Attala Sundarashtakam

Attala Sundarashtakam
By
Vikrama Pandya
Translated by
P.R.Ramachander

(This great stotra written by the scion of Pandya dynasty who faced Malik Kafur is a prayer addressed to Lord Sundareswara. It is from Halasya puranam which deals about the town of Madhurai. There is a village called “Attala Nallur” founded by the Pandyas near Kallidai Kurichi. But there are no references to any temple of Sundareswara there.)

Vikrama Pandya Uvacha:-

1.Kalayanachala kodanda kantha dhordhanda manditham,
Kabali krutha samsaram kalaye attala sundaram.

I bow down the ever pretty one who drank poison,
Who has swallowed the earth , who made the mountain as his bow,
And who decorates himself with a weapon which is a rod.

2.Kala koota prabha jaala kalangi krutha kandharam,
Kala dharam kala moulim , kalaya attala sundaram.

I bow down to the ever pretty one who drank poison,
Who carries the crescent , Who keeps crescent on his head,
Who shines in the luster of Kala Koota poison,
And which arose from the sea that was churned.

3.Kala kalam Kaalatheetham Kalavantham cha nishkalam,
Kamalapathi samsthuthyam, , kalaya attala sundaram

I bow down to the ever pretty one who drank poison,
Who was praised by the lord of she who sits on a lotus,
Who is death to the God of death , Who is beyond measures of time,
Who carries the crescent and who is without any blemish.

4.Kanthardham, kamaneeyankam , Karunamrutha sagaram,
Kali kalmasha doshagnam, kalaya attala sundaram.

I bow down to the ever pretty one who drank poison,
Who destroys the ills created by the kali age,
Who has given half his body to his wife,
Who has a pretty body and is the ocean the nectar of mercy.

5.Kadamba kaanandhesam, Kamkshithartha sura dhramam,
Kama sasanameesanam, kalaya attala sundaram.
I bow down to the ever pretty one who drank poison,
Who is the God who punished the God of love,
Who is the lord of the forest of Kadamba trees,
And who is the divine plant which fulfills al wishes.

6.Srushtaani maayaa yena, Brahmandani baahooni cha,
Rakshithaani hathanyanthe, kalaya attala sundaram.

I bow down to the ever pretty one who drank poison,
Who created , did up keeping and destroyed several universes,
Which were created by his powers of illusion.

7.Swa bhaktha jana santhapa papath bhanga thathparam,
Karanam sarva jagatham, kalaya attala sundaram.

I bow down to the ever pretty one who drank poison,
Who is the root cause of all the worlds,
And who is interested in destroying the sins ,
And anxieties of all his devotees.

8.Kula Shekhara vamsod bhoopaanaam, kula daivatham,
Paripoorna chidanandam, kalaya attala sundaram.

I bow down to the ever pretty one who drank poison,
Who is complete with divine happiness,
And who is the deity of the clan of Pandya,
Kings belonging to the dynasty of Kulothunga.

9.Attala veera shambhor ashtakam vara mishtadham,
Padathaam srunwathaam sadhyasthanothu paramaam sriyam.

This octet praising Lord Shiva who drank poison,
If read or heard , would please Lord Shiva,
Who would grant the boons that one wishes.