Adi Shankara's Vishnu Shatpadi stotram

karthik76 · Post by **karthik76** » 23 Mar 2007, 10:36

Namaskaram !!!

I am a new member to this forum. My name is Karthik. I like the way this forum is rich and focussed in content. All of you guys are doing a great job.

I really enjoy Adi Shankara's Vishnu Shatpadi stotram. You can find a PDF here -

http://www.sanskritdocuments.org/all_pd ... u6padi.pdf

I heard a fusion version of this stotram sung as a song and also read Kanchi Mahaperiyaval mention this. That's what introduced me to this stotram.

I greatly admire Shankara.

karthik76 · Post by **karthik76** » 23 Mar 2007, 21:16

Does anyone know of a classical rendering of this stotram?

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 25 Mar 2007, 08:43

One who could do these nice shlokas classically is DRS. He has to find the time to do it. I have made a starter in a small way
http://www.sendspace.com/file/r9y1q9
If there is an interest I will continue. Also it will be nice if the meanings are discussed in parallel

karthik76 · Post by **karthik76** » 27 Mar 2007, 22:26

I will try to describe as much as I understand this stotram.

shaTpadI, in sanskrit has two meanings - a sextet (which has six verses) and a honey bee (which also has six legs). This stotram also is made of six verses and a seventh prarthana verse. I had to do quite some reading and research before I could enjoy all the beauty of this stotram. I don't think this stotram is widely known or discussed.

Here's the first shlokam -

avinayam apanaya vishNO damaya mana: shamaya vishaya mrga trshnA |
Bhuta dayAm vistAraya tAraya samsAra sAgarata: ||

avinayam = lack of humility (vinayam)
apanaya = take away, remove
vishNO = O Vishnu
damaya = subdue
mana: = the mind
shamaya = bring to peace, pacify
vishaya = object
mrga = deer
trshnA = strong, persistent desire
Bhuta = all living entities
dayAm = compassion
vistAraya = expand
tAraya = cross me over
samsAra = samsaara, worldliness
sAgarata: = the ocean that is

O Vishnu, dispell my lack of humility, subdue my mind, pacify its strong and persistent deer-like desire for sense objects. Expand my compassion for all the living entities and cross me over the ocean of wordliness.

I am already feeling the inadequacy of my skill and english words to accurately describe my understanding.

Kanchi Paramacharya explained the words "mrga-trshnA" very well in his discourses. A deer, in persistent search of water, looking at a mirage does not realize it is walking into a desert and eventually sheds is life helplessly. Such is the state of a soul strongly attached to material desires.

karthik76 · Post by **karthik76** » 27 Mar 2007, 22:30

cmlover - it's a great effort. I am definitely interested in listening to the entire stotram. I don't have any knowldge on carnatic music... but I can definitely enjoy the music and rendering.

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 28 Mar 2007, 00:21

Great! We will take them one at a time. Your explanation is good; especially that of the ParmaacArya regarding 'm^Riga t^RiShNA'. I notice that the chandas is non standard which makes me wonder whether this is indeed a composition of bhagavatpAda! I will post the second verse soon and also encourage others to try as also request DRS to set it to music when he finds time!

karthik76 · Post by **karthik76** » 28 Mar 2007, 01:39

I tried to find out the chandas or other literary details about this stotram. The only thing I could figure out was that the 4th verse starting with 'Uddhrta naga.. ' is in antAdi formation. This verse and the verse that starts with "sAmudro hi ..." show me the bhagavatpAda touch in this stotram. I wonder if this stotram applies some form of bandham.

How fortunate are we to even 'know' how to appreciate what the mahatmAs have achieved!!!

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 28 Mar 2007, 07:35

Here is the second stanza
http://www.sendspace.com/file/8r712n
Look forward to your interpretations

karthik76 · Post by **karthik76** » 28 Mar 2007, 11:42

cmlover - this is coming up well ! I'm starting to enjoy this exercise and its outcome; eager to see how the entire stotram gets rendered.

