SrI:
Sri Jagadguru Granthamala - Stotrams - Part 1
Published by Sri Vani Vilas Press, Srirangam, 1962
SrI ganEsha pancharatnam
This stOtram composed by SrI ShankaraBhagavatpAdA has five shlOkAs. The benefits of chanting this stOtram are mentioned in the 6th shlOkam. Since this stOtram on the glories of SrI vinAyakA is composed on a beautiful vrttA, it is a joy for those who chant.
'Ekam sat viprA bahuDhA vadanti' - it is the singular brahmatattvam that appears as the forms of several deties. Even if their name and form differ, the tattvam is the same. This is the advaitasiddhAntA mentioned in the upanishads. In line with this, SrI BhagavatpAdA, in each of his stOtrAs, describes each dEvatAmUrti as the sakalajagatkAraNa paramAtmasvarUpam.
mudA karAttamOdakam sadA vimuktisADhakam
kalADharAvatamsakam vilAsilOkarakshakam |
anAyakaikanAyakam vinAshitEBhadaityakam
natAshuBhAshunAshakam namAmi tam vinAyakam ||
Shankara meditates on the joyous ganEshamUrti who has a mOdakam in His hand and the moon on His head. Since He is joyous, He bestows the paramAnanda muktI on us as well. Not only this. If we were to worship Him, He shall remove all the troubles that befall us and bestow good upon us. He who killed gajAsurA who tormented the world and saved us, is the jagatkAraNa paramAtmA. He protects serpents and in turn protects us from serpents. I pay obeisances to this vinAyakA.
natEtarAtiBhIkaram navOditArkaBhAsvaram
namatsurArinirjaram natADhikApadudDharam |
surESvaram niDhISvaram gajESvaram gaNESvaram
mahESvaram samASrayE parAtparam nirantaram ||
He embodies the brightness of the dawning sun. The dEvAs and the asurAs worship Him in order that their duties are fulfilled without any obstacles. Those who do not pay obeisances to Him suffer from great fear. All types of dangers move away from those who worship Him. There shall be no troubles from BhUtagaNAs. The blessings of dEvAs and all riches shall be bestowed. He is the IShvarA above all else.
samastalOkashankaram nirastadaityakunjaram
darEtarOdaram varam varEBhavaktramaksharam |
krupAkaram kshamAkaram mudAkaram yashaskaram
manaskaram namaskrutAm namaskarOmi BhAsvaram ||
For those who pay obeisance to / worship ganESA with the elephant face and huge belly, their hearts become pure, they beget fame and joy. gaNapati shows krupA and tolerates wrongdoings. He killed gajAsurA and did good unto the world.
akinchanArtimArjanam chirantanOktiBhAjanam
purAripUrvanandanam surArigarvacharvaNam |
prapanchanAshaBhIshaNam DhananjayAdiBhUshaNam
kapOladAnavAraNam BhajE purANavAraNam ||
He blesses all riches unto the poor. The eldest son of IshvarA, elder son of skandA. gaNapati with serpents as ornaments and with madajalA in His cheeks, gives asurAs troubles and limits their arrogance. The glory of gaNapati who takes on a fearsome form while annihilating the prapanchA during the apocalypse, can only be seen in the ancient Vedas.
nitAntakAntadantakAntimantakAntakAtmajam
achintyarUpamantahInamantarAyakrntanam |
hrdantarE nirantaram vasantamEva yOginAm
tamEkadantamEva tam vichintayAmi santatam ||
The teeth of the one-tusked gaNeshA are beautiful and glowing. He is immortal. He removes our obstacles. His father kicked yamA. When He is worshipped, fear of death is removed. Those without mind control cannot understand gaNEsha tattvam. He always resides in the center of the hearts of those who meditate on Him without letting their mind wander among external matters.
mahAgaNEshapancharatnamAdarENa yOnvaham
prajalpati praBhAtakE hrdi smarangaNEshvaram |
arOgatAmadOShatAm susAhitIm suputratAm
samAhitAyuraShtaBhUtimaBhyupaiti sOchirAt ||
Each day in the morning, for those who do pArAyaNa of this stOtrA meditating on gaNapati with Bhakti, diseases and dOshAs are removed and good poetic skills, good children, long life, and eight riches are obtained quickly.
