गौरी आरती - काव्यकण्ठ गणपति मुनि विरचितम्

गौरी आरती - काव्यकण्ठ गणपति मुनि विरचितम्

जय गौरि जय गौरि जय पर्वत तनये ।

स्थिरहस्तास्थितविजये करुणामय हृदये ॥   ॥जय॥

धृतसर्वग्रहगमनं शुद्धाजरपवनं ।

सति तव लीलाचवनं सर्वेश्वरि गगनं ॥     ॥जय॥

मंडलमर्कस्यघनं सिंहासनमवनं ।

नरततिलोचनमदनं तेजस्तवशयनं ॥                  ॥जय​॥

तव शब्देन विचाता ब्रह्मद्युतिभीता ।

असुरप्रमुखविनीता रिपुसेनाधूता ॥               ॥जय॥

दक्षिणहस्तोदाता वामस्तवनेता ।

तवकार्येसविधाता जगतामसिमाता ॥           ॥जय​॥

असिसंपद्गतदोषा सर्वांतरचूषा ।

अनुपमतरुणीवेषा भवसीश्वरयेषा ॥              ॥जय​॥

एकस्तवबलशाली सुतइंद्रोजाली ।

अपरस्सितकरमाली शुचिरितरःकीली  ॥      ॥जय॥

जय शंकरमोदशरीरा रविशशिकुचवरभारा ।

गणपतिमुनिसंगीता त्रिभुवनपावनमाता ॥    ॥जय​॥

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मदालसायाः आलोलिका (स्वापिका) (The Lullaby of Queen Madalasa)

In ब्रह्माण्डपुराणं, there is a beautiful episode called “ मदालसोपाख्यानम्” (the Madalasa Upakhyana) that details how a King named कुवलयाश्व (ऋतध्वजः) [ KuvalayAswa (also Ritadhwaja)] married a great ब्रह्मवादिनी   who was also the queen by name मदालसा  (Madalasa).

The king demonstrates great prowess in order to marry and finally gets the hand of the great queen Madalasa.  The couple, in due course of time give birth to 4 sons namely (1) Vikranta (विक्रान्त) (2) Subahu (सुबाहु)  (3) Shatrumardana (शत्रुमर्दन) (4) Alarka (अलर्क),  respectively.

When the first 3 sons were born, the names for them were selected and fixed by King himself. The King chose the names very selectively by considering the meanings and assigning those attributes to his sons. For instance, the name “Vikranta” meant “One who posses great valour and courage; “Subahu” meant “One who posses powerful and beautiful hands and shoulders; “Shatrumardana” meant “One who conquers his enemies”.

When King used to select the names, the Queen Madalasa used to laugh at the King’s choosy naming method.  Thus, when 4^th son was born, the King asked Madalasa to select a good name for her son as every time she was laughing at his selection of names.  Thus, she named her 4^th Son as “ALARKA” (अलर्क) and chanted the benedictory verse “चिरं जीवतु धर्मात्मा”” (Long Live by observing righteousness). The King was aghast at this name of his 4^th son because the meaning of the name “Alarka” meant “Mad Dog”. He was dismayed at the naming of his beloved 4^th son because the names of his first 3 three sons were very beautiful and meaningful.  

Meanwhile, at the birth of their every son (first three of them), Queen Madalasa used to put them (Vikranta, Subahu, Shatrumardana) in cradle and used to sing a Lullaby when they cried.  While rocking the cradle, the Queen Madalasa used to sing a Lullaby that was pregnant with “vedantic teaching”.  Right from the infancy, she induced “Atma Jnana” in the form of the Lullaby.  Thus, all the three sons became self-realized with the power of their mother’s Lullaby and lost interest in ruling the kingdom.  Thus, all three retired to forest for performing tapas.

The Lullaby Song of Queen Madalasa, thus came to be known as “మదాలస జోలపాట” in Telugu.  Thus, it can be concluded that the parents, especially, the mother can influence her child directly. The episode of Queen Madalasa stands testimony to the fact that “Mother is the First Teacher” at home and every mother should strive to become one like Queen Madalasa who had sown the seeds of spiritual knowledge to their children right from infancy itself in the form of Lullaby every night.

For the benefit of the readers, I am presenting that Lullaby in the form of 8 slokas.  