Here's the second verse -

divya dhunI makrandE parimala paribhOga sacchidAnandE |
Sripathi padAravindE bhava bhaya khEdacchidE vandE ||

divya = divine
dhunI = the Ganga
makrandE = O honey, nectar
parimala = surrounded by fragrance
paribhOga = enjoyment
sacchidAnandE = sat (the ultimate truth, infinite existence) + chit (self awareness) + Ananda (joy, bliss)
Sripathi = the pathi of Sri or Vishnu
padAravindE = pada + aravindE --> the lotus feet
bhava = come into existence, be born
bhaya = fear
khEda: = sorrow, exhaustion
chidE = one who cuts off, one who liberates
vandE = I bow to you

O nectar flowing like the divine Ganga, O fragrant object of desire - sacchidAnandA, O liberator of the soul from the sorrow caused by the fear of being born again, O consort of Sri, I bow to you.

Acharya first addresses Vishnu as "divya dhunI makaranda". Ganga is called divya-dhunI or sura-dhunI. Ganga and Parvati were the daughters of Himavan, the parvata-raja. While Parvati, the younger one took to deep penance to marry Shiva, Ganga, the elder one was was requested by the devas (suras) to flow in devalOka to purify it. so, she is known as sura-dhunI. The Lord offers anugraha to anyone just as a flower offers makaranda to any insect that seeks it.

Then he addresses Vishnu as "parimala paribhOga sacchidAnanda" - fragrant object of desire sacchidAnanda. bhOga is gratification. upabhOga refers to things that can be enjoyed once, like food. paribhOga referes to things that can be enjoyed over and over again like clothes. And what is it that draws one to the paribhOga ? parimala - the fragrance.

Then he says - "bhava bhaya khEda chidE" - one who cuts off the sorrow that arises from the "bhava bhaya".

I am truly amazed at how the mahAtmas show us the Iswara and also tell us what to pray of Him !!!

mnsriram · Post by **mnsriram** » 28 Mar 2007, 14:25

The lyrics in different languages available at prapatti.com.

Roman - http://www.prapatti.com/slokas/english/ ... totram.pdf
Kannada - http://www.prapatti.com/slokas/kannada/ ... totram.pdf
Bengali - http://www.prapatti.com/slokas/bengali/ ... totram.pdf
Malayalam - http://www.prapatti.com/slokas/malayala ... totram.pdf
Sanskrit - http://www.prapatti.com/slokas/sanskrit ... totram.pdf
Telugu - http://www.prapatti.com/slokas/telugu/s ... totram.pdf
Tamil - http://www.prapatti.com/slokas/tamil/sh ... totram.pdf

karthik76 · Post by **karthik76** » 28 Mar 2007, 20:59

These are very useful links. I appreciate the effort.

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 28 Mar 2007, 22:49

Excellent! That 'divya dhunI makaranda' explanation is superb! The word makaranda also means honey/nectar. dhUni means shaken off and hence
divyadhunImakaranda means the droplets of nectar (am^Rita) shaken off from heaven. Or more appropriately the nectar is shaken off the divine feet of the Lord which is the lotus.
Notice that all the expressions are in saptami (locative) and not vocative. AcArya is indicating that in the spray of nectar from the lotus feet of the Lord, by experiencing the unity of body-mind-bliss (saccidAnanda) the fear of rebirth is cut off (chidE).
The vishEShArtha for parimalabhoga is:
pulvarizing the fragrance of earthly enjoyment (mala bhOga) which is the vAsanA of samsAra.

