Shiva Mahimna
Stotram -1
Hymn paying homage to the
greatness of Śiva
1. Introduction
2. 1
to 7 — 8 to 14 — 15 to 21 — 22 to 28 — 29 to 35 — 36 to 42
1. Pure
translation (for easy reading)
2. "Devanāgarī
only" version (signs)
3. "IAST
only" version (transliteration)
4. Further
Information
Introduction
Gabriel Pradīpaka, once again. The author of this well-known
scripture is Puṣpadanta, a renowned Gandharva (heavenly musician) who wrote
this hymn in order to calm down Śiva's wrath. Why was Śiva angry? Because Puṣpadanta,
while attempting to steal some flowers from a king's garden, happened to step
on a particular "grass" sacred to Śiva. It is a long story really.
However, the important thing in the present hymn is the detailed descriptions
of a series of events associated with Śiva. It is also a hymn filled with
devotion. That is why, it is highly recommended for Svādhyāya (Study and
Recitation of Sacred Scriptures, according to Patañjali).
Note that there are, as it were, two types of Śiva: (1)
Vedic Śiva, who appears in the Veda-s as Rudra. However, in the literature
based upon Veda-s (i.e. Purāṇa-s, Itihāsa, etc.) the appellative
"Śiva" arises. This Śiva is the god belonging to the celebrated
trilogy (Brahmā --Creator--, Viṣṇu --Preserver--, Śiva --Destroyer--). He is a
"personal" Śiva who is mostly a "mythological" one. (2)
Trika's Śiva who is identified with one's own Self. Trika (Non-dual Shaivism of
Kashmir) states that Śiva is the innermost Spirit living in everybody and
everything. He is a "formless and impersonal" Śiva resulting from a
long development that began in Vedic Śiva. If you do not understand what the
difference is, you will never understand why I say that "You are
Śiva" but not necessarily the "destroying god of the abovementioned
trilogy", and so on. Vedic Śiva is personal, while Trika's Śiva is
impersonal and universal.
As you can see, the concept of Śiva in Trika system is much
more comprehensive and include all (Vedic Śiva included).
I generally speak of the Trika's Śiva and not of the Vedic one. Got
it?... well done. Of course, as a matter of fact there are not two Śiva-s but
two concepts of Him, but you must understand the two in order not to make any
mistake. In other words, when I am talking about Śiva as a yogī living in a
cave, etc., I am speaking of "Vedic Śiva", but when I am speaking of
Śiva as the eternal Witness living in everybody, etc., I am talking about
"Trika's Śiva". Well, words are limited as you surely know, but I
hope that you have understood the core of my explanation. And now, the hymn.
Important: All that is in brackets and
italicized within the translation has been added by me in order to complete the
sense of a particular phrase or sentence. In turn, all that is between double
hyphen (--...--) constitutes clarifying further information also added by me.
Now and then, some important terms may be highlighted with color.
Stanzas 1 to 7 (including a preliminary stanza in honor of Gaṇeśa)
शिवमहिम्नः स्तोत्रम्
Śivamahimnaḥ stotram
-Hymn paying homage (stotram) to the greatness (mahimnaḥ) of
Śiva (śiva)-
गजाननं भूतगणाधिसेवितं कपित्थजम्बूफलचारुभक्षणम्।
उमासुतं शोकविनाशकारकं नमामि विघ्नेश्वरपादपङ्कजम्॥
Gajānanaṁ bhūtagaṇādisevitaṁ kapitthajambūphalacārubhakṣanam|
Umāsutaṁ śokavināśakārakaṁ namāmi vighneśvarapādapaṅkajam||
I bow (namāmi) to the lotus-feet (pādapaṅkajam) of
the Lord (īśvara) (who removes) obstacles (vighna) (and) brings
about (kārakam) the destruction (vināśa) of (all) sorrows (śoka),
who is the elephant-faced (gaja-ānanam) son (sutam) of Umā
--Śiva's wife-- (umā), who is served (sevitam) by the (Śiva's) hosts (gaṇa) of
spirits and ghosts (bhūta), etc. (ādi) and who
beautifully (cāru) eats (bhakṣaṇam) wood
apples (kapittha... phala) and rose apples (jambūphala).
