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Thread: Learn to read and recite a stotram

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    Learn to read and recite a stotram

    This thread will give you short and simple stotras and shlokas that you can read, recite and teach your children. All you need is the knowledge of the Sanskrit alphabets and the willingness to read Sanskrit text, which is not at all difficult once you know the alphabets. Wherever possible, I have provided the meaning and audio files of the stotras.

    We start with Ganesha. Here is a stotram called 'ganesha-stavam' that describes Ganesha as none other than the 'nirguNa brahman'.

    ganeshastavam.jpg
    ganeshastavam.jpg

    Here is a link to download the pdf file of the stotram with embedded audio. You need to become a member of the Website and it is worth.
    http://www.scribd.com/doc/19628847/ganeshastavam

    As you play the embedded audio, run your mouse over the recited words and learn to read and pronounce them correctly. After repeating it two or three times, you should be able to chant/sing the stotram along with the teacher and then independently.

    And once you are comfortable with reciting the stotram, try to explore the meaning of the words you recite, learning to match them against phrases in the meanings text.

    Once you can recite the stotram correctly and know its meaning vis-a-vis the Sanskrit words and phrases, you would find yourself contemplating on its content, learning to drench in the flow of 'bhakti rasam' that teaches the 'jnAnam' to dissolve the small self in the bigger Self.

    Wish you Godspeed for great times of learning ahead!
    रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
    ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥

    To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.

    --viShNu purANam

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    Re: Learn to read and recite a stotram

    shrI guru stotram

    After Ganesha, it is the Guru. This stotram, a bit long though--and we are not fainthearted--describes the Guru's divine potency. It is found in the 'guru gitA' composed by the great sage vyAsa maharshi. The audio file includes a spoken English translation of the stotram.

    To give an idea of the powers of Guru:

    Guru is akaNDa maNDalAkAram--not just confined to the human form.
    Guru is vyAptam yena charAcharam--pervading the entire universe.

    Guru opens our eyes with the sharp needle of knowledge--shAlAkaya,
    and lets us see the light, dispelling the darkness--timira of ignorance.

    Guru is the very form of the trimUrti: brahmA, viShNu, shiva.
    Guru is the chimaya--supreme knowledge that pervades the three worlds.

    Guru is the sUrya--Sun for the ambuja--Lotus, of VedAnta.
    He is of padAmbuja--lotus feet made radiant by the ratna--jewels of shRuti--Vedas.

    Guru is chaitanya--supreme knowledge, shAsvata--eternal, and shanta--peace.

    Guru is ArUDha--rooted in jnAnashakti--the power of knowledge.
    He is vibhUShita--decorated with the mAlA--garland of tattvam--Truth.

    Guru pradAnena--teaches AtmajnAnam--knowledge of the Self and by it
    dAhina--burns up the karmabandha--bonds of karma of anekajanma--many births.

    Guru shoShaNa--dries up the bhava-sindhu--water of formal existence
    and jnApana--makes known sArasampada--all the wealth of the shAstras.

    guroradhika--Beyond the Guru, there is no tattvam--Truth, tapa--the heat of religious penance and austerity, or tattva jnAnam--knowledge about param--the Supreme.

    shrI gurave namaH--Salutations to that Guru, who is mannAtha--my Lord,
    who is jagannAtha--Lord of the Universe, madguru--my Guru,
    who is jagadguru--Teacher of the World, madAtmA--the Self in me,
    sarvabhUtAtmA--the Self in all Beings.

    Salutations to that Guru who is Adir anAdishcha--the beginning and the beginningless; who is paradaivatam--of Supreme Divinity; guro parataram nAsti--there is none superior to the Guru.

    (O Guru!) You are--
    tvmeva mAtA--my mother, cha pitA--and father,
    tvmeva bandhu--my kinsman, cha sakhA--and friend,
    tvameva vidyA--my knowledge, draviNaM tvameva--my wealth too,
    tvameva sarvam--my everything, mama devadeva--O my God of gods!

    Here the links to this enlightening stotram:
    pdf file:
    http://www.chinmayauk.org/Resources/...%20Stotram.pdf

    audio file:
    http://www.clickcaster.com/users/gur...-w-meaning.mp3

    audio-embedded pdf file:
    http://www.scribd.com/doc/19664211/gurustotramae

    **********
    रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
    ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥

    To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.

    --viShNu purANam

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    Re: Learn to read and recite a stotram

    shrI guru stotram: a clarification

    Although I mentioned that this stotram is from the 'guru gitA' traiditionally attributed to sage vyAsa, it seems that the stotram is culled out from various sources and that the name of the compiler is uncertain.

    Some of the sources of parts of the stotram are:

    • The verse "gurur brahmA gurur viShNu" appears as verse no.58 in the 'guru gitA' attributed to sage vyAsa (http://www.sanskritdocuments.org/all...urugiitaa.pdf).

    • The verse "gurur brahmA gurur viShNu" appears as verse no.32 in the 'guru gitA' in the skanda purANam (http://www.scribd.com/doc/2084946/GURU-GITA-TRANS).

