Sri Sthuthi 1 and 2 of 25

Sri Sthuthi

Vedantha Desika

Srimaan Venkata Nadhaarya Kavithaarkika kesari

Vedantaachaaryavaryome sannidhatththaam sadaahridi

Swami Desikan has written three slokas Sri Sthuthi, Bhu Sthuthi, and Godha Sthuthi in praise of Sri Devi, Bhooma Devi and Godha Nachiyaar – Andal. Sri Sthuthi is a wonderful work given to us by Swami Vedantha Desikan in praise of Sri Devi Thaayaar who is in the heart – Vakshasthalam of Emperuman – Perumal and never moves even for a kshanam – millisecond away from him. Sri Devi Thaayaar is the one who recommends to perumal to help us his bhakthas. She along with perumal gives us moksha when we surrender to perumal and Thaayaar. This sloka has 25 verses. By reciting this sloka and surrendering to Sri Devi we humans can get all the auspicious happenings in this life and also get moksha eventually.  There are 25 verses in this sloka. The first and the 12 and the last twelve slokas describe Thaayaar’s greatness and the 13 verse which is the middle describes her as jagan matha – sarvalokeswari from Vishnu puraanam and about the Pattabhishekam (coronation) of Thaayaar. Swami Desikan in this sloka describes thaayaars beauty, kalyana gunas (virtues).

Perundevi Thaayaar Kanchipuram

Once a young brahmachari came to Swami Vedantha Desikan at Thuppul and requested his blessings mentioning he does not have enough wealth to get married and so his marriage is getting delayed. Swami Desikan then takes the brahmachari to the sannidhi of perundevi Thaayaar the divine consert of Lord Varadaraja and recites this Sri Sthuthi in front of the archamoorthi in praise of Thaayaar. Perundevi Thaayaar the embodiment of love and compassion graces by pouring of gold coins instantly. The brahmachari then takes by the gold coins and gets married with thaayaar’s and perumal’s grace. Sawmi Vedantha Desikan returns back to his home.

    1.   MaanAtheetha praTitha vibhavAm MangaLam MangaLAnAm
    Vaksha: peeDeem MadhuvijayinO bhUshayantheem svakAnthyA
    prathyakshAnuSravika-mahima prArTithineenAm prajAnAm
    SrEyO mUrthim Sriyam aSaraNa: ThvAm SaraNyAm prapadhyE

      Thuppul Sri Maragathavalli Thayar

   1.  Maana Atheetha – Beyond boundaries

        2.     praTitha – famous, recognized

        3.     vibhavAm – magnanimous, great

        4.     MangaLam MangaLAnAm – One who gives auspiciousness to auspicious things

        5.     Madhuvijayina: - Perumal who won over asura Madhu and killed him

        6.     Vaksha – Chest

        7.     peeDeem – seated

        8.     bhUshayantheem – decorating, embellishing

        9.     svakAnthyA – self radiant

      10.       prathyakshAnuSravika mahima – One who holds all kind of wealth

      11.    prArThana – prayer, request

      12.      prajA – people

      13.     SrEyO mUrthim – Embodiment of auspiciousness

      14.     Sriyam – One whose name is Sri

       15.    aSaraNa: SaraNyAm prapadhyE – I who is helpless surrender to you the Protector of the                     those who surrender to her

       16.  Thvaam – to you

In this verse Swami Desikan describes how he surrenders to the divine mother Thaayaar who is well known for her magnanimity and compassion. Thaayaar an embodiment of auspiciousness, gives auspiciousness to everything that is auspicious. Thaayaar who is self-radiant embellishes the chest of Perumal who has won over the asura Madhu. She is the protector of all who surrender to her. We should also follow Swamis steps and unconditionally surrender to our divine mother - thaayaar

   2. AavirbhAva: Kalasa-jaladhou adhvarE vaapi YasyA
 sTAnam YasyA: sarasijavanam VishNuvaksha: sTalam vaa
 bhUmA YasyA: bhuvanamakhilam Devi dhivyam padham vaa
 sthOka-praj~nai: anavadhi guNAsthUyasE Saa kaTam ThvAm

