Shri-ShrishaGuna Darpanam

हरि सर्वोत्तम । वायु जीवोत्तम | श्री गुरुभ्यो नमः

श्रीश्रीशगुणदर्पणस्तोत्रम्

Introduction:

• Note that the title is Shri-Shrisha Guna Darpana – a mirror reflection by Shri Vaadiraaja Teertha of the supreme qualities of *both* Lakshmi and Narayana. This is because worship of Lakshmi alone or Narayana alone are not useful to gain wealth of knowledge or material nature.
• History records that Shri Vaadiraaja Teertha composed this work to alleviate King Achyuta Raaya of poverty during a famine and subsequently chanted and taught it to uplift many Brahmins from poverty.
• Tradition is to chant this preceding and following Narayana Varma for maximum effect – counts of 1000, 100, 54, 28, 12, 8 or 5. (More info)
• This work also mirrors the Shri Sukta from Rig Veda thus making it effectively available for those who do not have Brahmopadesha and thus lack eligibility to directly study Veda-s.

या सुगन्ध-अस्य-नासा-आदि-नव-द्वारा अखिलेन या ।
दुराधर्षा सर्व-सस्य-उदय-अर्थं वा करीषिणी ॥ १ ॥
She (या) whose divine fragrance (सुगन्ध) issues forth from all the nine openings (नव-द्वारा) such as the nose (नासा-आदि) of Her transcendental body (अस्य), who pervades all existence completely (अखिलेन), who is invincible and beyond assault (दुराधर्षा), and who [as Bhoodevi] causes (करीषिणी) the arising and growth (उदय-अर्थं) of all vegetation and crops (सर्व-सस्य).

• “नव-द्वार” refers to the nine openings of the d]ivine body. Unlike ordinary beings, Lakshmi’s body is apraakruta (transcendental and beyond material defects).
• “दुराधर्षा” indicates that Lakshmi Devi can never be overcome, diminished, or tainted by samsaara.
• “करीषिणी” is interpreted in the Shri Sukta tradition as Bhudevi — the nourishing aspect of Lakshmi responsible for fertility, agriculture, and prosperity.
• Lakshmi alone has the unique ability to mediate divine grace to bound souls while remaining eternally untouched by material defects.

या नित्य-पुष्टा सर्व-अङ्गैः सौन्दर्य-आदि-गुणैः अपि ।
ईश्वरीं सर्व-भूतानां ताम् इह उपह्वये श्रियम् ॥ २ ॥
I invoke here (इह उपह्वये) that Goddess Lakshmi (ताम् श्रियम्), who is eternally full and ever-flourishing (नित्य-पुष्टा), who is endowed in all Her limbs (सर्व-अङ्गैः) with beauty and other divine qualities (सौन्दर्य-आदि-गुणैः), and who is the sovereign Mistress (ईश्वरीं) of all beings (सर्व-भूतानाम्).

• “नित्य-पुष्टा” does not merely mean materially nourished, but eternally perfect, youthful, and complete.
• Lakshmi’s beauty is not material attractiveness but the external manifestation of infinite auspicious qualities.
• “ईश्वरी” does not imply independence equal to Narayana. Rather, Lakshmi rules all beings under His supreme will while remaining eternally inseparable from Him.

मातर्-लक्ष्मि नमः तुभ्यं माधव-प्रिय-भामिनि ।
युवां विश्वस्य पितरौ इतरेतर-योगिनौ ॥ ३ ॥
O Mother Lakshmi (मातर्-लक्ष्मि), salutations unto You (नमः तुभ्यं), O beautiful beloved of Madhava (माधव-प्रिय-भामिनि). You both (युवां) are the parents (पितरौ) of the universe (विश्वस्य), eternally united and inseparable from one another (इतरेतर-योगिनौ).

• “माधव” means “the Lord of Lakshmi (मा)” and also “the Lord of knowledge.”
• “इतरेतर-योगिनौ” establishes the eternal inseparability of Lakshmi and Narayana.
• Lakshmi is never independent of Hari, nor ever separated from Him in time, space, or essence.
• Unlike all other beings, Lakshmi alone is free from sorrow, ignorance, karma, and rebirth.

