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ORG
PRESENTS
raEPypIQ k:[ Stuit>

yzj N r
raupyapITha kR^ishhNa stutiH
By Hunsur Sri Prasad
Introduction:
The author of this work, Sri VadirAja tIrtha, is revered by all Madhvas as a great saint and a very exalted
soul who was especially blessed by Lord HayagrIva. His tremendous contributions to literature, religion
and society are well documented and universally acknowledged. He was also a brilliant poet with
exquisite mastery over poetic expression. If he had not been a saint, he would have still carved a name for
himself as a great poet. Some of his works like Yukti Mallika and RukminIsha vijaya can be compared to
the best in world literature and not found wanting. Even in this short work of nine stanzas he shows his
literary genius, just as Lord Krishna showed the entire universe in His little mouth. Many core mAdhva
concepts can be found in this work.
Background:
The entire stotra is a paen to Udupi Krishna; Vadiraja refers to Him as the one who has made raupyapItha
His home. raupyapItha, rajathapItha, rUpyapItha are all classical names for Udupi. All the words
Raupya, RUpya and Rajatha mean silver in Sanskrit. The word Udupi has an interesting origin.
Udu means a star and pa means King or Lord. Thus Udupa means the king of stars i.e. the Moon.
Legend has it that once the moon performed penance here and got rid of his curse; since then it has been
known as Udupi.
It is to be noted that throughout the work, in addition to praying to Krishna, Vadiraja also pays tribute to
Udupi. He uses several adjectives to describe it defectless, venerable, comparable to dwAraka,
rejecting comparison etc. This is not surprising because he had a lot of reverence for Udupi. In another
poem he says that Sri Krishna left dwAraka which was full of every possible wealth, along with beautiful
damsels who were serving Him with devotion, crossed the ocean, the maternal house of His wife, came to
Udupi and settled down there because that is where His greatest devotee Acharya Madhva was.
Linkage with dvAdasha stotra:
There are many parallels between this work and the dvAdasha stotra, especially the first one. However, it
is very interesting that Acharya Madhva starts his description from the foot of the Lord and goes up to the
face, whereas Sri Vadiraja goes in the opposite direction. Thus reciting these two stotras is like a
mangalArathi starting from the feet, going to the face and back to the feet! A very important point to
remember is that in both the works, the object of worship is the Lord Himself and not the icon. He is
worshipped in the icon and not as the icon.
A brief note about versions:
There are many pAThAntaras (variations), making our task very difficult. Since there is no way of
identifying the version that Sri Vadiraja actually composed, this document uses the version given in the

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dvaita website as the reference, while documenting other popular variations as pAThAntaras. It needs to
be pointed out that some of the Udupi versions prefer 'rUpyapITha' to 'raupyapITha'.
Refrain to be repeated at the end of each stanza

palyaCyut palyaijt palya kmlaly

lIlya x&t-UxraMbuhaedr Svjnaedr .

yXq ydq y N
uquu cwu

||

pAlayAchyuta pAlayAjita pAlayA kamalAlaya

lIlayA dhR^itabhUdharAmburuhodara svajanodara ||
Pada-Cheda and anvaya
achyuta pAlaya; ajita pAlaya;
kamalAlaya, lIlayA dhR^ita bhUdhara, amburuha udara, svajana udara, A pAlaya;
Word-by-word meaning
achyuta = one of the infinite names of Lord Narayana. It is part of the Vishnu-sahasranAma and has
many meanings. Some of the well known ones are:
- one who can never be removed from his post, power or supremacy
- one who has no destruction, defect or reduction over time, space or attributes
- one who can never be separated from his svarUpa, attributes or actions
- one who has perfect knowledge
- one whose incarnations are always equivalent to the original
- one by whose grace brahma and other devatas, or liberated souls, have no reduction in their
knowledge and happiness
ajita = another name that is part of the Vishnu-sahasranAma. It is also the name of an incarnation
mentioned in the bhAgavata. He was responsible for the churning of the ocean. Some of the main
meanings associated with this name are:
- one who cannot be defeated by anybody (at any time, or in any place, or in any manner)
- one who is full of auspicious attributes and is a personification of bliss and knowledge
- one who is the most supreme ( in all attributes, at all times, in all places) and has no equal or superior
pAlaya = protect, guard, nourish, cherish, foster, maintain; It is very appropriate that Vadiraja has chosen
such a potent verb with so many meanings; the reason for this will become apparent later.
kamalAlaya = home or temple of Kamala (Laxmi); lIlaya = effortlessly, or in a playful manner; dhR^ita
= lifted or carried; bhUdhara = this has many meanings; here, the most appropriate one is mountain
(Goverdhana or Mandara); amburuha = lotus (ambu = water, ruha = to grow), udara = navel or
stomach; amburuha-udara = one who has a lotus in his udara (navel); it can also mean who holds the
entire brahmanda in His stomach; svajana-udara = one who holds His people in His stomach (here, a
reference is being made to the fact that during praLaya or the great deluge, the Lord holds all the released

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souls in His stomach); A pAlaya = This has the same meaning as pAlaya, making it more thorough and
forceful; A = samantAt.h = completely (at all times and in all ways).
Some scholars opine that pAlaya should be replaced by pAlayA throughout the anvaya. This produces
the same effect as A pAlaya.
Translation:
O achyuta please protect (guard, nourish, cherish, foster, maintain) me; O ajita please protect me. The
abode of Laxmi, one who effortlessly lifted the mountain, who has the brahmAnDa in His navel, who
holds His people in His stomach, please protect me thoroughly.
Notes:
This verse echoes the thought expressed in the seventh canto of the dvAdasha stotra (the one that ends in
"shrIryat katAxa balavati ajitam namAmi"). The main theme of this canto is that all other deities (brahma,
rudra, etc) are able to function only because of Laxmi's grace, and that She derives her power from the
Lord (ajita). To make the linkage more explicit, VadirAja uses the same name (ajita) and a link to
Laxmi (kamalAlaya).
The reference to Laxmi in the beginning is in keeping with tradition. MAdhvAs do not worship Laxmi
alone; the usual practice is to worship Her with some reference to Her husband. Vadiraja does this by
using the phrase kamalAlaya.
The verse merely mentions lifting of a mountain, it does not mention which one. According to our sacred
literature, on two occasions the Lord lifted a mountain. The first was during the churning of the ocean,
when the Mandara mountain started sinking. The Lord immediately took on the kUrma (tortoise)
incarnation and effortlessly supported the mountain on His back. The second occasion was when Indra
took out his fury on the cowherds for not doing his puja. There, Krishna protected His helpless devotees
by lifting Goverdhana mountain effortlessly. Both the incidents illustrate some basic traits of the Lord
His pre-eminence (Sarvottamtva) vis--vis other deities, His unimaginable strength, courage, kindness
and other good qualities, His readiness to protect His devotees under all circumstances (as outlined by his
promise in the Gita ananyAschinta yanto .. yogaxemam vahAmyaham). On each occasion, even though
He lifted a physical mountain, in a symbolic way He lifted a mountain of difficulties from His devotees
shoulders.
An interesting concept emerges when one considers the timing of the events mentioned in the verse. The
golden lotus sprang forth from the navel of the Lord at the beginning, when the Universe was created. He
embeds all jIvas in His stomach during pralaya or destruction. He protects and manages all sentient and
non-sentient beings throughout the existence of the universe. Thus by mentioning these events together
VadirAja is reminding us of the fact that the Lord is the sole, independent entity responsible for the
creation, sustenance, management and destruction of the universe.
It is very intriguing that Vadiraja uses the phrase pAlaya thrice. This raises several questions. The first
one is: why is the same phrase used thrice? Is this for purely poetic reasons, without any special
significance? Not really. A poet of Vadirajas calibre does not have to resort to such gimmicks. He could
have used dozens of other words with the same effect. So there is a reason why the same word has been
used thrice. This raises another question: whatever the reason maybe, isnt using the same word thrice
punarukti dosha (repetition)? Not necessarily. This is because each usage connotes a different meaning
and interpretation, thus avoiding repetition. Which raises the final question: why three times? Why not
four, or two, or any number other than three? The answer lies in the spiritual significance of the number

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three. To understand this, we need to look at some aspects of our philosophy and religion that involve a
threesome. Let us consider the more significant ones.

There are 3 major phases through which a jIva or sentient being passes through. The first is asruja
when the jIva is in a dormant state in the Lords stomach. The next is when the jIva enters the cycle
of creation and undergoes millions of births and deaths. The last phase begins when the jIva reaches
its ultimate destination which, depending on the nature of the jIva, can be salvation (mukti), eternal
damnation (andha tamas), or nitya samsAra (eternal bondage). In all the 3 phases, the jIva is
completely dependent on the Lord for everything including its very existence. Hence the 3 pAlayas
are actually a plea to the Lord to protect / nourish / cherish / foster / guard / maintain the jIva through
all the 3 phases. Now, one sees the relevance of using a word that is so multifaceted and can take on a
different meaning with each usage. Using the same word thrice symbolizes the fact that even though
these are 3 different phases with diverse challenges, it is just one entity who sustains the jIva
throughout its existence.

