PRAYERS PRAISES & PSALMS TEXT IN DEVANAGARLAND. ENGLIS. TRANSLATION FUBLISHED BY G. A. NATESAN&00. MADRAS Price Re- 1.4 -PRAYERS, PRAISES AND PSALMS SELECTIONS FROM THE VEDAS, UPANISHADS, EPICS, GITA, PURANAS, AGAMAS, TANTRAS, KAVYAS AND THE WRITINGS OF THE ACHARYAS AND OTHERS. S. TRANSLATED BY DR. V. RAGHAVAN, M.A., Ph.D. FOREWORD BY MAHATMA GANDHI PUBLISHED BY G. A. NATESAN & CO., MADRAS PRICE Re. 1-4 TRANSLATOR'S NOTE THE Stotras form a vast branch of Sanskrit Literature. Indeed our knowledge of Sanskrit opens only with Stotras, for the Rigveda, the earliest of the literary remains in this language, is a collection of hymns. The Itihasas and the Puranas which followed and popularised Hindu religion and philosophy form the next great store-house of hymns. The poets gave us prayers and praises dominated by literary charm, both as part of their poetic compositions and as separate Stotras. The great founders and exponents of Hindu philosophy and theology left us a rich legacy of devotional lyrics. Then followed the great saints, devotees and leaders of new Bhakti movements, and the exuberant outpourings of their God-filled heart have enriched Sanskrit Literature with numberless Stotras. There is scarcely any Hindu, man or woman, young or old, who does not recite every day some prayer or other. The TRANSLATOR'S NOTE young used to imbibe select Stotras from their parents while yet on their parents' knees, even as they did epic legends or folk-songs. Heaps of Sanskrit Stotras lie in the manuscript libraries. A good number of the more important of them has seen the light of publication in the several cosmopolitan and sectarian collections of Stotras published in Devanagari by the Nirnaya Sagar Press, Bombay, the Gujarathi Printing Press, Bombay, Vavilla Ramaswami Sastrulu & Sons, Madras, the Vani Vilas Press, Srirangam and others. Numerous collections of Stotras have appeared also in the Grantha and the South Indian scripts. For the use of modern readers, there have appeared, from time to time, collections of Sanskrit Stotras with English translation, like 'The Aryan Prayer Book', 'Altar Flowers', 'Universal Prayers' etc. But the present publication "Prayers, Praises and Psalms" is the first, biggest and most represent-ative collection of Sanskrit hymns with English Translation. TRANSLATOR'S NOTE It covers the entire field of Sanskrit Literature from the Vedas down to the latest writers of devotional poetry. No sect has been ignored; no religious bias has prejudiced the selection and the differing needs of persons on various levels of spiritual and religious development have been kept in view. Effort has been taken to avoid repetition of ideas and to present to the scholars the richness of expression possible in devotional poetry. In the translation of the text of the Vedic selections, Sayana and Sankara have generally been followed. The Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita and the Bhagavata have been placed in separate sections in view of their importance, though they form part of the Vedas, the Mahabharata and the Puranas respectively. This is followed by selections from the Agamas and Tantras, the Kavyas, and the works of the Acharyas and many of the later writers of devotional literature. Notes on the authors and the works forming the sources of the selections are given at the end of the book. In the notes on the works, the available editions TRANSLATOR'S NOTE of the works are indicated for the benefit of those who feel inclined to read the full originals. In the notes on authors, lifeincidents bringing out the greatness of their devotion, and details adding significance to the hymns they sang, have been given briefly. To help those who desire