Waves of Bliss (Ānandalaharī)

WAVES OF BLISS

(ĀNANDALAHARĪ)

1

O BHAVĀNĪ, 1 the four-headed Lord of creatures, 2 is not able to worship Thee,
Nor even the five-headed destroyer of the Tripurā, 3
Nor the six-headed commander of the celestial hosts, 4
Nor even the thousand-headed Lord of serpents. 5
If, then, they cannot, tell me who else is able so to do?

2

O Devī! how can we speak of Thy qualities,
Which are not to be described by any Nigama, 6
As the sweetness of ghee, 7milk, the grape, and honey

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Cannot be distinguished and described by words,
But may be perceived by the tongue only;
In like manner Thy beauty can be seen only by the eyes of Parameśvara. 1

3

We ever pray to Thee, O Gaurī! 2
Youthful daughter of the Lord of mountains.
Beautiful is the betel 3 in Thy mouth
And the collyrium on Thy eyes;
Beautiful, too, are the saffron on Thy forehead,
The necklet of pearls on Thy throat,
Thy silken garment and the glittering gold waist-ornament on Thy large hips. 4

4

May Bhagavatī, 5 Satī, 6 whose lotus eyes sparkle, 7
Spouse of Śambhu, 8 on the slope of whose breasts
Rests a beautiful garland of the flowers of the Mandāra tree, 9
Whose earring is the pleasing sound from the vīnā, 10

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Who stoops (from the weight of her breasts), 1
Whose beautiful swaying gait is that of the female elephant 2--
May that Bhagavatī be ever victorious!

5

O beauteous Aparṇā! 3
Bestow the fulness of happiness on me,
Thou whose limbs art covered
With ornaments of gold and gems glittering like the newly risen sun,
Whose eyes are beautiful as those of a doe,
Of whom Śiva is a part, 4
Who is of the golden colour of lightning,
Beauteous in yellow garments and tinkling anklets.

6

Shines forth does the Devī born in the snowy mountains. 5

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Her beautiful hands are like a red leaf. 1
She is adorned with beautiful flowers and pearls.
Her head, by its weight of hair, seems covered by a swarm of bees. 2
It is She with whom Śiva seeks shelter,
Who stoops from the weight of Her breasts, 3
Whose words are sweet,
The Destructress of ills, 4
Ever and in all places pervading, 5
Tender creeper 6 of Intelligence and Bliss. 7

7

Others worship with reverence the plant with leaves and particular qualities,
But I know that Aparṇā alone in this world should be worshipped. 8
Then the old Śiva garmented with space

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Surely grants to Thy worshipper the fruit of full liberation. 1

8

Thou art the Mother of all Vedas,
The regulator of all dharmas 2
And the root of all wealth--
Thou whose lotus feet are worshipped even by the wealth-giver. 3
O Mother! Thou art the primal cause of all desires.
Victrix of Kandarpa, 4 Thou art the seed of liberation for the good. 5
Thou art the Spouse of the Parabrahman. 6

9

Although my mind be fickle and wanting in great devotion to Thee,
Yet by Thy mercy Thou should look auspiciously upon me.
The cloud gives sweet water to the mouth of the Cātaka 7 bird.

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I know not by what (good) fate my mind is directed. 1

10

O virtuous One, from the corner of Thine eyes
Cast now a glance of kindness upon me;
Neglect so to do is not proper on Thy part,
Seeing that I have reached the refuge of Thy initiation.
Alas! the creeper of desire, 2 whose very name shows that it gives desire,
Yet cannot give that which is desired,
What difference is there between it and any other common creeper?

11

I, though I have sought refuge with other Devatās,
Have yet placed full trust in Thy lotus feet.
If, nevertheless, your heart is not timely set on me,
Then with whom shall I in my helplessness seek shelter,
O Mother of the big-bellied one! 3

12

As iron touched by the touchstone becomes at once gold,

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As the water of the roadway mixed with that of the Ganges becomes pure,
In like manner will not my heart,
Greatly soiled though it be by my great sins 1
Become pure if attached with devotion to Thee?

13

O Īśānī, 2 as the old Lotus-Born 3 and others have said,
The rule is that if others than Thyself art worshipped,
Only the particular fruit desired is gained;
But Thou giveth more even than is asked for.
Make me, then, ever attached to Thee by day and night.

14

O Spouse of the great Lord of the three worlds! 4
Most pleasant is Thy abode,
The walls whereof glitter with various gems and crystals,
Whereon Thy image is reflected.
On the summit of Thy abode the quivering light waves of the moon (are shed).
Therein dwell Mukunda, 5 Brahmā, and other Devas.
It is ever victorious.

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15

Thy dwelling is in Mount Kailāsa. 1
Thy worshippers are Brahmā, Indra, and other Devas.
All are subservient to Thee in the three regions. 2
The number of siddhis 3 join their palms (in adoration before Thee.).
Śiva is Thy lover;
Therefore, O Daughter of the Lord of mountains 4
Nothing is equal to Thy fortune.

16

The old bull is (Śiva's) carrier.
Poison is his food; 5 space is his dwelling;
The cremation ground is his playground; 6
Serpents are his ornaments.

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All things in the world are known to the enemy of Smara; 1
But the wealth of all this is due to the greatness of Thy fortune,
O Mother!

17

The Lord of Paśus, 2 besmeared with ashes, sits in the cremation ground.
From his nature arises the force which destroys the world.
Out of compassion for the whole world, He held the poison in his throat. 3
O Kalyāṇi! 4 in all this I see the fruit of his companionship with Thee.

18

O Daughter of the mountain, 5
When Gangā had seen Thy great beauty,
She was afraid, 6 and turned to water;
Then Śiva, seeing her sad, lotus-like face,
In his mercy made a dwelling for Her on his own head. 7

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19

O Bhagavatī, 1 the Creator having with his own hands taken Thy bathing water
Mingled with liquid sandal, musk, saffron, and flowers,
And the dust of Thy moving feet,
Created therewith the lotus-eyed women of the city of the Devas. 2

20

If one but contemplates Thee, in play with Thy maidens,
In pleasing springtide with its flowers and creepers
Upon the lake, beautiful with many a blossoming lotus and flocks of geese,
The waters of which are rippled by the breeze from the Malaya mountain, 3
From such an one all fevered ills 4 pass away.

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