Maha saraswathyashtakam

Maha saraswathyashtakam

(The octet on great Saraswathi.)

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

(This great and rare prayer is from Padma Purana    and   is sung by  Brihaspathi  )

1.Idhameva Maharaja  prushtavamsthe Pithamaha,

BHeeshmam  dharma vidhaam Sreshtam  Dharmaputhro  Yudhishtra.

Like this  king Yudhishtra who was the son of   Dharma , questioned ,

Lord Bheeshma   who is the best among  those who know Dharma.

2.Pithamaha Maha pragna, SArva sastra  Visharada ,

Saraswathi sthvam punyam   guruna yath krutham  puraa

Oh greatly wise   Grandfather  , who is an expert  in all Sastras,

Lord Guru   has composed  a blessed prayer addressed  to Saraswathi earlier.

3.THadaham srothum ichami , broohi may stotra muthamam,

Saraswaythi mayam drushtwa, Veena pusthaka  Dharinim,

I would like to hear that prayer  , so please   tell me that auspicious  prayer,

After  looking at Goddess Saraswathi , who holds  the Veena and the  book.

4.Hamsa vaha samayuktho , vidhya dhana  kari  mama,

Pradhamam  Bharathi nama  , dwitheeyam cha Saraswathi.

Riding  on the swan  , she   is the  one gives  me free that knowledge,

First   she is called Bharathi   and second  she  is called   Saraswathi.

5.Tritheeyam  SArada Devi , chathurtham Hamsa  Vahini,

Panchamam  jagathi Khyatha , sashtam  Vaneeswari thadhaa

Third   she  is Goddess  Sarada  , Fourth she is “One who rides on swan,”

Fifth   she is called “Universe   famous” and sixth   she is called  “Goddess of speech.”

6.Kaumari sapthamam prokthaa, cha ashtamam Brahma Charini,

Navamam Budhi Dhatri cha dasamam vara   dhayini.

Seventh she is called  “The lass”   and eighth she is called  “She who does  penance  on Brahmam”,

Ninth    she is called  “Giver of intelligence” and tenth    she is called  “giver of bons.”

7.Yekadasam Kshudrakhanda, dwadasam BHuvaneswari,

Brahmi , dwadasa  naamani  tri sandhyam ya paden nare.

Eleventh   she is called “one who has thorns “ and twelfth    as “Goddess  of universe”,

And if a man reads at dusk, noon and dawn  these   twelve names of consort of Lord Brahma

8.SArva sidhi kari thasya   prasanna Parameswari,

Sa may vasathu jihvagre Brahma roopa Saraswathi

She who gives   all powers is the   pleasing  greatest  Goddess ,

And let her live on the tip  of the  toungue as Saraswathi   the form of Brahma.

9,Yevam sthuthaa  thadhaa devi   , santhushtaa    Stotra padatha,

Aathmaanam darsayamasa   Surya koti sama  Prabham.

When the  goddess is praised this   way  , becoming happy   at the reading of the prayer m

She showed   her own form  which is like billions of  Suns.

10.Varam vreushneeswa bhadram they   yathe manasi vidhyathe.

Safety be un to you  ,choose    the boon  that you  have  in your mind.

 Bruhaspathir Uvacha:

The Guru of devas told:-

Yadhi may Varada   Devi  jnanam   sidham  prayascha na  .

If you are pleased me oh Goddess  , wont you grant me wisdom and  divine powers.

11.Hantha  they nirmala jnanam  , kumathi dwamsa  karanam,

Stotrenanena   ye  bhakthya   sthuvanthi   maneshina 

To those men  who pray     using this prayer with devotion,

I would   grant them pure knowledge   and destroy wicked knowledge.

12.Labanthe paramam jnanam , yath parairapi   durlabham,

Prapnothi   purusho  nithyam  Mahamaya  prasadatha.

Due  to the grace of the great enchantress  people   would  get divine  knowledge,

And also daily get   the     divinity , which  is difficult to achieve.

13.Trisandhyam   prayatho nithyam   padeth ashtakamuthamam,

Thasye kande   sadaa  vaasam   karishyaami na samsaya.

If this great octet   prayer   is chanted daily at dawn, noon and dusk    

I would always live in  his throat   and there  is no doubt   about it.

           Ithi   Sri Padma purane   Sri SAravasthyashtakam,

      This is the octet on Goddess  Saraswathi     from Padma Purana.