topics: |  hinduism | india | philosophy |

	There is scarcely any Hindu, man or
	woman, young or old, who does not recite
	every day some prayer or other.  The
	young used to imbibe select Stotras from
	their parents while yet on their parents'
	knees, even as they did epic legends
	or folk-songs.
			- V. Raghavan, Translator's note p. v

growing up as a child in a bengali household, my mother used to chant
mantras from a book similar to this, where the mantras were written in
bangla script, with brief expositions in english.

this selection, nearly a century old now, serves a similar devotional
purpose. it is from the 1930s, when the publisher g natesan requested the
emininent scholar v. raghavan to make a selection of mantras, with suitable
translations.

unlike the typical book of devotional chants, the sources are more widely
varied here, and include manuscripts that were not published at the time.
also, the texts, i feel, are more likely to be critically vetted than the
more popular works.

the translations are adequate, but the language is a bit flowery in places,
as was the norm in indian english of the time.  i wish dr. raghavan had
included a more detailed treatment with the literal anvayas and glosses,
but the book is fat enough as it is now!

sadly, the book is out-of-print today; it merits being seen by a wider
range of modern readers.

Rigveda

	madhu vAtA r.tAyate
	madhu kSharanti sindhavaH
	madhvIrnaH santvoShadhIH ||

	madhu naktamutoShaso 		
	madhu-mat-pArthiva rajaH
	madhu-dhaurastu naH pitA ||  

	madhumAnno vanaspatiH
	madhumAn-astu suryaH
	mAdhvIrgAvo bhavantu naH||
	 	  	Rigveda I. 90. 6-8.

 

Sweet do the winds become unto him who desires to abide by the moral law;
sweet do the streams flow for him ; even so, may the herbs be sweet unto us ;
may night be sweet and dawn also sweet unto us, may the region of earth be
sweet and also heaven, our father; may the sylvan god be sweet unto us; may
the sun be sweet and sweet may our kine become.

the gAyatri

	tat-savitur varenyaM
	bhargo devasya dhImahi
	dhiyo yo naH prachodayAt ||
			Rigveda III. 62. 10.

	 	तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं 
	 	भर्गो॑ देवस्य धीमहि
	 	धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात्॥ 

we meditate upon that adorable effulgence
of the resplendent vivifier, Savitar;
may he stimulate our intellects.


[the name "gAyatri" refers to its meter.
gAyatri = 8-syllable meter of sanskrit verse.

there are gAyatri mantras for ganesha, shiva, durga, viShnu,
lakShmI, and so on.  this is the oldest, and it is addressed to savitri the
sun.  in chanting, it is often preceded by the prefatory line (vyAhriti)
om bhur bhuvah svah  [bhur=earth; bhuvah = sky; svah = space;
may be interpreted here as "the light that shines on earth, sky and space"]


A word-by-word gloss (from sanskrit.org):

 	tat 		: that (God)
	savitur 	: of the sun [savitri = sun; more associated w dawn and dusk]
	vareNyam 	: the best
	bhargo   	: light, illumination [root: bhargas]
	devasya 	: divine
	dhImahi 	: let us meditate (verb)
	dhiyo   	: thought(s) [root: dhiyah]
	yo (yah) 	: which
	nah 		: of us, our
	pracodayAt 	: May it push, inspire (verb)

saM gachchhadhvaM

	saM gachchhadhvaM saM chadadhvaM
	saM vo manAM-si jAnatAm |
	devA bhAgaM yathA purve
	saMjAnAnA upAsate ||

	samAno mantras-samitis-samAnI
	samAnaM manas-saha chittameShAm ||
	samAnaM mantramabhi mantraye vaH
	samAnena vo haviShA juhomi ||

	samAnI va AkutiH samAnA hridayAni vaH |
	samAnamastu vo mano yathA vassushAsati ||
				Rigveda X. 191. 2-4 (p.12)

Come together, speak in harmony, and may your minds see alike, even as the
gods of yore, in agreement, took their offerings.

Uniform be your deliberation and uniform be the result you achieve; uniform
your mind and umform your thought. A common prayer do I utter forth for you
and a common oblation do I offer for you.

Same be your intention, same be your hearts; same may your minds be so that
there might be complete unison amongst you.

 

Notes to the works and authors

It is generally held that the Rigveda is the earliest of the Vedas, but there
are portions of it later than the other Vedas.  The 'Khilas' are
supplementary hymns of the Rigveda and from these we have selected the Sri
Sukta. The Vedic ltterature is dated variously by modern scholars but it can
be said that it cannot be later than 1500 BC.

Of the Upanishads, about a dozen are major, and on these have the Acharyas
built their differing systems of philosophy.

In the Vedic hymns, we find a number of deities, some representing forces of
Nature, some abstract conceptions - praised and prayed to.  Slowly the idea
of all the gods being but several names of the one God dawns even in the
hymns.  In the Upanishads is proclaimed the one All-comprehending Truth, the
Absolute. p.419

Valmiki : The RAmAyaNa

The RAmAyaNa of Valmiki is the first long poem in Sanskrit and is, therefore,
called the Adikavya. It is classed, along with the Mahabharata, as an
Itihasa, epic.

