Shadanana Ashtakam

Shadanana Ashtakam

(The Octet on the six faced one)

By

Sage Agasthya

Translated by P.R.Ramachander

Namoshthu brundaraka brunda vandhya,

Padaravindhaya sudhakaraya,

Shadananayamitha vikramaya

Gouri hrudayananda samudhbhavaya. 1

Salutations to Him whose lotus feet,

Is worshipped by crowds of holy people,

Who is personification of nectar,

Who has six heads,

Who is a great hero,

And who makes the mind of Parvathi happy.

Namoshtu thubhyam pranatharthi hanthre,

Karthre samasthasya mano radhaanam,

Dathre radhaanam paradarakasya,

Hanthre para chandasura tharakasya. 2

Salutations to Him who saves ,

The soul of his devotees,

Who fulfills all their wishes,

Who even fulfills wishes of his enemies,

And who has killed the great Asura called Tharaka.

Amoortha moorthaya sahasra moorthaye,

Gunaya gunyaya prath paraya,

Apara paaraya para paraaya,

Namoshthu thubhyam sikhi vahanaya. 3

Salutations to him who rides on a peacock,

Who exists formless, with form and with thousands of forms,

Who is good , who does good,

Who is the eternal form which is near,

Who is far away , who is inside and who is outside.

Namosthu they Brahma vidham varaaya,

Digambarayambara samsthithaaya,

Hiranya varnaya, hiranya bahave,

Namo hiranyaya, hiranya rethase. 4

Salutations to Him who taught knowledge to Brahma,

Who is dressed only in directions,

Who exists everywhere,

Who is of golden colour,

Who has golden hands,

And who is golden with luster of gold.

Thapa swaroopaya tha bodhanaaya,

Thava balaanam prathibhagaya,

Sada kumaraya himara marine,

Thruni kruthaiswarya viragine nama. 5

Salutations to him who is a sage,

Who is of the form of sage,

Who immerses himself in meditation,

Who is always a lad due to the result of penance,

Who is prettier than the God of love,

And who grants immense wealth.

Namosthu thubhyam, sara janmane vibho,

Prabhatha Suryaruna dandabhaskthaye,

Balaya chabala parakramaya,

Shanmadhurayala mahaduraya. 6

Salutations to him who was born in Saravana* stream,

Who is like the reddish sun at dawn,

Who is a little child,

Who is a hero even when he was a child,

And who was brought up by the six pretty maidens.

*The fire which emanated from Shiva’s third eye fell in this stream

Meedushtamayaothara meedushe nama,

Namo gananaam padhaye nama,

Namosthuthe janma jaradhikaya,

Namo Vishakaya sushakthi panaye. 7

Salutations to the great power ,

Which is greater than the power of Shiva,

Salutations to him who is the leader of Shiva’s companions,

Salutations to him who does not have birth or old age,

Salutations to the Vishaka* and he who carries the Shakthi.

* The Lord was born in this star

Sarvasya nadhasya kumarakaya,

Krouncharaye tharaka marakaya,

Swaheya gangeya cha karthikeya,

Sailaye thubhyam sathatham namosthu. 8

Salutations always to him who is the mountain,

Who is the lad who is the leader of every one,

Who broke the krouncha mountain,

Who killed the asura called Tharaka,

Who is born out of fire and ganges,

And who was looked after by Karthika maidens.