DAK$INAMURTI STOTRAM

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DAKSHIN,

26

qrT{ffirrqe}er6-r{ tt I llup dsakdndrh yad up d saniyarir

updttavdsarh vataS dkhim[le,tad dhdma ddksinyaj u g6 svamlrtyd

jdgartu citte mama bodhar[pam.

May that Supreme Spirit that has taken its abocleunder the banyan tree taking an anthropomorphicform facing south as an act of great condescensionand which is the object of meditation for the devoteesremain in my mind activising my intellect.

Daksindm[rti is one of the radiant human forms whichLord Si.'a the supreme Spirit takes out of His infinite mercy(daksinya) to uplift the ripe soul from bondage. The banyantree under which he is seated typifies the microcosm andthe macrocosm in the tiny seed of the tree and the vastexpanse of its branches, leaves and roots that evolve from itrespectively thereby illustrating how the Universe evolvesout of the Supreme Spirit who willed in the upanisadicwords 'Bahusyam', 'Muy I multiply'. The banyan treewhich outlives several other living species also stands torthe eternality (sat) associated with the Supreme. Thedevotees who mecitate on Him have their consciousness(cit1 illumined and experience Bliss (Enanda)" ThusDaksinamDrti is none other than Sat-cit-ananda.

errrmqmil?T-qrqrdrilei+aqor+rn

r

r}t{F<Rdr$eqT6ffi*srfrEr<q rri tl

adrdksarh aksil a dayd - nidhanarhdcdryarh ddyarh vatamDlabhdge,

maunena manda- smita_bhusitenamaharsilokasya tamo nudantam.

I beheld under the banyan tree the primordialPreceptor, the receptable of undiminishingcompassion driving away the darkness of ignorun."of great sages by mere silence that is adorned bv agentle smile.

Sankara Bhagavatpdda records his experience inbeholding the graceful form of Daksinam[rti, who as a trueGuru, a term which means dispeller of ignorance,enlightens the great sages by His mere silence thal radiateslight. A Guru is merely instrumental in drawing out theinherent powers of the soul. The mere presence of theSupreme in this benign form of a Guru would suffice toefface the ignorance of the soul and lit the flame of trueknowledge that leads to liberation.

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f{{qqTqiq+{rfrut

i*qffifr*tlqrri tl

27

vidravitaS esa tamogunenamudraviSesela muhur rnuntnam,

nirasya mdydrir dayayd vidhattedevo mah6n tat-tvam-asi iti bodham.

The Great Lord endowed as He is withcompassion drove away often and on, the quality ofignorance of the sages in entirety by His jfldnamudrd(the pose of fingers that confers true knowledge) andthus destroyed their nescience and ushered in the

profound knowledge 'That thou art'.

The power of maya is such that the thick well ofignorance has got to be stormed more than once before it isannihilated. The truth of the Mahavakya dawns on a person

only when the Lord out of His abundant grace enables him toperceive it. The Cinmudri is an index of this grace. It is also

taken to signiff the non-duality ofjiva and l6vara representedby the joining of the thumb and the fore finger. The twotogether stand for the pure Consciousness or cit. The mudrf,that enables one to comprehend this truth is therefore called

Cinmudrf,.

3{qT{flbqgurac$:

1-fr=T€qtfrrJsrJq n Y tl

ap Srakdrunya - sudha - tarangaitr

ap arigap atair - avalokayantam,kathora - samsara - nid6ghataptdn

muntn aham naumi gurum gurlnf,m.

I offer m\.preceptors Who.unlimited grace. rthe intense hearexistence.

DaksindmDni : s

disseminating True I.walked on the Globeway in which a ,Gur

disciple is kindnessDaksi{ramDrti sets anthat soothes the inrthealing touch work:Sams6ra is no more.blow in the mind of th,

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Fq|fralqrF

eil-frq-Ss_q.rfr

mamdd/&der,e.,

krpiviSesdt ,

orhkErar[pdrh u

avidyaka _ dh

- Muy my primorrthe banyan tree, ou:ffie, offer instructiodispel the darkness o

28

I offer my obeisance to the preceptor ofpreceptors who, by His ambrosial glances marked byunlimited grace, was looking at the sages afflicted bythe intense heat of that fierce misery of worldliexistence.

