Saraswati Stavam

Saraswati Stavam lyrics and meaning

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Verse 1

याज्ञवल्क्यकृत सरस्वती स्तवम्

yājñavalkyakṛta sarasvatī stavam

Title: The Sarasvatī Praise composed by Yājñavalkya (from the Śrī Devī Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa, Ninth Skandha, Fifth Chapter).

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Verse 2

याज्ञवल्क्य उवाच
कृपां कुरु जगन्मातर्‌-मामेवं हततेजसम्‌ ।
गुरुशापात् स्मृतिभ्रष्टं विद्याहीनं च दुःखितम्‌ ॥ 1 ॥

yājñavalkya uvācha
kṛpāṃ kuru jaganmātar‌-māmēvaṃ hatatējasam‌ ।
guruśāpāt smṛtibhraṣṭaṃ vidyāhīnaṃ cha duḥkhitam‌ ॥ 1 ॥

[Verse 1:] Yājñavalkya spoke: O Mother of all worlds — show grace to me who have been thus robbed of my brilliance, who have lost my memory by the guru's curse, who am devoid of learning, and who am sorrowful.

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Verse 3

ज्ञानं देहि स्मृतिं विद्यां शक्तिं शिष्य प्रबोधिनीम्‌ ।
ग्रन्थकर्तृत्व शक्तिं च सुशिष्यं सुप्रतिष्ठितम्‌ ॥ 2 ॥

jñānaṃ dēhi smṛtiṃ vidyāṃ śaktiṃ śiṣya prabōdhinīm‌ ।
granthakartṛtva śaktiṃ cha suśiṣyaṃ supratiṣṭhitam‌ ॥ 2 ॥

[Verse 2:] Grant me knowledge, memory, and learning; the power to enlighten disciples; the power of authorship [of great works]; a good and well-established disciple.

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Verse 4

प्रतिभां सत्सभायां च विचारक्षमतां शुभाम्‌ ।
लुप्तं सर्वं दैव योगा-न्नवीभूतं पुनः कुरु ॥ 3 ॥

pratibhāṃ satsabhāyāṃ cha vichārakṣamatāṃ śubhām‌ ।
luptaṃ sarvaṃ daiva yōgā-nnavībhūtaṃ punaḥ kuru ॥ 3 ॥

[Verse 3:] Grant me poetic genius in the assembly of the learned, and the auspicious ability for creative reflection. Make all that was lost by divine ordination fresh and new once again.

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Verse 5

यथाङ्कुरं भस्मनि च करोति देवता पुनः ।
ब्रह्मस्वरूपा परमा ज्योतीरूपा सनातनी ॥ 4 ॥

yathāṅkuraṃ bhasmani cha karōti dēvatā punaḥ ।
brahmasvarūpā paramā jyōtīrūpā sanātanī ॥ 4 ॥

[Verse 4:] Just as a divine being makes a sprout spring up again even from ashes — O you of the form of Brahman, the Supreme, of the form of light, the eternal one —

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Verse 6

सर्वविद्याधिदेवी या तस्यै वाण्यै नमो नमः ।
विसर्ग बिन्दुमात्रासु यदधिष्ठानमेवच ॥ 5 ॥

sarvavidyādhidēvī yā tasyai vāṇyai namō namaḥ ।
visarga bindumātrāsu yadadhiṣṭhānamēvacha ॥ 5 ॥

[Verse 5:] She who is the presiding Goddess of all knowledge — salutation, salutation to that Vāṇī! She who is the very presiding presence in the visarga and bindu marks [of written Sanskrit] —

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Verse 7

तदधिष्ठात्री या देवी तस्यै वाण्यै नमो नमः ।
व्याख्यास्वरूपा सा देवी व्याख्याधिष्ठातृरूपिणी ॥ 6 ॥

tadadhiṣṭhātrī yā dēvī tasyai vāṇyai namō namaḥ ।
vyākhyāsvarūpā sā dēvī vyākhyādhiṣṭhātṛrūpiṇī ॥ 6 ॥

[Verse 6:] Salutation, salutation to that Vāṇī who is the presiding Goddess there! That Goddess who is the very form of commentary — who takes the form of the presiding deity of all explanation —

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Verse 8

यया विना प्रसङ्ख्यावान् सङ्ख्यां कर्तुं न शक्यते ।
कालसङ्ख्या स्वरूपा या तस्यै देव्यै नमो नमः ॥ 7 ॥

yayā vinā prasaṅkhyāvān saṅkhyāṃ kartuṃ na śakyatē ।
kālasaṅkhyā svarūpā yā tasyai dēvyai namō namaḥ ॥ 7 ॥

[Verse 7:] She without whom even the most learned mathematician cannot calculate — she who is the very form of temporal reckoning — salutation, salutation to that Goddess!

