Saraswati Stotram (Ya Kundendu Tushara...)

या कुन्देन्दु-तुषारहार-धवलाया शुभ्र-वस्त्रावृता

Yā kundendu-tuṣārahāra-dhavalāyā śubhra-vastrāvṛtā

She who is white as jasmine, as the moon, as a garland of frost, wrapped in bright white cloth,

या वीणावरदण्डमण्डितकराया श्वेतपद्मासना

Yā vīṇāvaradaṇḍamaṇḍitakarāyā śvetapadmāsanā

whose hand is graced by the fine neck of the veena, who is seated on a white lotus,

या ब्रह्माच्युत-शङ्कर-प्रभृतिभिर्देवैःसदा पूजिता

Yā brahmācyuta-śaṅkara-prabhṛtibhirdevaiḥsadā pūjitā

who is ever worshipped by Brahma, Achyuta, Shankara and the other gods,

सा मां पातु सरस्वती भगवतीनिःशेषजाड्यापहा

Sā māṃ pātu sarasvatī bhagavatīniḥśeṣajāḍyāpahā

may she, Bhagavati Saraswati, who takes away dullness without remainder, protect me.

दोर्भिर्युक्ता चतुर्भिःस्फटिकमणिमयीमक्षमालां दधाना

Dorbhiryuktā caturbhiḥsphaṭikamaṇimayīmakṣamālāṃ dadhānā

endowed with four arms, holding a rosary of crystal beads,

हस्तेनैकेन पद्मं सितमपिच शुकं पुस्तकं चापरेण

Hastenaikena padmaṃ sitamapica śukaṃ pustakaṃ cāpareṇa

in one hand a white lotus, and in the others a parrot and a book,

भासा कुन्देन्दु-शङ्खस्फटिकमणिनिभाभासमानाऽसमाना

Bhāsā kundendu-śaṅkhasphaṭikamaṇinibhābhāsamānā'samānā

shining with a radiance like jasmine, moon, conch and crystal, she who has no equal,

सा मे वाग्देवतेयं निवसतुवदने सर्वदा सुप्रसन्ना

Sā me vāgdevateyaṃ nivasatuvadane sarvadā suprasannā

may this goddess of speech dwell in my mouth always, well pleased.

आशासु राशी भवदंगवल्लि भासैवदासीकृत-दुग्धसिन्धुम्

Āśāsu rāśī bhavadaṃgavalli bhāsaivadāsīkṛta-dugdhasindhum

Your body, a slender vine whose radiance spreading in every direction has made a handmaid of the ocean of milk,

मन्दस्मितैर्निन्दित-शारदेन्दुंवन्देऽरविन्दासन-सुन्दरि त्वाम्

Mandasmitairnindita-śāradenduṃvande'ravindāsana-sundari tvām

whose gentle smiles put the autumn moon to shame: I bow to You, beauty seated on the lotus.

शारदा शारदाम्बोजवदना वदनाम्बुजे

Śāradā śāradāmbojavadanā vadanāmbuje

May Sharada, whose face is the autumn lotus, in the lotus that is our face

सर्वदा सर्वदास्माकं सन्निधिं सन्निधिं क्रियात्

Sarvadā sarvadāsmākaṃ sannidhiṃ sannidhiṃ kriyāt

always make her nearness, she who is the giver of all.

सरस्वतीं च तां नौमि वागधिष्ठातृ-देवताम्

Sarasvatīṃ ca tāṃ naumi vāgadhiṣṭhātṛ-devatām

And I bow to that Saraswati, the deity who presides over speech,

देवत्वं प्रतिपद्यन्ते यदनुग्रहतो जनाः

Devatvaṃ pratipadyante yadanugrahato janāḥ

by whose grace people come to be gods.

पातु नो निकषग्रावा मतिहेम्नः सरस्वती

Pātu no nikaṣagrāvā matihemnaḥ sarasvatī

May Saraswati protect us, she who is the touchstone for the gold of the mind,

प्राज्ञेतरपरिच्छेदं वचसैव करोति या

Prājñetaraparicchedaṃ vacasaiva karoti yā

who by speech alone tells the wise apart from the rest.

शुद्धां ब्रह्मविचारसारपरमा-माद्यां जगद्व्यापिनीं

Śuddhāṃ brahmavicārasāraparamā-mādyāṃ jagadvyāpinīṃ

the pure one, supreme in the essence of enquiry into Brahman, the first, pervading the world,

वीणापुस्तकधारिणीमभयदां जाड्यान्धकारापहाम्

Vīṇāpustakadhāriṇīmabhayadāṃ jāḍyāndhakārāpahām

bearing veena and book, giver of fearlessness, remover of the darkness of dullness,

हस्ते स्पाटिकमालिकां विदधतीं पद्मासने संस्थितां

Haste spāṭikamālikāṃ vidadhatīṃ padmāsane saṃsthitāṃ

holding a crystal rosary in her hand, seated upon the lotus,

वन्दे तां परमेश्वरीं भगवतीं बुद्धिप्रदां शारदाम्

Vande tāṃ parameśvarīṃ bhagavatīṃ buddhipradāṃ śāradām

I bow to that supreme sovereign, Bhagavati, giver of understanding, Sharada.

