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Dakshin Moorti Stotra

Known for its philosophical import, subtlety of expression and confident assertion, the Dakshin Moorti Stotra is one of the highly inspired
works of Shankaraachaarya, although it is very short. The great master addresses with unerring dexterity. These stanzas to the students who are already equipped with the Vaidik light. Since the stanzas are loaded with suggestions, they require guidance and deep study to understand the depths of the contents. There are only ten stanzas which are linked to form a garland of philosophical thoughts and are not meant for the beginners.

1 - The first stanza indicates the pluralistic world of perceptions and shows that they are the play of one infinite reality realizing which is the
ultimate goal of human existence.
2-3 - The next two stanzas explain how the false world of delusions are superimposed on the the ever present reality and how the light of the
infinite should be seen.
5 - Stanza five explains how the power of Maayaa confuses even the knowledgeable persons.
6 - The next stanza focuses on our own experience in the three planes of consciousness- waking, dream and deep sleep-to see the reality behind
individual personalities and the entire universe.
7 - The fathomless substratum upon which the reflection is seen dancing with the tune of finitude and sorrow is explained next.
8 - Stanza eight shows how the material world is not real because it is constantly changing and yields to sets of experiences.
9 - Upaasanaa is now explained and it is impressed that lack of integration within makes us unfit for subtle flights to the lofty heights of Vedaant and to discuss the ultimate.
10 - Finally, it is emphasized that these are not for just hearing only but for reflection to achieve an eventual attainment of liberation.

Though the meanings appear simple, there is an unknown depth in them. It is necessary for the students to have studied at he Upanishads, the Geetaa etc. These ten stanzas are a summary of the declarations of the Brahma Sootra, the Geetaa and the Upanishad. They elucidate the subtle imports of the Upanishad. It is necessary for the serious students to go deep into the ocean of knowledge in this Stotra to get the pearls of wisdom.

Dakshina Moorti Stotra of Aadi Shankar :-

shree shankaraachaarya krit - stavokt mahimaabdaye
dakshinaamoortaye tubhyam - namah sree gurumoortaye |.1

brahmavartasth bhaandeer  vatamool nivaasine
dakshinaamoortaye tubhyam - namah sree gurumoortaye  |.2

bhasmodhoolit sarvaang sundaraaya mahaatmane
dakshinaamoortaye tubhyam - namah sree gurumoortaye |.3

sarv lok samaaraadhya charanaambhoruhaaya cha
dakshinaamoortaye tubhyam - namah sree gurumoortaye |.4

phanibhooshaaya chandraardhaa dhaarine krittivaasine
dakshinaamoortaye tubhyam - namah sree gurumoortaye |.5

veenaa kshamaalaa chinmudra pustakaadyakaraaya cha
dakshinaamoortaye tubhyam - namah sree gurumoortaye |.6

yogapattaabhiraamaaya  vyaaghracharmaasanaaya cha
dakshinaamoortaye tubhyam - namah sree gurumoortaye  |.7

prasaanashaant gambheera mukhaayaanand rochishe
dakshinaamoortaye tubhyam - namah sree gurumoortaye |.8

aatmaanand mahaasindhu nimagnodaar chetase
dakshinaamoortaye tubhyam - namah sree gurumoortaye |.9

jigyaasu vriddhasishyaali - samaavritaa yuvaatmane
dakshinaamoortaye tubhyam - namah sree gurumoortaye |.10

maun vyakhyaa suprakaashit aatmaa tattwaanubhootaye
dakshinaamoortaye tubhyam - namah sree gurumoortaye  |.11

medhaatmane kripaapoorn shishya hridgranthi bhedine
dakshinaamoortaye tubhyam - namah sree gurumoortaye  |.12

gurumoorti stavam idam yah pathet susamaahitam
sa bhakta praapnuyaat sheeghram vidyaam medhaam balam shriyam |13

Dhanyaashtakam of Aadi Shankar:-

Dhanyaashtakam of Aadi Shankar explains in eight verses who the real blessed persons are in the world. These deal with the goal of blessedness, the means to achieve it, possible obstacles and the method to overcome these impediments. The meaning and explanations of this poem are so vast that books have been written on it alone. It is as potent as the Dakshinaa Moorti Stotra.

tajjnaanam prashamakaram. ......paribhrama ntaha.  |1|

Meaning:- Knowledge is that which quietens the senses. That is worthy of knowing which is the ascertained theme of the Upanishad. They alone are blessed persons who decisively strive to realise the supreme truth whereas all others are wandering in the world of delusion.

