Tuesday 23 February 2021

Shivanandalahiri-1 (1-74)

 

https://shaivam.org/scripture/English-Translation/1433/shivanandalahari-by-adishankara-bhagavatpada-english-translation



Shivananda Lahari 

 

Let my salutations be dedicated , 
To those who are dedicated to art,, 
To them  who wear the moon in their head, 
To them  who are the personification of mutual penance, 
To them who teach  devotees  about the results of penance, 
To them  who grant only good to the three worlds, 
To them whose every memory  becomes newer and newer, 
To them  who are supremely happy due to their great knowledge, 
And to the result of mystic union of  Shiva and Shakthi. 
 
     2 
 
Oh Lord  Shambu who grants us happiness, 
Let these waves of ecstasy Of  Lord Shiva, 
Flowing from the holy history of yours, 
Calming the dusts of sin for ever, 
Rushing from the canals of wisdom, 
Falling in to the whirl pool of life, 
Dousing the fires of sorrow, 
Living in my hearts as senses, 
Be always victorious. 
 

I pray with all my heart, 
Him who is known by the three Vedas, 
Him who is pleasant to the mind, 
Him who destroyed  the three cities, 
Him who is first among every thing, 
Him who has all seeing three eyes, 
Him who carries the weight of matted lock, 
With eminence great, 
Him who wears the moving snake as necklace, 
Him who holds the jumping deer in his hand, 
Him who is greatest among devas, 
Him who shines with glitter, 
Him who has mercy on me, 
Him who is the lord of all beings, 
Him who is the only support to holy wisdom, 
Him who is always with my Goddess, 
And Him who is a great entertainer. 
 
     4 
 
Thousands of Gods abound, 
Offering trifling gifts to them who pray, 
And never even in my dreams would I pray. 
Or request gifts from them. 
To Shiva who is close to Vishnu, Brahma and other Gods, 
But who is difficult for them to near, 
I would beseech and beg always, 
For his lotus like feet. 
 
    5 
 
Ignoramus I am in the science of law, 
In the science of life, 
In the art of medicine, 
In  interpretation of  events, 
In the art of poems and song, 
In the difficult tomes of arty grammer, 
In the holy books of yore, 
In the psalms of Vedas. 
In singing about  your great deeds, 
In the art of dance and in art of comedy, 
And so how can I get favour of Kings? 
Oh Lord of all beings, 
Oh all knowing one, 
Of most famous one, 
And Oh , all pervading one, 
Tell me who am I? 
And be  pleased to  protect me , 
Showering on me your sea of mercy. 
 
   6 
 
This is the pot, no, this is only mud, 
This is the earth, no , it is only atom, 
This is the smoke, no, it is only fire, 
This is the cloth, no , it is only the thread, 
Can all this debate ever cure the cruel God of death? 
Vainly you give pain to your throat, 
By these torrent of words, 

Instead worship the lotus like feet of Shambu, 
Oh , intelligent one, and attain supreme happiness. 

 
       7 
 
Let the mind dwell on your two lotus like feet, 
Let my words  dwell on your praise, 
Let my two hands dwell on your worship, 
Let my ears dwell on hearing  your holy stories, 

Let my mind dwell meditating on you, 
Let my two eyes dwell on your beauty, 
And after this I do not find any  use, 
Of other great books to me, Oh supreme God? 
 
.     8 
 
Similar to the intellect calling, 
The shell as silver, 
The stones of glass as precious gems, 
Water mixed with flour as milk, 
The mirage as water, 
Oh God of all beings, 
The foolish ones worship, 
Other gods than you, 
Without thinking of you, 
Who is the  greatest God of all. 
 
.     9 
 
Searches and hunts the dim witted one, 
In the deep dark lake, 
In the lonely dangerous forest, 
And in  the broad high mountains 
For a flower to worship thee. 

It is a wonder, 
That these people do not know, 
To offer to you the single lotus, 
From the lake of ones own mind, 

Oh God who is the consort of Uma, 
And be happy at ones own place. 
 
    10 
 
Be it in a human form, 
Be it in the form of Gods, 
Be it in the form of animal, 
That wanders the forests and hills, 
Be it in the form of mosquito, 
Be it in the form of a domestic animal, 
Be it in the form of a worm, 
Be it in the form of flying birds, 
Or be it in any form whatsoever, 
If  always the mind is engaged  in play, 

Of meditation in thine lotus like feet, 
Which are the waves of supreme  bliss, 

Then what does it matter, 
Whatever body we have. 

