શ્યામલાદણ્ડકમ્

Dhyanam (Meditation). I constantly contemplate the daughter of Matanga, who has a beautiful body shining like sapphire, is languid with intoxication, singing melodiously and playing gracefully on the Veena set with rubies.

Oh! mother of the whole universe ! My salutations unto Thee who is endowed with four hands and lofty breasts, who holds the red sugarcane, rope, spear and flower-arrows in her hands, who has the digit of the moon for her crest-jewel and whose body is red with saffron.

Prayer - May the auspicious Mother, the daughter of Matanga, dark-green like emerald, bright with intoxication, residing in the forest of Kadamba trees, favour me with her side-glances.

Oh! the daughter of Matanga! victory to Thee who delights in music and loves the play-parrot and whose complexion is equal to the hue of the blue-lotus.

Dandaka Oh! Mother! the beloved of Shiva and dear to all, Victory to thee, who is fond of residing in the thicket of Kalpaka-like Kadamba trees in the midst of the Bilva-forest grown in the charming gem-island (situated) in the centre of the nectar-ocean;

Oh! the revered daughter of the mountain showering the nectar of speech, possessed of a neck adorned with the garland of Neepa flowers shaken by the nod of the head while appreciating the music commenced with devotion; beautified by the dark glossy forelocks brightened by the rays of the moon adorning the head and endowed with eyes appearing as if they were the flowers of the creeper of eye-brows charming like the bow of Cupid ;

Oh Lakshmi! the most beautiful and lustrous, charming with the ornamental tilaka marked by the beautiful yellow pigment, and singing in a sweet voice accompanied by the tune of Veena heightened by the hum of bees attracted by the fragrance of the ornamental designs drawn with Kasturi over the cheeks, the beauty of which is enhanced by the rays of the moon-like row of pearls of the ear-ornament (Vali) ;

Oh! Shyamala, the spotless one who fulfills bestows wealth, who is the desires of all and honoured by the Siddhas and is adorned with a beautiful palm-leaf (Gold-plate) ear ornament tossed (by the motion of the head) while playing on Veena. Whose tremulous eyes, shining more on account of the sportive movements resulting from the intoxication caused by the celestial wine, have vanquished the splendour of the blue lotus kept over the ear;

Oh! Kali! appearing in the form of all Mantras (Vedas and charms) and beautified by the pearl nose-screw which shines as if it were the flow of beauty of the fore-head covered with drops of perspiration;

Oh! the giver of beauty and all kinds of prosperity, possessed, of shining lotus-like hands bearing the sign of knowledge (jnanamudra) and charming with a smiling face shining with betel leaves, nuts and Karpura (in the mouth);

Oh! the holder of a beautiful Veena, endowed with a lower lip red like the Bimba fruit and beautified by a smile accompanied by the waves of pure lustre issuing from the beautiful row of teeth, white like Jasmine buds;

Oh! the auspicious lady of graceful gait and an abode of fine arts, having a neck resembling the conch born of the milk-ocean of beauty agitated at the rise of the moon of charming fresh youth, the beauty of whose faultless limbs is enhanced by the necklace and other ornaments set with glittering gems, whose creeperlike arms shine with sprouts of rays of the gem-set bracelet, who is adorned with bangles shining with the lustre of rubies spreading in all directions, who is worshipped by Yogins and honoured by the wise, and who is graced by sportive actions.

Oh! the matchless and ever-compassionate lady, whose pair of hands vie with the lotus blossoming at day-break, who is respected by Indra, who shines with the brilliance of earrings, and is surrounded by the halo of knowledge and the lustre of moon-like nails rising from the fingers which shine like the evening twilight by the rays of the precious gems of the ring;

Oh! the giver of wealth to the devotees and the bearer of Veena in the hand, who is prostrated by the three worlds and is bending by the weight of lofty breasts charming like golden pots, who is endowed with an ocean of beauty exhibiting its form by the moving waves of the three folds (visible) on the creeper-like waist bending by the weight of the broad and fascinating breasts smiling (as it were) with the pearl-necklace glittering like a row of stars, who is beautified by the thin line of dark hairs (lomaraji) which produce the impression of the moss on the shore of the tank of the beautiful, deep, and circular navel and who speaks pleasingly ;