    

   Perundevi Thaayaar Navarathri   

    

Vishnu Vakshasthala Vasini

      1.   Devi – Goddess

      2.   YasyA – whose

      3.   AavirbhAva: - appearance

      4.   Kalasa-jaladhou – Milky ocean, Ksheerandhi

      5.   adhvarE vaapi – Even in the Yaga Saala

      6.   sTAnam – position, residing place

      7.   sarasijavanam – Jungle- Forest filled with lotus ponds

      8.  VishNu - Bhagawan

      9.  vaksha: sTalam –

    10.  Bhuma – wealth

    11.  Akhilam - whole

    12.  Bhuvanam – world

    13.  dhivyam padham vaa  - Is it Vaikuntam?

    14.  Anavadhi – infinite, unlimited

    15.  Guna – Quality

    16.  Sa Thvam – You

    17.  sthOka-praj~nai: - humans as me who have less intelligence

    18.  katam – how

    19.  sthUyasE – be praised

Swami Desikan in this verse says Oh Goddess PerunDevi how am I qualified to pray to you. You appeared as the daughter of the milky ocean and in Janaka Maharishi’s Yaaga saala. Both the avatarams you have not had the difficulty of being in a mother’s womb (garbha vaasaadhi dhukkam) which makes you even more superior to Sriman Narayana your husband. Oh divine mother You live in a beautiful forest filled with lotus ponds and the milky ocean and Bhagavan’s chest (vaksha sthalam). Who else other than you can have these abodes. Both, this world (Leela vibhuthi) and Sri Vaikuntam (Nithya vibhuthi) are yours. You have infinite good qualities. With all your infinite goodness and unlimited wealth how is it possible for people with very less intellect worship you.

Mukunda Maala 33/40-40/40

33.  Krishno rakshatu no jagat-traya-guruh krishnam namadhvam sada

           Krishnenakhila-satravo vinihatah krishnaya tasmai namah

           Krishnad eva samutthitam jagad idam krishnasya daso asmy aham

      Krishne tishthati visvam etad akhilam he krishna rakshasva mam 

            Krishna the creator and protector 

           1.       Rakshathu – Protects

2.       Jagat-traya-guruh – Teacher of all the three worlds

3.       Krishnam namasyaamaham sada – I always salute Krishna

4.       Yena Krishnena – that Krishna

5.       Amara satravah vinihithaah – Asuras were killed

6.       Tasmai krishnaya  namah – I salute Krishna

7.       Idam jagad – this world

8.       Krishnam eva samutthitam – Originated from Krishna

9.       Aham Krishnasya dasoasmy – I am the slave of Krishna

10.   Krishne tishthati – Krishna is only permanent

11.   Sarvametad akhilam – Whole of the universe

12.   He krishna rakshasva mam – Hey Krishna pleae protect us

I salute and pray to Lord Krishna the one who removes ignorance in all the three worlds, One who killed asuras as Hiranyan and Sishupalan, One who creator of all the three worlds, One who keeps all the worlds under his control. That Krishna should protect me. This sloka is written in eight noun cases.

         34.           Sa tvam prasida bhagavan kuru mayy anathe

                Vishno kripam parama-karunikah khalu tvam

                Samsara-sagara-nimagnam ananta dinam

                Uddhartum arhasi hare purushottamo asi

   

 

 All pervasive Bhagwan     Compassionate and loving 

                                         Bhagwan to his Bhakthas

1.       Hey Bhagavan – Oh Honorable God

2.       Vishno – All pervasive

3.       Sah thavam – One who is the Vedas

4.       Krupaam kuru – Show compassion

5.       Prasida – Be gracious and kind

6.       Heyhare – One who removes the distress of devotees (slaves)

7.       Ananatha – Endless, eternal, infinite, boundless, of unlimited potency, incomparable

8.       Thvam parama-karunikah – You are profoundly compassionate

9.       Samsara-sagara-nimagnam – Engrossed in worldly affairs

10.   Dinam – miserable me

Oh Lord please do not be angry by seeing the mistakes I have committed. Please show me your love and beautiful face. In accordance to your name the giver of everything (perarulaalan) please show your karuna and protect me. Please save from my drowning in the ocean of material pleasures as you are the only one – the supreme - purushothaman who can do it.