    11 
 
Be it a celibate seeker of truth, 
Be it a man of the family, 
Be it a shaven headed seeker of truth, 
Be it the matted haired householder in the forest, 
Or be it one who is none of these, 
Hey, Lord of all beings, 
If his lotus heart is in your custody, Shambho, 
You would wholly become his, 
And help him to lift, 
This heavy burden of life. 
 
    12 
 
Be it in a cave, Be it in house, 
Be it outside, Be it in a forest, 
Be it in the top of a mountain, 
Be it in water, Be it in fire, 
Please tell, 

What does it matter, 
Where he lives? 
Always, if his inner mind, 
Rests on the feet of Shambhu, 
It is Yoga and He is the greatest Yogi 

And he will be happy forever.. 
 
    13 
 
In this useless worldly life, 
Which is unfit for real meditation, 
I the blind  and foolish one am always on the move, 
And it is only right for you  to protect me. 
Hey Lord of all beings, 
Who in this world is poorer, 
Than me to show your mercy? 
And which protector is there for me, 
In all these three worlds, 
Than you, who is an ace in protection of the poor? 
 
     14 
 
 
Lord and the only close relation, of  the poor, 
You are, Oh Lord of all beings, 
And what more needs  there to tell about the relation between us 
When I am the poorest among  the poor. 
You have to pardon all my sins, 
And my protection is to be done by your effort, 
For it is the only way between those who are related.. 
 
   15 
 
Indifferent you are my Lord, 
For no effort did you put to  wipe out, 
The letters of fate written on my head, 
Which makes me, 
Incapable of meditation on you, 

And filled with evil desires to the rim, 
Oh Lord, If you claim you cannot change these letters, 
How come you crushed the head of the creator, 
Which is very stable and can never be plucked, 
By the mere tip of your nails? 
 
     16 
 
Long live Brahma the creator. 
Let his four remaining heads, 
Be under your charge for protection. 
For was he not the one, 
Who wrote poverty on my head? 
Is there any need to worry about this?.. 
Oh , Lord who is crystal clear, 
And Lord who is all that is good, 
Your act of glancing which thirsts, 
At protecting the poor, 
Also tenderly protects me. 
 
  17 
 
He who is omnipresent, 
As of result of deeds which are good, 
Or as a result of your mercy on me, 
Oh Lord, You have appeared before me, 
But how can I see your pure holy feet, 
For they are not visible to me, 
Because of  the rubies  studded crowns, 
Of the crowds of Devas, 
Who are intent on bowing  and worshipping thine feet? 
 
    18 
 
You alone grant great blessings and holy status, 
To the common people of the world, 
But carrying the holy position, 
Granted by thy kindness great, 
Vishnu and others pray you always, 
For getting more and more such positions great . 
Your grace my Lord is immeasurable 
And my desire too is immeasurable, 
And so when are you taking up the job, 
Of protecting me by your merciful glance? 
 
   19 
 
I am caught in the whirlpool of life, 
Filled with  desires that are evil, 
Taking one to the door of evil masters, 
That  which always end in evil, 
That which is store house of sins, 
And that which always leads to sorrow. 
Are you not giving solace from my mire of  sorrow, 
So that the letters written by Brahma are true, 
Ne pleased to tell, my Lord. 
If this is your grace and affection, Oh Lord, 
We indeed are more than fulfilled. 
 
   20 
 
Oh Lord Shiva, who is every where, 
Wanders my mind always in the forest of evil desires, 
It dances ,always on the mountain of  breasts of young maids, 
And it wanders at its will on all four directions, 
From the branches to branches of desires, 
Oh Lord who bears the skull for begging, 
Be pleased to take under your control, 
My mind that like a monkey, 
Wanders without control in all directions, 
And tie it with the rope of your affection. 


     21 
 
Oh killer of the god of love, 
With courage as central pillars, 
Tied by the ropes of determination, 
This pretty ,lotus shaped, 
Mobile crystal clean white  tent house of my mind, 
Which is built daily anew, 
In  the good spotless path, 
May please be occupied by you with Shakthi, 
Oh All pervading one who is  served by your Ganas, 
And oh , Lord, may you be victorious. 
 