Once the jIva enters creation, it stays in one of three states wakefulness, dreaming or restful sleep.
Our scriptures identify three different forms of the Lord as being responsible for managing these 3
states respectively vishva, taijasa and prAgna. Thus, the 3 pAlayas can also be interpreted as a plea
to these 3 forms to protect / nourish / cherish / foster / guard / maintain the jIva through the 3 states.
Even though these are 3 different forms, they are all one and the same. Hence, the same word has
been used thrice.

Three types of miseries (tApatraya) torment all jIvas. They are known as AdhyAtmika (caused by the
mind), Adhibhoutika (by animals) and Adhidaivika (by fate). Thus, the 3 pAlayas can also be
interpreted as a plea to protect / nourish / cherish / foster / guard / maintain the jIva from these types
of miseries.

There are many other 3-fold entities that one can associate with this verse and interpret the 3 pAlayas
as a plea to protect the jiva across the the 3 entities:
The 3 major worlds that our scriptures talk of bhUh, bhuvah, svah
The 3 main activities that constitute the cycle of creation ShrishTi (Creation), sthithi
(Sustenance) and laya (Destruction). [There is a common misconception that Brahma performs
creation and Shiva destruction. This is not correct. It is the Lord who creates the Universe
through Brahma, maintains it Himself, and destroys it through Shiva. Brahma and Shiva are mere
instruments in His hands
The 3 vedas Rig, Yajus and sAma. There is a common misconception that there are 4 vedas.
There are 4 Veda shAkas (branc hes) or samhites (text), but only 3 vedas Rig (verse), Yajus
(prose) and sAma (music).
The 3 divisions of time past, present and future
Trivikrama the form that pervaded the entire universe with just 3 feet.
The three main precious gifts that a true devotee asks for Bhakti, gyAna and VairAgya. All
these come from His grace.

yadyapi nityatvaM jIvasyApi asti | tathA.api sarvaprakAreNa avinAshitvaM vishhNoreveti tushabdaH |

`anityatvaM dehahAnirduHkhaprAptirapUrNatA | nAshashchaturvidhaM proktastadabhAvo hareH sadA |
tadanyeshhAM tu sarveshhAM nAshAH kechidbhavanti hi ||' -- iti mahAvArAhe | `deshataH
kAlatashchaiva guNatashcha tridhA tatiH | sA samastA harereva na hyanye pUrNasadguNAH ||' -- iti
paramashrutiH || 17 || Although eternality obtains in respect of the jIva also, even then, lack of destruction
in every manner is for Vishnu only, to show this, the word `tu' [is used in the verse]. "Transience,
destruction of the body, suffering, and incompleteness; these are the four kinds of destruction, and their

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lack is always in Hari; other than He, some kind of destruction certainly obtains in all," -- says the
mahAvArAha. "In terms of space, in terms of time, and in terms of qualities, of these three kinds is
inclosure; all these kinds in full is of Hari only, for indeed none other is of complete good attributes," -says the parama-shruti.
Earlier, it was stated that one of the meaning of the word achyuta is one not having any destruction or
nAsha. Some clarification is needed on the topic of nAsha. While commenting on Verse 2.17 in the gIta,
AchArya Madhva provides us the following reference:
anityatvaM dehahAnirduHkhaprAptirapUrNatA |
nAshashchaturvidhaM proktastadabhAvo hareH sadA |
tadanyeshhAM tu sarveshhAM nAshAH kechidbhavanti hi ||' -- iti mahAvArAhe |
["Being temporary, destruction of the body, sorrow, and incompleteness; these are the four kinds of
nASha or destruction, and they are always absent in Hari; other than Him, all others are always subject to
some form of destruction " -- says the mahAvArAha purANa]
Ordinary jIvas are subject to all types of destruction except anityatva. At the other end is Laxmi, who has
only apUrNata. The only one who is beyond all these is the Lord.
Stanza 1

mXvmansp-anusm< Smritm<(s<) Smr

iGxinmRlzItkaiNtlsNmuo< k[aeNmuom! ,
*kMbusmankNxrm]y< irt]y<

iGx (is)s<Stut raEPypIQktaly< hirmalym!

. 1 .

uwyuw yr()
SxqNrwQ NnwQ |
uNwNu uq
S (u) q yzjNq

|| 1 ||

madhvamAnasapadmabhAnusamaM smarapratimaM(saM) smara

snigdhanirmalashItakAntilasanmukhaM karuNonmukham.h |
hR^idyakambusamAnakandharamaxayaM duritaxayaM
snigdha (siddha) saMstuta raupyapIThakR^itAlayaM harimAlayam.h
Pada-Cheda and anvaya
(he manaH)

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|| 1||

madhva mAnasa padma bhAnu samaM

smara pratimaM
snigdha nirmala shItakAnti lasat mukhaM
karuNA unmukham.h
hR^idya kambu samAna kandharaM
axayaM durita xayaM
snigdha (siddha) saMstuta
raupyapITha kR^ita AlayaM
harim Alayam.h smara
Word-by-word meaning
(he manaH) = (O Mind) [borrowed from the next verse];
madhva mAnasa padma = the lotus that is Acharya Madhvas mind; bhAnu samaM = equivalent to or
like the Sun;
smara can be interpreted as a verb or a noun. As a noun it means Manmatha or Cupid. As a verb it means
meditate or remember. This verse uses this phrase in both senses.
smara pratimaM = the personification of beauty (smara = Cupid, pratimaM = icon or statue) ca n also
mean meditate on the icon (smara = meditate, pratimaM = icon); snigdha = soft, smooth, amiable,
friendly; nirmala = pure or blemishless; shIta kAnti = the Moon (shIta = cool or pleasant, kAnti =
lustre); lasat mukhaM = shining face; karuNA unmukham.h = the embodiment of mercy or kindness
i.e., one who is always prepared to show mercy (on His devotees); hR^idya kambu = an attractive
conch; samAna = equivalent to or like; kandharaM = neck; hR^Idya kambu samAna kandharam = one
whose neck is like an attractive conch; axayaM = never decaying or diminishing whatsoever. It also
means one who controls our sensory organs (axa = eye specifically, or in general, any sense organ , yam =
controller); durita xayaM = one who destroya all our sins and who has no trace of any sin whatsoever;
snigdha = loving, affectionate, friendly, shining; siddha = worthy or venerable people; saMstuta =
worshipped or venerated; raupyapITha = Udupi; kR^ita = made, AlayaM = His home or temple;
hariM = Sri Krishna; Alayam.h = Until extinction (and thereafter also); smara = meditate on or
remember
Translation
O my mind, until extinction please meditate on and always remember Hari (Lord Krishna),
who is like the sun to the lotus called Acharya Madhvas mind (and makes it bloom)
who is the personification of beauty
who has a soft and blemishless face shining like a bright moon (that provides pleasure and
auspiciousness to those who look at it)
who is the embodiment of compassion and is always prepared to show mercy on His devotees
whose neck is like an attractive conch
who never diminishes or decays in any aspect
who has no trace of any sin and destroys the sins of His devotees
who controls our sensory organs
who has made glorious Udupi, worshipped by venerable people, His home or temple
Notes:
After praying to Narayana and Laxmi in the refrain, Sri Vadiraja starts the first stanza by saluting his
beloved AchArya in a very poetic way. The points to note are:

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This is keeping with the correct hierarchical order since brahma/vAyu are next only to Narayana and
Laxmi.
It underscores the directive that the Lord should always be meditated through vAyu and not
separately That is why most prayers end with bhArati ramaNa mukhya prANAntargata . Sri
nArAyaNa panditAchArya make this very explicit in madhvAmruta maharNava. He says upAsya
prathamam madhvam paschAt naraharim bhajet nAnyathA moxam Apnoti pratyuta narakam bhavet
(narahari should be worshipped after worshipping madhva to obtain liberation, not doing so can result
in going to hell).
The deity described in this work (Udupi Krishna) was obtained and consecrated by Acharya Madhva.
So it is in the fitness of things to remember him with gratitude in the very first verse.
By using the Sun-Lotus simile Vadiraja highlights the extraordinary love and affection that Acharya
Madhva has for the Lord, which he has expressed very explicitly in his compositions through
expressions like Ananda tIrtha parmAnanda varada (one who gives the gift of great happiness to
Ananda tIrtha), sannamAmi preyaso me (I salute one who is most beloved to me) and so on. He
never loses any opportunity to worship or extol his beloved master.

