Dasavatara Bhujanga Sthavam
Dasavathara Bhujanga Sthavam
Translated by P. R. Ramachander
[There are several prayers addressed to Lord Vishnu in his ten incarnation. Here
is a rare one written in the Bhujanga (snake) meter.]
Challalola kallola kallolineesa,
Sphuran nakra chakradhi vakthrambuleena,
Hatho yena meenavatharena sankha,
Sa payaada apaya jjagad Vasudeva. 1
Let the world be saved from all dangers by Vasudeva,
Who took the form of a fish and killed Hayagreeva,
Who was living beneath the sea with tumultuous water,
Moving hither and thither due to its giant waves.
Dharaa nirjararaathibhradhapara-
Da koopaara neerathuradha pathanthi,
Drutha korma roopena yena swaprushte,
Sa deva mudhe vosthu seshanga sayee. 2
Let happiness be given by the God who sleeps on Sesha,
Who took the form of tortoise and lifted on his back,
The earth which sank in to water due to,
The very heavy burden caused by Asuras.
Udagre radhaagresahothraapi gothra,
Sthitha yasya vaakethakagre shadangre,
Thanothi srayam sa sriyam vasthanothu,
Prabhu sri varahavatharo murari. 3
Let wealth be granted by the God,
Who took the form of a giant boar,
And lifted the earth with all its mountains,
On his tusk resembling the bee at the end of pandanus.
Urodhara samrambhinaa yena daithyo,
Ramavibhrame banguragrair nakhagrai,
Hatho baktha vathasalya jathena dharo,
Raghogham sadaa va sahimsanyasimha. 4
Let all our sins be destroyed by Lord Narasimha,
Who rose from a log and killed the great Asura due to his,
Great love to his devotee, by tearing his chest by the tips of his nails,
Which are used to caress Goddess Lakshmi and make her happy.
Chhaladha kalayya trilokim baliyo,
Balim samba badha trilokee baleeyo,
Thanuthwam dhadhhana thanum sandha dhano
Vimoham mano vamano va sa kuryadh. 5
Let our mind be made bereft of passion by Vamana,
Who is the very strong one who tied Mahabali,
By measuring the three worlds by three steps in deceit,
And who has assumed the form of a tiny dwarf.
Adha kshatriyaasruk prapana pramatha,
Pranathyath pitha cha prageetha prathapa,
Dharaakaari yeana agrajanmagrahro,
Vihaaram kriyaan manase vas a rama. 6
Let your mind become the play Court of Parasurama,
Who saluted his father after he became exuberant
After drinking the blood of Kshatriyas and became famous,
And also made the entire earth to be populated by Brahmins.
Nathagra sugreeva samrajya hethur,
Dasa greva santhana samhara Kethu,
Dhanuryena bhagfnam mahatha kamahanthu,
Sa may Janaki janirenamsi hanthu. 7
Le my sins be destroyed by consort of Seetha,
Who was the reason for devotee Sugreeva getting a kingdom,
Who caused Ravana and his children to be destroyed,
And who broke the great bow of Lord Shiva.
Ganatha go dhanam yena govardhanena,
Vyarakshiprathapena govardhanena,
Hatharathi chakri rana dwamsa chakri,
Pada dwastha chakri san a pathu chakri. 8
Let us be protected by the holder of holy wheel,
Who saved the cows from torrential rain using Govardhana mountain,,
Who killed all his enemy hordes in the great war,
Who holds the wheel and who beat the Kaliya serpent,
Dhara badha padmasanasthamgriyashtir,
Nniyaa nilaanya astha nasagra drushti,
Ya as the kalou yoginaam chakravarthi,
Sa budha prabhudhosthu nischintha varthi. 9
Let us be blessed with all things good by Buddha,
Who fixes his sight on his nose tip and does pranayama,
Who sits in lotus pose and is the emperor among yogis in kali age,,
And who enjoys divine pleasure in his Samadhi.
Durachara samsaara samhara kari,
Bhavathyaswago yaprupana prahari,
Murarir dasakaradha reeha kalki.
Karothu dishaam dwamsanam va sa kalki. 10
Let your enemies from all directions be killed by Kalki,
Who puts an end to people with bad habits of this world,
Who rides on a horse and keeps shaking his sword,
And who is Kalki, the tenth incarnation of Krishna.
Bhujangam bhujangesyavatharan,
Dasapi smaran sradhayemam patedhya,
Dharanyavadastham saranyo druganthair,
Varenyassa bhaktham bharanyam bhibharthi. 11
He who remembers and reads this snake metered praise,
Of the ten incarnations of God who sleeps on the snake
Would be blessed by him who is partial to his devotees,
And the one who grants boon, as the one who rules him.