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Sreeh Srimate Ramanujaya Namaha
by Sri Parasara Bhattar Sreeparaasarabhattaraaya
sree rangesha purohitaah| Sreevatsaankasuta
sreermaa sheyasemesthu bhooyase|| Sri Ranganaayakyai Namaha Sloka. 1:
Sriyai samastha chidachidvidhaana vyasanam hareh| Angeekaaribhiraalokaihi saarthayantyai kritonjalihi || One || I bow down with folded hands to Mahalakshmi, the Goddess who is approached by all for protection, and who by Her glance gives consent, approves of the way in which Mahavishnu [with good discretion] creates the living beings and inanimate objects. Sloka. 2:
Ullaasapallavitapaanitasaptalokee Nirvaaha korakita nema kataakshaleelaam | Sriranga harmya talamangala deeparekhaam Srirangaraaja mahishiim sriyamaashrayaamaha|| Two || Let us approach for shelter, the Goddess Lakshmi who, as an auspicious lamp illumines the hall in which it is, brightens the land of Sri Ranga and whose sportive side-glance brings about the rise, growth and existence of all the seven worlds, and who is the crowned queen of Narayana (Mahavishnu). Sloka. 3:
Anukala tanukaandaalinganaarambha shumbhat Pratidisha bhujashaakha sri sakhaa nooka harddhih| Stananayana gulucchasphaara pushpa dvirephaa Rachayatu mayi lakshmii kalpavallee kataakshaan || Three || May the Goddess Lakshmi, who possesses all greatness (omnipotence, omni-science and omni-presence etc.) of Her Lord Mahavishnu who, like a tree having a creeper round it and shining with its branches in all directions, extends His hands in all directions (to embrace every moment, the delicate and beautiful creeper-like body of Mahalakshmi)—that Goddess who has nipples ever fresh like an opening bud and eyes bright like open flowers and pupils shining like bees in full-blown flowers, and who like (kalpavriksha) the heavenly tree, bestows all that is desired, upon Her devotees, cast Her glances at me! Sloka. 4: Yadbhroobhangaaha pramaanam sthirachararachanaataaratamye muraareh Vedaantaastatvachintaam murabhidurasi yatpaada chinhaistaranti| Bhogopoodghaata keleechulakita bhagavadvaishva roopyaanubhaavaa Saa naha shreeraastrineetaam amritalahari langhaneeyair apaangaih ||Four ||
May the Goddess Lakshmi, the knitting of whose eyebrows provides Mahavishnu- the killer of the demon Mura, with motives for creating various kinds of things, movable and immovable, the marks of whose feet at the chest of Mahavishnu enable the Upanishads to solve their doubts as to who among the Trinity is the paratatva (by assuring that the Lord of Mahalakshmi, who has Her in His chest is the Paratatva) and whose sportive preparatory movements excel the universal manifestation of Mahavishnu in their elegance, grace and magnificence, shelter us with Her side glances which as they surpass the heavenly nectar, make their aspirer, not to care for even the nectar! Sloka. 5: Yadyaavattava vaibhavam taduchita stotraaya doore sprihaa Stotum ke vayamityadascha jagrihuhu praancho virinchaadayaha| Apyevam tava devi vaangmanasayoho bhaashaanabhignyam padam Kaavaachaha prayataamahe kavayitum swasti prashastyai giraam || Five ||
Oh, Mahalakshmi! We are far from desiring to express in laudable words, either the nature or the extent of Your glory; for Brahma and other ancestors of great experience, power and Wisdom, have said to themselves “What are we to praise Mahalakshmi? (we are incapable of doing it.)” Though this task is so hard, we make an attempt to describe Your essential nature, a thorough idea of which can neither be expressed orally nor formed mentally; the task being so difficult, our expressions or words cannot but be inappropriate and vulgar; however we pray, You will bless with all prosperity this hymn that we are going to compose. Sloka. 6: Stotaaram tamushanti devi yo vistrineete gunaan Sthotavyasya tatashcha te stutidhuraam mayyeva vishraamyati| Yasmaadasmadamarshaneeya phaniti sveekaarataste gunaaha Kshaantyaudaarya dayaadayo bhagavati swaam prasnuveeran prathaam|| Six ||
Oh, Lady of Sri Ranganatha! He who describes in manifold ways, a praise-worthy thing, is said to be a praising bard. I can say that all Your qualities are well exhibited by me; for, Your patience is made known in Your listening to my hymn, however ill-expressed it may be; Your generosity is revealed in having bestowed upon a humble person like me power to praise so great a being like You; Your kindness is exhibited in Your listening to my praise so that I may not feel sorry for my inability to do full justice to the task undertaken; the tender fondness You have to Your devotees, is known in Your taking humble praise as the appropriate one; thus all Your qualities speak of themselves in accepting this praise—which is so vulgar that it does not deserve forbearance. Sloka. 7:
Sooktim samagrayatu naha svayameva lakshmih Srirangaraajamahishee madhuraihi kataakshaih| Vaidagdhya varna guna gumbhana gouravairyaa Kandoola karna kuharaaha kavayo dhayanti || Seven || May the queen of Sri Ranganatha make this hymn thorough by casting Her sweet side glances as it, so that the charm, the elaborate style, clearness and fineness of the composition shall make the learned (feel scratching sensation in their ears) to give ready ear to the hymn and enjoy it thoroughly well! Sloka. 8:
Anaaghraataavadyam bahuguna pareenaahi manasaha Duhaanam souhaardam parichitamivaathaapi gahanam| Padaanaam soubhraatraadanimisha nishevyam sravanayoho Tvameva shreermahyam bahumukhaya vaaneevilasitam || Eight || Oh, Mahalakshmi! You Yourself favour me with Your blessings and make the Goddess of speech manifest herself in the form of words in various ways and make my work pleasant and attractive, its composition fine and faultless, its subject profound though familiar, so that the work shall deserve constant and careful hearing. Sloka. 9:
Sriyah srih srirangeshaya tavacha hridyaam bhagavateem Sriyam tvattopyuchchair vayamiha phanaamaha srinutharaam| Drishou te bhooyaastaam sukhataralataare sravanatahaa Punar harshotkarshaat sphutatu bhujayoho kanchuka shatam || Nine ||
Oh, Lord who is couching at Sri Ranga! One who is the supporter of Mahalakshmi that gives shelter to all! In Your very presence, we (Sri Yaamunacharya, Sri Ramanuja and others) praise Mahalakshmi more laudably than we have praised You, for she, residing always in Your chest, gives You all enjoyment. Let Your eyes of fickle pupils get dilated at hearing the hymn in praise of Your beloved! Let many of Your coats give way at the shoulders, being found too small to hold Your body which gets swollen on account of joy. Sloka. 10:
Devi shrutim bhagavatim prathamepumaamsaha Tvatsad gunougha manikosha griham grinanti| Tadvaara paatanapatoonicha sethihaasa Santarkana smriti puraana purassaraani || Ten || Oh, Mahalakshmi! Vashista, Parasara and other ancestors say that the holy Vedas form the treasure-room; the gems of Your multifarious good qualities and the epics (of the Ramayana,) the legends, the memorial laws as well as Logic and other sciences form the keys that throw open the door of that treasure-room. Sloka. 11:
Aahurvedaanamaanam katichana kati chaaraajakam vishwametatu Raajanvat kechideesham guninamapi gunaistam daridraanamanye | Bhikshaavanye suraajam bhavaniti cha jadaaste talaatalyakaarshuhu Ye te srirangaharmyaanganakanakalate na kshanam lakshyamaasan || Eleven || Oh, Mahalakshmi who shines like a golden creeper in front of the town of Sri Ranga! Those on whom Your glances never fall even for a second, have become mad with inadvertence (ignorance) and some of them do not hold the holy Vedas as supreme authority, some say that this universe containing a great many wonderful things has no Lord over it; some say that God is only an instrumental cause of the world, some again think that the Lord who really possess all the good qualities (as explained in the holy Vedas) has no attributes at all; others again find their Lord of this magnificent universe in Rudra who begs alms with a skull in his hand; all these merely vie with one another in dispute but none of them arrive at the truth. Sloka. 12:
Manasi vilasitaakshnaa bhakti siddhaanjanena Shruti sirasi nigoodham lakshmi te veekshamaanaaha| Nidhimiva mahimaanam bhunjate yepi dhanyaaha Nanu bhagavati daiveem sampadam tebhi jaataaha || Twelve || Oh, Lakshmi! Those great men who are blessed with Your gracious glances get a clear vision of Your greatness hidden in the Upanishads, their mind’s eye being illumined by the anguent of faith which they obtain through sincere devotion, just as some men apply well-prepared anguent to their eyes and succeed in finding out the hidden treasures which were only being talked of in great secrecy (before the discovery) Oh, Goddess the possessor of all virtues! These men are really well born. Sloka. 13:
Asyeshaana jagata iti te dheemahe yaam sammruddhim Srih srisooktam bahumukhayate taamcha shaakaanushaakam | Eeshte kaschit jagata iti yaha pourushe sookta uktaha Tamcha tvatkam patimadhijagaavuttaraschaanuvaakaha || Thirteen || Oh, Mahalakshmi! Your greatness read in the hymn “Asyeshaana jagato visnu patni” (Mahalakshmi the queen of Mahavishnu is the Lordess of this universe) is laudably explained in manifold ways in the Sri Sookta (the hymn of Mahalakshmi). Vishnu who in the Purusha Sookta is described as the supreme ruler of the universe, is so described in virtue of his being Your Lord (the Lord of Mahalakshmi) as will be clearly seen by a study of the succeeding section (of Purusha Sookta). Sloka. 14:
Udbaahustvaamupanishada saavanaikaniyantree Srimadraamaayanamapi param praaniti tvatcharitre| Smartaarosmajjanani yatamae setihaasaihi puraanaihi Ninyur vedaanapi cha tatamae tvanmahimni pramaanam || Fourteen || Oh, my mother! Not only these Upanishads, Purusha Sookta, Sri Sookta, Narayanopanishad with lifted hands proclaim You to be the sovereign of the universe, but, even the Ramayana chiefly deals with Your greatness. All the givers of the traditional laws (like Parasara) and others, have proved by means of the epics and many legends, that the Vedas proclaim Your greatness. Sloka. 15:
Aakugraama niyaamakaadhapi vibhoraasarva nirvaahakaat Aishvaryam yadi hottarottaragunam sreerangabhartuhu priye | Tungam mangalamujjvalam garimavatpunyam punah paavanam Dhanyam yattadadascha veekshana bhuvaste panchashaa viprushaha || Fifteen || Oh, Queen of Ranganatha! The greatness that (possessed by a master of a village) goes on increasing gradually from the mere mastery over a village to the Omnipotence that is possessed by Mahavishnu; the Lord of the whole universe, and which is manifested in manifold form – greatness in mountains, auspiciousness in sandal, brightness in precious gems, magnanimity in the Himalaya and other mountains, meritorious ness of sacrifices, the holiness of the Kaveri and other rivers, the richness of the nine treasures— (1. Mahapadma, 2. Padma, 3. Shanka, 4. Makara, 5. Kachapha, 6. Mukunda, 7. Kunda, 8. Nila, 9. Vera, are the nine treasures) all these are the fruits of (4 or 5 drops of nectar of) a few of Your side-glances. Sloka. 16:
Eko muktaatapatraprachalamanighaanatkaarimoulirmanushyaha Dripyaddantaavalasto na ganayati nataan yatkshanam khshonipaalaan | Yattasmai tishthatenyaha kripanaamasharano darshayan dantapanktim Tatte srirangaraajapranayini nayano dhanchitan nyanchitaabhyaam || Sixteen || Oh, beloved of Sri Ranganatha! One who is favoured by You, becomes rich enough to sit on an intoxicated elephant under a pearl umbrella and wear a precious crown, the gems in which tinkle as the elephant walks along and is very indifferent even towards the kings that stand beneath and bow down to him, whereas another man not bestowed with Your favour stands helpless, showing the row of his teeth to the rich man on the elephant and craves for his gift. These are due to the extending of Your gracious glance and to the contraction of the same respectively. Sloka. 17:
Ratrirmati saraswati dhriti samruddhi siddhi sriyaha Sudhaa sakhi yatomukham chichilashettava bhroolata | Tatomukhamathendire bahumukhimaham poorvikaam Vigaahya cha vamshavadaaha parivahanti koolankashaaha || Seventeen || Oh, Mahalakshmi, couterine with nectar! (Mahalakshmi graciously took birth once in the ocean of milk where the nectar had its source)! In whatever direction Your creeper-like eye-brows tend to move, in that direction Love, Intelligence, Oration, Courage, Richness, Fulfillment of one’s desires flows in unlimited abundance vying with another in various ways. One who is favoured by You becomes popular, intelligent, brave, and rich able to please everyone and accomplish all that is desired. Sloka. 18:
Sahastira paritra savraja virinchanaakinchanaihi Anokaha brihaspati prabala viklava prakriyam | Idam sadasadaatmanaa nikhilameva nimnonnatam Kataksha tadupekshayostava hi lakshmi tattaandavam || Eighteen || Oh, Lakshmi! The manifestation of superiority and inferiority that is found in this world in various ways as a tree without understanding, Brihaspati (Jupiter) that possesses the greatest amount of knowledge, including the groups of movables and immovables, Brahma the creating lord of the universe and a beggar who possesses no mastery over anything—all these manifestations in the form of entities and non-entities are due to Your sportive darting or not darting respectively of Your glance in the direction. Sloka. 19:
Kale shamsati yogyataam chidachitoranyonyamaalingatoh Bhootaahankriti buddhipanchakarani svaantapravriteendriyaih | Andaanaavaranaih sahasramakarottaan bhoorbhuvaha svarvathaha Srirangeshwaradevi te vihritaye sankalpamaanaha priyah || Nineteen || Oh, Queen of Sri Ranganatha! At the time of universal destruction, when the living and the non living mixed together into one mass, the opportunity for re-creation was observed by Your beloved who, in order to amuse You with His manifold and beautiful creations, created the five elements (Earth, Water, Light, Air, and Ether), the sense of oneself (the ego), the intellect, the five organs of perception, (the skin, tongue, eye, ear, and nose), the mind and the five organs of action (the hand, the foot, the larynx, the organ of generation and that of feculent excretion); he also created thousands of worlds Bhu, Bhuvah, Suvah, etc. with their seven enclosures. Sloka. 20:
Shabdaadeen vishayaan pradashyavibhavam vismaarya daasyaatmakham Vaishnavya gunamaayayaatma nivahaan viplaavya poorvaha pumaan| Pumsaa punya vadhoovidambi vapushaa dhoorthaa nivaayaasayan Srirangeshwari kalpate tava pareehaasaatmane kelaye || Twenty || Oh, the crowned queen of Sri Ranganatha! The First Progenitor Mahavishnu creates jokes for Your merriment by exhibiting the five object of senses (Sound, Tanjibility, Colour, Savour, Odour) to the man whereby he becomes unable to realise his true nature of servitude to God and forgetting himself under the influence of Maya of Vishnu, (the equipoise of the three constituent qualities of nature of Prakriti) struggles in vain just as crafty knaves struggle in vain being excited by the beauty of a man in guise of a prostitute. Sloka. 21:
Yaddoore manaso yadeva tamasah pare yadatyadbhutam Yatkaalaadapachelimum surapuree yadgachchato durgatih| Saayujyasya yadeva sootirathava yaddrugraham madgiraam Tadvishnoho paramam padam tava krite maatah samaamnaasishuhu|| Twenty One || Oh, Mother! That place which is far from mind and the Prakriti, the equipoise of the three constituent qualities of nature—which, wonderful in itself is liable to no change as to duration of time and the aspirer of which finds Swarga (Paradise) to be only a trouble, and which, being the famous abode of Mahavishnu, is the source of becoming one with God—or to be plain—that holy place which cannot be described by me—owes all its greatness—as expressed in the Vedas, to Your dwelling ever in it with Your beloved Mahavishnu. Sloka. 22:
Helaayamakhilam charaacharamidam bhoge vibhootihparaam Punyaaste parichaarakarmani sadaa pashyanti ye soorayah | Srirangeshwara devi kevalakripaanirvaahyavarge vayam Sheshitve paramah pumaam parikaraa hyete tava sphaarane || Twenty Two || Oh, Queen of Sri Ranganatha! All this universe of mobile and immobile things is meant for Your dalliance, the great dominion of Satva pure (the first of the three constituents of nature said to compose the abode of Vishnu) is meant for Your merriments, the blessed ever-living souls (Vishwaksena and others) who have obtained God-realisation, from time immemorial are appointed to render their dutiful services to You and to Your beloved Mahavishnu, whom You have made Your Lord, whereas we, the individual souls that do not come under any of these heads form a class that is to be taken care of by You through sheer pity (on no grounds). Thus all these form the means with which You exhibit Your greatness. Sloka. 23:
Aajnyaanugraha bheemakomala puree paalaa phalam bhejushaam Yaayodhyetya paraajiteti viditaa naakam parena sthita | Bhaavairadhbhuta bhoga bhooma gahanaih saandraa sudhasyandibhih Srirangeshwara gehalakshmi yuvayostaam raajadhaaneem viduhu || Twenty Three || Oh, Mahalakshmi, who adorns the throne of Sri Ranganatha! That city which is full of things that shower nectar of eternal and wonderful happiness, that which, being situated far above the sky and being (impenetrable) invincible by any one, is sung in the holy Vedas as Ayodhya, that which cannot be fought with, and ‘Aparajita’ (as that which cannot be won), and the watchmen of which are very strict in carrying out the commands and at the same time are very pleasing by their kindness—such a city that forms the accomplishment incarnate of all the desires of the devotees, is sung in the holy Vedas as the capital of You and Your beloved. Sloka. 24:
Tasyaancha tvatkripaavanniravadhi janataa vishramaarhaavakaasham Sankeerna daasyatrishnaa kalitaparikaraih pumbhiraananda nighnaih| Snehaadastaana rakshyaavyasanibhirabhayam shaarngachakraasi mukhyaih Aanandaikaarnavam
srirbhagavati yuvayoho aahuraastaana ratnam || Twenty four || Oh, Queen of Lord; the possessor of Sandhi, Vigraha, Yaana, Aasana, Dvaideebhaava, Samshraya. Oh, possessor of six excellent qualities Aishwarya, Jnaana, Yashas, Sri, Vairaagya, Dharma! There, in that happy city, is Your precious royal court affording place of resort to a numberless multitude and filled with people who, being overcome with joy are eagerly awaiting to render their service with umbrellas, chowries, ready in their hand; it is constantly and cheerfully guarded by the five weapons that are so much attached to God, that they are on the alert to protect the city, although there is no apprehension of any danger; in that place; it is one mass (one ocean) of happiness itself; it is thus described in the Vedanta. The five weapons are-- 1. Panchajanya—the couch, 2. Sudarsana – the discus, 3. Koumodaki—the club, 4. Nandaka—the sword, 5. Shaarnga—the bow. Sloka. 25:
Tatra sraksparshagandham sphuradupari phanaaratnarochirvitaanam Visteeryaanantabhogam taduparinayataa vishwamekaadhipatyam | Taistaih kaantena shaantoditaguna vibhavairarhataatvaamasankhaih Anyonnyaadvaita nishthaaganarasagahanaan devi badhnaasi bhogaan || Twenty Five || Oh, Mahalakshmi! There in that hall, You sit with Your Lord. On the soft, fragrant and extensive body of Ananta, the best of the serpents, the rays emitting from the precious stones on whose hood form a beautiful canopy; and Your Lord alone rules over the whole universe with sole proprietor-ship (authority) and He is quite adapted to You in His attributes and greatness which are exhibited in a state of tranquility; You create a great many pleasures to Your devotees—the eternal souls as well as those who attain salvation—so that they all feel no difference from one another. Sloka. 26:
Bhogyaa vaamapi naantareeyakatayaa pushpaangaraagaissamam Nirvritta pranayaati vaahanavidhou neetaah parivaahataam| Devi tvaamanuneelayaa saha maheedevyassahasram tatha Yaabhistvam
stanabaahudrishtibhiriva swaabhih priyam shlaaghase ||
Twenty six|| Oh, Mahalakshmi! Just as You delight Your beloved by Your breast, arms and fine looks, thousands of His queens who including Neela, and Bhoo always follow the path adopted by You and are delightful to You as well as to Your beloved just like the flowers and anguents that form indications of the overflow of Your intimate love with Your beloved Mahavishnu. (All the other queens of Mahavishnu resembles the several limbs of Mahalakshmi in as much as they also create merriment to both Mahalakshmi and Mahavishnu). Sloka. 27:
Te saadhyaassanti devaa janani gunavapurvesha vrittasswaroopaih Bhogairvaa nirvisheshaassavayasa iva ye nitya nirdosha gandhaah | He srih srirangabhartustava cha pada pareechaara vrittaih sadaapi Premapradraana
bhaavaavilahridaya hathaatkaara kainkarya bhogaah ||
Twenty seven|| Oh, Mahalakshmi, mother of all! Those celestial beings named Saadhyas all of whom are of the same age and have had no touch with any evil taints and who do not differ from one another in their attributes, bodies, forms, behaviour and nature as also in the realisation of God, are so intimately attached to You through deep affection that they find pleasure only voluntarily rendering their services to You and to Your beloved and worshipping You; the Divine Couple. Sloka. 28:
Swaroopam swaatantryam bhagavata idam chandravadane Tvadaashleshotkarshaat bhavati khalu nishkarsha samaye| Tvamaaseermaatah srih kamituridamittham tva vibhavah Tadantarbhaavaatvaam na
prithagabhidhatte shrutirapi ||
Twenty eight|| Oh, Mahalakshmi of moon-like face! On due consideration, one can reasonably conclude that the divine nature and the Omnipotent sovereignty of Mahavishnu are due to Your being one with Him. For, You form the characteristic feature and the nature of the greatness of the Lord of entire universe. And accordingly—as it is You whose greatness is virtually described in the Vedas as they (the Vedas) do not treat You as different from God. Sloka. 29:
Tava sparshaadeesham sprishati kamale mangalapadam Tavedam nopaadherupanipatitam srirasi yatah Prasoonam pushyanteemapi parimalardhim jigadishuh Na chaivamtva
devam swadataiti kashchit kavayate ||