A very beautiful point comes out when one analyses the meaning of the phrase Alayam or until
destruction. The immediate question that comes up is until the destruction of what? The obvious answer
is until the destruction of the deha or body. This then gives rise to the question - which body is being
referred to? Our scriptures talk of 4 types of dehas - sthUla or gross, sUxma or subtle (also known as
anirudhdha deha), linga and svarUpa deha. (A detailed description of these 4 bodies is beyond the scope
of this document). The gross body is destroyed after every death. The subtle body is destroyed only
during a minor praLaya or deluge. The linga deha is destroyed only at the time of salvation. The svarUpa
deha is never destroyed. So, the term Alaya takes on at least 3 meanings in this life, in every birth that
I take (until salvation), and forever.
Our scriptures say that each attribute or guNa of the Lord can bestow specific benefits on those who
worship that attribute. For example, by worshipping Him as devoid of all defects, a jIva too loses its
defects. By worshipping Him as gnyAnanada svarUpa (made up of knowledge and bliss) the jIva too
attains a state of gnyAnanda. However, the quantum of the jIvas knowledge and bliss is an infinitesimal
fraction of those of the Lord. In addition, it must be remembered that each jIva has its own inherent or
innate worth that is distinct and different from those of other jIvas.
Even though Lord Krishna is more handsome than Cupid, Vadiraja is using a comparison that most
people can easily relate to. The bhAgavata calls Lord Krishna as sAxAn.h mantha-mantha (the Manmatha
of Manmathas) i.e., He is so handsome that even Manmatha is totally captivated.
Let us look at some parallels with the dvAdasha stotra. VadirAja compares the Lords throat to a beautiful
conch. It is said that one can always hear the omkAra in a good conch. The omkAra is the bIjAxara or
seed from which the entire vedas sprouted. The dvAdasha stotra says Santatam chintayet . veda
udgIryante anisham yatah i.e., the vedas are forever echoing in the Lords throat. Vadiraja says the
Lords shining, affectionate, blemishless face provides pleasure and auspiciousness to His devotees. The
dvAdasha stotra says smareta yAmininAtha . ShrIpatermukha pankajam; His face is more lustrous
than thousands of moons and can resolve the miseries of samsAra and is worthy of utmost reverence.
The adjective siddha saMstuta has been applied to Udupi. It could be applied to Krishna also.
One of the variations ends the first line with smarapratisam smara. This can be interpreted in 2 ways:
- meditate on one who remembers (takes care of) those who meditate on Him. This is equivalent to the
verse in Gita ananyAschintoyantomAm yogaxemam vahAmyaham.

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meditate and always remember.

This is an interesting variation, worthy of being noted.

Stanza 2

Adaidsuzaei-pai[yugn
e s<]iu btEns<

tumaLym[INharsraers< olnIrsm! ,
mldmNwdamivraijt< -jtaijt<

t< g&[v
e rraEPypIQktaly< hirmalym!

. 2.

ASuvypSw qw
qSpu Qx |
Syusudq cqdq
q Sn yzjNq || 2 ||
a~NgadAdisushobhipANiyugena saMxubitainasaM
tu~NgamAlyamaNIndrahArasarorasaM khalanIrasam.h |
ma~NgalapradamanthadAmavirAjitaM bhajatAjitaM
taM gR^iNevararaupyapIThakR^itAlayaM harimAlayam.h || 2 ||
Pada-Cheda and anvaya
a~Ngada Adi sushobhi paNi yugena maMgala prada mantha dAma virAjitaM
tu~Nga mAlya maNIndra hAra sara urasaM
saM xubhita enasaM
khala nIrasam.h
bhajata AjitaM (or ajitaM)
vara raupyapITha kR^ita AlayaM
taM hariM Alayam.h (aham) gR^iNe
Word-by-word meaning
a~Ngada = an armlet or bracelet worn on the upper arm; Adi = and others; sushobhi = dazzling or
lustrous, pANi yugena = (through) a pair of hands; ma~Ngala prada = provider of auspiciousness;
mantha = churning; dAma = (rod and ) rope; virAjitaM = adorned or decorated; tu~Nga = Tall or long;
mAlya = garlands; maNi indra = the best or highest quality gems and precious stones; hAra = garland;
sara = string or necklace; urasaM = chest; saM = thoroughly or totally; xubita = destroyed or withered;
enasaM = sins (of devotees); khala = wicked or vile people; nIrasam.h = bland, colorless, lifeless,
powerless;

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bhajatAjitaM can be interpreted in 2 ways

bhajata ajitaM = (one should) worship or serve ajita
bhajata AjitaM = Who is won over by sincere devotees;
vara = eminent; raupyapITha = Udupi; kR^ita = made; AlayaM = house or temple; taM HariM =
that Hari (Krishna); (aham) = (I); Alayam.h = until extinction; gR^iNe = worship or pray.
Translation
Until extinction (up to salvation, and beyond that too), I worship Hari (Krishna),
whose hands are adorned with bracelets and other ornaments, holding the churning rod and rope,
providing auspiciousness to His devotees
whose chest is adorned with long garlands and necklaces studded with the best or highest quality
gems and precious stones (like kaustubha)
who thoroughly destroys the sins of devotees
who makes the lives of wicked or vile people totally colorless, lifeless and powerless
who should always be worshipped
who is won over by sincere devotees
who has made glorious Udupi His home or temple
Notes:
In many ways, this verse is reminiscent of the first adhyAya of the dvAdasha stotra. Here, VadirAja
describes in poetic terms the ornaments and jewels that adorn the Lord, His hands, neck and chest. He
also describes the power that each of these have in terms of destroying the sins of devotees and bestowing
auspiciousness on them.
The point to remember is that these ornaments and jewels do not add lustre to the limbs of the Lord, on
the contrary, they derive their lustre from their association with those divine limbs.
VadirAja talks about the power of the Lords hands in destroying the sins of devotees. This power is
inherent in every aspect of His personality, including His name. In the KrishNAmruta maharnava,
SrimadAchArya brings out this point very nicely in several ways. For example, Verse 85 says that by
remembering Govinda (with devotion) devotees can destroy their enormous sins just as fire destroys
heaps of cotton bales. In the next verse it is said that remembering Krishnas name splinters sins into
hundreds of pieces just as Indras vajrAyudha shatters a mountain. There are hundreds of such verses
about the power of the Lords name in our sacred literature.
The phrase bhajatAjitam can be interpreted as bhajata ajitam (ajita should be worshipped), or bhajata
Ajitam (one who is won over by devotees). The first interpretation is straightforward and needs no further
explanation. The second one, however, is a totally different entity and needs more elucidation. It leads us
to a different world altogether and reminds us of the extraordinary compassion and love that the Lord has
for His devotees and the lengths to which He goes to show the rest of the world the greatness of His true
devotees.
Two incidents in the mahabhArata illustrates this trait very beautifully. When amba was spurned by
BhIshma she approached Lord ParashurAma and asked Him to convince BhIshma to marry her. BhIshma
did not accede to ParashurAmas request and ended up fighting with Him. Now, ParashurAma could have
easily defeated and totally destroyed BhIshma, but did not do so since that would have negated
BhIshmas great oath and totally destroyed his personality. As the nakha stuti portion of vAyu stuti points
out graphically (yad roshotkara .. brahmesha shakrotkara) the sparks emanating from the corner of the

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Lords eye are enough to totally burn countless brahmas, rudras and other deities. So how could Bhishma
prevail before Him? In order to protect BhIshmAs oath, the Lord enacted the charade of pretending to be
defeated by him. Isnt this true compassion towards a devotee? Which other god would set aside his ego
and publicly accept defeat from his devotee? Isnt this the sign of a personality totally devoid of
blemishes like ego and arrogance? Another instance of the Lords compassion is the oath that Krishna
took at the beginning of the Kuruxetra war that He would not take up weapons under any circumstances.
Bhishma took a counter oath that he would force Krishna to take arms. Once again, the Lord upheld His
devotees oath and showed the world the power of devotion. It is impossible to find another diety
displaying such extraordinary compassion towards a devotee.
Before coming to a wrong conclusion from the above incident, one needs to understand that Bhishma was
able to take his oath and keep it, only because that was Krishnas will. Obviously whatever happened was
entirely as desired by Krishna. Bhishmas arrows did not pierce the Lords armor, nor did He bleed (how
can a body made up of bliss and knowledge be wounded by mere arrows?) The feigning of anger, the
lifting of the chariots wheels were all pretense, just to underscore the greatness of Bhishmas devotion.
Wasnt he the blessed soul who gave us the VishnusahasranAma? Wasnt he the one who proclaimed the
supremacy of Krishna to the whole world? The ParashurAma and kuruxetra incidents were some of the
rewards for his life-long devotion towards ParashurAma, VedavyAsa and Krishna.
The karuNA sandhi of harikAthamruta sAra by Sri JagannAtha dasaru is perhaps one of the very few
literary pieces that has been successful in capturing, to some extent, the Lords extraordinary compassion.
The phrase khala nIrasaM is best illustrated by the life of Kamsa. His entire life was taken over by the
fear of Krisha; all his activities - eating, walking, talking, sleeping, dreaming etc were done in a
perpetual state of terror, always under the constant shadow of fear. In short, even though he was the king
of the Yadavas, his life was a living hell.
Stanza 3

pInrMytnUdr< -j he mn> zu- he mn>

Svanu-avindzRnay idzNtmiwRsu zNtmm! ,

Aantae=iSm injajun
R iysaxk< olbaxk<
hIntaeiJHtraEPypIQktaly< hirmalym!