Now here is the third stanza in saranga
http://www.sendspace.com/file/8319eu

Thanks MNS! Do lend your voice too!

vgvindan · Post by **vgvindan** » 28 Mar 2007, 23:18

IMHO, in view of the words 'pAdAravindE', 'divya dhuni makaranda' would additionally refer to the generation Ganga from the feet of the Lord (vAmanAvatAra)

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 28 Mar 2007, 23:28

Didn't Adi Sankara compose 8 verses on gangA (where he refers to the river as viSNUpadI - from the foot of viSNU)?

karthik76 · Post by **karthik76** » 28 Mar 2007, 23:58

yes, I believe Adi Sankara composed the gangAshtakam in praise of her. Here's a link - http://sanskritdocuments.org/all_pdf/gangaashta.pdf

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 29 Mar 2007, 01:27

There is also a gangAShTakam composed by kALidAsa which is very musically sonorous!

karthik76 · Post by **karthik76** » 29 Mar 2007, 02:59

And one more by Sridhara Venkatesa Ayyaval -
http://sanskritdocuments.org/doc_trial/ ... Takam2.pdf

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 29 Mar 2007, 03:39

VG
In adition to vAmanAvatAra there is reference to the origin of gangA from the right toe of Lord nArAyaNA which is why after final praLaya the Lord as a child lies on the vaTa leaf tasting his right toe ( ref: mukundamAla first stanza" 'karAravindEna padAravindam ...'

karthik76 · Post by **karthik76** » 29 Mar 2007, 03:56

Thanks cmlover. Please help me understand how the expressions in verse 2 are in locative case. I have not formally studied sanskrit grammar. I always wish I knew enough.

Here's the third verse. This is one of my favourite verses of this stotram -

satyapi bhedApagamE nAtha tavAham namAma kInastvam |
sAmudrO hi taranga: kvachana samudrO na tAranga: ||

satyapi = even when
bheda = differences
apagamE = taken away, removed
nAtha = O Lord
tava = your
aham = I
na = not
mAma = mine
kIna: = part of (flesh)
tvam = you
sAmudrO = of the ocean
hi = is
taranga: = waves
kva cha na = nowhere (not anywhere)
samudrO = the ocean
na = not
tAranga: = of the waves

Even with the differences between us taken away, O Lord, it is I that is yours and not you that is a part of me, just as it is always the waves that belong to the ocean and never the ocean to the waves.

What do I appreciate - the vinaya bhAva or the drshtAnta or the advaita tattva ? Shankara always overwhelmes me.

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 29 Mar 2007, 05:49

karthik! The pada anvaya of the second stanza is:
divyadhunImakrandE parimalaparibhOgasacchidAnandE bhavabhayakhEdacchidE SripathipadAravindE (aham) vandE ||
It is I (aham) salute (vandE) at the lotus feet of the Lord of LakShmi (SripathipadAravindE) which is correctly in the saptami (locative). All the rest of the preceding words are adjectives (vishEShaNa) qualifying the feet. Hence they should all be in the saptami vibhakti. Since these are all 'akaarAnta vishEShaNa' (ending in 'a') the locative ends in 'E'.

There are some grammatic errors in your latest post. I trust you do not mind my correcting them! It does not affect the meanings however!

karthik76 · Post by **karthik76** » 29 Mar 2007, 10:21

CM... Thanks for the explanation. I think I understand it better now.

I look forward to your corrections and explanations on verse 3. The mere reason I am posting meanings to this stotram is because I see yet another opportunity to derive the joy of the meaning in this stotram. I am definitely no more than a student with a lot of interest, but meagre knowledge in this subject. Please post your corrections.

chetana · Post by **chetana** » 29 Mar 2007, 13:59

deleted

sumram99 · Post by **sumram99** » 29 Mar 2007, 20:20

There is another stotram on Gangaji which I believe is by Sri Adi Sankara Bhagavadpada. It starts like this: Devi Sureshvari Bhagavati Gange Tribhuvana Taarini Tarala Tarange...." It has beautiful tune to it too.

