Thursday, November 08, 2007

Some more links on Dakshinamurthy Stotram

There was a question asked in advaitin mailing list about sources of text and audio-renditions of Dakshinamurthy Stotram. This post collates some information and links, as I think it will be useful for seekers of truth.

Disambiguation: First some clarifications on what Dakshinamurthy Stotram/Stotra (also written as Dakshinamurty and Dakshinamurthi, Dakshinamurti and even Dakshinamoorthy, Dakshinamoorty, Dakshinamoorthi, Dakshinamoorti) is, because there are quite a a few of them. This post refers to a Dakshinamurthy Stotram with the shloka mouna vyakhya prakatitha parabrahma tattvam as one of its dhyana shloka, and beginning with the words vishvam darpaNa drishya maana nagari tulyam. This stotra text is included at the end of this post. This stotra is also called as "Shri Dakshinamurthy Stotram" and incorrectly referred to as Dakshinamurthy Ashtakam (probably because one of its shlokas has the word ashtakam, in an entirely different meaning). It is not an ashtakam as it has 10 verses. This stotram is extremely famous for Shri Adi Shankara its author, is said to have put in the entire Vedanta into it. A commentary on the stotram named manasollasa, was written by Sureshvara, one of Shri Adi Shankara's main disciples. This fact is surprising because commentaries are usually written for philosophical treatises, not stotras. Here is the disambiguation (1, 2, 3 and 4) by learned members of the advaitin list which confirms my understanding.

My preferred translations: A translation of this stotram is available from advaitin files as a PDF file. This translation was posted as a series of articles by Shri V. Subramanian taking it from a book from his Guru Sri D.S.Subbaramaiya, who wrote a two volume, 1200 pages commentary on a 10 verse stotram (The reader can grasp the amount of Vedanta Shri Shankara has packed into the stotram!). Another translation linked here is by Prof. VK. Though I simply cannot recommend any of these translations highly enough, it is also my opinion that it will take some time and serious effort by a sadhaka, to understand the true and complete meaning of Sri Dakshinamurthy Stotram. This is because the verses are packed with upanishadic meaning.

Other translations on the web: Here is the translation from Sanskrit docs (PDF format). Here is the one by Shri. P. R. Ramachander (which incorrectly refers to the stotram as ashtakam).

Maanasollasa sources and translation: And finally, for the really interested reader, here is the manasollasa (in Sanskrit) by Sureshvara, the famous disciple of Shri Adi Shankara [link from Sanskrit docs]. A translation of the Manasollasa, done by Swami Harshananda is available from Ramakrishna Mission book stores.

Audio commentaries on the stotram: I highly recommend the excellent audio discourses by Shri Swami Paramarthananda and Shri Swami Dayananda Saraswathi from Sastra Prakasika. They can be bought from here, with D30 being the code for the commentary by Swami Dayananda Saraswathi, and P05 for the one by Shri Paramarthananda. (I recommend the MP3 CD's, rather than audio cassettes.)

Audio links (just the stotram): Quite a few artists have done audio renditions of this stotram. Here is a audio link (more specifically, here) of the same. In this page is available another rendition. This page has another one (these last two again incorrectly refer to the stotram as ashtakam).

Transliteration: Here is a transliteration of the stotram text, done by Shri. V. Subramanian on advaitin list.
==================================================
Sri Dakshinamurthy Stotram by Adi Shankaracharya
==================================================
--- Prarthana to Shankaracharya ---
Shruti-smrti-puraanaanaam Aalayam Karunaalayam |
Namaami Bhagavatpada-Shankaram Lokashankaram ||

--- The Stotram ---
Vishwam Darpana-drshyamaana-nagarii-tulyam nijaantargatam
Pashyan aatmani maayayaa bahiriva udbhuutam yathaa nidrayaa |
Ya: saakshaat kurute prabodha-samaye svaatmaanameva advayam
Tasmai Srigurumurtaye nama idam Sridakshinamurtaye || 1 ||

Biijasyaantariva-ankuro jagadidam praang-nirvikalpam punar-
Maya-kalpita-desa-kaala-kalanaa-vaichitrya-chitrii-krtam |
Mayaviiva vijrmbhayatyapi maha-yogiva yas svecchayaa
Tasmai Sriguru-murtaye nama idam Sridakshinaamurtaye || 2 ||

Yasyaiva sphuranam sadaatmakam asatkalpaarthagam bhaasate
Saakshaat Tat-tvam-asi-iti vedavachasaa yo bodhayatyaashritaan |
Yat-saakshaat-karanaad bhaven-na punaraavrttir-bhavaambho-nidhau
Tasmai Srigurumurtaye nama idam Sridakshinamurtaye || 3 ||

Naanaa-cchidra-ghatodarasthita-mahaa-dipa-prabha-bhasvaram
Jnanam yasya tu chakshuraadi-karana-dvaara bahiH spandate |
Jaanaami-iti tameva bhaantam anu-bhaatyetat samastam jagat
Tasmai Srigurumurtaye nama idam Sridakshinamurtaye || 4 ||