Aadou vijitya..... .vichiranti dhanyaah.  |2|

Meaning:- Blessed are they who in the beginning having subdued the sense objects and a host of other enemies such as arrogance, delusion, likes and dislikes conquer the kingdom of yoga and realising the truth, live in the abode of the forest enjoying the happy company of the beloved wife (spiritual knowledge).

tyaktvaa grhe,,,,,viraktasan gaaha.  |3|

meaning:- Blessed are they who having renounced the pleasures of the home, with a desire for the Self, always drink the nectar of the truth of the Upanishad. Free from all longings and dispassionate towards the host of sense pleasures, they roam about in solitary places without attachment to company.

tyaktvaa mamaahamiti. .......dhanyaaha .  |4|

meaning:- Blessed are they who renouncing these twobinding notions of "my" and "I" have become men of equal vision and are unaffected by honor and dishonor, understanding the lord alone to be the doer, they perform Karm dedicating these and their fruits to Him.

tyaktvaishanaartra. ......... ..hrdyavalOkayan ti.  |5|

meaning:- Blessed are those Braahman who giving up the three kinds of desire, walk the path of liberation and sustain their bodies with the nectar of alms. Living in solitude they meditate in their hearts on the light of consciousness which is beyond the beyond, the supreme self.

naasanna sanna....bhavapaash abaddhaaha.  |6|

meaning:- Those blessed ones alone shine in glory who meditate with single pointed mind on that Brahm which is neither real nor unreal, nor the combination of these two. Neither small nor big, neither man nor woman nor eunuch. But it is the one seed of the universe. All others are bound
with the ropes of becoming.

ajnaanapanka. .....vinishchaya nti.  |7|

meaning:- This bondage of the ephemeral, ever changing world is sunk in the slushy mud of ignorance and has no real essence in it. It is an abode of sorrow associated with birth, old age and death. They are blessed who seeing this bondage closely, cut it with the sword of knowledge and determine the nature of that reality which is beyond this world.

shaantyrananyamati. ......... .vimrshanti dhanyaaha.  |8|

meaning:- Blessed are they who living in the forests always discuss that reality with the sages who have realised the self and are serene with no thought of otherness in their minds; whose disposition is pleasant and who have ascertained the oneness of the self with Brahm.

Maatri Panchakam :-

Mother has been extolled as a god form in several places in the Puraan and also God has been approached as a son approaches his mother by many great savants. She is Dhatree (One who bears the child), Jananee (one who gives birth to the child), Ambaa (One who nourishes the limbs of the child) and Veerasu (One who makes him a hero), Shushroo (One who takes care of him).

But Shankar in these poems is not dealing either of God in the form of mother nor mother in the form of God. He laments to the lady who was his mother and points out how his conscience is pricking him for being not able to do the duty of a son.

aasthaam tavaddeyam prasoothi samaye durvara soola vyadha, nairuchyam tanu
shoshanam malamayee shayyaa cha samvatsaree, ekasyapi na garbha bara bharana
klesasya yasya kshmo dhathum,nishkruthi munnathopi thanaya tasya janyai nama.

Oh mother mine,
With clenched teeth bore thou the excruciating pain,
When I was born to you,
Shared thou the bed made dirty by me for an year,
And thine body became thin and painful,
During those nine months that you bore me,
For all these in return,
Oh mother dearest,
I can never compensate,
Even by my becoming great.

gurukulamupashruti a swapnakaale thu drishtwa,yathi samuchit vesham
praarudho maam twamuchai gurukulamadha sarva prarudathe samakshamsapadhi
charanayosthe mathurasthu pranaama.

Clad in a dress of a Sanyaasee,
You saw me in my teacher's school,
In your dream and wept,
And rushed thither,
Smothered, embraced and fondled me, Oh mother mine,
And all the teachers and students wept with you dear,
What could I do,
Except falling at your feet,
And offering my salutations.

ambethi thathethi shiveti tasmin, prasootikale yadavocha
uchai, krishneti govind hare mukunde tyaho,janye rachito ayamanjali.

Oh mother mine,
Crying thou shouted in pain,
During thine hard labor,
Oh mother, Oh father,
Oh God Shiva,
Oh Lord Krishn,
Oh Lord of all, Govind,
Oh Hari and Oh God Mukund,
But in return,
Oh my mother dearest.
I can give you but humble prostrations.

na dattam mathasthe maran samaye thoyamapi vaa, swadhaa vaa no dheyaa
maran divase shraadha vidhinana japato mathasthe maran samaye taarak
manu, akaale samprapte mayee kuru dhayaam matharatulaam.

Neither did I give you water at thine time of death,
Neither did I offer oblations to thee to help thine journey of death,
And neither did I chant the name of Raama in thine ear,
Oh Mother supreme, pardon me for these lapses with compassion,
For I have arrived here late to attend to those.

muktaa manisthwam, nayanam mameti, rajeti jeeveti chiram sthutha
twam, ityukt vatya vaachi mathaa, dadamyaham tandul mesh shulkam.

Long live,
Oh, pearl mine,
Oh jewel mine,
Oh my dearest eyes,
Oh mine prince dearest,
And oh my soul of soul,
Sang thou to me,
But in return of that all,
Oh my mother dearest.
I give you but dry rice in your mouth.

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