Repetitive reading of these verses would indicate Adi Shankara's versatility not only over the language but in seeing through Parabrahmam in both Shiva and Vishnu
Repetitive reading of these verses would indicate Adi Shankara's versatility not only over the language but in seeing through Parabrahmam in both Shiva and Vishnu
Repetitive reading of these verses would indicate Adi Shankara's versatility not only over the language but in seeing through Parabrahmam in both Shiva and Vishnu
In chapter 12 of Sankara Digvijaya of Swami Vidyaranya It is
said that when Adi Sankara visited the temple of Hari-Sankara,
he composed ten verses which could be interpreted as praise of Siva as well as of Vishnu, in order to bring out their non- difference. These ten verses are given below, with translation. |u ||-|||||l|||-| ||||'|||||||l| || | l|| l||||| l|+|| 7|||l| ||| For Siva- mahaasomkalaavilaasam- who shines with the great crescent moon, anaadim gaam- the ancient bull, mainam mahaH- the brilliance that is the daughter of Mena (Parvati). Meaning- May the all-pervading one (Siva) who shines with a great crescent moon, who calls with great affection the ancient bull (Nandi), and who accepted the divine brilliance (jyoti) that is the daughter of Mena (as his consort), confer all welfare on me. For Vishnu- mahaasomakalaavilaasam- (soma=water)-who plays in the waters of pralaya, anaadim gaam- the Vedas, mainam mahaH- the brilliant form of a Fish. Meaning- May the all-pervading one (Vishnu), who assumed the form of a brilliant Fish and played in the waters of pralaya, and who saved the Vedas confer all welfare on me. || ||| ||l|||| -|||+|| -||||| l|||| -|||l||||l|||||| |||||| -| +|||| l||||| For Siva- yo mandaraagam should be read as yoamandaraagam- He who, with amanda= great, raagam = affection, vishaadI= consuming poison, adrilolochidachaarumurte= having a beautiful form matching with that of the (Kailasa) mountain, Meaning- O You with a beautiful form matching that of Mount Kailasa, who drank poison out of affection for the gods and enabled them to consume nectar, deign to bestow your boundless compassion. For Vishnu- mandaraagam- Mandara mountain, vishaadI should be read as avishaadI= without any difficulty, adrilolochitachaarumurte= with a beautiful form fit for (carrying) the Mandara mountain. Meaning- O You who took a beautiful form suitable for carrying the Mandara mountain (the tortoise) and carried the mountain and made the gods drink nectar without any difficulty for You, may You shower Your unbounded compassion. ||-|||| |l|||| -+||7||||+|| |-| l|| |||-| -||||||+||-|||-|| For Siva- sphurad-vara-aheesa-kalebaraH= whose body is resplendent with great snakes. Meaning- We always fold our palms like the lotus at evening time in salutation to Him who displays His greatness by adorning His body with great snakes. For Vishnu- sphurad-varaaheesa-kalebaraH- having the form of a great splendrous boar. Meaning. We always fold our palms like the lotus at evening time in salutation to Him who took the form of a great splendrous boar and displayed His greatness. -||||| -|l|| || | -|l|||||||| |7||||l-||||||| ||||| | |'|| ||'|| For Siva- kesaritaam varaam should be split as ke (on the head) saritaam- among rivers, varaam- great, kunjaram- elephant, prahlaadam-great joy, panchaananam- one with five faces (Siva). Meaning- We prostrate to the ancient five-faced one (Siva), who carries the great river (Ganga) on His head, who killed Gajaasura, the enemy of the gods, and spread great joy. For Vishnu- kesaritaam varaam- the form of a great lion, kunjara- foremost (among the enemies of gods), panchaananam- lion-faced. Meaning- We prostrate to the ancient one who took the form of a great lion, killed the foremost among the enemies of the gods (Hiranyakasipu), and made Prahlada very happy. | |||'||l+||||| || |||| ||l|| |-||| |||l-| |||l|| ||||||u|||||>|l|'|||| | ' For Siva- balyaaharaNaabhilaashaH- desirous of getting the sacrificial offerings (in Dakshas yajna), vaamanam- adorable, haari ajinam vasaanaH- wearing a beautiful skin as cloth. aashramiNaam aadyaH-the foremost among those who observe the rules of the Ashramas. Meaning- May Lord Siva, who desired offerings at the sacrifice performed by Daksha, who wears an adorable beautiful deer skin as cloth, who, after being deprived of his consort (Sati) performed penance, who is the foremost among those who observe the rules of the Ashramas, protect us. For Vishnu- balyaaharaNaabhilaashaH- who wanted to receive a gift from Mahabali, aashramiNaam aadyaH-being in the first of the aashramas (brahmacharya), Meaning- May Lord Vishnu, who desired to receive a gift from Mahabali, who took the form of Vamana,who wears a beauriful deer skin, who performed austerities without a wife (as a brahmachari), protect us.