       22 
 
Filled with avarice and jealousy, 
Intent on stealing other’s wealth, 
Trying to enter the houses of the rich, 
This my mind in many ways is wandering, 
Oh lord of all thieves. 
How will I ever tolerate, 
This mind which is a thief, 
Sankara .who is every where? 
So take it under your control, 
And show  mercy on this innocent one. 
 
    23 
 
Perform of I your worship, 
And you appear before me soon, 
And you become granter all pleasures to me , 
Oh Lord who is everywhere. 
But if you grant the position of creator, 
Or the position of  Lord Vishnu instead, 
As a reward for my worship, 
Then I would have to become a bird and fly in the sky, 
Or Become an animal and dig deep in the earth, 
To see you again my Lord. 
How can I bear this sorrow of not seeing you, 
Oh Lord Sankara who is everywhere. 
 
    24 
 
When would I live in  Mount Kailas, 
Along with your attendants, 
In the stone studded golden mansion of yours, 
Oh God who is the giver of happiness 
With hands raised and clasped, 
In deference to you,  
Oh Lord, who is every where, 
Oh Lord Who is with Goddess, 
Oh God who is the master, 
Oh God who is above all, 
Oh God  who is good, 
And chant with pleasure. 
“Oh God save me”, 
And spend the  time, 
As if the creators Kalpa (1) is a second. 
 
 
     25 
 
When will I see Him, 
Who is praised by Brhama and other Gods, 
Who is surrounded by ascetics chanting “Victory, Victory”, 
Who is crowded by  the jesting and playing attendants, 
Who Sits  on the hump of the fat rutting bull, 
Who has  blue neck and three eyes, 
Who is embraced by his consort Uma, 
And who has the deer  and hatchet in his hand. 
 
    26 
 
When will I  see thine  holy pair of feet, 
Oh king of the mountains, 
And be able to hold it  ,carry it on the head, eyes and chest, 
Embrace it, smell the scent of lotus flowers from it, 
And attain rapturous ecstacy, 
Which even Brahma and others do not get. 
 
    27 
 
In your hands is the Golden mountain, 
Near you is the Lord of Riches, 
In your house is the wish giving tree, 
The Cow which grants everything, 
The precious stone fulfilling , 
Any wish that enters your mind, 
And such many others, 
On your head is the moon with cool rays, 
And all the good in the world  is always on your feet, 
And so what can slave offer  you my Lord, 
Except my mind which can be given as the offering. 
 
  28 
 
The Mukthi of  my becoming you is in thine worship, 
The Mukthi of  my coming near you is in singing, 
About you and calling you “Hey , Shiva” and “Hey Madhava” 
The Mukthi of living with you is in sweet conversation, 
With thine devotees , who in their mind live with you, 
The Mukthi of forever mixing with you is in thinking, 

For ever of your moving and stable form which is the universe, 
And so I get all these in this birth itself, 
Oh God who is the consort of  Bhavani, 
I am thankful to you for all these. 
 
   29 
 
I offer devotions to thine lotus like feet, 
I meditate on thee who is the greatest, 
I seek thy refuge, Oh my Lord, 
And by my words I beg from you, Oh Vibhu, 
To bless me with the merciful divine sight, 
Which is always sought by the Gods, 
Oh teacher of the universe, 
Teach me the way of the lesson happy living. 
 
    30 
 
Like Sun I do not have, 
Thousand rayed hands to dress your holy icon, 
Like Vishnu  I do not have ability , 
To worship thee who is every where, 
Like God of Wind ,I don’t have ability, 
To spread incense of sandal and the like, 
And serve you in the most better way, 
Like Indra who presides over  Fire, I don’t have the ability, 
To cook and offer you food, 
I don’t have the ability of Hiranya Grabha, 
To offer you vessels of Gold, 
Oh God, who wears the young crescent, 
Oh God of all beings, 
Oh God who is the Lord of us all, 
And Oh God who is teacher of  all the three worlds, 
If only I had all these, 
I would have ability to serve you in a better way. 
 
