ADI sHANKARA - a GREAT DEVI BHAKTA

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Dear All,

 

First our heartfelt thanks to Harshananda for his informative post on

adi shankara on this auspicious day of Shankara Jayanti.

 

Adi Shankara wrote many comentaries on upanishads, composed many

hymns on various gods and goddesses etc... He was what i would call

a 'Tantirc Advaitin. AT heart a bhakta par excellance but in outward

appearamce a supreme jnani!!!

 

His love and dvotion for Devi was inherited from his mother who was a

stauch shakta. here are some of the great works on Devi by our

beloved Shankara.

 

1)anna pUrnA ashtakam

2)anna pUrna sthOthram

3)bhagavathi mAnasa pUjA

4) bhavAni ashtakam

5)bhavAni bhujanga prayathA

6)bhrama rAmbha ashtakam

7)dEvI bhujanga prayathA

8) dEvI sathus shasti upachAra pUjA sthOthram

9)dEvI pancha rathnam

10)durgA aparAdha bhajana sthOthram

11) gowrI dhasakam

12)hara gowrI ashtakam

13)kAlI aparAdha bhajana sthOthram

14)lalithA panchakam

15) manthra manthrikA pushpa mAlA

16)mInAkshi ashtakam

17)mInAkshi pancha rathnam

18)raja rAjEswari ashtakam

19)sAradhA bhujanga prayathA

20)soundarya laharI

21)syAmalA navarathna mAlikA

22)thripura sundarI ashtakam

23) thripura sundarI mAnasa pUjA

24)thripura sundarI vEda pAda sthOthram

 

THIS LIST IS BY MEANS EXHAUSTIVE. THERE ARE NUMEROUS OTHER WORKS ON

DEVI.

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ON THIS DAY, JOIN ME IN OFFERING PRAYERS TO SHRI BHAWANI MAA, A GREAT

HYMN COMPOSED BY SHANKARA BHAGVATPADA.

 

Úaãádhára-pañkeruhántar-virájat-

suúmnántarále'-ti-tejo-lasantèm

Sudhámaïãalam drávayantim pibantim

sudhámürtimèãe cidánandarüpám.(1)

 

I bow to that embodiment of ambrosia which is Consciousness and Bliss

incarnate. It melts the orb of the moon and drinks (the moon-light).

It shines with its profuse lustre inside the suúumná located in the

lotus of úaãádhára.

 

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jvalatkoûibálárka-bhásáruïáñgim@m

sulávaïya-ùøñgára ùobhábhirámám

mahá padma kinjalkamadhye virájat

trikoïe niúaïïám bhaje ùri Bhavánèm.(2)

 

I worship that Goddess Bhavánè who is seated on the triangle which

shines in the midst of the filaments of the white lotus. She is

extremely beautiful with lovely and charming grace. She has a shining

red body similar to that of innumerable rising suns.

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kvanatkiñkiïi nüpurod bhásiratna-

prabhálèãha lákúárdra pádábjayugmam

ajeùácyutádyaiç suraiç sevyamánam

mahádevi manmürdhni te bhávayámi(3)

 

`Oh! Great Goddess! I contemplate your lotus feet on my head as being

served by the celestials such as Brahmá, Acyuta (Viúïu) and others.

These feet are wet due to red dye and dazzling with the gems of the

anklets jingling with bells.

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suùoïámbarábaddha-nivi-virájan-

maháratna-kaòcikalápam nitambam

sphuraddakúiïávarta - nábhèm ca tisro

valèramba te romarájim bhaje'ham.(4)

 

Oh ! Mother! I worship your streak of hair on the three folds on the

belly, as also the shining naval circling to the right. (I also

worship your) hip having the red garment tied around the waist,

adorned by the girdle studded with gems and tinkling.

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lasadvøtta-muttuñga-máïikya-kumbho-

pamaùri stanadvanda-mambámbhujákúi

bhaje dugdha-pürïabhirámam tavedam

mahá-hára-diptam sadá prasnutásyam.(5)

 

Oh! Lotus-eyed Mother! I worship your two radiant breasts, round in

shape comparable to lofty gem-studded pitchers. They are beautiful

and are full with milk. Shining with a breast-lace and oozing at the

top, they are beautiful and are full of milk.

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siriúa-prasünollasad-báhu-daïdair-

jvaladbána-kodaïda-paùáïkuùaiùca

calat-kañkaïodára-keyüra-bhüúo-

jjvaladbhirlasantim bhaje ùrè-Bhavánèm(6)

 

I worship Goddess Bhavánè who glitters with (four) arms delicate like

the ùiriúa flowers, and which carry arrow, bow, noose and goad and

which shine with bangles and bracelets.

