श्रीललिताष्टकम्
Śrī Lalitāṣṭakam
Eight verses in praise of Śrī Lalitā Devī
By Śrīmad Rūpa Gosvāmīpāda
श्रीललितायै नमः ।
śrī-lalitāyai namaḥ |
Obeisance unto Śrī Lalitā.
राधामुकुन्दपदसम्भवघर्मबिन्दु-
निर्मञ्छनोपकरणीकृतदेहलक्षाम् ।
उत्तुङ्गसौहृदविशेषवशात्प्रगल्भां
देवीं गुणैः सुललितां ललितां नमामि ॥१॥
rādhā-mukunda-pada-sambhava-gharma-bindu-
nirmañchanopakaraṇī-kṛta-deha-lakṣām |
uttuṅga-sauhṛda-viśeṣa-vaśāt pragalbhāṁ
devīṁ guṇaiḥ sulalitāṁ lalitāṁ namāmi ||1||
I offer obeisance unto Lalitā Devī,
She who is most charming by virtue of her qualities,
She who is bold by force of her special, highly exalted affection,
She by whom as though a lakh of bodies are made instruments
For wiping away drops of sweat
That have arisen on the feet on Rādhā and Mukunda.
Commentary: Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda writes a verse of his own to begin his commentary on this Lalitāṣṭakam:
naumi śrī-lalitāṁ devīṁ lalitāṁ guṇa-rāśibhiḥ |
rādhikā-mādhavau yasyā bhavetām āśrayau sadā ||
“I offer obeisance unto Śrī Lalitā Devī, charming by virture of her multitudes of qualities, whose shelter shall always be Rādhikā and Mādhava.”
He further comments that “her special, highly exalted affection” (uttuṅga-sauhṛda-viśeṣa) refers to a form of sakhya-bhāva mixed with madīyatva, that is, the sense that one’s object of love is “mine,” meaning, most dear and cared for as oneself (madīyatva-miśraḥ sakhya-bhāvaḥ). Śrī Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda explains “She by whom as though a lakh of bodies are made instruments …” (upakaraṇī-kṛta-deha-lakṣām) to mean, “[She by whom as though] A lakh of bodies are engaged in removing drops of perspiration from their feet” (tac-chrama-vāri-kaṇāpanayana-niyukta-śarīra-lakṣām ity arthaḥ). The author’s intention here is likely to convey that Lalitā Devī finely attunes to the thoughts and feelings of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa and engages in all varieties of minute service to them with such intensity that it is as though she does so with a lakh of bodies. The intent is thus to convey the extensiveness and attentiveness of her service as well as the superlative intensity with which she renders it, all of which are inspired by the desires that arises in her heart by force of her “special, highly exalted affection.” The author has elsewhere similarly described how intense desire to render service inspires desire for innumerable means of doing so:
tuṇḍe tāṇḍavinī ratiṁ vitanute tuṇḍāvalī-labdhaye
karṇa-kroḍa-kaḍambinī ghaṭayate karṇārbudebhyaḥ spṛhām | …
no jāne janitā kiyadbhir amṛtaiḥ kṛṣṇeti varṇa-dvayī ||
(Vidagdha-mādhava: 1.33)
[Paurṇamāsī to Nāndīmukhi:] “When they dance in my mouth, they increase my yearning to obtain numerous mouths. When they sprout in the hollows of my ears, they produce the desire for lakhs of ears. … I do not know with how much nectar the two syllables ‘Kṛṣ-ṇa’ have manifest.”
Alternately, “She by whom as though a lakh of bodies are made instruments …” (upakaraṇī-kṛta-deha-lakṣām) may also be intended to describe that it is as though Lalitā engages innumerable other gopīs in all varieties of service to Rādhā and Mukunda, since she is known to be the leader among all the sakhīs in the party of Śrī Rādhikā.
राकासुधाकिरणमण्डलकान्तिदण्डि-
वक्त्रश्रियं चकितचारुचमूरुनेत्राम् ।
राधाप्रसाधनविधानकलाप्रसिद्धां
देवीं गुणैः सुललितां ललितां नमामि ॥२॥
rākā-sudhā-kiraṇa-maṇḍala-kānti-daṇḍi-
vaktra-śriyaṁ cakita-cāru-camūru-netrām |
rādhā-prasādhana-vidhāna-kalā-prasiddhāṁ
devīṁ guṇaiḥ sulalitāṁ lalitāṁ namāmi ||2||
I offer obeisance unto Lalitā Devī,
She who is most charming by virtue of her qualities,
She the beauty of whose face
Subdues the brilliance of the halo
Made by the nectar-rays of the full moon,
She who has the eyes of a lovely, timid doe,
She who is renowned for her artistry in decorating Rādhā.
