Readings from Soundarya Lahari (Slokas 1–50)
“Saundarya Lahari” meaning “Waves Of Beauty” is one of the most famous Sanskrit hymns to the Divine Mother by Adi Shankara eulogizing, in one hundred verses, the beauty, grace, compassion and other finer qualities of Shakti, consort of Shiva. This work has many ideas and concepts similar to those contained in the Lalita Sahasranama Stotra in Brahmanda Purana.
Among the 100 Slokas there a few which contain descriptions of Kundalini, the six chakras (mystic/psychic centres) in the body which, when activated, revolutionise our consciousness, modes of worship, contemplation and meditation practised by the followers of path of Tantra , mystic syllables used in mantras addressed to Sakthi, the symbol of srichakra etc. These are highly technical and their esoteric meaning makes sense only to those who tread the path indicated therein under the guidance of a competent guru. Though the slokas are included in the text (with an *), no attempt has been made to elucidate or explain them.
From sloka 42 onwards, it is the description of the beauty of the Goddess from head to foot where the poetic genius of Shankara is brought to play. Some ascribe this portion of the text to some one other than Shankara. However, all the 100 slokas together are generally known by the title ‘Saundarya Lahari’
सौन्दर्यलहरी
शिवः शक्त्यायुक्तो यदि भवति शक्तः प्रभवितुं
न् चेदेवं देवो न खलु कुशलः स्पन्दितुमपि ।
अतस्त्वामाराध्यां हरिहरविरिञ्चादिभिरपि
प्रणन्तुं स्तोतुं वा कथमकृतपुण्यः प्रभवति ॥१॥
Shiva is capable of action only when he is united with Shakti. Otherwise He is not capable of even the slightest vibration. How can anyone, who has not accumulated enough punya by (good deeds), sing your praises or prostrate before you who is the object of worship even for the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva ?.
तनीयांसं पासुं तव चरणपङ्केरुहभवं
विरिञ्चिः सञ्चिन्वन् विरचयति लोकानविकलम् ।
वहत्येनं शौरिः कथमपि सहस्रेण शिरसां
हरः संक्षुद्यै(भ्यै)नं भजति भसितोद्धूलनविधिम् ॥२॥
Brahma collects the fine dust from your lotus feet and creates all the worlds. Vishnu supports all the worlds thus created with his thousand heads ( in the form of adishesha) with great effort. Shiva (in the great dissolution) converts the worlds to fine ash and smears his body with it.
अविद्यानामन्तस्तिमिरमिहिरद्वीपनगरी
जडानां चैतन्यस्तबकमकरन्दस्रुतिझरी ।
दरिद्राणां चिन्तामणिगुणनिका जन्मजलधौ
निमग्नानां दंष्ट्रा मुररिपुवराहस्य भवति ॥३॥
O Devi ! for the ignorant you are like the bright sunlight dispelling the inner darkness, for the dull-witted you are like the bouquet of knowledge-flowers dripping nectar, for the poor you are like the wish-yielding gem chintamani and for those who are submerged in the ocean of birth (and death) you are like the tusk of the boar (Varaha), an incarnation of Vishnu (who donned the form of boar and lifted the earth from the ocean by his tusk )
त्वदन्यः पाणिभ्यामभयवरदो दैवतगणः
त्वमेका नैवासि प्रकिटितवराभीत्यभिनया ।
भयात्त्रातुं दातुं फलमपि च वाञ्झासमधिकं
शरण्ये लोकानां तव हि चरणावेव निपुणौ ॥४॥
O Devi ! All the other gods, except you, show the ‘abhaya’ ( palm raised up to indicate ‘no-fear’) and ‘varada’ ( palm pointing down to indicate ‘granting wish’) signs by their hands. You alone do not show these signs since your lotus feet, the refuge of all the worlds, are themselves capable of protecting all from fear and granting the wishes of all exceeding their expectations.
