Dwaadsa STotra 9

Dwadasa Stotra Commentary : Stora 9

Shrimad Ananda Theertha is so fond of summarizing complex thing in a nutshell. He keeps looking at Vishnu’s prime Dasa Avataras and paraphrase in several different texts. In Shloka 9 of Dwadasa stotra , he is at it again .

While traditional expositions have taken a line that ShrimadAcharya is extolling the greatness of Vishnu, we need to wonder why is it being told again ? In shloka 6- देवकिनन्दन नन्दकुमार वृन्दावनान्चान गोकुल चन्द्र   he has already dealt with it . Doing it twice would suffer from the dosha of repetition. 

We have to conclude that Acharayaru is conveying different meaning through the same substance. Shrimad Ananda Theertha is famous for brevity, hidden and multiplicity of meanings. 

It appears that the Avatara he is mentioning are the faculties that we need to develop to gain victory over ourselves in the battle of Samsara. Shrimad Acharya has clearly stated in MBTN ( Maha Bharata Tatparya Nirnaya) that the only reason Shri Hari relaunches the universe at every Kalpa to provide opportunity for the jiVa to cross the ocean of Samsara. He not only gives the opportunity, he shows the way too and empowers the jiva. As such , Shri Hari is not only the kArna and Karta but also the Karya - the power behind action. 

What stands out in this , just like 6, is the fact that Shrimad Ananda Theertha Muni is very respectful of Buddha and opines that Buddha’s ideas are very difficult to comprehend and people with Asura tendencies will get confused. This view is endorsed by Rju Vaadiraja Bikku as well.  

1) अतिमित तमोगिरि समिति विभेदन पितामह भूदित गुणगण निलय 

शुभतम कथाशय परम सदोदित जगत् एक कारण राम रमा रमण 

He is beyond determination, destroys  clumps of ignorance weighing like a mountain. He is the repository of infinite qualities.  

He is the subject of sacred enquiry that results in best end and the only cause for the universe and who supports every thing and every one.

( This line repeats in every stanza but not repeated in the English translation) 

2) विधिभव मुखसुर सतत सुवन्दित रमा मनोवल्लभा भव मम शरणम् 

शुभतम कथाशय परम सदोदित जगत् एक कारण राम रमा रमण 

He , worshipped with great diligence and concentration by the

gods and dearest object of the mind of Sri Ramaa Devi, is my refuge. 

3) अगणित गुणगण मय शरीर हे विगत गुणेतर भव मम शरणम् 

शुभतम कथाशय परम सदोदित जगत् एक कारण राम रमा रमण 

His body composed of infinite qualities, bereft of any defects and my refuge.

4) अपरिमित सुखनिधि विमल सुदेह हे विगत सुखेतर भव मम शरणम् 

शुभतम कथाशय परम सदोदित जगत् एक कारण राम रमा रमण 

He is an unlimited repository of bliss, with a pure body, and bereft of sorrow, and my refuge.

5) प्रचलित लय जल विहरण शाश्वत सुखमय मीन हे भव मम शरणम् 

शुभतम कथाशय परम सदोदित जगत् एक कारण राम रमा रमण 

He that fish that was sporting with full bliss in the torrent waters of Laya in full bliss and is my refuge.

// While  traditional explanation says this points to Matsya Avatara,, we see that in deep samadhi anubhava , called laya, he is the inner core of our consciousness that darts like a fish. Acharya’s madukya bhashya refers// 

6) सुरदिति जसुबल विलुलित मन्दर धरपर वर कूर्म हे भव मम शरणम् 

शुभतम कथाशय परम सदोदित जगत् एक कारण राम रमा रमण 

When the Devas and Asuras got tired he took  the form of tortoise to lift up the Mandara mountain. He is my refuge.

//  Koorma Avatara is the straight forward narrative, but the hidden meaning is that in manthana of our mind, Hari is the base on which we mount all our monumental efforts to churn out the nectar called jnAna. We need surrender our indriyas and tatvas and depend only on him//

7) सगिरिवर धरात लवह सुसूकर परम विबोध हे भव मम शरणम् 

शुभतम कथाशय परम सदोदित जगत् एक कारण राम रमा रमण 

As a Boar, you lifted huge mountains easily. You are of the nature of Jnana itself. You are my refuge. 