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 29 Mar 2007, 20:24

Sumati...
Time to sing it for us?:P

Long time since we've had the pleasure of hearing your voice!

drshrikaanth · Post by **drshrikaanth** » 29 Mar 2007, 20:37

And there is the gangAvataraNa in kannada by D.R.Bendre

drshrikaanth · Post by **drshrikaanth** » 29 Mar 2007, 20:37

karthik76 wrote:I tried to find out the chandas or other literary details about this stotram. The only thing I could figure out was that the 4th verse starting with 'Uddhrta naga.. ' is in antAdi formation.

The verse are set to AryA metre I think

karthik76 · Post by **karthik76** » 29 Mar 2007, 21:09

sumram, what you mentioned is Adi shankarA's shri gangA stOtram. I found a link - http://www.chinmaya-chicago.org/BV/Ganga%20Stotram.pdf

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 29 Mar 2007, 21:11

Sumati!
I second Shankar!
Daughter is older but maybe more naughty but should not keep you from keeping your promise to us

karthik76 · Post by **karthik76** » 29 Mar 2007, 21:17

DRS... please describe your analysis that led you to the conclusion that this may be ser to AryA chandas

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 29 Mar 2007, 21:55

Dear Karthik

You are doing a fine job. I am just tagging on.
The anvaya would be

nAtha! bhEda apagamE sati aham api tava (bhavAmi) (kvacana) mAmakInaH na tvam(bhavasi)
sAmudrO hi tarangaH (bhavati)kvacana samudrO na tArangaH (bhavati) ||
(Oh Lord! Even while the difference (between us) is removed/dissolved (still)I become you; by no means you do not become me. (Just as) the ocean only has waves; by no means the waves become the ocean)

1. Grammatically there is the use of 'sati saptami'here which is the equivalent in English grammar of the expression 'while something.... something..'
2. Note that mAmakIna is one word meaning 'of mine'
3. kvacana is one word (with the indefinite particle 'cana' attached (it is not ca + na)meaning 'by what means?' ( or no way it is)etc.,

This stanza is the essence of advaita. When the jIvAtma merges with the paramAtma they become indistinguishable; or they become one and the same. Even otherwise there is no difference between the two to start with. Then can't we claim that the jIvAtma is paramAtma? AcArya says no to this 'ego' manifestation. Just as the individual wave rises in the ocean and dissolves into the ocean indistinguishably; yet the wave cannot claim that it is the ocean!

This realization is the ultimate form of sharaNAgati/prapatti!

Discussion can continue and if you want to move on here is in revati the next

http://www.rogepost.com/n/3638922340

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 29 Mar 2007, 22:17

DRS
yasyAH pAdE pradamE dvAdasha mAtrAstathA t^RitIyE'pi|
aShTAdasha dvitIyE caturtakE p~ncadasha sAryA ||
does appear to fit musically!

Of course this is meant to be sung! Would look forward to your setting it to lilting music one of these days!

vgvindan · Post by **vgvindan** » 29 Mar 2007, 22:39

This realization is the ultimate form of sharaNAgati/prapatti!

jnAna culminates in bhakti and bhakti culminates in jnAna - this is what Rajaji conveys in his introduction to 'bhaja gOvindam'.

Then comes the declaration (SrImad-bhagavad-gItA) -

na mE pArthAsti kartavyaM triShu lOkEShu kincana |
nAnavAptavyamavAptavyaM varta Eva ca karmaNi || III.22 ||

â€œI have, O son of pRthA, no duty, nothing that I have not gained; and nothing that I have to gain, in the three worlds; yet I continue in action.â€

drshrikaanth · Post by **drshrikaanth** » 30 Mar 2007, 00:08

karthik76 wrote:DRS... please describe your analysis that led you to the conclusion that this may be ser to AryA chandas

Explanation of AryA from vRttaratnAkara

lakShmai tat saptagaNA gOpEtA bhavati nEha viShamE jaH |
ShaShThOyam na laghU vA prathamErdhE niyatamAryAyAH ||

This is a mAtrA chandas, not akShara chandas i.e not like a vRtta where the gaNa (triplet of syllables) pattern is fixed. There is some flexibility in Arya in how one makes up the count.

in Arya, there are 2 pAdas or feet. Each foot has 7 gaNas of 4 mAtres each Plus one guru at the end. The 4 mAtre of each gaNa can be made up in anyway(e.g as 4 laghus, 2 gurus or 1 guru & 2 laghus etc) with some restrictions.