हरिस्त्वामाराध्य प्रणतजनसौभाग्यजननीं
पुरा नारी भूत्वा पुररिपुमपि क्षोभमनयत्
स्मरोऽपि त्वां नत्वा रतिनयनलेह्येनवपुषा
मुनीनामप्यन्तः प्रभवति हि मोहाय महताम् ॥५॥
O Devi ! by worshipping you who bestow all good things on those who bow to you, Hari(Vishnu) became a woman, once upon a time, and captivated the heart of even Shiva (who had burnt Kama with his third eye). By prostrating before you Kama, with his body visible only to the eyes of his consort Rati, is able to delude the minds of even those who are engaged in severe tapas (austerities).
धनुः पौष्पं मौर्वी मधुकरमयी पञ्चविशिखाः
वसन्तः सामन्तो मलयमरुदायोधनरथः ।
तथाप्येकः सर्वं हिमगिरिसुते कामपि कृपा-
मपाङ्गात्ते लब्ध्वा जगदिदमनङ्गो विजयते ॥६॥
Kama’s bow is made of flowers, the string of the bow is made of honey-bees, he has only five arrows, his companion is the spring season, the chariot he rides during fights is the breeze from the Malaya mountain (all very frail and delicate things). In spite of this Kama, O daughter of Himavan !, is able to conquer this whole world by the grace of your glances, steeped in compassion, from your eye-corners.
क्वणत्काञ्चीदामा करिकलभकुंभस्तननता
परिक्षीणामध्ये परिणतशरच्चन्द्रवदना ।
धनुर्बाणान् पाशं सृणिमपि दधाना करतलैः
पुरस्तादास्तां नः पुरमथितुराहोपुरुषिका ॥७॥
May the Goddess, the consort and the very soul of Shiva, appear before me, waistband tinkling , slightly bent by the weight of her breasts resembling the bulging forehead of an elephant calf, slim at the waist, face beautiful as the full moon and holding the bow, arrows, rope and ankusha in her hands.
सुधासिन्धोर्मध्ये सुरविटपिवाटीपरिवृते
मणिद्वीपे नीपोपवनवति चिन्तामणिगृहे ।
शिवाकारे मञ्चे परमशिवपर्यंकनिलयां
भजन्ति त्वां धन्याः कतिचन चिदानन्दलहरीम् ॥८॥
Those who are rich in punya worship you and meditate on you, the wave of pure consciousness and bliss, as seated on the couch of paramashiva on the bedstead of Shiva (Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra and Iswara as the four legs and Sadashiva as the top plank), in the house made of Chintmani (wish-yielding gem) in the garden of nipa trees on the island of Manidweepa surrounded by wish-yielding trees of heaven, in the middle of the ocean of nectar.
महीं मूलाधारे कमपि मणिपूरे हुतवहं
स्थितं स्वाधिष्ठाने हृदि मरुतमाकाशमुपरि ।
मनोऽपि भ्रूमध्ये सकलमपि भित्त्वा कुलपथं
सहस्रारे पद्मे सह रहसि पत्या विहरसे ॥९॥
O Devi ! Starting from muladhara (as the Kundalini Shakti) and breaking through the earth element there, the water element in Manipura, the fire element in swadhishtana , the air element in the heart (in anahata), the space element above that (in Vishuddhi), the mind principle between the eyebrows (in agna chakra), traversing the path of the sushumna you reach the thousand petal lotus at the crown and unite with your consort Sadashiva and play with him in secret.