              35.  Namami Narayana-pada-pankajam

    Karomi narayana-pujanam sada

    Vadami narayana-nama nirmalam

               Smarami narayana-tattvam avyayam  

Praying to the lotus feet of Krishna

    Doing pooja to Krishna

Thinking of Bhagwan always

1.       Namami – I Salute

2.       Pada pankajam – Lotus feet

3.       Karomi – I do

4.       Puja – Worship

5.       Vadami – I speak

6.       Smarami – I Remember

7.       Narayana thathvam – Truth of Narayana

Kulasekara Azhwar describes the ways he worships Lord Narayana . I pray to the lotus feet of the Lord Narayana. I worship Lord Narayana always. I always talk about the greatness of Sriman Narayana. I always recite the truth of Narayana

36.       Sri-natha narayana vasudeva

Sri-krishna bhakta-priya chakra-pane

Sri-padmanabhachyuta kaitabhare

           Sri-rama padmaksha hare murare    

      Kumbakonam Chakrapani

Thiruvanandapuram Padmanabhaswamy

Sri Ramar

     37.  Ananta vaikuntha mukunda krishna

Govinda damodara madhaveti

Vaktum samartho api na vakthi kaschid

           Aho jananam vyasanabhimukhyam

Vaikuntanathar - Kanchipuram

The above 2 verses recite the names of Lord Sriman Narayana and azhwar asks all of us to recite the names of the Divya Dhampathi instead of being engaged in temporary worldly affairs.

   38.         Dhyayanti ye vishnum anantam avyayam

                Hrit-padma-madhye satatam vyavasthitam

                Samahitanam satatabhaya-pradam

               Te yanti siddhim paramancha vaishnavim

                    

                                Dasavatharam of Vishnu

“DO NOT BE AFRAID – I’M HERE TO PROTECT YOU”

 

Appears to those who are his                    

      bhakthas – Bhishma     

 

Meditating on Vishnu

1.       Ye Dhyayanti – Those who meditate

2.       Vishnu – That Vishnu

3.       Anantham - Endless

4.       Avyayam – imperishable

5.       Hrit-padma-madhye – Center of the lotus like heart

6.       Satatam vyavasthitam – Uninterruptedly sitting

7.       Samahitanam – For the Yogis who in  a state of samamdhi

8.       Satata abhaya-pradam – One who utters “DO NOT BE AFRAID”

9.       Te Yanti – They attain

10.   Paramancha vaishnavim – Ultimate superior place of Vishnu - Vaikuntam

The explanation of a true vaishnavite is given in this verse by Azhwar - He who meditates on the name of Vishnu, who is everything and speckless, who has the helping nature in his heart, he comes instantly to the rescue of his bhakthas, and he who worships Vishnu will be a real vaishnavite.

39.            Kshira-sagara-tarangarasikara-

                Sara-tarakita-charu-murtaye

                Bhogi-bhoga-sayaniya-saayine

                Madhavaya madhu-vidvishe namah

Sriman Narayana in Kshira Saagaram

           1.  Kshira-sagara- Milky ocean

2.       Tarangarasikara-  small tides

3.       Tarakita- Star spangled

4.       Charu-murtaye – beautiful form Narayana

5.       Bhogi-bhoga-sayaniya-saayine – The one who is happily lying down

6.       Madhavaya - Krishna

7.       Madhu Vidvishe – One who killed the asura Madhu

8.       Namah - Salutations

I bow to thee the most beautiful one who is lying on the Adiseshan in the milky ocean with Goddess Lakshmi by his side and the droplets of water that fall on thee from the waves of the ocean looks like pearls studded on thy self

