multitude of Vedic students, having
made the diligent mind as the churning
stick and firm devotion as the rope,
and having churned the ocean of the
Vedas with reverence, then reach him who is with
Uma, who is (like) the wish yeilding
tree, the divine cow and the wish yeilding
gem, who is the nectar of eternal
happiness and the blessedness of eternal
riches (liberation).
If by way of steady former virtue,
he who is the embodiment of ambrosia, who
is bright, who is auspicious, who is
with Uma, who is the resort of virtue,
who bears the deer of Illusion, who
is complete, and is the liberator
from darkness is seen in the atmosphere
of the mind, the ocean of happiness
swells greatly. And (only) then, for
those
of good mind, subsistence occurs. (Interestingly, this verse
can be taken to describe the moon by
virtue of paronomasia)
When in the lotus like city of
my mind, the lord of emancipation, who
is like the crest jewel of kings,
was present and always revered, Dharma
with it's four supports was well observed,
sin was destroyed, desire, anger,
arrogance etc. vanished, the seasons manifested
hapiness, the sovereign medicinal plant of
knowledge and
joy
yeilded good fruit.
When the divine nectar like mass of
water has been brought from the story
of Sadasiva, by the machinery of the
intellect, by the pots of speech and
by the series of canals and subcanals of
poetry and have united with the
paddy crop of devotion in the field of
the heart, they cause productiveness. Oh
Bhagavan, Oh Visvesa, where is fear from
famine for me (your) servant ?
Oh Mrityunjaya, I am requested by
the tongue, mind, head, feet, hands, eyes
and ears for engaging in (your) praise,
meditation, bowing in salutation, circambulation,
worship, beholding (you) and listening
(to
your praise), for release from the
calamity of sin and a taste of
supremacy. Command me (to do these).
Ascertain it with me repeatedly. Do
not be mute with me thus.
Oh Deva who loves Durga, (please) reside always in
the fortress of my mind, with profundity (of
charecter) for a protective moat, solid
courage for a wall, with the multitude of
uplifting virtues as the trustworthy army,
with the assemblage of fully developed
sense organs present in the body as
doors, with knowledge as the abundance of
materials and thus endowed with
all provisions.
Oh Girisa, do not go here and
there, reside only within me. Oh Swami,
Oh primeval hunter, within the boundaries
of the dreary forest of my mind,
there are many rutting animals, (such as)
envy, delusion etc. Having killed them,
you will get enjoyment from a taste of
(such) an amusing hunt.
He who has the deer (symbol of Maya)
attached to the hand, the destroyer of
the elephant demon, the annihilator of
the violent tiger demon, into whom all
beings vanish, who is the lord of
mountains, who has a bright form and
who is five faced exists in the cave of my
mind. Where can fear come from for
me? (Interestingly, this verse
can
be taken as a description of a lion
by virtue of paronomasia)
Oh chief bird of my mind, give
up purposeless roaming. Enough of all
that. Sport always in the nest of
the pair of lotus feet of Sankara,
in the tree having Vedas for branches and
possessed of (Upanishads as) tree tops,
which is well worshipped by the birds of
Brahmins, which is eternal, which causes
happiness, destroys pain and shines with fruits
having ambrosia for juice.
Oh royal swan of the mind, staying
always in the great mansion of the
feet of Girijanatha, which is spread over
by the greatness of the luster from
the series of nails (of Siva's feet),
which glistens with the glorious welling
up of nectar (from Siva's feet), which
is made beautiful by rubies (red lotus
like feet), and which ascetics are
dependent on, you sport at will, in
privacy with devotion
(personified)
as a group of brides.
When the garden of the heart is
in union with the spring of meditation
on Sambhu, the old leaves of sin
fall off, the assemblage of the creepers
of devotion appear, the shoots of merit
spread, the buds of virtue, the
flowers of the words of prayer, the
fragrance of goodness, the wave of flower
juices which is the ambrosia of
knowledge-joy
and the exalted fruit of knowledge blaze
forth.
Oh swan of the mind which is
like a crest jewel, you withdraw
permanently to the lake of meditation on
Sambhu, which is the abode of the
essence of eternal happiness, which is the
resort of the lotus like minds of
the celestial sages, which is clear, which
is worshipped by the birds of
brahmins, which removes sin, and which is
possessed of the fragrance of virtue. Why
do you incur the fatigue arising from
roaming in the puddle which is the
resort of the mean ?
Let the creeper of devotion, filled
by the ambrosia of happiness, rising from
the trench around the lotus feet of Hara,
having pocessed firmness for support,
having branches and sub branches, having
spread over the thatch frame of the
lofty mind, being free of sin and
reared by good deeds, be the giver
of the fruit of the eternal object of
desire (liberation) to me.
I worship the great image of
Mallikarjuna in SriGiri, who dances at the
commencement of the evening, who occupies
the interior of the pinnacle of the Vedas,
who is always pleasing with the loving
Parvati, who is graced by the fragrance
of virtue, who is adorned by the
lord of serpents, who is worshipped by all
the gods, who is possessed of good
qualities, and who is embraced by Sivaa. (Interestingly,
this verse can be taken as a
description of a jasmine flower by virtue
of paronomasia
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