    31 
 
Oh lord of all beings, 
Is not your one and only one great help sufficient? 
For with a view to give protection, 
To those beings which are movable and immovable, 
And which are placed inside thine belly, 
And also to those who are placed outside, 
The ultra fire producing and fearful herbal poison, 
Which makes all the devas flee in fright, 
Has been stopped by you  in your neck itself. 
It is neither swallowed nor spit out! 
 

   32 
 
How was the fierce flame like poison  
Which made, all the courageous devas fear, 
Seen by you , my Lord? 
Was that fire carried  in your hand, 
Did it appear like the fully ripe plum  fruit to you? 
Was it not kept on your tongue, 
Did it appear as pills from the Siddha doctor? 
Was it not worn in your neck, 
Did it appear like a blue gem ornament to you? 
Oh , Shmabhu the great one , be pleased to tell. 
 
     33. 
 
Is it not sufficient oh, God of Gods, 
For attaining liberation for people like me-, 
To do  either service to you, Salutations to you, 
Singing about you, Worshipping you, 
Meditating on you, hearing your stories, 
Or seeing you once . 
What other liberation is there at all? 
If I can attain liberation by these, 
What else should I wish for? 
What would I get by  getting tired, 
By following other unstable gods? 
 
  34 
 
Who can ever estimate thine valour, Pasupathe? 
Who has the courage that you have, Oh Shambhu? 
How can any one else attain thine state of mind? 
While all devas loose their stability, 
While all the crowd of sages tremble, 
When  the world is destroyed. 
At the end of all-the great deluge, 
You in solitude , fearlessly carry on thine play, 
In intense rapture and pleasure. 
 
    35 
 
Engaged in gathering and preservation, 
And giving  of all the good things in life, 
Teacher great of the known and the unknown, 
Who has spread within and without, 
Knower of all that is to be known, 
And doer of all possible mercies, 
What is there for me to tell you? 
I daily think in my mind, 
That you are very close to my mind, 
And you are doer of god to me. Oh Lord Shambhu. 
 
    36 
 
Oh Lord , who is with your consort, 
I who am the devotee, 
Having tied the thread of devotion, 
Filled with water of  happiness, 
In the pot of my mind which is golden clear, 
Have kept the mango leaves of your feet, 
And the coconut of real knowledge, 
And chant the holy peaceful  five lettered Manthra 
And am purifying this body which carries my soul, 
And am searching  good things  which are pleasant to the mind, 
And thus  performing this ceremony of purification.. 
 
    37 
 
The crowd of  good minded people, 
Are churning the ocean of Vedas with dedication, 
Using the rope of  stable devotion , 
And the churning stick  of the attentive mind, 
And get from it , the Lord with Uma , his consort, 
Who is like the wish giving tree, 
Who is like the wish yielding Kamadhenu, 
Who is like the wish yielding gem , Chintamani, 
Who for the knowledgeable is like the stable nectar of happiness, 
And permanent granter of all luck given by Rema. 
 
     38 
   
   THIS SLOKA HAS TWO MEANINGS AND COULD BE TAKEN TO MEAN LORD SHIVA  
OR THE MOON IN THE SKY.BOTH ARE GIVEN BELOW        
 
Obtained through the path of  mountain like good deeds, 
Personification of happiness and nectar divine 
Doer of good, who holds deer in his hand, 
Who is complete and who removes the darkness of ignorance, 
Who is seen clearly by the mind and who is with his consort Uma, 
If  he is then, 
Sea of happiness would raise royally within ourselves, 
And Good people like us will know how to live. 
                             Or 
Seen through the holy mountain in the east, 
Personification of clarity and white nectar,, 
Doer of good who is served by the stars, 
Who is full and who removes darkness of night, 
Who is Soma the moon and who is seen in the sky 
If he is then, 
The sea would be  raised by him  royally, 
And he would help the flowers to open. 
 
   39 
 
Since the only emperor who is Lord Shiva, 
Who is respected and royal, 
Sits in the city of the lotus of mind, 
The four legged Dharma (2) is well observed, 
The Sins attain their last, 
Passion anger and arrogance have gone away, 
The seasons do only good, 
And the royal curative crop of  happiness and  knowledge gives good yield. 
 
