Adhi Shankara's Tripura Sundari ashtakam

Tripurasundari ashtakam
(The octet to the beauty of three worlds)
By
Adhi Shankara Bhagawat Pada
Translated by
P.R.Ramachander




(Among the several names of the goddess Parvathy one of the very important is Tripurasundari. This means the prettiest woman of the three worlds. It is also possible that she is called Tripurasundari because she is the consort of Lord Shiva who is called Tripura because he contains within himself all the three forms of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.)




Kadambha vana charineen, muni kadambha kadambhineem,
Nidhambha jitha bhoodaram sura nithambhini sevitham,
Navamburuha lochanam abhinavambhudha shyamalam,
Trilochana kudumbhineem tripurasundarim asraye. 1

I salute that beauty of the three worlds,
Who is the consort of the three eyed one,
Who wanders in the forest of Kadambha**,
Who is like a rich cloud to the sages*,
Whose hips excel the mountains,
Who is served by wide hipped deva maidens,
Who has eyes like newly opened lotus,
And whose colour is that of the rich grey cloud.

**”Kadambha is a tree called Nauclea cadamba. It is said
to put forth orange, fragrant buds at the roaring of thunder clouds.
A withered relic of the Kadambha tree is preserved in the precincts of
the Madurai Sri Meenakshi temple. It also means multitude. In that
sense, the Kadambha forest stands for the universe that the Devi
permeates completely.”
* She is like a cloud that quenches the thirst for knowledge of the sages.

Kadambha vana vasineem kanaka vallaki dharineem,
Maharhamani harineem mukha samullasa dwarineem,
Daya vibhava karineem,visadha lochineem charineem,
Trilochana kudumbhineem tripurasundarim asraye. 2

I salute that beauty of the three worlds,
Who is the consort of the three eyed one,
Who lives in the forest of Kadambha trees,
Who carries a Veena made of Gold,
Who wears a necklace of precious gems ,
Whose face is aglow with the delight of nectar,
Who in her mercy showers all that is wanted,
Who has exceedingly pretty eyes,
And who keeps on shifting.



Kadambha vanashalaya kuchbarollasanmalaya,
Kuchopamithashailaya gurukrupalasad velaya,
Madarunakapolaya madhura geetha vachalaya,
Kayapi gana leelaya kavachiha vayam leelaya 3

We are playfully covered by her from all evils,
By her dwelling in Kadambha forest,
By her garland which is kept above her breasts,
By her breasts which are like mountains,
By her grace and benevolence which is great,
By her blushed cheeks which are red,
By her mellifluous sweet toned songs,
And by her body which is blue like the cloud.

Kadambha vana madhykam kanaka mandala lopa sthithaam,
Shadambhuruha vasineem sathath sidha sowdamineem,
Vidambhitha japa ruchim vikhacha chandra choodamanim,
Trilochana kudumbhineem tripurasundarim asraye. 4


I salute that beauty of the three worlds,
Who is the consort of the three eyed one,
Who is in the middle of Kadambha forest,
Who lives golden disc which is ,
Situated on the six lotus flowers,
Who is the permanent light giver to the seers,
Who likes fully open japa flowers,
And who wears the crescent as her head gear.

Kuchancithabanjikaam kutila kunthalalangrutham,
Kusheshaya nivasineem kutila chitha vidwesineem,
Madaaruna vilochanaam manasi jari sammohineem,
Madhnga muni kanyakaam, madhurabhashineen ashraye. 5


I take refuge in her who talks sweetly,
Who is the daughter of sage Mathanga,
Who holds the Veena close to her breasts,
Who prettily makes up her curly tresses,
Who lives the peals of water lily,
Who hates people with evil thoughts,
Who has eyes red due to her zest,
And who entices the destroyer of the god of love,

Smareth prathama puspineem, rudhira bindu neelabaram,
Graheetha madhu pathrikaam madhu vigurna nethranchalam,
Gana sthans baronnatham galitha soolikaam shyamalam,
Trilochana kudumbhineem tripurasundarim asraye. 6

I salute that beauty of the three worlds,
Who is the consort of the three eyed one,
Who holds the first flower of God of love,
Who wears the bluish silk dotted with red spots,
Who holds in her hand the pot of wine,
Whose rim of eyes of shaking due to intoxication,
Who has heavy breasts which rise high,
And who is the swarthy one with disheveled locks..

Sakumkuma vilepanaam alaka kampikasthurikaam,
Samanthahasitheshanaam sachara chapa pasangusam,
Asesha jana mohineem aruna malya bhooshambaram,
Japa kusuma basuraam japa vidhow smarathembikam. 7

I think of that Ambika during meditation,
Who adorns herself with saffron,
Whose tresses have the perfume of musk,
Who watches everyone with gentle smile,
Who has bow, arrow , a noose and hook ,
Who entices everyone with least effort,
Whose cloth is decorated with red hibiscus,
Who shines decorated with Japa flowers



Purandara purandrikaam chikura bandha sairandhrikam,
Pithamaha pathivrutham, patu pateera charcharathaam,
Mukunda ramani manim lasadalangriya kaarineem,
Bajami bhuvanambikam, sura vadhootika chetikam. 8

I salute that Goddess of the world,
Who rules over the world of Lord Shiva,
Who has her tresses plaited by the queen of devas,
Who is applied sandal by the consort of Brahma,
Who is made to wear ornaments of gems by Goddess Lakshmi,
And who has several Deva maidens as companions.