THE SOUNDARYA LAHARI

STANZAS 1 TO 10

½£    g¤â    paѤka    vÓdnm¯
 
                        eE|kar    »£|kar    rhÞyy¤³
                            ½£|kar    g¥FaTI    mha¢vB¥Ïya    ,
                        AaE|kar    mmI    p#¢tpa¢dn£×ya|
                            nmaE    nm:    ½£    g¤â    paѤka×yam¯    .
   
½£SÄðracayI    ¢vr¢cta    saWÓdyIlhr£

p#TmaE    Bag:    -   AanÓdlhr£

¢Sv:    S³Ya    y¤³aE    y¢d    Bv¢t    S³:    p#B¢vt¤|
  n    cEdEv|    dEvaE    n    Kl¤    kSl:    Þp¢Ódt¤m¢p    ,
AtÞÏvamaraÒya|    h¢rhr    ¢v¢r·a¢d¢Br¢p
  p#NÓt¤|    ÞtaEt¤|    va    kTmk]t    p¤Îy:    p#Bv¢t    .   1   .
 
¢Sv:   Siva
S³Ya   with Sakti
y¤³:   y¢d   Bv¢t   when enjoined
S³:   p#B¢vt¤|   empowered to create
n   cEt¯  ev|    dEv:   if the lord is not thus
n   Kl¤   kSl:   indeed unable
Þp¢Ódt¤|   A¢p   to even move
At:   hence
Ïva|   AaraÒya|   you, who is worshipped
h¢r   hr  ¢v¢r·a¢d¢B:   A¢p   even by Hari (Vishnu), Hara (Siva), Virinchi(Brhma) and others
p#NÓt¤|   to salute
ÞtaEt¤|   va   or praise
kT|   how
Ak]t   p¤Îy:   one who has not performed meritorious deeds
p#Bv¢t   capable

When   Siva   is   enjoined   with   Sakti,   he   is   empowered   to   create. If   the   lord   is not   thus,   he   is   indeed   unable   to   even   move.   Hence how   can   one   who   has not   performed   meritorious   deeds   be   capable of   saluting   or   praising   you,   who is   worshipped   even   by   Hari, Hara,   Virinchi   and   others   ?
(Benedictory   invocation   to   Siva   and   Sakti,   beginning   with   the
word  Siva. Cf  Sivanandalahari (SVL) Verse 1 : Benedictory   invocation
to Siva and Sakti, beginning with the letter k , cryptically symbolising   the   word   Siva.)  
tn£ya|s|    pa|s¤|    tv    crN    pÄðEâhBv|
  ¢v¢r|¢c:    s¢ÓcÓvn¯    ¢vrcy¢t    laEkan¢vklm¯    ,
vhÏyEn|    SaW¢r:    kTm¢p    sh*EN    ¢Srsa|
  hr:    s|X¤ïWn|    Bj¢t    B¢staEÑGln    ¢v¢Dm¯    .   2  .
tn£ya|s|   pa|s¤   minute dust
tv   your
crN   pÄðEâh   lotus feet
Bv|   present in
¢v¢r|¢c:   Virinchi (Brahma)
s|¢cÓvn¯   gathering
¢vrcy¢t   makes (Creation)
laEkan¯   A¢vklm¯   all the worlds
vh¢t   en|   carries this (Preservation)
SaW¢r:   Shouri (Vishnu)
kT|   A¢p   some how
sh*EN   ¢Srsa|   by a thousand heads (as the serpent Adisesha, the tamasic form of Vishnu, who supports the world with his thousand heads
hr:   Hara (Siva)
s|X¤ï   en|   having powdered this (Destruction)
Bj¢t   observes
B¢st   uÑGln   sprinkling sacred ash
¢v¢D|   injunction

