Ayyaval’s aarthi hara Stotram

Ayyaval’s  aarthi hara  Stotram

By

Sridhara  Ayyaval

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

(The great  saint  Sridhara Ayyaval was the son Sri Sridhara Padmanabha who was a high ranking officer in the court of the king of Mysore.  He was offered the post of his father , when his father attained salvation and he rejected that  offer  as he was spiritually oriented and took his residence in Thiruvisainallur in the banks of river Cauvery. You can read about this great savant in http://www.sriayyaval.org/lsdetail.html . Here is a remarkable   stotra , where he  Tells   God Shiva that he is not protecting him   and pleads with him in various ways   to protect him.  There is a story given about   the need to compose this stotra   given in  http://avdevantimes.blogspot.in/2010/11/sridhara-gangadhara.html

“Ayyaval used to visit the temple of Mahalinga on a daily basis as a routine to have the darshan of the Lord Mahalinga. He loved the deity very much that rain or shine he would not miss visiting the temple. To reach the temple he used to cross River Kaveri. One particular day there was a huge rain and the river kaveri was flooded. The boatmen refused to ferry the boat to cross the river. Ayyaval was saddened as he could not visit the temple that day and gazing the tower of the temple on the other shore Ayyaval stood with tear-filled eyes. He went back home and composed a soulful prayer “Aarthi Hara Stotra”. Later that day the priest of the Shiva temple visited his house and gave the sacred ash “Vibhuthi” prasada. Ayyaval felt it was Lord Shiva himself had come in the guise of the priest. Overwhelmed he then composed “Dayasathakam” i.e. 100 verses glorifying the compassion of the Lord.”

 I have translated this STotra with the help of Tamil Translation of Sengalipuram Anantharama  Deekshithar.)

AArt

1.Sri Shambo  , mayi  karunaa  sisiraam   drushtim   disan   Sudha vrushtim,

Santhapamapakuru   may  manthaa  paramesa! Thava  dhayaayasyam.

1.Oh  Lord Shiva, by turning your  merciful glance  on me, create  a rain of nectar,

And remove   all my sorrows and Oh Lord of all , by doing It , I would know  your mercy.

2.Avaseedhaami  yadhaarthibhir  anu gunamidham   moha somahasaam   kalu may,

THava sannava seedhaami  yadhanthaka saasana  , na thathavanu gunam.

2.it seems appropriate   for me  who is the seat of  sins,  to undergo  such sufferings,

But  Oh God who punished  Yama, but it is not proper for   you  to see  a devotee like  me suffer.

3.Deva , smaranthi thava   ye theshaam   smarathopi   naarthireethi   keerthim,

Kalayasi  Shiva  paaheethi   krandhan  seedhamyaham   kimuchitham idham.

3.Oh God  , you have the fame that  even devotees  who  think of your devotees  do not  suffer,

But I , in spite of  keeping  on appealing to you, “please  save me “,  undergo suffering. Is it Ok for you?

4,Aadhisyagha kruthou maam antharyamin nasaa vaga athmethi,

Aarthishu  majjayase maam kim broyaam   krupaika  pathramaham.

4.Oh Lord who enthuses   from inside, after  encouraging me  to  do sins,

You drown me in sorrow as  I have done sin  and What can I do as  your  devotee?

5.Mandhaagraneer aham  thava mayi karunaam  ghatayithum  vibho, naalam,

Aakrushtam   thaanthu baladhala miha madhainyamithi samasvasimi.

5.I am the  best among  fools  and so “Oh Lord, it is not proper for you show  mercy on me.”

But I am satisfied feeling that  my suffering is capable   of pulling  you forcefully.”

6.Thwam sarvajnohaam   punarajno  aniso  aham easwarasthwam asi,

Thwam  mayi dhoshaan  ganayasi  kim kadhaye   thudathi  kim dhayaa  na thwaam.

6.You  all knowing one   and I am an idiot  , you are  God   and I am bereft of strength,

In spite  of  that  you find fault  with me and what shall I do if   you do not  like   mercy.

7.Aasritham aartha  tharam   maam upekshase  kimathi  Shiva  ,  na kim Dhaya  se,

Sritha gopthaa   deenarthi hrudhithi  khalu   samsanthi  jahathi   sanathasthwaam.

7.Oh Lord Shiva,  why are you neglecting me  who depends on you   and Is in great pain, Why no mercy?

Though the great sages say  that you protect those  who surrender to you  and  remove  their sufferings.

8.Praharaa  harehi   vadhi  banitha madhaakhya ithi  paalitho  Bhavatha,

Shiva  , Paahithi   vadho aham  sritho   na kim    thwaam kadham  na palyasthe.

8.You have even protected  people who said “Prahara, Aahara”   as  some one who told your name,

And how can  I who have surrendered  to you saying  ‘hey  Lord Shiva  protect me.”, is not being  protected  by you.

9.Saranam Vraja  Shiva marthossa thava harethithi sadaam giraam thwaam,

Saranam  gathosmi palaya khalamapi theshveesa, pakshapaathaan maam.

9.Obeying the words of sages that”surrender to him, He will protect you, I have surrendered to you ,

And even though  I am a great sinner , due to your partiality to those sages, Please protect me.