to understand the development of the idea of God and the history of devotional literature in Sanskrit, the dates, precise or approximate, of works and authors have been indicated, as far as possible, in the Notes on works and authors. In the end, there are two indexes, one of the deities prayed to or praised in these selections and another of the leading ideas in the prayers and praises selected. V. RAGHAVAN. AN APPRECIATION By MAHAMAHOPADHYAYA PROF. S. KUPPUSWAMI SASTRI I am grateful to Shri G. A.Natesan for having given me an opportunity to read and enjoy his new publicationPRAYERS, PRAISES, AND PSALMS - in Sanskrit with a reliable English rendering. This attractive and handy volume contains a comprehensive collection of charming pieces of devotional lyrics in Sanskrit, with a wide range of choice, from the Vedas down to the latest Stotras. Dr. V. Raghavan, M.A., Ph.D., who is chiefly responsible for the compilation of these Stotras and their English rendering, deserves a special meed of praise for the sound literary discernment which he has brought to bear on his work; and I consider it a fortunate circumstance that he has had to do all this work for Mr. G. A. Natesan, who has a great and just reputation as one of the most successful Indian Publishers of interesting and valuable books and brochures. If is a source of gratification to all cultured AN APPRECIATION men and women, in India and elsewhere, that Mr. Natesan has done a signal service to the cause of Indian culture, by facilitating its due appreciation through his recent publications in Sanskrit-the condensed editions of the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Srimad Bhagavata and through the present publication of judiciously selected types of Sanskrit Prayers, Praises and Psalms". To every Hindu, the value of a prayer in the Girvana-bhasha-the sacred language of the Devas-is immense; and the value of the publication of this comprehensive collection of charming Sanskrit Prayers, Praises and Psalms must indeed be very great to every Hindu who believes in prayer. The tender-minded and the toughminded alike will find good pieces of devotional poetry in this volume, which have a special appeal for them and which they may chant in the strength of their faith in God as Truth, Goodness, Beauty, Bliss and Love-as Sat, Chit and Ananda. Annamalai University. PUBLISHER'S NOTE NEARLY a quarter ofa century ago, I published a little book entitled " Hindu Psalms and Hymns". Since then I have been thinking of a comprehensive collection of Stotras. The need for a compilation like this was stressed by Sir Sivaswami Aiyar who thought it a pity that many of the Stotras contained in the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Srimad Bhagavata had to be omitted from my condensed editions of the Great Triad to keep them within the limits of the space prescribed. Before undertaking this publication I had the privilege of consulting Mahamahopadhyaya Kuppuswami Sastriar, who, while welcoming the purpose and plan of my book, suggested that the selection should be not only from the ancient and medieval Stotra literature but also from modern writings. It will thus be seen that every effort has been made to render this book representative, comprehensive and up-to-date.. In the preparation of this volume almost all the existing Stotra Literature has been freely availed of, but my thanks are due to Dr. Raghavan who has taken great pains to enrich this collection with Stotras not found in any of the publications on the subject. My grateful thanks are also due to Professors Hiriyanna of Mysore and K. A. Nilakanta Sastri and Mr. K. Balasubrahmanya Ayyar for their great kindness in revising the translation of the book and for many valuable hints and suggestions in the preparation of this volume. It only remains for me to express my profound gratitude to Mahatma Gandhi, who from his sick bed has made time to write the foreword to this book. September, 1938. G. A. NATESAN. DETAILED CONTENTS FOREWORD TRANSLATOR'S NOTE AN APPRECIATION PUBLISHER'S NOTE THE VEDAS Rigveda PAGE iii .... V 1X xi " Khila Krishnayajurveda Samhita 13 14 134645 24 25 22 Taittiriyaranyaka. 