Twenty nine || Oh, Mahalakshmi! The auspicious word “Sri” applies to Narayana owing to His being closely related to You whereas it applies to You naturally and not on account of anything else; for You Yourself are auspicious. (Sri = auspicious, that which is auspicious). A flower owes its excellence to the fragrance it contains, but no one pretends to describe the fragrance by saying that the fragrance is pleasing on account of its being fragrant. [so Mahalakshmi whose auspiciousness itself cannot be said to owe it to anything else]. Sloka. 30:
Apaanga bhooyaamso yadupari param brahma tadabhoot Ami yatra dvitraasa cha shatamakhaadista dadharaat | Atah sriramnaayastadubhayamushamstvaam pranijagou Prashastissa raagnyo yadapi cha puree koshakathanam
|| Thirty || Oh, Mahalakshmi! He on whom a great many rays of Your side-glances fell, is known as the Great Lord whereas those on whom two or three rays of Your glance fell have become the lower gods Indra, Brahma, Siva etc. Therefore the Vedas in praising the Great Lord and the lower gods, praise You and nobody else; for the praising of the capital city and the treasury of a kingdom, ultimately leads to praising the king to whom all of them owe their greatness. Sloka. 31:
Swatah sristvam vishnoh svamasi tata evaisha bhagavaan Tvadaayattardvitvepyabhavadaparaadheenavibhavah | Swayaa deeptyaa ratnam bhavadapi mahaargham na vigunam Na kunthaswaatantryam bhavati cha na
chaanyaahitagunam ||
Thirty one|| Although all the greatness of the Great Lord Narayana is due to Mahalakshmi, He is not thereby dependant, for Mahalakshmi, by nature is attached to him. For example, a gem though precious on account of its own luster, does not, by set in gold, lose its attribute and owe preciousness to the gold in which it is set. Just as the gem set in gold becomes more brilliant, the greatness of the Lord under the control of Mahalakshmi, is exhibited only more brilliantly.
Prashakana balajyotir jnyaanaishwari vijayaprathaa Pranatavarana prema kshemankaratva purassaraah | Api parimalah kaantrilaavanyamarchiriteendire Tava bhagavatashchaite saadhaaranaa gunaraashayah || Thirty Two || Oh, Mahalakshmi! All the groups of qualities including –power, strength, luster, the omniscience, the supremacy, the great fame, charming the devotees—sympathy with them and the tendency to do good to them, as well as the fragrance, splendour, beauty and the luster of the body—all these are common to both of You (are possessed both by You and Your beloved Narayana equally). Sloka. 33:
Anyaipi Youvanamukha yuvayossamaanaah Srirangamangala vijrumbhana vaijayanti | Tasminstava tvayi cha tasya parasparena Samsteerya darpana iva
prachuram svadante || Thirty three || Oh, Mahalakshmi, the indicator, like a standard of victory, of the ever-increasing prosperity Sri Ranga! Other qualities like the beauty of Youthfulness etc. also are common both to You and Your beloved. All these are well exhibited as in a mirror, in both of You to each other. Sloka. 34:
Yuvatpaadou tulyepyaparavashataashatrushamana Sthiratvaadeen kritvaa bhagavati gunaan pumstvasulabhaan | Tvayi stritvayikaantaan mradeemapathipaaraarthya karunaa Kshamaadeenvaa bhoktum bhavati yuvayoraatmani bhidaa || Thirty Four ||
Oh, Mahalakshmi! Although youthfulness and other qualities enumerated above, are common to You and to Your Lord Narayana, qualities of independence, subjugating and conquering the foe, steadiness and the like, which are characteristic of a male are prominent in Your Lord, while qualities of mildness, devotion to the husband, kindness, patience and the like, which are characteristic of a female, are prominent in You. Thus the individuality of You both as independent in form and nature is exhibited by each of You (to enable the devotees to realise You well and enable both of You to appreciate each other) and to help to facilitate the appreciation and understanding of Your form and nature. Sloka. 35:
Ghanakanakadyutee yuvadashaamapi mugdhadashaan Yuvatarunatvayoruchitam aabharanaadi param Dhruvamasamaanadeshaviniveshi vibhajya harou Tvayi cha kusheshayoddhara vihaarini nirvishasi ||
Thirty five|| Oh, Mahalakshmi, the lotus resider! You and Your Lord Narayana know and appreciate each other by allowing some of Your characteristic marks to be distinct to either of You – namely—the bodily luster of the sky, colour of the beauty of Youthfulness and the excellent signs pertinent to it are prominent in Mahavishnu, while the golden luster of the body, the tender Youthfulness and the marks indicating it (the lovely breast and the like) are prominent in You (Mahalakshmi). Had You not made such distinctions it would not have possible for You Yourselves to know each other. Sloka. 36:
Angam te mridusheetamugdha mahurodaarair gunair gumbhatah Ksheeraabdheh kimrijeeshataamupagataa manye mahaarghaastatah Induh kalpalataa sudhaamadhumukhaa ityaavilaan varnanaam Srirangeshwari
shaantakritrimakatham divyam vapurnaarhati ||
Thirty six || Oh, Mahalakshmi! The milky ocean (which You once chose as Your birth –place) that utilised much of its softness, dampness, (chilliness) tenderness, sweetness, nobleness, and the like qualities for the formation of You beautiful limbs, had to give birth, out of the residue, to the moon, the celestial creeper that yields everything, the nectar, the vinous liquor, and the like; and these therefore owe their preciousness to their having been formed out of the residue; this description of Your celestial body which has no artificiality whatever, being very much beneath the standard, is not suited to it. Sloka. 37:
Pranamadanuvidhitsaa vaasanaanamramagre Pranayeeparichicheeshaa kunchitam paarshvakena | Kanakanikashachachchampaka sraksamaana Pravaramidamudaaram
varshma vaachaamabhoomih ||
