Line by Line summarized meaning of the sanskrit verses in Shivananda Lahari discourse
Day 34 – September 4 – verse 92 – 100
Verse 92
This is a prayer to the Lord to remove all bad qualities in us through His benevolent glance (sat katāksha). Yoga means to see good, speak good and think good. These 3 are the first 3 steps in yoga. They are also the final 4 steps of yoga. It is very important to wash away our impurities and develop good qualities.
Doorikrutāni duritāni duraksharāṇi,
Daurbhāgya-dukha-durahamkruti-durvachāmsi,
Sāram twadeeya charitam nitharām pibantam,
Gowrīśa māmiha samuddhara satkatākśaih
Duritāni duraksharāṇi – all my bad qualities, bad acquisitions, bad fate
Daurbhāgya-dukha-durahamkruti-durvachāmsi – bad luck, sorrows, egotism and bad words (evil speech)
Bad luck means ‘not to think of God. Not to have the thought of singing His glories, not to have His darshan’ etc.
Doorikrutāni – have been washed away/ driven away from me
Durahamkara is extreme ego; the thought that the person is superior to everyone else around. In front of this durahamkara even a mad elephant appears small. In its final stages, this durahamkara takes the person to the stage wherein he refuses to accept the glory of God and His greatness. He refuses to believe in the existence of God.
Sāram twadeeya charitam nitharām pibantam – I have been drinking and digesting the nectar called your stories eternally
We should listen to the stories of God and try to digest them. In other words we should recollect them and understand their essence. There is no use in simply listening/ reading Sundara kanda; we should try to assimilate the essence contained in it.
Gowrīśa māmiha samuddhara satkatākśaih – O husband of Gowri, may Your benevolent glance fall upon me and uplift me.
All Datta bhaktas should aim to become ornaments that adorn Sadguru. This happens when our impurities are washed away. We should develop good qualities.
We are now entering the Arya vritta or aryā Geeta (chandas).
Verse 93
May my mind be eternally focused on the Lord. May my heart merge into His.
Soma-kalādhāra-mouḷou,
Komala-ghana-kandhare mahā mahasi,
Swamini girijānāthe,
Māmaka-hrudayam nirantaram ramatām.
Soma-kalādhāra-mouḷou – O Lord who has retained the Moon (soma kalā) on the forehead
Shiva is a great yogi. Sadguru is Shiva and Shiva is Sadguru. By retaining the moon on His forehead, He is exhibiting externally to us, what is actually inside Him. Through this He is teaching us to make attempts to see the moon who is within us.
Someone asked – if the moon, that is visible to us is the one that Lord Shiva adorns on His forehead, then where is the Lord’s face; where are His eyes; where is His stomach and where are His feet? The truth is – this is not the moon retained by the Lord. The moon has 15 phases. Apart from this there is one more phase – the 16th one – which has an impurity (dosha) in it. The Lord has retained this 16th phase on His forehead and through this He has removed all impurities from the moon.
In us, yoga removes all our impurities. If impurities are still seen in us, it means that we are not performing yoga Sadhana. We should check daily if we have made any spiritual progress.
Komala-ghana-kandhare – who possesses a neck that is like a tender black cloud (neelakanta, kandhara)
Mahā mahasi – who is the greatest illumination;
Who is the illumination to the illumination itself. He is the param jyoti.
It is said that when a lamp is lit without taking into account the caste factor then it will bestow parama jyoti. A person creates the mud lamp, another fetches it, yet another person brings the oil, another prepares the wick, another arranges the wicks in the lamp and pours the oil, and yet another comes forward and lights it. None of these people are worried about the caste of the other persons around them. God should be seen in the form of illumination. The param jyoti is above all caste differences.
Upasana or upanyasa is normally begun after lighting a lamp. The person giving the upanyasa believes that God is present in the lamp; it does not matter whether the audience is present there or not.
Aṇor aneeyām mahato maheeyam– he is smaller than even the sub atomic particle.
Explaining about mouna, Appaji had explained that white clothing and white surrounding are mandatory for mouna practice. White colour assumes great importance in kriya yoga practice too. This white colour symbolizes illumination (jyoti).
