Parasara Bhattar's Ranganatha Stotram

Sri Ranga natha stotram
By
Sri Parasara Bhattar
Translated by
P.R.Ramachander


(Sri Parasara Bhattar was the son of Koorathazhvar and was the chief priest of the great Sri Rangam temple. This great stotra is said to have been composed, when Bhattar had to leave the city of Srirangam, when he angered the Chola king and stayed at Thirukkhoshtiyur. The great love he had for Sri Ranganatha and the anguish he had because he was forced to stay away from the great god are amply reflected here)


Saptha prakara madhye sarasijamuklothbhasamane vimane,
Kaveri Madhya dese phanipathi sayane, sesha paryanga bhage,
Nidhramudhrabhiramam katinikatasira parswavinyastha hastham,
Padmadhathree karabhyam parichithacharanam rangarajam Bhajeham. 1

I salute that Lord of Ranga,
Who sleeps in the yogic pose,
On the bed of Adhisesha,
Below the tall dome**,
Which resembles a lotus bud ,
And is surrounded by seven ramparts,
And which is in between two Kaveri rivers,
With his right hand near his crown,
And his lotus like merciful left hand,
Pointing towards his feet which take care of us all.
** Vimana

Kasthuri kalith oordhwa pundra thilakam, karnantha lolekshanam,
Mugdha smera manohara daradalam, mukthaa kiretojjwalam,
Pasyan manasa pasyatho hararucha, paryaya pangeruham,
Sri Rangadhipathe kadanuvadanam, seveya bhooyamyaham. 2


When will I be able to see and salute that Lord Ranganatha,
Wearing long pundarika* of musk, having mischievous eyes extending to the ears,
Wearing a pretty smile , having beautiful lips, wearing gem studded crown,
And having a lotus like face which bewitches all those who see him?
* Holy mark on the forehead

Kadaham kaveri thata parisare ranga nagare,
Sayanam bhogeendre sathamakamani syamala ruchim,
Upaaseena krosan Madhu Soodana, Narayana , hare,
Murare, Govindethya manasim apekshyami, divasan. 3

When will I be able to spend my days in the city of Ranga,
On the shores of Kaveri meditating on my Lord,
Who is sleeping on the king of serpents ,
And who has a very pretty form of the colour of Indra’s sapphire,
And muttering his names, Oh slayer of Madhu,
Oh Narayana, Oh Hari and Oh Govinda

Kadaham Kaveri vimala salile veethakalupo,
Bhaveyam thath theere sramamushi vaseyam sanavane,
Kadha vaa punyam mahathi puline mangalagunam,
Bhajeyam rangesam kamalanayanam sesha sayanam. 4

When will I able to take bath in the clear waters of Kaveri?
When will I able to live in the dense gardens which are there,
In the shores of that river which are panacea for tiredness?
And when I will be able to sit on the sands in the shore of Kaveri,
Which leads to all that is good and chant the names like,
Oh Lord of Ranga, Oh Lotus eyed one, Oh Lord who sleeps on sesha.

Poogi kanda dwaysa sarama snighdha neeropakandam,
Aavirmodhasthimitha sakunaa noodhitha brahma gosham,
Marge marge pathikanivahairucha maanapavarga,
Pasyeyam thaam punarapi pureem srimathim rangadamna. 5

When I will be able to see again that holy and pretty city of Srirangam,
Which has waters which are as deep as half the arecanut tree,
Which has happy, perplexed birds who chatter the words of Vedas,
And which has wayfarers requesting for salvation everywhere?


Na jathu peethamrutha moorchithanaam,
Naakaukasam nanda vana vaathikaasu,
Rangeswara thwat pura maasrithaanam,
Rathya suna manya thamo bhaveyam. 6

I do not want to drink the nectar and sleep ,
On the pretty gardens of even the abode of devas,
But would prefer to be a dog in the street,
Which serve your city, Oh Lord of Ranga.

Asannikrushtasya nikrushta jantho,
Mithyapavaadena karoshi saanthim,
Thatho nikrushte mayi sannikashte kaam,
Nishkruthim rangapathe karoshi. 7

You get done worships to pacify the ills,
Of your temple being touched by a lowly dog,
Which is a charge ,which is patently false,
And Oh Lord of Ranga, what are you going to do,
When I, a much lowlier being, enter your temple.


Sri Rangam , kari shailam , anchana girim, Tharkshyardhri simhachalai,
Sri koormam purushothamam cha Bhadari narayanam naimisam,
Srimath dhwaravathi, Prayaga Mathura ayodhya gaya pushkaram,
Salagrama girim nishevya ramathe ramanujam muni. 8

The saint Ramanuja gets pleased due to his devotion to,
Sri Ranga, Vishnu Kanchi, Thiruppathi, Tharkshyagiri,
Simhachala, Sri Koorma, Jagannatha, Bhadrinath, Naimisarnya,
Dwaraka , Prayaga , Mathura, Ayodhya, Gaya , Pushkara,
And mountain Salagrama which are all the divine temples.