Soundarya Lahari - With Meaning and Explanation

 अविद्यानामन्त​-स्तिमिर​-मिहिरद्वीपनगरी जडानां चैतन्य​-स्तबक​-मकरन्द​-श्रृतिझरी। दरिद्राणां चिन्तामणिगुणनिका जन्मजलधौ निमग्नानां दंष्ट्रा मुररिपु-वराहस्य भवति॥ अविद्यानाम् To the Ignorant ones अन्तः तिमिर ​ Inside darkness मिहिर ​ The Sun द्वीपनगरी An Island city जडानां To the Lazy ones चैतन्य ​ Cause of invigoration स्तबक Clusters of मकरन्द Honey श्रृतिझरी flowing दरिद्राणां To the less fortunate चिन्तामणिगुणनिका   Like the garland of gemstones जन्मजलधौ निमग्नानां To those who are drowned in the sorrows of their existence दंष्ट्रा : भवति Are like the tusks मुररिपु - वराहस्य Of Varaaha, the enemy of Mura  The Shloka is talking about the minutest dust under the lo...

Each shloka of Soundarya Lahari is a mantra on its own and is associated with a unique Yantra. So, to understand the Mantra, we need to understand what is a Yantra or science behind Yantras. Yantra has a science associated with its working and benefits. Yantras are mainly 3 types: Mandala - Flat with geometrical figures Meru - Pyramid shaped and 3-Dimensional  Sankhya - Flat with numbers written Four basic aspects of Yantras determine how they are used. Symbols used Surface of Drawing Materials used to Draw Benefits of Yantra SYMBOLS USED IN YANTRAS: The symbols are made of various geometrical figures combined in varying complexities. Squares, circles, triangles, curves like lotus petals etc are used to depict geometrical figures which have a physiological impact on the geometrical shapes within the human body - namely Chakras.  Precise geometric arrangements using the simple shapes is a science and is mentioned in detail in Agama and Tantra shastras like Brhad samhita, Mrgend...

  तनीयांसं पांसुं तव चरणपङ्केरुहभवं विरिञ्चिस्सञ्चिन्वन् विरचयति लोकानविकलम्। वहत्येनं शौरिः कथमपि सहस्रेण शिरसा हरस्संक्षुद्यैनं भजति भसितोद्धूलनविधिम्॥ तनीयांसं Very minute पांसुं Dust particles तव चरणपङ्केरुहभवं Which are below your lotus feet विरिञ्चिः Lord Brahma सञ्चिन्वन् Collecting them विरचयति Creates लोकानविकलम् All the worlds to perfection वहत्येनं (Vishnu) carries or sustains this creation शौरिः Vishnu कथमपि Somehow सहस्रेण शिरसा With a thousand heads हर : Lord Shiva संक्षुद्य एनं Destroys all this into fine powder भसितोद्धूलनविधिम् भजति Smears all over His body as sacred ash  O Goddess, Lord Brahma collects the dust below your feet and creates all these wo...

 शिवः शक्त्या युक्तो यदि भवति शक्तः प्रभवितुम् न चेदवं देवो न खलुः कुशलः स्पन्दितुमपि। अतस्त्वामाराध्यां हरिहरविरिञ्चादिभिरपि प्रणन्तुं स्तोतुं वा कथमकृतपुण्यः प्रभवति॥ यदि शिवः If Shiva शक्त्या युक्तो भवति Is united with Shakti शक्तः प्रभवितुम् (He) becomes capable of action न चेत् एवं If that is not so न खलुः कुशलः He is not even capable of स्पन्दितुमपि Reacting to situations अतः त्वाम् So to You हरि-हर- विरिञ्चादिभिः अपि Hari (Vishnu), Hara (Shiva) Virincha (Brahma), etc by them also आराध्यामं One who is worshipped (by the above Trinity) प्रणन्तुं स्तोतुं वा   To either worship or praise अकृतपुण्यः Someone who has not done any good deed कथं प्रभवति How is he capable? If Shiva is united with Shak...

 Soundarya Lahari is a composition by Bhagavan Shiva and Sri Adi Shankaracharya. As the story goes, Sri Adi Shankaracharya, in his quest to learn from the Master Himself, visited Bhagavan Shiva in Kailasha. Bhagavan imparted the required knowledge and then gave His own composition describing the beauty and glory of Goddess Parvati.  Happily receiving the book, Sri Adi Shankaracharya was on his way back home, when he met Nandi, the vahana (vehicle) of Shiva. Nandi was very possessive of his master and mistress and tried to take away the book from the Acharya.  During the feud between them, the book tore into 2 halves and Nandi took away the second half. Sri Shankaracharya then fled back to Bhagavan Shiva and reported the incident to Him, expressing his desire to have the complete copy of the composition.  Lord Shiva, being aware of the Acharya's capability and talent of composition, told him to compose new verses on his own and complete the book. So, the first 41 vers...