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ùarat-pürïacandra-prabhá-pürïabimbá-

dharasmera-vaktráravindám suùántám

suratnávalihára-taûañka-ùobhám

mahásuprasannám bhaje ùrè Bhavánèm.(7)

 

I worship Goddess Bhavani who is extremely graceful and tranquil, who

has Her lotus-face shining like the autumnal full-moon smiling with

red bimbha-like lips. She is lustrous with ear-ornaments studded with

gems.

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ãsunásáputam sundara-bhrü-lalátam

tavauúûaùriyam dánadakúam katákúam

laláte lasadgaïda kastüri-bhüúam

sphuracchri-mukhámbhojamide'ha-mamba(8)

 

Oh Mother! I praise your lotus-face which bears musk on the cheeks

and forehead, and the nostrils, the beautiful eye-brows and forehead,

the lips and the graceful side-glance capable of conferring rewards.

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*calatkuntalántar-bhramd-bhrñga-vrndam

ghana-snigdha-dhammilla-bhüúojjvalam te

sphuran-maulti-máïikya-baddhendu-rekhá-

vilásollasaddipya-mürdhánamèãe.(9)

 

I praise your head which is radiant with the crest-jewel and the

digit of the moon. It has the swarms of bees swinging inside the

moving braids and is shining with the densely set white jasmine

flowers.

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iti ùri Bhaváni! svarüpam tavedam

prapaòcát param cátisükùmam prasannam

sphuratvamba ãimbhasya me høtsaroje

sadá váñmayam sarvatejomayam ca(10)

 

May this smiling form of yours, Oh! Bhaváni! which is beyond the

Universe, very subtle and peaceful shine forth the lotus heart of

mine, your child! May the literature in the form of all effulgence

also dawn upon me!

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Šgaïeùábhi-mukhyákhilaiç ùaktibøndair-

vøtám vai sphuraccakra-rájollasantim

parám rájarájeùvari traipuri tvám

ùiváñkoparisthám ùivám bhávayámi(11)

 

I contemplate on you Oh! Rájarájävarè! Traipurè, who are seated on

the lap of Lord Ùiva. You are the highest, are shining in the radiant

cakra and are surrounded by all groups of ùaktis led by Lord Gaïeùá.

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tvamarkastvamindustvam-agnistvam-ápa-

stvam ákáùa-váyavastvam mahattvam

tvadanyo na kaùcit prapaòco'sti sarvam

tvam ánanda-samvit-svarüpám-bhaje'ham(12)

 

I worship you. You are of the form of blissful knowledge. There is

none else in the universe superior to you. You are the sun, the moon,

the fire, the water, the sky, the earth, the wind and the mahat.

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ùrutènámagamye suvedágamajòe

mahimno na jánanti páram tavámba

stutim kartumiccámi te tvam bhaváni

kúamasvedam atra pramugdhaç kiláham(13)

 

Oh! Mother Bhavánè! I wish to praise you; Oh! Knower of the Vedas and

Ágamas! You are unattainable through scriptures. (People) do not know

the extent of your greatness. You please forgive this act of mine! I

am indeed foolish.

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gurustvam ùivastvam ca ùaktistvameva

tvamevási mátá pitá tvameva

tvamevási vidyá tvamevási bandhur-

gatirme matir devi sarvam tvameva(14)

 

Oh! Goddess! You are my preceptor. You are Lord Ùiva. You are the

Ùakti. You are my mother and father. You are the knowledge. You are

my kith and kin. You are my only refuge, thinking and indeed all in

all.

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ùaraïye vareïye sukáruïyamü!rte

hiraïyodarádyairagaïye supuïye

bhaváraïya bhèteùca mám páhi bhadgre

namaste, namaste, namaste, Bhaváni(15)

 

Oh! Bhaváni! Salutations to you again and again. Oh! Auspicious one!

Oh! my refuge! Oh! Meritorious one! oh! Compassion-incarnate! One who

cannot be understood by Brahmá and others! Protect me from the fear

of the forest of mundane existence.

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ö

itèmám mahacchrèbhaváni bhujañga-

stutim yaç paûhedbhaktiyuktaùca tasmai

svakèyaqm padm sáùvatam vedasáram

ùriyam cáúûasiddhim Bhaváni dadáti.(16)

 

Whoever reads this meritorious hymn on Bhavánè set in bhujañga-

prayáta metre with devotion, Goddess Bhaváni confers on him the eight

perfections (siddis), prosperity and Her own external abode which is

the essence of the Vedas.

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Bhavánè, Bhaváni, Bhavánè, triváram

udáram mudá sarvadá ye japanti

na ùoko na moho na pápam na bhètiç

kadácit kathaòcit kutaùcijjanánám.(17)

 

Whoever joyfully repeats the name ``Bhaváni'' thrice will have no

grief, no confusion, no sin, no fear anytime or anyway or from any

quarter.

 

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jai ambe bhavani maa!

jaya jaya shankara!!!