Vatha Pura Nadhashtakam

Vatha Pura Nadhashtakam

(The Octet on Lord of Guruvayur)

By

Ganapathi Sastrigal

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

(This extremely  musical sounding prayer was composed by  Sri Ganapathi Sastrigal who was a disciple of Mannargudi Raja Sastrigal when he was at Guruvayur.  Though I wanted to translate it long back, I did not attempt it as  it was difficult to  understand.Fortunately I could find a brief translation in http://sanskritdocuments.org/sites/snsastri/vatapuranatha.pdf. I coompletly depended on that for arriving at a translation my own. No author has been mentioned in that web site. My deep sense of gratitude  to whoever did it.)

1.KUndha sama   vrunda sama  manda hasi thasyam,

Nandakula  a nanda bara thundulana kandham,

Pootha nija   geetha lava   dhootha duritham  tham,

Vatha pura Nadha mima mathanu  Hrudabje.

Place  in your lotus like heart  , the Lord of Guruvayur,

Who has a slow pretty smile resembling bunch of jasmine  flowers,

Who as a little baby filled up the home  of Nanda Gopa with joy,

And who removes  the  sufferings of his devotees who sing a little about his life.

2.Neela Thara  , jala dhara  bhala hari ramyam,

Lola thara   sheela yutha   bala jana leelam,

Jaalanathi   sheelamaopi  palayithu kamam,

Vatha pura Nadha mima mathanu  Hrudabje.

Place  in your lotus like heart  , the Lord of Guruvayur,

Whose  divine splendour  is  like the blue water rich clouds 

Who loves  the ever changing pranks   of  the children,

Who likes to even protect those  who bow  with evil conduct before him.

3.Kamsa rana himsamiha  samsa rana iatha,

Klanthi bhara, Shanthi kara Kanthi jjahara veetham,

Vatha mukha  dathu ja nipatha bhaya datham,

Vatha pura Nadha mima mathanu  Hrudabje.

Place  in your lotus like heart  , the Lord of Guruvayur,

Who killed  Kamsa  who  troubled him, in a fight,

Who fills with peace the   world  filled by fatigue and sprinkles light there,

And who eradicates  fear  of onset of arthritis occurring due to imbalances.

4.Jathu  duri pathu kamiha athura janam  drak,

Soka bhara mookamapi   thoka mive pantham,

Brunga   ruchi sangaraakrutha anga lathikam tham,

Vatha pura Nadha mima mathanu  Hrudabje.

Place  in your lotus like heart  , the Lord of Guruvayur,

Who hastens up  to protect   the suffering people  who makes offering to him,

Who protects those  who are dumb with sorrow as one protects his child,

And the splendour of whose body defeats  the   group of black bees.

5.Papa bhava thapa  bhara kopa samanartham,

AAswasakara  bhasa  mrudu hasa ruchi rasyam,

Roga chaya   bhoga bhaya  vega haram yekam,

Vatha pura Nadha mima mathanu  Hrudabje.

Place  in your lotus like heart  , the Lord of Guruvayur,

Who with   a shining   soft smile  cheers up the decvotee,

By removing  the suffering   and anger caused past sins,

And quickly  removes  the fear in their minds  that  they may suffer   from diseases.

6. Ghosha kula dosha hara vesham upaayantham,

Poosha satha bhoosha kavi bhooshana ganadyam,

Bhukthim api   mukthi mathi bhakthishu  dadanam,

Vatha pura Nadha mima mathanu  Hrudabje.

Place  in your lotus like heart  , the Lord of Guruvayur,

Who took the form of a cowherd for removing  all evils,

Who wears  ornaments which shines more than hundred suns,

And who confers salvation and enjoyment to those who show devotion.

7.Papaka   durapam athi thapa hara shobha,

SWapa Ghana mapathad umapathi sametham,

Dhoona thara dheena sukha dhana krutha deeksham,

Vatha pura Nadha mima mathanu  Hrudabje.

Place  in your lotus like heart  , the Lord of Guruvayur,

Who keeps away from sinners  and   removes great pain and sorrow,

Like  a heavy  rain bearing cloud , Who is with the consort of Uma,

Who has taken a resolve to grant pleasures to those  greatly distressed.

8.Pada pathada dharana  modha paripoornam,

Jeeva mukha deva jana sevana phalangrim,

Rooksha bhava , moksha krutha deeksha naja  veeksham,

Vatha pura Nadha mima mathanu  Hrudabje.

Place  in your lotus like heart  , the Lord of Guruvayur,

Whose happiness become completely full when he sees that his foot is worn,

Who rains his grace on all those   who are devoted to him including devas,

And who  is determined to give salvation to those having terrible past Karmas.

9.Bruthya  ganapath yudi thanuthya uchitha  modham,

Spashta midham ashtaka madushta karanaarham,

AAdha  datha madhara dhamadilya soonyam,

Vatha pura Nadha mima mathanu  Hrudabje.

Place  in your lotus like heart  , the Lord of Guruvayur,

Who hearing this octet composed   by his servant,

Ganapathi which confers  joy  on people,

Would shower his grace  all without exception.