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The Fortnightly Gītā Podcast
Navarātrī 2024, Day 8: Śrī Stuti, verses 16–20
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Navarātrī 2024, Day 8: Śrī Stuti, verses 16–20

In praise of the Supreme Goddess Mahālakṣmī

Let us continue with the next five verses of Swāmī Deśikan’s Śrī Stuti dedicated to the Supreme Goddess Mahālakṣmī.

I have posted a full recitation of the Sri Stuti on YouTube here.

Śrī Stuti verse 16: The wealth of worshipping Her

yogâ-ārambha-tvarita-manaso
        yuṣmad-aikāntya-yuktaṃ
dharmaṃ prāptuṃ prathamam iha ye
        dhārayante dhanāyām |
teṣāṃ bhūmer, Dhanapati-gṛhād,
        ambarād, ambudher vā
dhārā niryānty adhikam adhikaṃ
        vāñchitānāṃ vasūnām  || ŚStu 16 ||

People whose minds 
        are firmly intent
                on beginning Yoga through action,
        who wish to attain
                the highest Dharma:
                        single-pointed meditation
                                on You and Him together
        first come to You.

From the earth,
From the sky,
From the ocean,
From the palace of Kubera,
        Treasurer to the gods:

        stream upon unending stream
                of their desired riches
        pours forth unceasingly!

Śrī Stuti verse 17: Worshipping Her leads to fame

śreyas-kāmāḥ Kamala-nilaye!
        citram āmnāya-vācāṃ
cūḍā-āpīḍaṃ tava pada-yugaṃ
        cetasā dhārayantaḥ |
chatra-cchāyā-subhaga-śirasaś
        cāmara-smera-pārśvāḥ
ślāghā-śabda-śravaṇa-muditāḥ
        sragviṇaḥ sañcaranti  || ŚStu 17 ||

Lotus-dwelling Lady!

People desiring all felicities
        bear in their consciousness
                Your Two Feet,
                        the secret crown-jewel
                        of the Vedas.

Parasols shade
        their blessed heads,

Flywhisks adorn
        their sides,

Fragrant flowers
        garland them,

Encomia to them
        resound in their ears,

as they range over
        the whole Universe.

Śrī Stuti verse 18: Her infinite compassion

ūrīkartuṃ kuśalam akhilaṃ
        jetum ādīn arātīn
dūrīkartuṃ durita-nivahaṃ
        tyaktum ādyām avidyām |
Amba! stambâ-avadhika-janana-
        -grāma-sīmâ-anta-rekhām
ālambante vimala-manaso
        Viṣṇu-kānte! dayāṃ te || ŚStu 18 ||

To acquire all felicities,
To conquer all malignities,
To dispel all magnitudes of sins,
To abandon beginningless ignorance—

Mother!

Beloved of Viṣṇu!

People of stainless character
rely upon Your infinite Compassion,

        within whose boundaries
                infinitely capacious
        all things are encompassed:

                from a single blade of grass
                to the Creator Brahma .

Śrī Stuti verse 19: The bridge of Dharma

jātâ-ākāṅkṣā Janani! yuvayor
        eka-sevā-ādhikāre
māyā-līḍhaṃ vibhavam akhilaṃ
        manyamānās tṛṇāya |
prītyai Viṣṇos tava ca kṛtinaḥ
        prītimanto bhajante
velā-bhaṅga-praśamana-phalaṃ
        vaidikaṃ dharma-setum || ŚStu 19 ||

The virtuous,
        desiring to worship You Two,

        seeing the whole material universe
                cloaked as it is in illusion
        as nothing more
                than a blade of grass,

joyfully sustain the Vedic Dharma-bridge
        which can set right
                breaches of right conduct

solely to please
        You
        and
        Lord Viṣṇu
        jointly.

Śrī Stuti verse 20: Taking refuge in Her lotus-feet

seve Devi! tri-daśa-mahilā-
        -mauli-mālārcitaṃ te
siddhi-kṣetraṃ śamita-vipadāṃ
        sampadāṃ pāda-padmam |
yasminn īṣan-namita-śiraso
        yāpayitvā śarīraṃ
vartiṣyante vitamasi pade
        Vāsudevasya dhanyāḥ || ŚStu 20 ||

I prostrate myself,

        O Goddess!

before the lotuses that are Your Feet:
        ornamented by garlands that adorn
                the heads of the gods’ wives

        a field for effecting
                the destruction of misfortune and
                the realization of felicity.

Those who incline their heads
        even slightly
towards Your feet

will surely
        upon escaping their material bodies
rejoice for eternity in Lord Vāsudeva’s Heaven,
        entirely free from darkness—

how blessed they are!

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

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