Virinchi   gathering   the   minute   dust   present   in   your   lotus   feet makes   all   the worlds.   Shouri   somehow   carries   this   by   a   thousand heads.   Hara   having powdered   this   observes   the   injunction   for sprinkling   sacred   ash.
(The   dust   of   Sakti's   feet   is   the   Universe. Cf   SVL   Verse   2   :   Sivanandalahari   washes   away   the   dust   of sin.)  
A¢vïanamÓt¢Þt¢mr    ¢m¢hr    ¹£pngr£
  jfana|    cWtÓy    Þtbk    mkrÓd    *¤¢tJr£    ,
d¢rd#aNa|    ¢cÓtam¢N    g¤N¢nka    jÓmjlDaW
  ¢nmg"ana|    d|¾®a    m¤r¢rp¤    vrahÞy    Bv¢t    .   3   .
 
A¢vïana|   for the spiritually ignorant
AÓt   ¢t¢mr   : inner darkness
¢m¢hr   ¹£p   ng¢r   the island city of the sun (a division of terrestrial world from where the sun is said to rise
jfana|   for the dull witted
cWtÓy   pure intelligence
Þtbk   mkrÓd   honey of the (Kalpaka flower) cluster (of the wish yeilding Kalpaka tree
*¤¢tJr£   flowing stream
d¢rd#aNa|   for the impoverished
¢cÓtam¢N   g¤N¢nka   necklace of the Cintamani (the wish yeilding gem)
jÓm   jlDaW   in the ocean of births
¢nmg"ana|   those immersed
d|¾®a:   the tusks
m¤r   ¢rp¤   the enemy of (the demon) Mura
vrahÞy   of the boar (an incarnation of Vishnu)
Bv¢t   it (the dust in your lotus feet)

For   the   inner   darkness   of   the   spiritually   ignorant,   it (the   dust   in   your   lotus   feet) is   the   island   city   of   the sun.   For   the   dull   witted   it   is   the   flowing   stream   of honey   of   the   (Kalpaka   flower)   cluster   of   pure   intelligence. For   the   impoverished it   is   the   necklace   of   the   Cintamani. For   those   immersed   in   the   ocean   of   births,
 it   is   the tusks   of   the   boar   (Vishnu),   the   enemy   of   Mura.  
(Sakti   is   cWtÓy| . Cf   SVL   Verse   3   :   Siva   is   the   resort   of  ( ¢ct¯ )
ÏvdÓy:    pa¢N×yamByvrdaE    dWvtgN:
  ÏvmEka    nWva¢s    p#k¢zt    vraB£Ïy¢Bnya    ,
Byat¯    æOat¤|    dat¤|    Plm¢p    c    vaÉCasm¢Dk|
  SrÎyE    laEkana|    tv    ¢h    crNavEv    ¢np¤NaW    .   4   .
Ïvt¯   AÓy:   other than you
pa¢N×ya|   by the hands (by empty gesture)
ABy   vrd:   bestowers of protection from fear
dWvt   gN:   the assemblage of gods
Ïv|   eka   you alone
n   ev  A¢s     you do not thus
p#k¢zt   display
vr   AB£¢t   bestowing of boon
A¢Bnya   by gesture
Byat¯   æOat¤|   protecting from fear
dat¤|   Pl|  A¢p    c   and giving reward
vaÉCa   sm¢Dk|   in excess of that desired
SrÎyE   laEkana|   Oh refuge of the worlds! (Sakti)
tv   your
¢h   indeed
crNaW   ev   even feet
¢np¤NaW   are expert