16 Suklayajurveda Samhita Atharvaveda THE UPANISHADS Jsavasya Kena and Chandogya : Prasna Taittiriya Brihadaranyaka Svetasvatara Maitrayani Devi Ganapati Gopalapurvatapani Sarasvatirahasy a Ramottaratapani Rudrahridaya 33 34 34. 35 36 36 38 38 40 42 44 46 47 X1V DETAILED CONTENTS PAGE THE RAMAYANA Valmiki Ramayana 50 Praise of Rama's character 50 35 Kaikeyi's 55 وو وو " Tara's 56 " " 33 62 70 MANDRAG Aditya Hridaya Adhyatmaramayana Vasishtha Ramayana (Yogavasishta). 73 Ramacharitamanasa (Tulasidas) Parayanakrama (Valmiki Ramayana). THE MAHABHARATA Draupadi's Stotra (Sabhaparva) " 23 (Vanaparva) Dhritarashtra's Stotra (Udyogaparva) Bhisma's Stotra (Santiparva) Bhishma's Stavaraja (Santiparva) Daksha's Prayer (Santiparva) THE BHAGAVAD GITA Arjuna's Visvarupa Stuti THE SRIMAD BHAGAVATA 76 79 86 90 92 94 96 106 108 ... 118 120 122 Dhruva's Stotra 124 Vritra's Stotra 128 Prahlada's Stotra 130 Gajendra's Stotra 138 Brahma's Stotra 138 Rantideva's Stotra Devaki's Stotra 140 141 ... Kunti's Stotra Bhishma's Stotra Suka's Stotra DETAILED CONTENTS XV PAGE Akrura's Stotra Muchukunda's Stotra THE PURANAS 142 144 Vishnupurana (on Lakshmi) (on Sun) وو Markandeyapurana (on Devi) Brahmapurana (on Vishnu) Padmapurana (on Vishnu) Kurmapurana (on Siva) Varahapurana (on Dharma) Sambapurana (on Sun) 145 146 148 150 152 154 156 158 Brahmavaivartapurana (on Sarasvati) 160 Skanda-Sutasamhita (on Siva) 162 Devibhagavata (on Devi) 160, 164, 174 Naradiyapurana (on Vishnu) 164 (on Siva) 166 وو Vishnudharmottara (on Vishnu) 172 Brihannaradiyapurana (on the Supreme Being) 174 Ganesapurana (on Ganesa) 175 Garudapurana (on Vishnu). 176 Vamanapurana (on Vishnu) 178 Narasimhapurana (on Vishnu) THE AGAMAS AND THE TANTRAS 179 Mahanirvanatantra Pancharatra Ahirbudhnyasambita Kumaratantra Tripurarahasya Isvarasamhita 181 ... 183, 188 184 185 186 188 xvi DETAILED CONTENTS PAGE Brahmasamhita 189 Prapanchasaratantra 189 Kulachudamanitantra 190 Matrikabhedatantra 191 Kalivilasatantra 192 CLASSICAL POETRY KALIDASA Raghuvamsa 193 Sakuntala 198 Vikramorvasiya 199 201 Malavikagnimitra BHARAVI Kiratarjuniya MAGHA Sisupalavadha BHARTRIHARI : 202 204 Subhashitatrisati 206 ... MAYURA Suryasataka BANA Harshacharita SUBANDHU Vasavadatta BHAVABHUTI Mahaviracharita Malatimadhava KRISHNAMISRA : 207 207 208 ... 208 209 Prabodhachandrodaya 210 DETAILED CONTENTS SRI HARSHA Naishadhiyacharita VAIDYA GADADHARA BHAVANANDA THE ACHARYAS SANKARACHARYA xvii PAGE 210 214 .. 215 Sivanandalahari 216 Anandalahari 218 Saundaryalahari 218 Sivabhujanga Stotra 219 Subrahmanyabhujanga Stotra 220 Ramabhujanga Stotra 221 Devibhujanga Stotra 221 Devyaparadhakshmapana Stotra 222 Dasasloki Stotra 224 Sivaparadhakshamapana Stotra 224 Annapurnashtaka 225 Tripurasundari Vedapada Stotra 225 Lakshminrisimha Stotra 226 Kanakadhara Stava Vagisvari Stotra 227 227 Shatpadi Stotra 227 Mohamudgara 230 Sadacharanusandhana 232 Pratassmarana Stotra 232 Kasipanchaka 232 Dakshinamurti Stotra 234 UTPALADEVACHARYA Sivastotravali 235 SRIKANTHACHARYA Brahmasutra Bhashya 244 ii xviii DETAILED CONTENTS YAMUNACHARYA Stotraratna RAMANUJACHARYA Gadyatraya SRIVATSANKAMISRA Atimanushastava PAGE 246 252 254 PARASARABHATTA Srigunaratnakosa 256 VEDACHARYA Kshmashodasi 258 VEDANTADESIKA (Venkatanatha) Nyasadasaka 