     40 
 
Irrigated  using  the machinery of wisdom, 
Using the pot of words, 
Brought through the canals and sub canal of poems, 
The nectar like water of  the story of Sadashiva, 
Would make the crop of devotion growing in the field of heart,  
Bloom.and give heavy yield. 
And so god of gods who is the god of universe, 
How can this servant of yours fear famine ever. 
 
   41 

To get released  from the tragedy of sin, 
And to taste the immortal wealth, 
Oh Lord who has won over death, 
The Tongue, mind,  head, legs , hands, eyes and ears of mine, 
Each request me respectively , 
To do thine praise, to meditate on you, 
To bow before thy great self, 
To go round and round you, 
To see you soulfully and clearly, 
And to hear thine praise and stories, 
So please be kind to order me to do the above, Oh Lord, 
And also again and again remind me to do these, 
And please do not be mute with me for any reason. 
 
  42 
 
Oh Lord, who likes to live in an unapproachable fort (3), 
With fathomless mind as its moat, 
With strong determined courage as its walls, 
With outstanding good qualities as its friendly army, 
With the inlets of strong senses as its gates, 
With immeasurable knowledge as its wealth, 
And thus blessed with all that is needed, 
Is the  fort of my mind, 
And so be pleased to  live here forever. 
 
    43 
 
Don’t go here and there, Oh God of mountains, 
And please  my lord  always  live in me, 
For Oh primeval hunter, within  the limits  
Of the dreary forest of my mind, 
Live many wild rutted animals like envy , delusion and others, 
And you can kill and play thine sport of hunting, 
And enjoy there yourself. 
 
 44 
 
THIS SLOKA HAS TWO MEANINGS AND COULD BE TAKEN TO MEAN LORD SHIVA  
OR THE LION  IN THE CAVE.BOTH ARE GIVEN BELOW        
 
 
He who has the deer in his hand, 
He who killed Gajasura, 
He who cut  cruel Vyagrasura in to pieces, 
He who makes all beings to merge in Him, 
He who is the lord of the mountains, 
He who has a white body, 
And he who has five faces, 
Lives in the cave of my mind, 
And how will fear ever come to me? 
 
                    OR 
  
The being that holds the deer in its hand, 
The being that kills wild elephants, 
The being that can kill the ferocious tiger, 
The being that can kill all other beings, 
The being that is the Lord of the mountains, 
The being that has a bright body, 
The being that is called Lion, 
Lives in the cave of my mind, 
And how will fear ever come to me? 
 
   45 
 
Hey mind , which is the greatest bird, 
In the tree with parts of Vedas as branches, 
With Upanishads as its crown, 
Being served by learned Brahmins as birds, 
Which is indestructible, 
Which gives pleasure giving joy, 
Which destroys sorrow, 
Whose fruits give out nectar as its juice, 
And that which shines for ever, 
Exists  the two lotus feet of Sankara as cage. 
Live in there iand daily play, 
And stop your wanderings forever. 
Suffice this wanderings of yours. 
 
 
   46 
 
Oh mind , the king of swans, 
Live secretly  along with damsels of devotion to God, 
In the house of lotus feet of the Lord of Girija 
Filled with the luster of rows of nails of the lord, 
Glistening with glorious tides of nectar , 
Made pretty red by  bright red rubies, 
Surrounded by ascetics who are like swans, 
And live as you like with peace. 
 
  47 
 
In the season of spring of meditation on Shambhu, 
In the garden of the heart, 
The dried leaves of sin fall off, 
The throng of creepers of devotion glow, 
The leaf buds of good action appear, 
The flower bud of good character,  
The flowers of prayer, 
The heavenly scent of good deeds,  
The flow of honey like ambrosia of  joy of knowledge, 
And the fruit of knowledgeable experience glow. 
 
     48 
 
 
Filled with water of perennial happiness, 
Seat of  the lotus like heart of sages and devas, 
Clear and approached  by the birds of good people, 
That which removes the dirt of sins, 
Which emits the smell of goodness, 
And which is the lake of meditation of Shiva, 
May be reached permanently by you, 
Of  mind which is the best of swans, 
Why instead go and reach, 
This small puddle of common world which is the resort of the mean,, 
And suffer the strains of aimless travel. 
  
