Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Saundaryalahari, सौन्दर्यलहरी Shlokas 71-80

Saundaryalahari, सौन्दर्यलहरी

by Jagadguru Shri Adi Shankaracharya

Shlokas 71-80 



Shloka 71 (Getting of wealth)


नखानामुद्द्योतैर्नवनलिनरागं विहसतां
कराणां ते कान्तिं कथय कथयामः कथमुमे ।
कयाचिद्वा साम्यं भजतु कलया हन्त कमलं
यदि क्रीडल्लक्ष्मीचरणतललाक्षारुणदलम् ॥ ७१॥

Oh Goddess Uma,
You only tell us, how,
How we can describe,
The shining of your hands,
By the light of your nails,
Which tease the redness of freshly opened lotus?
Perhaps if the red lotus mixes,
With the liquid lac adorning,
The feet of Lakshmi,
Some resemblance can be seen.

Word-to-Word Meaning

  • नखानाम् — Of the nails
  • उद्द्योतैः — By the radiance or glow
  • नवनलिनरागम् — The hue of a fresh lotus
  • विहसतां — Smiling, beaming with color
  • कराणाम् — Of the hands
  • ते — Your
  • कान्तिम् — The beauty
  • कथय — Speak, describe
  • कथयामः — How shall we speak?
  • कथमुमे — O Umā (another name for Goddess Pārvatī)
  • कयाचित् — By any means
  • वा — Or
  • साम्यम् — Similarity
  • भजतु — May attain
  • कलया — In some measure
  • हन्त — Alas!
  • कमलं — The lotus
  • यदि — If
  • क्रीडत्-लक्ष्मी — Lakshmi playing
  • चरणतल-लाक्षा-रुण-दलम् — Petals reddened by the lac-dye of her feet

Overall Meaning of the Shloka

O Umā, how can we describe the radiant beauty of your hands, whose nails shimmer with a glow akin to the hue of a fresh lotus? The only possible comparison one could draw might be with a lotus flower, but even that would only be true if its petals were tinged red by the lac-dye adorning the playful feet of Goddess Lakshmi. Otherwise, there is no true comparison to the beauty of your hands.

Expanded Spiritual Commentary

This verse reflects the deep admiration and wonder with which the devotee views the beauty of the Divine Mother’s hands. The poet finds it difficult to adequately describe their radiant and resplendent quality. The nails of the Goddess shine so brightly that they surpass the natural beauty of a fresh, red lotus, a symbol of purity and divine grace.

The comparison with the lotus subtly conveys the idea of divine beauty and auspiciousness, as the lotus is a common symbol associated with spiritual blossoming and purity. The imagery of Lakshmi’s feet adds an element of prosperity and divine playfulness. The statement suggests that the Goddess’s beauty is so unparalleled that even the most exquisite natural elements fall short unless transformed by the touch of another deity's divine essence.

The verse points to the transcendental nature of Devi’s form, highlighting that worldly comparisons often fall short when attempting to capture the essence of divine beauty. The glow of Devi’s nails, reminiscent of the dawn's radiance, represents the hope and illumination she brings to her devotees’ lives.

Additional Points

  • Symbolism of the Lotus: The lotus symbolizes purity, divine creation, and beauty untouched by worldly imperfections.
  • Imagery of Lakshmi: The verse incorporates Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, to elevate the comparison and emphasize that only the divine, touched by divinity itself, could match Devi's splendor.
  • Nails as Light: The use of “नखानामुद्द्योतैः” (by the glow of the nails) suggests a light that shines through and beyond, representing both spiritual illumination and the nurturing aspect of the Goddess that extends protection and grace.

In essence, the verse underscores the incomparable and divine beauty of the Goddess, suggesting that human descriptions are inadequate to fully express her resplendent magnificence.

Shloka 72 (Conquering fear of darkness, Getting grace from Goddess, Making slave of Yakshini)


समं देवि स्कन्दद्विपवदनपीतं स्तनयुगं
तवेदं नः खेदं हरतु सततं प्रस्नुतमुखम् ।
यदालोक्याशङ्काकुलितहृदयो हासजनकः
स्वकुम्भौ हेरम्बः परिमृशति हस्तेन झडिति ॥ ७२॥

Our Goddess Devi,
Let your two cool breasts,
Which have faces that always,
Give out milk,
And are simultaneously drunk deeply.
By Skanda and the elepahant faced Ganesha,,
Destroy all our sorrows.
Seeing them and getting confused,
The Herambha* feels for his two frontal globes,
To see whether they are there,
Making you both laugh.

Shloka 73 (Production of milk, Redemption)


अमू ते वक्षोजावमृतरसमाणिक्यकुतुपौ
न संदेहस्पन्दो नगपतिपताके मनसि नः ।
पिबन्तौ तौ यस्मादविदितवधूसङ्गरसिकौ
कुमारावद्यापि द्विरदवदनक्रौञ्चदलनौ ॥ ७३॥

Oh, Victory flag of the king of mountains,
We never have any doubt in our mind,
That your two breasts divine,
Are the nectar filled pot made of rubies,
For The elephant faced one,
And he who killed Crownchasura*,
Even today do not know the pleasure of women,
And remain as young children.