समना किल मातः त्वम् अमुना तत्-अयोगिनी ।
मम नाथेन नैव स्यात् विमनाः च न स त्वयि ॥ ४ ॥
O Mother (मातः), You (त्वम्) are indeed always together equally (समना किल) with Him (अमुना), never separated from Him (तत्-अयोगिनी). Therefore my Lord (मम नाथेन) is never displeased (न विमनाः स्यात्) with You, nor is He ever apart from You (न स त्वयि).

• “समना” here indicates equality in eternal coexistence across all places and times — not equality in supremacy with Narayana. This is an important Maadhva clarification: Lakshmi is superior to all beings, yet eternally subordinate to Hari.
• “अयोगिनी” means “never separated,” affirming the inseparable union of Lakshmi and Narayana even during Pralaya. Since Lakshmi perfectly reflects Hari’s will, there can never be disagreement or discord between Them.

त्वं वेद-मानिनी वेद-वेद्यः किल स ते प्रियः ।
त्वं मूल-प्रकृतिः देवी स दिव्य-पुरुषः किल ॥ ५ ॥
You (त्वं) are the revered presiding Goddess of the Vedas (वेद-मानिनी), and He (सः), Your beloved (ते प्रियः), is indeed the One known through the Vedas (वेद-वेद्यः). You are the primordial source of material nature (मूल-प्रकृतिः), O Devi (देवि), while He is the Supreme Divine Person (दिव्य-पुरुषः).

• “वेद-मानिनी” means Lakshmi is the abhimaani devata presiding over Vedic wisdom and its correct understanding.
• “वेद-वेद्यः” declares that Narayana alone is the ultimate subject and goal of all Vedas.
• “मूल-प्रकृति” refers to Lakshmi’s association with primordial material causation — yet unlike Prakriti itself, She is fully conscious, divine, and untouched by materiality.
• “दिव्य-पुरुष” refers to Narayana as the transcendent Supreme Person beyond all limitations.
• Lakshmi functions as the mediating principle through whom the universe is sustained and through whom souls approach Hari.

यः त्वाम् उरसि धत्ते अम्ब कौस्तुभ-द्युति-भासिते ।
स त्वां नैव अच्युतः सर्वस्य अत्यये सत्यपि त्यजेत् ॥ ६ ॥
O Mother (अम्ब), He (यः) who bears You (त्वाम् धत्ते) upon His chest (उरसि), radiant with the brilliance (भासिते) of the Kaustubha gem (कौस्तुभ-द्युति), that infallible Lord Acyuta (अच्युतः) never (नैव) abandons You (त्वां त्यजेत्), even at the dissolution (अत्यये) of the entire universe (सर्वस्य), indeed (सति अपि).

• The Lord’s chest is traditionally called “श्रीवत्सस्थल” because Lakshmi eternally resides there.
• “अच्युत” means the One who never falls from His nature, qualities, supremacy, or relationship with Lakshmi. Even during Mahaa-Pralaya, when all worlds dissolve, Lakshmi and Narayana remain eternally united.
• Kaustubha gem symbolizes the Lord’s supreme splendour and sovereignty.

देवि त्वं ललना-रत्नं देवः असौ पुरुष-उत्तमः ।
युवां युवानौ सततं युवयोः न वयः-अधिकः ॥ ७ ॥
O Goddess (देवि), You (त्वं) are the jewel among women (ललना-रत्नं), and that Lord (असौ देवः) is the Supreme Person (पुरुष-उत्तमः). Both of You (युवां) are eternally youthful (युवानौ सततं), and between You two (युवयोः) there is no difference of age (न वयः-अधिकः).

• “पुरुषोत्तम” establishes Narayana’s supremacy over all beings including Lakshmi, Brahma, Vayu, and others.
• “युवानौ” signifies eternal freshness, beauty, and freedom from decay.
• “न वयः-अधिकः” indicates both are beginningless and eternal, not that They are equal in supremacy.
• Lakshmi alone among all beings shares eternal freedom from old age, sorrow, ignorance, and decay.