श्रीपुष्पदन्त उवाच महिम्नः पारं ते परमविदुषो यद्यसदृशी स्तुतिर्ब्रह्मादीनामपि तदवसन्नास्त्वयि गिरः।
अथावाच्यः सर्वः स्वमतिपरिणामावधि गृणन् ममाप्येषः स्तोत्रे हर निरपवादः परिकरः॥१॥
Śrīpuṣpadanta uvāca
Mahimnaḥ pāraṁ te paramaviduṣo yadyasadṛśī stutirbrahmādīnāmapi
tadavasannāstvayi giraḥ|
Athāvācyaḥ sarvaḥ svamatipariṇāmāvadhi gṛṇan mamāpyeṣaḥ stotre hara nirapavādaḥ
parikaraḥ||1||
Venerable (śrī) Puṣpadanta --lit.
"flower-toothed"-- (puṣpadantaḥ) said (uvāca):
If (yadi) the praise (stutiḥ) (performed) by
someone who does not know (avidusaḥ) at all (param) the
limits or extension (pāram) of
Your (te) greatness (mahimnaḥ) were improper (asadṛśī);
so (tad) even (api) the invocations in praise (giraḥ) of
You (tvayi) (uttered) by Brahmā (brahmā), etc.
--ādi-- (ādīnām) (would have) declined and
decayed (avasannāḥ). Moreover (atha), (if) everyone (sarvaḥ) who
extols (You) (gṛṇan) according (avadhi) to the
development (pariṇāma) of their
own (sva) intelligence (mati) cannot be blamed or
reproached (avācyaḥ), (therefore,) oh Hara
--Śiva-- (hara), this (eṣaḥ) "Parikara" --a long
series of epithets or adjectives-- (in honor of You) (parikaraḥ) (written) by
me (mama) in the hymn (stotre) cannot be
censored (nirapavādaḥ) either (api)||1||
अतीतः पन्थानं तव च महिमा वाङ्मानसयोरतद्व्यावृत्त्या यं चकितमभिधत्ते श्रुतिरपि।
स कस्य स्तोतव्यः कतिविधगुणः कस्य विषयः पदे त्वर्वाचीने पतति न मनः कस्य न वचः॥२॥
Atītaḥ panthānaṁ tava ca mahimā vāṅmānasayoratadvyāvṛttyā yaṁ cakitamabhidhatte
śrutirapi|
Sa kasya stotavyaḥ katividhaguṇaḥ kasya viṣayaḥ pade tvarvācīne patati na manaḥ
kasya na vacaḥ||2||
Your (tava) greatness (mahimā) is
certainly (ca) beyond (atītaḥ) the
reach (panthānam) of speech (vāk) and mind
--mānasa-- (mānasayoḥ). Even (api) the Śruti --this term is
usually synonymous with "Veda-s", although it should be only used to
designate the Mantra and Brāhmaṇa portion of the aforesaid Veda-s-- (śrutiḥ) tremblingly (cakitam) describes (abhidhatte) that (greatness) (yam),
to the exclusion of (any other appellatives) (vyāvṛttyā), (as) "not
that" (atad). (So,) by whom (kasya) (is) He
--Śiva-- (saḥ) (going) to be praised (stotavyaḥ)?