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Verse 9

भ्रम सिद्धान्तरूपा या तस्यै देव्यै नमो नमः ।
स्मृतिशक्ति ज्ञानशक्ति बुद्धिशक्ति स्वरूपिणी ॥ 8 ॥

bhrama siddhāntarūpā yā tasyai dēvyai namō namaḥ ।
smṛtiśakti jñānaśakti buddhiśakti svarūpiṇī ॥ 8 ॥

[Verse 8:] She who is the very form of the resolution of misconceptions — salutation, salutation to that Goddess! She who embodies the powers of memory, knowledge, and intellect —

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Verse 10

प्रतिभाकल्पनाशक्तिर्‌-या च तस्यै नमोनमः ।
सनत्कुमारो ब्रह्माणं ज्ञानं पप्रच्छ यत्र वै ॥ 9 ॥

pratibhākalpanāśaktir‌-yā cha tasyai namōnamaḥ ।
sanatkumārō brahmāṇaṃ jñānaṃ paprachCha yatra vai ॥ 9 ॥

[Verse 9:] And she who is the power of creative imagination — salutation, salutation to her! [Illustrative story:] When Sanatkumāra once asked Brahmā about knowledge —

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Verse 11

बभूव मूकवत्सोस्पि सिद्धान्तं कर्तु मक्षमः ।
तदाष्जगाम भगवा-नात्मा श्रीकृष्ण ईश्वरः ॥ 10 ॥

babhūva mūkavatsōspi siddhāntaṃ kartu makṣamaḥ ।
tadāṣjagāma bhagavā-nātmā śrīkṛṣṇa īśvaraḥ ॥ 10 ॥

[Verse 10:] [Brahmā] became like a mute, incapable of resolving the matter. Then the Lord Himself — Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Self — came there.

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Verse 12

उवाच स च तां स्तौहि वाणी मिष्टां प्रजापते ।
स च तुष्टाव तां ब्रह्मा चाज्ञया परमात्मनः ॥ 11 ॥

uvācha sa cha tāṃ stauhi vāṇī miṣṭāṃ prajāpatē ।
sa cha tuṣṭāva tāṃ brahmā chājñayā paramātmanaḥ ॥ 11 ॥

[Verse 11:] He [Kṛṣṇa] said: "Praise that Vāṇī — the sweetest one — O Lord of Creatures!" And Brahmā praised her by the command of the Supreme Self.

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Verse 13

चकार तत्प्रसादेन तदा सिद्धान्त मुत्तमम्‌ ।
यदाप्यनन्तं पप्रच्छ ज्ञानमेकं वसुन्धरा ॥ 12 ॥

chakāra tatprasādēna tadā siddhānta muttamam‌ ।
yadāpyanantaṃ paprachCha jñānamēkaṃ vasundharā ॥ 12 ॥

[Verse 12:] By her grace, [Brahmā] then composed the excellent doctrine. [Second story:] When Ananta (the cosmic serpent) once asked the earth for a single piece of knowledge —

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Verse 14

बभूव मूकवत्सोस्पि सिद्धान्तं कर्तु मक्षमः ।
तदा तां च स तुष्टाव सन्त्रस्तः कश्यपाज्ञया ॥ 13 ॥

babhūva mūkavatsōspi siddhāntaṃ kartu makṣamaḥ ।
tadā tāṃ cha sa tuṣṭāva santrastaḥ kaśyapājñayā ॥ 13 ॥

[Verse 13:] [The earth] became like a mute, incapable of resolving the doctrine. Then, frightened, [Ananta] praised [Sarasvatī] by Kaśyapa's instruction.

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Verse 15

तत श्चकार सिद्धान्तं निर्मलं भ्रम भञ्जनम्‌ ।
व्यासः पुराणसूत्रं च पप्रच्छ वाल्मीकिं यदा ॥ 14 ॥

tata śchakāra siddhāntaṃ nirmalaṃ bhrama bhañjanam‌ ।
vyāsaḥ purāṇasūtraṃ cha paprachCha vālmīkiṃ yadā ॥ 14 ॥

[Verse 14:] Then [the earth] composed the pure, error-dispelling doctrine. [Third story:] When Vyāsa once asked Vālmīki about the Purāṇa-sūtra —

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Verse 16

मौनीभूत श्च सस्मार तामेव जगदम्बिकाम्‌ ।
तदा चकार सिद्धान्तं तद्वरेण मुनीश्वरः ॥ 15 ॥

maunībhūta ścha sasmāra tāmēva jagadambikām‌ ।
tadā chakāra siddhāntaṃ tadvarēṇa munīśvaraḥ ॥ 15 ॥

[Verse 15:] [Vālmīki] fell silent and recalled the very Mother of the World [Sarasvatī]. Then by her boon, the foremost of sages composed the doctrine.