वीणाधरे विपुलमंगलदानशीले

Vīṇādhare vipulamaṃgaladānaśīle

O bearer of the veena, whose nature is to grant blessing in abundance,

भक्तार्तिनाशिनि विरिंचिहरीशवन्द्ये

Bhaktārtināśini viriṃciharīśavandye

destroyer of Your devotees' distress, revered by Virinchi, Hari and Isha,

कीर्तिप्रदेऽखिलमनोरथदे महार्हे

Kīrtiprade'khilamanorathade mahārhe

giver of renown, giver of every wish of the heart, most worthy of honour,

विद्याप्रदायिनि सरस्वति नौमि नित्यम्

Vidyāpradāyini sarasvati naumi nityam

giver of learning, Saraswati, I bow to You always.

श्वेताब्जपूर्ण-विमलासन-संस्थिते हे

Śvetābjapūrṇa-vimalāsana-saṃsthite he

O You seated on a spotless seat heaped with white lotuses,

श्वेताम्बरावृतमनोहरमंजुगात्रे

Śvetāmbarāvṛtamanoharamaṃjugātre

with graceful limbs of lovely form, wrapped in white cloth,

उद्यन्मनोज्ञ-सितपंकजमंजुलास्ये

Udyanmanojña-sitapaṃkajamaṃjulāsye

whose face is charming as a white lotus just opening,

विद्याप्रदायिनि सरस्वति नौमि नित्यम्

Vidyāpradāyini sarasvati naumi nityam

giver of learning, Saraswati, I bow to You always.

मातस्त्वदीय-पदपंकज-भक्तियुक्ता

Mātastvadīya-padapaṃkaja-bhaktiyuktā

Mother, those who are joined in devotion to Your lotus feet,

ये त्वां भजन्ति निखिलानपरान्विहाय

Ye tvāṃ bhajanti nikhilānaparānvihāya

who worship You and leave all others aside,

ते निर्जरत्वमिह यान्ति कलेवरेण

Te nirjaratvamiha yānti kalevareṇa

they reach the state of the ageless gods here and now, with this very body

भूवह्नि-वायु-गगनाम्बु-विनिर्मितेन

Bhūvahni-vāyu-gaganāmbu-vinirmitena

which is made of earth, fire, air, sky and water.

मोहान्धकार-भरिते हृदये मदीये

Mohāndhakāra-bharite hṛdaye madīye

In my heart, which is filled with the darkness of delusion,

मातः सदैव कुरु वासमुदारभावे

Mātaḥ sadaiva kuru vāsamudārabhāve

Mother of generous nature, make Your dwelling for ever,

स्वीयाखिलावयव-निर्मलसुप्रभाभिः

Svīyākhilāvayava-nirmalasuprabhābhiḥ

and with the pure bright radiance of all Your own limbs

शीघ्रं विनाशय मनोगतमन्धकारम्

Śīghraṃ vināśaya manogatamandhakāram

swiftly destroy the darkness that lies in my mind.

ब्रह्मा जगत् सृजति पालयतीन्दिरेशः

Brahmā jagat sṛjati pālayatīndireśaḥ

Brahma creates the world, the lord of Indira preserves it,

शम्भुर्विनाशयति देवि तव प्रभावैः

Śambhurvināśayati devi tava prabhāvaiḥ

and Shambhu destroys it, Devi, all by Your powers.

न स्यात्कृपा यदि तव प्रकटप्रभावे

Na syātkṛpā yadi tava prakaṭaprabhāve

If Your grace were not there, O You of manifest power,

न स्युः कथंचिदपि ते निजकार्यदक्षाः

Na syuḥ kathaṃcidapi te nijakāryadakṣāḥ

they could in no way be equal to their own tasks.

लक्ष्मिर्मेधा धरा पुष्टिर्गौरी तृष्टिः प्रभा धृतिः

Lakṣmirmedhā dharā puṣṭirgaurī tṛṣṭiḥ prabhā dhṛtiḥ

Lakshmi, Medha, Dhara, Pushti, Gauri, Tushti, Prabha, Dhriti:

एताभिः पाहि तनुभिरष्टभिर्मां सरस्वती

Etābhiḥ pāhi tanubhiraṣṭabhirmāṃ sarasvatī

with these eight bodies, Saraswati, protect me.

सरसवत्यै नमो नित्यं भद्रकाल्यै नमो नमः

Sarasavatyai namo nityaṃ bhadrakālyai namo namaḥ

To Saraswati salutation always, to Bhadrakali salutation again and again,

वेद-वेदान्त-वेदांग-विद्यास्थानेभ्य एव च

Veda-vedānta-vedāṃga-vidyāsthānebhya eva ca

and to the Veda, to Vedanta, to the Vedangas and to the seats of learning.

सरस्वति महाभागे विद्ये कमललोचने

Sarasvati mahābhāge vidye kamalalocane

Saraswati, greatly blessed, O Learning itself, lotus-eyed,

विद्यारूपे विशालाक्षि विद्यां देहि नमोस्तु ते

Vidyārūpe viśālākṣi vidyāṃ dehi namostu te

whose very form is learning, wide-eyed one, grant me learning: salutation to You.

यदक्षर-पदभ्रष्टं मात्राहीनं च यद्भवेत्

Yadakṣara-padabhraṣṭaṃ mātrāhīnaṃ ca yadbhavet

Whatever has slipped in letter or in word, and whatever lacks its proper measure,

तत्सर्वं क्षम्यतां देवि प्रसीद परमेश्वरि

Tatsarvaṃ kṣamyatāṃ devi prasīda parameśvari

let all of that be forgiven, Devi; be gracious, supreme sovereign.