त्वं पद्मिनी पद्म-वक्त्रा पद्माक्षी पद्म-विष्टरा ।
पद्म-द्वय-करा पद्म-कोश-अभ-नस्तन-शोभना ॥ ८ ॥
You (त्वं) are lotus-dwelling (पद्मिनी), lotus-faced (पद्म-वक्त्रा), lotus-eyed (पद्माक्षी), and seated upon a lotus (पद्म-विष्टरा). You hold lotuses in both hands (पद्म-द्वय-करा), and Your bosom shines beautifully (स्तन-शोभना) like lotus buds (पद्म-कोश-अभ).

• The repeated use of “पद्म” symbolizes purity, beauty, auspiciousness, softness, and transcendence untouched by worldly impurity.
• “पद्माक्षी” indicates eyes overflowing with compassion toward devotees.

पद्म-हस्ता पद्म-पादा पद्म-नाभ-मनः-प्रिया ।
पद्म-उद्भवस्य जननी पद्मा च वर-वर्णिनी ॥ ९ ॥
Your hands are lotus-like (पद्म-हस्ता), Your feet are lotus-like (पद्म-पादा), and You are beloved to the mind (मनः-प्रिया) of Lord Padmanabha (पद्म-नाभ). You are the mother (जननी) of lotus-born Brahma (पद्म-उद्भवस्य), and You Yourself are Padma (पद्मा), possessing excellent divine complexion and form (वर-वर्णिनी).

• “Padmanabha” refers to Narayana from whose navel-lotus Brahma manifests. Lakshmi is called the mother of Brahma because all creation proceeds through Her divine mediation under Hari’s will.
• “वर-वर्णिनी” indicates supreme divine beauty and auspicious radiance.

अम्बां पीताम्बर-श्रोणीं लम्ब-अलक-लसन्मुखीम् ।
बिम्ब-अधर-ओष्ठीं कस्तूरी-जम्बाल-तिलकां भजे ॥ १० ॥
I worship (भजे) Mother Lakshmi (अम्बां), whose waist is adorned with yellow garments (पीताम्बर-श्रोणीं), whose face shines beautifully (लसन्मुखीम्) framed by long flowing locks of hair (लम्ब-अलक), whose lips (ओष्ठीं) are red like the bimba fruit (बिम्ब-अधर), and who wears an auspicious musk tilaka (कस्तूरी-जम्बाल-तिलकां).

• “पीताम्बर” signifies auspiciousness, prosperity, purity, and divine splendour.
• Despite the worldly description, Lakshmi’s form is entirely transcendental (apraakruta) and never material.

रत्न-उद्दीप्त-सु-माङ्गल्य-सूत्र-वृत्त-शिरोधराम् ।
कुण्डल-प्रभया उद्दण्ड-गण्ड-मण्डल-मण्डिताम् ॥ ११ ॥
I worship Her (ताम्), whose auspicious marriage-thread (सु-माङ्गल्य-सूत्र) shines brilliantly with gems (रत्न-उद्दीप्त), adorning Her neck (शिरोधराम्), and whose beautiful cheeks (गण्ड-मण्डल) are illumined and decorated (मण्डिताम्) by the radiance (प्रभया) of Her earrings (कुण्डल).

• “माङ्गल्य-सूत्र” signifies the eternal divine union of Lakshmi and Narayana, which can never be broken.
• The ornaments of Lakshmi are not material objects but manifestations of auspiciousness and splendour.
• “उद्दण्ड” here conveys fullness and prominence of beauty and radiance.

