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Shiva Bhavani Astakam
Other links to Bhavani Astakam In other languages.
Bhavani Ashtakam, is a great Sanskrit stotra written by the Great Sage Adi Shankaracharya and it is addressed to one of the Motherly aspects of God – Bhavani believed to be the “Giver of Life” as a mother gives life to her children.
These verses encourages us to explore ourselves, our thoughts, our habits, speech, behavior, relationships, status, titles, fears, greed, emotional states and addictions, and to reconcile with the One – Eka, Universal Mother in an attempt to seek and feel Oneness with the Divine.
Our Guruji Swami Veda Bharati taught of Oneness with Universe, Oneness with Nature and Oneness with God! Understanding the Motherly aspect of God, our own limitations and connection with that presence within ourselves leads to the true feeling of Oneness with Universe, Oneness with Nature and Oneness with God!
Pandit Jag B Mahadeo
न तातो न माता न बन्धुर्न दाता
न पुत्रो न पुत्री न भृत्यो न भर्ता ।
न जाया न विद्या न वृत्तिर्ममैव
गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥१॥
Na taato na maataa na bandhur-na daataa, na putro na putree na bhrtyo na bhartaa, na jaayaa na vidyaa na vrittir-mama-iva, gatis-tvam gatis-tvam tvam-ekaa Bhavaani.
Neither the taato Father, nor the maataa Mother; Neither the bandhur Relation and Friend, nor the daataa Donor! Neither the putro Son, nor the putree daughter; Neither the bhrtyo Servant, nor the bhartaa Husband! Neither the jaayaa Wife, nor the vidyaa (worldly) Knowledge; Neither my vrittir Profession! But today I bow to you O great Mother! You are my Gati – my Refuge! Tvam – You Eka – Alone or one are my Refuge, Oh Mother Bhavani – here referring to the mother aspect of God!
भवाब्धावपारे महादुःखभीरु
पपात प्रकामी प्रलोभी प्रमत्तः ।
कुसंसारपाशप्रबद्धः सदाहं
गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥२॥
Bhavaab-dhaav-apaare mahaa-duhkha-bheeru, papaata prakaamee pralobhee pramattah, ku-samsaara-paasha-prabaddhah sada aham, gatis-tvam gatis-tvam tvam-ekaa Bhavaani
O Lord, Bhavaabdhi – In this Ocean of Worldly Existence which is Apaara – Endless, I am full of Duhkha – Sorrow and Mahaa – great or in this case very much Bheeru – Afraid! I have Papaata – Fallen with Prakaamee – Excessive Desires (paata – fall). I have become caught up in Pralobha – Greed, Pramattah – Drunken and Intoxicated with these worldly things and desires! Sada – always aham – I – Always Tied in the Paasha – Bondage Prabaddhah – bound to this miserable Samsara – worldly existence! But today I bow to you O great Mother! You are my Gati – my Refuge! Tvam – You Eka – Alone or one are my Refuge, Oh Mother Bhavani – here referring to the mother aspect of God!
न जानामि दानं न च ध्यानयोगं
न जानामि तन्त्रं न च स्तोत्रमन्त्रम् ।
न जानामि पूजां न च न्यासयोगं
गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥३॥
Na jaanaami daanam na cha dhyaana-yogam, na jaanaami tantram na cha stotra-mantram, na jaanaami puujaam na cha nyaasa-yogam, gatis-tvam gatis-tvam tvam-ekaa Bhavaani
Neither do I know daanam Charity, nor dhyaana Meditation and yogam Yoga. Neither do I know the practice of tantram Tantra, nor stotra-mantram Hymns and Prayers. Neither do I know puujaam Worship, nor nyaasa-yogam dedication to Yoga. But today I bow to you O great Mother! You are my Gati – my Refuge! Tvam – You Eka – Alone or one are my Refuge, Oh Mother Bhavani – here referring to the mother aspect of God!
न जानामि पुण्यं न जानामि तीर्थ
न जानामि मुक्तिं लयं वा कदाचित् ।
न जानामि भक्तिं व्रतं वापि मातर्गतिस्त्वं
गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥४॥
Na jaanaami punnyam na jaanaami teertha, na jaanaami muktim layam vaa kadaachit, na jaanaami bhaktim vratam vaapi maatar, gatis-tvam gatis-tvam tvam-ekaa Bhavaani
Neither do I Know punnyam Virtuous Deeds, nor teertha Pilgrimage. I do not know the way to muktim Liberation, and with little Concentration and layam absorption. I know neither bhaktim Devotion, nor vratam Religious Vows; Nevertheless Oh Mother. But today I bow to you O great Mother! You are my Gati – my Refuge! Tvam – You Eka – Alone or one are my Refuge, Oh Mother Bhavani – here referring to the mother aspect of God!
