Śrī Stuti VERSE 3
स्तोतव्यत्वं दिशति भवती देहिभिः स्तूयमाना
तामेव त्वामनितरगतिः स्तोतुमाशंसमानः ।
सिद्धारम्भः सकल भुवन श्लाघनीयो भवेयं
सेवापेक्षा तव चरणयोः श्रेयसे कस्य न स्यात् ॥ ३ ॥
stotavyatvaṃ diśati bhavatī dehibhiḥ stūyamānā
tāmeva tvāmanitaragatiḥ stotumāśaṃsamānaḥ ।
siddhārambhaḥ sakala bhuvana ślāghanīyo bhaveyaṃ
sevāpekṣā tava caraṇayoḥ śreyase kasya na syāt ॥ 3 ॥
SYNONYMS
stotavyatvaṃ: the state of being praiseworthy | diśati: grants | bhavatī: You | dehibhiḥ: by embodied beings | stūyamānā: being praised | tām eva tvām: that very You | anitara-gatiḥ: having no other resort | stotum: to praise | āśaṃsamānaḥ: desiring | siddha-ārambhaḥ: one whose efforts are fulfilled | sakala-bhuvana: by the entire world | ślāghanīyaḥ: praiseworthy | bhaveyaṃ: may I become | sevā-apekṣā: the desire to serve | tava caraṇayoḥ: at Your two feet | śreyase: for supreme good | kasya: for whom | na syāt: would it not be |
TRANSLATION
O Śrī Devī! When sentient beings (dehinaḥ, 'embodied souls') praise You with bhakti, the whole world celebrates them for that auspicious act. It is truly You who grant them the glory of being recognized by others for their good intention and the act of praising You.
Āḍiyēṉ (I, your humble servant) has no refuge except You. Āḍiyēṉ is eager to eulogize You, who possess such extraordinary glories (vaibhava). Āḍiyēṉ has no doubt that my efforts will become fruitful. Āḍiyēṉ will attain the glory of being recognized by the people of this world for my stuti (hymn of praise). There is no surprise here. Who indeed would not gain all maṅgala (auspiciousness) when he or she holds on to Your sacred feet and eulogizes You? Therefore, Āḍiyēṉ too will be blessed by You. Even if Āḍiyēṉ does not have the jñāna and śakti to praise You in a befitting manner, the very desire to praise You will give me the strength to complete this effort and shower Āḍiyēṉ with all maṅgala.
PURPORT
There are three threads of thought here.
1) Bhavatī dehibhiḥ stūyamānā stotavyatvaṃ diśati. Oh Śrī Devī! As the people praise You with steadfastness and bhakti, You bless them in turn to be recognized by others and also be praised by the latter. Oh Śrī Devī! You elevate those who eulogize You and make them become objects of praise by others. Those who eulogize You gain an exalted status as a result of Your anugraham.
2) Tāṃ tvām eva anitaragatiḥ stotum āśaṃsamānaḥ siddha ārambhaḥ sakala-bhuvana-ślāghanīyaḥ bhaveyam. (2.1) Tāṃ tvām: These are two words with immense evocative power in the context of Śrī Devī's vaibhavam! “Tāṃ tvām eva” in Tamil means "appeṟppaṭṭa uṉṉaiyē" (of You alone with such kalyāṇa guṇams). Continuing in Tamil, one can ask "avaḷ yeppeṟpaṭṭavaḷ?” (of what special auspicious attributes does She have to be singled out?). Those mahimais and vaibhavams are “mānātīta prathita vibhavam” (limitless and celebrated). The whole Lakṣmī Sahasranāmam, Śrī Sūktam and Lakṣmī Tantram are attempts at paying their tributes to those celebrated guṇams of the divine Consort of the Lord known as "Śrī". She is Bhagavathī, who is defined by the same six primary guṇas that Her Lord has: jñāna, bala, īśvarya, śakti, tejas and vīryam. She is therefore invoked in Lakṣmī Sahasranāmam with links to the six primary guṇas as follows.