|||l||u|||l'||7| l||||| -|+||| |+|||||-+l|| || |||| ||l| || -||||| For Siva- adhikodyattaravaariNaa- who bears the ganga with its immense waters, nakshatranaathasphuritena- resplendent with the moon. Meaning- We are protected by Lord Siva who bears the Ganga on His head, who easily defeated Arjuna in battle, who is resplendent with the moon (on His forehead), For Vishnu- We are protected by Vishnu, who, as Parasurama with extreme prowess defeated Kartaviryaarjuna in battle, and who shines like the moon. l|||l-|||||+||| |||| || l|| -| 7||-||-|| || |||||||-||+|| |||||-||||+|l|| For Siva- May the great God Siva, who dispels all untruth by the brilliance of His Truth-nature, who destroyed Kamadeva having ten-pronged manifestations, and who had the daughter of the mountain as his consort, bestow happiness upon me. (Swami Tapasyanandas translation). For Vishnu- May Rama, who with the prowess attained by the knowledge of numerous divine missiles, defeated Ravana, and who had Sita as His consort, bestow happiness upon me. (Swami Tapasyanandas translation). |||| l-||||l|||||-||'|||' -| |l'||7||l|7||||||l||||||||| |l| +||| / Swami Tapasyanandas translation:-- For Siva- May Siva who excels as a dancer, who is of the nature of moksha-dharma, whose neck looks forbidding by the brilliance of the poison Halahala sticking to it, whose crown is kissed by the moon, and who is of indescribable brilliance, protect me. For Vishnu- May Balarama, who has the palm tree as his standard, who is an embodiment of eternal Dharma, who is forbidding on account of his fierce voice ubder the influence of liquor and the plough weapon on his shoulder, who is fondled by his father Vasudeva, and who is of indescribable brilliance, protect me. l||||||l|||l||| l||||-|+|l| ||| | ||||||l|||l|||-|| |l| |||+|| Swami Tapasyanandas translation:-- For Siva- May I be protected by the Lord Siva, in whose lap is Vinayaka seated embracing him with his trunk, who has the Ganga on his crown, whose name is sanctifying, who presents Himself in the minds of those who meditate on Him, and who has the moon as His decoration. For Vishnu- May I receive the protection of Mahavishnu having by His side Garuda, who incites terror in the minds of serpents, and who in His Krishna-incarnation charmed even the mind of Putana, and who has a crown of peacock feathers adorning His head. |||||||l|| ||||-||7|+||||| |-||| ||| |||||| |||||| -|||l| +|| " Swami Tapasyanandas translation:-- For Siva- I worship that spiritual radiance Siva, who is all- knowing, who is the destroyer of Mara, who is full of mercy, who is all knowledge, and who is praised by those who destroyed the yajna of Daksha. For Vishnu- I worship that spiritual radiance manifested as Buddha, who was all-knowing, who was the conqueror of Mara, who was full of mercy, who was of the nature of Bodha (spiritual consciousness), and who was the adored of those who were opponents of yajnas.