Adhi Shankara's Meenakshi Stotram

Sri Meenakshi sthothram
By
Adhi Sankara Bhagawat Pada
Translated by
P.R.Ramachander

(Goddess Meenakshi along with her consort Sunderswarar is the presiding deity of the fabled temple of Goddess Meenakshi of Madurai, She is so called because
1. Her eyes have fish like pretty shape.
2. Like fish she keeps it always open to watch the interests of her devotees.)


Sri vidhye, shiva vama bhaga nilaye, sri rajarajarchithe,
Sri nadhadhi guru swaroopa vibhave, chinthamani peedike,
Sri vani giri janthamgri kamala, sri shambhavi, sri shive,
Madhyahne malayadwajadhipa suthe, maam pahi meenambike. 1

Be pleased to protect me, Oh , mother Meenakshi,
Who is the holy knowledge of the occult,
Who resides in the left side of Lord Shiva,
Who is being worshipped by king of kings,
Who has varied forms like the holy trinity,
Who sits on the holy seat of thought,
Who is being worshipped by Saraswathi and Parvathi,
Who is the consort of Lord Shambhu.
Who is the wife o Lord Shiva,
Who is the epitome of sun shine,
And who is the daughter of king Malayadwaja.

Chakrasthe chapale chara charajagannadhe jagat poojithe,
Aarthalivaradhe, natha abhayakare, vakshoja bharanwidhe,
Vidhye Veda kala mouli vidhithe vidhyllatha vigrahe,
Matha poorna sudha rasardhra hrudhaye,Maam pahi meenambike. 2

Be pleased to protect me, Oh , mother Meenakshi,
Who resides in the Sri Chakra,
Who is the goddess of moving and nonmoving things of the world,
Who is being worshipped by the universe,
Who provides protection to the oppressed,
Who provides succour to those who salute her,
Who is bent because of her heavy breasts,
Who is the holy knowledge,
Who is being sung about by Vedas,
Who is like a streak of lightning,
And who has full nectar like heart of mercy.

Kodeeranga rathna kundala dhare kodanda bananchithe,
Koka kara kucha dwayo parilasad pralambha haranchithe,
Sinja noopura pada sarasa mani sri pada kalamkruthe,
Madaridrya bhujanga garuda khage, Maam pahi meenambike. 3

Be pleased to protect me, Oh , mother Meenakshi,
Who wears a crown , armlets and jeweled ear drops,
Who shines with bow and arrow in her hands,
Who shines with the jeweled garland worn over her breasts,
Who shines with slippers over her feet with jingling anklets,
And who is like the eagle poised over my serpent like poverty.

Brahmesachyutha gheeyamana charithe prethasanantha sthithe,
Pasaod ankusa chapa bana kalithe balendu choodanchithe,
Bale bala kuranga lola nayane, balarkka kodyujjwale,
Mudhradhitha daivathe munisuthe , maam pahi meenambike. 4

Be pleased to protect me, Oh , mother Meenakshi,
Who has the history of being worshipped by the trinity,
Who sits on the seat of corpse,
Who carries rope goad , bow and arrows with her,
Who wears the young moon as an ornament,
Who is a little girl and has eyes like the deer,
Who shines like crores of young suns,
Who is goddess being worshipped by signs,
And who is the daughter of a sage.

Gandharwamara yaksha pannaga nuthe gangadharalingithe,
Gayathri garudasane kamalaje sushyamale susthire,
Khathhethe khaladhara pavaka shike khadhyotha kotyujjwale,
Manthraradhitha daivathe munisuthe , maam pahi meenambike. 5

Be pleased to protect me, Oh , mother Meenakshi,
Who is being saluted by devas, gandharwas, yakshas ad Pannagas,
Who is being embraced by He who carries the ganga,
Who also has the form of Gayathri,
Who rides on the Garuda and sits on the lotus,
Who is of the holy colour of the black,
Who is always stable,
Who is spread much beyond the sky,
Who is the fire that burns the trees of bad people,
Who gives the light of billion suns,
Who is being worshipped by holy chants,
And who is the daughter of a sage.

Nadhe Narada dumbaradhya vinuthe nadanda nadathmike,
Nithye neela lathathmike nirupame neevara sukhopame,
Kanthe, kamakale kadamba nilaye, kameshwaranga sthithe,
Mad vidhye madabheeshta kalpa lathike , maam pahi meenambike. 6

Be pleased to protect me, Oh , mother Meenakshi,
Who is the sound of music,
Who is being worshipped by Narada and Dumburu,
Who is the end and soul of music,
Who is perennial, who is the colour of a blue climber,
Who does not have any comparison,
Who keeps a wild parrot in her hand,
Who is the ideal wife, who is store house of passion,
Who lives amidst Kadamba trees, Who lives as a part of Lord Shiva,
Who is the greatest knowledge,
And who is the divine plant fulfilling even great wishes.

Veena nada nimeelithathardha nayane, visrastha choolibhare,
Thamboolaruna pallavadharayuthe thadanga haranwithe,
Syame Chandra kalavathamsa kalithe, kasthurika phalike,
Poone Poona kalabhi rama vadane. Mamm pahi meenambike. 7

Be pleased to protect me, Oh , mother Meenakshi,
Who has half shut eyes due to her hearing music from veena,
Who has made up her crown of hair elaborately,
Who has reddish lips due to chewing of Thamboola,
Who wears ornaments like chain and large ear rings,
Who is dusky black in colour,
Who wears the crescent of moon as an ornament,
Who puts a thilaka using musk,
Who is in herself complete,
And who has a pretty face like the full moon.

Shabdha brahma mayi, characharamayi, jyothirmayee vaagmayi,
Nithyanandamayi, niranchanamayi, thathwamayi chinmayi,
Thathwatheethamayi parathpara mayi mayamayi sreemayi,
Sarvaisvaryamayi sadshuvamayi, maama pahi meenambike. 8

Be pleased to protect me, Oh , mother Meenakshi,
Who is the form of the eternal sound,
Who is the living and non living,
Who is the light and the speech,
Who is always filled with happiness,
Who is without any stain,
Who is the meaning of philosophy,
Who is the ultimate truth,
Who is beyond reason and theories,
Who is the knowledge which is beyond knowledge,
Who is enchantress as well as Goddess Lakshmi,
Who is full of all types of wealth,
And who is the perennial Lord Shiva.