Madhalasa Upadesha or putra upadesha stotra-a philosophical lullaby

 

Madhalasa  Upadesha or putra  upadesha stotra-a philosophical lullaby

 

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

 

(This prayer/piece  of philosophy   occurs in markandeya Purana  .Madhalasa(voluptuous)   was a queen and she had four sons Vikrantha, Subahu, Sathru mardhana  and Alarka.She used to advice them facts  of philosophy  as a lullaby  , even while  they were babies.It is told that   first  three  sons  took sanyasa.

   The stotra is sung by Gabriella Burnel and the recording was commissioned by friends and students of the School of Practical Philosophy  in Australia. Gabriella is a Sanskrit scholar and an accomplished musician and musical theatre performer; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDd3iupKUyI )

 

1.Shudhosi , budhosi, niranjanosi

Samsara mayaa parivarjithosi,

SAmsara   swapnam, thyaja  moha nidhraam

Mandallasosollappam   uvacha  puthram

 

You are pure,wise, without stain,

Forsake   the illusion  of  the world,

Sacrifice  the dream of the world and the sleep of  attachment,

Madalasa told about  the perishable  world to her sons

 

2.Shudhosi re thatha na the  asthi nama

Krutham hi thatha kalpanayaa   dhunaiiva

Pachathmakam deham idham na  thosthi

Naivasya thwam rodhishi kasya  hetho

 

My child you are pure and do not have a name,

Which is  given out of simple  imagination to you,

The body of five  elements, it is not yours

And you are  living in it and what  is the reason for  your crying?

 

3.Na ve bhavaan rodhithi viswa janmaa

Sabdhoya mayaadhya maheesa soonum

Vikalpayamaano vividher  gunasthe

Gunaaksha bhauthaasakala indriyeshu

 

AS the  child of the universe, you are  not crying

The sound that you produce  is illusion , oh son of the king

And all the qualities of yours are  your imagination

And all of them belong the  five sense  organs.

 

4.Bhothaani bhoothai pari  dularbhalaani

Budhim   samaayaathi yadeha   pumsa

Annambu paanaddhi bhirea thasmath

Na thosthi vrudhir na  cha thosthi  haani

 

The body of the all  beings   is extremely weak,

The brain  manages  to keep them  proper

And  even if food   and drinks are  not taken

Theere   will neither  be growth nor decay

 

5.Thwam kunchake seerymano   nijosmin

Thasmin   dehe moodathaam   na vrajethaa

Shubhashubhou karma bhedheha  methath

Madhadhibhi kanchukasthe pinadha

 

Truly you are  inside  the body  which is like a jacket

And due to foolishness  , do not think you are the body

Thus the good and bad  karmas are  tied to it

And do not ever think   you are  lord of that  jacket

 

6.Thaathethi kinchith  thanayothi  kinchith

Ambethi kinchith , dhayithethi  kinchith

Mamethi  kinchith na mamethi  kinchith

Thwam bhootha sanga, bahu maanayedhaa

 

Some may call you as father  and some others  as son,

Some  may call you as mother and some may call you as  husbd

Some may say “you are mine” and some others, “you are  not mine”

These   are all collection of bodies and you do not  belong to them

 

7,Sukhani  dukho upasamaaya bhogaan

Sukhaaya  jaanaathi vimooda     chethaa

Thanyeva dukhani puna  sukhaani

Jaanaathi vidhan vimmoda   chethaa

 

All pleasures   are  just absence  of sorrows

The wise  brain recognizes  the pleasures

The wise men know that  Sorrow of body  follows,

The pleasure and pleasure  follows sorrow

 

8.Yaanaam chithou thathra  gathascha  deho,

Dehopi chaanya purusho   nivishnta

Mamathwa muroya na yadhaa  thadhha  asmin

Dehethi  maathra,  batha mooda  rousha

 

The vehicle in which body  moves is different  from it,

And like that the body is different  from person inside

The feeling of mine  , some times refers  to this or that,

And it is foolish to think you are the body.