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शुद्धोऽसि रे बाल न तेऽस्ति नाम कृतं हि वै तत कल्पनयाधुनैव ।

पञ्चात्मकं देहमिदं न तेऽस्ति त्वं वास्य रे रोदिषि कस्य हेतोः ॥ (१)

O  Child ! For what reason you are crying? Don’t cry. Thou Art ever Pure and Eternal, devoid of Names and Forms. You are the form of Bliss, untouched by Sorrow.  You have superimposed the sorrow upon yourself and owing to ignorance, are wailing.   The sorrow arose owing to the false identity with body and hence experiencing sorrow which is the cause of your cry.  Since, Thou Art Existence, Knowledge, Bliss Absolute and not the body consisting of 5 elements, where is the point in crying.  All these names and forms are ephemeral and are imaginary. .  So, don’t cry.

न वै भवान रोदिति विश्वजन्मा शब्दोऽयमासाद्य महीसमूहम ।

विकल्प्यमानो विविधैर्गुणार्थैः गुणाश्च भूताः सकलेन्द्रियेषु ॥ (२)

Don’t Cry ! Thou Art Ishwara – the Creator and Lord of the Universe.   As the creation is a “vikalpa” born out of ignorance, where is the point in wailing and crying?  Hence, don’t cry.

भूतानि भूतोपरि दुर्बलानि वृद्धिं समायान्ति तथेह पुंसाम ।

अन्नाम्बुदानादिभिरेककस्य न तेऽस्ति वृद्धिर्न च तेऽस्ति हानिः ॥ (३)

Just as the gross elements with combination among themselves, is subjected to increase (वृद्धि) and decrease (क्षय), similarly, this body, made of gross elements, too, is subjected to change and decay.  The Inner Self (Atman) is beyond these attributes, untouched.  And, Thou Art That.  Hence, don’t cry.

त्वं कञ्चुके सज्यमानो निजेस्मिन्नस्मिंश्च देहे मूढतां न व्रजेथाः ।

शुभाशुभैः कर्मभिर्देहमेनं मदाभिमूढैः कञ्चुकेऽस्मिन्पिनद्धः ॥ (४)

Thou, having worn this armor called “body”, becoming deluded, are identifying with it.  Thou Art the Witness but out of ignorance and under the influence of “I-ness” and “My-ness” are trapped in the meshes of samsAra.  Hence, don’t cry.

तातेति किञ्चित्तनयेति किञ्चित अम्बेति किञ्चिदपितेति किञ्चित ।

तवेति किञ्चिन्न ममेति किञ्चिद्भौतेषु सर्वं मुहुरालयेथाः ॥ (५)

By getting entangled in the mesh of Ignorance called samsAra, this “body” is identified sometimes with father, sometimes with son, sometimes with mother, sometimes with brother, sometimes as a relative, as a friend as a foe etc. in several births down the line.  All these are due to false identity of attachment with the body owing to Ignorance.  This ignorance is due to non-awareness of the identity with the Supreme Innermost Self which is of the form of Bliss.

दुःखञ्च दुःखोपशमं शमाय भोगाय जानाति विमूढचेताः ।

तान्येव दुःखानि पुनः सुखानि जानाति विद्वानविमूढचेताः ॥ (६)

In order to do away with sorrows, the ignorant fool runs after momentary pleasures.  The intelligent, having endowed with power of discrimination, would strive to do away with both pleasures and pains.  For him, just as pain is an obstruction, so as the pleasure.  Such a person is called “vidvAn”.  Thou Art That.  Hence, don’t cry.

सहोत्थितं दर्शनमक्षियुग्मं अत्युज्ज्वलं तत्कलुषं वसायाः ।

कुचोऽति पीनं पिशितं घनं तत्स्थानं ततः किन्नरकं न योषित ॥ (७)

Upon careful observation of the anatomy of a woman, one comes to the conclusion that it is made up of flesh.  Not knowing this, the deluded men run after them and thus, thus, end up in getting entangled in pain and  cycle of birth and death.

यानं क्षितौ यानगतं च देहं देहेऽपिचान्यः पुरुषो निविष्टः ।

ममत्वमथ्याॅन्न तथा यथा स्वे देहेऽतिमात्रं च न मूढतैषा ॥ (८)

On this earth, take birth several bodies endowed upAdhis.  These are subjected to change (called yAna) (यान)​. But, there is a Supreme Self called “Purusha” who is seated inside the body who is Eternal and Witness.  Thou Art That, O Child!  Don’t identify yourself with the yAna but Thou Art that Supreme Purusha.  Hence, don’t cry.

