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Soundarya Lahari
(Adi Shankaracharya)
This stanza till the end describes the great mother Shakti from head to foot. These are supposed to be
composed by the Adi Shankara himself.
sa nīḍeyacchāyā-cchuraṇa-śakalaṃ candra-śakalaṃ
Mantra: śrīṃ
I believe my mother,
parīvāhasrotaḥ-saraṇiriva sīmantasaraṇiḥ|
Mantra: klīṃ
* (Sindur - a traditional red color cosmetic powder, usually worn by married women along the parting of the
hair)
Who burnt the god of love (Shiva that only with a look incinerated Kama).
Mantra: hrīṃ
I suspect, Oh Mother,
Oh Goddess Uma,
And having hidden middle part (The nose jutting in between the eye brows),
Hid by the wrist, and folded fingers.
tṛtīyā te dṛṣṭi-rdaradalita-hemāmbuja-ruciḥ
Mantra: bu śu ca gu ra ku rā śa ke
dhruvaṃ tattannāma-vyavaharaṇa-yogyāvijayate || 49 ||
Is all pervasive,
Sparkles everywhere,
Is sweetness personified,
kavīnāṃ sandarbha-stabaka-makarandaika-rasikaṃ
kaṭākṣa-vyākṣepa-bhramarakalabhau karṇayugalam |
asūyā-saṃsargā-dalikanayanaṃ kiñcidaruṇam || 50 ||
Are like the two little bees which want to drink the honey,
Is filled with fear, when seeing the snakes worn by your Lord,
Mantra: raṃ
Mantra: hrīṃ
I believe my mother,
It is for sure,
That the two arched ridges between your eyes and ears,
camatkāraḥ-ślāghācalita-śirasaḥ kuṇḍalagaṇo
Mantra: śrīṃ
Without break,
vahatyantarmuktāḥ śiśirakara-niśvāsa-galitaṃ
Mantra: hrīṃ
I feel mother,
na bimbaṃ tadbimba-pratiphalana-rāgā-daruṇitaṃ
62 (Good sleep)
And can only imagine the fruit of the coral vine! (Antigonon leptopus)
cakorāṇā-māsī-datirasatayā cañcu-jaḍimā |
Mantra: hrīṃ
63 (Bewitching all)
The Chakora birds (Mythical birds supposed to drink the moon light),
By forever drinking,
yadagrāsīnāyāḥ sphaṭikadṛṣa-dacchacchavimayi
Mother mine,
nivṛttai-ścaṇḍāṃśa-tripurahara-nirmālya-vimukhaiḥ |
viśākhendropendraiḥ śaśiviśada-karpūraśakalā
Mantra: klīṃ, śrīṃ śrīṃ śrīṃ śrīṃ śrīṃ, hrīṃ hrīṃ hrīṃ hrīṃ hrīṃ
tadīyai-rmādhuryai-rapalapita-tantrīkalaravāṃ
Oh mother of all,
giriśeno-dastaṃ muhuradharapānākulatayā |
Mantra: hrīṃ
vivāha-vyānaddha-praguṇaguṇa-saṅkhyā pratibhuvaḥ |
virājante nānāvidha-madhura-rāgākara-bhuvāṃ
(The three major parts of Karnatic Classical music: procedure, undulations and song) ,
So that he can ask for protection for his remaining four heads,
yadi krīḍallakṣmī-caraṇatala-lākṣārasa-caṇam || 71 ||
Mantra: klīṃ, śrīṃ śrīṃ śrīṃ śrīṃ śrīṃ, klīṃ klīṃ klīṃ klīṃ klīṃ
71 (Getting of wealth)
Oh Goddess Uma,
72 (Conquering fear of darkness. Getting grace from Goddess. Making slave of Yakshini)
kumārāvadyāpi dviradavadana-krauñcdalanau || 73 ||
Mantra: hrīṃ
74 (Good fame)
Oh mother mine,
I feel in my mind,
Made the child of Dravida (The Tamil poet Thirujñana Sambandar who preceded Shankara),
Mantra: klīṃ
vimardā-danyonyaṃ kucakalaśayo-rantaragataṃ
Mantra: klīṃ
And which shines and glitters, and appears like the sky,
Mantra: hrīṃ
Mantra: hrīṃ, śaṃ laṃ raṃ śrīṃ, klīṃ yaṃ aiṃ sauḥ
Oh Goddess mine,
By the three creeper like folds (The three folds on the belly).
gurutvaṃ vistāraṃ kṣitidharapatiḥ pārvati nijāt
Mantra: hrīṃ
81 (Stopping fire)
Mantra: oṁ suṃ oṁ
In to an arrow case,
Oh mother mine,
paśūnā-mīśānaḥ pramadavana-kaṅkelitarave || 85 ||
And the God of love, the enemy of your Lord, who was burnt,
87 (Attracting of serpents)
Oh mother mine,
I do not understand.
And place them on hard rock (A rite in Hindu marriage called Asmarohanam),
Mantra: hrīṃ
As if to learn,
śivaḥ svaccha-cchāyā-ghaṭita-kapaṭa-pracchadapaṭaḥ |
93 (Fulfillment of desires)
saparyā-maryādā taralakaraṇānā-masulabhā |
Mantra: oṁ hrīṃ
kucabhyā-māsaṅgaḥ kuravaka-taro-rapyasulabhaḥ || 96 ||
Mantra: hrīṃ
Mantra: hrīṃ
sudhāsūte-ścandropala-jalalavai-raghyaracanā |
svakīyairambhobhiḥ salila-nidhi-sauhityakaraṇaṃ
Mantra: oṁ hrīṃ
To the sea.
Translated by P. R. Ramachander