The odd number gaNas (1,3,5,7) cannot be made up of jagaNa (UOU) i.e a guru sandwiched beteen 2 laghus. The even number gaNas can very well be made up of even a jagaNa.

In the first pAda, the 6th gaNa MUST be made of jagaNa or 4 laghus and no other pattern.

In the 2nd pAdam the 6th gaNa is made of one single laghu only.

drshrikaanth · Post by **drshrikaanth** » 30 Mar 2007, 00:18

Take the first verse from the ShaTpadI for illustration. I have split it as gaNas (not according to word rules/meaning)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 G
avinaya mapanaya viShNO damayama naHsama yaviShaya mRgatrSh NAm |
bhUtada yAmvis tAraya tAraya samsA ra sAgara taH

You can clearly see it obeys all rules stated in my earlier post. Individual gaNas are made of 4 mAtre with no clear pattern of syllable length. No jagana in odd gaNas. the 6th gaNa in the two feet are respectively 4 laghus and a laghu. guru at the end.

You can see the same in the other verses as well. For instance, the 2nd verse features a jagaNa in the first pAda.

drshrikaanth · Post by **drshrikaanth** » 30 Mar 2007, 00:20

gAthA is the same as Arya except that it is not in sanskrit but in other languages. The kanda of kannaDa/telugu is modelled on Arya with some variations and further restrictions of Adi prAs (dvitIyAkShara)

meena · Post by **meena** » 30 Mar 2007, 00:25

sumati

Hope u enjoyed ur trip. U have few more slokas pending on ur request lists, remember?

karthik76 · Post by **karthik76** » 30 Mar 2007, 10:43

Thanks CM for your explanation. Looking forward for your corrections on the verse below too.

Here's the 4th verse -

uddhrtanaga nagabhidanuja danujakulAmitra mitrashashidrshtE |
drshtE bhavati prabhavati na bhavati kim bhava tiraskAra: ||

This is another verse I really love, for its antAdi. To me, setting a stotram to antAdi even at the verse level (e.g. abhirAmi antAdi) does not look like an easy task. This one is just amazing.

uddhrta = raised
naga = hill
naga bhit = (split, pierce, shatter) hill = the one who shatters the mountains = Indra
anuja = younger brother
danuja = the offsprings of danu, the asuras
kula = lineage, dynasty
amitra = enemy, foe
mitra = surya, the sun
shashi = chandra, the moon
drshtE = one who sees
drshtE = upon seeing
bhavati = it so becomes (permanent)
prabhavati = influences, effects
kim na bhavati = does it not become so
bhava = material existence, birth
tiraskAra: = feeling of disdain, contempt

O Lord, the one who lifted the mountains, the younger borther of Indra, the enemy of the dynasty of the asuras, the one who sees with suryA and chandrA as eyes, upon seeing You, why wouldn't an everlasting feeling of disdain arise against material existence?

uddhrtanaga = gOvardhana giri dhArI - lIla vishEsham

nagabhidanuja = avatAra vishEsham = I read somewhere that the word nagabhit appears in the ridvEda denoting indra. The king of the devas, indra and his younger brother upEndra, more commonly known as vAmana, were the children of kAshyapa and aditi; hence the name 'nagabhit anuja'. Shankara amazes me by coining names like these.

danujakulAmitra = what more than the dashAvatArams do we need to think about?

mitrashashidrshtE = rUpa vishEsham = I am reminded of the purusha sUkta verse - "chandramA manasO jAta: chakshO sUryO ajAyata" and the vishnu sahasranAma verse - "bhUh pAdau yasya nAbhir viyadasura nilas {chandra suryau cha nEtrE}". mitrA (or sUrya) is the foremost of the 12 Adityas.

bhava-tiraskAra: = comtempt of material existence

I am amazed at what an expert Shankara is, at choosing, coining and joining the words.

drshrikaanth · Post by **drshrikaanth** » 30 Mar 2007, 13:18

karthik76. I gave you the explanation you asked for regards AryA chandas. Now would it not be nice of you to acknowledge?

karthik76 · Post by **karthik76** » 30 Mar 2007, 20:07

DRS,

Many thanks for your explanation.