Other   than   you,   the   assemblage   of   gods   are   the   bestowers   of protection   from  fear   and   boon   by   the   hands   (by   empty   gesture). You   alone   do   not   thus display   bestowing   of   boon   and   protection from   fear   by   gesture.   Oh   refuge of   the   worlds!   indeed   even your   feet   are   expert   in   protecting   from   fear and   giving   reward in  excess   of   that   desired.
(Assemblage   of   gods   make   empty   promises. Cf   SVL   Verse   4   :   Assemblage   of   gods   bestow   trivial   boons).
h¢rÞÏvamaraÒy    p#Nt    jn    saWBaÂy    jnn£m¯
  p¤ra    nar£    B¥Ïva    p¤r¢rp¤m¢p    XaEBmnyt¯    ,
ÞmraE{¢p    Ïva|    nÏva    r¢t    nyn    lE/En    vp¤xa
  m¤n£namÔyÓt:    p#Bv¢t    ¢h    maEhay    mhtam¯    .5   .  
h¢r:   Hari (Vishnu)
Ïva|   AaraÒy   having worshipped you
p#Nt   jn   people who bow (to you)
saWBaÂy   jnn£|   the creator of auspiciousness
p¤ra   formerly
nar£   B¥Ïva     having become a woman ( or assimilation with Sakti are of four states of Mukti or liberation)
p¤r¢rp¤|  A¢p   even Puraripu (the enemy of the three cities of the demons or three bodies of men) (Siva)
XaEB|   Anyt¯   led to agitation
Þmr:   A¢p   Smara (Cupid) too
Ïva|   nÏva   having bowed to you
r¢t   nyn   the eyes of Rati
lE/En   vp¤xa   with a body like a lambative
m¤n£na|  A¢p   even sages
AÓt:   within
p#Bv¢t   ¢h   capable indeed
maEhay   (of generating) delusion
mhta|   of great

Hari   having   worshipped   you,   the   creator   of   auspiciousness   to people   who   bow to   you,   having   become   a   woman   formerly,   led even   Puraripu   to   agitation.  Having   bowed   to   you,   Smara   too with   a   body   which   is   (like)   a   lambative to   the   eyes   of   Rati, is   indeed   capable   (of   generating)   delusion   within great   sages. 
(Celestials   sought   the   grace   of   Sakti Cf   SVL   Verse   5   :   Devotee   seeks   the   grace   of   Siva)
Dn¤:    paWÝp|    maWv£    mD¤krmy£       ¢v¢SKa:
  vsÓt:    samÓtaE    mlymrdayaEDn    rT:    ,
tTaÔyEk:    svI|    ¢hm¢g¢rs¤tE    kam¢pk]pa|
  Apa|gaäOE    lb¯Òva    jg¢ddmnfgaE    ¢vjytE    .   6   .  
Dn¤:   paWÝp|   the bow is flowery
maWv£   mD¤krmy£   the bow string is made of bees
  ¢v¢SKa:   the five (flowers) are the arrows
vsÓt:   Vasanta (Spring personified)
samÓt:   neighbouring king (the traditional ally of Cupid)
mly   mât¯   breeze from the Malaya mountain (laden with the fragrance of sandal wood found there)
AayaEDn   rT:   the war chariot
tTa   A¢p  ek:     even thus and alone
svI|   all
¢hm   ¢g¢r   s¤tE   Oh daughter of the snowy mountain ( Himalayas personification of Himavan) (Sakti)
ka|   A¢p  k]pa|     some sort (inexpresseble) of compassion
Apafgat¯   tE   from the corner of your eye
lb¯Òva   having obtained
jgt¯   id|   this world
Anfg:   Ananga (the bodiless one), (Cupid)
¢vjytE   triumphs