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SrIgaNEshaBhujangam
gaNEshaBhujanga stOtram composed by SrI ShankaraBhagavatpAdA has nine shlOkAs. It is named so since it is of the 'Bhujangam' vrttam. The dancing son of natarAjA 'nruttagaNapatI' of a red glow is described here. Then, Shankara shows the yOgiDhyEya gaNEshasvarUpA that is nirguNa sacchidAnanda svarUpA and the kAraNa vastu that creates-protects-destorys the world. Shankara says in the final SlOkA that vAksiddhi accrues to those read this stOtram
raNatShudraGhaNtAninAdABhirAmam
chalattANdavOddaNdavatpadmatALam |
lasattundilAngOparivyALahAram
gaNADheeshameeshAnasoonum tameedE ||
Thus, srImad paramahamsa parivrAjakAchAryA srI jagadguru shankarAchArya swAmigaL praises Lord Ganesha, who is capable of removing all obstacles and fulfilling all desires. The holy son of sarvESvarA dances joyfully (AnandatANDavA). For the one who dances, appropriate accompanying instruments are indispensable. While dancing, the tiny bells He wears jingle and make sonorous sound. The stemmed lotuses he holds, sway side to side and add tALam. The one who dances, accessorizes himself up well and appears on stage. Similarly, it is noteworthy that Lord Shiva's holy son too dances joyfully to sonorous music while adding glow to his huge body with the serpent garlands. It is appropriate to refer to ganESvarA here as eesAnasoonu. The Vedas say, 'AtmA vai putranAmAsi'. It is natural that the son inherits his father's attributes. Lord Shiva is the guru of nAtyashAstrA, and the padA eesAnasoonu refers to the son who has very well inherited that art. The joyous state of IsaputrA is well-portrayed here. It is assured that when He is worshipped in His AnandA state, all siddhIs can be obtained.
DhvaniDhvamsaveeNAlayOllAsivaktram
sphuracChuNDadaNDOllasadbIjapUram |
galaddarpasouganDhyalOlAlimAlam
gaNADhISamISAnasoonum tameedE ||
When ganESA dances, he sings sonorously. By that sonorous singing, even the music of the veeNA is defeated / vanquished / diminished. At that time, his face becomes illustrious and captivates the observers. He appears holding the sweet pomegranate fruit in his hand. Singing and dancing increase the secretion of madajala (rutting juice, ichor exuding from the temples of a ruttish elephant), and spread fragrance everywhere. So the swarm of bees abandon their search of other flowers, and revolve around His face, appearing like a garland offered to Him. I praise that gaNESvarA, the son of Lord SivA and the lord of the gaNAs (servitors).
prakASajjapAraktaratnaprasUna
pravALapraBhAtAruNajyOtirEkam |
pralambOdaram vakratuNDaikadantam
gaNADheeSameeSAnasoonum tameedE ||
The appearance of Lord Ganapati is very illustrious. It is as red as the hibiscus flower, red gem (ratnam), young bud, the Sun, and yet unparalleled and unique. I praise that Lord vinAyakA with a belly that is huge and protruding, a face that is a little angled, and with a trunk that is long.
vichitrasphuradratnamAlAkireetam
kireetOllasacchandrarEKhAviBhUsham |
viBhUShaikaBhUSham BhavadvamsahEtum
gaNADheeSameeSAnasoonum tameedE ||
The son of Lord SivA is illustrious, adorned with the best of ornaments. His crown is encrusted with navaratnAs. The crescent moon sits atop the crown and brightens the surroundings. However, these ornaments gain their lustre only because they are on the head of the Lord. Therefore ganESA Himself is the best of ornaments (riches). It is sure that by praising this ISaputrA that the disease of birth is eradicated. I praise that gaNESvarA, the son of Lord SivA and the lord of the gaNAs (servitors), who grants the mOksha sAmrAjyA.