. 3.

zwqwu c w w
wxuw vqt q
Bwq xbcwzuN QuN
wqdqyzjNq

|
|| 3 ||

pInaramyatanUdaraM bhaja he manaH shubha he manaH

svAnubhAvanidarshanAya dishantamarthisu shantamam.h |

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Anato.asmi nijArjunapriyasAdhakaM khalabAdhakaM

hInatojjhitaraupyapIThakR^itAlayaM harimAlayam.h || 3 ||
Pada-Cheda and anvaya
pIna ramya tanu udaraM
naH shubha hema svAnubhAva nidarshanAya arthyaM su shantamam.h dishantaM
nija arjuna priya sAdhakaM
khala bAdhakaM
hInatA ujjhita raupyapITha kR^ita AlayaM
he manaH Alayam.h (tam) hariM bhaja
AnataH asmi (harim)
Word-by-word meaning
pIna = stout or round; ramya = attractive; tanu = slender, fine, delicate; udaraM = stomach;
pIna ramya tanu udaram = a stomach that is round, yet attractive and delicate; naH = to us; shubha hema
= spiritual wealth of the highest order (shubha = auspicious; hema = gold or something precious);
svAnubhAva = personal rUpa (form) and mahima (effulgence); nidarshAnaya = to show or
demonstrate; arthyaM = the most worthy of the four purushArthas i.e., Moxa or liberation; shan
tamam.h = the highest form of happiness i.e. moxa (sham = happiness); dishantaM = one who grants or
allots; nija = ones own; arjuna = Arjuna; priya = dear or beloved; sAdhakaM = one who fulfills or
accomplishes; khala = vile or wicked people; bAdhakaM = one who impedes or destroys; hInatA =
blemishes or defects; ujjhita = abandoned or devoid of; raupyapITha = Udipi; kR^ita = made; AlayaM
= home or temple; he manaH = O! Mind; Alayam.h = upto extinction; (taM) = (that), hariM = Lord
Hari (Krishna); bhaja = worship, serve or extol AnataH = bow or surrender; asmi = I ; (harim) = (to Sri
Krishna)
Translation
O! Mind, upto extinction (upto salvation, and beyond that too), extol Hari (Krishna)
whose stomach is round, yet slender and attractive
who, in order to grant us spiritual wealth of the highest order and to show His personal form and
effulgence, grants us liberation and the highest form of happiness
who impedes or destroys wicked or vile people
who fulfills the desires of sincere devotees like Arjuna.
who has made Udupi, from which defects are gone (i.e., is defectless), His home or temple
To this Hari, I bow and surrender completely.
Notes:
The description of the Lords waist beautifully complements the one in dvAdasha stotra (tanutve
apyakhilambharam) the Lords waist is very slim, yet it carries the entire brahmAnDa within it, what a
wonder! Such contradictory statements are repeatedly made in our scriptures (aNoraNiyan
mahatomahIyan, taddure taduvantike, ) to underscore the point that the Lords body is aprAkruta
and not subject to the laws of nature, and also to give us a glimpse of His unimaginable prowess.

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The reference to Arjuna is very intriguing. To understand the full import of this, one needs to recall the
incidents that happened before the start of the Kuruxetra war. Both Duryodhana and Arjuna approached
Krishna for help. Duryodhana had his eyes on the Yadava army and the might it represented. On the other
hand, Arjuna wanted Krishna even though He said that He would not fight or carry arms. In spiritual
terms, Duryodhana represents a person who wants material things from the Lord money, education,
power, position, etc; Arjuna represents a sincere devotee who wants the Lord for Himself, and not for the
things He can grant. For such persons, the four purushArthas (desired objects) are not things to be desired
by themselves, they are mere by-products of His benign grace. This point is brought out beautifully in the
seventh verse of the KaruNA sandhi in harikathAmruta sAra (the one ending in surapatanaya
suyodhanirigittante koDutippa).
On the same lines as the point made above, please note how Sri Vadiraja says that the Lord grants Moxa
to worthy souls so that they can better understand His personal form and effulgence. The logic is that
since the Lords true form is aprAkruta in nature, the devotee too has to reach that state in order to get a
better appreciation. It also shows that to great souls like Vadiraja, liberation is desirable only because it
grants proximity to the Lord and not for any other reason. Thus they see it as a way of getting closer to
Him and not as release from bondage and the cycle of births and deaths.
The concept behind the phrase shubha hema is best illustrated by an incident in the life of Sri Purandara
dAsaru. He would go around singing the praises of the Lord, collecting whatever alms was provided to
him by the people. King KrishnadevarAya was curious to know if the saint was indeed as detached as he
was said to be. To test this, he had one of his courtiers add several priceless gems and pearls to the saints
joLige (bag used for collecting alms) for several days in a row. The saint handed the collection over to his
wife without even glancing at the contents. She sifted through the rice and lentils, and came across the
gems and pearls. Just as one discards stones and other blemishes from rice used for cooking, she tossed
them aside and proceeded with her cooking. When the kings emissaries searched the saints courtyard,
they found the gems and pearls lying in a heap near the dustbin, along with other refuse! To those who
have tasted the nectar that is hari-bhakti, material wealth is worthless.
The concept of priya sAdhakam, khala bAdhakam needs to be understood properly. One needs to
remember that the Lord does not have likes or dislikes that dictate His behavior towards different people.
Each jIva has its own inherent nature and predisposition. The Lord provides every jIva with an
environment and an opportunity to fully develop its personality. Satvika souls hold God as priya to
them. They perform good actions, dedicate the fruits to Him and reap the benefits. tAmasikas think God is
khala and hate Him and His devotees. Through their evil acts, they develop their hatred towards Him
and face the consequences. The rewards or punishments that a jIva gets are dictated entirely by its own
actions, which are in turn guided by its inherent nature. Thus priya and khala are from the jIvas
viewpoint and not Gods. This is on the lines of the popular saying dushTa shixaNa, shishTa raxaNa.
In this verse, Sri Vadiraja asks his mind to worship Krishna. See the notes on verse 5 for a detailed
explanation of this point.
Stanza 4

hem (hEm) ikii[mailkarznait< (rsnait<) tmvit<

r (r- / k) kanicvkiq< "n-ya "nm! ,
k (n) nagkraepmaemnamy< zu-xImy<

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naEMyh< vrraEPypIQktaly< hirmalym!

. 4.

() OOpNwYq (wYq) qYq

q (N / N ) NXwYqNi Uwy Uw |
N (w) wSNyw v
w yzjNq
|| 4 ||
hema(haima) ki~NkiNimAlikArashanAJNchitaM(rasanAJNchitaM)
tamavaJNchitaM
ratna (rakta / kamra) kAJNchanachitravastrakaTiM ghanaprabhayA ghanam.h |
kamra (namra) nAgakaropamorumanAmayaM shubhadhImayaM
naumyahaM vararaupyapIThakR^itAlayaM harimAlayam.h || 4 ||
Pada-Cheda and anvaya
[This verse has a lot of variations, making translation a difficult exercise]
hema (haima) ki~NkiNi malikA rashana (rasana) aJNchitaM
avaJNchitaM
ratna (rakta / kamra) kAJNchana vastra chitra kaTiM
ghana prabhayA ghanam.h
kamra (namra) nAga kara upama UruM
anAmayam shubha dhI mayaM
vara raupyapITha kR^ita AlayaM
taM hariM ahaM Alayam.h naumi
Word-by-word meaning
hema = gold; (haima = golden); ki~NkiNi = small bells; mAlika = string or garland; rashana = girdle =
an ornament worn around the waist (rasana = tinkling sound); aJNchitaM = graced or adorned;
avaJNchitaM = one who is never cheated by anybody = one who is always supreme, all-pervading, allknowing, all-powerful and perfect (see Notes for more details); ratna = gems; rakta = red; kamra =
lovely or beautiful; kAJNchana = gold; vastra = garment; chitra = extraordinary; kaTiM = hip (can also
mean buttocks); ghana prabhayA = lustre of dark, black clouds; ghanam.h = filled with; kamra =
lovely or beautiful; namra = slightly bent; nAgakara = the trunk of an elephant (nAga = elephant; kara =
limb); upama = comparable to; UruM = thighs; anAmayaM = free from all diseases or defects and one
who can grant such a state to us (Amaya = disease); shubha = auspicious (or blissful); dhI = knowledge;
mayaM = full of; shubha dhImayam = one who is full of bliss and knowledge; vara = eminent or
worthy; raupyapITha = Udupi; kR^ita = made; AlayaM = home or temple; taM hariM = that Hari;
ahaM = I; Alayam.h = until extinction; naumi = I salute or prostrate.
Translation

