Shri-ShrishaGuna Darpanam

हरि सर्वोत्तम । वायु जीवोत्तम | श्री गुरुभ्यो नमः

श्रीश्रीशगुणदर्पणस्तोत्रम्

Introductory Notes:

• Note 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 Narayana alone or Lakshmi 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 thus making it effectively available for those who do not have Brahmopadesha and thus are ineligible to study Veda-s directly.

या सुगन्धास्यनासादिनवद्वाराऽखिलेन या ।
दुराधर्षा सर्वसस्योदयार्थं वा करीषिणी ॥१॥

Goddess Lakshmi has heavenly perfume from all nine parts of her Divine (apraakruta) body such as nose etc. She is beyond the world consisting of chetana and achetana things. As Bhudevi, she is the cause of all the growth in plants on earth.

या नित्यपुष्टा सर्वाङ्गैः सौन्दर्यादिगुणैरपि ।
ईश्वरीं सर्वभूतानां तामिहोपह्वये श्रियम् ॥२॥

She has beautiful limbs and is endowed with divine beauty. She is the Goddess of all living beings. I invite her to my home.
   OR
She is the one who remains forever young & beautiful. She is the one who is the Supreme Mistress of all living beings & I invite her to my abode.

मातर्लक्ष्मि नमस्तुभ्यं माधवप्रियभामिनि ।
युवां विश्वस्य पितरावितरेतरयोगिनौ ॥३॥

Mother Goddess Lakshmi! You are dear to Lord Madhava, I bow to you both who are Father and Mother to the world. Both of you do not have any separation from each other.
   OR
The beloved of Madhava, Mother Lakshmi — my salutations to you both. You & Madhava are the parents of the world & everlastingly inseparable.

समना किल मातस्त्वममुना तदयोगिनी ।
मम नाथेन नैव स्या विमनाश्च न स त्वयि ॥४॥

Mother! You are present in all space and time along with my Lord (Shri Hari). This is why you are called samana. My Lord will never get angry with you.
   OR
Oh Mother, you are present at all places & ages with my Lord Sri Hari & hence YOU are ‘samana’ (equal).

त्वं वेदमानिनी वेदवेद्यः किल स ते प्रियः ।
त्वं मूलप्रकृतिर्देवी स दिव्यपुरुषः किल ॥५॥

You are the Goddess associated (abhimani devata) with vedas. Your loving Lord can be known only by Vedas. You are the Origin for all matter (Mula prakruti) and He is the origin of all living beings.
   OR
You are the pride of Vedas. Your beloved Shri Hari is the Supreme Lord & Giver of the Vedas. You are the origin of nature & He, your beloved, is the Supreme Lord.

यस्त्वामुरसि धत्तेऽम्ब कौस्तुभद्युतिभासिते ।
स त्वां नैवाच्युतः सर्वस्यात्यये सत्यपि त्यजेत् ॥६॥

Lord Shri Hari keeps you in his bosom always adorned with his Kaustubha & will not let go of you even during the time of Pralaya.
   OR
Mother! Shri Hari wears you in his chest that is shining with the light of the Kaustubha divine gem. He does not leave you even during Pralaya (total destruction period).

देवि त्वं ललनारत्नं देवोऽसौ पुरुषोत्तमः ।
युवां युवानौ सततं युवयोर्न वयोऽधिकः ॥७॥

Oh Devi, you are a jewel among women & your Lord Shri Hari is the supreme. Both are the same age (samana = equal with respect to time, space only).
   OR
Goddess! You are like a diamond among ladies and Your Lord is Sarvottama (superior to ALL). Both of You have eternal youth. Both of you are of the same age (anaadi).

त्वं पद्मिनी पद्मवक्त्रा पद्माक्षी पद्मविष्टरा ।
पद्मद्वयकरा पद्मकोशाभनस्तनशोभना ॥८॥

Oh Mahalakshmi. You reside in the lotus, your face is like the lotus, your eyes are like the lotus, your seat is the lotus, you hold the lotus in your hands & your bosom is like lotus buds.
   OR
Mahlakshmi! You live on a lotus. Your angelic face is like a lotus. Your eyes are like lotuses. Your seat is also a lotus. You hold lotuses in your hands. Your bosom shines like lotus buds.

पद्महस्ता पद्मपादा पद्मनाभमनःप्रिया ।
पद्मोद्भवस्य जननी पद्मा च वरवर्णिनी ॥९॥

Oh Mahalakshmi, your hands & feet are as lovely as the lotus & you are the beloved of the Lord Padmanabha. You are the mother of the lotus born Brahma. Your name itself is the lotus.
   OR
Goddess Lakshmi! Your hands and feet are like lotuses. You are dear to Shri Padmanabha’s mind. You are mother to Brahma who was born out of a lotus. Your name itself is lotus.

अम्बां पीताम्बरश्रोणीं लम्बालकलसन्मुखीम् ।
बिम्बाधरोष्ठीं कस्तूरिजम्बालतिलकां भजे ॥१०॥

Mahalakshmi is clad in the finest silk, her face beautifully framed by her tresses, lips like ripe fruits & wearing sacred tilaka on her forehead.
   OR
I worship Sri Mahalakshmi who wears Pitambara (auspicious yellow colored dress). Her face is shining from tresses from her hair. Her lips are like the “toNDe” fruit (red fruit of Ivy gourd). I worship Shri Lakshmi who wears tilaka (auspicious mark) made of Kasturi (musk) on her forehead.

