22/08/2015 Devi Apradh Kshama by Adi Shankara ­ Sanskrit Stotra

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Seeking Mercy from Goddess

Oh! I don't know the Mantra, the Yantra, orthe Eulogies. I don't even know how to invokeYou, how to meditate on You, and even thespeech behind Your eulogies. I don't know thepostures [in which to say eulogies], and Idon't know how to wail. [But] O Mother! Iknow that following You absolves the biggestdistresses.||1||

The offerings — which were due to the lack ofknowledge of methodology, by the lack ofresources, by indolence, or due to the lack ofstrength for submission — fallen [by me] onYour dual­feet, forgive all those mistakes, OMother! O Shiva, Who absolves everyone!Because a son can become bad or ignorantabout his duties as an offspring, but theMother always remains a Mother.||2||

O Mother! There are many sons of Yours onthis earth and they are gentle. Amidst them, Iam Your son, who is extremely libidinous. Ihave the feelings of possession, and I have nocompassion within me. But I am Yours, OShiva! A son can become bad or ignorantabout his duties as an offspring, but theMother always remains a Mother.||3||

O Mother! O Mother of the world! Your feethas not been engaged upon [by me] and,even more so, Your feet has not beensubmitted with offerings by me. Even then,You shower immaculate benevolence on me.Because a son can become bad or ignorantabout his duties as an offspring, but theMother always remains a Mother.||4||

At an age of more than eighty­five years¹, by

22/08/2015 Devi Apradh Kshama by Adi Shankara ­ Sanskrit Stotra

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me, who lacks the prowess to perform variousrituals, the Devas have been left along. OMother of Lambodar (Parvati)! Now, in thissituation, if Your benevolence does nothappens on me, then, I, the unsupported one,will take whose refuge?||5||

O Aparna! A dog­eater (Chandala) becomes atalkative person with honey­like sweet wordscoming out from the tongue; and a poor manroams fearlessly for long time in goldenriches, when the chants of Your name fall[seat] inside the ear of anyone. O Mother!Then, in that case, who can know theachievements due to continuous chants ofYour name based on the appropriate rules?||6||

Kapali, Who has ashes from the burnt corpseson body, Who has the directions as clothes(cloth­less), Who has thick tress­locks, Whohas a garland of king of snake in neck, Who isknown as Pashupati, and Who is the ruler ofghosts, attains the position of poison­destroyer and Lord of the world. O Bhavani!This is just a result of addition of You as Hisconsort.||7||

I don't have the desire to attain Moksha,neither I have the desire to attain luxuries andresplendence in the world. I don't haveexpectations of sciences, and O the Moon­faced Goddess! I don't even desire for luxuriesand comfort. O Mother! Thus, I beg You, thatwhenever I am born, give me the chanting ofthese names to me — Mridani, Rudrani, Shiv,Bhavani.||8||

O Shyama! You are not revered by me, usingmethods or various prescriptions. I didn't doanything beyond the rough­thinking andspeech. But even then, if You keep me, thedestitute and orphan, in benevolence, then itsuits You; since You indeed are beyondeverything, O Mother!.||9||

O Durga, Who is the abode of ocean ofmercy! When I remember You in troublesomesituations, don't think it is stupidity. It isbecause when a child is hungry, the child onlyremembers the Mother.||10||

O Mother of the world! You are full ofbenevolence for me; [but] what is the surprisein this? [Because] Even when a son is full offaults, the Mother does not ignores or disownsthe child.||11||

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O Mahadevi! There is no fallen one like me,and there is indeed no absolver of sins likeYou. Knowing this, You do what You think asappropriate.||12||

Notes:

¹ Because of the age of the poet, we believethat this poem is not by Adi Shankaracharya.

Poet: Shankaracharya

Source: Stotra Ratnavali — Gitapress

© Stutimandal 2006, Mar 24.