Deham praanamapi indriyaanyapi chalaam buddhim cha shunyam viduH
Stri-baala-andha-jadopamaastvahamiti bhraantaa bhrsham vaadinaH |
Maayaa-shakti-vilaasa-kalpita-mahaa-vyaamoha-samhaarine
Tasmai Srigurumurtaye nama idam Sridakshinamurtaye || 5 ||

Rahu-grasta-divakarendu-sadrsho maya-samaacchaadanaat
SanmaatraH karanopasamharanato yo'bhut-sushuptaH pumaan |
Praagasvaapsamiti prabodha-samaye yaH pratyabhijnaayate
Tasmai Srigurumurtaye nama idam Sridakshinamurtaye || 6 ||

bAlyaadhiShvapi jAgradaadiShu tathA sarvAsvavasthAsvapi
vyAvR^ittaasvanuvartamaanamahamityantaH-sphurantam sadaa |
svAtmaanam prakaTIkaroti bhajatAm yo mudrayaa bhadrayaa
tasmai shrIgurumurtaye nama idam shrIdakShiNAmUrtaye || 7 ||

Vishvam pashyati kArya-kAraNatayA sva-svAmi-sambandhataH
ShiShyAchAryatayA tathaiva pitRR^I-putrAdyAtmanA bhedataH |
Svapne jAgrati vA ya eSha puruSho mAyAparibhrAmitaH
Tasmai ShrIgurumUrtaye nama idam shrIdakshiNaamUrtaye || 8 ||

bhUrambhAmsyanalo-`nilo-`mbaramahar-naatho himAmshuH pumAn-
ityAbhAti charAcharAtmakamidam yasyaiva mUrtyaShTakam |
nAnyat-kinchana vidyate vimRRishatAm yasmAt-parasmAd-vibhO-
stasmai shrIguru-mUrtaye nama idam shrIdakShiNaa-mUrtaye || 9 ||

--- Phala Sruti ---
sarvAtmatvamiti sphuTIkRRitamidam yasmAdamuShmin-stave
tEnAsya shravaNAt tadartha-mananAt dhyAnAccha sankIrtanAt |
sarvAtmatva-mahA-vibhUti-sahitam syAdIshvaratvam svataH
siddhyEt tat punaraShTadhA pariNatam chaishvaryam-avyAhatam || 10 ||

Gurave sarva-lokaanaam bhishaje bhava-roginaam |
Nidhaye sarva-vidyaanaam Dakshinaamurtaye namaH ||
========================= Om Tat Sat =================

16 comments:

Unknown said...

These are too many and too profound for my small brain to fathom. but i want to slowly read and grasp and move towards self realization. i chanced upon this blog but will assure you that i am glued to it hereon:-). thanks a lot for the wonderful work oyu are doing.

SailajaVijay said...

This blog is really spiritual...i read this stotram daily and it gives me strength..Great work guys...Will surely be visiting this blog again and again and agaain.....

Raja Thatha said...

Dear Sir,
In the tenth stanza of the stotram it is referred to as Ashtakam
Bhoorambaamsya anilo ambhara,
Maharnadho himamasu puman,
Ithyabhathi characharathmakamidham,
Yasyaiva murthyashtakam,
Nanyath kinchana vidhyathe vimrusathaam,
Yasmath parasmath vibho,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye. 10
So I think I have not committed any mistake,P.R. Ramachander

phani Bandaru said...

murtyastakam is refered in the context of worship of asta murtuis. It does not imply that this is a astakam

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Excellent Guys!!Probably this is the only way we can keep our divine knowledge alive. Thanks

Unknown said...

Excellent!!! may i know that is this stothra available in cd version so that i can hear and learn it properly without mistake.

Vinay Kumar Vaidya said...

Please check #6;
'Praagasvaasam' or 'Praagasvaapsam '

I wanted to publish this original in my blog in Devanagari Script, and found it here in Roman !. Nice rendering.

Regards.

-Vinay.

Unknown said...

I chanced upon this blog of Prof Grimes and have since been discovering a treasure trove of valuable inputs. First, my Pranams to all those who have contributed here and a "Dhan-Yosmi" for your time and efforts.

I request to be included in your mail list.

Gurumurti Natarajan

TT said...

Thank you for posting this blog. I have visited in past as well, whenever I needed guidance. I links to Sri Dakshinamurti strotram dowmload-mp3 (most of them) are not working.
Hari Om.

Sai said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sai said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sai said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sai said...

Thank you sir... This is great help you have done to me... :)

Unknown said...

I offer my Sashtang Pranmas to You Sir for the momentous job You are doing. It is real devotion to Yogeshwara... Bhagvadpaadaachaaaryaayah Namo Namah...

Unknown said...

I have seen it being named as ashtaka even elsewhere. There they omitted the last two slokas. This appears fair because the last two are in the form of upasana and phala shruti (description of the benefits of reciting the stotra). These two slokas pale in significance before the majesty and sublimity of the rest 8 slokas. The phala shruti is even an antithesis for the "nishkama" state one has to attain with the help of texts as this stotra. Someone might have interpolated it as a ritual - to have phala shruti for a stotra.

Janakirama Sastry