Note: समानेप्यभिमानविषये देहे एव दृढं अभिमानं कुर्वन्नति मूढ इत्याह यानं इति (ie., the Jiva abhimana is called yAna)

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Thus, everyday, the Queen Madalasa used to sing the above Lullaby.  In no time, her first 3 children namely (1) Vikranta (विक्रान्त) (2) Subahu (सुबाहु)  (3) Shatrumardana (शत्रुमर्दन) got vairAgya, left the kingdom and went to forest for performing severe penance. Hence, the King Kuvalayaswa got annoyed and tell his queen not make the 4th son Alarka (अलर्क)  a virakta.  So, alarka was initiated into pravrutti-mArga by his mother madAlasa. That said, later, with the grace of jagatguru dattAtrEya, the 4th one also gets the brahma-jnAna.

THIS POST IS DEDICATED TO ALL THOSE GLORIOUS MOTHERS !!

श्री विष्णु सहस्र्नाम स्तोत्रं (पद्य प्रसूनाञ्जलि: एवं शंकर भाष्यार्थ संग्रः) - १

स्तोत्रम् ||

हरिः ॐ |

विश्वं विष्णुर्वषट्कारो भूतभव्यभवत्प्रभुः ।

भूतकृद्भूतभृद्भावो भूतात्मा भूतभावनः ॥ १॥

१. विश्वं

शंकर भाष्यार्थसंग्रः

विश्वस्यादिहेतुत्वात विश्वं स भगवान स्मृतः ।

विश्वाभेदात्ततत्प्रवेशाद्विश्वस्यास्मिन् लयादपि ॥

पद्य प्रसूनाञ्लिः

विश्वस्य कारणत्वाच्च तत्सृष्ट्वा तत्प्रवेशनात् ।

विशन्त्यस्मिन्श्च भूतानि तेन विश्वाभिधो हरिः ॥

Vishnu, the Supreme Brahman, is the Source / Cause of Creation, Sustenance and Dissolution of the Universe. The Universe (which is the Effect) has no separate independent existence. The Supreme Brahman (Vishnu) (the Cause), having created the Universe, entered into it. Hence, the Universe is none other than the Supreme. Thus, He is both cause and effect. The Brahman enters into its effect, the Universe; and the Universe dissolves in Him.  Thus, in both these senses, He is “vishvaM”.

२. विष्णु:

शंकर भाष्यार्थसंग्रः

विष्णुरन्तर्बहिर्व्याप्तेः सर्वत्राथ प्रवेशनात् ।

पद्य प्रसूनाञ्लिः

विष्षोर्व्याप्त्यभिधायित्वाद्वेष्टि व्याप्नोति वा जगत् ।

प्रवेशनाद्विशेर्थातोर्विष्णुरित्युच्यते बुधैः ॥

One who pervades everything by transcending time and space.

३. वषट्कारः

शंकर भाष्यार्थसंग्रः

वषट्कारस्तदुद्देश्याधारतन्मन्त्ररूपवान् ।

पद्य प्रसूनाञ्लिः

वषट्क्रिया यदुद्देश्या यस्मिन यज्ञेऽथवा हरौ ।

यज्ञो वा इति च श्रृत्या त्वं वषट्कार इत्यपि ॥

One who is extolled with the holy mantra “vaSaTkAra” in sacrificial rites.  It is with this holy utterance, the Vedic deities get satisfied.

४. भूतभव्यभवत्प्रभुः

शंकर भाष्यार्थसंग्रः

त्रिकालवस्तुस्वामित्वाद्भूतभव्यभवत्प्रभुः

पद्य प्रसूनाञ्लिः

जातं जनिष्यमाणं च जायमानं च यज्ज्गत् ।

तेषां प्रभुर्नियंतृत्वाद्भूतभव्यभवत्प्रभुः ॥

One, who is master of the past, present, future and thus Eternal Being, and, hence, the Lord.

५. भूतकृत्

शंकर भाष्यार्थसंग्रः

भूतकृत्द्भूतकरणाद्भूतानां कृन्तनादपि।

पद्य प्रसूनाञ्लिः

चतुराननरूपेण रजोगुणसमाश्रयात् ।

करोति यस्माद्भूतानि भूतकृद्विष्णुरीरितः ॥

One who assuming Rajo Guna becomes Brahma and creates the Universe; and by assuming Tamo Guna becomes Rudra and dissolves the Universe.

६. भूतभृत्

शंकर भाष्यार्थसंग्रः

भूतभृद्भूतपालत्वाद्धारणात्पोषणादपि ।

पद्य प्रसूनाञ्लिः

सात्विकं गुणमास्थाय भूतानि च बिभर्ति यः ।

भूतभृत्तेन निर्दिष्टो विष्णुः पोषयतीति वा ॥

One who supports or sustains or governs the Universe by assuming Sattva Guna.