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Verse 17

सम्प्राप्य निर्मलं ज्ञानं भ्रमान्ध्य ध्वंसदीपकम्‌ ।
पुराणसूत्रं श्रुत्वा च व्यासः कृष्णकलोद्भवः ॥ 16 ॥

samprāpya nirmalaṃ jñānaṃ bhramāndhya dhvaṃsadīpakam‌ ।
purāṇasūtraṃ śrutvā cha vyāsaḥ kṛṣṇakalōdbhavaḥ ॥ 16 ॥

[Verse 16:] Receiving the pure knowledge — the lamp that dispels the blindness of confusion — and hearing the Purāṇa-sūtra, Vyāsa, born of a fraction of Kṛṣṇa —

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Verse 18

तां शिवां वेद दध्यौ च शतवर्षं च पुष्करे ।
तदा त्वत्तो वरं प्राप्य सत्कवीन्द्रो बभूव ह ॥ 17 ॥

tāṃ śivāṃ vēda dadhyau cha śatavarṣaṃ cha puṣkarē ।
tadā tvattō varaṃ prāpya satkavīndrō babhūva ha ॥ 17 ॥

[Verse 17:] Knew that auspicious Goddess; meditated on her for a hundred years at Puṣkara [lake]. Then having received a boon from you, he became the foremost among good poets.

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Verse 19

तदा वेदविभागं च पुराणं च चकार सः ।
यदा महेन्द्रः पप्रच्छ तत्त्वज्ञानं सदाशिवम्‌ ॥ 18 ॥

tadā vēdavibhāgaṃ cha purāṇaṃ cha chakāra saḥ ।
yadā mahēndraḥ paprachCha tattvajñānaṃ sadāśivam‌ ॥ 18 ॥

[Verse 18:] Then [Vyāsa] composed the division of the Vedas and the Purāṇas. [Fourth story:] When Mahēndra (Indra) once asked Sadāśiva for the knowledge of truth —

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Verse 20

क्षणं तामेव सञ्चिन्त्य तस्मै ज्ञानं ददौ विभुः ।
पप्रच्छ शब्दशास्त्रं च महेन्द्र श्च बृहस्पतिम्‌ ॥ 19 ॥

kṣaṇaṃ tāmēva sañchintya tasmai jñānaṃ dadau vibhuḥ ।
paprachCha śabdaśāstraṃ cha mahēndra ścha bṛhaspatim‌ ॥ 19 ॥

[Verse 19:] [Sadāśiva] recalled that Goddess for a moment and then gave [Indra] the knowledge. And when Mahēndra asked Bṛhaspati about śabda-śāstra (grammar/linguistics) —

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Verse 21

दिव्य वर्ष सहस्रं च स त्वां दध्यौ च पुष्करे ।
तदा त्वत्तो वरं प्राप्य दिव्यवर्षसहस्रकम्‌ ॥ 20 ॥

divya varṣa sahasraṃ cha sa tvāṃ dadhyau cha puṣkarē ।
tadā tvattō varaṃ prāpya divyavarṣasahasrakam‌ ॥ 20 ॥

[Verse 20:] [Bṛhaspati] meditated on you for a thousand divine years at Puṣkara. Then having received a boon from you [for a thousand divine years] —

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Verse 22

उवाच शब्द शास्त्रं च तदर्थं च सुरेश्वरम्‌ ।
अध्यापिताश्च ये शिष्या यैरधीतं मुनीश्वरैः ॥ 21 ॥

uvācha śabda śāstraṃ cha tadarthaṃ cha surēśvaram‌ ।
adhyāpitāścha yē śiṣyā yairadhītaṃ munīśvaraiḥ ॥ 21 ॥

[Verse 21:] He taught the śabda-śāstra and its meaning to the lord of gods [Indra]. And the disciples who were taught by him, and by whom the great sages learned —

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Verse 23

ते च तां परिसञ्चित्य प्रवर्तन्ते सुरेश्वरीम्‌ ।
त्वं संस्तुता पूजिता च मुनीन्द्रै र्मनु मानवैः ॥ 22 ॥

tē cha tāṃ parisañchitya pravartantē surēśvarīm‌ ।
tvaṃ saṃstutā pūjitā cha munīndrai rmanu mānavaiḥ ॥ 22 ॥

[Verse 22:] All of them, meditating on that Goddess, proceed in their work. O Surēśvarī — you are praised and worshipped by the great sages, by Manu, and by all humanity.