DaksirdmDrti is the path finder and arch preceptor indisseminating

T:r-" Knowledge to the successive acaryas thatwalked on the Globe. He is therefore the Adi-Guru. Th" ontyway in which a 'Guru' can transmit right knowledge to hisdisciple is kindness and compassion. As an laei Guru,Daksif am[rti sets an example. His gleaming eyes shed nectarthat soothes the intense sufferingi of the aspirants. Thehealing touch works miracles. The sweltering heat ofsamsrra is no more. The cool breezeof Ananda hai begun toblow in the mind of the sages.

q{ruHqqdqrti

fqrfrl@Er;r: I

eMeqfrilienFer+ser<q'n mtg r r,1 | |

mamddyadevo vatam[lavlsikrp[viSesdt krtasannidhf,nah,

orhkf,rarDpdrh upadidya vidydriravi dyaka - dhvdnatarh ap Ekarotu.

May my primordial Lord, dwelling at the foot ofthe banyan tree, out of divine mercy upp"ur beforeffie, offer instruction in the mystic lore 'orh' anddispel the darkness of nescience.

29

-.::iarn.

-i F{e is withi. ihe quality oft-rs jflanamudrd

":. - *'ledge) and

:ered in the

-.-: ::tck well of- L^f^-^ i+ io.:e before it is

:.s on a person

= =:.ables him to: _-rce. It is also::r represented:ier. The two

r :.:. The mudrd: -:3:etore called

fL

nr-- - --B ----^.

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@uqtl

kalabhir indoriva kalpitdngarhmuktakaldp airiva baddhamtrtim

dlokaye deSikarh aprameyarhanddyavidya timira-prahbdtam.

I behold with my eyes the incomprehensible formof the Divine Preceptor, the veritable dawn thatdispels the beginningless darkness of Nescience, a

form that appears, to be made as though with thedigits of the moon or perhaps with a collection ofpearls.

Again the blessed Ac[rya exults in the divine vision thatwas vouchsafed to him by the Adi Guru. The white sheen ofbrilliance of the vision of that Divine form is fancied by thepoet philosopher as being fashioned out of the white digits ofthe moon and a collection of white pearls. Not satisfied withthese fancies he draws a metaphor picturing the radiantDaksildm0rti as the dawn that drives away the darkness.

y"nfrHyFrerq+q{ ttrg ll

svadal

pa

apasm

pr;

I adoreleft foot isyoga vastri(right) foot

The'apthat is stammay recallUpanisad u-ifrom nescieBhav5nipatidhyayaml abiPreceptor S-other than ththe first God \

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aaTc

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s1l=

tattvarthvur a

pranaurT

acan

30

fis":-=:,:fn-;:- that

e"*:-. ::. J e. a

S : -:: then -:::-,ln Of

[frd-:--:that1:--: t:-:gn Of

!i'1; -:::r thelu:--: :l-ItS Of

f ',!--;-l:d with

E -.:: :adiantt1i -.-:ii

svadaksaj 6nu - sthita-vdmdpddarhp ddo dardlankrta - yogap attam,

apasmrter - dhita - pddarh - angepranoumi devarh pranidhanavantam.

I adore the Lord in His meditative aspect, Whoseleft foot is placed on His right thigh, Who wears theyoga vastra adorned by a serpent and Who has His(right) foot placed over the body of apasmara purusa.

The 'apasmaara purusa' represents the evil nesciencethat is stamped out by the Lord. In this connection wemay recall the 'dhyana Sloka' in Sri Daksindm[rtiUpanisad which seeks to confer on the meditator freedomfrom nescience. '4flanapaham Edim Edimagiram arthamBhavEnipatim nyagrodhdnt anivSsinam para gurumdhydydmyabhistlptaye' - 'I meditate on the SupremePreceptor Who dwells under the banyan tree, Who is noneother than the Lord of Bhavdnl, the import of Vedic words,the first God Who destroys nescience'. (v. 14).

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qunfr.iypd{go?1qr$ :

3nfldqTuduunfkqm{ t t z I I

tattvdrtharh antevasat6rir rsindrhyuv6pi yah sannu pade$tum igte,

pranaumi tarn prdktanapulyaj Slaih

Scdryarir dScarya - gunddhivasam.