कुकर्मी कुसङ्गी कुबुद्धिः कुदासः
कुलाचारहीनः कदाचारलीनः ।
कुदृष्टिः कुवाक्यप्रबन्धः सदाहं
गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥५॥
Ku-karmee ku-sanggee ku-buddhih kudaasah, kula-aachaara-heenah kadaachaara-leenah, ku-drassttih ku-vaakya-prabandhah sada aham, gatis-tvam gatis-tvam tvam-ekaa Bhavaani
O Lord, I have performed Ku-Karmee, Ku – bad, karma – deeds – I have engaged in Bad Deeds! I have associated with Ku-Sangga – Bad Company and I have cherished Ku-Buddhih – Bad Thoughts! I have been a Kudaasah – Bad Servant, meaning that my service to you and others have been with bad intentions! I did not perform my Kula-Aachaara – Traditional Duties, Heenah – meaing without and deeply engaged in Kadaachaara – Bad Conducts, Leenah – meaning engaged in! My eyes Ku-Drassttih – Saw with Bad Intentions, my tongue always Ku-Vaakya – Spoke Bad Words and have done so Prabandhah – continuously! But today I bow to you O great Mother! You are my Gati – my Refuge! Tvam – You Eka – Alone or one are my Refuge, Oh Mother Bhavani – here referring to the mother aspect of God!
प्रजेशं रमेशं महेशं सुरेशं
दिनेशं निशीथेश्वरं वा कदाचित् ।
न जानामि चान्यत् सदाहं शरण्ये
गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥६॥
Prajesham ramesham mahesham suresham, dinesham nisheethe shavaram vaa kadaachit, Na jaanaami cha anyat sada aham sharannye, gGatis-tvam gatis-tvam tvam-ekaa Bhavaani
Little do I know about Prajesham The Lord of Creation (Brahma), The Lord of Ramaa (Goddess Lakshmi) ramesham (Vishnu), mahesham The Great Lord (Shiva), suresham The Lord of the Devas (Indra). Dinesham The Lord of the Day (Surya) or nisheeth ehavaram The Lord of the Night (Chandra). I do not know about chaanyat other gods, but sada aham I always seeking sharannye Your Refuge. But today I bow to you O great Mother! You are my Gati – my Refuge! Tvam – You Eka – Alone or one are my Refuge, Oh Mother Bhavani – here referring to the mother aspect of God!
विवादे विषादे प्रमादे प्रवासे
जले चानले पर्वते शत्रुमध्ये ।
अरण्ये शरण्ये सदा मां प्रपाहि
गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥७॥
Vivaade vissaade pramaade pravaase, jale cha-anale parvate shatru-madhye, arannye sharannye sadaa maam prapaahi, gatis-tvam gatis-tvam tvam-ekaa Bhavaani
During Vivaade Dispute and Quarrel, during vissaade Despair and Dejection, during pramaade Intoxication and dejection-Insanity, when dwelling in pravaase, Foreign Land. In Jale Water, and anale Fire, in parvate Mountains and Hills, and madhye among shatru Enemies. In Arannye Forest, please Protect me O prapaahi, O protector for I take refuge sharannye in you. But today I bow to you O great Mother! You are my Gati – my Refuge! Tvam – You Eka – Alone or one are my Refuge, Oh Mother Bhavani – here referring to the mother aspect of God!
अनाथो दरिद्रो जरारोगयुक्तो
महाक्षीणदीनः सदा जाड्यवक्त्रः ।
विपत्तौ प्रविष्टः प्रनष्टः सदाहं
गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥८॥
Anaatho daridro jaraa-roga-yukto, mahaa-ksseenna-deenah sadaa jaaddya-vaktrah, vipattau pravissttah pranassttah sada aham, gatis-tvam gatis-tvam tvam-ekaa Bhavaani
I am Anaatho – Helpless or orphan, Daridro – Poor or needy, Yukto – attached to or Afflicted by Jaraa – Old Age and Roga – Disease! Very Ksseenna – Weak and Deenah – Miserable, and always with a Jaaddya-Vaktrah – Pale Countenance or sickly looking! I have Vipattau – Fallen Asunder, Sada – always aham – I – Always Pravissttah – occupied with, surrounded by and Pranassttah – Lost in Troubles and Miseries, But today I bow to you O great Mother! You are my Gati – my Refuge! Tvam – You Eka – Alone or one are my Refuge, Oh Mother Bhavani – here referring to the mother aspect of God!