७. भावः

शंकर भाष्यार्थसंग्रः

भावः प्रपञ्चरूपेण सत्त्वात्सत्तात्वतोऽथवा ॥

पद्य प्रसूनाञ्लिः

सर्वप्रपञ्चरूपेण भावः स्याद्भवतीति सः ।

सत्तात्मको वा भवनं भाव इत्यपि वै हरिः ॥

One who expands Himself as Universe; also remains as Pure Existence

८. भूतात्मा

शंकर भाष्यार्थसंग्रः

भूतात्मा सत्वभूतानां अन्तर्यामितया मतः ॥

पद्य प्रसूनाञ्लिः

आत्मेतिसर्वभूतानां भूतात्मा स निगद्यते ।

प्रमाणमिति तत्रात्मान्तर्यामीति श्रुतिः पुरा ॥

One who is the essence of all beings; he is the indweller of all objects, individually and collectively.

९. भूतभावनः

शंकर भाष्यार्थसंग्रः

भूतानाम् जननात्तेषां वर्धनाद्भूत्भावनः

पद्य प्रसूनाञ्लिः

भावयन् सर्वभूतानि जनयन् स जनार्दनः ।

अथवा वर्धयंश्चैव ततोऽयं भूतभावनः ॥

One who generates or nourishes all the beings.

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श्री विष्णु सहस्र्नाम स्तोत्रं (पद्य प्रसूनाञ्जलि: एवं शंकर भाष्यार्थ संग्रः) - ध्यान श्लोकाः एवं पूर्वपीठिका

ध्यान श्लोकाः

ॐ शुक्लाम्बरधरं विष्णुं शशिवर्णं चतुर्भुजं ।

प्रसन्नवदनं ध्यायेत् सर्वविघ्नोपशान्तये ॥ (1)

For the eradication of all obstructions, I meditate on Vishnu who wears white cloth, who is of the radiance of the Moon, who has 4 arms and who has serene expression in face.

शान्ताकारं भुजगशयनं पद्मनाभं सुरेशं

विश्वाधारं गगनसदृशं मेघवर्णं शुभाङ्गम्।

लक्ष्मीकान्तं कमलनयनं योगिभिध्याॅनगम्यं ।

वन्दे विष्णुं भवभयहरं सर्वलोकैकनाथम् ॥ (2)

I prostrate Vishnu, the master of the universe, whose presence is very peaceful, who reclines on a serpent-bed, who sports a lotus in His navel, who is the lord of all the deities, who is the support of worlds, who is subtle and all-pervading like sky, whose complexion is like that of the clouds, whose form is extremely enchanting, who is the consort of Lakshmi, whose eyes resemble lotus petals, who is meditated upon by Yogis and who removes the fear of samsAra, the mundane affairs of existence.

सशंखचक्रं सकिरीटकुण्डलं ।

सपीतवस्त्रं सरसीरुहेक्षणम ।

सहारवक्षःस्थलकौस्तुभ श्रियं ।

नमामि विष्णुं शिरसा चतुर्भुजम् ॥ (3)

I bow before the 4-armed Vishnu who sports in His hand, the conch and the discuss, who is adorned with a crown and ear rings named “kuNDala”, who wears an yellow cloth, whose eyes resemble a lotus and whose chest is adorned with several ornaments and sports with Kausthubha.

पूर्वपीठिका

श्रुत्वा धर्मानशेषेण पावनानि च सर्वशः ।

युधिष्ठिरः शान्तनवं पुनरेवाभ्यभाषत ॥ (1)

After hearing all forms of Dharma, the Yudhishtira, still unsatisfied, questioned the son of Santanu (Bhishma) as follows:

किमेकं दैवतं लोके किं वाप्येकं परायणम ।

स्तुवन्तः कं कमर्चन्तः प्राप्नुयुर्मानवाः शुभम ॥ (2)

In this universe who is the one Divinity at whose command all being function? What is that one Supreme Status which one should seek to attain? Who is that Divinity by praising whom and by worshipping whom a man attains the good?

को धर्मः सर्वधर्माणां भवतः परमो मतः ।

किं जपन् मुच्यते जन्तुर्जन्म संसारबन्धनात् ॥ (3)

Which according to you is that highest form of Dharma that is capable of bestowing salvation and prosperity? What is that by uttering or reciting which any living being can attain freedom from the cycle of births and deaths?”