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Verse 24

दैत्येन्द्रै श्च सुरैश्चापि ब्रह्म विष्णुशिवादिभिः ।
जडीभूत स्सहस्रास्यः पञ्चवक्त्र श्चतुर्मुखः ॥ 23 ॥

daityēndrai ścha suraiśchāpi brahma viṣṇuśivādibhiḥ ।
jaḍībhūta ssahasrāsyaḥ pañchavaktra śchaturmukhaḥ ॥ 23 ॥

[Verse 23:] And by the lords of demons, by the gods, by Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva, and others; [before you] even the thousand-mouthed Ananta, the five-faced Śiva, and the four-faced Brahmā become speechless —

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Verse 25

यां स्तोतुं कि महं स्तौमि तामेकास्येन मानवः ।
इत्युक्त्वा याज्ञवल्क्य श्च भक्तिनम्रात्म कन्धरः ॥ 24 ॥

yāṃ stōtuṃ ki mahaṃ staumi tāmēkāsyēna mānavaḥ ।
ityuktvā yājñavalkya ścha bhaktinamrātma kandharaḥ ॥ 24 ॥

[Verse 24:] How can I — a single-mouthed human — praise her whom even these cannot praise? Having said this, Yājñavalkya, with his neck bowed in devotion —

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Verse 26

प्रणनाम निराहारो रुरोद च मुहुर्मुहुः ।
ज्योतीरूपा महामाया तेन दृष्टा7प्युवाच तम्‌ ॥ 25 ॥

praṇanāma nirāhārō rurōda cha muhurmuhuḥ ।
jyōtīrūpā mahāmāyā tēna dṛṣṭā7pyuvācha tam‌ ॥ 25 ॥

[Verse 25:] Bowed down in prostration, fasting, he wept again and again. The Great Māyā of the form of light, seen by him, spoke to him:

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Verse 27

सुकवीन्द्रो भवेत्युक्त्वा वैकुण्ठं च जगाम ह ।
याज्ञवल्क्य कृतं वाणी स्तोत्रमेतत्तु यः पठेत्‌ ॥ 26 ॥

sukavīndrō bhavētyuktvā vaikuṇṭhaṃ cha jagāma ha ।
yājñavalkya kṛtaṃ vāṇī stōtramētattu yaḥ paṭhēt‌ ॥ 26 ॥

[Verse 26 — Sarasvatī speaks; phalaśruti begins:] "You will become the foremost among good poets!" — having said this, she went to Vaikuṇṭha. Whoever reads this Vāṇī stotram composed by Yājñavalkya —

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Verse 28

स कवीन्द्रो महावाग्मी बृहस्पतिसमो भवेत्‌ ।
महा मूर्खश्च दुर्बुद्धिर्‌-वर्षमेकं यदा पठेत्‌ ।
स पण्डितश्च मेधावी सुकवीन्द्रो भवेद्ध्रुवम्‌ ॥ 27 ॥

sa kavīndrō mahāvāgmī bṛhaspatisamō bhavēt‌ ।
mahā mūrkhaścha durbuddhir‌-varṣamēkaṃ yadā paṭhēt‌ ।
sa paṇḍitaścha mēdhāvī sukavīndrō bhavēddhruvam‌ ॥ 27 ॥

[Phalaśruti:] Will become the foremost poet, a great orator, equal to Bṛhaspati. Even a great fool of poor understanding, if they read for one year — will certainly become a scholar, mentally sharp, and the foremost among good poets.

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Verse 29

इति श्री देवी भागवते महापुराणे नवमस्कन्धे
सरस्वतीस्तवं नाम पञ्चमोध्यायः ।
सरस्वती कटाक्ष सिद्धिरस्तु ।

iti śrī dēvī bhāgavatē mahāpurāṇē navamaskandhē
sarasvatīstavaṃ nāma pañchamōdhyāyaḥ ।
sarasvatī kaṭākṣa siddhirastu ।

Thus ends the fifth chapter named "Sarasvatī-stava" in the ninth skandha of the Śrī Devī Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa. May the grace-glance of Sarasvatī be [ours].

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Verse 30

इदं मयाकृतं पारायणं
श्रीसद्गुरु चरणारविन्दार्पणमस्तु ।

idaṃ mayākṛtaṃ pārāyaṇaṃ
śrīsadguru charaṇāravindārpaṇamastu ।

May this pārāyaṇa (recitation/reading) performed by me be offered at the lotus feet of the holy sadguru.