Once a teacher asked a student – which is the greatest illumination in this world? ‘Sun’- the student replied. ‘But that’s during daytime. What about night?’ the teacher asked. ‘Then it is the moon’ came the reply. ‘What happens when the moon is missing’ asked the teacher. ‘oh then its agni’. ‘what happens when agni is not there’ asked the teacher. ‘then it must be the stars’ the student replied. ‘ok, what happens when the stars are not to be seen as on the amavasya (new moon) night” asked the teacher. ‘Oh, since it is my eye which is showing me all this illumination, my eye is the greatest illumination” replied the student. ‘think deeply. Is it your eye which is seeing?’ asked the teacher. ‘no, I am seeing using my eye as a medium’ replied the student. ‘what is the meaning of I?’ the teacher questioned. The student closed his eyes and thought deeply – Then it means the god within me is the illumination’ .
‘Yes, He is the greatest illumination” replied the teacher.
God is light and lite as well.
Swamini girijānāthe – O Lord; husband of Gowri
The word ‘Swami’ means Sarva niyanta i.e. he who directs and guides each being on the path suited to the being. When we utter the word Swamiji, it means we are asking – What is our duty? What is our karma? What is our seva?
Niyama (Niyati) is said to be the wife of Kāla (time). Kāla ensures that we walk on the path of niyama/ niyati. Niyama means to act in accordance to the prescribed rules so as to get the particular results.
Māmaka-hrudayam nirantaram ramatām – May He eternally reside in my heart
May my heart merge into Chandrashekara swami or Neelakanta swami (Lord Shiva). In this verse 3 locations have been mentioned – forehead, neck and heart. It means contemplate upon the Lord either in your Sahasrara, forehead or neck. These are yogic locations.
Verse 94
This verse shows his poetic excellence. It is the supreme poetic composition and it displays Bhagavad pādacharya’s skill in this subject. This verse is like the ‘match the following’ question given in the exams. It is the most often quoted verse in major scholarly debates.
Saa rasanā te nayane tāveva karou sa eva krita kruthyah,
Yā ye yow yo bharge vadatīkshate sadārchatah smarati.
Saa rasanā – That tongue
Ya Vadati– which speaks about You; which knows Your taste, is the real one
Only that tongue which speaks about You is the real one. We should train the tongue to speak only holy words. Imagine that you are the Lord and these senses are your servants. Command them to work in the right manner.
Bhargam – O destroyer of all sins
Bharga – Shiva is known as Bharga. Bharga means illumination. Here, Bharga also means he who destroys all sins. He who controls Kala and destroys Kama is Bharga.
Te nayane – those eyes
Ye īkshate – which see/ observe only You are the real eyes, O Lord.
Only those eyes which seek to see the Lord at all times are the real eyes.
Tāveva karou – only those are the real hands
yow sadārchatah – which eternally worship You.
Sa eva krita kruthyah – Only such a person is the Krutakrutyah O Lord, Ye smarati – he who recollects You at every moment
Krutakrutah means – he who has done exactly that what he was supposed to do; he who has not wasted in unneeded activities.
The word ‘Bharga’ can be used after every combination. Sā rasana te vada bharga; te nayane ye īkshati bharga… In the hymn Bhaja Govindam, Bhagavad padacharya states – Bhagavad Gita Kinchita Dhita, Ganga Jalalava Kanika Pita Sahrdapi yena Murari Samarca Kriyate Tasya Yamena na carcha – Those who have followed at least a bit of Bhagavad Geeta, drunk a drop of Ganga water or worshipped Hari at least once will not have any debate with Yama, the Lord of death. Three main sutras are explained here –
a) Read at least a little bit of Bhagavad Geeta or understand the explanation which is given by a Guru and bring it to experience; try to put a little into practice
b) put at least a drop of Ganga water into the mouth
c) once at least worship Lord Hari in life time.
One who has done one of these three will not have any discussions with Yama in his journey after death. It means he will not get struck in the kāla chakra.
Practice nama smarana even if it difficult in the early days. Only such persons who follow these principles are the true ‘kruta krutah’.