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I worship Lord Krishna upto extinction (upto salvation, and beyond that too)
who is adorned with a girdle containing a string of small golden bells (or who is graced with the
tinkling sound of a string of small golden bells)
who can never be cheated by anybody
who wears a golden garment containing pearls and other precious stones around His extraordinary
kaTi (hip or buttock)
whose body has the lustre of shining, black clouds
whose lovely thighs can be compared to the trunks of elephants
who is free from all types of diseases and defects, (and can grant such a state to us)
who is always supreme, all-pervading, all-knowing, all-powerful and perfect - at all times,
everywhere, in all aspects, in all forms
whose body is aprAkruta and made up of only gnyAna (knowledge) and Ananda (bliss)
who has made the eminent Udupi His home or temple
Notes:
The simple phrase avaNJchitam has very deep implications. In order to be never cheated by anybody,
anywhere, anytime one needs to have the following qualities in infinite measure, over time and space:
- Supremacy vis--vis all other sentient and non-sentient beings
- Perfect control over everybody and everything, including nature
- Perfect knowledge of every thing and every being, including the past, present and future
- Perfect capabilities
Thus only somebody who is supreme, all-pervading, all-knowing and all-powerful (to say the least) can
be said to be avaNJchitam in the truest and fullest sense of the word.
In addition, if one takes vaNJchitam to mean to be deprived of, then avaNJchitam means to be never
deprived of anything i.e., to be perfect in all aspects, in infinite measure, over time and space. Such a
person would be called as paripUrNa or perfect.
From the above analysis, it is clear that the phrase avanNJchitam can be applied only to the Lord and
nobody else.
There is a reason why the word avatAra is used only for the Lords incarnations. It means descent,
advent or manifestation, meaning that the form which manifests itself on earth is basically the same as
the original one, with no degradation or decrease in power, capabilities or qualities. This is the import of
the shruti vAkya pUrNamadah, pUrNamidam (which can be loosely translated as That is perfect, This
is perfect). Here, That refers to the original form of the Lord, and This refers to the incarnation.
The description of the Lords kati complements the expressions used in the dvAdasha stotra
(jAmbUnadAmba rAdhAram ). The dvadasha stotra reminds us that all of the Lords ornaments and
garments are graced by the special presence of Laxmi Devi (ArUdham jagadambaya). So, these are not
ordinary garments and ornaments.
Stanza 5

v&janumnae}j'"mmaehd< prmaehd<

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rkLpnoiTv;a tmStitmumm! (Stuitmumm!! ) |

Tyh< rictacRn< rmya Svya==gtya Svy<
ic icNty raEPypIQktaly< hirmalym!

. 5.

qbwwccUu yu
qNwQr qqrq (rq) |
yq YqXw Sq
Yq Yq yzjNq || 5 ||
vR^ittajAnumanoj~naja~NghamamohadaM paramohadaM
ratnakalpanakhatvishhA hR^itahR^ittamastatimuttamam.h (stutimuttamam.h) |
pratyahaM rachitArchanaM ramayA svayA.a.agatayA svayaM
chitta chintaya raupyapIThakR^itAlayaM harimAlayam.h || 5 ||
Pada-Cheda and anvaya
vR^itta jAnu manoj~na ja~NghaM
amohadaM para mohadaM
ratna kalpa nakha tvisha hR^ita hR^it tama
tatiM, uttamam.h
or stutiMuttamam.h
pratyahaM svayaM AgatayA svayA ramayA rachita archanaM
raupyapITha kR^ita AlayaM
hariM chitta Alayam.h chintaya
Word-by-word meaning
vR^itta = round; jAnu = knee; manoj~na = bewitching; ja~NghaM = shank (part of the leg from the
ankle to knee);
amohadaM (see notes for an explanation of the various possibilities)
one who does not give mOha (ignorance and wrong knowledge) to His devotees;
one who gives correct knowledge to His devotees
one who gives attachment or attraction towards the Lord
para-mohadaM (see notes)
- one who gives moha to the wicked (those opposed to vedic values and virtuous people),
- one gives the highest form of moha or ignorance i.e., sansara bandhana
- one who gives great attachment or attraction towards the Lord
ratna-kalpa = equivalent to better than pearl; nakha = nails; tvishA = by the brilliance or splendour;
hR^itaM = destroyed, hR^it tama tatiM = great darkness that engulfs the heart; uttamam.h = one who
is Sarvottama;

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If the wording is stutim uttamam.h then there are 2 possibilities:

stuti-mut-tamam.h = giver of the highest form of happiness to those who engaged in stuti or,
stutiM uttamam.h =
- one who is worthy of the highest form of stuti (i.e., can be called the Sarvottama);
- one whose stuti is done even by uttamas like Laxmi, brahma, vAyu etc
- one who should be praised with only uttama stuti (prayers of the highest order)
pratyahaM = prati + aham = every day; svayam AgatayA = coming in person (i.e, She Herself comes);
svayA ramayA = by His own Laxmi; rachita-archanaM = committed worship; raupyapITha = Udupi;
kR^ita = made; AlayaM = home or temple; hariM = Hari; chitta = O Mind; Alayam.h = until
extinction; chintaya = constantly medidate on.
Translation
O Mind, until extinction worship Lord Krishna (upto salvation, and beyond that too)
who possesses round knees and bewitching shanks
who does not give ignorance and wrong knowledge to His devotees
who gives very great ignorance and wrong knowledge to the wicked (those opposed to vedic values
and virtuous people)
who gives correct knowledge to His devotees
who gives the highest form of ignorance i.e., bondage through the cycle of births and deaths
who gives great attachment or attraction towards the Lord
who destroys great darkness with the light emitted by His nails which are like sparkling gems
who is worthy of the highest form of stuti (i.e., being called the Sarvottama)
whose stuti is done even by uttamas like Laxmi, brahma, vAyu etc
who is the giver of the highest form of happiness to those who engaged in stuti
who should be praised with only uttama stuti (prayers of the highest order)
who is worshipped daily by His own Laxmi Herself, who comes there in person
who has made Udupi His home or temple
Notes:
Legend has it that the icon of Sri Krishna in Udupi was created by Vishwakarma, the celestial sculptor, at
RukmiNis behest. She is said to have worshipped it steadfastly for a very long time. Some believe that
even today She visits Udupi and continues Her devotion. VAdirAja who had the good fortune of
worshipping this icon for a very long period, must have seen or experienced this personally.
Another point to remember is the fact Laxmi never ceases her worship and does so in myrad ways. This is
captured beautifully by Purandara Dasaru in his song Yenu dhanyaLo Lakumi yanta mAnyaLo . He
says that She is present in all the implements used in the pooja and serves Her lord herself, even though
there are billions of others who could do this.
The phrases para-mohadaM and amohadaM are very interesting and can be interpreted in several
different ways. The following paragraphs explore some possibilities.
Our scriptures say that Sri Hari is responsible for the 8-fold activity or states that all living beings are
subject to Shrishti (Creation), Sthithi (Sustenance), Laya (Destruction), Niyamana (Management),
agnyAna (Ignorance), Bandhana (Bondage), GnyAna (Knowledge) and Moxa (Liberation). So, He gives
amoha or correct knowledge to His devotees. He is a mohadaM i.e., one who does not give moha to
His devotees. He is para mohadam i.e., one who gives moha to the vile (those opposed to vedic values).

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Our scriptures talk of 2 types of vidya or education para vidya and apara vidya. The former refers to
knowledge of the para-tatva or Lord, and the latter to other bodies of knowledge. In a similar vein,
paramoha can be interpreted as the highest form of moha or attraction; obviously, this has to be towards
the Lord. A jIva cannot such an exalted attachment through its own efforts, it has to come from His grace.
Hence, He can be called as para-mohadaM. The phrase amohadaM can also be interpreted to mean the
same thing. This is based on the fact that akAra represents parabrahma (there is a shruti statement aha
iti brahma). Thus amohadaM can also mean granter of moha towards the akAra vAchya parmAtma.
The phrase ratna-kalpa-nakha-tvisha hR^ita hR^it tama tatiM complements the phrase used in the
dvAdasha stotra hR^ittama shamanerakhAbham shrI pateH pAda pankajam (His Lotus feet are like a
brilliant sun in destroying great darkness). The question that should come to mind is : what is the
darkness being mentioned here? Obviously, it is not physical darkness that even a candle or matchstick
can vanquish. Here darkness is a metaphor for ignorance, wrong knowledge and the bondage called
sansAra. Only the Lords Lotus feet can take us out of such darkness.
There is another subtle hidden meaning in the use of the word chitta in this verse and the word manah
in the previous one. Since chitta and manah are inanimate objects, what is the point in asking them to
worship Krishna? To answer this, one has to go beyond the inanimate objects to their niyamaka devatas
(controlling deities). Our mind is supposed to have 5 layers manas, budhdhi (intellect), ahankara
(knowledge of self), chitta (sub-concious) and chetana. Each layer has its own set of controlling deities.
They have been clearly identified in our religous literature. Even though there are many regulators of
mind the chief ones are garuda, sesha, rudra and above them, vayu and brahma (together with their
wives). So, chitta chintaya or manah bhaja is actually an entreaty to garuda/sesha/rudra and
brahma/vAyu, asking them to help us to contemplate on the Lord because we cannot do it on our own
without their blessing and cooperation. However, above all, one needs His blessings to do this. This is
made very clear in the Bhagavad gIta where Krishna says sarvasya chAhaM hR^idi sannivishhTo
mattaH smR^itirj~nAnamapohanancha (I reside in everybodys heart and control their ability to
remember, forget, get confused) .
That is why in the dvAdasha stotra Acharya Madhva pleads with the lord karuNapUrna varaprada
charitam gnyApayame te (Please remind me of your glorious, merciful, auspicious, propitious
exploits). One can remember or contemplate on Him, only if He wants you to!
Stanza 6

capadsraejyuGmca=mraeycamrae

darmUxj
R -ar(-anu)m{flrk< kil-km!
vIrtaeict-U;[< vrnUpru < SvtnUpru <

xarya==Tmin raEPypIQktaly< hirmalym!