*सुधाधारासारैश्चरणयुगलान्तर्विगलितैः
प्रपञ्चं सिञ्चन्ती पुनरपि रसाम्नायमहसः ।
अवाप्य स्वां भूमिं भुजगनिभमध्युष्टवलयं
स्वमात्मानं कृत्वा स्वपिषि कुलकुण्डे कुहरिणि ॥१०॥
*चतुर्भिः श्रीकण्ठैः शिवयुवतिभिः पञ्चभिरपि
प्रभिन्नाभिश्शंभोर्नवभिरपि मूलप्रकृतिभिः ।
चतुश्चत्वारिंशद्वसुदलकलाश्रत्रिवलय-
त्रिलेखाभिस्सार्धं तव शरणकोणाः परिणताः ॥११॥
त्वदीयं सौन्दर्यं तुहिनगिरिकन्ये तुलयितुं
कवीन्द्राः कल्पन्ते कथमपि विरिञ्चिप्रभृतयः
यदालोकौत्सुक्यादमरललना यान्ति मनसा
तपोभिर्दुष्प्रापामपि गिरिशसायुज्यपदवीम् ॥१२॥
O Daughter of Himavan ! poets like Brahma and others, by great effort, try to imagine something comparable to your beauty which the celestial damsels are eager to see by mentally merging themselves in Shiva, which state is impossible of achievement even by means of intense austerities (tapas)
नरं वर्षीयांसं नयनविरसं नर्मसु जडं
तवापांगालोके पतितमनुधावन्ति शतशः
गलद्वेणीबन्धाः कुचकलशविस्रस्तसिचया
हठात्त्रुट्यत्काञ्च्यो विगलितदुकूला युवतयः ॥१३॥
A man who has fallen in the path of the glance from your eye-corner, though he be old, of ugly form and with no sense of humour, will be followed posthaste by hundreds of young women, with their locks falling loose from their knots, with their upper garments slipping from their breasts, their waistbands sunddenly giving way and their robes sliding.
*क्षितौ षट्पञ्चाशद् द्विसमधिकपञ्चाशदुदके
हुताशे द्वाषष्टिश्चतुरधिकपञ्चाशदनिले ।
दिवि द्विषट्त्रिंशन्मनसि च चतुःषष्टिरिति ये
मयूखास्तेषामप्युपरि तव पादांबुजयुगम् ॥१४॥
शरज्ज्योत्स्नाशुद्धां शशियुतजटाजूटमकुटां
वरत्रासत्राणस्फटिकघुटिकापुस्तककराम् ।
सकृन्नत्वा नत्वा कथमिव सतां सन्निदधते
मधुक्षीरद्राक्षामधुरिमधुरीणा फणितयः ॥१५॥
One of pure heart prostrates before you visualising you as the pure white effulgence of moon light of Sharat ( the seaon after the rains) , sporting the crescent moon on the matted hair, with ‘abhyaya’ and ‘varda’ signs, a garland of crystal beads and a book in your hand. How can the words coming out of the mouth of such a person not become sweet as honey, milk and grapes?
कवीन्द्राणां चेतःकमलवनबालातपरुचिं
भजन्ते ये सन्तः कतिचिदरुणामेव भवतीम् ।
विरिञ्चिप्रेयस्यास्तरुणतर शृंगारलहरी-
गभीराभिर्वाग्भिर्विदधति सतां रञ्जनममी ॥१६॥
O Devi! You are like the brightness of the morning sun for the lotus forest of the minds of great poets. Whosoever meditates on you as ‘Aruna’, as the effulgence of bright red colour, will be blessed with such power over words that whatever words come out of his mouth will delight the heart of good people with its sweetness competing with the waves of youthful sringara (emotion of love) emanating from the consort of Brahma, Saraswati.
सवित्रीभिर्वाचां शशिमणिशिलाभंगरुचिभिः
वशिन्याद्याभिस्त्वां सह जननि सञ्चिन्तयति यः।
स कर्ता काव्यानां भवति महतां भंगिरुचिभि-
र्वचोभिर्वाग्देवी वदनकमलामोदमधुरैः ॥१७॥
O Mother ! whosoever meditates on your form, along with Vashini and other vagdevis who give birth to words and who are of dark blue hue as the broken surface of the moonstone, will author poems of such beauty and sweetness as will carry the scent of the lotus face of goddess Saraswati.