Thirty seven || Oh, Mahalakshmi! Your noble body little inclined at the head with a desire to bless those that prostrate before You, which is also inclined on other side in order to render Your services to Your beloved Mahavishnu, and which resembles a golden ray in brilliance and a champaka garland in its tenderness, is too fine to be described even in words. Sloka. 38:
Ekam nyanchya natikshamam mama param chaakunchya paadaambujam Madhyevishtarapundareekamabhayam vinyasya hastaambujam | Tvaam pashyemanishedusheem pratikalam kaarunya koolankasha Sphaaraapaangatarangamamba
madhuram mugdham mukham bibhrateem ||
Thirty eight|| Oh, mother! Let us always adore You who sits in the middle of the lotus seat, extending (down the seat,) Your right leg that deserves my prostration and placing the other leg across on the seat, giving assurance of safety with the lotus-like hand and with a lovely cheerful face and the eyes from which emit innumerable rays of side glance overfilled with (full of sympathy) compassion. Sloka. 39:
Surabhita nigamaantam vandisheeyendiraayaah Tava kamala palaashaprakriyam paada yugmam | Vahati yadupamardair vaijayantee himaambhah Plutibhiriva navatvam kaantabaahaantaraale
|| Thirty nine || May I adore the Mahalakshmi’s lotus-like feet with their toes resembling the lotus leaves knowable only by means of Upanishads, the rubbing or touch of which feet gives fresh brilliance to the Vaijayanti (the garland) at the chest of Narayana even as the sprinkling of cold water gives freshness to a garland. Narayana, wears the garland Vaijayanti, which is ever fresh and bright on account of its touch with the lotus-like feet of Mahalakshmi who resides on His chest. Sloka. 40:
Tvatsveekaara kalaavalepakalushaa raagnyaam drisho durvahchaah Nityam tvan madhupaanamatta madhupa srinirbharaabhyaampatim | Drigbhymeva hi pundareekanayanam vedovidaamaasa te Saakshaallakshmi
tavaavalokavibhava kaakvaa kayaa varnyate||
Forty || Oh, Mahalakshmi! Even the eyes of the Lokapaalas (guardians of the world) and other kings who are proud of the possession of a portion of Your side-glance cannot be adequately described. While such is the greatness of the possessor of a portion of Your glance; in what manner can we directly describe the greatness of You whose beloved Narayana is full of greatness and being ever ecstasied in Your company has fine and dilated eyes like a bee which is mad with drinking too much of honey and is therefore described in the holy Vedas as the lotus-eyed? We are unable to give an appropriate description of the greatness of Mahalakshmi. Sloka. 41:
Aanandaatmabhireeshamajjanamadaksheebaalasairaagala Premaardrairapi koolamudvaha kripaa samplaavitaasmaadrishaih | Padmae te pratibidubaddha kalika brahmaadi vishkambhakaih Aishvaryodgama gadgadairasharanam maam
paalayaalokitaih || Forty one || Oh, Mahalakshmi! Bless me who has no other protector, with Your gracious and happy glances which being proud of Narayana’s having bathed in them, tresspass all limits and being over-filled with compassion spread slowly in all directions to enable even persons like me to bathe in them, (Bless me with Your gracious glances) even for a drop of which the Lord Brahma and other watchmen of the universe rival with one another and stammer on account of the immeasurable increase of happiness that has befallen them. Sloka. 42:
Paadaaruntudameva pankajarajaschetibhrishaalokitaih Angamlaanirathaanba saahasavidhou leelaaravindagrahah | Dolaa te vanamaalayaa haribhuje haakashtashabdaaspadam Kena sriratikomalaa tanuriyam vaachaam
vimardakshamaa ||
Forty two|| Oh, Mahalakshmi! Your celestial body is so fragrant in itself that the petal dust can scarcely give any additional fragrance to Your feet but only aches them, so soft that even the glances of the ladies in waiting only tire it, so tender that even the holding of lotus in sport counts as a mark of committing a brave deed; such a tender body as may ache even in Your swinging garland Vaijayanti in Vishnu’s arms can scarcely tolerate any bruising by means of words that endeavour to describe it. Sloka. 43:
Aamaryaadamakantakam stanayugam naadyaapi naalokita Bhroobhedasmitavibhramaa jahati vaa naisargikatvaa yashah| Soothe shaishavayaouvanavyatikaro gaatreshu te sourabham Bhogassrotasi
kaantadeshikakaragraahena gaahakshamah ||
Forty three || Oh, Mahalakshmi ! Though Your teats are fully grown, they have not trespassed the limit and so they stand erect. Nor do Your sportive glances, smiles and movements of the eye-brows give up their natural curvedness. The beginning of Youth that intervenes the childhood and the Youth makes You hold Your beloved’s hand so that he may lead You (to bathe in the current of enjoyment) in several experiences, and it gives an excellent fragrance to Your body. Sloka. 44:
Aamodaadbhutashaali Youvanadashaavyaakochamamlaanimat Soundaryaamritasekasheetalamidam laavanyasootraarpitam Srirangeshwari komalaangasumanassandarbhanam devi te Kaantorah pratiyatnamarhati kavim
dhinmaamakaandaakula ||
Forty four|| Oh, Mahalakshmi! The never-fading and exceedingly fragrant garland of Your Youthfulness in full blossom, cool on account of showering nectar of beauty and strung in the thread of gracefulness is the best suited ornament to the chest of Your beloved Mahavishnu. The attempt of me to describe that such a tender bodied one like You is suited to get a place as an ornament, on the chest on such a bold one as Vishnu – is itself daring indeed. Sloka. 45:
Marmasprusho rasashiraah vyati vidya vrittaih Kaantopabhogalalitairlulitaangayashtih | Pushpaavaleeva rasikabhramaropabhuktaa Tvam devi nityamabhinandayase mukundam || Oh, Mahalakshmi! With Your slender body well pressed by Mahavishnu, Your beloved during His affectionate enjoyment of its essence and Your sportive gestures, You make Mahavishnu delighted still more, even like a line of flowers the essence of which is drunk deep by the lustful bees; just as the flowers delight the lustful bees that drink their essence, Mahalakshmi also amuses Mahavishnu by Her sportive movements in His enjoying the beauty, tenderness and gracefulness of Her. Sloka. 46:
Kanakarashanaamuktaataatankahaaralalaatikaa Manisaratulaakotipraayairjanaardanajeevike | Prakritimadhuram gaatram jaargarti mugdhavibhooshanaih Valayashakalairdugdham
pushpaishcha kalpalataa yatha ||
Forty six || Oh, Mahalakshmi that forms the life of Sri Ranganatha (Mahavishnu)! Your celestial body pleasing as it is by itself – shines more brightly with various precious ornaments – the gold zone, the earrings and the garland of pearls, the mark of tilaka on the forehead, and the string of gems and the toe rings—just as milk is made more sweet with the addition of sugar and as all-yielding (Kalpataru) tree is rendered more beautiful by its flowers. Sloka. 47:
Saamaanyabhogyamapi koustubha vaijayantee Panchaayudhaadi ramanah swayameva bibhrath | Tvadbhaarakhedamiva te parihartukaamah Srirangadhaamamanimanjari gaahate tvaam
||Forty seven|| Oh, Mahalakshmi—the pedicle (cluster) of beads that illumines the throne of Sri Ranga! Although the bead Koustubha, the garland Vaijayanti and the five instruments or tools are equally serviceable to both of You, Your Lord, wishing to save You the trouble of wearing them, wears them himself and cheerfully sports with You. Sloka. 48:
Yadi manujatirashchaam leelayaa tulyavritteh Anujanuranuroopaa devi naavaatarishyah | Asarasamabhavishyannarma naathasya maatah Daradaladaravindodantakaantaayataakshi || Oh, Mother! Mahalakshmi, who has pretty eyes wide and pleasing like the lotus that is just blooming! If You had not sportively taken several suitable shapes and incarnated in this world, in harmony with Your Lord of similar behaviour in His several Avataaras as man, animals and lower beings, all His play would have become ineffective and quite unsuited to the occasion. Sloka. 49:
Skhalitakatakamaalairdorbhirabdhim muraareh Bhagavati dadhimaatham mathnatah shraantishaantyai | Bhramadamritatarangaavartatah praaduraaseeh Smitanayanasudhaabhih sinchatee chandrikeva
|| Forty nine || Oh, revered Mahalakshmi! On Narayana—the killer of the demon Mura—getting tired of having churned the milky ocean with His arms causing the motion of His bracelet and the garland, You rose like bright moon-light, from the curly waves of nectar in order to refresh him by showering on him the nectar of Your smile and graceful glance. Sloka. 50:
Maatarmaithili raakshaseestvayi tadaivaardraaparaadhaastvayaa Rakshantyaa pavanaatmajaallaghutaraa raamasya gosthee kritaa | Kaakam tam cha vibheeshanam sharanamityuktikshamou rakshatah Saa nah
saandramahaagasassukhayatu khaantistavaakasmikee || fifty || Oh, Mother Mahalakshmi who had once incarnated as Sita! By protecting the wicked demon females that had very recently teased You in all sorts of ways from the outrages of Hanumaan, (who having seen in person the way of the demon’s teasing Sita, wanted to seek revenge when he saw them, after the battle at the time of His re-visit to Sita) You have excelled Your beloved Sri Rama in forgiveness; for Rama gave shelter to Vibhishana and Kaakasura both of whom sought for it on their own accord while You gave shelter to the demon females without being solicited by them, although, You on the other hand would have been justified in punishing them for the wrongs they had inflicted on You. Sloka. 51:
Maatarlakshmi yathaiva maithilajanastenaadhwanaa te vayam Tvadaasyaikarasaabhimaanasubhagairbhaavairihaamutra cha | Jaamaataa dayitastaveti bhavatee sambandha drishtyaa harim Pashyema pratiyaama yaama cha pareechaaraan
prahrishyema cha || Fifty one || Oh, mother Lakshmi! Just as the people of the country Mithila (Your father Janaka’s country) belong to You, we also belong to You. May we with our sincere attachment to You and with our auspicious ideas of serving You and Your beloved approach Sriman Narayana—through You. As He is Your beloved and the son-in-law of Janaka, (the father of Sita and Vishnuchittar the father of Ranganayaki) is related to us through You. May we thus approach Narayana both in this world and the next! May we seek His protection! May we attain eternal happiness by rendering our services to You and to Your Beloved! Sloka. 52:
Piteva tvatpreyaanjanani paripoornaagasi jane Hitassrotovrityaa bhavati cha kadaachit kalushadheeh | Kimetannirdoshah ka iha jagateeti tvamuchitaih Upaayair vismaarya
swajanayasi maataa tadasi nah ||
Fifty two || Oh, mother! Whenever we, the human souls, commit very sinful deeds, Your beloved wishing to do good to us or to teach us good lessons gets angry like a father at his sons mischief. Then You appease him with Your sweet glances and say “Oh Lord, what is this anger for? In this universe of Your Maya who is there that is sinless?” and by means of sweet exhorting words that suit the occasion, You make Him forgive our sins and make Him again sympathise with us and brings His attachment to us. You are therefore our mother. Sloka. 53:
Neturnityasahaayini janani nastraatum tvamatraagataa Loke tvanmahimaavabodhabadhire praaptaa vimardam bahu | Klishtam graavasu maalateemridupadam vishlishya vaaso vane Jaato dhikkarunaam dhigastu yuvayoh swaatantryam
