Sri kamasikashtakam
By
Srimad Vedantha Desika
Translated by
P.R.Ramachander
(This great prayer is addressed to Lord Narasimha, who chose to sit in a yogic pose in the Thiruvelukkai Azhagiya singar temple, which is in the southern bank of the Veghavathi river , by Srimad Vedantha Desika, decidedly the greatest Sanskrit poet among the Vaishnavites of Tamil Nadu. I have consulted the great commentaries to this prayer available in
www.desikastotras.blogspot.com/2007/04/kamasikashtakam.html
and
groups.yahoo.com/group/RamanujaandDesika/message/766
)
1.Srutheenaam utharam bhagam Vega vathyascha dakshinam,
Kamad adivasan jeeyath Kaschid Adbhutha Kesari
The wonderful lion who is found in the later part of the Vedas,
Is living in the southern part of the river Veghavathi as per his wish.
2.Thapane indhwagni nayana Thapaan apachinothu na,
Thapaneeyas rahasyanaam sara
The Kamashikha Nrusimha who is the essence of Thapaneeya Upanishad,
With his three eyes which are moon , sun and the fire may remove our sufferings.*
*The three types of sufferings are physical, mental and those caused by other agencies.
3.Akantam aadhi purusham, kanteeravam upari kutitha aaraathim,
Vegopa kanda sangath vimuktha Vaikunta bahumathim upase.
I worship The God who has the primeval body up to the neck,
And who has a roaring lion head above the neck and,
Who has settled in the banks of Vegavathi leaving his Vaikuta abode
4.Bandhum akhilasya jantho , bandhura paryanga bandha ramaneeyam,
Vishama vilochana meede , Vegavathi pulina kelee Narasimham.
Being the friend of all beings , he sits prettily in the paryanka bandha* pose,
With his odd number of eyes and plays in the sands of Veghavathi river.
*yoga-patta across his waist and right knee
5.Swa sthaaneshu marud ganaan niyamayan swadheena sarvendriya,
Paryanga sthira dharanaa prakatitha prathyang mukha vasthini,
Prayeena prani pethushaam prapura sow yogam nijam shikshyan,
Kama nadhanuthath
asesha jagathaam
He who appoints the Maruths and other devas from his own place,
Who has complete control over his senses,
Who is sitting in the paryanka bandha pose teaches real understanding of oneself,
Who seems to teach the real yoga to those who worship him,
And who fulfills the wishes of all the world as the lion of Kamashikha.
6.Vikaswara nakha swaru kshatha Hiranya vaksha sthalee,
Niragala vinirgalath rudhira Sindhu sandhyayithaa,
Avanthu madha nasika manuja Pancha vakthrasya maam,
Aham prathamikaa mitha prakatithaa havaa bhagava.
With his open nails he tore open the chest of Hiranya Kasipu,
And the blood flowed non stop like a river, which made his nails,
Which were similar to thunder bolt red,
And I worship the Man lion form of Kamashika,
Whose hands compete with each other to protect his devotees.,
And declare war on those who try to harm them.
7.Sataa patala bheeshane , sarbha saa attahaso adbhate,
Sphurath kruthi parisphutath bruguti kepi vakthre kruthe,
Krupaa kapata kesarin dhaunuja dimba datha sthanaa,
Saroja dhrusaa adrusaa vyathi bhishajya they vyajyathe.
With fearsome thick mane , loud reverberating attractive laughter,
With brows showing immense anger but with his lotus eye,
Full of dripping mercy, towards the child of that asura,
He appeared like an imposter lion with the true form of a mother.
8.Thwayi rakshathi rakshakai kimanyai ,
Thwayi sarakshathi rakshakai kimanyai,
Ithi nischitha dhi srayami nithyam,
Nruhare Vegavathi thadasrayam thwaam.
“If you protect , where is the need for another protector,
If you do not protect, which other protector is capable of protecting,”
With this firm resolve I surrender to you,
Oh Lord Narasimha , who is in the banks of river Vegavathi.
9.Itham sthutha sakruth iha ashta biresha pathyai,
Sri Venkatesa rachithai sthiridasendra vandhyaa,
Dhurthaantha ghora dhuritha dwiradendra bhedhi,
Kamasikaa
If a good one prays with this prayer of eight stanzas,
Composed by Venkatesa on him who is worshipped by Indra ,
Then the Man lion Vishnu who stands according to his will ,
Would kill the sins which stand like a fierce and fast elephant.
Ithi Kamaasikashtakam sampoornam
Thus ends the octet of prayers addressed to Kamasikaa
Kavi tharka simhaya kalyani guna shaline,
Srimathe Venkatesaya Vedantha gurave nama
My salutations to Sri Venkatesa, the teacher of Vedas,
Who is a lion in the debates and among poets,
And is blessed with all auspicious characters.