udanchatBhujAvallarIddruSyamUlO-
cchaladBhrUlatAviBhramaBhrAjadakSham |
marutsundarIchAmarai: sEvyamAnam
gaNADheeSameeSAnasoonum tameedE ||
gaNESA who performs the tANdavA appears with arms raised that resemble tall plants. And while He revels in the resplendence of his own appearance, his eyebrows move like creepers, while His eyes are lustrous. Then the dEvastrees wave the chAmarA and serve Him. I praise that gaNESvarA, the son of Lord SivA and the lord of the gaNAs (servitors) who appear thus.
sphuranniShThurAlOlapingAkShitAram
krupAkOmalOdAralIlAvatAram ||
kalAbindugam gIyatE yOgivaryair-
gaNADheeSameeSAnasoonum tameedE ||
He revels as the jyOtiswaroopA in the bindu and kalA of the praNavamantrA. The yOgIs who realize his tEjOmaya svarUpA praise Him. He who is realized by yOgIs after much effort, manifests playfully as several avatArAs and saves His BhaktAs. When He appears in a fierce form to annihilate the asurAs, His eyes appear red, merciless and quivering with rage. Even so, His avatArA reflects His unmatched mercy towards His BhaktAs. By praising that unparalleled Lord Vinayaka, it is sure that all the troubles are annihilated.
yamEkAkSharam nirmalam nirvikalpam
guNAtItamAnandamAkAraSUnyam |
param pAramOmkAramAmnAyagarBham
vadanti pragalBham purANam tameedE ||
Until now, the saguNasvarUpam of gaNAdISA has been described. One who performs upAsanA on the saguNamUrti begets jnAnA. What is seen as an obstacle in obtaining that is ajnAnA. For this to be eradicated, the grace of the Almighty is necessary. By His grace, the darkness of ignorance is removed, and the jnAnajyOti (light of knowledge) is seen. Only then do we realize the real svarUpA of God. That is described by the SrutI as EkamEva advitIyam. That Almighty is blemishless, unchanging, formless, not bound the three guNAs, embodying joy, foundation of all vEdAs. The praNavam Om refers to this only. By the upAsanA of this, tattvajnAnA and transcendent AnandA can be obtained. Therefore may we praise this OmkAra gaNapati.
chidAnandasAndrAya SAntAya tuBhyam
namO viSvakartre cha hartre cha tuBhyam |
namOnantaleelAya kaivalyaBhAsE
namO vishvabeeja praseedESasoonO ||
When the method to worship the Almighty, it becomes the best worship. Each devotee must understand that it is He who creates, protects, and annihilates the world. The scholars opine that without Him not even an atom can move. He is the jnAnAnanda svarUpi (of the form of blissful enlightenment), serene, and the grantor of mOkshA. Therefore, it is important that we pay our obeisances to Him. May we pray for His anugraham.
imam sustavam prAtarutThAya BhaktyA
paThEDhyastu martyO laBhEtsarvakAmAn |
gaNESaprasAdEna sidDhyanti vAchO
gaNESE viBhou durlaBham kim prasannE ||
Each worshipper has to wake up early in the morning and recite this auspicious stavam. The individual who does so, attains all that is desired, attains vaaksiddhi (whatever one utters, becomes true). Because when there is the blessing of Lord Ganapati, there is nothing that cannot be attained.
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ardhanaareeSvara stotram
Of the mUrtIs of paramaSivA, arDhanAreeSvarA is also one. The left part of the shareeram is female, shakti rUpA while the right part of the shareeram is male, Siva rUpA. Both SivA and Sakti are combined in one body. Therefore the attributes of SivA are seen in one half and the attributes of dEvi are seen in the other half. This stOtram has 8 SlOkAs and pays obeisances to arDhanAreesvara mUrti. The 9th SlokA talks about the benefits obtained. In each aspect, the attributes of dEvi and SivA are mentioned together. By the recitation of this SlokA, the grace of IshvarA and dEvi are obtained.