लास्योल्लसद्भुजगशत्रुपतत्रचित्र
पट्टांशुकाभरणकञ्चुलिकाञ्चिताङ्गीम् ।
गोरोचनारुचिविगर्हणगौरिमाणं
देवीं गुणैः सुललितां ललितां नमामि ॥३॥
lāsyollasad-bhujaga-śatru-patatra-citra-
paṭṭāṁśukābharaṇa-kañculikāñcitāṅgīm |
gorocanā-ruci-vigarhaṇa-gaurimāṇaṁ
devīṁ guṇaiḥ sulalitāṁ lalitāṁ namāmi ||3||
I offer obeisance unto Lalitā Devī,
She who is most charming by virtue of her qualities,
She whose figure is adorned
With a bodice, ornaments, and silk cloth
Brilliant like the feathers of a peacock dancing with joy,
She whose golden complexion
Reproaches the lustre of gorocanā.
धूर्ते व्रजेन्द्रतनये तनु सुष्ठुवाम्यं
मा दक्षिणा भाव कलङ्किनि लाघवाय ।
राधे गिरं शृणु हितामिति शिक्षयन्तीं
देवीं गुणैः सुललितां ललितां नमामि ॥४॥
dhūrte vrajendra-tanaye tanu suṣṭhu-vāmyaṁ
mā dakṣiṇā bhāva kalaṅkini lāghavāya |
rādhe giraṁ śṛṇu hitām iti śikṣayantīṁ
devīṁ guṇaiḥ sulalitāṁ lalitāṁ namāmi ||4||
I offer obeisance unto Lalitā Devī,
She who is most charming by virtue of her qualities,
She who instructs [Rādhā] thus,
“Show complete obstinacy
To the cunning Prince of Vraja!
Do not be compliant
To the point of indignation,
O Kalaṅkini (O defamed one)!
O Rādhe!
Listen to my advice.”
Commentary: Śrī Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda summarizes Lalitā Devī’s advice to Rādhā as follows, “Do not be straight-forward. Act crookedly. Your compliance will lead to indignation” (sāralyaṁ na kuru … vakrimāṇaṁ tanu … dākṣiṇyaṁ te lāghavāya bhavet).
राधामभि व्रजपतेः कृतमात्मजेन
कूटं मनागपि विलोक्य विलोहिताक्षीम् ।
वाग्भङ्गिभिस्तमचिरेण विलज्जयन्तीं
देवीं गुणैः सुललितां ललितां नमामि ॥५॥
rādhām abhi vraja-pateḥ kṛtam ātmajena
kūṭaṁ manāg api vilokya vilohitākṣīm |
vāg-bhaṅgibhis tam acireṇa vilajjayantīṁ
devīṁ guṇaiḥ sulalitāṁ lalitāṁ namāmi ||5||
I offer obeisance unto Lalitā Devī,
She who is most charming by virtue of her qualities,
She who has red eyes
Upon seeing even a slight deception
Presented to Rādhā
By the Prince of Vraja,
And immediately shames him
With sarcastic words.
Commentary: Śrī Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda comments that Śrī Lalitā Devī having red eyes indicates she is angered (lohitākṣīm aruṇa-netrām kupitām ity arthaḥ). He also gives an example of the sarcastic words she speaks to Kṛṣṇa, “You are a speaker of truth, straight-forward, and a most pure lover.”
वात्सल्यवृन्दवसतिं पशुपालराज्ञ्याः
सख्यानुशिक्षणकलासु गुरुं सखीनाम् ।
राधाबलावरजजीवितनिर्विशेषां
देवीं गुणैः सुललितां ललितां नमामि ॥६॥
vātsalya-vṛnda-vasatiṁ paśupāla-rājñyāḥ
sakhyānuśikṣaṇa-kalāsu guruṁ sakhīnām |
rādhā-balāvaraja-jīvita-nirviśeṣāṁ
devīṁ guṇaiḥ sulalitāṁ lalitāṁ namāmi ||6||
I offer obeisance unto Lalitā Devī,
She who is most charming by virtue of her qualities,
She who is an abode of the affections
Of the queen of the cowherds,
She who is the guru of the sakhīs
In the arts and the teaching of friendship,
She whose very life is Rādhā and Bala’s younger Brother.
