Showing posts with label shreemad bhagavad gita. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shreemad bhagavad gita. Show all posts

Friday, June 20, 2014

श्री श्री गंगा स्तोत्रम् (Sri Sri Ganga Stotram)


श्री श्री गंगा स्तोत्रम् (Sri Sri Ganga Stotram)
रचना: आदि शंकराचार्य (Author: Adi Shankaracarya)

Shri Yogi Arwind on the banks of Ganga in the Himalayas


देवि! सुरेश्वरि! भगवति! गंगे त्रिभुवनतारिणि तरलतरंगे ।
शंकरमौलिविहारिणि विमले मम मतिरास्तां तव पदकमले ॥ १ ॥

devi sureśvari bhagavati gańge
tribhuvana-tāriṇi tarala tarańge
śańkara-mauli-vihāriṇi vimale
mama matir āstāṁ tava pada-kamale

O Goddess Ganga! You are the divine river from heaven, you are the saviour of all the three worlds, you are pure and restless, you adorn Lord Shiva’s head. O Mother! may my mind always rest at your lotus feet.


भागीरथिसुखदायिनि मातस्तव जलमहिमा निगमे ख्यातः ।
नाहं जाने तव महिमानं पाहि कृपामयि मामज्ञानम् ॥ २ ॥

bhāgirathi sukha-dāyini mātas
tava jala-mahimā nigame khyātaḥ
nāhaṁ jāne tava mahimānaṁ
pāhi kṛpāmayi mām ajnānam

O Mother Bhagirathi! You give happiness to everyone. The significance of your holy waters is sung in the Vedas. I am ignorant and am not capable to comprehend your importance. O Devi! you are full of mercy. Please protect me.


हरिपदपाद्यतरंगिणि गंगे हिमविधुमुक्ताधवलतरंगे ।
दूरीकुरु मम दुष्कृतिभारं कुरु कृपया भवसागरपारम् ॥ ३ ॥

hari-pada-pādya-tarańgiṇi gańge
hima-vidhu-muktā-dhavala-tarańge
dūrīkuru mama duṣkṛti-bhāraṁ
kuru kṛpayā bhava-sāgara-pāram

O Devi! Your waters are as sacred as “Charanamriti” of Sri Hari. Your waves are white like snow, moon and pearls. Please wash away all my sins and help me cross this ocean of Samsara.


तव जलममलं येन निपीतं परमपदं खलु तेन गृहीतम् ।
मातर्गंगे त्वयि यो भक्तः किल तं द्रष्टुं न यमः शक्तः ॥ ४ ॥

tava jalam amalaṁ yena nipītaṁ
parama-padaṁ khalu tena gṛhītam
mātar gańge tvayi yo bhaktaḥ
kila taṁ draṣṭuṁ na yamaḥ śaktaḥ

O Mother! those who partake of your pure waters, definitely attain the highest state. O Mother Ganga! Yama, the Lord of death cannot harm your devotees.


पतितोद्धारिणि जाह्नवि गंगे खंडित गिरिवरमंडित भंगे ।
भीष्मजननि हे मुनिवरकन्ये पतितनिवारिणि त्रिभुवन धन्ये ॥ ५ ॥

patitoddhāriṇi jāhnavi gańge
khaṇḍita-giri-vara-maṇḍita-bhańge
bhīṣma janani he muni-vara-kanye
patita-nivāriṇi tribhuvana-dhanye

O Jahnavi! your waters flowing through the Himalayas make you even more beautiful. You are Bhishma’s mother and sage Jahnu’s daughter. You are saviour of the people fallen from their path, and so you are revered in all three worlds.


कल्पलतामिव फलदां लोके प्रणमति यस्त्वां न पतति शोके ।
पारावारविहारिणि गंगे विमुखयुवति कृततरलापांगे ॥ ६ ॥

kalpa-latām iva phaladām loke
praṇamati yas tvāṁ na patati śoke
pārāvāra-vihāriṇi gańge
vimukha-vanitā-kṛta-taralāpāńge

O Mother! You fulfill all the desires of the ones devoted to you. Those who bow down to you do not have to grieve. O Ganga! You are restless to merge with the ocean, just like a young lady anxious to meet her beloved.


तव चेन्मातः स्रोतः स्नातः पुनरपि जठरे सोपि न जातः ।
नरकनिवारिणि जाह्नवि गंगे कलुषविनाशिनि महिमोत्तुंगे ॥ ७ ॥

tava cen mātaḥ srotaḥ-snātaḥ
punar api jaṭhare so’pi na jātaḥ
naraka-nivāriṇi jāhnavi gańge
kaluṣa-vināśini mahimottuńge

O Mother! those who bathe in your waters do not have to take birth again. O Jahnavi! You are held in the highest esteem. You destroy your devotee’s sins and save them from hell.


