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April - June 2023

Sri Sankaracharya Gitam by Brahmasri Ganesa Sastrigal (tune as in शंभो महादवे )

॥ श्रीशङ्कराचार्यवर्यम्, चन्द्रचूडावतारं भजे ज्ञानमूर्तिम्, श्रीशङ्कराचार्यवर्यम् ॥

I worship the great Sankaracharya, the incarnaon of Siva (moon crested), the very form of  Gnana.

अद्वैतसिद्धान्तमूलम्, द्वैतवादाख्यमत्तेभपञ्चास्यलीलम्, भस्मत्रिपुण्ड्राङ्कफालम्, 
सूत्रभाष्यादिनिर्णीतवेदान्तभावम्, श्रीशङ्कराचार्यवर्यम् ॥१॥

I worship the great Sankaracharya, the very foundaon of the principle of Advaita, who  sporngly acted like lion to the elephant in rut called the argument of Dvaita, whose  forehead is adorned with three lines of Bhasma (Vibhu), who determined the truth of  Vedanta through works like commentary on Brahma Sutras (of Vyasa). (1)

नानाविधस्तोत्रगीतैः, सर्वलोकोपकारक्रियायां प्रवृत्तम्, दुर्वादिवादाभ्रवातम्, 
दूरदूरास्तकामादिदुर्वैरिबृन्दम्, श्रीशङ्कराचार्यवर्यम् ॥२॥

I worship the great Sankaracharya, who is engaged in doing good to all the world through  variegated Stotras and songs, who is like whirlwind to the clouds of unwholesome debate,  who drives away to a long distance evil foes like desire etc. (2)

काषायसंवीतगात्रं, यौवनश्रीसमाश्लिष्टसर्वाङ्गमीड्यम्, कारुण्यसम्पूर्णनेत्रम्, 
मन्दहासोल्लसद्वक्त्रमानन्दपात्रम्, श्रीशङ्कराचार्यवर्यम् ॥ ३॥

I worship the great Sankaracharya, whose body is draped in saffron cloth, whose entire form  is adorable, suffused with the glory of youth, whose eyes are full of compassion, whose face  shines with gentle smile, who is the abode of Bliss. (3)

शिष्यैश्चतुर्भिस्समेतम्, वामहस्तस्थवेदान्तसिद्धान्तकोशम्, वीरासने सन्निषण्णम्, 
दक्षहस्ताग्रभागे लसज्ज्ञानमुद्रम्, श्रीशङ्कराचार्यवर्यम् ॥ ४॥

I worship the great Sankaracharya, who is accompanied by four disciples, who holds in his  le hand the compendium of principles of Vedanta, who is seated in Virasana, and who  shows the enchanng Gnanamudra in his right hand fingers. (4)

संसारदावाग्नितप्तं ज्ञानवृष्टिप्रदानेन लोकं समस्तं दुःखत्रयान्मोचयन्तम्, 
नेत्रनिर्वाणसन्दायिरूपं यतीन्द्रम्, श्रीशङ्कराचार्यवर्यम् ॥ ५॥

I worship the great Sankaracharya, the chief among Sanyasis, who relieves the enre world,  fried in the wild fire of Samsara, of the threefold misery (Aadhidaivika, Aadhibhouka and  Aadhyatmika) by pouring out the shower of Gnana, and whose form grants happiness to the  eyes. (5)

गोविन्दयोगीन्द्रशिष्यम्, शारदापीठनिक्षिप्तवागीशदारम्, साक्षात्कृतब्रह्मतत्वम्, 
षण्मतस्थापकाचार्यकीर्त्या लसन्तम्, श्रीशङ्कराचार्यवर्यम् ॥६॥

I worship the great Sankaracharya, who is the disciple of Govinda Bhagavatpadacharya, the  chief among yogis, who established the consort of Brahma in Sarada Peetham, who directly  experienced the principle of Brahman, and who shines with the glory of having founded the  system of worship through six modes. (6)

तत्तन्मठेषु स्वशिष्यान्, स्थापयित्वा स्वयं कामकोट्याख्यपीठे, काञ्चीपुरस्थेऽधिरुह्य, 
सर्वलोकोपदेशक्रियायां प्रवृत्तम्, श्रीशङ्कराचार्यवर्यम् ॥ ७॥

I worship the great Sankaracharya, who, having installed his disciples in Mathas in different  places, ascended himself the Kamako Peetham set up in Kanchipuram, and engaged  himself in acvies for universal wellbeing. (7)

इत्थं गणेशेन गीतं स्तोत्रमेतत् पठेद्यः स्मरन् शङ्करार्यम्, नश्यन्ति पापानि तस्य, 
ज्ञानलाभश्शुभानां भवेच्चाभिवृद्धिः, श्रीशङ्कराचार्यवर्यम् ॥ ८ ॥

One who chants this song, wrien by Ganesa Sastrigal in praise of Sankaracharya,  pondering over him, has his sins destroyed and is granted Gnana and increased  auspiciousness. (8)

ऊॅ तत् सत्

Translation: P. R. Kannan