3l

I offer my obeisance, thanks to my pastaccumulated merit, to that Preceptor, the abode ofmarvellous qualities, Who despite His youthfulappearnce yearns to instruct His disciples, the Sages,

the Supreme Spiritual Truth.

True Knowledge would arise only when there is

earnestness and competence both in the teacher and thetaught. Here the sages, the Brahmavadins are the disciplesand Lord Siva in His youthful aspect of Daksindmlrti is the

Preceptor. The former are the 'antevlsinah'who dwell in theresidence of the Preceptor under the banyan tree and thelatter Who is anxious to teach them (upadestum iste) isHimself, 'the very embodiment of Consciousness Who leads

His devotees to the realisation of the Consciousness'.

t(r"nuqtorqtqqrAqT.istrn'

t

@: g{Rte-

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ekena mudririr paraSurh karer]a

karena canyena mrgarh dadhdnalr,

svaj dnuvinyastakaratr purastf, d-acdry a -c[ddmal ir - dvira stu .

May the crest jewel among the Preceptors Whoholds one of His hands in the Cin-mudrd pose, holdsin another an axe, in yet another a deer and keeps the(fourth) hand on His thigh present Himself before me.

The'Cinmudrof knowledge par (

destroying ignoraniofHis control of the

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anldFETerffioa-qi

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Slepavantam

Sardulakrdlokaye kaflc

ajflan-var

I behold an e

Preceptors Whoof consuming) thbesmeared with tlin tiger's hide.

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wRftAffi+rFtsTlrF[{ri';

cdrusmitam sc

vinadhararupEsate kecan

updtta _ ni c

32

n'*pr-pnr:

iu:

:nV pastabode ofi outhful

:he Sages,

The 'cinmudra' indicates that He is the be-all and end-allof knowledge par excellence. The axe stands for his skill indestroying ignorance. The deer held in His hand is suggestiveof His control of the senses as a Master Yogin.

3{ratl-{dErffirsTgr

arrftr5-qrqften;rrqq f

enffimntfi6;@illoll

5l ep avantarir madanangabh[tydS ardUlakrttyd paridhdnavantam,

dlokaye kafl cana deSikendrarhaj fl an - vdrdkara - bddavdgnirir.

I behold an extraordinarily Great Prince amongPreceptors Who is the very submarine fire (capableof consuming) the ocean of nescience. I see Himbesmeared with the ash of the limbs of cupid and cladin tiger's hide.

qb€rcimqffiRidfrunmWt

scnuet+TAfiqRi

@ll?1 il

caru smitarir s omakal6vatam s arirvind dhararh vyaktaj atdkaldp &ffi ,

updsate kecana yoginaS tvdrhupatta - ndddnubhava pramodam.

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lE: "- :: --.3r and the[r, :--: ::3 disciplest' I -','-:.:irr.trti is the

f,L: r-: ig'ellintheU,L.: :-l- -l3e and the

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E -: - : -- s \\-ho leads

[t.,] -:---3SS'.

e :::JeptOrS WhO

- -::1 pose. holds::.: .:ld keeps the:-- r:: before me.

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h.: - .:.

33

Only a few among the Yogins worship Thee ofsmiling countenance and waving tresses, wearing the

digit of the moon as a crestjewel, holding the lute in ahand and exuding joy arising from the sweet notes ofthe lute played on.

Sankara Bhagavatp6da conjures up a vision of the

'saumya' or benign aspect of the Vinddhara Daksindmfirti thatwas worshipped by a few sages, only by a few, because such

a vision is vouchasafed only to those even among the learned

sages who are the recipients of His special grace. Has it not

been said 'Yam eva e$a Vrnite tena labhyah, Tasyaisa

dtmEvivr4ute tan[m svam' (Kathoponisad, tr, 3 3 ).

vqmerigrrT: \fmrcn:

FRTfiTfrfiffqsffal-s1; I

dffi-ctqtqiwrqtffiamd ll{? ll

updsate yarh munayah Sukddyah

nirdsigo nirmamatddhi vasah,

tam daksin6m[rtitanurh mahe 6 arir

upasmahe moha - maharti - SdntYai.

I meditate on Mahesvara in the form ofDakgindm[rti with a view to obtain the peace arisingfrom the removal of the suffering caused by delusion.

It is that very form which was meditated upon bysages Suka and others who are free from attachementand a sense of possession.