    • However, the 'guru gitA', quoted to be from the same skanda purANam and published at http://www.hariomgroup.org/shrigurugita does not contain this famous verse. Instead, it states the same meaning in a differnt form, in verse no.211, which verse is also found in the versions mentioned above:

    gurureko jagatsarva brahmaviShNushivAtmakam |
    guruH parataram nAsti tasmAt saMpUjayed gurum ||

    "The entire creation consisting of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva is all Guru only. There is nothing greater than the Guru. Therefore one should worship the Guru. (211)"

    We have often heard that the word 'guru' means 'one who dispells the darkness of ignorance'. Verse 33 of this version of 'guru gitA' mentions it, but this verse is also found in the other versions:

    gukArashvAndhakAro hi rukArasteja uchyate |
    ajjnAnagrAsakaM brahma gurureva na saMshayaH ||

    "The syllable 'Gu' is the darkness and the syllable 'Ru' is said to be light. There is no doubt that the Guru is indeed the Supreme Knowledge that dispels (the darkness of) ignorance. (33)"

    • Another famouse verse, 'tvameva mAtA' included in this stotram, is from verse no.28 of the 'prapanna gitA'--also known as 'pANDava gitA' (http://www.sanskritdocuments.org/all...ndavagita.pdf).

    • The Website srividya.org mentions that the 'guru stotram' is a "collection of hymns from the VishvasArAtantra' (http://www.srividya.org/Laitha/ISSUE1.1/GURUST.HTM).

    However, all this frustrating, fruitless (re)search, which is often caused by our ego rather than a genunine spirit of inquiry, does not in any way diminish the glory of the 'guru stotram'. Perhaps what our elders say--that we should not look for the 'rishi mUlam, nadI mUlam'--also applies the sources of our shlokas and stotras.
    रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
    ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥

    To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.

    --viShNu purANam

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    Re: Learn to read and recite a stotram

    hariḥ oṁ
    ~~~~~~

    Namasté saidevo,
    thank you for a most informative post

    Quote Originally Posted by saidevo View Post
    "The syllable 'Gu' is the darkness and the syllable 'Ru' is said to be light. There is no doubt that the Guru is indeed the Supreme Knowledge that dispels (the darkness of) ignorance. (33)"
    I have studied the notion of guru as light + dark i.e. the dispeller of darkness which is most apropos for the guru's epithet. I think this name is spot on.

    But from where does this come? I thought to offer the following for the HDF reader's interest.
    • guru गुरु - is heavy , weighty, great , large , extended , long ; we know this guru is also defined as spiritual parent or preceptor ; valuable , highly prized.
    • From this guru the word garīyas is derived which means more precious or valuable , dearer than . It also ( as you would think ) means extremely heavy.
    Lets look at the roots of this guru in gu + ru :
    gu गु is to sound or to cause; it is also a ray - hence we think of a ray of light; This gu is rooted in गा . Why is this of interest? ¹ has the following definitions:
    • to go after , pursue;
    • to come into any state or condition ;
    • undergo, obtain to walk on a path.
    We can see how then gu and gā fit well for the guru.
    • To sound or cause - a mantra to occur
    • A ray - of light, to dispel the darkness of Ignorance
    • To come into any state of condition . This has a nice inference -
      • the guru is capable of 'maturing' any soul that comes to him, which then
      • obtains the path - to the Supreme
    Now what of this ru रु ? to make any noise or sound , sing (as birds) , hum ; to praise ; It also means cutting , dividing or break, shatter.
    For me, ru's significance in guru is that what breaks and shatters ignorance, yet it can be done with praise, sound ( mantra) or if required with battle ( another definition of ru). The battle on darkness ( ignorance).

    praṇām

    words
    an interesting side note this is rooted in gai , singing. Where else do we ~easily~ see this ga ? In jigāti, a meter; or in Bhāgavad gītā , the song of the Lord.
    Last edited by yajvan; 18 September 2009 at 07:28 PM.
    यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
    yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
    because you are identical with śiva

    _

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    Re: Learn to read and recite a stotram

    ardhanArIshvara stotram

    From Guru, we move on to the AdiGuru, dakShiNAmUrti, who is perceived by us in the form of ardhanArIshvara.

    The 'ardhanArIshvara stotram' composed by Adi shankarAchArya bhagavadpAda is recited in a 'gambhIra dhvani' by shrI mArEpalli nAga vEnkaTa shAstri. The clarity of expression and the majesty of voice are sure to inspire awe towards God shivA-shivaH and bring tears to eyes, as we try to read and contemplate on the meanings of the lines of the stotram.

    Don't miss to check out, listen to and learn this great stotram.

    Here are the links to this enlightening stotram:
    pdf file:
    http://www.sanskritdocuments.org/all_pdf/ardhanAri.pdf

    audio file:
    http://www.vedamantram.com/audio/Ardhanaareesvara.mp3

    audio-embedded pdf file:
    http://www.scribd.com/doc/19938497/ardhanAriae

    *****

    ardhanArIshvara stotram: meaning

    chAmpeya gaurArdha sharIrakAyai karpUra gaurArdha sharIrakAya |
    dhammillakAyai cha jaTAdharAya namaH shivAyai cha namaH shivAya || 1 ||

    gaura--shines, ardha--in one half, chAmpeya--golden yellow,
    like 'chAmpeya' flower (Mesua ferrea);
    while the other half shines bright white like karpUram--camphor;

    One side of the head is dhammilla--ornate with braided hair;
    the other sports jaTAmakuTam--unkempt crest;
    I bow to this shivA (pArvatI) and shivaH, in the form of ardhanArIshvara.

    ******

    kastUrikA kungkuma charchitAyai chitArajaH punjavi charchitAya |
    kRitasmarAyai vikRitasmarAya namaH shivAyai cha namaH shivAya || 2 ||

    ambAL on the left half is charchita--smeared with kastUri--musk
    and kungkumam--vermilion;
    while shiva on the right is punjavi charchita--smeared with heaps of
    chitAraja--ashes from the funeral pyre;

    In one half she is kRitasmarAya--pleasing to reflect on;
    in the other he is vikRitasmarAya--ugly, deformed, transformed.
    I bow to this shivA and shivaH, in the form of ardhanArIshvara.