     49 
 
 
Irrigated by the water of joy which is like nectar, 
And sprouted  from the devotion to the lotus feet of Shiva, 
This creeper of devotion  would catch on the branches of the firm character, 
And climb and spread on the high frame of mind  
Which has branches and sub branches, 
And grow luxuriantly with sinless actions  and deeds of devotion, 
And give  me daily for ever the sweet fruit of salvation, 
Which is sweet to the mind. 
 
     50 
 
 
THIS SLOKA HAS TWO MEANINGS AND COULD BE TAKEN TO MEAN LORD SHIVA  
OR SWEET FLOWER OF JASMINE.BOTH ARE GIVEN BELOW        
 
He who enjoys dancing in the evening. 
He who lives in the Upanishads , 
Which are in the end of Vedas, 
He who is very handsome, 
Because he is deeply in love with Bramarambika, (4) 
He who always has the scent of devotion of  sages, 
He who wears king of snakes as ornament, 
He who is worshipped by all with good mind, 
He who is known for his good qualities, 
He who is in the embrace of Parvathy, 
And He , the Mallikarjuna (5) who lives atop the Srigiri(6) , 
Would be served by me. 
                                          OR 
 
That whose flower opens in the evenings, 
That which is worn on the head over the ears, 
That which is followed by sweet pretty bees, 
That which for ever has sweet scent, 
That which decorates the pleasure loving, 
That which is rated the best among flowers, 
That which glistens because of beauty and scent, 
That which is liked by Goddess Parvathy, 
And that which decorates the God Mallikarjuna, 
Who lives atop Srigiri , 
Would be approached by me 
 
   51 
 
THIS SLOKA HAS TWO MEANINGS AND COULD BE TAKEN TO MEAN LORD SHIVA  
OR THE BEE.BOTH ARE GIVEN BELOW        
 
May he who likes to dance, 
As per the wish of sage Bhringi, 
May he who tamed Gajasura, 
May he whose joy increased, 
On seeing Vishnu in Mohini form, 
May he who is the holy sound, 
May he whose mien  is crystal white, 
May he who was slaved by the arrow, 
Of the God of love, 
May he who is interested in saving good people, 
May he who lives in the Sri Shaila mountain, 
May he who is everywhere, 
And may he who is the consort of Goddess Bramarambika, 
Appear before me and play in the lotus of my mind. 
 
                                              OR 
May that which likes to dance , 
As per the wish of the female bee, 
May that which drinks the oozing rut from the elephant, 
May that that whose joy increased, 
On seeing the season of spring, 
May that which makes sound, 
May that with a jet black body, 
May that which is like by the God of love, 
May that which likes a flowering garden, 
May that which likes to live in pretty  mountain, 
May that which can travel everywhere, 
And may that holy male bee, 
Appear and dance on seeing the lotus of my mind. 
 
   52 
 
THIS SLOKA HAS TWO MEANINGS AND COULD BE TAKEN TO MEAN LORD SHIVA  
OR THE CLOUD.BOTH ARE GIVEN BELOW        
 
Hey Shambho , Hey God who has blue neck, 
Who showers the nectar like mercy, 
Who wants to cure painful aches of the mind, 
Which are like the trouble caused by heat in summer, 
Who is served by the good, 
Wishing for a heavy harvest of the plant of knowledge, 
Who can take any form, 
Who has devotees who dance like the peacock, 
Who lives on mountains, 
And who has the waving tuft of hair, 
My mind which is the Chataka bird, 
Desires for  you always, 
  
                                        OR 
Hey blue cloud , Hey harbinger of good, 
Who showers  the nectar like rain laced with mercy, 
Who likes to cure the aches of hot summer, 
Who  is loved by the farmers, 
Wishing for a heavy crop, 
Who can assume any form, 
Who has several peacocks dancing, 
Who is stopped by the mountains, 
And who has several waves of lightning, 
My mind which is the Chataka bird, 
Always desires for you. 

I serve and worship that Lord, 
Who has the blue sky as the plume, 
Who has thousands of eyes, 
Like Adisesha  who is the lord of snakes, 
Who teaches Pranava to those who bow, 
With blessings and wishes, 
Who is sung about like the peacock, 
Which sings “Ke” –“Ki”, 
Who dances with joy, 
On seeing cloud coloured Goddess Parvathy, 
Who likes to play in the garden of Vedantha, 
And who has a blue neck like the peacock. 
 