,
. 6.

XyucSXXXuuc (w) lcN NcN

qYqo wy qwy
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uqx yzjNq

|| 6 ||

chArupAdasarojayugmaruchA.amarochchayachAmaro
dAramUrdhajabhAra(bhAnu)maNDalaraJNjakaM kalibhaJNjakam.h |
vIratochitabhUshhaNaM varanUpuraM svatanUpuraM
dhArayA.a.atmani raupyapIThakR^itAlayaM harimAlayam.h || 6 ||
Pada-Cheda and anvaya
chAru pAda saroja yugma ruchA
amara uchchaya chAmara udAra mUrdhaja bhAra (bhAnu) maNDala raJNjakam.h
kali bhaMjakam.h
vIratA uchita bhUshhaNaM
vara nUpuraM sva tanU puraM
raupyapITha kR^ita AlayaM
hariM Alayam.h Atmani dhAraya
Word-by-word meaning
chAru = beautiful; pAda = feet; saroja = lotus; yugma = dual; ruchA = lustre or brightness; amara =
gods or devas; uchchaya = collection or gathering; chAmara = chowrie = the fan used in the service of
royalty or great people; udAra = gracious, large or long; mUrdhaja = hair (mUrdha = head); bhAra =
thick or dense; maNDala = group or halo; mUrdhaja bhAra = tufts of hair (literally, it means the burden
of the head); maNDala = group; raJNjakaM = one who brightens; kali bhaJNjakam.h = Who is the
destroyer of Kali, the chief of demons; vIratA = valour; uchita = befitting or appropriate; bhUshhaNaM
= adornments; vara = exquisite or eminent; nUpuraM = foot-ornaments;sva tanu puraM = one who
resides inside the bodies of all jIvas (sva tanu = own body; puraM = home); raupyapITha = Udupi;
kR^ita = made; AlayaM = home or temple; hariM = hari; A-layam.h = upto extinction; Atmani = in
your heart or mind; dhAraya = hold or carry
Translation
Until extinction (upto salvation, and beyond that too), carry in your heart (the image of) Hari
who through the effulgence of His two beautiful lotus feet brightens even the (sun-like) halo of the
long, chowry-like, tufts of hair of the collection of devas (who prostrate before Him)
who is the destroyer of Kali, the chief of demons
who wears adornments befitting or appropriate to His valour
who wears exquisite foot-ornaments
who lives inside the body of every jIva (as the antaryAmi and ensures that the jIva functions properly)
who has made Udupi His home or temple
Notes:
The first line reminds one of a similar concept expressed in the dvAdasha stotra nikhilAdhIsha
kirITAghR^ishhTspIThavat.h (His feet rests on a pedestal which is touched frequently by the crowns on
the heads of the great gods like Brahma and Rudra, who are the masters of the world)

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Kali is the most powerful of the demons; under his influence, the noble nature of even good souls is
subdued, and they begin to act in ignoble ways; but when the mind is full of thoughts of Hari, Kali cannot
enter it and control it; he is rendered powerless by Sri Hari. The only ones who are beyond the influence
of kali are Sri Hari, Laxmi, Brahma &Vayu, Saraswati & BhArati. Our scriptures use the phrase
parashuklatraya to describe Laxmi, Brahma/Vayu, Saraswati/Bharati and indicate that they are beyond
all blemishes and defects.
All other jIvas, from Garuda, Shesha and Rudra downwards are subject to the evil influence of kali, in
some form or manner. The influence increases as one goes down the hierarchy, with the lower ones being
totally under his sway. This becomes clear when one goes through Ramayana and MahabhArata and finds
even great souls like BalarAma (Shesha), Ashwattama (Rudra) opposing or acting against the Lord
sometimes.
The phrase sva tanu puraM is a reminder of the fact that while the Lord is omnipresent and allpervasive, our worship has to be focused on the anataryAmi form within us. That is why most references
to the Lord give both aspects taddUre taduvantike (IshAvasya upanishad, meaning that He is very far
off and yet very close by), dUrAddurataraM yattu tadevAntikamantikAt.h (dvAdasha stotra,
emphasizing the thought stated in the Ishavasya). In the final stages of sadhana one gets to see this bimba
rUpa and that is when one is said to become an aparoxa gyAni.
Stanza 7

zu:kvaidmnae=itrtragmaeTsvdagm<

sTkvINvcaeivlasmhaedy< mihtaedym!
l]yaim ytIrE> ktpUjn< gu[-ajn<
ixtaepmraEPypIQktaly< hirmalym!

,
. 7.

vwruqSquS
quXu qu |
r Nqycw Socw
vNqyyzjNq || 7 ||
shushhkavAdimano.atidUratarAgamotsavadAgamaM
satkavIndravachovilAsamahodayaM mahitodayam.h |
laxayAmi yatIshvaraiH kR^itapUjanaM guNabhAjanaM
dhikkR^itopamaraupyapIThakR^itAlayaM harimAlayam.h || 7 ||
Pada-Cheda and anvaya
shushka vAdi manaH atidUratara

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Agamotsavada AgamaM
sat kavi indra vachaH vilAsa mahodayaM
mahita udayam.h
yati IshvaraiH kR^ita-pUjanaM
guNa bhajanaM
dhikkR^ita upama raupyapITha kR^ita AlayaM
hariM Alayam.h laxayAmi
Word-by-word meaning:
shushka vAdi = one who indulges in futile or idle arguments that are not based on sat shAstra (shushka =
idle, useless; vAdi = arguer, disputant); manaH = mind; atidUratara = extremely or totally distant =
totally beyond reach;
Agamotsavada AgamaM :
da = giving; utsava = happiness; A gama = knowing or understanding well; AgamaM = the vedas and
other holy scriptures; This can be interpreted in 2 ways:
- Giving enormous happiness to those who understand the Agamas well (i.e., those who understand the
true import of all Agamas), Or
- Having the knowledge that He gives happiness to the Agamas i.e., knowing that the Agamas sing His
praises and glory with utmost happiness;
sat = has many meanings. Some of these are good, great, real, existing and so on;
kavi = the primary meaning is `sarvaj~na' or `Omniscient' (see notes); the secondary meaning is gyAni
or seer which means a wise and judicious thinker; the tertiary or unimportant meaning is poet;
kavi indra = great gyANis = aparoxa gyAnis; vachaH = words or speech; vilAsa = splendour;
mahodayaM = owner, origin, source or target
mahita udayam.h has 2 interpretations:
- one whose incarnations are worshipped by all
- one who bestows on devotees the experience of eternal happiness;
yati = saints; IshvaraiH = Lords or kings; yati IshvaraiH = very great saints like Acharya Madhva
(Shuka, nArada etc); it can also mean other illustrious mAdhva saints; kR^ita = made or done; pUjanaM
= worship; guNa bhAjanaM = one who is the repository of good qualities, such as knowledge and bliss;
dhikkR^ita = rejecting; upama = comparison; the thought behind this expression is that the greatness of
Udupi is unique and beyond comparison. All the comparisons that we can possibly come up with fall
short. In other words, Udupi defies our efforts to equate it with another shrine; raupyapITha = Udupi;
kR^ita = made; AlayaM = Home or temple; Alayam.h laxayAmi hariM = Till (my) final emancipation
(and after that also), I (constantly) visualize Hari in my heart i.e., I will meditate on Him forever.
Translation
Until extinction (upto salvation, and beyond that too), I constantly meditate on Hari (in my heart)
who is totally beyond the reach of the minds of idle disputants, whose arguments are not based on sat
shAstra
who gives enormous happiness to those who understand the true import of all Agamas
whose praises and glory are sung by the Agamas with utmost happiness
who is the source or target for the glorious words of aparoxa gyAnis
who bestows on devotees the experience of eternal happiness
whose incarnations are worshipped by all
who has been worshipped by great sages like Acharya Madhva and other illustrious mAdhva saints
who is the repository of good qualities such as gnyAna (knowledge), Ananda (bliss) etc
who has made Udupi, which rejects comparison (or is beyond comparison), His home or temple