    ******

    jhaNat-kvaNat-kangkaNa nUpurAyai pAdAbjarAjat-phaNi nUpurAya |
    hemAngadAyai bhujAngadAya namaH shivAyai cha namaH shivAya || 3 ||

    ambAL on the left side wears kangkaNa--bangles/bracelets on her wrists
    and nUpura--anklets on her feet; they jhaNat-kvaNat--jingle as she moves;
    shiva on the right wears on his pAda-abja--lotus feet, phaNina--a hooded
    serpent for his nUpura--anklets.

    hemAnga--of gold-worn parts on the left;
    bhujAnga--of snake-worn parts on the right.
    I bow to this shivA and shivaH, in the form of ardhanArIshvara.

    ******

    vishAla nIlotpala lochanAyai vikAsi pangkeruha lochanAya |
    samekShaNAyai viShamekShaNAya namaH shivAyai cha namaH shivAya || 4 ||

    ambAL on the left has nIlotpala--blue lotus, lochana--eyes;
    shiva on the right has pangkeruha vikAsi--blossomed in mud, lochana--eyes.

    ambAL is sama-IkShaNa--pleasing and harmonious to look at;
    shiva is viShama-IkShaNa--poisonous and dissimilar to look at.
    I bow to this shivA and shivaH, in the form of ardhanArIshvara.

    ******

    mandAra-mAlA kalitA lakAyai kapAla-mAlAnggita kandharAya |
    divyAmbarAyai cha digambarAya namaH shivAyai cha namaH shivAya || 5 ||

    ambAL is kalita--adorned with, mandAra mAlA--garland of hibuscus flowers
    on her laka--forehead;
    shiva has a kapAla-mAlA-anggita-kandha--a garland of skulls worn neck.

    She is dressed divyAmbara--in divine, royal clothes;
    He is digambara--practically naked, dig ambara--having only the directions for his clothing.
    I bow to this shivA and shivaH, in the form of ardhanArIshvara.

    ******

    aMbhodhara shyAmala kuntalAyai taTit prabhAt Amra jaTAdharAya |
    nirIshvarAyai nikhileshvarAya namaH shivAyai cha namaH shivAya || 6 ||

    She has kuntala--locks of hair, that look like aMbhodhara--clouds that are
    shyAmala--dark with water;
    His jaTa--twisted locks of hair, are taTit--raised like the banks of a river,
    and prabhAt--shining, like Amra--the ripe mango fruits of golden hue.

    She is nirIshvara--godless, that is with no God above her;
    He is nikhileshvara--the immanent God of everything.
    I bow to this shivA and shivaH, in the form of ardhanArIshvara.

    ******

    prapancha sRiShTy-unmukha lAsyakAyai samasta saMhAraka tANDavAya |
    jagaj jananyai jagadeka pitre namaH shivAyai cha namaH shivAya || 7 ||

    She performs her lAsyaka--dance in dramatic delight, at the prapancha--universal
    sRiShti--creation, that is unmukha--springing up, at her dance;
    He performs tANDava--a frantic dance, which is saMhAraka--destructive,
    of samasta--everything, and the universe subsides back in it.

    She is janani--mother, of the jagat--world, so jagajjanani;
    He is jagadeka pitRu--the sole father of the world;
    I bow to this shivA and shivaH, in the form of ardhanArIshvara.

    ******

    pradIpta ratno-jjvala kuNDalAyai sphuran mahApannaga bhUShaNAya |
    shivAnvitAyai cha shivAnvitAya namaH shivAyai cha namaH shivAya || 8 ||

    Her kuNDala--ear rings are, pradIpta--sparkling, studded with
    ujjvala--blazing, ratna--precious stones;
    His bhUshaNam--ornament, is only sphuran--trembling, mahApanaga--great serpents.

    She is anvita--inherent, shivam--auspiciousness, happiness;
    He is anvita--inherent, shivam--auspiciousness, happiness too.
    I bow to this shivA and shivaH, in the form of ardhanArIshvara.

    ******

    etat-paThed aShThakam iShTadaM yo bhaktyA sa mAnyo bhuvi dIrghajIvI |
    prApnoti saubhAgyam anantakAlaM bhUyAt sadA tasya samasta siddhiH || 9 ||

    This final verse is the phala shruti of this stotram.

    etatpaThed--one who reads this, aShThakam--hymn of eight verses,
    yo bhaktyA--with devotion, will obtain, sa mAnyo iShTadaM--all honour
    and respect desired, bhuvi dIrghajIvI--will live long in the world,
    and prApnoti--attain, saubhAgyam--fortune and prosperity,
    and bhUyAt--when one repeatedly chants this stotram will attain
    sadA tasya--perpetual, samasta siddhiH--all powers and perfection.

    ******

    iti shrImat paramahaMsa parivrAjakAchAryasya
    shrIgovinda bhagavat pUjyapAda shiShyasya |
    shrImach-ChaMkara bhagavataH kRitau ardhanArIshvara stotram saMpUrNam ||

    Thus concludes the ardhanArIshvara stotram, composed by shrI Adi shaMkarAchArya,
    disciple of shrI govinda bhagavatpAda.

    **********
    Last edited by saidevo; 21 September 2009 at 01:58 AM.
    रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
    ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥

    To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.

