Line by Line summarized meaning of the sanskrit verses in Shivananda Lahari discourse
Day 1 – July 27 – verse 1 and 2
Shivananda Lahari is the sacred grantha. It was composed in Srisailam. Shiva is ananda; anandam is Shiva. As Adi Shankaracharya was in Srisailam, the first 27 verses are in the shikharini avritti- starting from the Shikhara. This Shivananda Lahari is a very special composition that showers bliss.
It is the tradition to refer to the dharma patni’s name before the Lord’s name-that is why we say Sitarama, Parvati Parameshwara. At the beginning obeisance should be offered to God and then the task should be begun. So Adi Shankaracharya thought whom to pray to at first- mother or father? Very cleverly he decided to pray to both of them together- dampati- this reflects their ardha nārīshwara tattva.
When composing Soundarya Lahari, the text about the Divine Mother, very tactfully he began with reference to Shiva- Shiva shaktya yukto…
Here Shivānanda lahari he begins with reference to Divine Mother- Kaḷābhyām. Kaḷa refers to the feminine form. Shiva is the masculine form. Bhyām refers to the ‘dual force’. These two words are enough to prove that shiva and shakti are one and the same.
Verse 1
The first stanza offers obeisance to the Lord who is the Ardhanarishwara form.
Kalābhyām choodālankrutha śaśi kalābhyām nija thapah-
Phalābhyām bhaktheṡu prakatita phalābhyām bhavathu me
Shivābhyām asthoka tri bhuvana shivābhyām hridi punah-
Bhavābhyam ānanda sphurad anubhavābhyām natiriyam
Natiriyam- iyam natih: I offer my obeisance to this holy couple, who are Kaḷābhyām – forms of supreme Jnana.
Both of them are Kaḷa. Kaḷa means knowledge. There is a significant reason to begin this entire hymn with the word – ka. The Shodashi vidya (16 syllable mantra of the Divine Mother) begins with the word ‘ka’ – ka adi vidya.
Chūdalaṇkrta sashikaḷabhyam – who adorn their forehead with the crescent moon (śaśi).
Shiva removes the impurities (dosha) from the moon and then adorns it on his forehead. In the similar manner, as Sadguru, he removes our impurities and adorns us on his forehead.
Nijatapah phalabhyām – who obtained each other as a result (phala) of their respective intense penance (nija tapah).
Shiva and Parvati found each other only due to severe penance performed by each of them and not due to some matrimonial advertisement. To see God we should have the single minded focus. In our heart the thought of having His darshana, meeting Him should exist. This tapana is penance.
Bhaktēśu prakatita phalābhyām – who reward devotees in accordance with what they can be blessed with.
They are the kalpavriksha- wish fulfilling tree that fulfills every desire of the devotee. We desire almost everything not knowing whether we have the eligibility to attain it or not. We have no idea of our punya balance in our account.
Bhavatu me Shivābhyām – O Shiva and Shivā, please bless me.
Shivābhyam is a beautiful word that joins Shiva- the masculine form and Shivā the feminine form (Devi).
Shiva is Lord Shiva. Shivā means Devi. This shows the abheda between them. This word is of extreme importance. Just uttering this word dispels ignorance and sorrows. Just thinking of this word is enough to shower rewards.
Shiva, Rama, Krishna are the crown jewels amongst all namas of the Lord. These two syllables names contain a lot of merit of the Lord. We should have the complete faith and love that the Lord will protect us.
Astoka tribhuvana Shivābhyām – Who shower auspiciousness upon the countless (astoka, innumerable) tribhuvanas (the three worlds).
Shiva means auspiciousness. We need bliss and hence we ask them to shower this bliss upon us. We do not know if we have done enough penance to acquire bliss. But yet we seek their blessings.
Hrdi punar bhavābhyām – who emerge again and again in my heart.
This reflects their compassion and consideration upon us. When the mind focuses upon them, they instantly appear in the heart without any delay. But the mind always wanders and thus loses focus. Once again when it focuses upon them, they once again re-appear. How does this happen? This is because they are actually residing within our heart. It is our mind which is drifting away from them time and again. Towards seeing their divine form, we should increase our dhyana.
Ananda sphurad anubhavābhyām – Who are nothing but the flashes of bliss (ananda) experienced by me.
This the result of having the vision of their divine form. Bliss that is enjoyed during dhyana is itself their true form. This is the proof that they reside within us.
Verse 2
This verse explains the location of this Shivananda Lahari within us and is a prayer to the Lord to retain the flow of Shivananda eternally in us. It also explains who is eligible to recite this prayer.
Galantī shambho tvacharita-saritah kilbhisharajou-
Daḷantī dhikulya-saraniśu patantī vijayatām
Diśanti samsāra-bramana paritāpopa-śamanam,
Vasanti machetō hrida-bhuvi Shivananda Lahari.
Gaḷantī Shambhō tvacharita saritah – O Shambō! This Shivananda Lahari trickles (gaḷanam) and flows in all those places where You have moved about or where Your charitra exists.
Sham bhavayateeti shambhō – Shambhu is the Lord who emerges at all those places where good thoughts exist or where good deeds are performed.
Kiḷbiśa rajō daḷanti – washing away (dalanti) all the impurities (kilbiśa) that exists there.
Dhīkulyā saraniśu patantī- it (shiva ananda) overflows (patanti) breaking through the dam (dhikulya) and drenches us completely.
Here buddhi is the dam/ wall. Kulya means wall.
Disśanti samsāra bhramaṇa paritāpōpa śamaṇam – This flow of ananda gives complete rest (vishranti) to the person who is extremely tired of this revolving (bhramana) in this samsara.
Dhyana gives the person the rest needed.
Vasanti macchedō hrda bhuvi – All the flow of bliss is accumulated (vasanti, reside) in this lake called heart (hrda).
In our body, this Shivananda lahari flows from the Sahasrara. Through our breath, we are bringing this flow from the Sahasrara down into us. In the buddhi we have built a wall. It flows over this wall and flows through the Ida pingala Nadis and reaches the lake called heart. We are going to discuss about this Shivananda lahari that exists inherently in our heart. Therefore everyone who has a heart, including insects, is eligible for enjoying this Shivananda Lahari.
Vijayatām – Bless me with this victory, O Lord. May such flow of Shivananda be ever victorious.
It is said that Bhagavadpadacharya wanted to write a commentary about Lalita Sahasranama. So he asked his disiciple to fetch the palm leaf booklet that contained Lalita Sahasranama. The palm leaf books did not have any name written on it. The boy got him a booklet which he felt was correct. When Bhagavad pada opened it, it was Vishnu Sahasranama. He felt that it was not a right sign and so again on another day he asked the boy to fetch the Lalita Sahasranama booklet. This time again the boy returned with the Vishnu Sahasranama book. Like this it happened thrice. Shankara Bhagavad pada understood that it was the Lord’s intent that he should write the commentary for Vishnu Sahasranama and so he proceeded with it. At a later date he composed the Soundarya Lahari- a supreme compostion about Mother Goddess which contains the essence of the Lalita Sahasranama.