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who is (understood by gyAnis as) the purport of vedas and other shAstras

Notes:
It is well known that it is impossible to grasp even a fraction of the greatness of the Lord by pratyaxa
(sense-perception), or anumAna (logical reasoning). Such being the case, how can He be understood by
idle discussion and debate? That is why Vadiraja uses the phrase ati dUratara (notice the use of ati and
tara to doubly emphasize the word dUra or distant).
The word `kavi' primarily means `sarvaj~na' or `Omniscient'. Acharya MadhvAs commentary on the
eighth verse of IshAvAsya (`kavirmanIshhI .. ) makes this explicit. The prefix `sat-' indicates that the
kavi and His Omniscience are both Real, not merely an illusion or temporal reality. One implication is
that the realm known by this kavi, which includes the world, must also be Real; otherwise one would
have an omniscient entity whose entire knowledge consists of illusions! Thus satkavi is Vadirajas way
of saying that the world is Real, it is completely known by Vishnu, and that His knowledge is Real.
Knowledge by itself is no guarantee of effectiveness. For example, when a skilled potter loses his arms,
his knowledge is useless and powerless. The suffix `-indra', removes this possibility and indicates that this
kavi is forever potent and supreme in His control over the world and all its contents.
The phrase AgamotsavadAgamaM is a reference to the fact that the only route to understanding Him is
good shastras like Vedas (and brahmasUtras), mUla -rAmAyaNa, mahAbhArata, bhAgavata and
pAncharAtra (sadAgamaika vij~neyaM samtItaxarAxaraM Vishnutattva VinirNaya ). However, one is
likely to get disheartened because this is not a route that everyone can successfully take. To reassure such
persons Vadiraja shows another route - correct knowledge of Vishnu's attributes as explained by "the
Lord of the yati-s," i.e., Sri Madhva, and his worship -- `laxayAmi yatIshvaraiH-kR^ita pUjanaM
guNabhAjanam.h'.
If one takes the secondary meaning for kavi as gyAni or seer, then kavIndra can mean aparoxa
gyAnis. Thus by using the phrase kavIndra-vacho-vilAsa Vadiraja is hinting at another way of getting
knowledge about the Lord - associating with aparoxa gyAnis and listening to their experiences and
explanations. But, in the final analysis, there is no guarantee that any method will work, He can be
understood (and that too, to a very small extent only) by those whom He chooses to give that knowledge.
This is made very clear in the Kathopanishad (Yamevaisha vrunuthe thena labhyah).
The phrase kavIndra vachah vilAsa can also be interpreted in a different way. All the saints who saw
the vedas were great gyAnis and devotees. They are the original kavIndras. Their vachah vilAsa are
the Vedas themselves. Only this vacha vilAsa can capture (to some extent) the greatness of the Supreme
Being.
The term yati Ishvaraih directly refers to Acharya Madhva. In the Sumadhva vIjaya (9:42) it is said that
after he consecrated the Krishna icon, it became so heavy that a group of his strongest disciples together
could not even move it a bit. Finally, he had to carry the icon himself. Such was the divine sannidhAna
(holy presence) that his holy touch brought about in the icon. This is probably the thought behind the
phrase yatIshvaraih kR^ita pUjanaM. Sri VadirAja is also paying obeisance to all the illustrious
mAdhva saints who preceeded him and had the good fortune of worshipping the Krishna icon. Since there
is no other icon with a similar background he also uses the expression dhikkR^itopama.
Another intriguing aspect of this verse is that the phrase `dhikkR^itopama' can be meaningfully applied to
a variety of entities mentioned in the verse. Let us look at some of the possibilities, in varying degrees of
appropriateness:

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a. Hari, kavIndra: The Lord is beyond human comprehension and therefore beyond the scope of any
adjective. Hence He is the most appropriate object for the phase `dhikkR^itopama'. Acharya Madhva
makes this point again and again in his writings, for e.g., "na hareH paramo na hareH sadR^ishaH ..,
" naiveshituste samam.h pashyAmyuttamavastu dUratarato.apAstaM "
b. guNa bhAjanaM: The Lord's Gunas are inherent to His svarUpa and thus beyond comparison. Each
Guna is infinite in nature and encompasses an infinite number of other guNas.
c. AgamaM: By virtue of their 'apaurusheyatva' the Agamas are flawless and incomparable. In no other
religion does one encounter this concept.
d. YatIshvara and kR^ita pUjanaM: Here the reference is directly to Acharya Madhva. Every aspect
of his life and each action done by him can be said to be `dhikkR^itopama'. The sarvamUla granthas, the
installation of Udupi Krishna icon are some of the instances of 'pUja' done by him that come to mind. Shri
TrivikramapanditAchArya says that the Lord chose Vayu because others were incapable of performing
the task at hand ("Aj~nAM anyaiH adhAryAM").
e. RaupyapITha: There are many centers beloved to VaiShNavas - badari, gaya, tirupati, uDupi and so
on. Each center has its own uniqueness and is thus beyond comparison. uDupi's greatness has been
explained in detail in the SumadhvaVijaya. And the fact that this is the only icon consecrated and
installed with great devotion by Acharya Madhva makes further argument pointless.
f. Vacho vilAsa: The devotional outpourings of aparoxi gyAnis are unique and matchless. No other
volume of literature can match their emotional intensity, beauty of expression, and insight into matters
divine.
Stanza 8

nardiymaivza<b
u he][< injl][< (injr][<)

tarkaepmcadIpcyaNtre (caNtre) gticNt re

xIr mans pU[c

R NsmanmCyutmanm

arkaepmraEPypIQktaly< hirmalym! . 8 .

wuzo xco (xco)

qNyXvyXq SqYq |
v w yoXuwXqw
uNyyzjNq
|| 8 ||
nAradapriyamAvishAMburuhexaNaM nijalaxaNaM (nijaraxaNaM)
tArakopamachArudIpachayA(ruchA)ntare gatachinta re |

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dhIra mAnasa pUrNachandrasamAnamachyutamAnama

dvArakopamaraupyapIThakR^itAlayaM harimAlayam.h

|| 8 ||

Pada-Cheda and anvaya

gata chinta re dhIra mAnasa
nArada priyaM, amburuha IxaNaM, nija laxaNaM (or raxaNaM)
tAraka upama chAru dIpa chayAntare pUrNa chandra samAnaM
dvArakA upama raupyapITha kR^ita AlayaM
achyutaM, hariM Alayam.h Avisha Anama
Another variation uses a similar pada-Cheda except that it uses the construct
dhIra mAnasa pUrNa chandra samAnaM
Word-by-word meaning
gata chinta = rid of all anxieties or thoughts (pertaining to the mundane world); re = Hey; dhIra
mAnasa = intelligent mind (dhIra = gyAni = deep thinking, mAnas = mind); nArada priyaM = one who
is dear to nArada; amburuha = lotus; IxaNaM = eyes; nija = His own; laxaNaM = characteristics; nija
raxaNaM = one who protects His own (i.e., those who have surrendered to Him); tAraka = stars; upama
= comparable to; chAru = beautiful; dIpa = lights; chaya = assemblage, collection or multitude; antare
= amidst or within; pUrNa chandra = full moon; samAnaM = equivalent to; dvArakA = the capital of
the yAdavas (that was constructed in the ocean by Vishvakarma on Lord Krishnas orders); upama =
comparable to; raupyapITha = Udupi; kR^ita = made; AlayaM = House or temple; achyutaM = Who
is not subject to any type of destruction or who never swerves from His pledge; hariM = Lord Hari;
Alayam.h = until extinction; Anama = salute; Avisha = enter or contemplate on.
Translation
O deep thinking mind, get rid of all thoughts pertaining to the mundane world and until extinction always
salute and contemplate on Hari
who is dear to nArada
who is lotus-eyed
who is His own definition or measure (i.e., He has no comparison whatsoever)
who protects those who surrender to Him
who is like a moon in the midst of lamps that are like the stars
who like the full moon produces unique happiness in the minds of gyAnis
who is not subject to any type of destruction or who never swerves from His pledge
who has made Udupi, that is comparable to dwAraka, His home or temple
Notes:
In common parlance dhIra means courageous, whereas in Upanishads and other classical texts it is used
to denote wise and judicious thinkers. Such people are very indifferent to worldly happenings. They treat
victory defeat, profit loss, happiness sorrow with equal indifference. There is only one thing that
excites them the Lord and His exploits. This fact is stressed again and again in the Gita (yA nishA
sarva bhUtAnAm ). . Another good reference is the song by Sri JagannAtha dAsaru that goes ranga
ninna konDADuva mangaLAtmara ...It gives a good description of such devotees. So when Sri VadIrAja

