O Laxmi! O dear to Raam! O daughter of ocean¹! O Formless! O Polymorphic! O Serene! O Eternal and Pure! O bestower of luxuries! O bestower of wisdom! O Devi! O adornment of the chest of Vishnu! O Indira! Please shower happiness on me.||1||
O world-reverred! O destroyer of the cycle of life and death²! O bestower of splendor! O bestower of fame or defamation! O bestower of every ambition and adorned with every splendor! O Devi! O adornment of the chest of Vishnu! O Indira! Please shower happiness on me.||2||
O splendor of the ocean of milk³! O Shriya! O consort of Raam! O shining figure Who emerged after the ocean-churning^! O art! O consort of Krishna! O praise! O worthy of praise! O Beautiful! O Devi! O adornment of the chest of Vishnu! O Indira! Please shower happiness on me.||3||
O seated on Lotus! O lotus-eyed! O lotus holder! O abode of wealth! O splendor of earth! O Devi with teeth resembling pearls! O Fame! O Devi! O adornment of the chest of Vishnu! O Indira! Please shower happiness on me.||4||
O humble! O beyond-description! O auspicious one! O nurturing mother! O divine! O destroyer of multitude of grief! O bestower of purity, knowledge, increments, and health! O Devi! O adornment of the chest of Vishnu! O Indira! Please shower happiness on me.||5||
O house of knowledge! O pristine! O beautiful friend! O Shriya! O sung-about by world! O Goddess of demi-gods! O wise! O house of ambrosia! O reverred by Shiv! O Goddess of the world! O beyond everyone! O Devi! O adornment of the chest of Vishnu! O Indira! Please shower happiness on me.||6||
O fire for tree like pride! O protector and shelter of good deeds! O prayed upon by Brahma and demi-gods! O decorated with flowers! O Devi! O adornment of the chest of Vishnu! O Indira! Please shower happiness on me.||7||
O bestower of salvation! O born without birth^! O mellow speaker! O reverred by Time×! O Goddess with a beautiful lotus like face! O prayed and meditated upon! O Devi! O adornment of the chest of Vishnu! O Indira! Please shower happiness on me.||8||
Notes:
¹ Laxmi emerged out of Ksheersagar, ocean of milk, during the churning of Ocean by demi-gods and demons. For this reason, she is often referred to as daughter of ocean since She emerged out of ocean. Sometimes, Laxmi is also referred as ‘‘ayonijaa’’, not born from womb, since She came out of the ocean. This could, however, also be due to Sitaa, an incarnation of Laxmi, being born out of earth.
² Each living being is assumed to born again and again till it attains salvation. Salvation is purely a divine bliss which defines eternal rest and freedom from mixed thoughts of happiness and grief.
³ Laxmi accompanies Vishnu in Vaikuntha which is, by definition, inside the Ksheersagar, the ocean of milk.
× Time is assumed to be all powerful in the sense that it destroys everything natural or not-divine. By saying Laxmi as reverred by time, the poet means She is divine or beyond the cycle or destruction of time.
Poet: Animesh Kumar
Source: Personal poetry collection©
© Stutimandal 2006, Mar 24.