atyankusham || Fifty three || Oh, Mother; By Your incarnations in this world that does not know Your greatness, You suffered many difficulties in order to render Your eternal assistance to the Lord of the universe and protect us—Your devotees; You suffered many difficulties; Your tender legs—lovely like the maalati flower, walked over rough stones; You suffered also loneliness and dwelt even in the forest when born as Sita, the wife of Rama! What can i say of Your kindness that prompted You to suffer all this in order to protect this world legally! Indeed the liberty which You, the Couple, take to subject Your own tender bodies to difficulties, in order to protect the world, has no bounds at all. Sloka. 54:
Adhishayitavaanabdhim naatho mamantha babandha tam Haradhanurasou vallibhanjam babhanja cha maithili | Api dashamukheem lootvaa rakshah kabandhamanartayat Kimiva na pathih kartaa
tvachchaatuchanchumanorathah ||
Fifty four || Oh, Mahalakshmi! The Lord being always bent upon accomplishing His ends by doing what is agreeable to You, is prone to do any thing whatever; He has used the milky ocean (which was Your birth-place) as His bedroom, he fettered the sea with a bridge (Rama crossed the sea by a bridge and went to Lanka). He bent the bow of Siva, as easily as one would do a creeper; He cut off the ten heads of Ravana in the battle; What is there that He cannot do for pleasing You! He does anything and everything to amuse and please You. Sloka. 55:
Dashashatapaanipaadavadanaakshimukhairakhilaih Api nijavaishvaroopyavibhavairanuroopagunaih | Avataranairataishcha rasayankamitaa kamale Kvachana hi
vibhramabhramimukhe vinimajjati te ||
Fifty five || Oh, Mahalakshmi! Your beloved Narayana, appreciates Your greatness by means of His Universal forms having thousand hands, thousand feet, thousand faces, and thousand eyes—forms that resemble You in all their attributes and by other incarnations like Vasudeva, Matsya, and yet is unable to fully realise all Your qualities and so gets immersed somewhere in His billows of Your sports. Sloka. 56:
Jananabhavanapreetyaa dugdhaarnavam bahumanyase Janani dayitapremnaa pushnaasi tatparamam padam| Udadhiparamavyomnorvismrityah maadrisha rakshana Kshamamiti dhiya bhooyah
srirangadhaamani modase || Fifty six || Oh, Mother! You reside
in the milky ocean and show Your
respects to it for it having been Your birth-place; You increase the greatness of
Sri Vaikunta and
reside in it on account of Your love to Your beloved Narayana, and
finding Sri Ranga to be a fit place for protecting men like me, You take
delight to reside there in preference to the Milky Ocean and Vaikunta.
Oudaaryakaarunikaarunikataashritavatsalatva Poorveshu sarvamatishaayitamatra maatah | Srirangadhaamni yadutaanyadudaaharanti Seetaavataaramukhametadanushya
yogyam || Fifty seven || Oh, Mother! residing at Sri Ranga as Ranganayaki, You exhibit in full, all Your precious qualities like munificence, sympathy, protecting those who seek shelter in You; whatever other qualities are mentioned as attributes of Sita and other incarnations, equally apply to Ranganayaki. Sloka. 58:
Aishvaryamaksharagatim paramampadam va Kasmaichidanjalibharam vahate viteerya | Asmai na kinchiduchitam kritamityathaamba Tvam lajjase kathaya koyamudaarabhaavah ||
Fifty eight || Oh, Mother! Any one who once stands before You with folded hands, is blessed by You with opulence, eternal emancipation and even salvation—the supreme position—and yet You feel shy that You have not done him sufficient return; this kind of generosity is indeed beyond any description. Sloka. 59:
Jnaanakriyaabhajanasampadakinchanoham Ichchadhikaara shakanaanushayaanabhijnyah Aagaamsi devi yuvayorapi dussahaani Badhnaami moorkhacharitastava durbharosmi ||
Fifty nine || Oh, revered Mother! Not knowing to exercise my desire in proper manner, possessing no power or ability whatever for any proper action, and being devoid of sympathy and repentance for not having done my duty i possess no greatness due to any Yogas, (Jnaana, Karma, Bhakti), and therefore commit such blunders as might be intolerable even to You—and as i am thus of quite stupid and silly behaviour, it is hard to maintain me. Sloka. 60:
Ityuktikaitavashatena vidambayaami Taanamba satyavachasah purushaanpuraanaan | Yadvaa na mae bhujabalam tava paada padma Laabhe tvameva sharanam
vidhitah kritaasi || sixty || Oh, Mother! By praising You in this hymn i only imitate the well known great men of yesteryears (Sri Yaamunacharya, Sri Ramanujacharya) whose words ever remain true. So i request You to extend Your gracious protection to me; else i have no power of my own that could enable me to reach Your lotus-feet. Yet on account of Your relation with me being like that of master with his servant, You Yourself have to act as a means to procure me Your grace. Sloka. 61:
Srirange sharadah shatam saha suhridvargena nishkantakam Nirduhkham susukham cha daasya rasikaam bhuktvaa samriddhim paraam Vushmatpaadasaroruhaantararajasyaama tvamambaa pitaa Sarva cha tvamapi tvameva bhava nah
sveekurvakasmaatkripaam ||
Sixty one || Oh, Mother! May we dwell happy with our friends for hundreds of years at Sri Ranga, without any taint of sorrow, and after enjoying all the happiness due to our being Your attendants, may we, even in the next world, render our dutiful services at Your gracious lotus-like feet and even become the dusty particle therein. You are our mother, You are our father; You be our all. Therefore You extend Your glances to us through sheer pity. Sri Gunaratna Kosham Samaaptam |