260 Bhustuti 262 Varadarajapanchasat 262 Ashtabhujashtaka 263 Kamasikhashtaka Achyutasataka Dayasataka VENKATADHVARIN Lakshmisahasra VALLABHACHARYA 263 266 266 268 Madhurashtaka 272 Gopijanavallabhashtaka 272 VITTHALESVARA Vijnapti HARIDASA Srikrishnasaranashtaka Panchaksharamantragarbha Stotra 274 276 276 DETAILED CONTENTS xix MADHVACHARYA (Anandatirtha) PAGE Dvadasa Stotra 278 VADIRAJA Prarthanadasaka Stotra 282 Krishnastuti 284 Haryashtaka 284 CHAITANYADEVA Sikhshashtaka Jagannathashtaka RUPAGOSVAMIN Pranamapranaya Stava Karpanypanjika Stotra Govindabirudavali OTHER STOTRAS 286 288 289 290 ... 290 Pushpadanta's Mahimnasstava... 292 THE SIVA PANCHASTAVI Malhana's Stotra Bilhana's Stotra Dandin's Anamayastava Halayudha's Stotra 294 296 298 300 DURVASAS Saktimahimnasstuti 302 THE DEVI PANCHASTAVI Charchastava 303 Ghatastava 304 Sakalajananistava 306 XX DETAILED CONTENTS THE PANCHASATI OF MUKA Aryasataka Padaravindasataka Stutisataka THE MUKUNDAMALA (Kulasekhara) KRISHNAKARNAMRITA (Lilasuka) DINAKRANDANA STOTRA (Loshtadeva) STUTIKUSUMANJALI (Jagaddhara) KUVALAYANANDA (Appayya Dikshita) VARADARAJASTAVA ATMARPANA STUTI 27 MANASOLLASA " SIVOTKARSHAMANJARI (Nilakantha Dikshita) ANANDASAGARASTAVA 22 KARUNALAHARI (Jagannatha) DAYASATAKA (Ayyaval) AKHYASHASHTI NARAYANIYA (Narayana Bhatta) KIRTANAS (Sadasiva Brahmendra) NAVAVARNAMALA " RAMASTAVAKARNARASAYANA (Ramabhadra Dikshita) RAMAPRASADASTAVA " VISVAGARBHASTAVA " PAGE 308 310 312 314 320 332 336 342 344 346 352 354 356 360 364 366 369 370 .. 372 .. 374 376 .. 378 380 384 .. 386 BHAKTIMANJARI (H. H. Svati Tirunal) AVIMUKTATATTVA (Balambhatta) SRI KRISHNASHTAKA (Nrisimhabharatiswami) DETAILED CONTENTS xxi PAGE VANIPANYAVALAMBASTAVA (Nrisimhabharatıswamı) 388 NRISIMHASAPTAKA (Nrisimhabharatiswami) 390 DAKSHINASYANAKSHATRAMALA (Nrisimhabharatıswamı) 392 MATRIPADAPANKAJASHTAKA (Nrisimhabharatiswami) 394 VIVEKANANDA (on Ramakrishna) 396 BHAIRAVA STOTRA (Abhinavagupta).. 398 SIVASTUTI (Ravana) 400 ADYADI MAHALAKSHMI HRIDAYA 402 PANDAVA GITA 404 BHAGAVACCHARANA STOTRA (Brahmananda) 406 MADHUSUDANA STOTRA (Sukadeva) 408 ANONYMOUS 410 NOTES ON WORKS & AUTHORS... INDEX TO WORKS & AUTHORS... 461 417 INDEX TO DEITIES INDEX TO IDEAS 472 480 म् We are in these songs and prayers face to face with the Hindu soul-sometimes loving, sweet, devotional-sometimes mystic, bold, aspiring,―now, tender, trustful, - and now, burning, prophetic. The joyous songs of the Yogi, the victor over sense and sorrow, alternate with the fervent prayer of the faithful and the devoted. They contain the doubts of the sincere and thinking soul as well as the piteous plaints of the broken-hearted, the hopes of simple piety and the joys of ordinary worship. -Hindu Psalms and Hymns. म् ? PAGE. LINE CORRECT TEXT 23 23 3 " 6 ज्योतिरहं " 227 12 दायिनि 296 3 त्वयि 4 " तनौ " किमपरं 348 11 यद्यप्येवं 356 12 नैव 394 6 Matripadapankajashtaka गेयं गीतानामसहस्र ध्येयं श्रीपतिरूपमजस्रम् । नेयं सज्जनसङ्गे चित्तं देयं दीनजनाय च वित्तम् ॥ ॥ eft: ॥ PRAYERS, PRAISES & PSALMS THE VEDAS ॥ वेदाः ॥ भद्रं कर्णेभिः शृणुयाम देवाः भद्रं पश्येमाक्षभिर्यजत्राः । स्थिरैरङ्गैस्तुष्टुवांसस्तनूभिः व्यशेम देवहितं यदायुः ॥ O Gods! may we hear with our ears words that are auspicious; O Gods worthy of our offerings, may we see with our eyes sights that are auspicious; with our limbs and bodies firm, and singing your praises, may we attain the God-given length of life. Rigveda I. 89. 8. मधु वाता ऋतायते मधु क्षरन्ति सिन्धवः माध्वीर्नः सन्त्वोषधीः ॥ मधु नक्तमुतोषसो मधुमत्पार्थिवं रजः मधुरस्तु नः पिता ॥ मधुमानो वनस्पतिः मधुमानस्तु सूर्यः माध्वीर्गावो भवन्तु नः ॥ Sweet do the winds become unto him who desires to abide by the Moral Law; sweet do the streams flow for him; even so, may the herbs be sweet unto us; may night be sweet and dawn also sweet unto us, may the region of Earth he sweet and also Heaven, our father; may the sylvan god be sweet unto us; may the sun be sweet and sweet may our kine become. Rigveda I. 90. 6-8. शं नो मित्रः शं वरुणः शं नो भवत्वर्यमा । शं न इन्द्रो बृहस्पतिः शं नो विष्णुरुरुक्रमः॥ May Mitra, the lord of the day, be giver of happiness to us and may Varuna, the lord of the night, be giver of happiness to us; may Aryaman, the revealer of the day and the night, become the giver of happiness to us; propitious may Indra, the lord of the gods, be to us and also Vishnu of wide strides. Rigveda I. 90.9. वयं जयेम त्वया युजा वृतं अस्माकमंशमुदवा भरेभरे । अस्मभ्यमिन्द्र वरिवः सुगं कृधि प्र शत्रूणां मघवन् वृष्ण्या रुज ॥ O Indra, with you as our aid, may we vanquish our foes who surround us; in every encounter, guard you what is ours; render the riches easy of access to us; O Maghavan, rout the energies of the enemies. Rigveda I. 102. 4. मा नो महान्तमुत मा नो अर्भकं मा न उक्षन्तमुत मा न उक्षितम् । मा नो वधीः पितरं मोत मातरं मा नः प्रियास्तन्वो रुद्र रीरिषः ॥ O Rudra, afflict not the old amidst us; nor afflict the child amidst us; afflict not our grown-up son, nor afflict our son in the womb ; kill not our father, nor kill our mother; nor injure our bodies that are dear to us. Rigveda I. 114.7. ऋतं दिवे तदवोचं पृथिव्या अभिश्रावाय प्रथमं सुमेधाः । पातामवद्याद् दुरितादभीके पिता माता च रक्षतामवोभिः ॥ To Heaven and to Earth, I speak forth, with a good mind, this foremost of hymns, that they may hear it well. May Heaven, our Father, and Earth, our Mother, save us from reprehensible sin and, remaining by our side with things gratifying us, may they protect us. Rigveda I. 185. 10. अग्ने नय सुपथा राये अस्मान् विश्वानि देव वयुनानि विद्वान् । युयोद्धपस्मज्जुहुराणमेनो भूयिष्ठां ते नमउक्ति विधेम ॥ ○ Agni! take us along the holy path to the treasure of heaven ; resplendent God ! you know the minds of all. Sever from us the sin that acts crookedly; profuse do we make our salutations to you. Rigveda I. 189. 1. त्वं विश्वेषां वरुणासि राजा ये च देवा असुर ये च मर्ताः । शतं नो रास्व शरदो विचक्षेऽ - श्यामायूंषि सुधितानि पूर्वा ॥ O Varuna, the giver of life! thou art the king of all, of those who are gods and of those who are mortals ; grant us a hundred autumns that we may see well ; may we attain the long lives that the Gods of old have established. Rigveda II 27. 10. त्वादत्तेभी रुद्र शंतमेभिः शतं हिमा अशीय भेषजेभिः । व्यस्मद् द्वेषो वितरं व्यहो व्यमीवाश्चातयस्वा विषूचीः ॥ O Rudra, by the most beneficent medicines given by thee, may we attain a hundred winters; drive away from us, completely, hate, sin and the spreading maladies. Rigveda II. 33. 2. तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् ॥ We meditate upon that adorable effulgence of the resplendent vivifier, Savitar; may He stimulate our intellects. The Gayatri : Rigveda III. 62.10. विश्वानि देव सवितः दुरितानि परा सुव यद् भद्रं तन्न आ सुव ॥ Resplendent Savitar, take away all evi from us and bring us that which is good. Rigveda V. 82. 5. वास्तोष्पते प्रति जानीहि अस्मान् स्वावेशो अनमीवो भवा नः । यवेमहे प्रति तन्नो जुषस्व शं नो भव द्विपदे शं चतुष्पदे ॥ O God who guards the house! recognise us; afford us comfortable stay and give us not any disease; whatever we ask of thee, grant us ; be a bestower of welfare on our men and on our animals. Rigveda VII. 54. 1. यत्किं चेदं वरुण दैव्ये जनेऽ -भिद्रोहं मनुष्याश्चरामसि । अचित्ती यत्तव धर्मा युयोपिम मा नस्तस्मादेनसो देव रीरिषः ॥ O Varuna, whatever offence we mortals have committed against the gods, whatever upsetting of your established Order we might have done through ignorance, O God, punish us not on account of that sin. Rigveda VII. 90.5.