Sidheswarashtakam by Maha Periyava

A humble translation effort  of   a great stotra  written by  Maha Periyvaa

Yesterday  I was  simply searching  facebook   for interesting posts   and I stumbled on this stotram  .Before the great  people    who have written   commentary   to this Stotra  , I am almost nothing  , yet I decided   to give a trial and present the translation  before   all of you   on the Maha Periyvaa  Jayanthi   day. You can see   the original Tamil version and commentary in  https://mahaperiyavaa.wordpress.com/2016/05/20/%E0%AE%B8%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%80-%E0%AE%B8%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%87%E0%AE%9A%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%B5%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B7%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D-a-new-t/

Sri Sidheswara  Ashtakam

 Translated  By

P.R.Ramachander

(This great octet was written   about 70  years back by Maha Periyavaa   when he went  on a pilgrimage   to Benares. Recently  It was found out this Stotra   is carved in stone in the Sidheswara   temple .(the detailed history of the stotram   was  brought to notice  of all devotees of Maha Periyavaa  by  One Sri Suresh, who writes in the name  of Sanu Puthra)  The Bashyam (commentary  ) to this great stotra was written by Sri Mullaivasal  Krishnamurthi SAstri who    also has written the commentary to another great   stotra called  Durga Pancharathnam  , again written by  Mahaperiyavaa . I understand  from https://mahaperiyavaa.wordpress.com  that  Sri Ganesa SArma , Smt.Gita Kalyan    and Sri Ambi of  Echangudi were involved in this project . My humble translation attempt  is based on that great Tamil  commentary  .

   I am humbly  submitting my humble attempt on the lotus like   feet of Maha Periyavaa )

Sri Kanchi Kamakoti  Peedadhipathi Jagad guru  Sri Sankarachaya   Sri Chandra sekharendra   saraswathi 

                                                   sri Mahaswami   virachitham.

This has been written by  Mahaswami Sri Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi   who is the Guru of universe   

                                   occupying the Sri Kanchi Kama Koti peetam

1.Maha theertha  rajasya  there vibhantham,

Maha bhoothi rooopam , mahathmaika vedhyam,

Maha  sidhi poora pradhanaika   daksham,

Bhajamaiva   Sidheswaram  chitha shambhum

Oh mind  sing about Sidheswara, who is benevolent  ,

Who shines  on the shore  of the king of great   sacred waters,

Who has the form of divine  prosperity, who is known by great souls,

And who is an expert in giving   great  divine  powers.

2.Mamojas vadhakshyagni   basmavasesha,

Madhandhascha daksho  gathasochya  bhavam,

Manojaacha dakshagni  dantho madhantho,

BHaje  nirmadathwaya   Sidheswaram thwaam.

The  one who enchants the mind  was burnt by the fire of your eye and became nere ash,

Daksha who became  blind by pride reached a  pitiable   state,

And due  to the burnt   stelaer of mind people become  blind with pride,

And   so for being one without pride, I worship  that  Sidheswara.

3.Iyam chaapi gangaa  nibadhaa  khabardhe,

Madhaadyaa   yadassaa  kanaksheera kalpam,

Visrushtaa   jagat papa nasaya yena,

Swayam  chitha  Sidheswaram chinthayainam.

That Ganga   who was very proud  was tied and stopped,

On your head   just  as if she was    a mere  drop of water ,

And was later  released as she was created to destroy  the sins of the world,

And Oh mind   you please  meditate  on that  Sidheswara.

4.Na they antho na chaathir   harissopi dathaa,

Varaaho  bhavan oordhwa hamsee bhavamscha,

THadhaa dehi  sakshyam  bhaje banthameva ,

Maha lingaroopena  Sidheswaram thwaam.

Though  they   took the form of  boar and the swan,

Lord Hari  and Lord Brahma   were not able to find your ends,

And  became  witnesses to you   who were like a flame ,

And so  I worship Sidheswara   who has the form of  great linga.

5.Shivoyam   pradheso  mahaan Madhya desa,

Shivaa Jahnavi  nithya sidha  pravaahaa,

Shiva sthwam  Shivam nithya sidham  dadhaanah,

Shivo  nassadhaa devaa , Sidheswaraa syaa.

This middle part of the country belongs to Lord  Shiva,

For  daily  The ganges  of Lord Shiva  auspiciously flows here ,

You being Shiva who is abode of peace  should give us divinity,

As you are   always  God  Shiva    who   is Lord Sidheswara.

6.Padhaabje   thwadheeye  swageeyaakshi  padmam,

Puraa  bhooshanathvena  Narayanodhaath  ,

Itheetham   pura vruthamadhyathra   sathyam,

Parayo   Hari saadhu  Sidheswara agaath.

Once  Lord Narayana    gave  his  lotus like eyes,

On your  lotus  like feet ,  so that  it is decorated,,

And this old  saying    has  now become the truth,

AS the Narayana  of Badrinath has given himself  to the abode of Sidheswara.

7.Khabardath   thwadheeyaath   visrushtaapi   Ganga,

Puna sevithum   thwamaho   badhavaanchaa,

Sakaase   thwadheeyethi   bara pravaahaa ,

Nijambobhishekaaya Sidheswaraagaath.

That Ganga who was left   out by your head,

Has  come again to serve you due to attachment,

And  is  come here prepared     with her heavy  flow of water  ,

To anoint   you , Oh Lord Sidheswara.

8.Na mathosmyaham   chen namathosi binna  ,

Nama thoshitha   sthwam   nama thosha naadhaa,

Na mathosi  binna sthvamaikya dosham,

Namathbya  pradheheeha Sidheswara  thwam.

Even  if I am proud  , you are  not different  from this proud me,

You who becomes  happy when devotees salute you , also makes those who salute you happy ,

And being not different   from this proud me  , you also  make me happy,

AS   you give  happiness  to those who salute you Lord Sidheswara.

Ithi Praya Sidhesawara  BHakthi bruth  janathaa   hrudhi slokashtakamidham 

                         Nithyam varthayathaam  shubham.

Let this  prayer octet   increase  the happiness   in  the minds of

      Those devotees who are devoted to Prayaga  Sidheswari