Pratha Smarana Rama Stotram

Pratha Smarana Rama Stotram
[Morning Prayer addressed to Lord Rama]
Translated by P. R. Ramachander

[Normally a Hindu prays to God as soon as he gets up. These prayers are necessarily short and should make his mind dissolve in devotion to God. Here is a morning prayer addressed to Lord Rama.]

Pratha smarami Raghu nadha mukharavindam,
Mandasmitham madhurabashi visala phalam,
Karnavalambi chala kundala shobhi gandam,
Karnatha deerga nayanam, nayanabhiramam. 1

I meditate in the morning, on the lotus like face of Lord Raghunatha,
Who is smiling sweetly, talking nicely and has a broad forehead,
Whose cheeks are shining with moving golden globes in his ears,
Who has eyes stretching to the ears and which gives happiness to our eyes.

Prathar Bhajami Raghu nadha kararavindam,
Raksho ganaya bhayadham varadam nijebhya,
Yad raja samasadi vibhajya mahesa chapam,
Sitha kara grahana mangalamapa sadhya. 2

I sing in the morning about the lotus like hand of Raghu nadha,
Which creates, great fear among Rakshasas,
Which grants, blessings to the devotees,
Which broke the bow, of Lord Shiva in the King's hall,
And speedily took in itself the hands of Sita.

Prathar namami Raghu nadha padaravindam,
Vajrangusadhi shubha rekhi sukhavaham may,
Yogeendra manasa madhruvatha sevyamanam,
Shapapaham sapadhi Gowthama dharma pathnya. 3

I salute in the morning the lotus like feet of Raghu nadha,
Which has the holy marks of conch, wheel and flower,
Which gives and grants pleasures to me,
Which is served, by the holy mind of Yogis,
And which removed the curse to the wife of sage Gowthama.

Prathar vadhami vachasa Raghu nadha namam,
Vaghdosha hari sakalam samalam nihanthi,
Yath Parvathi swa pathina bhokthu kama,
Preethya sahasra nama samam jajaapa. 4

I chant in the morning with my voice the names of Raghu Nadha,
Which removes all the problems, of the words used,
Which destroys, all the sins ever done by me,
Which was told, by Lord Shiva to Goddess Parvathi,
With love as equivalent of chanting thousand names.

Pratha sraye sruthinuthaam Raghu nadha moorthi,
Neelambhujothpala sithethara rathna neelam,
Aamuktha moukthika visesham vibhooshanaadyam,
Dheyyaam samastha munibhir jana mukthi hethum. 5

In the morning I fully depend on the Vedic form of Raghu nadha's form,
Which is as blue as the blue lotus and the blue sapphire,
Which is ornamented, by moving necklaces of great gems,
And which is the source of salvation to great sages just by their thought.

Ya sloka panchakamidham prayatha padedhi,
Nithyam prabatha samaye purusha prabhudha,
Sri Rama kinkara janeshu sa yeva mukhyo,
Bhoothwa prayathi hari loka mananya labhyam. 6

He who reads these five stanzas as soon as he wakes up,
Daily morning without fail, becomes a great man,
Becomes most important among the servants of Rama,
And after death reaches the land of Hari which is difficult to get.