Besides passages describing Rama's qualities, a praise of Rama as God
Narayana and the famous hymn on the Sun named Adityahridaya are also
presented here from the RAmAyaNa.  It is possible the version of the epic we
have now is a revised one, but scholars accept that the original RAmAyaNa was
there already in the 3rd century B C.

The adhyatma rAmAyaNa

This is a comparatively modern version of the RAmAyaNa with the story
subordinated to devotional and philosophical teachings.  It is assigned to
the Brahmanda Purana.  The Calcutta Oriental Series (No. XI) includes a good
edition of this text with a commentary.

The Vasistha rAmAyaNa (the yoga vasishtha)

This is a philosophica1 poem of great length in which sage Vasishtha teaches
prince Rama, who feeis world-weariness, the philosophy of Advaita. The book
is variously called and is sometimes styled MaharAmAyaNa.

It is available also in abridged versions and has been commented upon by
many. With Anandabodha's gloss, it is available in an edition of the Nunaya
Sagar Press. Some place it between the fifth century and the seventh while
others bring down its date to the 10th century.

Tulasidas : The Ramacharitamanasa

Of versions of the RAmAyaNa in the local languages, the Tamil Kamba RAmAyaNa
and the Ramacharitamanasa in Eastern Hindi by Tulasidas have the greatest
sway over the masses by their devotional appeal.

Tulasidas, 1532-1623, belonged to the Ramanandi sect of Rama-worshippers. He
was a Smartha Brahmin born in the Banda district, south of the Jumna. He
began the Ramacharitamanasa at Ayodhya in 1574 and finished it at Benares
about 1584. Though written in Hindi, it has prayers here and there composed in
Sanskrit, some of which are selected here. For an account of Tulasidas and
his life and teachings, see G. A. Natesan & Co's publication "Ramanand to
Ramtirath".

Detailed contents

foreword
translator's note
an appreciation
publisher's note

the vedas

	rigveda 					  1
	rigveda khila 					 13
	krishnayajurveda samhita 			 14
	krishnayajurveda taittiriyaranyaka 		 16
	sukla-yajurveda samhita    			 24
	atharvaveda 					 25

the upanishads

	isavasya					 33
	kena and chandogya				 34
	prasna						 34
	taittiriya					 35
	brihadaranyaka					 36
	svetasvatara					 36
	maitrayani					 38
	devi						 38
	ganapati					 40
	gopalapurvatapani				 42
	sarasvatirahasya				 44
	ramottaratapani					 46
	rudrahridaya					 47

the rAmAyaNa

	valmiki rAmAyaNa 				 50
	praise of rama's character 			 50
	kaikeyi's praise of rama 			 55
	tara's praise of rama 				 56
	aditya hridaya 					 62
	adhyAtmarAmAyaNa 				 70
	vasishtha rAmAyaNa (yogavasishta) 		 73
	ramacharitamanasa (tulasidas) 			 76
	parayanakrama (valmiki rAmAyaNa) 		 79

the mahabharata

	draupadi's stotra (sabhaparva) 			 86
	draupadi's stotra (vanaparva) 			 90
	dhritarashtra's stotra (udyogaparva} 		 92
	bhisma's stotra (santiparva) 			 94
	bhishma's stavaraja (santiparva) 		 96
	daksha's prayer (sautiparva) 			103

the bhagavad gita

	arjuna's visvarupa stuti 			108

the srimad bhAgavata

	kunti's stotra 					118
	bhishma's stotra 				120
	suka's stotra 					122
	dhruva's stotra 				124
	vritra's stotra 				128
	prahlada's stotra 				130
	gajendra's stotra 				138
	brahma's stotra 				138
	rantideva's stotra 				140
	devaki's stotra 				141
	akrura's stotra					142
	muchukunda's stotra				144

the puraNas

	vishnupurana (on lakshmi) 			145
	vishnupurana (on sun) 				146
	markandeyapurana (on dev1) 			148
	brahmapurana (on vishnu) 			150
	padmapurana (on vishnu) 			152
	kurmapurana (on siva) 				154
	varahapurana (on dharma) 			156
	sambapurana (on sun) 				158
	brahmavaivartapurana (on sarasvati) 		160
	skanda-sutasamhita (on siva) 			162
	devibhAgavata (on devi)  	      160, 164, 174
	naradiyapurana (on vishnu) 			164
	naradiyapurana (on siva) 			166
	vishnudharmottara (on vishnu) 			172
	brihannaradiyapurana (on the supreme being) 	174
	ganesapurana (on ganesa)     	     		175
	garudapurana (on vishnu) 			176
	vamanapurana (on vishnu) 			178
	narasimhapurana (on vishnu) 			179

the agamas and the tantras

	mahAnirvANa-tantra    				181
	pancharAtra				   183, 188
	ahirbudhnyasamhita				184
	kumAra-tantra					185
	tripurA-rahasya					186
	isvara-saMhitA					188
	brahma-saMhitA 					189
	prapanchasAra-tantra 				l89
	kulachuDamaNi-tantra 				190
	mAtrika-bheda-tantra 				191
	kAli-vilAsa-tantra 192.