    --viShNu purANam

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    Re: Learn to read and recite a stotram

    vengkaTAchala nilayam: purandaradAsa kRuti on VengkaTeshvara

    mahAviShNu is popularly worshipped by Hindus in the form of shrI vengkaTeshvara, the powerful and awe-inspiring God of the seven hills at tirupati; he is also known by the names vengkaTAchalapati and shrInivAsa perumAL.

    Here is a famous krithi on vengkaTeshvara by the famous kannaDa bhakti sage purandaradAsa, composed in Sanskrit, in the rAga sindhu bhairavI.

    pallavi:
    vengkaTAchala nilayam vaikuNThapura vAsam
    pangkaja nEtram parama pavitram
    shangkha chakradhara chinmaya rUpam -- (vengkaTAcala)

    anupallavi:
    ambujOdbhava vinutam agaNita guNa nAmam
    tumburu nArada gAnavilOlam -- (vengkaTAcala)

    charaNam:
    makara kuNDaladhara madanagOpAlam
    bhakta pOShaka shrI purandaraviTThalam -- (vengkaTAcala)

    **********

    pallavi:
    vengkaTAchala nilayam--staioned in the vengkaTa achalam--mountain
    vaikuNThapura vAsam--resident of the divine city of vaikuNTham

    (vengkaTAchalam is perumAL's station on earth, vaikuNTham in heaven, and he is simultaneously resident in both places).

    pangkaja nEtram--of lotus eyes
    parama pavitram--of supreme purifying power

    shangkha chakra-dhara--holding the conch and the disc
    chinmaya rUpam--manifestation of pure thoughts
    --(vengkaTAchala nilayam)

    anupallavi:
    ambujOdbhava--one (reference to nArada) who is
    ambuja-udbhava--born of the lotus (sprung from your navel: brahmA)
    vinutam--who plays on a musical instrument by striking its cords
    and sings on

    agaNita--your indescribable, guNa nAmam--divine qualities
    tumburu nArada--sage nArada who plays on his tumburu--lute
    gAnavilOlam: gAna--singing eulogies on you,
    and vilola--wanders in all the three worlds
    --(vengkaTAchala nilayam)

    charaNam:
    makara kuNDala-dhara: dhara--wearing, kuNDalam--ear-ring,
    shaped like the makaram--shark

    madana--enchanting, gOpAlam--cowherd
    bhakta pOShaka--who nourishes devotees
    shrI purandaraviTThalam--God worshipped in Pandharpur,
    commonly known as vithoba, a form of kRuShNA or viShNu
    --(vengkaTAchala nilayam)

    Let us learn, listening to this kRuti and having darshan of vengkateshvara, in a colorful, audio-embedded pdf document presented by ahobilavalli.org:
    http://www.ahobilavalli.org/purandara.pdf

    Note: Sanskrit kRutis and stotras should be recited and sung with perfect pronunciation, lest the singer--and the listener--should incur any bad effects of the meanings that might arise due to wrong pronunciation.

    It seems that some artists who sing this kRuti pronounce the Sanskrit words and phrases wrongly, slurring over the words. As examples:

    • the name vengkaTA-chalapati is wrongly sung as vengkaTA-jalapati, making him the Lord of waters, which he is, but not at the vengkaTa hills.

    • vaikuNTha is sung as vaikuntha or vaikunta (kuntaH--lance, spear).

    • the words 'parama' and 'pavitra' are sung like English words, slurring at the 'r' and 't'.
    रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
    ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥

    To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.

    --viShNu purANam

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    Re: Learn to read and recite a stotram

    Adi Shankara BhagavadpAdA's 'GaNesha pancharatnam'
    Introduction

    Shankara composed this stotra--hymn, on GaNesha in a metre called pancha-chAmaram, which has four quarters of sixteen syllables each, and has a scheme of short-long-short-long syllables (laghu-guru-laghu-guru in prosody parlance), with an usual internal alliteration or rhyme. This 'tadhIm-tadhIm' movement endows the lyric with a brisk, marching gait, as that of an elephant, for example.

    In accordance with the RgVedic statement 'ekam sad viprA bahudhA vadanti', which states that it is the same 'brahma tatvam' that is manifest as several mUrtis--images, Shankara, in each of his stotras, describes the devatA-mUrti he adores, as the paramAtma svarUpam--Brahman in nature, which is the jagatkAraNam--cause behind this universe.

    pada-pATham: lyric and meaning

    shrIgaNeshAya namaH ||
    I bow to shrI GaNesha.

    shloka 01
    mudAkarAtta modakaM sadA vimukti sAdhakaM
    kalAdharA vataMsakaM vilAsi loka rakShakam |

    He is joyful--mudA, with a modakaM--sweet rice cake, karAtta--borne in hand;
    He is always--sadA, the sAdhaka--efficient means, for attaining vimukti--deliverance;
    He wears on the head the cresent moon--kalAdharA, vataMsakaM--as ornament;
    He sportively--vilAsi, does lokarakShakam--protection of the world.

    Note:
    01. modaKaM is GaNesha's favourite dish. It is visheSha--special, to offer them to him in the 'sangkaTahara chaturthI vrata pUjA', which is observed on the chaturthI--fourth day, after each full moon.

    02. Special fruits offered to GaNesha are: kapittha--wood apple (Feronia Elephantum) and jaMbu-phala--rose apple (Eugenia Jambolana). It is visheSha to offer them on the day of the annual GaNesha chaturthI, which is occurs this year on Sep.11, 2010. GaNesha also wears a garland of erukku (Tamizh)--milkweed flowers on that day. And, as everyone knows, GaNesha is satisfied with the offer of even a blade of the arugampul (Tamil)--dUrvA grass.