पुनरसदंगे पुण्यतरंगे जय जय जाह्नवि करुणापांगे ।
इंद्रमुकुटमणिराजितचरणे सुखदे शुभदे भृत्यशरण्ये ॥ ८ ॥

punar asad-ańge puṇya-tarańge
jaya jaya jāhnavi karuṇāpāńge
indra-mukuṭa-maṇi-rājita-caraṇe
sukhade śubhade bhṛtya-śaraṇye

O Jahnavi! You are full of compassion. You purify your devotees with your holy waters. Your feet are adorned with the gems of Indra’s crown. Those who seek refuge in you are blessed with happiness.


रोगं शोकं तापं पापं हर मे भगवति कुमतिकलापम् ।
त्रिभुवनसारे वसुधाहारे त्वमसि गतिर्मम खलु संसारे ॥ ९ ॥

rogaṁ śokaṁ tāpaṁ pāpaṁ
hara me bhagavati kumati-kalāpam
tribhuvana-sāre vasudhāhāre
tvam asi gatir mama khalu saṁsāre

O Bhagavati! Take away my diseases, sorrows, difficulties, sins and wrong attitudes. You are the essence of the three worlds and you are like a necklace around the Earth. O Devi! You alone are my refuge in this Samsara.


अलकानंदे परमानंदे कुरु करुणामयि कातरवंद्ये ।
तव तटनिकटे यस्य निवासः खलु वैकुंठे तस्य निवासः ॥ १० ॥

alakānande paramānande
kuru karuṇāmayi kātara-vandye
tava taṭa-nikaṭe yasya nivāsaḥ
khalu vaikuṇṭhe tasya nivāsaḥ

O Ganga! those who seek happiness worship you. You are the source of happiness for Alkapuri and source of eternal bliss. Those who reside on your banks are as privileged as those living in Vaikunta.


वरमिह नीरे कमठो मीनः किं वा तीरे शरटः क्षीणः ।
अथवाश्वपचो मलिनो दीनस्तव न हि दूरे नृपतिकुलीनः ॥ ११ ॥

varam iha nīre kamaṭho mīnaḥ
kiṁ vā tīre śaraṭaḥ kṣīṇaḥ
athavā śvapaco malino dīnaḥ
tava na hi dūre nṛpatiḥ kulīnaḥ

O Devi ! It is better to live in your waters as turtle or fish, or live on your banks as poor “candal” rather than to live away from you as a wealthy king.


भो भुवनेश्वरि पुण्ये धन्ये देवि द्रवमयि मुनिवरकन्ये ।
गंगास्तवमिमममलं नित्यं पठति नरो यः स जयति सत्यम् ॥ १२ ॥

bho bhuvaneśvari puṇye dhanye
devi dravamayi muni-vara-kanye
gańgā-stavam imam amalaṁ nityaṁ
paṭhati naro yaḥ sa jayati satyam

O Godess of Universe! You purify us. O daughter of muni Jahnu! one who recites this Ganga Stotram everyday, definitely achieves success.


येषां हृदये गंगा भक्तिस्तेषां भवति सदा सुखमुक्तिः ।
मधुराकंता पंझटिकाभिः परमानंदकलितललिताभिः ॥ १३ ॥

yeṣāṁ hṛdaye gańgā bhaktis
teṣāṁ bhavati sadā sukha-muktiḥ
madhura-manohara-pajjhaṭikābhiḥ
paramānanda-kalita-lalitābhiḥ

Those who have devotion for Mother Ganga, always get happiness and they attain liberation. This beautiful and lyrical Gangastuti is a source of Supreme bliss.


गंगास्तोत्रमिदं भवसारं वांछितफलदं विमलं सारम् ।
शंकरसेवक शंकर रचितं पठति सुखीः तव इति च समाप्तः ॥ १४ ॥

gańgā-stotram idaṁ bhava-sāraṁ
vāñchitaphaladam vimalaṁ sāram
śańkara-sevaka-śańkara-racitaṁ
paṭhati ca vinayīdam iti samāptam

This Ganga Stotram, written by Sri Adi Shankaracharya, devotee of Lord Shiva, purifies us and fulfills all our desires.


Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Ban on Bhagavad Gita? Why?

The controversy of ban of Shreemad Bhagavad Gita is uncalled for. In Siberia someone has filed a case in the court of law that the holy scripture should be banned as the local translation of it contains 'extremist views'.

For me, the perceived notion of extremist element in the Shreemad Bhagvad Gita, is fighting agains one's own evils. If that is an extremism then it is good for one's own sake. Isn't it?

I would like to put light on what Shreemad Bhagavad Gita means to me.

For me Shreemad Bhagavad Gita is a complete code to lead successful life from an illusion to light. This is such a incredible universal text that every individual born in any religious body - so called Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Jew or any can follow the preaching of Gita and succeed the goal of self realization. Hence Gita is a guide of life for every single individual on the Earth.

