Fwd: tripurasundari aShTakam.h (with meaning)

[Ravi Mayavaram]

namaste

This was posted by Prof. Narayanaswami Pallasena to ambaa-L.  This will
be added to the ambaa-L www page (with sanskrit font). You can visit
that site which is updated quite frequently and which has many of
shankara's hymns on ambaaL.

http://www.geocities.com/kaamaakshi/


Thanks.

Ravi


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [ambaa-l] tripurasundari aShTakam.h (with meaning)
Date: Wed, 5 Jul 2000 11:11:47 -0230 (NDT)
From: Swami Pallasena
Reply-To: ambaa-l at egroups.com
To: ambaa-l at egroups.com


I am attaching herewith the "tripurasundari aShTakam.h"
with simple line by line meaning.  Earlier, I have submitted
the stotram (without any translation) to this group,
and it resides in the ambaa-l webpage.  It had some minor typos,
so please substitute this posting in that place.
Namaste
Narayanaswami
  ----------

Introduction:

"tripurasundari aShTakaM" is an octal  hymn , praising
Goddess tripurasundari, composed by Adi shaMkara, in a group
of eight shlokaMs, all set in prithvi metre consisting
of 17 syllables to each line, with a yati (pause) at
syllable 8 and 17. (Note that the hymn, Saundaryalahari,
also has 17 letters to each line, but the poetic
metre there is shikhariNi, which is entirely different).

The feminine noun "tripurasundari" means  beauty `par excellence',
in the triad (tripura). The word "tripura" can be interpreted
in several ways.  First, The kALlikA purANaM states that
by the will of the pradhAna (the First Principle), the
body of shiva became triple: the upper part became brahma, the middle,
vishNu, and the lower, rudra, As these three  "pura"s (bodies) are in
Him, shiva is called tripura, and his spouse is tripurA
In this context, it is interesting to note the following.
In Andhra Pradesh, about 20 kilomnetres from Kalahasthi, there is
a small shiva shrine and liN^gaM, at Gudimallam. It is believed this
shiva liN^ghaM was installed by parasurAma.  The lower part bears the
form
of a gAndharva, the middle part, that of parasurAma with a turban, and
the upper part, that of shiva liN^gaM.  Under a curse, once brahma
became a gAndharwa, by name CitrasEna. Therefore, the lower part
could be brahma, and the middle one vishNu, since parasurama is
an avatAraM of vishNu.  This fact is mentioned in the Tamil
book: "Jagadguruvin Upadeshangal" (Appendix, page 23, 1957).

tripura has another meaning: The dEvi's mantra consists of three
syllables; the paJNchadashaakshari mantraM is composed of three
peaks (kUTa), namely vAgbhatakUTa, kAmarAja kUTa, and
shakta kUTa. The nADis (nerves currents) where she resides are three:
sushumna, piN^gaLa, and ida). Her shaktis are three, ichcha, kriya, and

GYAna.  Now, to the actual hymn:

                        O M
                tripurasundari aShTakam.h

            .. atha tripurasundari aShTakam.h..

        kadambavanachAriNIM munikadambakAdambinIM
        nitambajitabhUdharAM suranitambinIsevitAm.h |
        navAmburuhalochanAM abhinavAmbudashyAmalAM
        trilochanakuTumbinIM tripurasundarImAshraye || 1||

Meaning

(ahaM):  I
tripurasundarIM: (in/to) Goddess tripurasundari
aashraye: seek shelter in (pay obeisance to).

The remaining phrases are adjectives that qualify the accusative noun
(dvitIyA vibhakti) "tripurasundarIM"

kadamba vana chariniiM: who is roaming in the kadamba forest.
Kadamba is a kind of tree (Nauclea cadamba). It is
said to put forth orange coloured fragrant buds at the roaring of
thunder clouds.  A withered relic of the kadamba tree is still preserved
in the precincts of the Madurai Meenakshi temple.  Here,
kadamba forest stands for the universe which devi permeates.

muni kadamba kAdambinIM: a galaxy of clouds to the galaxy of rishis
(sages).  Just as the bank of clouds quenches the thirst of the
earthly beings, so does tripurasundari quench the
spiritual thirst of the munis (sages).

nitamba:  hip
jita bhUdharaaM: conquering (excelling) the mountains
(whose hip excels the mountain)

sura nitambinI sevitAM:  who is served by celestial damsels

navAMburuha lochanAM: whoes eyes resemble fresh lotus

abhinavAMbuda shyAmalAM: who is swarthy like the newly formed
nimbus.

trilochanakuTumbinIM: who belongs to the family of the three-eyed
one (Lord shiva)


        kadambavanavAsinIM kanakavallakIdhAriNIM
        mahArhamaNihAriNIM mukhasamullasadvAruNIm.h |
        dayAvibhavakAriNIM vishadalochanIM chAriNIM
        trilochanakuTumbinIM tripurasundarImAshraye || 2||

Meaning:

(aham) tripurasundarIM aashraye (as in the above shlokaM)

kadamba vana vAsinIM:  (as in shlokaM 1)

kanaka vallakI dhAriNIM: who holds a golden VINa

mahArha maNi hAriNIM:  who wears a garland of precious gems

mukha samullasad vAriNIM: whose face  glows deeply with ambrosia

dayAvibhava kAriNIM:  bestowing prosperity through mercy

vishada lochanIM: clear eyed

chAriNIM: wandering


        kadambavanashAlayA kuchamarollasanmAlayA
        kuchopamitashailayA gurukR^ipAlasadvelayA |
        madAruNakapolayA madhuragItavAchAlayA
        kayA.api ghananIlayA kavachitA vayaM lIlayA || 3||

Meaning

vayaM:  we

lIlayA: by her inscrutable play

kavachitA: (we) are arrayed in panoply.

