Sri Aarthi Hara Narayana ashtakam by Koorathazhvar

Sri Aarthi  Hara  Narayana ashtakam

By

Kureesa  aka Korthazhwar

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

 (Koorthazhwar   was one of the great disciples of Saint   Ramanuja   who composed    the great work known as Panchasthavam     . This  stotra in Sanskrit   is available in   http://sanskritdocuments.org/doc_vishhnu/nArAyaNAShTaka.html?lang=sa . The last stanza is from Vishnu  Sahasranamam) 

1.Vathsalyath abhaya  pradhana samayaa  daarthi  nirvapanath,

Oudaryaadga soshanad aganitha  sreya  pada prapanaath,

SEvya  sripathireka eva jagatamethe abhavath  sakshina  ,

Prahladhascha, Vibheeshannaschakariraat  panchalyahakyaa druva.

1.In showering of love  , in offering protection, in removing  sufferings,

In showing kindness  to the oppressed , in being  worshipped  by innumerable words  by devotees,

No one else  is suitable    to  our service except Narayana   who is the consort of Lakshmi,And to prove this the  witnesses   are  Prahladha  , Vibheeshana, the king of elephants, DRaupadhi. Ahalya  snd Druva.

2.Prhladhasthi  yatheeswaro Vadha   Hari sarvathra   may darsaya,

Sthambay  chaivamithi bruvan thamasuram thathraaseed harim

vakshasthasya  vidharayan nijanagair  vathsalyamaabadhayan,

AArtha thrana paarayana sa bhagawaan  Narayano may gathi.

2.When the great sage  Prahladha   was asked ”Is it true  that Hari is everywhere?”

And when  he replied  to that  Asura  that  “He is in the pillar” , Oh Hari , were you not there,

And   split open his   chest  by your nails and showed your affection to Prahladha,

And so  my only aim is   that God Narayana   who  is an expert  in removing  pain from the suffering ones.

3,Sri Ramachandra vibheeshanoya mango raksho bhayaadaagatha,

Sugreevanaya palayaina madhunaa Paulasthyamevagatham,

Ithyukthwaa abhayamasya sarva vidhitham  yo Raghavo dathavaan,

AArtha thrana paarayana sa bhagawaan  Narayano may gathi.

3.When  Sugreeva told Ramachandra  that  the   “The faultless  Sugreeva  has come ,

Here scared and he should be protected”  did you not say  “Even if  it is Ravana ,

Bring him  here” and   did not that  Raghava   give him protection  with knowledge of every one,

And so  my  only aim is   that God Narayana   who  is an expert  in removing  pain from the suffering ones.

4.Nakra grastha  padam   samudrutha  karam   brahmodhayo  bho suraa,

Palayanthamidhi   deenavakhya  karinam,   deveshva   saktheshu ya,

Ma bhaisheerithi  yasya nakra hanane  chakrayudha  sridhara ,

AArtha thrana paarayana sa bhagawaan  Narayano may gathi.

4,When  the elephant whose  legs   were  caught   by   the crocodile , pointed his   hands upwards and ,

 In a weak voice  he  appealed ,  “Oh Brahma  and other Devas , please protect me  “  and when the devas  were not able to do it ,

Oh Sridhara  saying “leave out your   fear” , did you not   kill  the crocodile  with your divine wheel,

And so  my  only aim is   that God Narayana   who  is an expert  in removing  pain from the suffering ones.

5.Bho Krishnachyutha , Bho krupalaya  hare  , bho Pandavaanaam sakhe  ,

Kwasi kwasi   suyodhanathya apa hrudhaam   , bho Raksha Mamadhuraam,

Ithyuktho akshaya   vasthra   sambrutha thanum yo palayeth   Draupadhim,

AArtha thrana paarayana sa bhagawaan  Narayano may gathi.

5.When Draupadhi shouted  “Hey Krishna , Hey  temple of mercy , Hey  friend of Pandavas,

Where are you? Where  are you?.Please protect me who am suffering  as I am   being  troubled by Duryodhana,”

Did you not   protect   her   by providing   her   with  unending   cloth ,

And so  my  only aim is   that God Narayana   who  is an expert  in removing  pain from the suffering ones.

6,Yath padabja nakhodhakam  trijagathaam papau ka   vidwamsanam,

Yannam amrutha  poorakam  cha pibathaam  samsara  santharakam,

Pashanobhi  yadangri padma rajasaa   saapaan  muner mochitho,

AArtha thrana paarayana sa bhagawaan  Narayano may gathi.

6.That water  washing the  nail of his  lotus like feet  became the destroyer of all sins  ,

The drinking of the nectar  like  name  of his  is capable    remove  sorrows of  birth –death cycle,

And  the   dust from his lotus feet   redeemed her who had become   stone  due  to curse of Gauthama,

And so  my  only aim is   that God Narayana   who  is an expert  in removing  pain from the suffering ones.

7.Pithraa  brathara muthamasana gathan, chothana padhir druva,

Drushtvaa   thatha sama  maru rukusharadhikam   matharaa  avamanam gathaa ,

Yam gathvaa Saranam   yadhapa thapasaa  hemadhri   simhasanam,

AArtha thrana paarayana sa bhagawaan  Narayano may gathi.

7.When DRuva saw his younger   brother  sitting in the throne  along with his father,

And when he wanted  to be treated  in  an equal manner, not being taken by father  and being  insulted by his mother

He went and surrendered to him  in deep penance  , did he not get  a seat on the throne of  the Snow filled  Meru mountain,

And so  my  only aim is   that God Narayana   who  is an expert  in removing  pain from the suffering ones.

8,AArthaa vishanna sithilascha  bheethaa  , goreshu cha vyadheeshu cha  varthamanaa,

Sankeerthya   Narayana  Sabdha  mathram   Vimuktha   Dukhaa  Sukhino  BHavanthu.

8.Those   who are suffering  , who are sorrowing  , who are  scared and who are  attacked   by great diseases,

Would   get freedom from all   their sorrows   as soon as they chant  the word  “Narayana”.

Ithi Sri Kooresa swami  virachiytham   Sri  Aarthihara  Narayanashtakam   sampoornam.

Thus ends the octet on Narayana  which puts an end  to all troubles   which was composed  by Kuresa.