Shloka 74 (Good fame)


वहत्यम्ब स्तम्बेरमदनुजकुम्भप्रकृतिभिः
समारब्धां मुक्तामणिभिरमलां हारलतिकाम् ।
कुचाभोगो बिम्बाधररुचिभिरन्तः शबलितां
प्रतापव्यामिश्रां पुरदमयितुः कीर्तिमिव ते ॥ ७४॥

Oh mother mine.
The center place of your holy breasts,
Wear the glittering chain ,
Made out of the pearls,
Recovered from inside the head of Gajasura,
And reflect the redness of your lips,
Resembling the Bimba fruits,
And are coloured red inside.
You wear the chain with fame,
Like you wear the fame of our Lord.
Who destroyed the three cities.

Shloka 75 (Capacity to write poems)


तव स्तन्यं मन्ये धरणिधरकन्ये हृदयतः
पयःपारावारः परिवहति सारस्वतमिव ।
दयावत्या दत्तं द्रविडशिशुरास्वाद्य तव यत्
कवीनां प्रौढानामजनि कमनीयः कवयिता ॥ ७५॥

Oh daughter of the king of mountains,
I feel in my mind,
That the milk that flows from your breast,
Is really the goddess of learning, Sarswathi,
In the form of a tidal wave of nectar.
For , milk given by you ,who is full of mercy,
Made the child of Dravida*,
The king among those great poets,
Whose works stole one's mind.

Shloka 76 (Complete renunciation, Victory in love)


हरक्रोधज्वालावलिभिरवलीढेन वपुषा
गभीरे ते नाभीसरसि कृतसङ्गो मनसिजः ।
समुत्तस्थौ तस्मादचलतनये धूमलतिका
जनस्तां जानीते तव जननि रोमावलिरिति ॥ ७६॥

Oh daughter of the mountain,
The God of love who is the king of the mind,
Being lit by the flame of anger of Shiva,
Immersed himself in the deep pond of thine navel.
The tendril like smoke emanated from there,
And mother, people think,
That this is the line of hair,
That climbs from your navel upwards.


Shloka 77 (Gaining Micro sight, Attracting every one)


यदेतत् कालिन्दीतनुतरतरङ्गाकृति शिवे
कृशे मध्ये किंचिज्जननि तव यद्भाति सुधियाम् ।
विमर्दादन्योऽन्यं कुचकलशयोरन्तरगतं
तनूभूतं व्योम प्रविशदिव नाभिं कुहरिणीम् ॥ ७७॥

The mother of universe who is Shiva and Shakthi,
In the narrow part of the middle of your body.
The learned men seem to see a line,
Which is in the shape of a small wave of the river Yamuna,
And which shines and glitters, and appears like the sky ,
Made very thin by thine dense colliding breasts,
Entering your cave like navel.


Shloka 78 (Attracting all the universe)


स्थिरो गङ्गावर्तः स्तनमुकुलरोमावलिलता-
कलावालं कुण्डं कुसुमशरतेजोहुतभुजः ।
रतेर्लीलागारं किमपि तव नाभिर्गिरिसुते
बिलद्वारं सिद्धेर्गिरिशनयनानां विजयते ॥ ७८॥

Oh daughter of the mountain,
Is your navel a whirl pool in river Ganga,
Which looks very stable!
Or is it the root of the climber,
Of the stream of your hair line,
Which has two breasts of yours as buds,
Or is it the Homa fire,
Where the fire is the light from cupid,
Or is it the play house of Rathi, the wife of God of love,
Or is it the opening to the cave,
In which Shiva's tapas gets fulfilled,
I am not able to make up my mind!


Shloka 79 (Getting magical capability, Bewitching all others)


निसर्गक्षीणस्य स्तनतटभरेण क्लमजुषो
नमन्मूर्तेर्नारीतिलक शनकैस्त्रुट्यत इव ।
चिरं ते मध्यस्य त्रुटिततटिनीतीरतरुणा
समावस्थास्थेम्नो भवतु कुशलं शैलतनये ॥ ७९॥

Oh daughter of the mountain,
You who is the greatest among women,
Long live your pretty hips,
Which look fragile,
Which are by nature tiny,
Which are strained by your heavy breasts,
And hence slightly bent,
And which look like the tree,
In the eroded banks of a rushing river.


Shloka 80 (Getting remarkable beauty, Becoming expert in magic)


कुचौ सद्यःस्विद्यत्तटघटितकूर्पासभिदुरौ
कषन्तौ दोर्मूले कनककलशाभौ कलयता ।
तव त्रातुं भङ्गादलमिति वलग्नं तनुभुवा
त्रिधा नद्धं देवि त्रिवलि लवलीवल्लिभिरिव ॥ ८०॥

Oh Goddess mine,
Placed just below your shoulders,
By Cupid , the God of love,
Tearing your blouse which is attached ,
To your body by the sweat,
When you think of the greatness of your Lord,
And resembling pots of Gold,
Your breasts appear to be tied by him,
Securely three times,
By the three creeper like folds*.



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