रत्नोद्दीप्तसुमाङ्गल्यसूत्रवृत्तशिरोधराम् ।
कुण्डलप्रभयोद्दण्डगण्डमण्डलमण्डिताम् ॥११॥

Mahalakshmi is wearing a necklace studded with bright gems & her cheeks reflect the brilliance of her ear ornament. Such a divine one, I pray to You.
   OR
(I worship Shri Lakshmi) who wears a mangalya (sacred thread signifying marriage) made of shining diamonds and whose cheeks are shining from the light of her earrings.

कुचकञ्चुकसञ्चारिहारनीकमनोहराम् ।
काञ्चीकिङ्किणिमञ्जीरकङ्कणाद्यैरलङ्कृताम् ॥१२॥

Mahalakshmi is most beautiful & adorned with a garland that is swinging over her blouse. She has a golden belt around her midriff with tinkling bells around her ankles & bangles on her arms. Such a one, I pray to you.

सुवर्णमण्डपे रत्नचित्रसिंहासनोत्तमे ।
नमामि हरिणा साकमिन्दिरां कृतमन्दिराम् ॥१३॥

I bow to you & salute you. Oh Mahalakshmi, the one seated with Lord Shri Hari on a golden throne adorned with precious jewels.

ब्रह्माद्या विबुधश्रेष्ठा ब्रह्माण्याद्याः सुराङ्गनाः ।
यां पूजयन्ति सेवन्ते सा मां पातु रमा सदा ॥१४॥

One who is revered by the four faced Brahma, Saraswati & other divine women, such a Ramaa Devi may She always protect me.

सर्वालङ्कारभरितौ सर्वसद्गुणमण्डितौ ।
शर्वादिसर्वभक्तौघसर्वसमपद्विधायकौ ॥१५॥

Lakshmi & Narayana are forever well adorned, are all knowing, replete with all divine qualities & are those that grant the wishes of Rudra & all their other devotees. I praise & pray to you Lakshmi & Narayana.
   OR
(Shri Lakshmi and Narayana) are adorned with all ornaments, know everything and have all good qualities. (I worship Shri Lakshmi and Narayana) who give blessings that fulfill the wishes of all their devotees beginning with Lord Rudra.

सुमुखौ सुन्दरतरौ सुनासौ सुखचित्तनू ।
सुराराधितपादाब्जौ रमानारायणौ स्तुमः ॥१६॥

The faces of Lakshmi & Narayana are beautiful as are their noses. They are of ephemeral bodies. The gods worship at Their feet. Oh Lakshmi & Narayana, I pray to You Both.
   OR
(Shri Lakshmi and Narayana) have beautiful face. They are very beautiful with a graceful nose and body made of chit. DevatAs worship their lotus-like feet. I sing the praises of Shri Lakshmi Narayan having such qualities.

चतुष्कपर्दा या देवी चतुरास्यादिभिः स्तुता ।
चतुर्वेदोदितगुणा चतुर्मूर्तेर्हरेः प्रिया ॥१७॥

Mahalakshmi has four tresses. The four headed Brahma & other gods sing praises to her. The four Vedas too praise Her. She is the beloved of Lord Shri Hari who has four forms such as Vasudeva. Such a One, I salute & bow to You in reverence.
   OR
Sri Mahalakshmi has four braids in her hair. She is worshipped by four faced Brahma and other gods. Four Vedas extoll her qualities. She is very dear to Shri Hari who has four forms named (Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha). (I worship such a Goddess).

घृतप्रतीकां तां नित्यं घृतपूर्णान्नदायिनीम् ।
यथेष्टवित्तदात्रीं च नतोऽस्म्यभयदां श्रियम् ॥१८॥

The One who always grants her devotees rice with ghee & copious amounts of wealth & always protects them, Oh Mahalakshmi, I bow to You.
   OR
I worship Goddess Sri Lakshmi who is (abhimAni) for ghee (clarified butter). She gives devotees rice mixed with ghee, plentiful wealth and blessings of her protection (abhaya) for ever.

वादिराजेन रचितं श्रीश्रीशगुणदर्पणम् ।
इमं स्तवं पठन्मर्त्यः श्रीमान् स्यान्नात्र संशयः ॥१९॥

Those who recite this ShriShrishagunadarpana stotra of Lakshmi & Narayana composed by Shri Shri Vadiraja Teertha would become wealthy. There is no doubting this.
   OR
A person who reads this stotra composed by Shri Vadiraja Swamiji will be blessed with great wealth. There is no doubt about this.

इति श्री वादिराजतीर्थश्रीचरणविरचितं श्रीश्रीश्गुणदर्पणम्

भारतीरमणमुख्यप्राणांतर्गत श्री कृष्णार्पनमस्तु

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) (with thanks to Smt Vani Rao of Baton Rouge, LA for providing the book).

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

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

|| sarvaṁ śrī kṛṣṇārpanamastu ||