तनुच्छायाभिस्ते तरुणतरणिश्रीसरणिभि-
र्दिवं सर्वामुर्वीमरुणिमनिमग्नां स्मरति यः।
भवन्त्यस्य त्रस्यद्वनहरिणशालीननयनाः
सहोर्वश्या वश्याः कति कति न गीर्वाणगणिकाः ॥१८॥
Let one meditate that the entire celestial words and all of this earth is submerged in the red effulgence of your form, as beautiful as the brightness of the young morning sun. How many celestial damsels including Urvasi, with eyes as beautiful as those of a frightened wild deer, cannot be under his power to control?
*मुखं बिन्दुं कृत्वा कुचयुगमधस्तस्य तदधो
हरार्धं ध्यायेद्यो हरमहिषि ते मन्मथकलाम्
स सद्यः संक्षोभं नयति वनिता इत्यति लघु
त्रिलोकीमप्याशु भ्रमयति रवीन्दुस्तनयुगाम् ॥१९॥
किरन्तीमङ्गेभ्यः किरणनिकुरुंबामृतरसं
हृदि त्वामाधत्ते हिमकरशिलामूर्तिमिव यः।
स सर्पाणां दर्पं शमयति शकुन्ताधिप इव
ज्वरप्लुष्टान् दृष्ट्या सुखयति सुधाधारसिरया ॥२०॥
O Devi! One who meditates on you as the brightness of a bundle of rays of nectar and installs you in his heart as the effulgence of a form sculpted out of moonstone, conquers the pride of snakes as Garuda (counteracts the effects of snake poison) and , by his looks which shower nectar, relieves the illness of those who are scorched by high fever.
तटिल्लेखातन्वीं तपनशशिवैश्वानरमयीं
निषणां षण्णामप्युपरि कमलानां तवकलाम्
महापद्माटव्यां मृदितमलमायेन मनसा
महान्तः पश्यन्तो दधति परमाह्लादलहरीम् ॥२१॥
Those great men experience the greatest wave of bliss who have wiped their hearts of all dirt and who meditate on your aspect (kala), thin as the streak of lightning pervading the sun, the moon and the fire and seated above the six chakras in the thousand-petal lotus in the great forest of lotuses..
भवानि! त्वं दासे मयि वितर दृष्टिं सकरुणां
इति स्तोतुं वाञ्छन् कथयति भवनि ! त्वमिति यः।
तदैव त्वं तस्मै दिशसि निजसायुज्यपदवीम्
मुकुन्दब्रह्मेन्द्रस्फुटमकुटनीराजितपदाम् ॥२२॥
A devotee prays “भवानि! त्वं दासे मयि वितर दृष्टिं सकरुणां “ (O Bhavani ! May You bless this humble servant of yours with your compassionate glances). By the time he has said “भवानि! त्वं” You instantly give him ‘sayujya’, your own exalted position which is lighted up by the resplendent crowns of Vishnu, Brahma and Indra (as they bow down at your feet). [ “भवानि त्वं” (if the vocative is removed) literally means “May I become you”, so the devotee’s wish is immediately granted by ‘Sayujya mukti”, merging with the Divine Mother. ]
त्वया हृत्वा वामं वपुरपरितृप्तेन मनसा
शरीरार्धं शम्भोरपरमपि शङ्के हृतमभूत्।
यदेतत्त्वद्रूपं सकलमरुणाभं त्रिनयनं
कुचाभ्यामानम्रं कुटिलशशिचूडालमकुटम् ॥२३॥
O Mother ! I doubt that, having appropriated to yourself the left half of Shiva, you have encroached on the other half also. ( When I see you) your whole form is of bright red colour, with three eyes, bent with the weight of the breasts and having the crescent moon on your head [the whole form does not look like it is made partly of you and partly of Shiva).
जगत्सूते धाता हरिरवति रुद्रः क्षपयते
तिरस्कुर्वन्नेतत् स्वमपि वपुरीशस्तिरयति ।
सदापूर्वः सर्वं तदिदमनुगृह्णाति च शिवः
तवाज्ञामालंब्य क्षणचलितयोर्भ्रूलतिकयोः ॥२४॥
Brahma creates this world, Hari protects it and Rudra destroys it. Ishwara merges Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra within Himself and he himself merges in Sadashiva in whom everything remains dormant until the cycle is started again by your command indicated by the slight quivering of your eye-brows.