The   bow   is   flowery.   The   bow   string   is   made   of   bees.   The five   (flowers) are   the   arrows.   Vasanta   is   the   neighbouring  king   (ally).   The   breeze   from   the   Malaya   mountain   is   the war   chariot.   Even   thus   and   (all)   alone,   Oh   daughter of   the snowy   mountain!   having   obtained   some   sort   compassion   from the   corner   of   your   eye,   Ananga   triumphs   over   all   this   world. 
(The   eyes   of   Sakti   bestows   triumph   to   Cupid. Cf   SVL  Verse  5 :   The   feet   of   Siva   bestows   bliss   to   the   devotee)
ÀvNÏka·£    dama    k¢rklB    k|BÞtn    nta
  p¢rX£Na    mÒyE    p¢rNt    SrÅcÓd#    vdna    ,
Dn¤baINan¯    paS|    s¦¢Nm¢p    dDna    krtlW:
  p¤rÞtadaÞta|    n:    p¤rm¢Tt¤rahaE    p¤â¢xka    .   7   .  
ÀvNt¯   ka·£   dama   one who has a tinkling fillet girdle
k¢r   klB   young elephant
k|B   Þtn  nta     one curved by a bossom like the frontal globes of an elephant
p¢rX£Na   mÒyE   one who is lean in the waist
p¢rNt   fully developed
SrÅcÓd#   vdna   one with a face like the autumnal moon
Dn¤:   baNan¯   bow, arrows
paS|   s¦¢N|   A¢p   noose and goad
dDana   kr  tlW:   one who bears in the palm of her hands
p¤rÞtat¯   in front
AaÞta|   let her dwell
n:   of us
p¤r|   m¢Tt¤:   of the destroyer of the three cities of the demons or three bodies of man, Siva
AahaE   p¤â¢xka   "I" conciousness

Let   her   dwell   in   front   of   us,   who   has   a   tinkling   fillet   girdle, who   is   curved by   a   bossom   like   the   frontal   globes   of   a   young elephant,   who   is   lean   in   the   waist,   who   has   a   face   like   the fully   developed   autumnal   moon,   who   bears  in   the   palm   of   her hands   bow,   arrows,   noose   and   goad,   and   who   is the   ``I"  conciousness   of   Siva. 
(Worshipping   the   body   of   Sakti. Cf   SVL   Verse   7   :   Worshipping   Siva   by   one's   body).  
  s¤Da    ¢sÓDaEmIÒyE    s¤r¢vz¢p    vaz£    p¢rv¦tE
    m¢N¹£pE    n£paEpvnvt£    ¢cÓtam¢Ng¦hE    ,
¢SvakarE    m·E    prm¢Sv    pyIÄð    ¢nlya|
  Bj¢Ót    Ïva|    DÓya:    k¢tcn    ¢cdanÓdlhr£m¯    .   8   .  
s¤Da   nectar
¢sÓDaE:  mÒyE   in the midst of the ocean
s¤r   ¢vz¢p   vaz£   park of divine trees
p¢rv¦tE   surrounded by
m¢N   ¹£pE   in a gem like island
n£p   upvnvt£   pocessed of a garden of Kadamba trees
¢cÓtam¢N   g¦hE   in a house made of the Cintamani (wish yeilding gem)
¢Sva   AakarE   shaped like Sivaa (the Sakti triangle of the Srichakra
m·E   in the bed stead
prm   ¢Sv   Parama Siva (the supremely auspicious one)
pyIÄð   ¢nlya|   dwelling in the couch
Bj¢Ót   Ïva|   worship you
DÓya:   k¢tcn   a few blessed ones
¢ct¯   AanÓd   lhr£m¯   the wave of intellect bliss