//Varaha avatara tells us about a wild boar lifting the earth. Hari is the jnAnana that lifts our entire burden of samsara. In other words, jnAna is stressed //

8) अतिबल दितिसुत हृदय विभेदन जय्नृहरे अमल हे भव मम शरणम् 

शुभतम कथाशय परम सदोदित जगत् एक कारण राम रमा रमण 

Tearing into the heart of Hiranya Kashipu of immense strength, he is absolutely pure and victorious. He is my refuge. 

// Hiranskasipu-Perhalada- nrusimha is a symbology of our battle with our own mind-belief system of which we are a product. If we are able to see Hari every where in our heart, mind and intellect, he comes out of the thick pillar of ego and tears into our dreadful mid, and saves us (prahlada) from our own dirty mind// 

9) अविजित कुनृपति समिति विखण्डन रमावर वीरप भव मम शरणम् 

शुभतम कथाशय परम सदोदित जगत् एक कारण राम रमा रमण 

You destroyed groups of evil Kshathriya kings who could not be defeated by any others. You are my refuge. 

//All our Raajasic tendencies are like evil minded Kshatriyas that need to be destroyed with Brahma jnAna, which is Parashu Raama.//

10) खरतर निशिचर दहन परामृत रघुवर मानद  भव मम शरणम् 

शुभतम कथाशय परम सदोदित जगत् एक कारण राम रमा रमण 

He destroyed the hateful, arrogant  and cruel  as Raama .He is the most supreme and immortal and my refuge. 

//Hari is the compassion in our mind that enables us to war with our hateful, cruel tendencies that are borne out of our arrogance. Shri Raama is the personification of compassion , the most important feature if Yama of Ashtanga Yoga// 

11) सललित तनुवर वरद महाबल यदुवर पार्थप भव मम शरणम् 

शुभतम कथाशय परम सदोदित जगत् एक कारण राम रमा रमण 

With a delicate body , he is the greatest of the Yadu clan .He  grant boons and protects Prita Kunti’s children . He is my refuge. 

// Our contentment is prita and it can easily be destroyed. Hence it needs protection that should not be from an aggressive source-aggression is a destabilizer. What we need is a balanced , mental equanimity that does not take extreme positions. This delicate faculty is the biggest strength and this is Krishna //

12) दिदिसुत विमोहन विमल विबोधन परगुण बुद्द  हे भव मम शरणम् 

शुभतम कथाशय परम सदोदित जगत् एक कारण राम रमा रमण 

You deceived the sons of Dithi and taught purest knowledge as Buddha. You are my refuge. 

//It is interesting to note ShrimadAcharya reveres Buddha as the person who taught purest knowledge. He calls him as one with extreme good qualities (paraguna). The argument is that Budddha’s teachings are so tough to understand for  those with asura tendencies. Even Vaadhiraja Bhikku writes in dasavatara Stuti that he worships the brilliant Buddha with both hands. ‘’बुद्धावतार कविबद्धानुकम्प कुरु बद्धाञ्जलौ मयि दयाम्  ।

शौद्धोदनिप्रमुखसैद्धान्तिकासुगमबौद्धागमप्रणयन ‘’

कलिमल हुतवह सुभग महोत्सव शरणद कल्कीश  हे भव मम शरणम् 

शुभतम कथाशय परम सदोदित जगत् एक कारण राम रमा रमण 

You , a beautiful person, give a rejoice in the mind,  burn away the impurities of Kali, sheltering the the virtuous. You are my refuge. 

//Kali is a mental state of total evil that needs to be destroyed//

अखिल जनिविलय परसुख कारण पर पुरुषोत्तम  भव मम शरणम् 

शुभतम कथाशय परम सदोदित जगत् एक कारण राम रमा रमण 

You are the cause for the creation and destruction of the world; innate bliss. You are the supreme and my refuge. 

इति तवनुति वरासत तरतेर्भव सुशारणमुरु सुखतॆर्थ मुने भगवन्  

शुभतम कथाशय परम सदोदित जगत् एक कारण राम रमा रमण 

In this manner, Ananda Tirtha is always engaged in extolling you with this great sthothra. Bhagavan, who is full of auspicious qualities, please protect me always.