त्रयाणां देवानां त्रिगुणजनितानां तव शिवे
भवेत् पूजा पूजा तव चरणयोर्या विरचिता ।
तथा हि त्वत्पादोद्वहनमणिपीठस्यनिलये
स्थिता ह्येते शश्वन्मुकुलितकरोत्तंसमकुटाः ॥२५॥
O Consort of Shiva ! Worship done at your feet will amount to the worship of the Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra born of the three modes of Nature, sattwa, rajas and tamas. This follows from the fact that they stay near the gem-studded low stool supporting your lotus feet with palms held in the ‘namaste’ sign over their crowns which are placed at your feet while prostrating before you.
विरिञ्चिः पञ्चत्वं व्रजति हरिराप्नोति विरतिं
विनाशं कीनाशो भजति धनदो याति निधनम् ।
वितन्त्री(न्द्री) माहेन्द्रीविततिरपि सम्मीलितदृशा
महासंहारेऽस्मिन् विहरति सति त्वत्पतिरसौ ॥२६॥
In the great dissolution Brahma, Vishnu, Yama and Kubera cease to exist (in their respective forms). The fourteen Manus who are tireless and always awake close their eyes. O Sati !only your consort plays gleefully in the midst of this huge destruction
जपो जल्पः शिल्पं सकलमपि मुद्राविरचना
गतिः प्रादक्षिण्यक्रमणमशनाद्याहुति विधिः ।
प्रणामः संवेशः सुखमखिलमात्मार्पणदृशा
सपर्या पर्यायस्तव भवतु यन्मे विलसितम् ॥२७॥
O Mother! With the idea of total surrender to you, let whatever I say be chanting of your names , let whatever I do with my hands be the mudras (signs) in worship , let my walks be circumambulations, let what I eat be offerings to you in fire, let lying down be prostrations to you and let all enjoyments be your worship.
सुधामप्यास्वाद्य प्रतिभयजरामृत्युहरिणीं
विपद्यन्ते विश्वे विधिशतमखाद्या दिविषदः ।
करालं यत्क्ष्वेलं कबलितवदः कालकलना
न शंभोस्तन्मूलं तव जननि ताटङ्कमहिमा ॥२८॥
Even after ingesting the divine nectar which is supposed to rid one of the fear of aging and death, the celestials, including Brahma and Indra, meet with mishaps. But Shambhu, who devoured very strong poison (of the serpent Vasuki), did not lose his life because of the power of the tatankas (ear-studs) worn by you [ The death of Shambhu will mean that his consort will be widowed and cannot wear the tatanka as a widow. Since such a situation cannot happen, it is poetically said that it is the power of the tatanka that prevented Shiva from being affected by the poison].
किरीटं वैरिञ्चं परिहर कैटभभिदः
कठोरे कोटीरे स्खलसि जहि जंभारि मकुटम् ।
प्रणम्रेष्वेतेषु प्रसभमभियातस्य भवनम्
भवस्याभ्युत्थाने तव परिजनोक्तिर्विजयते ॥२९॥
O Mother ! when Brahma, Vishnu and Indra are prostrating before you, Shiva enters suddenly into the room and you stand up to receive him. The maids attending on you warn you by such words as ‘avoid the crown of Brahma’, ‘you will trip on the hard crown of Vishnu’ and ‘leave the crown of Indra’. Victory to those words of your maids.