    Here is a list of medicinal food and plant names in many Indian languages.
    http://www.sakthifoundation.org/glossary.pdf

    03. Besides his tilaka, the GaNesha purANam prescribes him a crescent moon on the forehead, worn as an ornament.

    04. Note how Shankara describes GaNesha as protecting the world vilAsi--sportively. Is he not the vighneshvara, who causes and removes vighnams--hurdles/obstacles? It's all his lIlA--sport, to test and then adopt his devotees.

    *****

    anAyakaika nAyakaM vinAshitebha daityakaM
    natAshubhAshu nAshakaM namAmi taM vinAyakam || 1 ||

    He is-anAyaka--has no ruler above him; he is ekanAyakaM--himself the sole ruler;
    He is one who vinAshita--destroyed, the ibha-daitya--elephant-faced demon,
    called GajamukhAsura;
    All that is nata--crooked, and ashubha--inauspicious, he Ashu--quickly,
    nAshakaM--destroys;
    I bow to--namAmi, taM--that, vinAyaka--destroyer of obstacles.

    Note:
    01. In the spirit of advaita, Shankara describes GaNesha as anAyaka and eka-nAyaka.
    02. He is quick in removing obstacles, all that is crooked and inauspicious.

    **********

    shloka 02

    natetarAti bhIkaraM navoditArka bhAsvaraM
    namat surAri nirjaraM natAdhikApa duddharam |

    He is ati-bhIkara--very terrible (causing fear) to the nata-itara--crooked
    and other such people;
    He is bhAskaraM--shining, as the nava--newly, udita--risen, arka--sun;
    He is one who is namat--venerated by, surAri--Asuras--demons (enemies of Gods),
    and nirjara--immortal Devas--Gods (who nir--never, jara--get old);
    For the nata adhika--those who bow down to him more, he does-uddharam--extricates,
    them from the troubles of misfortune, accident and such distress.

    Note:
    01. Some people translate 'natetarAti bhIkaraM' as 'one who is very terrible to those who are not his devotees'.

    02. There is actually a waterfall named 'duddhara' in Amarkantak, a pilgrim center in Anuppur district of Madhya Pradesh.
    (http://www.tourtoindia.com/madhya-pr...tak/index.html)

    *****

    sureshvaraM nidhIshvaraM gajeshvaraM gaNeshvaraM
    maheshvaraM tamAshraye parAtparaM nirantaram || 2 ||

    He is the Ishvara--Lord, of Devas--sureshvara, Ishavara of nidhis--all the
    treasures of Kubera, and LakShmI;
    gajeshvaraM--elephant-faced God (also Ishvara of gajas--elephants),
    gaNeshvaraM--Ishvara of Shiva-gaNas--Shiva's army of demons;
    He is maheshvaram--the very Maheshvara--Great Lord (an attribute of Shiva),
    parAtpara--superior to the best, nirantara--with no interval in time or space,
    that is, all-pervading and eternal;
    tam--such a God, Ashraye--I adore and seek refuge in.

    Note:
    01. nidhIshvara--nidhi refers to the teasures and wealth of Kubera and LakShmI. It also refers to all the aishvarya--the aShTamA-siddhis, the eight powers of vision, audition, cognition, discrimination, omniscience, swiftness of thought, power of assuming forms at will, and the faculty of expatiation (MWD).

    Hindus normally worship GaNesha with LakShmI and SarasvatI. It is common to find a picture of GaNesha with LakShmI at his right and SarasvatI at his left in their pUjA rooms. This is the image typically used in the bhUmi-pUjA of a plot where a new house is to be constructed.

    02. PApanAsham Sivan has authored a song on Shiva in Tamizh, that starts with the words 'parAtparA, parameshvara!'. For the lyric and its translation, check
    http://www.celextel.org/carnaticmusi...ameshwara.html

    **********

    shloka 03

    samastaloka shaMkaraM nirastadaitya ku~njaraM
    daretarodaraM varaM varebhavaktram akSharam |

    He is one who who brings saMkaraM--complete happiness, samastaloka--to all worlds;
    One who nirasta--destroyed, daitya--the Asura (demon), kunjaraM--with the elephant face;
    He has an udara--a belly, which is dara-itara--not small--so huge; he is varaM--excellent;
    He has a varaM--most excellent, ibha-vaktram--elephant-face; and he is
    akSharam--imperishable.

    Note:
    01. varebhavaktram akSharam--is also translated as vara-akShara-ibhavaktra--granting unalterable boons through his elephant-face/mouth.

    *****

    kR^ipAkaraM kShamAkaraM mudAkaraM yashaskaraM
    manaskaraM namaskR^itAM namaskaromi bhAsvaram || 3 ||

    He is full of compassion--kRpAkara, kShamAkara--one who is patient and forgiving
    with his devotees,
    mudAkaraM--one who keeps them happy, yashaskaraM--one who brings them fame;
    manaskaraM--makes them well-disposed in mind, so namaskRtAM--I worship,
    and namaskaromi--and bow to, that bhAsvaram--shining God.

    Note:
    01. In the second line, manaskaraM is neatly reversed as namaskaromi, implying that namaskAram is not just an act of prostrating with the body, but also with speech and mind.