My apologies. I didn't intend to disregard or bypass it. I'm still trying to understand it. We, kind of, have two threads going on here - one for the stotram and its rendering by CM, and another for the literary analysis. I am doing these at different paces.

Thanks.

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 31 Mar 2007, 02:39

karthik
There is no need to rush at all. We should relish and discuss each stanza. I am just posting some grammatical explanations and random thoughts on the fourth stanza here which may enhance our understanding. The anvaya is

uddh^rtanaga nagabhidanuja danujakulAmitra mitrashashid^rShTE |
bhavati d^RShTE prabhavati kim na bhava tiraskAraH bhavati ||

The first line is all words in vocative (sambOdhana). Note that 'mitrashashid^rShTi' is a samAhAra dvandva compound which must be in the singular (AcArya is firmly grounded in grammar and never commits any errors!

In the next line 'bhavati' is the saptami (locative) for bhavAn (in You (respectable third person)) (it is not the verb 'it becomes' !). The verb actually is 'prabhavat' (which is the present tense of 'pra + bhU'). It means 'become beyond/ahead'. Thus
bhavati d^RShTE prabhavati = in your being seen one becomes beyond 'being'. Then
'does not samsara (birth cycle) get rejected' (kim na bhava tiraskAraH bhavati).

Note the beautiful repetion sequentially of the words
..naga naga, ..danuja danuja, ..mitra mitra, ....d^rShTE d^rShTE, ..bhavati bhavati
Perhaps DRS can explain what this alankaara is.

AcArya while using uddh^rtanaga (gOvardhanOddhAra)is referring to the humiliation of Indra (nagabit)by his own younger brother(anuja).

Very beautiful literary piece with deep inner meanings!

karthik76 · Post by **karthik76** » 03 Apr 2007, 04:32

CM,
Thanks. Your explanation of "bhavati d^RShTE prabhavati kim na bhava tiraskAraH bhavati" was very useful to me. I understood it much more precisely.

DRS,
After your explanation of the chandas and how you derived it, I was inspired to research more on that.

I searched on the internet and managed to find downloadable PDFs of VrttaratnAkara, chandas-shAstra and shrutabOdha. I am now reading them and trying to identify the chandas of the rest of the verses in the stotram. I will post what I find from my research. I'll obviously need help. I request all of you for the same. I'm not trying to convert this post into a chandas class, but I do see enthusiasm in such discussion.

Here's the 5th verse -

matsyAdibhiravatArairavatAravatAvatA sadA vasudhAm |
paramEshwara paripAlyO bhavatA bhavatApa bhItOham ||

matsyaAdibhi: = beginning with matsyA
avatArai: = the incarnations
avatAra-vat = by, with incarnation
avatA =
sadA = always
vasudhAm = the earth
paramEshwara = supreme Lord
paripAlyO = for protection
bhavatA = by You
bhava = material existence, birth
tApa = miseries, distress
bhItO = afraid, frightened
aham = I

O paramEshwarA who protects the earth always by various avatAras beginning with matsyA, I am frightened by the miseries of being born again and hence am in need of protection by you.

CM, obviously I need help here !!! Please drive away the lack of clarity.

drshrikaanth · Post by **drshrikaanth** » 03 Apr 2007, 04:37

Karthik76
All the verses in this stOtra are in AryA metre only. Usually metres dont change withing a string of verses. Especially these shTpadI and he like wherein the number of verses are small- they will not change.