स्वदेहोद्भूताभिर्घृणिभिरणिमाद्याभिरभितो
निषेव्ये नित्ये त्वामहमिति सदा भावयति यः ।
किमाश्चर्यं तस्य त्रिणयनसमृद्धिं तृणयतो
महासंवर्ताग्निर्विरचयति नीराजनविधिम् ॥३०॥
O Mother Eternal! Anima ((power to reduce one’s body to the size of an atom) and other psychic powers which are nothing but the rays emanating from your body take feminine forms and surround you, serving you and worshipping you. He who completely identifies himself with this form of yours intensely meditating ‘I am She’, has riches greater than that of the three-eyed Shiva and the great fire of dissolution of the worlds is like the waving of camphor lights for him.
*चतुःषष्ट्या तन्त्रैः सकलमतिसन्धाय भुवनं
स्थितः तत्तत्सिद्धिप्रसवपरतन्त्रैः पशुपतिः।
पुनस्त्वन्निर्बन्धादखिलपुरुषार्थैकघटना-
स्वतन्त्रं ते तन्त्रं क्षितितलमवातीतरदिदम् ॥३१॥
*शिवः शक्तिः कामः क्षितिरथ रविः शीतकिरणः
स्मरो हंसः शक्रस्तदनु च परामारहरयः ।
अमी हृल्लेखाभिस्तिसृभिरवसानेषु घटिताः
भजन्ते वर्णास्ते तव जननि नामावयवताम् ॥३२॥
*स्मरं योनिं लक्ष्मीं त्रितयमिदमादौ तव मनोः
निधायैके नित्ये निरवधिमहाभोगरसिकाः।
भजन्ति त्वां चिन्तामणिगुणनिबद्धाक्षवलयाः
शिवाग्नौ जुह्वन्तस्सुरभिघृतधाराहुतिशतैः॥३३॥
*शरीरं त्वं शंभोः शशिमिहिरवक्षोरुहयुगं
तवात्मानं मन्ये भगवति! नवात्मानमनघम्
अतः शेषः शेषीत्ययमुभयसाधारणतया
स्थितः संबन्धो वां समरसपरानन्दपरयोः ॥३४॥
मनस्त्वं व्योमत्वं मरुदसि मरुत्सारथिरसि
त्वमापस्त्वं भूमिस्त्वयि परिणतायां न हि परम् ।
त्वमेव स्वात्मानं परिणमयितुं विश्ववपुषा
चिदानन्दाकारं शिवयुवतिभावेन बिभृषे ॥३५॥
O Mother! You are the mind, You are the space, You are the air, You are the fire, You are the water and You are the earth. You have metamorphosed yourself into these elements. Therefore there is nothing other than and beyond you. Just to transform yourself into this Universe you have become Anandabhairavi , the embodiment of Consciousness-bliss, the consort of Anandabhairava (Siva) .
*तवाज्ञाचक्रस्थं तपनशशिकॊटिद्युतिधरं
परं शंभुं वन्दे परिमिलितपार्श्वं परचिता ।
यमाराध्यन् भक्त्या रविशशिशुचीनामविषये
निरालोके लोके निवसति हि भालोकभुवने ॥३६॥
*विशुद्धौ ते शुद्धस्फटिकविशदं व्योमजनकं
शिवं सेवे देवीमपि शिवसमानव्यवसितां ।
ययोः कान्त्या यान्त्याः शशिकिरणसारूप्यसरणे-
र्विधूतान्तर्ध्वान्ताः विलसति चकोरीव जगति ॥३७॥
*समुन्मीलत्संवित्कमलमकरन्दैकरसिकं
भजे हंसद्वन्द्वं किमपि महतां मानसचरं ।
यदालापादष्टादशगुणितविद्यापरिणति-
र्यदादत्ते दोषात् गुणमखिलमद्भ्यः पय इव ॥३८॥
*तव स्वाधिष्ठाने हुतवहमधिष्ठाय निरतं
तमीडे संवर्तं जननि! महतीं तां च समयाम् ।
यदालोके लोकान् दहति महति क्रोधकलिते
दयार्द्रा या दृष्टिः शिशिरमुपचारं रचयति ॥३९॥
*तटित्वन्तं शक्त्या तिमिरपरिपन्थिस्फुरणया
स्फुरन्नानारत्नाभरणपरिणद्धेन्द्रधनुषं ।
तव श्यामं मेघं किमपि मणिपूरैकशरणम्
निषेवे वर्षन्तं हरमिहिरतप्तं त्रिभुवनम् ॥४०॥
*तवाधारे मूलॆ सह समयया लास्यपरया
नवात्मानं मन्ये नवरसमहाताण्डवनटम् ।
उभाभ्यामेताभ्यामुदयविधिमुद्दिश्य दयया
सनाथाभ्यां जज्ञे जनकजननीमज्जगदिदम् ॥४१॥
गतैर्माणिक्यत्वं गगनमणिभिः सान्द्रघटितं
किरीटं ते हैमं हिमगिरिसुते कीर्तयति यः
स नीडे यच्छायाच्छुरणशबलं चन्द्रशकलं
धनुश्शौनासीरं किमिति निबध्नाति धिषणां ॥४२॥
Any poet who praises your golden crown in which are closely set manikya gems which are the twelve suns of the sky (dwadasha adityah) will surely imagine in his mind that the crescent moon on your crown, in which are reflected the varied colours of the gems in the crown, is verily the rainbow, the bow of Indra.
