tripurasundari aShTakam.h (with meaning)

[Guest guest]

I am attaching herewith the "tripurasundari aShTakam.h"

with simple line by line meaning. Earlier, I have submitted

the stotram (without any translation) to this group,

and it resides in the webpage. It had some minor typos,

so please substitute this posting in that place.

Namaste

Narayanaswami

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Introduction:

 

"tripurasundari aShTakaM" is an octal hymn , praising

Goddess tripurasundari, composed by Adi shaMkara, in a group

of eight shlokaMs, all set in prithvi metre consisting

of 17 syllables to each line, with a yati (pause) at

syllable 8 and 17. (Note that the hymn, Saundaryalahari,

also has 17 letters to each line, but the poetic

metre there is shikhariNi, which is entirely different).

 

The feminine noun "tripurasundari" means beauty `par excellence',

in the triad (tripura). The word "tripura" can be interpreted

in several ways. First, The kALlikA purANaM states that

by the will of the pradhAna (the First Principle), the

body of shiva became triple: the upper part became brahma, the middle,

vishNu, and the lower, rudra, As these three "pura"s (bodies) are in

Him, shiva is called tripura, and his spouse is tripurA

In this context, it is interesting to note the following.

In Andhra Pradesh, about 20 kilomnetres from Kalahasthi, there is

a small shiva shrine and liN^gaM, at Gudimallam. It is believed this

shiva liN^ghaM was installed by parasurAma. The lower part bears the form

of a gAndharva, the middle part, that of parasurAma with a turban, and

the upper part, that of shiva liN^gaM. Under a curse, once brahma

became a gAndharwa, by name CitrasEna. Therefore, the lower part

could be brahma, and the middle one vishNu, since parasurama is

an avatAraM of vishNu. This fact is mentioned in the Tamil

book: "Jagadguruvin Upadeshangal" (Appendix, page 23, 1957).

 

tripura has another meaning: The dEvi's mantra consists of three

syllables; the paJNchadashaakshari mantraM is composed of three

peaks (kUTa), namely vAgbhatakUTa, kAmarAja kUTa, and

shakta kUTa. The nADis (nerves currents) where she resides are three:

sushumna, piN^gaLa, and ida). Her shaktis are three, ichcha, kriya, and

 

GYAna. Now, to the actual hymn:

 

O M

tripurasundari aShTakam.h

 

.. atha tripurasundari aShTakam.h..

 

kadambavanachAriNIM munikadambakAdambinIM

nitambajitabhUdharAM suranitambinIsevitAm.h |

navAmburuhalochanAM abhinavAmbudashyAmalAM

trilochanakuTumbinIM tripurasundarImAshraye || 1||

 

Meaning

 

(ahaM): I

tripurasundarIM: (in/to) Goddess tripurasundari

aashraye: seek shelter in (pay obeisance to).

 

The remaining phrases are adjectives that qualify the accusative noun

(dvitIyA vibhakti) "tripurasundarIM"

 

kadamba vana chariniiM: who is roaming in the kadamba forest.

Kadamba is a kind of tree (Nauclea cadamba). It is

said to put forth orange coloured fragrant buds at the roaring of

thunder clouds. A withered relic of the kadamba tree is still preserved

in the precincts of the Madurai Meenakshi temple. Here,

kadamba forest stands for the universe which devi permeates.

 

muni kadamba kAdambinIM: a galaxy of clouds to the galaxy of rishis

(sages). Just as the bank of clouds quenches the thirst of the

earthly beings, so does tripurasundari quench the

spiritual thirst of the munis (sages).

 

nitamba: hip

jita bhUdharaaM: conquering (excelling) the mountains

(whose hip excels the mountain)

 

sura nitambinI sevitAM: who is served by celestial damsels

 

navAMburuha lochanAM: whoes eyes resemble fresh lotus

 

abhinavAMbuda shyAmalAM: who is swarthy like the newly formed

nimbus.

 

trilochanakuTumbinIM: who belongs to the family of the three-eyed

one (Lord shiva)

 

 

kadambavanavAsinIM kanakavallakIdhAriNIM

mahArhamaNihAriNIM mukhasamullasadvAruNIm.h |

dayAvibhavakAriNIM vishadalochanIM chAriNIM

trilochanakuTumbinIM tripurasundarImAshraye || 2||

 

Meaning:

 

(aham) tripurasundarIM aashraye (as in the above shlokaM)

 

kadamba vana vAsinIM: (as in shlokaM 1)

 

kanaka vallakI dhAriNIM: who holds a golden VINa

 

mahArha maNi hAriNIM: who wears a garland of precious gems

 

mukha samullasad vAriNIM: whose face glows deeply with ambrosia

 

dayAvibhava kAriNIM: bestowing prosperity through mercy

 

vishada lochanIM: clear eyed

 

chAriNIM: wandering

 

 

kadambavanashAlayA kuchamarollasanmAlayA

kuchopamitashailayA gurukR^ipAlasadvelayA |

madAruNakapolayA madhuragItavAchAlayA

kayA.api ghananIlayA kavachitA vayaM lIlayA || 3||

 

Meaning

 

vayaM: we

 

lIlayA: by her inscrutable play

 

kavachitA: (we) are arrayed in panoply.

 

the remaining phrases qualify the noun "lIlaAA"

 

kadambavana shAlayA: by her abode in the kadamba forest (meaning here,

the entire universe)

 

kuchamarollasan mAlayA: by the garland gracing her massive bosoms

 

kuchopamita shailayA: by her bosoms rivalling the mountains

(represents her cosmic motherhood, and eagerness to

nourish the entire world).

