Friday, February 25, 2011

Vinay Patrika: Ganga Stuti [17]

Raag Raamkali


Goddess Ganga


Jai-jai bhagirathnandini, muni-chay-chakor-chandini,

nar-naag-bibudh-bandini jai jahnu baalikaa |

bisnu-pad-sarojjaasi, ees-seespar bibhaasi,

tripathgaasi, punyaraasi, paap-chhaalikaa ||1||

bimal bipul bahsi baari, seetal trayataap-haari,

bhanvar bar bibhangtar tarang-maalikaa |

purjan poojophaar, sobhit sasi dhavaldhaar,

bhanjan bhav-bhaar, bhakti-kalpthaalikaa ||2||

nij tattbaasee bihang, jal-thar-char pasu patang,

keet, jatil taapas sab saris paalikaa |

tulsi tav teer teer sumirat raghubans-beer,

bichrat mati dehi moh-mahish-kaalikaa ||3||


Bhagirath Nandini Surging Onto Lord Shiva's Head

O daughter of Bhagirath! (name of a king who brought the Ganges down from heaven to earth by his austerities.)Glory, all glory to you. You are like the moonbeams for the chakors (a type of partridge traditionally supposed to live on moonbeams) of numerous sages. Humans, serpents and gods pray to you.


Sage Jahnu Drinking the Waters of Ganga

Daughter of Jahnu! (When Ganga came down to earth, her gushing waters disrupted the sadhana of sage Jahnu. He was furious and drank up its waters. Thence the Gods prayed to Jahnu for releasing Ganga so that she could purify the souls of Bhagirath's ancestors. Pleased with their entreaty, Jahnu released its waters from his ears.)


Lord Vishnu

Glory be to you! You have emerged from Lord Vishnus' lotus feet (According to the 'Vishnu Purana,' Ganga was created from the sweat of Lord Vishnu's feet); are resplendent on Lord Shiva's head and you flow as three gushing streams through the three paths of swarga (heaven),prithvi (earth) and patala (netherworld or hell.) You are like a treasury of punya or virtuous deeds (a devotee is said to be purified by bathing in the Ganges) and expiate sins ||1||


The River Ganges

You are carrying immensely pure water. That water is cool and gets rid of the threefold suffering of mankind (physical disease, mental turmoil, and spiritual ignorance). You are wearing a garland of beautiful eddies and frolicking waves. Your white stream which is like the moon, is being beautified with gifts which the town-dwellers have given as offerings to you. That gushing current is the destroyer of this world's burdensome cycle of birth and death and is like a trench for protecting the kalpavrikasha of bhakti or religious devotion ||2||


With equal care you look after the birds, aquatic beings, terrestrial beings, animals, winged beings, insects and ascetics having matted hair, who live on your banks.
O Goddess Ganga, you assume the form of Kalika for killing the Mahishasur of delusion!


Goswami Tulsidas
Give such wisdom to me that is Tulsidas, so that he can roam on your shores while meditating upon Lord Raghunath. ||3||

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