Please add Praṇavam before each of the nāmas: ṣāḍguṇya pūrṇāyai namaḥ, (Having all the 6 guṇams of Bhagavān that define Him), tejaḥ prabhāvinyai namaḥ, ānanda-rūpāyai namaḥ, mahāśaktyai namaḥ, sarva pālinyai namaḥ, tulyāśīlāyai namaḥ, (Equal to Her Lord in all aspects: śīlam, vṛtti and mūrti), tulyā vṛttāyai namaḥ, tulyā mūrtyai namaḥ, dhana lakṣmyai namaḥ, rājya lakṣmyai namaḥ, jaya lakṣmyai namaḥ, jyotiṣe namaḥ, kāntimatyai namaḥ, dīptā mūrtyai namaḥ, prāṇaśaktyai namaḥ, saṃhāra śaktyai namaḥ, loka dhāriṇyai namaḥ, viśva śaktyai namaḥ, kali nāśinyai namaḥ, sahasra śaktyai namaḥ, mokṣa lakṣmyai namaḥ, śrīmatyai namaḥ, śabda śaktyai namaḥ (power of Vedic vāk), dāridrya bhañjinyai namaḥ, (Destroyer of Poverty of every kind), agha vināśinyai namaḥ, (Destroyer of Sins of all magnitudes), jñānadāyai namaḥ, (Grantor of true jñānam), prajñāyai namaḥ, saṃhitāyai namaḥ, sarvotkṛṣṭāyai namaḥ, (yellārayum viṭa mempaṭṭavaḷ), sarvato bhadrāyai namaḥ, amṛta-vahāyai namaḥ, bhūtāśrayāyai namaḥ, (one who has been sought as refuge by all Beings), jyotiṣmatyai namaḥ, bhava-bhaṅga apahāriṇyai namaḥ, adbhutāyai namaḥ (of wondrous, mysterious and unfathomable vaibhavam). She is "appeṟppaṭṭavaḷ" (of such matchless loftiness). She is sarvaloka priyaṅkarī (one who blesses the whole world with Her benevolence).
The Three coded Lakṣmī Sahasranāmams: Three Lakṣmī Sahasranāmams speak in codes about Her guṇams and give up their attempt to praise Her explicitly: "oṃ kasyai namaḥ, oṃ yasyai namaḥ and oṃ tasyai namaḥ." The choice words (queries) are kasyai (for whom is the namaskāram?: yevaḷ poruṭṭu?); tasyai namaḥ (avaḷ poruṭṭu= for Her of such infinite attributes). yasyai namaḥ (once again to whom are these namaskārams directed?). They are for the atyujvalāyai (for the supremely radiant one). They are for lakṣmyai (for Mahā Lakṣmī); for vāṇyai (the consort of Hayagrīva, the avatāram of Śrīman Nārāyaṇa), for medhāyai (Lakṣmī with the name of medhā = intellect), for śraddhāyai (for Lakṣmī with the name of śraddhā devī = mahā viśvāsam), for kṣamāyai (for the one with immense forbearance), for bhakta vātsalyāyai (one who is immensely fond of Her erring children), nityāyai (for one who is eternal, one who has no beginning, middle or end), viśva rūpāyai (for one with the Universal form), for vyoma lakṣmyai (for the divine consort of Śrī Vaikuṇṭha Nāṭan residing at vyoma purī= Śrī Vaikuṇṭham), for nārāyaṇyai (the divine consort of Nārāyaṇa), for dharma-kāmārtha-mokṣadhāyai (for the one who grants one or more of the puruṣārthams), for sarvato-bhadrāyai (one who is auspicious in every direction), sarvato-mukhyai (one who is cardinal in all tattvams), and for that ananta śriyai (one with infinite śreyas). Those two words used by Swāmy Deśikan (tāṃ tvām) open up thus a floodgate of remembrances about Her vaibhavam.
(2.2) Swāmy Deśikan continues: “(tāṃ tvām eva) anitaragatiḥ stotum āśaṃsamānaḥ”. Swāmy Deśikan adds “eva” after “tāṃ tvām" to emphasize that he wishes to eulogize Her and Her alone. Why so? Swāmy Deśikan explains that he is one with anitaragati (as one with no other refuge to seek for protection = vēṟu puhal aṟṟavanāhiya nāṉ). Adiyēn wishes hence to praise You alone (tvām eva stotum āśaṃsamānaḥ).