the remaining phrases qualify the noun "lIlaAA"

kadambavana shAlayA: by her abode in the kadamba forest (meaning here,
the entire universe)

kuchamarollasan mAlayA: by the garland gracing her massive bosoms

kuchopamita shailayA: by her bosoms rivalling the mountains
(represents her cosmic motherhood, and eagerness to
nourish the entire world).

gurukR^ipAlasad velayA:  by splendid flow of Her Grace

madAruNa kapolayA: with cheeks rudded by wine

madhuragIta vAchAlayA: by her melodious musical voice

kayApi ghana nIlayA: by her cloud-like blue


        kadambavanamadhyagAM kanakamaNDalopasthitAM
        ShaDamburuhavAsinIM satatasiddhasaudAminIm.h |
        viDambitajapAruchiM vikachachandrachUDAmaNiM
        trilochanakuTumbinIM tripurasundarImAshraye || 4||


Meaning:

(ahaM) tripurasundarIM aashraye (as in shlokam 1)

kadamba vana madhyagAM: who is in the midst of kadamba forest

kanaka maNDalopasthitAM: seated on the golden disc

ShaDamburuha vAsinIM: who resides in six lotus flowers

satata siddha saudhAminIM: a lightning to the constant siddhas

viDambita japA ruchiM: splenderously mocking the scarlet (red)
Hibiscous flower

vikacha chandra chUDAmaNiM: with cloudless moon for her
crest jewel

trilochana kuTumbinIM (as in shlokam  1).


        kuchAJNchitavipaJNchikAM kuTilakuntalAlaMkR^itAM
        kusheshayanivAsinIM kuTilachittavidveShiNIm.h |
        madAruNavilochanAM manasijArisaMmohinIM
        mataN^gamunikanyakAM madhurabhAShiNImAshraye || 5||


Meaning

 (AhaM) : I
 aashraye:  seek shelter in  (Her, who is)

kuchaaJNchita vipaJNchikAM: with a Vina gracing her bosom

kuTila kunthalAlaMkR^itAM:  adorned with curly tresses of hair

kushesaya nivAsinIM:  residing in lotus

kuTila chitta vidveShiNIM: scorning the evil-minded ones

madARuNa vilochanAM: reddish eyed from nectar

manasijAri sammohinIM: captivating the enemy of Cupid (shiva)

mataN^ga muni kanyakAM:  daughter of  sage mataN^ga

madhura bhAShiNIM: mellifluously conversing


        smaraprathamapuShpiNIM rudhirabindunIlAmbarAM
        gR^ihItamadhupAtrikAM madaviDhaNarnetrAJNchalAm.h |
        ghanastanabharonnatAM galitachUlikAM shyAmalAM
        trilochanakuTumbinIM tripurasundarImAshraye || 6||

Meaning

(ahaM) tripurasundarIM aashraye (as in shlokam 1)

smara prathama puShpiNIM: who bears the first flower of manmatha
(Cupid)

rudhira bindu nIlAmbarAM: clad in blue garments spotted
sanguine (red)

gR^ihIta madhu pAtrikAM:  holding a bowl of wine

mada viDharNa netrAJNchalAM: eyes inebriated languishing at the ends

ghana stana bharonnatAM: close set with high and heavy bosom

galita chUlikAM:  with locks dishevelled

shyAmlAM:  swarthy one

trilochana kuTumbinIM (as in shlokaM 1)


        sakuN^kumavilepanAM alakachumbikastUrikAM
        samandahasitekshaNAM sasharachApapAshAN^kushAm.h |
        asheShajanamohinIM aruNamAlyabhUShAmbarAM
        japAkusumabhAsurAM japavidhau smarAmyambikAM || 7||


Meaning

(ahaM): I

ambikAM : ambikA Mother (dvitIya vibhakti)

japavidhau: in (during) Japa (meditation)

smarAmi:  remember

The remaining phrases qualify the noun: ambikAM:

sa kuN^kuma vilepanAM:  smeared with vermillion

alaka chumbi kastUrikAM: forelocks grazing the dot of musk

sa manda hasitekshaNAM:  with looks soft and smiling

sa shara chApa pAshAN^kushAM:  bearing arrows, bow, snare and goad

asheSha jana mohinIM: deluding the entire people

aruNa mAlya bhuushaambarAM:  wearing (decorating her body with)
red garments

japAkusuma bhAsurAM: shining with the japA flower

NOTE: This particular shlokam is considered very sacred, and it
is included  in the "dhyANa shlokaM" segment of both lalitA
sahasranAmaM, as well as  lalitA trishati.


        purandarapuraMdhrikAM chikurabandhasairaMdhrikAM
        pitAmahapativratAM paTapaTIracharchAratAm.h |
        mukundaramaNImaNIM lasadalaN^kriyAkAriNIM
        bhajAmi bhuvanAMbikAM suravadhUTikAcheTikAm.h || 8||


Meaning

(ahaM): I
bhuvanAmbikAM:  mother of the entire world (dvitIya vibhakti)
bhajAmi: worship (salute)

The remaining words qualify the noun "ambikAM"

purandhra puraMdhrikAM:   ruling over the entire srI puraM

chikura bandha sairandhrikAM: who has the celestial queen
for plaiting tresses

pitAmaha pativratAM: consort of Lord brahma

paTa paTIra charchA ratAM:  skilful for anointing sandal paste

mukunda ramaNI manIM: gem of vishNu's spouse

lasad alaMkR^iyA kAriNIM: adorning with lustrous  gems

suravadhUTikA cheTikAM: having heavenly damsels for servant maids


        .. iti  tripurasundari aShTakam.h sampuurNam.h ||

        Thus ends the octal hymn on Tripurasundai

--
bhava shankara deshikame sharaNam

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