A   few   blessed   ones   worship   you,   the   wave   of   intellect   -   bliss, dwelling   in   the   couch   of   Parama   Siva   (himself),   in   a   bed   stead shaped   like   the   Sakti   triangle, in   a   house   made   of   the   Cintamani, pocessed   of   a   garden   of   Kadamba   trees,   surrounded   by   a   park   of divine   trees,   in   the   midst   of   the   ocean   of   nectar. 
(The   blessed   ones   worship   Sakti. Cf   SVL   Verse   8   :   The   ignorant   do   not   worship   Siva).
mh£|    m¥laDarE    km¢p    m¢Np¥rE    h^tvh|
  ¢ÞTt|    Þva¢D¿anE    ¶¢dmãtmakaSmp¢r    ,
mnaE{¢p    B#¥mÒyE    sklm¢p    ¢BÏva    klpT|
  sh*arE    pîE    sh    rh¢s    pÏya    ¢vhrsE    .   9   .
mh£|   m¥laDarE   the earth element in the Muladhara, (the 4 petalled lotus yogic cakra, or the level of conciousness corresponding to Bhuloka)
km¢p   m¢Np¥rE   and the water element in the Manipura, (the 10 petalled lotus yogic cakra or the level of conciousness corresponding to Suvarloka).
h^tvh|   the fire element
¢ÞTt|   Þva¢D¿anE   present in the Svadhishthana, (the 6 petalled lotus yogic cakra or the level of conciousness corresponding to Bhuvarloka).
¶¢d   mât   the air element in the heart, (the 12 petalled lotus yogic Anahata cakra or the level of conciousness corresponding to Maharloka).
AakaS|   up¢r   above the space element (the 16 petalled lotus yogic Vishuddhi cakra or the level of conciousness corresponding to Taparloka).
mn:   A¢p   and the mind element, (the 2 petalled lotus yogic Aagnya cakra or the level of conciousness corresponding to Janarloka)
B#¥   mÒyE   between the brows
skl|   A¢p  ¢BÏva    having passed through all
kl   pT| via the Kulapatha or Sushumna nadi (as the subtle Kundalini Sakti)
sh*arE   pîE  sh in the thousand petalled lotus, (the level of conciousness corresponding to Satyaloka) with
rh¢s in secret
pÏya with (your) husband (Sadasiva)
¢vhrsE you sport

Having   passed   through   all   via   the   Kulapatha   :   the   earth element   in   the   Muladhara,   the   water   element   in   the Manipura,   the   fire   element   present   in   the   Svadhishthana, the   air   element   in   the   heart,   (going)   above   the   space element,   and   the   mind   element   between   the   brows,   you sport   in   secret   with   your   husband   in   the
thousand   petalled lotus. (The   devotee   leads   Sakti   to   her   lord   Sadasiva   in   the thousand   petalled   lotus,   via   the   six   lotus  cakras. Cf   SVL Verse 9  :   The   devotee   submits   the   lotus   of   the heart   to   the   lord   of   Uma).
  s¤DaDarasarWàrN    y¤glaÓt¢vIg¢ltW:
    p#p·|    ¢s·Ót£    p¤nr¢p    rsaØnay    mhs:    ,
AvaÔy    Þva|    B¥¢m|    B¤jg¢nBmÒy¤¾vly|
  ÞvmaÏman|    k]Ïva    Þv¢p¢x    klkÎfE    kh¢r¢N    .   10   .  
s¤Da   nectar
Dara   AasarW:   with a torrential stream
crN   y¤glaÓt   from within (your) pair of feet
¢vg¢ltW:   trickling
p#p·|   the body (made of the five elements)
¢s·Ót£   infusing
p¤n:   A¢p   once again
rs   AaØnay   mhs:   from the luminous collection of nectar(the internal moon or Sahasrara or the thousand petalled lotus in the brain)
AvaÔy   having reached
Þva|   B¥¢m|   your territory
B¤jg   ¢nB|   similar to a serpent
AÒy¤¾   vly|   three and a half coils
Þv|   AaÏman|   k]Ïva   having made yourself
Þv¢p¢x   you (as the subtle Kundalini Sakti) sleep
klkÎfE   in the Kulakunda or Muladhara cakra
kh¢r¢N   pocessed of a hole

You   infusing   the   body   with   a   torrential   stream   of   nectar, trickling   from within   (your)   pair   of   feet,   once   again   having reached   your   territory,   from the   Moon   of   the   Sahasrara,   (and) having   made   yourself   into   three   and a   half   coils   similar   to a   serpent,   you   sleep   in   the   Kulakunda   (which   is) possessed   of a   hole.
(The body of the devotee is drenched  by the nectar of Sakti's feet.
Cf   SVL   Verse   10   :The   devotee   is   engrossed   in   the   bliss   of
remembering   Siva's   feet.  


PROCEED TO STANZAS 11 TO 20
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