     54 
 
I pray the blue necked God who is like a peacock. 
Whose  glittering dance excels, 
Done in the  dusk in  the end of summer, 
With drum beats from the hands of Vishnu, 
Like the thunder of the clouds, 
With the shifting sights of Devas, 
Like the bright changing lightning, 
With the happy  tears from eyes of devotees, 
Like the rainfall from the sky, 
And in front of Goddess Parvathy who is  like the pea hen. 
 
    55 
 
To whom who is the first, 
To whom who has great luster, 
To whom who is known by the Vedas, 
To whom who is possible to be known, 
To whom who is of the form of knowledge and happiness, 
To whom who is interested in saving the three worlds, 
To whom who is  meditated on  by all Yogis, 
To whom who is sung about by Devas, 
To whom who keeps illusion with him, 
To whom who is interested in vigorous dance, 
To whom who has a matted lock, 
And to whom who is personification of good, 
Are my prostrations. 
 
   56 
 
To whom who is forever, 
To whom who is the soul of the holy trinity, 
To whom who won over the three cities, 
To whom who is the fame of Kathyayani, 
To whom who is personification of truth, 
To whom who was the first to have  family, 
To whom who appears before mind of sages, 
To whom who created the three worlds by illusion, 
To whom who is at the end of all Vedas, 
To  whom who enjoys dancing in the evening, 
To whom who wears the matted lock, 
To whom who is lord Shambhu., 
Are my prostrations. 
 
 57 
 
Always For filling my stomach, 
And desirous of becoming rich. 
Many I have contacted, 
And have traveled without aim, 
But knew not service to you, 
Oh all pervading one. 
Oh, Lord of all beings, 
Oh . Lord who wipes away sin of his devotees, 
Because of the good that I did in my previous birth, 
Knew I, that you are within all beings, 
And so I become fit to  be saved by you. 
 
 58 
 
The sun , the friend of the lotus, 
Tearing the darkness pervading in sky and earth. 
Becomes visible to the eye, 
But you having the luster of billions of suns, 
Are not known to me. 
Alas! the darkness of ignorance, 
Surrounding me  must be very dense! 
Oh , Lord of all beings, 
Remove all that darkness, 
And become really visible to me. 
 
     59 
 
Oh Lord of all beings, Oh Consort of  Goddess Gowri (7), 
Oh all pervading one, 
Just like the swan desires the cluster of lotus flowers, 
Just like the Chataka (8) bird intensely longs for the blue dark cloud, 
Just like the Chakravaka (9) bird  longs for Sun, the Lord of lotus flowers, 
And just like the Chakora (10) bird longs for the moon every day, 

My mind longs for thine pair of lotus like feet, 
Which can be searched only by path of  knowledge, 
And which bestows the bliss of emancipation. 

 
 60 
 
Just like the man dragged by flood  longs for the bank, 
Just like the tired traveler longs for the tree shade, 
Just like the one who is afraid of rain longs  for a pleasant home, 
Just like the traveling guest longs for the sight of hospitable householder, 
Just like the poor  longs for the charitable rich, 
Just like the one terrified by darkness longs for the light, 
And just like one suffering from biting cold longs for the open fire, 
Oh my mind, you long for the lotus feet of Shambhu. 
Which removes all fears and phobias and gives pleasure. 
 
      61 
 
Like the real seed progeny reaches for the mother ankola tree, 
Like the iron needle reaches for the load stone. 
Like the chaste woman reaches for  her lord, 
Like the tender creeper reaches for near by trees, 

Like the river reaches for the sea, 

If the spirit of the mind, 
Reaches for the lotus feet of Pasupathi, 

And stays there always,  

Then that state is called devotion

 
         62 
 
Oh Lord, the mother called devotion, 
Bathes  with tears of joy and feels enthralled, 
Dresses she using the clean and pure mind, 
Feeds and fills up the belly she with the nectar of your stories, 
Found in words at the tip of the conch like vessel, 
Protects she the body with Rudraksha and ash as amulets, 
And takes care of  the devotee child, 
Placed in the cradle of  Your memory. 
 
      63 
 
The way faring sandals become the kusa crown of Pasupathi, 
The gargled mouthful of water become the holy water of bath , 
To him who destroyed the three cities, 
The just tasted pieces of the remaining meat , 
Become the holy offering  to the Lord, 
And wonder of wonders, the hunter who lives in the forest  
Becomes the king of devotees. 
What is there in this world  that devotion to the Lord cannot do? 
 
