Navarātrī 2024, Day 3: Catuḥ-Ślokī, verse 3

Let us continue today with the third verse from the Catuḥ-Ślokī of Swāmī Āḷavandār.

I have posted a full recitation of the Catuḥ-Ślokī on YouTube here.

Catuḥ-Ślokī verse 3: The Supreme Goddess Mahālakṣmī’s essential role in our liberation

īṣat-tvat-karuṇā-nirīkṣaṇa-sudhā-
        -sandhukṣaṇād rakṣyate
naṣṭaṃ prāk tad-alābhatas tri-bhuvanaṃ
        sampraty anantôdayam |
śreyo na hy Aravinda-locana-manaḥ-
        -kāntā-prasādād ṛte
saṃsṛty-akṣara-Vaiṣṇavâdhvasu nṛṇāṃ
        sambhāvyate karhi cit || CŚ 3 ||

ईषत्-त्वत्-करुणा-निरीक्षण-सुधा-सन्धुक्षणाद् रक्ष्यते
नष्टं प्राक् तद्-अलाभतस् त्रि-भुवनं सम्प्रत्यनन्तोदयम् ।
श्रेयो न ह्यरविन्द-लोचन-मनः-कान्ता-प्रसादाद् ऋते
संसृत्य्-अक्षर-वैष्णवा-ऽध्वसु नृणां सम्भाव्यते कर्हि चित् ॥

By the slightest drops of nectar
        that are Your glances
                filled with compassion

the Triple Worlds
        (ruined earlier when deprived of them)
prosper
        instantly
        endlessly
        securely!

For without the blessings
        of the Beloved
                of the heart
                        of the lotus-eyed Lord
there can be no felicity
        in any way
for men
        on any way:

        the path of prosperity
        the path of aloneness, or even
        the path of devotion to Viṣṇu.

Whatever be our path in life, this verse tells us that we should seek Mahālakṣmī’s blessings as we undertake it. And thanks to Her compassion described in the previous verse, we can be sure that no sincere attempt to reach out to Her will go unanswered!

|| samasta-parivāra-sametāya Śrīman-Nārāyaṇāya namaḥ ||