(2.3) “siddhārambhaḥ sakala bhuvana ślāghanīyaḥ bhaveyam”: Oh Bhagavathī! May adiyēn's fledgling efforts to praise You be fulfilled (siddha ārambhaḥ). May adiyēn as a result of such efforts to eulogize You become (bhaveyam) worthy of praise by the entire world (sakala bhuvana ślāghanīyam). Thou art: "prārthanīnāṃ prajānāṃ śreyomūrtiḥ". Therefore this maṅgalam of kīrti landing on me as Your eulogizer is bound to come adiyēn's way. Swāmy Deśikan gives another reason why such boon will come his way in the concluding section of this ślokam. He asks there a rhetoric question, which has the built-in answer.
3) Rhetoric Question "tava caraṇayoḥ sevāpekṣā kasya śreyase na syāt?”. Oh kalyāṇa dhāyini! Oh svasti dakṣiṇā! Oh sarva mantrātmike! For those, who wish to perform kaimkaryam to You (“tava caraṇayoḥ sevāpekṣā" cetanasya), why would not auspiciousness come their way (kasya na syāt). Answer: Ofcourse, all maṅgalams including the kīrti (fame) as the eulogizer of Śrī Devī will come their way.
1) Bhavatī dehibhiḥ stūyamānā stotavyatvaṃ diśati. Oh Śrī Devī! As the people praise You with steadfastness and bhakti, You bless them in turn to be recognized by others and also be praised by the latter. Oh Śrī Devī! You elevate those who eulogize You and make them become objects of praise by others. Those who eulogize You gain an exalted status as a result of Your anugraham.
2) Tāṃ tvām eva anitaragatiḥ stotum āśaṃsamānaḥ siddha ārambhaḥ sakala-bhuvana-ślāghanīyaḥ bhaveyam. (2.1) Tāṃ tvām: These are two words with immense evocative power in the context of Śrī Devī's vaibhavam! “Tāṃ tvām eva” in Tamil means "appeṟppaṭṭa uṉṉaiyē" (of You alone with such kalyāṇa guṇams). Continuing in Tamil, one can ask "avaḷ yeppeṟpaṭṭavaḷ?” (of what special auspicious attributes does She have to be singled out?). Those mahimais and vaibhavams are “mānātīta prathita vibhavam” (limitless and celebrated). The whole Lakṣmī Sahasranāmam, Śrī Sūktam and Lakṣmī Tantram are attempts at paying their tributes to those celebrated guṇams of the divine Consort of the Lord known as "Śrī". She is Bhagavathī, who is defined by the same six primary guṇas that Her Lord has: jñāna, bala, īśvarya, śakti, tejas and vīryam. She is therefore invoked in Lakṣmī Sahasranāmam with links to the six primary guṇas as follows.
Please add Praṇavam before each of the nāmas: ṣāḍguṇya pūrṇāyai namaḥ, (Having all the 6 guṇams of Bhagavān that define Him), tejaḥ prabhāvinyai namaḥ, ānanda-rūpāyai namaḥ, mahāśaktyai namaḥ, sarva pālinyai namaḥ, tulyāśīlāyai namaḥ, (Equal to Her Lord in all aspects: śīlam, vṛtti and mūrti), tulyā vṛttāyai namaḥ, tulyā mūrtyai namaḥ, dhana lakṣmyai namaḥ, rājya lakṣmyai namaḥ, jaya lakṣmyai namaḥ, jyotiṣe namaḥ, kāntimatyai namaḥ, dīptā mūrtyai namaḥ, prāṇaśaktyai namaḥ, saṃhāra śaktyai namaḥ, loka dhāriṇyai namaḥ, viśva śaktyai namaḥ, kali nāśinyai namaḥ, sahasra śaktyai namaḥ, mokṣa lakṣmyai namaḥ, śrīmatyai namaḥ, śabda śaktyai namaḥ (power of Vedic vāk), dāridrya bhañjinyai namaḥ, (Destroyer of Poverty of every kind), agha vināśinyai namaḥ, (Destroyer of Sins of all magnitudes), jñānadāyai namaḥ, (Grantor of true jñānam), prajñāyai namaḥ, saṃhitāyai namaḥ, sarvotkṛṣṭāyai namaḥ, (yellārayum viṭa mempaṭṭavaḷ), sarvato bhadrāyai namaḥ, amṛta-vahāyai namaḥ, bhūtāśrayāyai namaḥ, (one who has been sought as refuge by all Beings), jyotiṣmatyai namaḥ, bhava-bhaṅga apahāriṇyai namaḥ, adbhutāyai namaḥ (of wondrous, mysterious and unfathomable vaibhavam). She is "appeṟppaṭṭavaḷ" (of such matchless loftiness). She is sarvaloka priyaṅkarī (one who blesses the whole world with Her benevolence).