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says dhIra mAnasa he is really exhorting us to cast aside our petty problems and rise to the level of a
true gyAni.
The reference to nArada is very intriguing and needs further exlanation. The straightforward reference is
to nArada mahArishi, the divine saint who is forever chanting the Lords name. Whenever one speaks
about great devotees, his name always comes up. In addition, two other very great devotees prahlAda
and dhruva were his disciples. In one song Purandaradasaru says that Narada planted the seed called
Narayanas name in this world. So, from all angles, it is very appropriate to take his name in the verse.
However, there is more to it if one interprets nArada as the giver of nAra. The word nAra has several
meanings like gnyAna, Ananda, Moxa etc, as can be seen from the meanings attached to the word
nArAyaNa. Thus, depending on the context, nArada can mean the Lord, Vayu, and a host of other
great souls.
The reference to Krishna within a collection of lights that look like stars is interesting. It has a physical as
well as symbolic interpretation. Some temples have a practice of lighting small lamps in a serial fashion
around the main icon. This looks very nice and is done as a special seva. In such an arrangment, when the
icon is surrounded by twinking lights, it looks like the Moon amidst stars. This is the physical reference.
The symbolic reference is that the Lord has His entourage consisting of deities like Laxmi, vAyu, Garuda,
Shesha etc. In the midst of these deities, He is like the Moon amongst stars. This is just an analogy
because He is infinitely more handsome than other deities.
There are 2 varia tions for the last phrase in the first line - nija raxaNaM and nija laxaNaM. The first
one is very straightforward and says that He takes care of His own. This is in line with the promise made
in the Gita - yogaxemam vahAmyaham. The second variation nija laxaNam is a totally different
thought. It is basically a way of saying He is not comparable to anything, i.e, He is his own definition.
Our scriptures often throw up their hands in helplessness when attempting to provide similes to the Lord.
Sometimes they resort to short-cuts like saying the left leg of the Lord has only one upama or simile, and
that is the right leg!. Sometimes they describe Him negatively saying that He is totally unlike anything
that one could have encountered in real life (neti neti, ekameva advitIyam brahma). When dealing
with a totally independent entity made up of aprAkruta components that the eye cannot see, the tongue
cannot describe, the ear cannot hear and the mind cannot imagine, and endowed with unimaginable
prowess, this is the only way out!
What does it mean for the mind to enter the Lord? The simple meaning is to contemplate or meditate
(dhyAna) on Him. However, there are other nuances of the word enter. When you enter a house or
building, you dont become one with it! You are still separate and distinct from it. What happens is that
the house surrounds you and engulfs you in its protective warmth, offering you protection against
scorching sunlight, hailstorms, thunderstorms, tornadoes etc. Such is the nature of a devotee who totally
surrenders to the Lord. That is why VadirAja uses the phrase gata chinta. Incidentally, this phrase has
been used in the Gita 8.11, 11.54, 18.55. While other commentators have wrongly interpreted this as
aikya or union with the Lord, Acharya Madhva has shown us the correct way of interpreting this phrase.
Stanza 9 (phala-shrutih)

raEPypIQktalySy hre> iy< irtaiy<

tTpdacRkvaidrajytIirt< gu[pUirtm! ,

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gaePymkmetmude mmaiSTvh (-viTvh) inmRm

aPyzu(saEOy))lay t sukaeml< txImlm!

. 9 .

yzjNq z uqz
qquXNvcrq Soyq |
SyNquXu (r) xyyu(Q)y qq N qv || 9 ||
raupyapIThakR^itAlayasya hareH priyaM duritApriyaM
tatpadArchakavAdirAjayatIritaM guNapUritam.h |
gopyamashhTakametaduchchamude mamAstviha (bhavatviha) nirmamaprApyashuddha(saukhya)phalAya tatra sukomalaM hR^itadhImalam.h || 9 ||
Pada-Cheda and anvaya
raupyapITha kR^ita Alayasya hareH priyaM
durita apriyaM guNa pUritam.h su komalaM hR^ita dhI malaM
etad ashTakaM
tat pada archaka vAdirAja yati IritaM
gopyaM
iha mama uchcha mude
tatra nirmama prApya shuddha (saukhya) phalAya astu
Word-by-word meaning
raupyapITha = Udupi; kr^ita Alayasya = of the one who has made His Home or temple (kR^ita =
made; Alaya = home or temple); hareH = to hari; priyam = beloved; durita apriyam = destroys sins
(durita = sins or evils; apriyaM = unfriendly or enemical); guNa pUritam.h = full of good qualities; su
komalaM = (which is) of deep import; gopyaM has two meanings
- to be preserved as a secret (from unworthy people who are likely to misuse or misinterpret),
- pertains to the cowherd (gopAla);
hR^ita = destroys; dhI malaM = impurities of the mind; etad = this; ashTakaM = set of eight shlokas
or verses; tat pada = that or whose feet; archaka = worshipper, vAdirAja = VadirAja; yati = saint;
IritaM = uttered by (composed by); iha = here; mama = my or mine; uchcha = good or great; mude =
happiness ; tatra = there (i.e, the life thereafter); nirmama = those devoid of all moha (ignorance or
delusions) and mamakAra (attachments); prApya = that which can be obtained; shuddha = pure,
blemishless; saukhya = well-being; phalAya = for the sake of; astu = let it be so.
Translation
May this set of eight shlokas or verses
which is beloved to Hari, who has made Udupi His home or temple
which destroys the sins (of the reciters)

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 which is full of good qualities

which is of deep import
which destroys the impurities of the mind (of the readers)
which has been composed by Sri Vadiraja - the worshipper of His feet
which pertains to the cow-herd (Krishna)
which should be preserved as a secret from undeserving people
which provides great happiness to the reciters here (in this life, in material terms)
help them get salvation the life thereafter, comprising of pure and blemishless benefits, which can be
obtained only by those devoid of all ignorance and attachments.
Notes:
As the bhAgavata says, any work that describes the qualities of the Lord in a manner consistent with the
spirit of sat shAstras is venerable and worthy of adoration. This ashTaka definitely meets this criterion. In
addition, it is a literary masterpiece that abounds with all the characteristics that a great work should have.
There is a good reason why this stotra can be said to be su komalaM or full of deep import. The verse is
guNa pUritaM or full of good qualities. Why? Not because it is full of poetic wizardry, but because it
describes the qualities of the Lord in a manner consistent with the spirit of sat shAstras. Such is the power
of these qualities that by constantly meditating on them the mind is rid of its impurities (hR^ita dhI
malaM) and becomes guNa pUritaM. In this state, new sins are not commited and past sins are
destroyed by the chanting of the Lords sacred name. Thus this verse is also durita apriyaM. It is
apriya to our sins as well as to the asuras who instigate us into committing these sins. Thus it is safe to
conclude that this stotra is indeed of deep import.
Look at the adjective that Vadiraja uses to describe himself - pada archaka. This is the hallmark of all
true bhAgavatAs. When Hanumanta was questioned by Ravana, he chose to identify himself as the dAsa
of Lord Ramachandra. This is not idle humility or exaggerated modesty. This is a statement of fact and an
acknowledgement of the reality that nothing is possible without His grace.
The usage of the phrase gopyam should remind us of the popular saying that calls Krishna as the
cowherd who milked the cow called Upanishads, using the calf called Arjuna as a pretext to obtain the
milk called spiritual truth.
The usage of the phrase hareH priyaM is very interesting. This shows two things:
- the spirit behind the composition; Vadiraja composed this stotra not to show off his great poetic
ability, but as an act of devotion, with hari prIti as the sole objective
- his great confidence in His Lords compassion; only somebody who has repeatedly experienced the
Lords grace can boldly assert (without arrogance) that his work has indeed pleased the Lord.
The bhagavata says What is impossible to achieve when Sriniketana is pleased!. Since this stotra is
hareH priyaM it is definitely very potent in its ability to shower benefits on the reciters. Vadiraja echoes
this sentiment and assures us that the stotra provides great happiness in this life (iha mama uchcha mude)
as well as the life hereafter (tatra). The phrase nirmama refers to moxa as there is no moha or
mamakAra there. It is most desirable. It is pure and eternal happiness. That is why Vadiraja calls it as
shuddha phala. May Lord Hayagriva grant this benefit on all those who recite this stotra with devotion.
iti shrImadvAdirAjapUjyacharaNavirachita shrIraupyapIThakR^ishhNastuti saMpUrNaM
|| bhAratIramaNamukhyaprANAntargata shrIkR^ishhNArpaNamastu ||

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#it ImaidrajpUJycr[ivrict IraEPypIQk:[Stuit s<pU[

. -artIrm[muOya[aNtgRt Ik:[apR[mStu .

Cr uvcycXoYq yzsNr yo
.

roQynqSq Nyo

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