   40.    Yasya priyau sruti-dharau kavi-loka-virau

Mitrau dvi-janma-vara-padma-sarav abhutam

Tenambujaksha-charanambuja-shat-padena

           Rajna krita kritir iyam kulasekharena

           1.       Yasya – For that Kulasekara

2.       Sruti-dharau – Those who are well versed with the Vedas

3.       kavi-loka-virau – the best among the poets

4.       Dvi-janma-vara-padma – The two distinguished brahmins – Padman and Saran

5.       Priya Mitrau abhutam -  Loving friends

6.       Tenambujaksha-charanambuja-shat-padena – Like the bee that is attracted to the lotus feet of the lord

7.       Kulasekharena Rajna – Raja Kulasekara

8.       Iyam kritir krita  - This stothram has been written by

This last verse the Kulasekara Azhwar puts his name stamp and acknowledges two of his friends Padman and Saran.

Mukunda Maaka 26/40 -32/40

  26.    Sriman-nama prochya narayanakhyam

Ke na praapur vanchitam papino  api

Ha nah purvam vak-pravritta na tasmims

Tena praptam garbha-vasadi-duhkham

  1. Narayanakhyam – Narayana

       2.       Sriman-nama prochya -  Reciting the name of Sriman Narayana

       3.       Ke papino  api – Any sinner

       4.       Na praapu – Did not receive

       5.       Vanchitam – Wished, desired

       6.       Purvam – Before

       7.       Nah vak- Our voice

       8.       Tasmims na Pravritta – Did not recite the name of Narayana

       9.       Tena - Therefore

     10.   Garbha-vasadi-duhkham – Suffering of being in the womb

     11.   Praptam – Gain

In this verse Azhwar reiterates that any one even if he is a sinner will definitely be emancipated by uttering the name of “Sriman Narayana”. Azhwar also says that one who did not recite the name of Narayana will not be relieved from the cycle of birth and rebirth and will undergo the suffering of being the mother’3s womb.

      27. .       Maj-janmanah phalam idam madhu-kaitabhare

Math-prarthaniya-mad-anugraha esha eva

Tvad-bhrithya-bhrithya-paricharaka-bhrithya-bhrithya-

           Bhrithyasya bhrithya iti mam smara loka-natha

        

In this verse Kulasekara Azhwar prays to Sriman Narayana who is the killer of the asuras Madhu Kaitapare to accept him as the lowliest of his (Sriman Narayana’s/lokanatha) servants, servants, servants, servant. This equates to the verses from Swami Desikan’s Padhuka Sahasram

Yah Sapta parva vyavadhaana thungaam

Seshatva kaashthama bhajan murareh

and NammAzhwar’s verses in Thiruvaimozhi –

“Adiyaaradiyaar, thammadiyaaradiyaar, thamakku adiyaradiyaar thaam,  adiyOngale”

28.  Nathe nah purushottame tri-jagatam ekadhipe chetasa

           Sevye svasya padasya dathari soore narayane thishthati

           Yam kinchit purushadhamam kathipaya-gramesam alpartha-dam

      Sevayai mrigayamahe naram aho mukha varaka vayam

        

Thirukarambanoor - Purushothaman perumal

1.       Purushottame – Supreme spirit

2.       Tri-jagatam Ekadhipe – Only Lord of three worlds

3.       Chetasa - Sevye – Consciously worshipping

4.       Svasya – His own

5.       Padasya - place

6.       Dathari - share

7.       Soore - propeller

8.       Narayane – Sriman Narayanan

9.       Thishthati – Stay

10.   Na - Our

11.   Natha – Master

12.   Yam kinchit naram – Another man

13.   Kathipaya-grama-esam – a small man who is the ruler of a few villages

14.   Purusha – Human being

15.   Adhamam - inferior

16.   Alpa arthadam – Small benefits

17.   Sevayai mrigayamahe – We search to prostrate

18.   Aho -Oh

19.   Naram Mukha varaka vayam – We man are such dumb and useless human beings

Kulasekara Azhwar here explains and feels that when Sriman Narayan who is the supreme spirit and the master of the three worlds and is ready to share his heavenly abode with us and give us eternal happiness, we dumb useless human beings go in search and prostrate before inferior kings (men) who give us small benefits which is really very sad.