chAmpEyagourArDhaSareerakAyai karpooragourArDhaSareerakAya |
DhammillakAyai cha jatADharAya nama: SivAyai cha nama: SivAya ||
The svarUpA of arDhanAreeSvarA is described in this Slokam. Pleased by the tapas of umA daughter of parvatarAjA, Lord Siva gave her one half of His body and integrated Her into His being. Therefore half His body appears like a woman while the other half of His body appears like a man. While describing this svarUpA of BhagavAn, the first part appears to refer to pArvatidEvi, while the second part appears to refer to paramESvarA. (yaThAsankhyam, indravajrA chhandas).
pArvatIdEvi is of an illustrious form of immeasurable beauty, golden hued like the shenbaga flower. paramESvarA is beheld in a form that is as white as karpooram. Since both are melded, their being is illustrious. pArvatIdEvi has beautiful long hair, while paramESvarA has matted locks, and this captivates the beholder. Obeisances to this arDhanAreesvara svarUpam consisting of melded SivA and Sakti.
kastUrikAkumkumacharchitAyai chitAraja:punjavicharchitAya |
krtasmarAyai vikrtasmarAya nama: SivAyai cha nama: SivAya ||
pArvatIdEvi appears illustrious wearing kastUri, kumkumam etc. She is kAmasanjeevini Herself and induces kAmA (desire) in all, for the sake of creation. paramESvarA on the other hand, has smeared ash all over His body. He burnt manmathA to ashes. Thus, one half of the arDhanareeSvara SareerA appears female while the other half appears an illustrious male form. Obeisances to paramESvari and paramESvarA. If we are to meditate upon this arDhanAreeSvara rUpam, all our troubles cease and we attain all goodness. Because, paramESvarA takes all the inauspicious elements unto Himself and blesses devotees. He also burns to ashes the unwarranted desires/thoughts that arise in the minds of devotees. paramESvari is of an auspicious form. She creates good desires/spirations in the mind of her devotees and protects the world. Therefore, may we worship this arDhanAreeSvarA.
JhaNatkvaNatkankaNanUpurAyai pAdAbjarAjatphaNinUpurAya |
hEmAngadAyai BhujangadAya nama: SivAyai cha nama: SivAya ||
pArvatIdEvi wears ratnA-encrusted bangles around her wrists, and sonorous anklets with bells around her ankles. paramESvarA wears snakes as bangles as well as anklets. pArvatIdEvi wears golden armlets around her upper arms, while paramESvarA wears snakes as his upper arm ornaments. May we worship this arDhanAreeSvarA who wears beautiful ornaments on one half of the body and snakes on the other.
viSAlaneelOtpalalOchanAyai vikAsipankEruhalOchanAya |
samEkshaNAyai viShamEkShaNAya nama: SivAyai cha nama: SivAya ||
paramESvari has eyes like nIlOtpala flowers, while paramESvarA has three eyes that resemble blooming lotus buds. May we pay our obeisances to such arDhanaareeSvarA.
mandAramAlAkalitAlakAyai kapAlamAlAnkitakanDharAya |
divyAmbarAyai cha digambarAya nama: SivAyai cha nama: SivAya ||
paramESvari wears fragrant mandAra flower garland and divine silk clothing, while paramESvarA wears a garland of skulls and wears the directions themselves as His clothing (invisible). May we worship this arDhanaareeSvarA.
amBhOdaraSyAmalakuntalAyai tatitpraBhAtAmrajatADharAya |
nireeSvarAyai nikhilESvarAya nama: SivAyai cha nama: SivAya ||
pArvatIdEvi has long black hair like rain-laden clouds. paramESvarA has red hued matted locks that shine like lightning. pArvatIdEvi is SaktisvaroopiNi, while paramESvarA is SivasvaroopA. SivA and Sakti are one and the same. There is no tattvA beyond this. He is the one controlling and ruling over all the worlds. He is not controlled by anyone. SivA along with SaktI presides over all worlds. May we worship arDhanaareeSvarA thus.