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 03 Apr 2007, 06:56

Anvaya ia:
paramEshwara matsyAdibhiH avatAraiH avatAravatA sadA vasudhAm avatA
aham bhava tApa bhItaH
bhavatA (aham) paripAlyah
Oh paramEshvara! by fish etc (matsyAdibhiH) incarnations (avatAraiH) by incarnating (avatAravatA) always (sadA) earth (vasudhAm) were protected (avatA)
I (aham) (have) fear of pain of rebirth (bhavatApabhItaH)
By you (bhavatA) (I (aham)) be protected (paripAlyaH)(passive construction)

You took always several births (avatArA) to save the earth. But I take several births (bhava) to suffer (tApa). You saved the earth and similarly save me too!

very beautiful construction of the words avatA, bhavatA etc used sequentially..
The last two words can also be interpreted as
bhavatA apa bhItaH ( by you let the fear be eradicated !)

karthik76 · Post by **karthik76** » 03 Apr 2007, 21:19

DRS,

I wish I could figure it out as easily as you do. I'm still doing my exercise for the joy of it. Thanks.

karthik76 · Post by **karthik76** » 03 Apr 2007, 21:21

CM,

That really helped me understand the verse precisely. Did I miss your rendering? I'll wait for it before I post the next verse. Thanks.

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 04 Apr 2007, 04:26

Running a little bit behind! Will be soon.

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 04 Apr 2007, 23:00

Here is the fifth shloka in ATANA
http://www.rogepost.com/n/9247017174
I have repeated the last part bhavatApabhItOham to reflect the idea
bhavatA apa bhItaH as explained!
In fact you could interpret it as
bhavatA apa 'aham'bhItaH where ahambhIta (thogh grammatically it must be asmadbhIta) is the fear of 'I'ness or ahamkAra (ego) which is the root cause of samsAra!

karthik76 · Post by **karthik76** » 05 Apr 2007, 01:27

I wish I had some music knowledge to apply, so I could enjoy your rendering in that dimension as well.

One who understands what 'bhavatApabhItOham' means can definitely appreciate why it is repeated. I am reminded of Sri Kripananda Variyar's upanyasam on kanda purAnam where he quotes a line from skAndam beginning with 'satya gnAnam anantam ...' and ending with '... subrahmaNyOm subrahmaNyOm subrahmaNyOm' and says - because of the fact that literary rules advise against repeating a word more than thrice and because subrahmaNyOm needed to be stressed more (than three times), the last occurance of the word was given an extra mAtrA at the 'O'.

karthik76 · Post by **karthik76** » 05 Apr 2007, 08:30

Here is the sixth shloka -

dAmOdara guNa mandira sundara vadanAravinda gOvinda |
bhava jaladhi mathana mandara paramam daramapanaya tvam mE ||

dAmOdara = dAma + udara = the One who was tied with the rope in the stomach
guNa = qualities, specialities
mandira = temple
sundara = lovely, beautiful
vadana = face
aravinda = lotus
gOvinda = the Lord of cows
bhava = of material existence, of rebirth
jaladhi = the ocean
mathana = churning
mandara = mandara mountain
paramam = the Supreme
daram = fear
apanaya = take away, remove
tvam = You
mE = my

O dAmOdara, the temple of qualities, the lotus-faced One, the Lord of cows, O Supreme mandara mountain that churns the ocean of material existence, take away my fear.

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 05 Apr 2007, 22:42

subrahmaNyOM is a very special term. OM in sanskrit is an indeclinable (avyaya) which will not normally participate in sandhi. For example:
hari+OM = hari OM (not haryOM)
But the sandhi with subramaNya as
subrahmaNya +OM =subramaNyOM is permitted and is necessary too!
Its vigraha is su+brahmaNi+OM which is 'suShTu brahmaNi sthitam praNavam' (praNavam (which is OM) perfectly seated in brahmam).
In fact subrahmaNya is the incarnation of 'OM' itself (which is what he revealed to Siva)!