This similar principle has been explained here. To put such a difficult principle, in a poetic manner in a simple poem of this type requires great poetic knowledge. We use 5% of our brain capacity and are satisfied with it. If we were to use even 15%, we would have achieved great heights. We should place this buddhi in His custody and use it. It will then shine completely.
Verse 95
In this verse Bhagavad pādacharya requests the Lord to come and sit in his mind and states that he will not accept any excuses from the Lord.
Ati mrudulou mama charaṇou Ati katinam te mano Bhavānīśa,
Iti vichikitsām santyaja Shiva katha māsseed girou tathā veśah.
Shiva – O auspicious one
Bhavānīśa – O husband of Bhavāni!
I offer my obeisance to you
Ati mrudulou mama charaṇou – My feet are extremely tender and soft
Ati katinam te mano – Your mind is extremely hard
Do not give this excuse O Lord and desist from coming to me.
Iti vichikitsām santyaja – give up such thoughts O Lord
Shiva katha māsseed girou tatha aveśah – how can I accept that He who roams about in mountains, will find my mind hard?
I will not accept this excuse O Lord. You walk about in the hard rocky surfaces of mountains. How can you then think that my mind is hard? So my mind cannot be too hard per your calculations. How can You even try to give this excuse? I beseech You to come and reside inside my mind.
The entire Shivananda Lahari runs on the theme of mind, buddhi and heart and interlocking them with those of the Lord. Soundarya Lahari on the other hand contains innumerable yoga sutras, methods of worship and chakra and the deities who reside therein. The entire Vedanta is contained in it. here the methods of purifying the mind and heart and how to welcome the Lord into it is taught here. Only then we can get anandam. O Lord if you come and sit in my mind, I will eternally be happy. In a mind where You are absent, my mind wanders to other unnecessary worldly topics that cause grief.
Verse 96
I agree that my heart is madebha (mada gaja)- a mad arrogant elephant; adamant; which does not obey anyone’s commands. But yet, O Lord, I beseech you to tie and hold it tightly.
Dhairyām kuśena nibhrutam,
Rabhasā dākkruśhya bhakti srunkhalaya,
Purahara charanālāne,
Hrudhya-madebham badhāna chid yantrai.
Dhairyām kuśena – using dhairya (firmness, fortitude) as the ankusha (goad).
Here firm faith in the Lord acts like a goad to control the elephant called heart. Believing that the Lord is by our side, He will help us, He is the only true existence etc. can help us in increasing our devotion towards Him.
Nibhrutam – control it
Rabhasā dākkruśhya – and hold it down quickly
Bhakti srunkhalaya – using bhakti as the shackles tie it down
When bhakti is used as chain to tie our mind to the Lord, it is very great and effective. The lives of great bhaktas explain this to us and show us that bhakti is a very supreme state. It ties us totally to the Lord.
Purahara charanālāne – O destroyer of Tripura (Purahara)! to the pole called Your feet
Hrudhya-madebham – this arrogant elephant called my heart
Badhāna chid yantrai – tie it with the yantra called knowledge (chit).
Chit is a very important term in vedanta. Yantra refers to the various methods through which it can be tied.
Verse 97
Continuing the previous explanation, Bhagavad padacharya requests the Lord to take this mada gaja to the Parama sthana (ultimate location) and to leave it there permanently. This is the phalam for this recitation of Shivananda Lahari.
Pracharathy abhitah pragalbha vruthyā,
Madavāneśa manah karee gariyān,
Parigruhya nayena bhakti rajjwā,
Parama sthānupadam drudam nayāmum.
Pracharathy abhitah pragalbha vruthyā – it is wandering (pracharita) arrogantly (pragalbha) everywhere (abhitah, on all sides)
It does not know any limits; it is full of ahamkara and wanders through the forest called life aimlessly. No one can control it in this universe. When we can’t control our mind/heart who else can? It is taking us everywhere as it pleases. It is impossible to stop it.
It is mind that gives us bondage or moksha. It depends on how we control it.