prapanchasrShtyunmukhalAsyakAyai samastasamhArakatANdavAya |
jagajjananyai jagadEkapitrE nama: SivAyai cha nama: SivAya ||
pArvatIdEvi is the mother of all worlds. She is involved in the lAsya dance for the creation of the worlds. paramESvarA is the father and protector of all worlds. He dances the tANDavA during the praLayakAlA in order to annihilate everything. Sakti and SivA are the parents of the worlds. They blessed the art of dancing unto the world. They segregated dance into lAsyam and tANDavam. In these, lAsyam is strI nrtyam, filled with hAvaBhAvAs. Through this dance filled with BhAvA, pArvatIdEvi enchants all worlds (makes them desire / induces kAmA in them) and makes creation possible. tANDavam is the dance of males, and is very fierce. During praLayakAlA, mahEsvaran lifts his leg, performs the UrDhva tANDavam and includes all creatures within himself. During other times, he protects all the worlds. Therefore, may we worship the parents of all the worlds pArvatI paramESvarA.
pradeeptaratnOjvalakunDalAyai sPhuranmahApannagaBhUShaNAya |
SivAnvitAyai cha SivAnvitAya nama: SivAyai cha nama: SivAya ||
pArvatIdEvi wears ratna-encrusted ear drops, which add to her lustre. She is auspiciousness itself, and is always united with SivA. paramESvarA wears snakes with nAgaratnAs as ornaments. He always grants auspiciousness, and is forever united with paramESvari. Thus may we worship pArvatI paramESvarA who are forever united and are the parents of all worlds.
EtatpaThEdashtakamishtadam yO BhaktyA sa mAnyO Bhuvi deerGhajeevi |
prApnOti souBhAgyamanantakAlam BhUyAtsadA tasya samastasiDDhi: ||
This SlokA is the phalaSruti. Whoever reads this eight SlOkAs with Bhakti is praised by all in the world, lives a long life, attains great good fortune and success in all endeavours, and has all wants fulfilled.
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SivapanchAkshara stOtram
[The panchAksharamantram has five letters. Each of these letters stand as the first aksharA of each Slokam of this stOtram. The panchAksharam is seen at the end of each Slokam. Therefore this stOtram has been named the SivapanchAkshara stOtram. The AgamAs say that ShrutIs are the pinnacle of all viDhyAs, and that the panchAksharam and the SrIrudram are unparallelled. This panchAksharamantram is the central jewel within the yajurveda samhitA. It has within itself the two letters, 'Siva', that annihilate all sins bestow all auspiciousness. The sUtasamhitA has the meaning for namaha as na mama - this prapancha that appears to be associated with me is not real, it is imaginary, mAyAkalpitam. Furthermore, Sivam is sacchidanandam. namaskAram to that Sivam. Here, namaskAram means, dedicating oneself to IshvarA merging into the sacchidAnanda sivam as AtmanivEdanam. Those reciting this stOtram can obtain the benefits of doing japA of this powerful panchAkshara mahAmantram.
nAgEndrahArAya vilOchanAya BhasmAngarAgAya mahESvarAya |
nityAya shudDhAya digambarAya tasmai nakArAya nama: SivAyA ||
nama: SivAya is the Siva panchAksharam. It's first letter is 'na'. This stuti begins with the letter 'na'. Lord SivA has serpents as his ornaments. He has three eyes. viBhUti with its divine fragrance appears applied all over his body. He is the foremost among the dEvAs. He is immortal. He is blemishless. He has the directions as his clothing. He appears naked in his BhikshAtana form. He is of the form of the aksharam na. The five lettered mantram explains the Sivatattvam. Also, each letter refers to Lord SivA. Furthermore, since the mantram is the deity's body (sharIrA), each aksharam of this mantram is verily of the form of SivA. Therefore it is SivA who revels as the form of the first letter na and as its purport. It can be seen that similarly there are nAmAs 'kakArarUpA', 'EkArarUpA' etc. May we forever worship Him.
