A Microcosm’s Prayer(Slokha)
Slokha, is the most common Sanskrit meter and is a descendant of the older Vedic gayatri
The slokha, meaning ‘song’, although metric, is not considered poetic.
It functions more as the equivalent to Western prose with lines and meter and
is often used in narratives or epics.
The defining features of the slokha are:
stanzaic, written in any number of couplets made up of 2 hemistiches.
The hemistiches can be broken into 4 lines or padas creating quatrains,4 lines or padas
syllabic, either 2 lines of 16 syllables each or 4 hemistiches of 8 syllables each.
metric, alternate hemistiches of trochaic and iambic patterns.
The following verses are my own work based on the great slokha ‘Lalitha Sahasranamam’
where the meaningful thousand names of Adi Para Sakthi(primordial cosmic Energy)
are narrated.These verses are not lireral or exact translation of the slokha.But I refered to
the translation of the great slokha by Mr.P. R. Ramachander
A Microcosm’s Prayer
Envisioning
This moment…
Oh Mother of all creation
Causer of all cosmic forces
Oh, Creatrix of all creatures
Divine thee, Mother of mothers
Me a dust, a tiny droplet
Upon thee when I meditate
Do come along in my vision
To put me unto thy blessings
1. Thee, Who is reddish like sindoor
Thee, who has three sparkling eyes
Thee, who has a manikka-crown
Thee, who has the moon there adorned
Thee, who has an enchanting smile
Thee, who has glorious firm breasts
Thee with a gemmed cup of nectar
Who holds red lotuses in hands
Thee, who for ever is tranquil
Thee, for Her heavenly red feet
Who has a gemmed artful dais…
Oh, great Mother of all, the whole
On Thee divine, I contemplate
2.Thee, who is red like the sunrise
Thee, whose eyes are so merciful
Thee who holds a sugarcane-bow
Thee, who holds arrows of flowers
Thee, who holds noose and goad in hands
Thee, who has Anima-powers
Thee who is the Self within me…
Oh, great Bhavani, our Mother
On Thee divine, I contemplate
3.Thee, who’s the queen on the lotus
Thee, who has a bright smiling face
Thee, who has cool lotuslike eyes
Thee, who’s dressed in yellow golden
Thee, who has the perfect beauty
Thee, who shines in all adornments
Thee, who guards Her children all time
Thee, who’s Herself the whole knowledge
Thee, who’s ever calm and peaceful
Thee, who’s worshipped by all deities
Thee, who blesses us with all wealth….
Oh, great Bhavani, our Mother
On Thee divine, I contemplate
4.Thee, who’s scented with sweet saffron
Thee, whom bees gird for Her musk on
Thee who has an appeasing smile
Thee who wields bow, arrow, noose, goad
Thee who fascinates all beings
Thee who likes to wear red garland
Thee who likes to put on red clothes
Thee who likes to adorn all red
Thee who’s like soft hibiscus red…
Oh, great Ambika, our Mother
Japa time, may all so praise thee
Thus
Oh Mother of all creation
Causer of all cosmic forces
Oh, Creatrix of all creatures
Divine thee, Mother of mothers
Me a dust, a tiny droplet
Upon thee when I meditate
Do come along in my vision
To put me unto thy blessings
– – – – – – – –
Note: – Translation by P.R.Ramachander
Dhyanam
Sindhur aruna vigraham trinayanam manikya mouli spurath
Thara Nayaga sekaram smitha mukhi mapina vakshoruham,
Panibhayam alipoorna ratna chashakam rakthothpalam vibhrathim,
Soumyam ratna gatastha raktha charanam, dhyayeth paramambikam.
Meditate on that Ambika,
Who has a body of the colour of saffron,
Who has the three graceful eyes,
Who has a jeweled crown,
Adorned by the moon,
Who always has a captivating smile,
Who has high and firm breasts,
Who has wine filled cup made of precious stones,
And reddish flowers in her hands,
Who forever is the ocean of peace,
And who keeps her red holy feet.
On a jeweled platform.
Arunam Karuna thrangitakshim dhrutha -pasangusa-pushpabana-chapam,
Animadhibhi-ravrutham mayukai -raha mityeva vibhavaye Bhavanim.
I imagine of my goddess Bhavani,
Who has a colour of the rising sun.
Who has eyes which are waves of mercy,
Who has bow made of sweet cane,
Arrows made of soft flowers,
And pasanugusa in her hands,
And who is surrounded,
By her devotees with powers great,
As personification of the concept of ‘aham’
Dyayeth padmasanastham vikasitha vadanam padma pathrayathakshim,
Hemabham peethavasthram karakalitha-lasadhema padmam varangim,
Sarvalangara yuktham sathatham abhayadam bhaktha namram bhavanim.
Srividyam santhamuthim sakala suranutham sarva sampat pradhatrim.
Meditate I do,
On her who sits on a lotus,
On her who has a smiling face,
On her who has long eyes like the lotus leaf,
On her who glitters like gold,
On her who wears red cloths,
On her who has a golden lotus in her hand,
On her who grants all desires,
On her who is dressed with perfection,
On her who gives protection,
On her who has soft heart to her devotees,
On her who is Sri vidya,
On her who is forever peaceful,
On her who is worshipped by gods,
And on her who gives all wealth.
Sakumkumalepana -malikachumbi-Kasthurikam,
Samanda hasithekshanam sashra chapa pasangusam,
Asesha jana mohinim -maruna malya bhoosham bara,
Japa-kusuma-basuram japa vidhou smarathembikam.
Meditate on her,
Who applies saffron on her body,
Who applies musk attracted by bees on her,
Who has a beautiful smile,
Who has with her bows, arrows and Pasangusa,
Who attracts all the souls,
Who wears red garland,
Who wears ornaments great,
And who is of the colour of the red hibiscus.
Leave a Reply