Madavāneśa manah karee gariyān – it is an unimaginably arrogant (madānaveśa) wild elephant (kari) called mind (manah)
Parigruhya nayena bhakti rajjwā – please tie is wisely (nayena) using the rope called bhakti; seize it
You need to use tact to catch it.
Parama – O Parameshwara.
Parama me
sthānupadam drudam naya amum – please take it to the sthanu pada (ultimate state) and tie it there firmly (drdham) such that it will never ever return (nayāmum).
This is the phala (fruit) for this stotra. It is achieving Parama pada – final state of no return. The aim of this stotra Shivananda Lahari is to bless us with this state.
Verse 98
Now Bhagavad padacharya offer the phala of this stotra. He explains that all those who have a heart are eligible to recite this sacred hymn (stotram) – Shivananda Lahari. They should read and understand the essence of this stotram.
It is the art of gifting is the true presentation. The words, the gift wrapping are included in presentation.
Whatever you seek to gift, gift it with love using the right words. Present it well. Even if it is little food that you offer to someone, serve it in a beautiful manner. Serve with love. Here Bhagavad padacharya is presenting the stotram to Shiva in a beautiful manner. He says – I am offering this daughter of me called Shivananda Lahari to You, O Lord, Please accept her and marry her’.
Sarvalankāra yuktām sarala padayutām sādhu vruttām suvarnām,
Sadbhi samastūyamānām sarasa gunayutām lakshitām lakshanādhyām,
Udyad bhooshā viśeshā mupa gata vinayām dyota mānārtha rekhām,
Kalyanīm deva gowri –priya mama kavitā kanyakām twam gruhaṇā.
Sarvalankāra yuktām – the bride is decorated with the finest ornaments (which are in accordance to shastras); this poem is replete with wonderful figures of speech.
This poem has all decorations in it; including all comparisons.
Sarala padayutām – Her gait is gentle and modest; this poem is gentle in wordings.
Our walk should be gentle and modest; especially this rule applies to woman. Girls should be taught right from childhood to walk gently. Dragging the feet and walking roughly are against the Shastras and is a sin. We should not walk in a way that dust is lifted and scattered in all directions. This dust will go and settle in food. In each and every activity that is against Shastras, we are adding sins to our list. We should walk like a cat.
Dragging the feet or making sound when walking means the person is far away from yoga.
Bala Swamiji explains: when I was a small boy, once Bhagavat garu scolded a boy who was rushing through the prayer hall. He said – why are you walking in a way that scatters dust? Walk properly’. I was surprised at this statement. Later that day I went to the Annapoorna Mandiram for food. The person who was serving food came rushing and was walking in a way that it appeared as if the dust from the surrounding will come and land on the food. I was scared that the dust would land on my plate. Only then I understood the significance of the statement made by Bhagavat uncle that morning. If a person thus throws dust in another’s plate he will earn 1000 times more sins.
In this stotra, Bhagavad padacharya has not used any difficult wordings even though he is a master in this art of poetry. His expertise was visible in the wordings ‘ya ye yow yo..’. He has scattered gems in simple wordings throughout the composition.
Sādhu vruttām – She is of gentle nature; this poem has gentle vruttas (chandas, meter)
Suvarnām – She is good complexioned and attractive; the wordings in this poem are well chosen and golden
Here good complexioned should not be confused for fair complextioned. Gowri mother is fair but she herself turned into Kāli. Colour is immaterial.
Sadbhi samastūyamānām – Her qualities are praised by good hearted persons; saints are praising this Shivananda Lahari
Sarasa gunayutām – She speaks pleasantly, using appropriate words according to the need;
all the rasas are contained in this stotra;
When this daughter of mine, the bride, speaks, it appears as if nectar is dripping. She is full of good gunas (traits). It implies here that this composition contains the nava rasas (nine emotions). For this reason the first word of the composition is ‘Kalabhyām’ – to explain that all the kaḷas are contained in this. It is replete with essence. All aspects concerning Yoga and Shastras are contained in this hymn.