Oh! the wearer of a gem-set garment who is refreshing like the moonlight, who has vanquished the famous twang of Manmatha's bow by the sweet jingling noise of the girdle, and has conquered the golden peak (of Sumeru) by the splendour of the hips shining with the girdle set with rubies;

Oh! the spotless and bright Shyamala of unchallenged prowess; who walks gracefully, who has vanquished the sturdy trunk of Indra's elephant rendered red with sindura, by the beauty of the fascinating thighs dressed with superior silk red like Palasa flowers, whose beautiful shanks look as though they are the quivers of Cupid made of soft blue lotuses, and who is bright with the nails shining like the moon which is free from the spot of deer that has gone (as it were) with the impression, of Durva grass caused by the mass of blue lustre of the tresses of the wives of the guardians of the extremities (Dikpalakas) who prostrate (at Thy feet);

Oh! Uma! bearing a beautiful lotus,-May Thou rule supreme-whose lotus-like feet have assumed the splendour of youth by the red lac dye brightened like the rays of the morning sun when rubbed by the rubies on the crowns of Indra, Vishnu, Shiva, Varuna, Brahma, Yama, Niruriti, Kubera, Vayu and Agni, who have prostrated at Thy feet.

Oh! the reputed goddess, firmly seated on the red lotus over a gem-set throne placed on an attractive platform set with nine gems, is resorted to by (the treasures) Shankha and Padma, who is attended by Vighneswara, Durga, Vatukabhairava and Kshetrapalas, who is surrounded by a group of intoxicated matanga damsels and the eight Bhairavas, who is worshiped by celestial damsels like Manjula, Menaka etc., and is served by Vama and other Shaktis (powers);

Oh! mother who has assumed the form of Manmatha, who is possessed of the eight powers of Lakshmi, and who is adored by the group of seven mothers, worshipped by the ladies of Yakshas, Gandharvas and Siddhas, honoured by Cupid and (his wife) Rati and pleased by the happy spring;

Thou conferest prosperity to the devotees, shinest in the minds of Yogins and appearest in the Vedic hymns (Mantras) to make them powerful;

Thou art worshipped by Krishna who craves the pleasure of music, praised by Brahma with a devoted mind and sung by the Vidyadharas in their musical instruments which delight the whole world;

The Kinnaras sing Thy glory accompanied by Veena whose tune is pleasing to the ears;

Thou art adored by the women of Yakshas, Gandharvas and Siddhas and art propitiated by celestial women desirous of obtaining all (kinds of) happiness.

Thou playest fondling that parrot which is the embodiment of all learnings, which recites beautiful verses, and is possessed of three beautiful lines round the neck, a pair of soft, green and attractive wings and a beak which vanquishes the Palasa flower by its beauty (colour and shape).

Poetry in prose and verse come out of the mouth of those who contemplate Thy Form, holding in one pair of lotus-like hands the rosary of crystal beads and the book which contains the essence of knowledge, and in the other pair, the rope and the goad;

Men and women come under his control who contemplates Thy Form red like the lac-dye. He who meditates Thy Form in golden colour, enjoys all kinds of prosperity and wealth. What will not be obtained by him who contemplates Thy dark and soft form adorned by the moon on the head?

For him, the ocean is a garden-lake, Nandana (the garden of Indra) a pleasure garden, the whole world a comfortable seat, the Goddess of Speech a servant-maid and the Goddess Lakshmi herself the executor of commands.

Oh! the mother of the universe, thou art Omnipresent. Thou appearest in the form of all holy places and rivers, all the Vedas and charms, all the Yantras and Chakras, all powers, all respected chairs, all principles, all learnings, all Yogas, all sounds, letters and words, all the worlds, all vows and the entire universe; Save me, Save me, Save me, oh! goddess, My salutations unto Thee, My salutations unto Thee, My salutations unto Thee.