sa.nkiitran (sankirtana)

[Guest guest]

srimate ramanujaya nama:

 

asmadguruparamparaayai nama:

 

As per the kind request and encouragement and with the collaboration of

Sri V.Sadagopan Swamy, adiyen, would like to post serially the important

JitantA Stotram which has been referred to by great Acharyas like Vedanta

Desikan. The entire stotram consists of 129 slokams in six parts. These

slokas have been a model to Acharyas like Yamunacharya, Ramanujacharya etc

as can be seen in Stotraratnam and Gadyatrayam. They guide the bhaktas in

the proper method to be adopted to pray to Lord. Sri PancharAtram was

lectured by Lord himself to some sages in a sitting of five nights. Hence,

this came to be known as Sri PAncharAtram.

 

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Sri pAncharAtrE jitantA stotrE prathamajitantA

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JitantE pundarIkAksha namastE vishvabhAvana

namastEstu hrisIkEsha mahApurusha pUrvaja. 1.

 

 

Victory to thee, Lotus-eyed, salutation to thee, sustainer of the

universe. Salutation to thee, the controller of the sense organs. You are

the Great person and the primordeal ancestor of all.

 

 

( The Lord teaches how a devotee should pray to God and puts these prayers

in the mouth of the potential devotee and are in first person. This is

where the concept of pallandu and mangalashasanam might have appeared

first)

 

devAnAm dAnavAnAm cha sAmAnyam adhidaivatam

sarvadA charaNa dvandvam vrajAmi sharaNam tava. 2.

 

 

You are the common over-lord of the Angels and the Demons. I always

go and surrender to Your pair of divine feet as my refuge.

 

( You do not discriminate between angels and demons. e.g, Prahlada , Bali

and Vibheeshana etc. When Indra and Brahma, were jealous of Krishna , You

taught them a lesson. In times, they approach You for succour.)

 

 

Ekastvamasi lOkasya srashtA samhArakastathA

adhyakshaschAnumantA cha guNa mAyA samAvrita: . 3.

 

 

You are the unique one who creates the world and destroys it. You are the

supervisor and conniver. You do these under the influence of Gunas - satwa,

rajas and tamas and your Maya. (Cf DvA suparnA sayujA sakhAyA ,

BhartA BhOktA Mahesvara: etc)

 

(You provide a long leash to the Jivatma, watch over it and allow the

Jivatma to do whatever it does. )

 

 

samsAra sAgaram ghOram ananta klesha bhAjanam

tvAmEva sharaNam prApya nistaranti manIshiNa: . 4.

 

 

This ocean of Samsara of cycles of birth and death etc is horrible and is

the storehouse of endless and infinite adversities and suffering. Wise

men who know the way out, approach You only as the refuge and do sharaNAgati

to You and easily cross over this ocean of Samsara.

 

na tE rUpam na chAkArO nAyudhAni na chAspadam

tathApi purushAkArO bhaktAnAm tvam prakAshasE. 5.

 

 

You have no specific form or specific figure. You have neither weapons nor

do You have a habitat. Notwithstanding this, (out of compassion ) you

appear and shine in the form of a Purusha for the benefit of your devotees,

so that they can see You and become blessed..

 

To be contd

 

Ramanujadasan