People of ordinary type generally pray for wealth, health,

fame etc. But an ideal aspirant like Suka will seek nothing of a

mundane nature forand 'mine' our Acarpeace and the

"onr.,to follow.

mrqtfrRa+e\)

6.r6qFTilq

ftser;afr+eq

Mfklntyd nindita

vapur nya€

kdruldmrte-visambhava.'

mohadhvanta

bodhena ta

devas tat-tvarrbodhavatu

May the Lord.endowed with a tjasmine flower, :

gracing the sagescompassion, breahand instruct me inthe scriptural texr '-

The Acarya pra\ i

the import of the \{ahiof the Brahman and J

received the veil oi a,the cycle of births an;existence.

34

il:-: Tree of; :::ing the

g := -ute in aF r:. :OteS Of

'; -.. of the

r---. f:-;rti that:.:rise SUCh

:c; -:-i learnedb-: :{as it not

: i*: Tasvaisa

::

: lt-lffn Of,::,-e arising:'. ielusion.:: upon bY

:::i;hement

- ;,.-:h. health,.;-: r. t -.,ihing of a

mundane nature for himself. Being free from the sense of 'I'

and 'mine' our Ac6rya following the footsteps of Suka seeks

peace and the consequent Bliss and thus shows the way to us

to follow.

arqr@utAwtdt+r+qdfirA: I

freaer<hiqiFl-f+r{fr *actqmffifrfruqE.Ti5d11a6qrft1-ar | | | I | |

kdntya nindita - kundakandala -

vapur nyagrodhamlle vasan

kdrul Smrte - vdribhir munij anarh

sambhf,vayan viksitaih,mohadhvanta vibhedanarh viracayan

bodhen atattddrSddevas tat-tvarir - asi iti

bodhayatu mdrir mudravatd pdlind.

May the Lord, with His palm showing Cinmudrd,endowed with a body that surpasses in lustre thejasmine flower, staying under the banyan tree,gracing the sages with looks that exude nectarinecompassion, break asunder the darkness of delusionand instruct me in that Supreme Truth embedded in

the scriptural text'That-thou- art'.

The Acarya prays for the grace of the Adi Guru to impartthe import of the Mahavdkya which proclaims the non-dualityof the Brahman and Jiva. Once this Advaitic knowledge isreceived the veil of avidya is sundered and there is no morethe cycle of births and deaths in this ocean of transmigratoryexistence.

35

3r.M: q1pil-etl:

qqlr.cr+q:3TTd${q: I

3rdiq{f; elqq-6fr},

Many indeeof them &re egrradore is the Onrhas resolved to e

AcArya's unDaksinEm[rti is asHe has taken upibeatitude.

muditdya mu,bhasitar a

jagadindrajali

mahase nr

Obeisance robanyan tree filledmoon as a crest I

with the holy, ashadept in creatine riworld.

The holy ash srthe Universe that isMahlpralaya and it i:phenomenal world.magrc and the causalthe indeterminable rnjoy (muoita) that anse

gRilqEBrarE

Tffiwtrqqrscqr

qAilqfis-

3rTffi,qRreiq: il ?y tl

agauragdtrailr alal6tanetrai lraSantavesaih abhuj angabh[saih,

ab o dhamurdrailr anap lstanidrai hap[rlakdmaih amarairalarh nah.

I have no need for any God whose body is notwhite, who does not have an eye on his forehead,who is not quietistic in appearance, who does notwear the jewel of serpent, who does not show thecin-mudr5, who has not abandoned sleep and whohas not his will fulfilled.

This verse illustrates how one should have implicit faithand devotion to his istadevatd in a particular form which aloneis a sure means aiding meditation and earning His grace, thatultimately confers Liberation.

ffiq1ftqRqTdfunnqo*1qcfit r

qtfwdqsfbznsuri

Efwrrf@qfuq 1f\ ll

ddivatdni kati santi cavanau

naiva tdni manaso matIni ffie,dik sitarh j adadhiyaril anugrahe

daksindbhimukharh eva daivatam.

36

: se body is not: his forehead,. '*'ho does not;s not show the: sleep and who

-:'. e implicit faith. . -:::r which alone:--= His grace, that

1.*.:

Many indeed are the Gods on this earth; but noneof them are agreeable to my mind. The only God Iadore is the one with His face turned to south whohas resolved to extend His grace to the dullard.