Commentary: Śrī Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda comments that “the queen of the cowherds” (paśupāla-rājñyāḥ) refers to Śrī Yaśodā, “Bala’s younger Brother” (Balāvaraja) refers to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and Rādhā-Balāvaraja-jīvita-nirviśeṣāṁ, “She whose very life is Rādhā and Bala’s younger Brother,” also alternately connotes, “She who is the very life of Rādhā and Śrī Kṛṣṇa” (tayor jīvita-nirviśeṣām iti vā).
यां कामपि व्रजकुले वृषभानुजायाः
प्रेक्ष्य स्वपक्षपदवीमनुरुद्ध्यमानाम् ।
सद्यस्तदिष्टघटनेन कृतार्थयन्तीं
देवीं गुणैः सुललितां ललितां नमामि ॥७॥
yāṁ kām api vraja-kule vṛṣabhānujāyāḥ
prekṣya sva-pakṣa-padavīm anuruddhyamānām |
sadyas tad-iṣṭa-ghaṭanena kṛtārthayantīṁ
devīṁ guṇaiḥ sulalitāṁ lalitāṁ namāmi ||7||
I offer obeisance unto Lalitā Devī,
She who is most charming by virtue of her qualities,
She who upon seeing anyone [i.e., any young lady] in the abode of Vraja
Who is submissive to the way
Of the Daughter of Vṛṣabhānu’s own party
Immediately makes her successful
By bringing about her desired ends.
Commentary: Śrī Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda comments that “makes [her] successful” (kṛtārthayantīṁ) means Lalitā Devī makes the desires of any young lady (yuvatiṁ) favorable to the party of Śrī Rādhikā fulfilled (pūrṇābhīṣṭhāṁ kurvatīm).
राधाव्रजेन्द्रसुतसङ्गमरङ्गचर्यां
वर्यां विनिश्चितवतीमखिलोत्सवेभ्यः ।
तां गोकुलप्रियसखीनिकुरम्बमुख्यां
देवीं गुणैः सुललितां ललितां नमामि ॥८॥
rādhā-vrajendra-suta-saṅgama-raṅga-caryāṁ
varyāṁ viniścitavatīm akhilotsavebhyaḥ |
tāṁ gokula-priya-sakhī-nikuramba-mukhyāṁ
devīṁ guṇaiḥ sulalitāṁ lalitāṁ namāmi ||8||
I offer obeisance unto Lalitā Devī,
She who is most charming by virtue of her qualities,
She who has resolute certainty that acts of play
Related to Rādhā and the Prince of Vraja
Are superior to all [other] joys,
She who is the foremost
Among the multitudes of the dear sakhīs of Gokula.
Commentary: Śrī Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda comments that Lalitā Devī’s having “resolute certainty” (viniścitavatīm) that acts of play related to Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are the greatest joy means she is always intent upon performance of them (tat-siddhaye sadodyatām ity arthaḥ).
नन्दन्नमूनि ललितागुणलालितानि
पद्यानि यः पठति निर्मलदृष्टिरष्टौ ।
प्रीत्या विकर्षति जनं निजवृन्दमध्ये
तं कीर्तिदापतिकुलोज्ज्वलकल्पवल्ली ॥९॥
nandann amūni lalitā-guṇa-lālitāni
padyāni yaḥ paṭhati nirmala-dṛṣṭir aṣṭau |
prītyā vikarṣati janaṁ nija-vṛnda-madhye
taṁ kīrtidā-pati-kulojjvala-kalpa-vallī ||9||
The bright Desire-creeper of the family of Kīrtidā’s husband
Affectionately draws into her own retinue
A person of taintless vision
Who joyfully recites these eight verses
Charming by virtue of Lalitā’s qualities.
Commentary: Śrī Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda comments that “The bright Desire-creeper of the family of Kīrtidā’s husband” (Kīrtidā-pati-kulojjvala-kalpa-vallī) refers to Śrī Rādhā Devī and that her being compared to a desire-creeper suggests that she has the ability to grant one’s desired ends (kalpa-vallīty anena tad-abhīṣṭa-phala-dāna-kṣamatvaṁ vyajyate).
Meter
Vasanta-tilaka
Source
Stava-mālā editions by Śrī Purī Dāsa Mahāśaya, Śrī Rāma Nārāyaṇa Vidyāratna, and Nirṇaya Sāgara Press.