Sri Saradha Astakam

Sri Saradha Astakam

(The octet on Saradha)

By

Sengalipuram Anatha Rama Deekshithar

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

(This prayer is addressed to Saradha, the presiding deity of the Sringeri temple  in Karnataka. Anantha Rama Deekshithar  was a great religious scholar Of Tamil Nadu. )

Sri Saradhe charu roope  -Rishya,

Srungachalasthe , Bhaje Mataram thwaam ,

Sri Sarade Charu rope

Oh Saradha of pretty form ,

Who lives  on the Rishya Sringa mountain,

I sing about you mother,

Oh Saradha of pretty form .

1.Thunga nadhi punya there  -thapa

Sanandha pure  thapo  aaradhi chare ,

Nithyam vasanthim Jwalanthim-sarva,

Vidhyadhi dathrim   Virinchasya pathnim.   (Sri Saradhe..)

In the banks  of blessed river Thunga  ,

In the town where sages live with joy ,

Worshipped by   their penance,

You who grant all type of knowledge,

And are the wife of Brahma  live and shine   daily .

2.Sri Sankara sthapithaam thaam –Santhi,

Danthyaadhi   sampoorna sanyasi vandhyaam,

Sarvartha dathrim   savithrim-desi,

Kendra swaroopena   sarvathra yaanthim  (Sri Saradhe..)

In that place established by Adhi Sankara  ,

Granting peace and worshipped by all Sanyasis,

Oh Goddess who gives everything , Oh mother,

You are   everywhere in the form of  the   queen of teachers.

3. Karunya  sampoorna nethraam  , shubra-

Vasthraam   pavithram   sarad Chandra vakthram,

Sad rathna   pooja vichithram  -Yogi,

Brundarpithaa aanandha  bilvathi pathram. (Sri Saradhe..)

Your eyes are full of mercy , you wear  clean cloths,

You are  holy  and have the face of the autumn moon,

You are wonderfully worshipped by pure gems   which are,

The  leaves of Bilwa  offered with joy by  hoards of Yogis.

4.Sri Kunkuma liptha gathrim –bhaktha,

Brundarpitha sweeyakalyana nethraam,

Aavishkruthaneka sathram –abja,

Sambhootha   sampatha mangalya suthraam. (Sri Saradhe..)

Your  body is smeared with Kunkum (saffron)

Your auspicious eyes  are properly placed on the crowd of devotees,

You  are made visible through many Sasthras

You are born in a lotus flower and  you  are appearing  in the auspicious thread.

5.Srungadhri vaasam pranamyaam –nadha,

Roopaam  namad Raja rajadhi devaam,

 Rajyadhi dhanaika deekshaam –Veda,

Vedantha santhayi karunya veekshaam,(Sri Saradhe..)

I salute you who lives on the Srunga mountain ,

You have the form of music  and saluted by devas and king of kings,

You have taken the penance  of giving charity   to the kingdom,

And you have the vision of mercy given by Veda and Vedanthas.  

6.Anthar mukharadhya devim –Bhaktha ,

Sambodhi dhamnaaya  gambheera bhavaam,

Nithyam kruthanaika sevaam –thyaji-,

 Thajnn  sambhootha jeevathma  bhedhaam.(  Sri Saradhe..)

Oh Goddess who is worshipped inwardly ,

Who has the deep look and is    called by the devotees,

Who daily do her service   and who  makes one sacrifice,

The ignorance which creates the difference   between beings.

7.Shuddha swaroopa bhavair upasyaam –Rishya,

Srungadhri  peedastha  sanyasi vasyaam,

Vidharthi lokena vandhyaam –Vishnu,

Rudraadhi maanyaam  , supunyai Kalabhyaam,.   (Sri Saradhe..)

She who is meditated   in the form of absoulute purity ,

Who is attracted by the Sanyasi who lives on Rishya Srunga mountains,

Who is saluted by   the student community, who is repected by,

Lord Vishnu and Lord Rudra  and who has the skill of pure sacredness.

8.Lokou rakshaika deekshaam –aksha,

Maaladhi  hastham , yatheendradhi pakshaam,

Akshayya Lakshmi Kadakshaam –Drushta,

Mathrena  thappadhi samhara dakshaam  (Sri Saradhe..)

She who has taken the penance of protection of the world,

Who has  a rosary in her hand  , Who is partial to the king of sages,

Who has the never  exhaustible  sight of Lakshmi  ,

And  who destroys all sufferings just by her sight .

9.BHakthyaa krutham stotra rathnam Deekshitha ,

Anantharamena  vidhyadhi sidhyai,

Sri Saradha thosha moolam –Bhakthi,

Yuktha  padedhyo  labhedaiva sarvam.  (Sri  Saradhe..)

This  prayer gem  been composed   by Anantha Rama

 Deekshitha  for getting  the power of knowledge ,

By the joy of Saradha  , if one   reads  ,

It with devotion , he would get everything.