How many kinds (katividha) of qualities (guṇa) (does
Śiva have?) By whom (kasya) (is Śiva going) to
be perceived (viṣayaḥ)? However (tu), (where is that person) whose (kasya) mind (manas) (and) speech (vacaḥ) do
not (na... na) fall (patati) at the state or
condition (pade) that (You) enter
afterward (arvācīne)?||2||
मधुस्फीता वाचः परमममृतं निर्मितवतस्तव ब्रह्मन्किं वागपि सुरगुरोर्विस्मयपदम्।
मम त्वेनां वाणीं गुणकथनपुण्येन भवतः पुनामीत्यर्थेऽस्मिन् पुरमथन बुद्धिर्व्यवसिता॥३॥
Madhusphītā vācaḥ paramamamṛtaṁ nirmitavatastava brahmankiṁ vāgapi
suragurorvismayapadam|
Mama tvenāṁ vāṇīṁ guṇakathanapuṇyena bhavataḥ punāmītyarthe'smin puramathana
buddhirvyavasitā||3||
Oh Brahma --the Absolute-- (brahman)!, is
it (kim) surprising (vismayapadam) that
even (api) the guru --preceptor-- (guroḥ) of the
gods (sura) --i.e. "Bṛhaspati"-- (had uttered) word(s) (vāk) (in
praise) of You (tava), who are the author
--nirmitavān-- (nirmitavataḥ) of the
Supreme (paramam) Nectar (amṛtam) --i.e. "the
Veda-s"-- which consists of words (vācaḥ) abounding (sphītāḥ) in
the honey (of knowledge) (madhu)? "I
purify (punāmi) my (mama... enām) speech (vāṇīm) indeed (tu) by
means of the meritorious act (puṇyena) of
describing (kathana) Your (bhavataḥ) qualities or
attributes (guṇa)"... for this purpose (ityarthe), (my) intellect (buddhiḥ) has
resolutely undertaken (vyavasitā) this (task) (asmin),
oh Destroyer (mathana) of the (three) cities (pura)!
--i.e. Śiva is called "puramathana" because He destroyed the three
cities belonging to the three sons of the demon known as Tāraka--||3||
तवैश्वर्यं यत्तज्जगदुदयरक्षाप्रलयकृत्त्रयीवस्तु व्यस्तं तिसृषु गुणभिन्नासु तनुषु।
अभव्यानामस्मिन् वरद रमणीयामरमणीं विहन्तुं व्याक्रोशीं विदधत इहैके जडधियः॥४॥
Tavaiśvaryaṁ yattajjagadudayarakṣāpralayakṛttrayīvastu vyastaṁ tisṛṣu guṇabhinnāsu
tanuṣu|
Abhavyānāmasmin varada ramaṇīyāmaramaṇīṁ vihantuṁ vyākrośīṁ vidadhata ihaike jaḍadhiyaḥ||4||
Your (tava) Sovereignty or
Lordship (aiśvaryam) which (yad-tad) (is composed
of) (1) "that which brings about (kṛt) manifestation (udaya) of
the world (jagat)" --i.e. "Brahmā"--, (2) "that
which brings about (kṛt) protection (rakṣā) of the
world (jagat)" --i.e. "Viṣṇu"--, (3) "that
which brings about (kṛt) reabsorption (pralaya) of the
world (jagat)" --i.e. "Rudra"--, has a
three-fold (trayī) essence (vastu) that is separated or
arranged (in the Veda-s) (vyastam) according to the
triple (tisṛṣu) body or form (tanuṣu) consisting of the
different (bhinnāsu) Guṇa-s --qualities of "Prakṛti"-- (guṇa).
Oh grantor (da) of boons (vara)!, in this world (iha),
some (eke) stupid-minded people (jaḍadhiyaḥ) create (vidadhate) reviling (vyākrośīm) (and) unpleasant (aramaṇīm) (arguments) in
order to disturb (vihantum). (Those arguments are only) enjoyed (ramaṇīyām) by
those who are impious and profane (abhavyānām) regarding
this (asmin) --i.e. "regarding Śiva's Sovereignty or
Lordship"--||4||
किमीहः किंकायः स खलु किमुपायस्त्रिभुवनं किमाधारो धाता सृजति किमुपादान इति च।
अतर्क्यैश्वर्ये त्वय्यनवसरदुःस्थो हतधियः कुतर्कोऽयं कांश्चिन्मुखरयति मोहाय जगतः॥५॥
Kimīhaḥ kiṅkāyaḥ sa khalu kimupāyastribhuvanaṁ kimādhāro dhātā sṛjati
kimupādāna iti ca|