The Three coded Lakṣmī Sahasranāmams: Three Lakṣmī Sahasranāmams speak in codes about Her guṇams and give up their attempt to praise Her explicitly: "oṃ kasyai namaḥ, oṃ yasyai namaḥ and oṃ tasyai namaḥ." The choice words (queries) are kasyai (for whom is the namaskāram?: yevaḷ poruṭṭu?); tasyai namaḥ (avaḷ poruṭṭu= for Her of such infinite attributes). yasyai namaḥ (once again to whom are these namaskārams directed?). They are for the atyujvalāyai (for the supremely radiant one). They are for lakṣmyai (for Mahā Lakṣmī); for vāṇyai (the consort of Hayagrīva, the avatāram of Śrīman Nārāyaṇa), for medhāyai (Lakṣmī with the name of medhā = intellect), for śraddhāyai (for Lakṣmī with the name of śraddhā devī = mahā viśvāsam), for kṣamāyai (for the one with immense forbearance), for bhakta vātsalyāyai (one who is immensely fond of Her erring children), nityāyai (for one who is eternal, one who has no beginning, middle or end), viśva rūpāyai (for one with the Universal form), for vyoma lakṣmyai (for the divine consort of Śrī Vaikuṇṭha Nāṭan residing at vyoma purī= Śrī Vaikuṇṭham), for nārāyaṇyai (the divine consort of Nārāyaṇa), for dharma-kāmārtha-mokṣadhāyai (for the one who grants one or more of the puruṣārthams), for sarvato-bhadrāyai (one who is auspicious in every direction), sarvato-mukhyai (one who is cardinal in all tattvams), and for that ananta śriyai (one with infinite śreyas). Those two words used by Swāmy Deśikan (tāṃ tvām) open up thus a floodgate of remembrances about Her vaibhavam.
(2.2) Swāmy Deśikan continues: “(tāṃ tvām eva) anitaragatiḥ stotum āśaṃsamānaḥ”. Swāmy Deśikan adds “eva” after “tāṃ tvām" to emphasize that he wishes to eulogize Her and Her alone. Why so? Swāmy Deśikan explains that he is one with anitaragati (as one with no other refuge to seek for protection = vēṟu puhal aṟṟavanāhiya nāṉ). Adiyēn wishes hence to praise You alone (tvām eva stotum āśaṃsamānaḥ).
(2.3) “siddhārambhaḥ sakala bhuvana ślāghanīyaḥ bhaveyam”: Oh Bhagavathī! May adiyēn's fledgling efforts to praise You be fulfilled (siddha ārambhaḥ). May adiyēn as a result of such efforts to eulogize You become (bhaveyam) worthy of praise by the entire world (sakala bhuvana ślāghanīyam). Thou art: "prārthanīnāṃ prajānāṃ śreyomūrtiḥ". Therefore this maṅgalam of kīrti landing on me as Your eulogizer is bound to come adiyēn's way. Swāmy Deśikan gives another reason why such boon will come his way in the concluding section of this ślokam. He asks there a rhetoric question, which has the built-in answer.
3) Rhetoric Question "tava caraṇayoḥ sevāpekṣā kasya śreyase na syāt?”. Oh kalyāṇa dhāyini! Oh svasti dakṣiṇā! Oh sarva mantrātmike! For those, who wish to perform kaimkaryam to You (“tava caraṇayoḥ sevāpekṣā" cetanasya), why would not auspiciousness come their way (kasya na syāt). Answer: Ofcourse, all maṅgalams including the kīrti (fame) as the eulogizer of Śrī Devī will come their way.