Lakshitām lakshanādhyām – She has all the auspicious traits;
This poem has all auspicious traits and it has only one goal (lakshyam) i.e. to take the person to God.
sāmudrika shatra is a text which explains how the nose should exactly look; what should be the shape of the eye; the length of the limbs and the proportion of the entire body. This bride fulfills all these requirements.
Udyad bhooshā viśeshām – She is glittering with decorations worn; this poem is shining resplendently with its decorations.
Upa gata vinayām – She is ideal, is humble;
This poem instills feelings of humility is us;
Dyotam Arthanām rekhām – The lines on her palms clearly depict that she has a good future;
Kalyanīm – She is the form of auspiciousness; reciting this stotram will bestow auspiciousness;
Every verse in this composition bestows auspiciousness. Take any one verse and recite it with faith. It will shower auspiciousness.
Deva – O Lord- Deva means ‘He who sports’
Gowri priya – You are very dear to Mother Gowri
Mama kavitā kanyakām twam gruhaṇā – Please accept this poem who is my daughter; please marry Her.
In this manner, Bhagavad padacharya beseeches the Lord to accept his composition and bless him. He teaches us the way to make an offering to the Almighty.
Verse 99
Idam te yuktam vā parama shiva kārunya jaladhe,
Gatou thiryag roopam tava pada-shiro darshana dhiya,
Haribrahmānou tou divi bhuvi charantou śramayutou,
Katham śambho swāmin kathaya mama vedhyosi puratah.
Idam te yuktam vā – Is it right for You
Parama shiva – O Supreme Lord, sarva bhouma, Lord of everyone in this creation
kārunya jaladhe – O ocean of mercy
Gatou thiryag roopam – to have a vision of Your divine form
tava pada-shiro darshana dhiya – to see Your feet and Your head, O shiva
Haribrahmānou tou divi bhuvi charantou – Hari and Brahma travelled extensively- one traveled up in the skies and the other dug deep inside the earth
Śramayutou – taking great pain but failed to get your darshan
Katham śambho swāmin kathaya mama vedhyosi puratah – but before me You appeared so easily, O Lord, how am I to believe this?
O Lord, what can I say of your compassion! When Vishnu and Brahma took on the form of boar and swan respectively and travelled extensively to have Your darshan You deprived them of it. But now, You are blessing me with Your divine vision. What can I say?
When Bhagavad padacharya offered his composition to the Lord, he was easily blessed with the darshan of the Supreme. In this hymn he declares that he had the vision of the Lord.
This is the phalam for reciting Shivananda Lahari. This is the gift that Shiva bestows upon His devotees. That which is beyond the reach of Brahma and Vishnu, is available to us.
Verse 100
Stotre ṇālam aham pravachmi na mrusha devā virinchādayah,
Stutyānām gananāprasanga-samaye twām agra gaṇyam vidhuh.
Mahātmyāgra vichāraṇa prakaraṇe dhanātushas-tomavat,
Dhūthās twam viduruthamottham phalam shambho bavat sevakah.
Stotre ṇālam aham pravachmi na mrusha – Through this stotra everything will be achieved; nothing more will be left to be achieved, I do not say this falsely (na mrusha)
Devā virinchādayah Stutyānām gananāprasanga-samaye – even when the congregation of all Gods, Brahma and others (virincha), sit and decide as to who is the greatest and most eligible for worship
Twām agra gaṇyam vidhuh – they conclude that You are the most supreme; You are the Adi deva and Adi pujya; the first one to receive any worship
Mahātmyāgra vichāraṇa prakaraṇe dhanātushas-tomavat dhūthās – when searching for the greatest Mahatma, You are the only one to be seen. Just as the husk from the grain flies away leaving only the grain behind, all other Gods move away and only You remain
Twam viduruthamottham phalam Shambho bavat sevakah – You are the supreme fruit (uttama uttama phalam) that is showered upon your bhaktas, O Shambho.
Shambho means He who showers auspiciousness.
Your bhaktas and sevaks get You as the supreme fruit due for their worship. Phala nee – You are the fruit. The most supreme fruit is liberation (moksha). This is what You grant. Please grant me that phala.
Sadyojātah means who He showers instantaneous results.
Om Shāntih Shāntih Shāntih