    **********

    shloka 04

    aki~nchanArti mArjanaM chirantanokti bhAjanaM
    purAripUrva nandanaM surArigarva charvaNam |

    He is one who does mArjanaM--wiping away, of the Arti--afflictions,
    of the akinchana--destitute;
    He is the bhAjanaM--representative/abode of, the ukta--divine word (AUM),
    which is-chiranta--exists from ancient times;
    He is the nandanaM--son, of the purAri--One who destroyed
    the tripura--triple cities, in pUrva--former times;
    He destroys--charvaNa (as if by chewing away), the garva--pride and arrogance,
    of the surAri--enemy of the Devas, that is, the Asuras.

    Note:
    01. GaNesha is the very form of the praNava mantra AUM, which is the first manifestation of the NirguNa Brahmam. In the form of AUM, the primal sound which is the mUla-kAraNa--root cause, of the Creation, Brahman is known as shabda-brahman or nAda-brahman.

    *****

    prapa~nchanAsha bhIShaNaM dhana~njayAdi bhUShaNaM
    kapoladAna vAraNaM bhaje purANa vAraNam || 4 ||

    At the time of prapancha-nAshanam--dissolution of the Universe, he is the
    bhIShaNaM--the Terrible One (Rudra);
    He has as bhUShaNaM--decorations, dhanaMjaya Adi--Dhananjaya and other serpants;
    He is the vAraNam--elephant, who is kapoladAna--filled with the rut-fluid in the cheeks.
    Such a purANa vAraNam--ancient, primordial elephant, bhaje--I adore.

    Note:
    01. In the iconography of GaNesha, the snake represents the kuNDalini shakti that everyone of us have, which is dormant at the mUlAdhAra chakra, whose adhipati--Lord, is GaNesha.

    **********

    shloka 05

    nitAnta kAnta dantakAntima ntakAntak AtmajaM
    achintyarUpam antahInam antarAya kR^intanam |

    He is one who has nitAnta--excessively, kAnta--bright, danta kAntiM--radiant tusks;
    He is the Atmaja--son, of One (Shiva) who was antaka--Yama (destroyer),
    to antaka--Yama himself;
    He is achintya rUpaM--one whose true form is beyond comprehension,
    one who is antahInaM--eternal/endless, and
    one who does-kRntana--cuts off, antarAya--obstacles.

    Note:
    01. The story of Shiva kicking Yama to death and then resurrecting him is found in the MArkANDeya purANam. Thus, Shiva is referred to as the Yama's Yama--antakAntaka.

    02. Shankara uses many phrases to describe GaNesha's powers of destroying obstacles to spiritual progress: here he uses kRntana--cuts off. In shloka 1 he uses, Ashu nAshanaM--quickly destroys. In shloka 4 he uses the term charvaNa--chewing away, to remove the Asura's garva--pride and arrogance. These terms are typically associated with the acts of an elephant.

    *****

    hR^idantare nirantaraM vasantameva yoginAM
    tamekadantameva taM vichintayAmi santatam || 5 ||

    He is one who is nirantaraM--for ever, vasanta--resident, in the
    hRdantantare eva--middle of the heart, of yoginAM--yogis;
    That--taM, eka dantam eva--one-tusked deity alone, santatam--at all times,
    vichintayAmi--I think about and meditate on.

    Note:
    01. In shloka 2, Shankara describes GaNesha as 'parAtparam nirantaram'--ParamAtman who pervades all space and time leaving no intervals. In the same way, he occupies the Yogis' hearts, shining as a flame in the middle, and filling the entire hrDaya AkAsha--inner space, with its light.

    02. GaNesha is eka-danta--one-tusked, because his other tusk was broken. As for the legends relating to his broken tusk, check these links:
    http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question...4081625AAzuvUx
    http://mydzi.blogspot.com/2009/07/ga...oken-tusk.html

    **********

    shloka 06: phalashruti: Benefits of chanting

    mahAgaNesha pa~ncharatnam AdareNa yo.anvahaM
    prajalpati prabhAtake hR^idi smaran gaNeshvaram |
    arogatAm adoShatAM susAhitIM suputratAM
    samAhitAyur aShTabhUtim abhyupaiti so.achirAt || 6 ||

    One--yaH, who anvahaM--every day, prabhAtake--in the morning time, hRdi--in the mind,
    smaran--remembers, gaNeshvaraM--GaNesha, and AdareNa--with devotion,
    prajalpati--recites, the 'mahA gaNesha pancharatnam' stotra--hymn, saH--he...

    would get--abhyupaiti, achirAt--soon, arogatAM--health free of diseases,
    adoShatAM--life without faults, susAhitIM--skills and expertise in education,
    suputratAM--good children, samAhitAyur--long and complete life, and
    aShTabhUtiM--the eight aishvaryas (referred to above in note to shloka 2).

    Note:
    01. The overall effect of movement in the stotra in the pancha-chAmaram metre, is the majestic movement of an elephant, gently shaking its head left and right.

    **********

    iti shrIsha~NkarabhagavataH kR^itau shrIgaNeshapa~ncharatnastotraM
    sampUrNam ||

    Thus ends the shrI GaNesha pancharatna stotram composed by
    shrI Shankara Bhagavata.

