Ambashtakam
By
Adhi Shankara (Maha Kavi Kalidasa?)
Translated by
P.R.Ramachander
(Here is a mellifluous and very poetic work. Many people claim it as the work of Adhi Shankara but some claim it as the work of Mahakavi Kalidasa. It is written in a meter which resembles the horses gait called Asva Dhati Vrutha. It is referred to as Kalidasa’s dasa sloki but in my source, which is Malayalam book of Stotras published in Kerala, It is referred to as Ambashtakam.)
Cheti bhavannakhila khasee kadamba tharu vatishu naki
patali,
Koteera charu thara koti manee kirana koti karambhitha padaa,
Pattera Gandhi kucha
satee kavithwa paripatti maghadhipa sutha,
Ghotee kuladha
adhika dhateemudhara mukha veetee rasena thanutham. 1
Let her who is served
by all deva maidens in the Kadamba garden,
Let her whose feet shines by the reflections of gems on the
tip of crown of all devas,
Let the daughter of
mountain covering her breasts with cloth having the incense of Sandal,
And let her who has more exuberance than very active young
mares,
Bless me with great competence in poem making by her saliva
mixed with betel.
Kulaathi gama bhaya
thula valee jwalakhila nija Sthuthi
vidhow,
Kolaha laksha pithakala mare kusala keelala poshana nabha,
Sthoola kuche jaladha
neela kuche kalitha leela Kadamba
vipine,
Soolayudha pranathi
sheela vibhathu hrudhi sahailadhi raja
thanaya. 2
Let my mind be made bright by the daughter of the king of
the mountains,
Who is like a flame that burns away the river of fears which
are ebbing out,
Who increases the well being of deva maidens who are like
the rich clouds ,
And spent their
bustling time in her praises,
Who has heavy breasts , who has black long hair,
Who wanders around in the forest of Kadamba
trees,
And who has the habit of
saluting Lord Paramasiva.
Yathasroyala gathiu thathara gaja a vasthu kuthrapi
nisthoola shukaa,
Suthrama kala mukha
sathrasana prakara soothrana
karee charana,
Chathranila thiraya
pathrabhi rama guna mithramaree
sama vadhu,
Kuthrasa hanmani vichithrakruthi sphuritha
puthradhi dhana nipuna. 3
She who is dressed in incomparable cloths and ornaments,
She who has feet which protects Indra and other devas,
She who holds a fan and she who has a transport speedier than wind,
She who has lady friends with pretty habits and comparable
to deva maidens,
She who protects the world and has a body shining more than her gem studded
ornaments ,
And she who is an expert in granting wealth and sons,
May settle down in my mind wherever she likes.
Dwaipayana prabhruthi
sapayudha tri divasa sopana dhooli charana,
Paapahaswa manujaa
paanoolina jana thapapanodha nipuna,
Neepalaya surabidhupalakaa duritha koopadh udhanchayathu
maam,
Roopabhikaa shikhari
bhoopala vamsa mani dheepayitha
Bhagawathi. 4
Let me be saved from this deep well of suffering by her,
Who has a feet which is a ladder to the heavens,
Even to Veda Vyasa and other sages , capable of giving
curses,
Who is an expert in removing all pains from those,
Involved in repeating her names with concentration,
Who lives in the Kadamba forest ,
Who has slight white curls due to their being exposed to
incense smoke,
And who has a very pretty mien and is gem studded lamp in
Himavan’s family.
Yallee bhir athma thanu
thaleesa kruth Priya kapaleeshu
kheladi bhaya,
Vyaleena kulyasitha
chooli bharaa charana dhooli lasan
munivara,
Bhaleebruthi sravasi
thalee dhalam vahathi yaleeka shobha
thilaka,
Salee karothu mama kali
mana swapada naleeka sevana vidhou. 5
Let my mind be made in to a bee drinking the divine joy ,
When I worship the lotus
feet of the Goddess Kali,
Who plays in the Kadamba forest along with her friends,
Keeping time by playing thala in her
own body,
Who is the she mongoose acting against the serpent of fear,
Who has very dense hair, who has sages shining because they
wear the dust of her feet,
Who wears palm leaves in her ear lobes instead of the
ornament called Vyali ,
And is the one who shines
along with the Thilaka on her forehead.
Nyangakare vapushi kankala raktha vapushi kankadhi paksha
vishaye,
Thwam kaamanaamayasi kim kaaranam hrudhya pangari may
girijaam,
Sankha shilaa nisi
thadangayamana pada sanga samana sumano,
Jjamkari manatha thimanganu petha sasi sangai vakthra
kamalaam. 6
Oh mind why are you keeping your desire in this body ,
Which houses the stool and urine and is being given energy,
By things like the blood , bones and flesh?
Instead can’t you surrender
to the daughter of the mountain,
Who destroys all the dirt from the mind, who has a moon like
face
And whose feet is
surrounded by the loud prayers and wishes of devas,
And is the sharp tool which breaks the stones of fear and
doubt.
Kambhavathee sama vidambaa , galena nava thumbhapa veena savidhaa,
Samba huleya sasi
bhimbaabhirama mukha sambhadhitha sthana bhara,
Ambaa kuranga madha jambala
rochiriha lambaalaka disathu may,
Bimbadharam vinatha sambhaayudhaadhini kurambhaa, Kadamba
vipine. 7
Let me be blessed with all that is good by the mother goddess,
Who has dense breasts and very pretty neck,
Who is near to Shiva, whose breasts are affected by the,
Nearness of the pretty moon like face of Lord Subrahamanya,
Who wears thilaka of musk on her forehead,
Who has ever flying curls, who has red lips like Bimba
fruit,
And who is being worshipped in the Kadamba forest by Indra
and other devas.
Idanakee ramani bandha bhaave hrudaya bandhaavatheeva rasikaa,
Sandhaavathi bhuvana sandharanepya amruthasindha udhara nilayaa,
Gandhanubhana muhoor andhali veetha kacha bandhaa
samarpayathu may,
Sam dhamabhanumathi
sandhaanamasu padha sandhan mapyaga sudhaa. 8
Let me be blessed with happiness, the wisdom of the light of
the soul,
And the everlasting joy
of the lotus her like feet by Goddess Parvathi,
Who has in her
hands a shining parrot,
Who showers signs of love on her darling Lord Shiva,
Who lives in the place of creation as well as in the very
special sea of nectar,
And who has dense braid surrounded by bees attracted by the
scent of flowers she wears.