(This sloka refers to the devotion shown by Kannappa a hunter 
devotee of Lord Shiva. In the forest he used to remove his sandals and place it  
on the top of the idol, bring water in his mouth to bathe the idol and offer to the lord  
the meat pieces which he found were tasty.) 

Hey , Consort of Gowri, 
Your tiny tender pair of feet is engaged, 
In kicking at the chest of God of Death, 
In trampling over hard hearted Apasmara, 
In traveling on the mountains, 
And in being beside the crowns on the heads of Devas, 
Who prostrate before you. 
Oh, Lord Shambhu, 
Always recognize and be pleased to wear, 
The gem studded shoes of my mind and travel. 
 
    65 
 
Nothing impossible is there to attain, 
For him who sings about your holy feet, 
Oh consort of Bhavani, 
For the god of death runs away, 
Afraid of the kick from the Lord’s feet, 
The lights shining in those jeweled tiara, 
Of  all the devas shows the offering of the camphor light, 
And the pretty bride called liberation, 
Folds him in tight embrace, 
As soon as she sees him. 
 
   66 
 
 
Oh bestower of happiness, 
You create the world for your sport, 
All the people there  are but animal toys to you, 
All that I do is for  your pleasure, 
And it is true that all my actions are instrument fine. 
For the pleasure of your devotees, 
So, Lord of All beings, 
My protection  should indeed be done by you. 
 
           67 
 
I  seek refuge in meditation on the eternal Sadashiva 
Which is the pretty land that  can grow, 
Vivid types of joy, pleasure full copious tears, 
And real innate thrills in life, 
Which is also the eternal stable state, 
And which is sought by people searching for fruits, 
 
        68 
 
Oh, store house of mercy, Oh, Lord of all beings, 
Please be kind enough to look after, 
The cow of my devotion to you, 
Which constantly yields the ambrosia of happiness, 
Which lives in the stable of your feet, 
And which is the result of great and good deeds. 
     69 
 
Idiocy , irrationality , blemishes, 
And crooked gait , I do not have., Oh Lord, 
And if I had , Lord with moon as a crown, 
Perhaps I would be suitable as an ornament to you 
 
               Or in more detail 
 
Inanimate skin of the tiger, 
The deer which is not rational, 
The moon which is blemished, 
The serpent which  has a crooked gait, 
Are all worn by you as ornament, 
Oh Lord  who wears the crown with moon, 
And by misfortune, I do not posses, 
Any quality such as  this. 
If but I had, I may perhaps be, 
Suitable as your ornament. 
 
    70 
 
In public and in secret, 
And with independent intellect, 
You are suitable to be worshipped. 
Oh Lord ,who is pinnacle of graciousness, 
And oh my Lord ,who can grant countless blessings, 
So more than the impermanent world, 
You ,the lord with the moon, 
Is  always in my heart. 
 
       71 
 
With the bow string of  peak devotion, 
With the bow of meditation
With memory of Shiva as the collection of arrows, 
Which never gets depleted, 
The best among the intellects, 
Becomes victorious after winning, 
Over the enemies called sin, 
And attains the stable kingdom of  heaven. 
 
     72 
 
Having located with the magic collyrium of meditation, 
Having thrown light and destroyed darkness, 
Using the chanting of the name of the Lord, 
If any one can bring to the top, 
Your lotus feet with serpentine ornaments, 
Which is worshipped by devas  by the great sacrifice, 
Of repetition of your great story, 
They attain the meaning of life. 
 
      73 
 
Oh  good mind of mine, 
Do the chanting of the names, 
Of the lotus feet of the God of universe, 
In search of  which even lord Vishnu, 
Who has Lakshmi and Goddess Earth as consorts, 
Took the form of a wild boar, 
And  which is the fertile land, 
In which the panacea giving salvation  from life grows. 
What else great can you attain in this world? 
 
      74 
 
Engaged in removing by the ceaseless divine smell, 
The desire, bondage, suffering and bad conduct within us, 
Is the lotus feet of Him who wears the ether as garment, 
And so let the box of my  mind may be bestowed with divine fragrance. 
 

cont part 2
 

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