    **********

    stotra in full

    mudAkarAtta modakaM sadA vimukti sAdhakaM
    kalAdharA vataMsakaM vilAsi loka rakShakam |
    anAyakaika nAyakaM vinAshitebha daityakaM
    natAshubhAshu nAshakaM namAmi taM vinAyakam || 1 ||

    natetarAti bhIkaraM navoditArka bhAsvaraM
    namat surAri nirjaraM natAdhikApa duddharam |
    sureshvaraM nidhIshvaraM gajeshvaraM gaNeshvaraM
    maheshvaraM tamAshraye parAtparaM nirantaram || 2 ||

    samastaloka shaMkaraM nirastadaitya ku~njaraM
    daretarodaraM varaM varebhavaktram akSharam |
    kR^ipAkaraM kShamAkaraM mudAkaraM yashaskaraM
    manaskaraM namaskR^itAM namaskaromi bhAsvaram || 3 ||

    aki~nchanArti mArjanaM chirantanokti bhAjanaM
    purAripUrva nandanaM surArigarva charvaNam |
    prapa~nchanAsha bhIShaNaM dhana~njayAdi bhUShaNaM
    kapoladAna vAraNaM bhaje purANa vAraNam || 4 ||

    nitAntakAnta dantakAntim antakAntak AtmajaM
    achintyarUpam antahInam antarAy kR^intanam |
    hR^idantare nirantaraM vasantameva yoginAM
    tamekadantam eva taM vichintayAmi santatam || 5 ||

    mahAgaNesha pa~ncharatnam AdareNa yo.anvahaM
    prajalpati prabhAtake hR^idi smaran gaNeshvaram |
    arogatAm adoShatAM susAhitIM suputratAM
    samAhitAyur aShTabhUtim abhyupaiti so.achirAt || 6 ||

    **********

    iti shrIsha~NkarabhagavataH kR^itau
    shrIgaNeshapa~ncharatnastotraM
    sampUrNam ||

    **********

    Audio visual aids to learn the stotra by heart

    With the text in SaMskRtam (better) or its transliteration in hand, and an audio/video rendtion of it to listen to, one can easily get to know the stotra by heart. Here are some links:

    01. Sanskrit Text:
    http://sanskrit.gde.to/all_pdf/ganesha5.pdf

    02. Chanting the traditional way by shrI mArEpalli nAga vE.nkaTa shAstri:
    http://www.vedamantram.com/audio/gaN...ncharatnam.mp3

    03. Chanting by Smt.M.S. Subbulakshmi:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTo_fttK6ys

    04. Set to modern music and chanted by Uma Mohan and Ghayathri Devi:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBcT4yJVw2Q

    **********

    Sources:
    01.The Tamizh book titled 'shrI jagadguru granthamAlA', vol.1
    published by the Smt.LingammAl RAmarAju ShAstrapratiShThA Trust, RAjapALayam, TamizhnADu.

    02. Internet, specially this link among others:
    http://rasikas.org/forum/viewtopic.p...1018fd7d1985a3
    Last edited by saidevo; 28 July 2010 at 09:41 PM.
    रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
    ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥

    To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.

    --viShNu purANam

  8. #8
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    Re: Learn to read and recite a stotram

    namaste everyone.

    I have a correction in shloka 2 of the 'GaNesha pancharatnam' stotra;

    My translation of the clause 'natAdhikApa duddharam' as

    "He is the nata--flowing down, adhika--bounteous, Apa-duddharam--waterfall."

    is incorrect, because of wrong dissection of the words.

    The actual dissection is:
    nata-adhika-Apad-uddharam

    which means:

    "For the nata adhika--those who bow down to him more, he does-uddharam--extricates, them from Apad--the troubles of misfortune, accident and such distress."

    Kindly bear this mind this interpretation which is the right one.
    रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
    ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥

    To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.

    --viShNu purANam

  9. #9
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    Re: Learn to read and recite a stotram

    A surefire way to learn reciting stotras, with correct pronunciation and intonation:

    gaNapati prasthAna
    shrI rudram--namakam
    shrI rudram--chamakam
    kShama prArthanA

    A pdf document for each stotra with the original Sanskrit text, transliteraton, and a sound link for each line to listen to the traditional way of intonation!

    Check and download at:
    http://www.sssbpt.org/sri-rudram/VedamMain.html
    रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
    ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥

    To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.

    --viShNu purANam

  10. #10
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    Re: Learn to read and recite a stotram

    Adi Shankara BhagavadpAdA's 'BhavAnI aShTakam'

    Goddess BhavAnI is the consort of Bhava (another name for Shiva) in her pacific and amiable form. Shankara's 'BhavAnI aShTakam' is a beautiful stotram--prayer, to the Goddess, that seeks her as the sole refuge of a soul troubled by samsAra--world life.

    न तातो न माता न बन्धुर्न दाता
    न पुत्रो न पुत्री न भृत्यो न भर्ता ।
    न जाया न विद्या न वृत्तिर्ममैव
    गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानी ॥ १ ॥

    na tAto na mAtA na bandhurna dAtA
    na putro na putrI na bhRutyo na bhartA |
    na jAyA na vidyA na vRuttirmamaiva
    gatistvaM gatistvaM tvamekA bhavAnI || 1 ||

    Neither the father, nor the mother, nor the relatives, nor the friend,
    neither the son, nor the daughter, nor the servant, nor the husband,
    neither the wife, nor the knowledge, nor my sole means of living,
    are the refuge (I can rely on, so), my only refuge you are, BhavAnI!