Atarkyaiśvarye tvayyanavasaraduḥstho hatadhiyaḥ kutarko'yaṁ kāṁścinmukharayati
mohāya jagataḥ||5||
"What (kim) desire (īhaḥ) (does) He (fulfill) (saḥ
khalu)?; what (kim) body (kāyaḥ) (does) He (take) (saḥ
khalu)?; (and) what (kim) means (upāyaḥ),
support (ādhāraḥ) and material (upadānaḥ) (does) the
Creator (dhātā) (use for) manifesting (sṛjati) the
three (tri) worlds (bhuvanam... iti ca)?",
--"iti" stands for inverted commas and "ca" is a mere
expletive here--. This (ayam) fallacious way of arguing (kutarkaḥ),
which is (also) unwise (duḥsthaḥ) and
inopportune (anavasara), about You (tvayi) and (Your) Sovereignty
or Lordship (aiśvarye) that surpasses thought and
reasoning (atarkya), (comes) from a confounded
person (hatadhiyaḥ). (This very fallacious way of arguing) causes
some people (kān-cid) to speak (resonantly) (mukharayati) (only) for
the world (jagataḥ) to lose consciousness and fall prey to
delusion (mohāya)||5||
अजन्मानो लोकाः किमवयववन्तोऽपि जगतामधिष्टातारं किं भवविधिरनादृत्य भवति।
अनीशो वा कुर्याद्भुवनजनने कः परिकरो यतो मन्दास्त्वां प्रत्यमरवर संशेरत इमे॥६॥
Ajanmāno lokāḥ kimavayavavanto'pi jagatāmadhiṣṭhātāraṁ kiṁ bhavavidhiranādṛtya
bhavati|
Anīśo vā kuryādbhuvanajanane kaḥ parikaro yato mandāstvāṁ pratyamaravara saṁśerata
ime||6||
"Do (kim) the worlds (lokāḥ) (exist) without
any origin (ajanmānaḥ), even though (api) they consist of parts
or portions (avayavavantaḥ)? Is there (kim...
bhavati) creation (vidhiḥ) of the
worlds (bhava) regardless (anādṛtya) of (the
existence) of someone presiding (adhiṣṭhātāram) over
the (abovementioned) worlds (jagatām)?
Or (vā), (if) there is no Lord (anīśaḥ),
what (kaḥ) attendant or assistant (parikaraḥ) would give
aid (kuryāt) in manifesting (janane) the
worlds (bhuvana)?" By basing (their ideas) on
that (kind of reasoning) (yatas), oh You, who are the most
excellent (vara) among the gods (amara)!,
these (ime) dull-witted and silly people (mandāḥ) raise
doubts (saṁśerate) about You (tvāṁ prati)||6||
त्रयी साङ्ख्यं योगः पशुपतिमतं वैष्णवमिति प्रभिन्ने प्रस्थाने परमिदमदः पथ्यमिति च।
रुचीनां वैचित्र्यादृजुकुटिलनानापथजुषां नृणामेको गम्यस्त्वमसि पयसामर्णव इव॥७॥
Trayī sāṅkhyaṁ yogaḥ paśupatimataṁ vaiṣṇavamiti prabhinne prasthāne
paramidamadaḥ pathyamiti ca|
Rucīnāṁ vaicitryādṛjukuṭilanānāpathajuṣāṁ nṛṇāmeko gamyastvamasi payasāmarṇava
iva||7||
"The three Veda-s (trayī), Sāṅkhya (sāṅkhyam),
Yoga (yogaḥ), the doctrine (matam) of
Paśupati (paśupati) --i.e. the Śaiva doctrine-- (and) the
Vaiṣṇava (doctrine) --pertaining to Lord Viṣṇu-- (vaiṣṇavam
iti)"; in (these) different (prabhinne) source(s) (prasthāne) (there
are) thus (iti ca) this (idam) and
that (adas) way (pathyam) toward the Highest (State) (param) --i.e.
there are various ways of realizing the Supreme Self or Śiva--. For the
men (nṛṇām) who are devoted (juṣām) to
multiple (nānā) paths (patha), straight and crooked ones (ṛju-kuṭila),
in accordance with the variety (vaicitryāt) of their
appetites (rucīnām), You (tvam) are (asi) the
only (ekaḥ) goal to be attained (gamyaḥ), just
as (iva) the ocean (is) (arṇavaḥ) with regard
to the waters (payasām) --i.e. the water of rivers, rain, etc.
ultimately flows into ocean--||7||
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