कुच-कञ्चुक-सञ्चारि-हार-नीक-मनोहराम् ।
काञ्ची-किङ्किणि-मञ्जीर-कङ्कण-आद्यैः अलङ्कृताम् ॥ १२ ॥
I worship Her (ताम्), who is enchanting (मनोहराम्), with rows of necklaces (हार-नीक) moving gracefully (सञ्चारि) upon Her blouse covering the bosom (कुच-कञ्चुक), and who is adorned (अलङ्कृताम्) with a golden waist-belt (काञ्ची), tinkling ornaments and anklets (किङ्किणि-मञ्जीर), bangles (कङ्कण), and many other ornaments (आद्यैः).

• “काञ्ची” refers to the ornamented girdle around the waist, traditionally associated with royalty and auspicious femininity.
• The sound of Lakshmi’s anklets and ornaments is traditionally described as spiritually uplifting and auspicious.

सुवर्ण-मण्डपे रत्न-चित्र-सिंहासन-उत्तमे ।
नमामि हरिणा साकम् इन्दिरां कृत-मन्दिराम् ॥ १३ ॥
I bow (नमामि) to Indira (इन्दिराम्), who is seated together (साकम्) with Lord Hari (हरिणा) upon the supreme throne (सिंहासन-उत्तमे), wondrously adorned with gems (रत्न-चित्र) within a golden pavilion (सुवर्ण-मण्डपे), and who has made that divine abode Her residence (कृत-मन्दिराम्).

• “इन्दिरा” is one of Lakshmi’s celebrated names, indicating supreme beauty and prosperity.
• Lakshmi is never worshipped independently of Hari; this verse specifically emphasizes Their inseparable seated presence together.

ब्रह्म-आद्याः विबुध-श्रेष्ठाः ब्रह्माणी-आद्याः सुर-अङ्गनाः ।
यां पूजयन्ति सेवन्ते सा मां पातु रमा सदा ॥ १४ ॥
May that Goddess Ramaa (सा रमा) always protect me (मां पातु सदा), whom (याम्) the foremost among the wise gods (विबुध-श्रेष्ठाः) beginning with Brahma (ब्रह्म-आद्याः), and the celestial women (सुर-अङ्गनाः) beginning with Saraswati (ब्रह्माणी-आद्याः), worship (पूजयन्ति) and serve (सेवन्ते).

• This verse establishes Lakshmi’s supremacy over all other deities and divine consorts, second only to Narayan.
• “रमा” signifies the One who delights Hari and gives joy to devotees.

सर्व-अलङ्कार-भरितौ सर्व-सद्गुण-मण्डितौ ।
शर्व-आदि-सर्व-भक्त-ओघ-सर्व-सम्पद्-विधायकौ ॥ १५ ॥
I praise Lakshmi and Narayana (तौ), who are adorned with all ornaments (सर्व-अलङ्कार-भरितौ), embellished with all auspicious qualities (सर्व-सद्गुण-मण्डितौ), and who bestow (विधायकौ) every kind of prosperity and fulfilment (सर्व-सम्पद्) upon the multitude of all devotees (सर्व-भक्त-ओघ), beginning with Lord Shiva (शर्व-आदि).

• “सम्पद्” includes not merely material wealth, but devotion, wisdom, dharma, vairagya, and grace towards liberation.
• “सद्गुण” refers to infinite auspicious divine qualities entirely free from defect.

सु-मुखौ सुन्दर-तरौ सु-नासौ सुख-चित्-तनू ।
सुर-आराधित-पाद-अब्जौ रमा-नारायणौ स्तुमः ॥ १६ ॥
We praise (स्तुमः) Lakshmi and Narayana (रमा-नारायणौ), whose faces are exceedingly beautiful (सु-मुखौ सुन्दर-तरौ), whose noses are graceful and auspicious (सु-नासौ), whose forms are composed of bliss and consciousness (सुख-चित्-तनू), and whose lotus-feet (पाद-अब्जौ) are worshipped (आराधित) by the devas (सुर).

• “चित्-तनू” indicates Their bodies are not material but composed entirely of pure consciousness and bliss.
• Unlike embodied beings in samsaara, the divine forms of Lakshmi and Narayana are eternal, flawless, self-luminous, and transcendental.
• “पाद-अब्ज” (lotus-feet) signifies the supreme refuge sought even by the devas.