धुनोतु ध्वान्तं नस्तुलितदलितेन्दीवरवनं
घनस्निग्धश्लक्ष्णं चिकुरनिकुरुंबं तव शिवे ।
यदीयं सौरभ्यं सहजमुपलब्धुं सुमनसो
वसन्त्यस्मिन् मन्ये वलमथनवाटीविटपिनाम् ॥४३॥
O consort of Shiva ! Let your locks of hair, which are dense, smooth and soft and compete with a cluster of dark blue lilies in full blossom, destory the darkness(ignorance) in us. I think that the flowers from the Kalpaka tree take their place in your locks so that they can absorb the wonderfully sweet smell emanating from them.
तनोतु क्षेमं नस्तव वदनसौन्दर्यलहरी
परीवाहस्रोतस्सरणिरिव सीमन्तसरणिः।
वहन्ती सिन्दूरं प्रबलकबरीभारतिमिर-
द्विषां वृन्दैर्बन्दीकृतमिव नवीनार्ककिरणम् ॥४४॥
O Devi ! Let your seemanta line (line at the centre of the head formed by the parting of hair and tinged red with kumkum) make us happy and well. It appears to be the path of the stream from the waves of beauty from your face. Further it makes one imagine that the seemanta line is like a ray of the morning sun which has been made captive by the dense, dark locks which are like darkness, enemy of those light rays. .
अरालैः स्वाभाव्यादलिकलभसश्रीभिरलकैः
परीतं ते वक्त्रं परिहसति पङ्केरुहरुचिं ।
दरस्मेरे यस्मिन् दशनरुचिकिञल्करुचिरे
सुगन्धौ माद्यन्ति स्मरदहनचक्षुर्मधुलिहः ॥४५॥
Your face, surrounded by naturally curled hair, as dark as the swarm of young honey-bees, laughs at the beauty of the lotus. The honey-sucker eyes of Shiva, who burnt Kama, feast on the smell of the lotus of your beautiful smile, which is made more beautiful by the bright white teeth which resemble the filaments in the central portion of the lotus.
ललाटं लावण्यद्युतिविमलमाभाति तव यत्
द्वितीयं तन्मन्ये मकुटघटितं चन्द्रशकलं ।
विपर्यासन्यासादुभयमपि संभूय च मिथः
सुधालेपस्यूतिः परिणमति राकाहिमकरः ॥४६॥
Your forehead is so beautiful and white that it is the second crescent moon on your crown. By placing these two crescents together, with one facing the other, it becomes the full moon from which flows nectar.
भ्रुवै भुग्ने किञ्चित् भुवनभयभंगव्यसनिनि !