Here, the form of Lord Siva has been described well. He takes what it is considered inauspicious in this world (ash, serpent etc.) and gives auspiciousness to the world. That He has not chosen for Himself anything that is favored in the world, only shows that He is completely content without any of these. The three-eyed Lord, though striking fear in the hearts of beholders, is actually of an auspicious form. Though He has ash smeared all over Himself, He is of pristine purity. Even though He is without clothing, He is mahESvarA endowed with all riches. The letter na truly does extol His svarUpam. na means absent/not. Lord Siva is akinchanA; he has nothing. This is denoted by the word digambarAya. Furthermore, the vEdAs themselves unable to describe the svarUpam of the Lord completely, tell nEti nEti about him. He is permanent. Thus, attributes contradicting each other describe only paramESvarA.
mandAkinIsalilachandanacharchitAya nandISvarapramaThanAThamahESvarAya |
mandAramukhyabahupushpasupUjitAya tasmai makAramahitAya nama: SivAya ||
The second aksharam of the panchAksharamantram is ma. Therefore this second SlOkam begins with ma. Lord Siva holds river Ganga in His locks, which earned Him the name gangADharan. The flow of this gangA water cools the Lord's body like a steady stream of chandanam (sandalwood). gaNanAThAs such as nandi, bhrngi etc stand around Him as servitors, and Lord Siva is their leader. They all worship Him with flowers such as mandAram, pArijAtam etc. We therefore worship paramESvarA who is of an auspicious makAra svarUpam.
SivAya gourIvadanAbjavrndasUryAya dakshADhvaranAshakAya |
ShrInIlakaNThAya vrshaDhvajAya tasmai ShikArAya nama: SivAya ||
This Slokam begins with the third aksharam Si. Lord Siva bestows auspiciousness on all worlds. He is of jyOtisvarUpam. He makes the lotus face of pArvatidEvi bloom. He has destroyed the yAgA of dakshA in order to stem the latter's arrogance. He consumed the hAlAhalam poison in order to safeguard the dEvAs. He has the vrishaBhA as the emblem on His flag. We are to pay our obeisances to the Lord who is of Si form.
Once the Sun dawns, the Lotus blooms to be beautiful. Similarly, the face of pArvatIdEvi revels in beauty as She beholds the face of Her beloved SivA. Therefore the author has described the face of pArvatIdEvi as a lotus and Lord SivA as the Sun. Once, when dakshan insulted Lord SivA, the Lord destroyed dakshA's yagnyA and eradicated his arrogance. It is thus made clear that anyone who denounces Lord SivA cannot live. He is bhaktaparAdInA; it is illustrated by the name neelakaNThar that he removes the troubles faced by His devotees and blesses them. He is victorious and that He has established His flag of victory is extolled by the word vrshaDhvajAya. The akshara 'Si' also refers to only Him.
vasiShThakumBhOdBhavagautamAryamunIndradEvArchitashEKharAya |
chandrArkavaishvAnaralOchanAya tasmai vakArAya nama:SivAya ||
This SlOkam begins with the fourth aksharam 'va'. Lord SivA is of unparalleled glory. Great Rshis such as vasiShThA, agastyA, gautamA etc and dEvAs including indrA etc worship Him. chandrA, sUryA, agni all three are His three eyes. He is of the 'va'kAra form. It is essential that we worship Him.
yakshasvarUpAya jatADharAya pinAkahastAya sanAtanAya |
divyAya dEvAya digambarAya tasmai yakArAya nama:SivAya ||
This SlOkam begins with the fifth aksharam 'ya'. He manifested as a gigantic jyOti in yakshA form in order to bless the dEvAs who had forgotten Him post their victory in the dEvA-asurA battle. Matted locks and the bow named pinAkam are seen on His head and hand respectively. He is eternal, immortal, the Lord of all Lords, and wears the directions as clothing (digambarA). Let us worship the Lord SivA who is 'ya'kArarUpi endowed with unparalleled greatness.
Those who dwell on this SivapanchAkshara stOtram everyday mentally, shall surely obtain SivasAyujyam.
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