    *****

    भवाब्धावपारे महादुःखभीरुः
    पपात प्रकामी प्रलोभी प्रमत्तः ।
    कुसंसारपाशप्रबद्धः सदाहं
    गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानी ॥ २ ॥

    bhavAbdhAva-pAre mahAduHkha-bhIruH
    papAta prakAmI pralobhI pramattaH |
    kusaMsAra-pAsha-prabaddhaH sadAhaM
    gatistvaM gatistvaM tvamekA bhavAnI || 2 ||

    I am, always--sadAhaM,
    immersed in the ocean--bhavAbdi, that dhAva--washes, between the shores--pAra, (of birth and death);
    a great coward--mahA-bhIru, who cant face any sorrow--duHkha;
    one who delights in--prakAmi, falling--papAta, in the desire for longing--pralobha, and lasciviousness--pramatta;
    tied--prabaddha, by the ropes--pAsha, of this faulty world life--kusaMsAram.
    So, my refuge, my only refuge you are, BhavAnI!

    *****

    न जानामि दानं न च ध्यानयोगं
    न जानामि तन्त्रं न च स्तोत्रमन्त्रम् ।
    न जानामि पूजां न च न्यासयोगं
    गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानी ॥ ३ ॥

    na jAnAmi dAnaM na cha dhyAna-yogaM
    na jAnAmi tantraM na cha stotra-mantram |
    na jAnAmi pUjAM na cha nyAsa-yogaM
    gatistvaM gatistvaM tvamekA bhavAnI || 3 ||

    I know not about charity, or about meditation and yoga;
    I know not about (the mysticism of) tantra, or about prayer and mantras;
    I know not about pujas, or the nyAsa-yoga of healing;
    So, my refuge, my only refuge you are, BhavAnI!

    *****

    न जानामि पुण्यं, न जानामि तीर्थं
    न जानामि मुक्तिं लयं वा कदाचित् ।
    न जानामि भक्तिं व्रतं वापिमात
    गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानी ॥ ४ ॥

    na jAnAmi puNyaM, na jAnAmi tIrthaM
    na jAnAmi muktiM layaM vA kadAchit |
    na jAnAmi bhaktiM vrataM vApimAta
    gatistvaM gatistvaM tvamekA bhavAnI || 4 ||

    I know not about virtuous acts, I know not about sacred places;
    I know not about liberation, or about the act of merging, at some time;
    I know not about devotion, or about religious austerity; nevertheless, Mother,
    my refuge, my only refuge you are, BhavAnI!

    *****

    कुकर्मी कुसङ्गी कुबुद्धिः कुदासः
    कुलाचारहीनः कदाचारलीनः ।
    कुदृष्टिः कुवाक्यप्रबन्धः सदाहम्
    गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानी ॥ ५ ॥

    kukarmI kusa~ggI kubuddhiH kudAsaH
    kulAchAra-hInaH kadAchAra-lInaH |
    kudRuShTiH kuvAkya-prabandhaH sadAham
    gatistvaM gatistvaM tvamekA bhavAnI || 5 ||

    I am, always--sadAhaM,
    of wicked deeds, of bad connections, of vile sentiments, slave to bad masters;
    one who has abandoned family religious traditions, attached to bad conduct;
    one with evil sight, tied to injurious language;
    So, my refuge, my only refuge you are, BhavAnI!

    *****

    प्रजेशं रमेशं महेशं सुरेशं
    दिनेशं निशीथेश्वरं वा कदाचित् ।
    न जानामि चान्यत् सदाहं शरण्ये
    गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानी ॥ ६ ॥

    prajeshaM rameshaM maheshaM sureshaM
    dineshaM nishItheshvaraM vA kadAchit |
    na jAnAmi chAnyat sadAhaM sharaNye
    gatistvaM gatistvaM tvamekA bhavAnI || 6 ||

    I know not about
    the God of Creation (BrahmA), the Goddess of wealth (LakShmI),
    the God of gods (Maheshvara), the God of Devas (Indra);
    the God the day (SUrya), the God of the night (NishItha),
    or any other god; (so) I always surrender (to you),
    my refuge, my only refuge you are, BhavAnI!

    *****

    विवादे विषादे प्रमादे प्रवासे
    जले चानले प्रवर्ते शत्रुमध्ये ।
    अरण्ये शरण्ये सदा मां प्रपाहि
    गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानी ॥ ७ ॥

    vivAde viShAde pramAde pravAse
    jale chAnale pravarte shatru-madhye |
    araNye sharaNye sadA mAM prapAhi
    gatistvaM gatistvaM tvamekA bhavAnI || 7 ||

    In disputes and debates, in despair, in my errors, and travels in far-off places,
    in accidents that might happen with water, or fire, or while I am amidst my enemies,
    or (going through) forests--I always surrender, protect me beforehand,
    my refuge, my only refuge you are, BhavAnI!

    *****

    अनाथो दरिद्रो जरारोगयुक्तो
    महाक्षीणदीनः सदा जाड्यवक्त्रः ।
    विपत्तौ प्रविष्टः प्रणष्टः सदाहम्
    गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानी ॥ ८ ॥

    anAtho daridro jarArogayukto
    mahAkShINadInaH sadA jADyavaktraH |
    vipattau praviShTaH praNaShTaH sadAham
    gatistvaM gatistvaM tvamekA bhavAnI || 8 ||

    When I am
    an orphan, or very poor, or affected by old age and disease,
    or terribly weakened or depressed, stiff with dullness (of mind and body),
    or meet with accidents that become critical,
    my refuge, my only refuge you are, BhavAnI!

    *****

    Audio link to rendition by Uma Mohan and Gayatri
    http://www.24listen.com/uma-mohan.html

    **********
    Last edited by saidevo; 29 November 2010 at 07:21 AM.
    रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
    ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥

    To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.

    --viShNu purANam

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