 

gurukR^ipAlasad velayA: by splendid flow of Her Grace

 

madAruNa kapolayA: with cheeks rudded by wine

 

madhuragIta vAchAlayA: by her melodious musical voice

 

kayApi ghana nIlayA: by her cloud-like blue

 

 

kadambavanamadhyagAM kanakamaNDalopasthitAM

ShaDamburuhavAsinIM satatasiddhasaudAminIm.h |

viDambitajapAruchiM vikachachandrachUDAmaNiM

trilochanakuTumbinIM tripurasundarImAshraye || 4||

 

 

Meaning:

 

(ahaM) tripurasundarIM aashraye (as in shlokam 1)

 

kadamba vana madhyagAM: who is in the midst of kadamba forest

 

kanaka maNDalopasthitAM: seated on the golden disc

 

ShaDamburuha vAsinIM: who resides in six lotus flowers

 

satata siddha saudhAminIM: a lightning to the constant siddhas

 

viDambita japA ruchiM: splenderously mocking the scarlet (red)

Hibiscous flower

 

vikacha chandra chUDAmaNiM: with cloudless moon for her

crest jewel

 

trilochana kuTumbinIM (as in shlokam 1).

 

 

kuchAJNchitavipaJNchikAM kuTilakuntalAlaMkR^itAM

kusheshayanivAsinIM kuTilachittavidveShiNIm.h |

madAruNavilochanAM manasijArisaMmohinIM

mataN^gamunikanyakAM madhurabhAShiNImAshraye || 5||

 

 

Meaning

 

(AhaM) : I

aashraye: seek shelter in (Her, who is)

 

kuchaaJNchita vipaJNchikAM: with a Vina gracing her bosom

 

kuTila kunthalAlaMkR^itAM: adorned with curly tresses of hair

 

kushesaya nivAsinIM: residing in lotus

 

kuTila chitta vidveShiNIM: scorning the evil-minded ones

 

madARuNa vilochanAM: reddish eyed from nectar

 

manasijAri sammohinIM: captivating the enemy of Cupid (shiva)

 

mataN^ga muni kanyakAM: daughter of sage mataN^ga

 

madhura bhAShiNIM: mellifluously conversing

 

 

smaraprathamapuShpiNIM rudhirabindunIlAmbarAM

gR^ihItamadhupAtrikAM madaviDhaNarnetrAJNchalAm.h |

ghanastanabharonnatAM galitachUlikAM shyAmalAM

trilochanakuTumbinIM tripurasundarImAshraye || 6||

 

Meaning

 

(ahaM) tripurasundarIM aashraye (as in shlokam 1)

 

smara prathama puShpiNIM: who bears the first flower of manmatha

(Cupid)

 

rudhira bindu nIlAmbarAM: clad in blue garments spotted

sanguine (red)

 

gR^ihIta madhu pAtrikAM: holding a bowl of wine

 

mada viDharNa netrAJNchalAM: eyes inebriated languishing at the ends

 

ghana stana bharonnatAM: close set with high and heavy bosom

 

galita chUlikAM: with locks dishevelled

 

shyAmlAM: swarthy one

 

trilochana kuTumbinIM (as in shlokaM 1)

 

 

sakuN^kumavilepanAM alakachumbikastUrikAM

samandahasitekshaNAM sasharachApapAshAN^kushAm.h |

asheShajanamohinIM aruNamAlyabhUShAmbarAM

japAkusumabhAsurAM japavidhau smarAmyambikAM || 7||

 

 

Meaning

 

(ahaM): I

 

ambikAM : ambikA Mother (dvitIya vibhakti)

 

japavidhau: in (during) Japa (meditation)

 

smarAmi: remember

 

The remaining phrases qualify the noun: ambikAM:

 

sa kuN^kuma vilepanAM: smeared with vermillion

 

alaka chumbi kastUrikAM: forelocks grazing the dot of musk

 

sa manda hasitekshaNAM: with looks soft and smiling

 

sa shara chApa pAshAN^kushAM: bearing arrows, bow, snare and goad

 

asheSha jana mohinIM: deluding the entire people

 

aruNa mAlya bhuushaambarAM: wearing (decorating her body with)

red garments

 

japAkusuma bhAsurAM: shining with the japA flower

 

NOTE: This particular shlokam is considered very sacred, and it

is included in the "dhyANa shlokaM" segment of both lalitA

sahasranAmaM, as well as lalitA trishati.

 

 

purandarapuraMdhrikAM chikurabandhasairaMdhrikAM

pitAmahapativratAM paTapaTIracharchAratAm.h |

mukundaramaNImaNIM lasadalaN^kriyAkAriNIM

bhajAmi bhuvanAMbikAM suravadhUTikAcheTikAm.h || 8||

 

 

Meaning

 

(ahaM): I

bhuvanAmbikAM: mother of the entire world (dvitIya vibhakti)

bhajAmi: worship (salute)

 

The remaining words qualify the noun "ambikAM"

 

purandhra puraMdhrikAM: ruling over the entire srI puraM

 

chikura bandha sairandhrikAM: who has the celestial queen

for plaiting tresses

 

pitAmaha pativratAM: consort of Lord brahma

 

paTa paTIra charchA ratAM: skilful for anointing sandal paste

 

mukunda ramaNI manIM: gem of vishNu's spouse

 

lasad alaMkR^iyA kAriNIM: adorning with lustrous gems

 

suravadhUTikA cheTikAM: having heavenly damsels for servant maids

 

 

.. iti tripurasundari aShTakam.h sampuurNam.h ||

 

Thus ends the octal hymn on Tripurasundai