Shri Krishna and Arjuna in the Kurukshetra - Shreemad Bhagvad Gita


We must understand that with the flow of time, with the change in lifestyle, it became difficult to learn Vedas (Ultimate Source of Knowledge) for everybody. As it used to happen ancient times. So the sages interpreted them to suit to the changing times and three texts got importance as 'guides of life' which were, Upnishads, Brahmasutra and Shreemad Bhagvad Gita which is called as Prasthan Trayee. Prasthan Trayee literally means the three that lead to successful departure. i.e. successful departure of the soul from human body after self realization. So study of all these three help in liberation of the soul.

We must understand that Shreemad Bhagvad Gita is not a religious text on the basis of definition of modern religion. Modern religion is more a political manifestation to group and regroup people. Shreemad Bhagvad Gita has wider role to play. It speaks of cosmic law. The law of nature. The eternal law. The divine law. This law is all prevalent irrespective of changing times and situations. Hence Shreemad Bhagvad Gita is the guide to know and follow the law of eternal.

Shreemad Bhagvad Gita speaks of Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga etc. All these are the means of self-realization. The god himself is communicating these means to his creation. Hence Shreemad Bhagvad Gita is the communication from the God, the divine itself.

Shreemad Bhagvad Gita by AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada



Another argument which is normally made against Shreemad Bhagvad Gita is that it speaks of caste system. Any intelligent researcher of Shreemad Bhagvad Gita will agree that it does not support the caste system based on birth. It only mentions the division on the basis of skills and karma one carries. Such division we find in every sphere of life.

One single verse of Shreemad Bhagvad Gita, 'Karmanyevadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana' (Karma is my right and not the fruits from it) if followed faithfully, the whole world will become stress-free.

From Mahatma Gandhi to Albert Einstein, the World's great thinkers have vouched by the supremacy of Shreemad Bhagavad Gita. The message of 'rise, unite and fight' from Shreemad Bhagavad Gita is given by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar.  Shreemad Bhagavad Gita simply gives the message of fight against adharma for the establishment of 'dharma' - the cosmic law.

With these facts about Shreemad Bhagvad Gita, the controversy about it is creation of some unsettled mind. When the world is going through the difficult phase today, teachings from Shreemad Bhagvad Gita is the solution for every single problem. Its the best medicine to cure whole world today.

The beauty about Shreemad Bhagvad Gita is one can interpret is as per his / her own situation and find a right solution for his problem. Such universal applicability of Shreemad Bhagvad Gita in itself underlines the eternal value it represents.

When the divisive forces in the world are falling apart one by one. When the layers of illusion are tearing away fast as a divine course, when the rays of light are reaching uninterrupted to the souls, Shreemad Bhagvad Gita has played important role in this awakening. Shreemad Bhagvad Gita has become popular text of life for billions on this planet.

If this movement of awakening has to be strengthened for the better sake of the universe, Shreemad Bhagvad Gita needs to be taught to every one. Not banned.

What needs to be banned is the 'systems of illusion', developing sense of 'one upmanship', 'increasing greed and tendency of hoarding', 'mechanisms that give rise to false ego', 'divisive techniques in the name of religion, pseudo patriotism, misleading governance  that lead to misery and suffering of masses'.

Every single soul on this planet has a right to walk the path of light. Shreemad Bhagavad Gita ushers this path so flawlessly.


Shubham Bhavatu!

Samarth Yogi Arwind, Rishikesh 


Some great thinkers on Shreemad Bhagavad Gita:

1. "When I read the Bhagavad-Gita and reflect about how God created this universe everything else seems so superfluous." - Albert Einstein

2. "In the morning I bathe my intellect in the stupendous and cosmogonal philosophy of the Bhagvad-Gita, in comparison with which our modern world and its literature seem puny and trivial." - Henry David Thoreau

3. “It is meant to lift the aspirant from the lower levels of renunciation, where objects are renounced, to the loftier heights where desires are dead, and where the yogi dwells in calm and ceaseless contemplation while his body and mind are actively employed in discharging the duties that fell to his lot in life.” - Dr. Annie Besant

4. "The Gita is one of the clearest and most comprehensive summaries of the perennial philosophy ever to have been done. Hence its enduring value, not only for the Indians, but also for all mankind.  It is perhaps the most systematic spiritual statement of the perennial philosophy." - Aldous Huxley

5. "The Bhagavad-Gita is a true scripture of the human race a living creation rather than a book, with a new message for every age and a new meaning for every civilization." ~ Shri Aurobindo 

6. "The Bhagavad-Gita has a profound influence on the spirit of mankind by its devotion to God which is manifested by actions." ~ Dr. Albert Schweizer 

7. "When doubts haunt me, when disappointments stare me in the face, and I see not one ray of hope on the horizon, I turn to Bhagavad-Gita and find a verse to comfort me; and I immediately begin to smile in the midst of overwhelming sorrow. Those who meditate on the Gita will derive fresh joy and new meanings from it every day." ~ Mahatma Gandhi