29.       Madana parihara sthitim madhiye

Manasi mukunda-padaravinda-dhamni

Hara-nayana-krisanuna kriso 'si

          Smarasi na chakra-parakramam murarer

      

                       Lord Shiva and manmathan

1.   Hey Madana – On Manmathana

     2.       Mukunda-padaravinda-dhamni – The dwelling place of Sri Krishna’s lotus feet

     3.       Sthitim parihara – Liberation from the current status

     4.       Madhiye Manasi – In my heart

     5.   Hara-nayana-krisanuna – The fire that emerges from the third eye in the forehead of Lord Siva

     6.       Krisha asi – A person without a body

     7.       Murare – Krishna’s

     8.       Chakra-parakramam – The valor of perumals Sudarshana Chakra

     9.       Na Smarasi – Don’t you think

                        

This verse is addressed as a challenge to Manmathan. Lord Shiva makes Manmathan formless by opening his third eye on the forehead when Manmathan disturbs his penance.  Azhwar addresses Manmathan saying do not disturb me, you have already lost your form by the curse of Lord Shiva. I am a devotee of the lotus feet of Lord Krishna and you receive the wrath of valor of the Sudarshana Chakra of Lord Krishna.

30.      Tattvam bruvanani param parasmath

Madhu ksharantiva satham phalani

Pravartaya pranjalir asmi jihve

           Namani narayana-gocharani  

\

         

   Sriman narayana

1.  Hey jihve – Oh tongue

                2.       Param parasmath – Supreme than the most supreme,

                3.       Tattvam - Truth

                4.       Bruvanani – One who says

                5.       Satham madhu ksharanti – Effect of the sweetness of nectar

                6.       Phalani iva – Sweetness of fruits

                7.       Pravartaya – Recite often

                8.       Pranjalir asmi – I pray with folded hands

                9.       Namani –Name

              10.   Narayana-gocharani  - Sriman Narayana’s actions

This verse is a request to the tongue to recite often the names of Sriman Narayana who is supreme than the supreme most and explains the benefits of speaking his stories. He says he prays to the tongue with folded hands to recite the names of Narayana that is sweet like the nectar from the fruits.

           31.       Idam sariram parinama-peshalam

   Pathaty avasyam satha-sandhi-jarjaram

   Kim aushadhai: klishyasi mudha durmate

              Niraamayam krishna-rasayanam piba

      

   

  

Azhwar addresses this to the foolish people who take medicines to cure the diseases and take care of the body that will definitely lose its charm and youthfulness one day and eventually become ashes. Instead he asks people to drink the nectar of Krishna nama and get rid of the cycle of samsara sagaram

32. Dara varakara-vara-sutha the tanujo virincih

     Stotra vedas tava sura-gana bhritya-vargah prasadah

     Mukthir maya jagad avikalam tavaki devaki thwa

                Mata mithram bala-ripu-sutas tat tvad anyam na jane

Sriman Narayana's wife is Lakshmi, 

Brahma is the son of Narayana

and Devas are his servants

Krishna born as Devaki's son

Arjuna is Krishna's friend

Sriman Narayana descends and asks Kulasekara Azhwar “Oh Kulasekara you pray to me so much and are so devoted to me what do you know about me”. I know, your wife is the daughter of the seas Goddess Lakshmi, Brahma - your son is the one who creates living beings. The holy Vedas are verses about your glory, Devas are your servants and devotion to you gives moksha the ultimate bliss, you reside in Sri Vaikuntam, You came down to earth with Devaki as your mother, Arjuna as your friend for people to see and experience your qualities. Apart from this I know nothing Oh my Lord Sri Krishna.