त्वदीये नेत्राभ्यां मधुकररुचिभ्यां धृतगुणम्
धनुर्मन्ये सव्येतरकरगृहीतं रतिपतेः
प्रकोष्ठे मुष्टौ च स्थगयति निगूढान्तरमुमे ॥४७॥
O Parvati who likes to ward off the fears of the worlds ! Your arched eye-brows together give the impression of the bow of Kama with the eyes, dark as the honey-bees, making the string of the bow (Kamadeva’s bow-string is a string of honey-bees) . The stem of the nose between the eye-brows is where the bow is held in the right hand of Kama. The wrist and the fist (represented by the stem of the nose) hide that part of the bow which is not visible to the eye.
अहः सूते सव्यं तवनयनमर्कात्मकतया
त्रियामां वामं ते सृजति रजनीनायकतया ।
त्रितीया ते दृष्टिर्दरदलितहेमांबुजरुचिः
समाधत्ते संध्यां दिवसनिशयोरन्तरचरीम् ॥४८॥
Your right eye which is the Sun gives birth to the day and the left eye which is the moon gives rise to the night. Your third eye, which is of the beauty of a half-blossomed golden lotus, creates the twilight period of the sandhya the space between the day and the night.
विशाला कल्याणी स्फुटरुचिरयोध्या कुवलयैः
कृपाधारा धारा किमपि मधुरा भोगवतिका ।
अवन्ती दृष्टिस्ते बहुनगरविस्तारविजया
ध्रुवं तत्तन्नामव्यवहरणयोग्या विजयते ॥४९॥
O Parvati ! Your glance is vishala( long, the city Vishala), kalyani (auspicious, the city of Kalyani), bright and ayodhyaa (not capable of being fought, city of Ayodhya) by the lilies, from which emanate dhara ( the stream, city of Dhara) of compassion, madhura ( sweet, city of madhura), bhogavatika (full of joy, city of Bhogavati) and Avanti (protecting, city of Avanti). These names apply equally to the qualities of your glance (eyes) and also to the cities mentioned. Victory to these names.
कवीनां सन्दर्भस्तबकमकरन्दैकरसिकं
कटाक्षव्याक्षेपभ्रमरकलभौ कर्णयुगलं ।
अमुञ्चन्तौ दृष्ट्वा तव नवरसास्वादतरला-
वसूया संसर्गादलिकनयनं किञ्चिदरुणम् ॥५०॥
Your ears are fond of enjoying the compositions of poets which are like a bouquet of flowers full of nectar which the honey-bees of your glances from eye-corners never leave. Your third eye is a little red because it envies the other two eyes which always associate themselves with the ears (they are so long as to almost touch the ears) and enjoy the nine rasas brought out in the poetry
please re-edit shlok two , line four word संक्षुद्यैनं as संक्षुभ्यैनं / Thanks.
Kailash Pareek Khandela .
Both readings are found: The meaning of संक्षुद्य is मर्दयित्वा and same of संक्षुभ्य is विक्षिप्य.
BTW, most of commentaries support संक्षुद्य.
please make a correction in slok 26 & 27, line 3rd, last word (in both sloks).
in 26 – दृशा , correct word is- दृशां
in 27 – दृशा, correct word is – दशा
Thanks.
The reading in 26 is सम्मीलितदृशा which is correct. There are two different readings available which are सम्मीलितदिशां and सम्मीलितदृशां. The लक्ष्मीधरा kept सम्मीलितदृशा . The form is to be supported by some special pratyaya, is also mentioned there. He has also mentioned that all manu-s are sleeping by closing eyes, can also be a correct explanation.
The 27th verse has correct word put there. However, the दशा and दृशां, these two readings were also found in manuscripts. आत्मार्पणदृशा means आत्मार्पणबुद्ध्या which justifies the culminating meaning that – every pleasure is worship of devI only when we see AtmA as one with devI.
I don't want to say that only these meanings/readings are correct. If you could explain the shloka with other reading, then I've no problem in accepting them.
But, we have accepted readings from a specific (sanskrit) commentary which is held in high respect by many. So,we did respect that as it saves effort.