Note: Yudhishtira asked 6 questions, namely:

1.   किमेकं दैवतं लोके? – who is that One Deity at whose command all deities perform their respective duties

2.   किं वाप्येकं परायणम? – what is that supreme status that needs to be achieved

3.   स्तुवन्तः कं? – who is fit to be extolled  

4.   कमर्चन्तः प्राप्नुयुर्मानवाः शुभम ? – with whose worship (both external & internal), the humanity achieves the objectives of life ie., 4 purushArthAs

5.   को धर्मः सर्वधर्माणां भवतः परमो मतः ? – Among all the dharmas mentioned by you earlier, what is the highest form of Dharma

6.   किं जपन् मुच्यते जन्तुर्जन्म संसारबन्धनात् – What is that by reciting which any living being can attain liberation from the cycle of birth and death

भीष्म उवाच,

जगत्प्रभुं देवदेवं अनन्तं पुरुषोत्त्मम् ।

स्तुवन् नामसहस्रेण पुरुषः सततोत्थितः ॥ (4)

Bhishma replied: He will be free from all sorrows who always praises by the 1000-names of that all-pervading being who is the master of the worlds, who is supreme over all deities and who is the Supreme Consciousness. (Note: this sloka is the answer to 6^th question)

तमेव चार्चयन्नित्यं भक्त्या पुरुषमव्ययम् ।

ध्यायन् स्तुवन् नमस्यंश्च यजमानस्तमेव च ॥ (5)

By always worshipping with devotion that Imperishable Supreme Being, by meditating on Him, by praising Him, by bowing down before Him, the worshipper crosses the grief (Note: this sloka is the answer to 4^th question)

अनादि निधनं विष्णुं सर्वलोकमहेश्वरं ।

लोकाध्यक्षं स्तुवन्नित्यं सर्वदुःखातिगो भवेत ॥ (6)

By always praising Vishnu, who is without beginning and end, who is supreme lord of all the worlds and who is the observer of the Universe, one crosses the grief (Note: the first three parts of the sloka is the answer to 3^rd question).

ब्रह्मण्यं सर्वधर्मज्ञं लोकानां कीर्तिवर्धनं ।

लोकनाथं महद्भूतं सर्वभूतभवोद्भवम् ॥ (7)

He is the protector of Brahma and the Veda. He is the knower of all Dharmas. He is the enhancer of the reputation of all beings. He is the Supreme Brahman. Out of Him, all beings and the whole of existence have emerged.

एष मे सर्वधर्माणां धर्मोऽधिकतमो मतः ।

यद्भक्त्या पुण्डरीकाक्षं स्तवैरचैन्नरः सदा ॥ (8)

The constant worship with hymns of the lotus-eyed Vishnu with devotion is regarded by me (Bhishma) as the highest form of Dharmas. (Note: this is the answer to the 5^th question)

परमं यो महत्तेजः परमं यो महत्तपः ।

परमं यो महद्ब्रह्म परमं यः परायणम् ॥ (9)

He is the Supreme Light of Consciousness. He is the Supreme Controller of everything. He is the Supreme All-pervading Being. He is the support of everything and highest Goal. (Note: this is the answer to the 2^nd question)

पवित्राणां पवित्रं यो मङ्गलानां च मङ्गलं ।

दैवतं दैवतानां च भूतानां योऽव्य्यः पिता ॥ (10)

The purest of the pure, the sanctifier of even what is most sacred, the most auspicious among auspicious beings, He is the Lord of all divinities. He, the undecaying, is the father of all beings. (Note: this is the answer to the 1^st question. Hence, Acharya Sankara gave exhausting explanation that runs into pages)

यतः सर्वाणि भूतानि भवन्त्यादियुगागमे ।

यस्मिन्श्च प्रलयं यान्ति पुनरेव युगक्षये ॥ (11)

He is One from whom all beings come into existence at the beginning of a cycle of time, and He is also the One into whom they all dissolve at the end of the cycle.

तस्य लोकप्रधानस्य जगन्नाथस्य भूपते ।

विष्णोर्नामसहस्रं मे श्रृणु पापभयापहम् ॥  (12)

Thus, hear from me the hymn that is constituted of a “1000 names” of that Supreme Vishnu, who is the master of the Universe, who is the subject of discourse of all scriptures and who is the eraser of all sins and the fear of Samsara.

यानि नामानि गौणानि विख्यातानि महात्मनः ।

ऋषिभिः परिगीतानि तानि वक्ष्यामि भूतये ॥ (13)

I shall for the good of all, recite those name of the Supreme that are expressive of His attributes and that are famous and hailed by Sages.

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