चतुः-कपर्दा या देवी चतुर-आस्य-आदिभिः स्तुता ।
चतुर्वेद-उदित-गुणा चतुर्मूर्तेः हरेः प्रिया ॥ १७ ॥
I worship that Goddess (या देवी), who has four braided tresses (चतुः-कपर्दा), who is praised (स्तुता) by Brahma and others beginning with the four-faced one (चतुर-आस्य-आदिभिः), whose qualities are proclaimed by the four Vedas (चतुर्वेद-उदित-गुणा), and who is beloved (प्रिया) of Lord Hari (हरेः) in His fourfold forms (चतुर्मूर्तेः).

• “चतुर्मूर्ति” refers to the four Vyuuha forms: Vaasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha.
• “चतुः-कपर्दा” traditionally refers to four arranged braids or divisions of hair, symbolizing completeness and auspiciousness.
• The Vedas do not merely praise Lakshmi poetically; they reveal Her true transcendental status and inseparable relation with Hari.
• Brahma himself is dependent on Lakshmi-Narayana being appointed by them as creator of the universe.

घृत-प्रतीकां तां नित्यं घृत-पूर्ण-अन्न-दायिनीम् ।
यथा-इष्ट-वित्त-दात्रीं च नतः अस्मि अभय-दां श्रियम् ॥ १८ ॥
I bow (नतः अस्मि) to that Goddess Lakshmi (श्रियम्), who is associated with clarified butter and nourishment (घृत-प्रतीकां), who forever grants (नित्यं दायिनीम्) food rich with ghee (घृत-पूर्ण-अन्न), who bestows desired wealth (यथा-इष्ट-वित्त-दात्रीं), and who grants fearlessness and protection (अभय-दाम्).

• In Vedic symbolism, “घृत” (ghee) represents nourishment, brilliance, sacredness, prosperity, and clarity of intellect.
• Lakshmi as Annapurna nourishes and sustains both worldly life and spiritual effort.
• “अभय-दा” signifies not merely worldly protection, but freedom from fear arising from samsaara, poverty, and spiritual downfall.
• Wealth here includes both material prosperity and spiritual wealth such as devotion and knowledge.

वादिराजेन रचितं श्री-श्रीश-गुण-दर्पणम् ।
इमं स्तवं पठन् मर्त्यः श्रीमान् स्यात् न अत्र संशयः ॥ १९ ॥
A mortal person (मर्त्यः), reciting (पठन्) this hymn (इमं स्तवं), the Shri-Shrisha-Guna-Darpana (श्री-श्रीश-गुण-दर्पणम्) composed (रचितं) by Shri Vaadiraaja (वादिराजेन), shall become endowed with prosperity and auspicious wealth (श्रीमान् स्यात्); of this there is no doubt (न अत्र संशयः).

• “श्रीमान्” includes not only material prosperity, but also spiritual wealth, dignity, devotion, knowledge, and divine grace.
• Vaadiraaja Teertha traditionally composed this stotra to alleviate famine and poverty.

इति श्री-वादिराज-तीर्थ-श्री-चरण-विरचितं श्री-श्रीश-गुण-दर्पणम् ।
Thus ends the Shri-Shrisha-Guna-Darpana, composed by the revered Shri Vaadiraaja Teertha.

भारती-रमण-मुख्य-प्राण-अंतर्गत श्री-कृष्ण-अर्पणम् अस्तु ।
May this be an offering unto Shri Krishna, who resides within Mukhya Praana, the beloved of Bharati Devi.

Reference: Book from Shri Sode Vadiraja Matha by Sri Gowdagere Vijaya Kumar Acharya and some verses of the second translation by Shri Vasu Murthy of Washington DC, posted in VMS list (Nov 1999).

/Raghunath Rao/ “Do your Best … and leave the Rest … “

(All mistakes mine – all credit to references, pravachanas and online material)

|| sarvaṁ śrī kṛṣṇārpanamastu ||