Ac6rya's unassailable and abiding devotion toDaksil6m[rti is again emphasised here. In His infinite mercyHe has taken upon Himself to help the lowliest to attainbeatitude.

gtrauEuqrfimr+dft+

@rTofrTmsq+eqa+rftri n ?q tl

muditaya mugdha6a6indvatamsinebhasitav alep a - r amamya murtay e,

j agadindraj 6l a - racanapatiyas e

mahase namo' stu vatamlrlavlsine.

Obeisance to that Great God dwelling under thebanyan tree filled with joy, wearing the digit of themoon as a crest jewel and bearing a form pleasingwith the holy ash smeared over it. He is indeed anadept in creating this magic show of this everchangingworld.

The holy ash smeared over His.body is the remnant ofthe Universe that is destroyed by Siva at the time of theMahipralaya and it is indicative of the imperrnanence of thephenomenal world. This world is illusory hke the product ofmaglc and the causality of this world is to be accounted for inthe indeterminable mf,yd grounded in l6vara. He is filled withjoy (mudita) that arises from a sense offulfilment.

a-JI

qrdRffiT:qRdqcrF{.qdrertor

t

qwqqr2qTA€qTq

rorqRffiGdilnq u ls tl

vydlambinibhih p arito j atab hih

kaldvaSesena kalEdharena,

paSyallaldtena mukhenduna ca

prakdSase cetasi nirmaldndm.

Thou with the long matted tresses hangingaround (Your face) adorned with the digits of themoon that is not full, an eye on the forehead and aface that is beautiful like the full moon shine in theminds of men of purity.

Citta6uddhi is a sine quo non for an aspirant to SelfRealisation. It is only in the pure mirror of mind of such a

person will reflect the radiant form of the Prince ofPreceptors, DaksilsmDti revealing True Knowledge.

i{+tl-tl-fl-{:

Rf€qrqyoffiR t

qEqtEefqqr{dt

r+sdqr+cqqor<: ll lz ll

upds akdndrir - tvarh umasahdyalr

plrl endubhdvarir prakatrkaro si,

yadadya te dar6anamdtrato me

dravatvaho mdnasacandrakdntah.

Thou withdevotees the nalvision of Thee,though it is a mo

The MUrti ofThis is seen in onSankara Bhagava"Namaskrtabhista -

boons desired b1'others marked bvgarlands etc. is qrcompdssionate moripe soul melts at th

qRrrxrqlq

SqTT

Wrri=grmqftl;

yaste prasan

m[rtirh n

aiSvaryarir-a

ante c& \'r

Those whoexultation on Thdigit of the moorlife, True Knou.lof Vedf,nta.

38

u.

: :: ; Se S hanging| :: :igits of theE . :::lead and asr-,- r. rhine in the

l' {: i::iant to SelfuE- - ---:d of such a

J r- -:i Prince offl; . ; :-:ge.

Thou with Umd as Thy Consort reveal to Thydevotees the nature of a full moon. For now as I havevision of Thee, that vision makes my mind melt as

though it is a moon stone.

The Mlrrti of Umf,mahe6vara is a favourite of devotees.

This is seen in one of the verses addressed to this form bySankara Bhagavatp6da in his Umlmahesvara stotram:"Namaskrtdbhiqfa-varapra-d6bhydm" - 'Who grants the

boons desired by the devotees'. This form, unlike some

others marked by a bundle of oddities such as ashes, skullgarlands etc. is quite pleasing associated as it is with the

comp6ssionate mother, UmE. No wonder that the mind of the

ripe soul melts at the delightful sight of Umdsahdya.

zrdTf,{rr{ffiilrfrqFTqTUeTaTaTrSfii: I

VilftilT${tqGil-{erRq@lt?3il

yaste prasannarh anusandadhf,no

m[rtirh mudd mugdha6aSanka - mauleh,

aiSvaryarir- Syur labhate ca vidydm

ante ca veddnta-mahdrahasyam.

Those who constantly meditate with great

exultation on Thy form with a head marked by the

digit of the moon will obtain prosperity, longevity oflife, True Knowledge and ultimately the great secret

of Veddnta.

tr-tD

blrlf*'

39