SRI STAVAM-श्रीस्तवः

 SUBHASHITHANI:500

Sri Stavah is a hymn representing the qualities of Goddess Mahalakshmi. Sri is the goddess of wealth, fortune, and prosperity. She is endowed with six auspicious and divine qualities, or gunas, and is the divine strength of Sri Maha Vishnu.

The words sthavam,sthotram and stuti originate from the root ‘stu’ to praise, eulogise, extol, glorify etc. Stotram and stuti are used sometimes to praise human beings. But stavam is used only to sing the praise of a deity or supreme being. 

Sri Stavam of Kuresa has eleven  slOkams on the Parama Paavana, Dayaa Moorthy, SrI Sriranga NaacchiyAr. This stavam is a moving eulogy of the divine consort of Lord RanganAtha.

स्वस्ति श्रीर्दिशतादशेषजगतां स्वर्गापवर्गस्थितीः

स्वर्गं दुर्गतिमापवर्गिकपदं सर्वं च कुर्वन्हरिः ।
यस्या वीक्ष्य मुखं तदिङ्गितपराधीनो विधत्तेऽखिलं
क्रीडेयं खलु नान्यथाऽस्य रसदा स्यादैकरस्यात्तया ॥ १॥1

Swasthi srir dishataad asesha  jagataam  svarga apavarga  Sthiteeeh
SWarga   durgathim apavargika padam  sarvancha  kurvan Hari I
Yasyaa  veekshya  mukham  thad ingitha  paraadheeno  vidhatte   akhilam,
Kreedayam   khalu   naanyathaasya  rasadaa syaadai karasyaat thayaa II
Hail! Guided by the facial expressions of Mahalakshmi, Sri Ranganatha engages in the acts of creation, sustenance, and resolution; He blesses his devotees with svarga and moksha. They carry out these activities together as a sport and otherwise would not bring happiness to them. 

हे श्रीर्देवि समस्तलोकजननि त्वां स्तोतुमीहामहे
युक्तां भावय भारतीं प्रगुणय प्रेमप्रधानां धियम् ।
भक्तिं बन्धय नन्दयाश्रितमिमं दासं जनं तावकं
लक्ष्यं लक्ष्मि कटाक्षवीचिविसृतेस्ते स्याम चामी वयम् ॥ २॥2

Hey SRidevi  samasta  loka janani  twaam   stotum eehaamahe,
Yuktaam   bhavaya   bharatheem   pragunaya   prema pradhaanam   dhiyam I
BHakthim bandhaya nandayasritamimam  daasam  janam taavakam ,
Lakshyam   Lakshmi  kataaksha   veechi  visruteste syaama  chaami vayam II

Oh  Maha Lakshmi! You are the mother of the entire universe and its inhabitants. I wish to offer my praise to You. Please grant me the gift of Speech appropriate for this task! please help grow my intellect and devotion to carry out this undertaking ! May my Bhakti become Parama Bhakti through Your blessing! Please accept my Kainkaryam as that coming from one , who has surrendered at Your Lotus feet. Please make me Joyous through the acceptance of my Vaachika Kainkaryam ! May we the Prapannas become the object of the waves of Your most merciful  and compassionate.

लोके वनस्पतिबृहस्पतितारतम्यं    
 यस्याः कटाक्षपरिणाममुदाहरन्ति ।
सा भारती भगवती तु यदीयदासी   
तां देवदेवमहिषीं श्रियमाश्रयामः ॥ ९॥9
यस्याः कटाक्षमृदुवीक्षणदीक्षितेन  
सद्यः समुल्लसितपल्लवमुल्ललास ।
विश्वं विपर्ययसमुत्थविपर्ययं त्वां      
तां देवदेवमहिषीं श्रियमाश्रयामः ॥ १०॥10

I surrender to the   Sri the consort   of God of Gods, whose servants   are Goddess Saraswathi as well as Goddess Parvathi,
Who would with great joy shower on those whom Sri is pleased,
Their blessings without differentiating whether they are sages,
 teachers or ordinary people.(9)

I surrender to the   Sri the consort   of God of Gods,
Due to the power of whose glance  by the corner  of her eyes,
The World which has become benumbed during the deluge,
Became  greatly    joyous    as well   as active .

॥ इति श्री कुरेश श्रीवत्सांकमिश्राचार् एवं

श्री कुरनाथ श्रीवत्सचिन्हमिश्र श्रीस्तवः सम्पूर्णः ॥

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH

Ps: Every one of the eleven slokas is a  gem and it is due to space constraint that only a few slokas are mentioned here. It gives me great pleasure that the 500th blog is in praise of Sri Mahalakshmi.