classical poetry

kalidasa

	raghuvamsa 					193
	sakuntala 					198
	vikramorvasiya 					199
	malavikagnimitra 				201

bharavi

	kiratarjuniya 					202

magha

	sisupalavadha 					204

bhartrihari

	subhashitatrisati 				206

mayura

	suryasataka 					207

bana

	harshacharita 					207

subandhu

	vasavadatta 					208

bhavabhuti

	mahAvira-charita 				208
	mAlati-mAdhava 					209

krishnamisra

	prabodhachandrodaya 				210

sri harsha

	naishadhiyacharita				210

  vaidya gadAdhara					214
  bhavAnanda						215

the acharyas

sankaracharya

	sivAnandalahari 				216
	Anandalahari 					218
	saundaryalahari 				218
	sivabhujanga stotra 				219
	subrahmanyabhujanga stotra ... 			220
	ramabhujanga stotra 				221
	devibhujanga stotra 				221
	devyaparadhakshamapana stotra 			222
	dasasloki stotra 				224
	sivaparadhakshamapana stotra 			224
	annapurna-ashtaka 				225
	tripurasundari vedapada stotra 			225
	lakshminrisimha stotra 22b
	kanakadhara stava 				227
	vagisvari stotra 				227
	shatpadi stoka 					227
	mohamudgara 					230
	sadacharanusandhana 				232
	prAtas-smaraNa stotra 2'12
	kasipanchaka 					232
	dakshinamurti stotra 				234

utpaladevacharya

	sivastotravali 					235

srikanthacharya

	brahmasutra bhashya 				244

yamunacharya

	stotraratna 					246

ramanujacharya

	gadyatraya 					252

srivatsankamisra

	atimanushastava 				254

parasarabhatta

	srigunaratnakosa 				256

vedacharya

	kshama-shodasi 					258

vedantadesika (venkatanatha)

	nyasa-dasaka 					260
	bhustuti 					262
	varadaraja-panchasat 				262
	ashTabhUja-ashtaka 				263
	kAmasikha-ashtaka 				263
	achyuta-sataka 					266
	dayA-sataka 					266

venkatadhvarin

	lakShmisahasra 					268

vallabhacharya

	madhurashtaka 					272
	gopijanavallabhashtaka, 			272

vitthalesvara

	vijnapti 					274

haridasa

	srikrishnasaran-ashtaka 			276
	panchaksharamantragarbha stotra 		276

madhvacharya (anandatirtha)

	dvadasa stotra 					278

vadiraja

	prarthanadasaka stotra 				282
	krishnastuti 					284
	haryashtaka 					284

chaitanyadeva

	sikhshashtaka 					286
	jagannathashtaka 				288

rupagosvamin
	praNAma-pranaya stava 				289
	kArpaNya-panjika stotra 			290
	govinda-birudavali 				290

other stotras

the siva panchastavi

	pushpadanta's mahimnasstava 			292
	malhana's stotra 				294
	bilhana's stotra 29()
	dandin's anamayastava 				298
	halayudha's stotra 				300

durvasas

	saktimahimnas-stuti 				302

the devi panchastavi

	charchastava					303
	ghatastava					304
	sakala-janani stava				306

the panchasati of muka

	aryasataka					308
	padaravindasatalm				310
	stutisataka					812
   the mukundamala (kulasekhara) ..			314
   krishnakarnamrita (lilasuka)				320
   dinakrandana stotra (loshtadeva)			332
   stutikusumanjali (jagaddhara)			336
   kuvalayananda (appayya dikshita)			342
   varadaraj astava (appayya dikshita)			344
   atmarpana stuti (appayya dikshita)			346
   manasollasa (appayya dikshita)			352
   sivotkarshamanjari (nilakantha dikshita)		354
   anandasagarastava (nilakantha dikshita)		356
   karunalahari (jaganuatha)				360
   dayasataka (ayyaval)					364
   akhyashashti  (ayyaval)				366
   narayaniya (narayana bhatta)				369
   kirtanas (sadasiva brahmendra)			370
   navavarnamala (sadasiva brahmendra)			372
   ramastavakarnarasayana (ramabhadra dikshita)		374
   ramaprasadastava (ramabhadra dikshita)		376
   visvagarbhastava (ramabhadra dikshita)		378
   bhaktimanjari (h. h. svati tirunal)			380
   avimuktatattva (balambhatta)				384

nrisimhabharati swami

	sri krishnashtaka				386
	vanipanyavalambastava 				388
	nrisimhasaptaka 				390
	dakshinasyanakshatramala 			392
	matripada pankaja ashtaka 			394

   vivekananda (on ramakrishna) 			396
   bhairava stotra (abhinavagupta).. 			398
   sivastuti (ravana) 					400
   adyadi mahalakshmi hridaya . 			402
   pandava gita 					404
   bhagavaccharana stotra (brahmAnanda) 		406
   madhusudana stotra (sukadeva) 			408
   anonymous 						410

notes on works & authors ... 				417
index to works & authors... 				461
index to deities 					472
index to ideas 						480

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