অরুণাচল অষ্টকম্

• দর্শনাত্ (darśanāt)by the sight of it
• অভ্র-সদসি (abhra-sadasi)in the Hall of the Sky, Cidambaram
• জননাত্ (jananāt)by being born
• কমল-আলযে (kamala-ālaye)in Kamalālaya, Tiruvārūr
• কাশ্যাম্ (kāśyām)in Kāśī
• তু (tu)but
• মরণাত্ (maraṇāt)by dying
• মুক্তিঃ (muktiḥ)liberation comes
• স্মরণাত্ (smaraṇāt)and by the mere remembering
• অরুণাচলে (aruṇācale)of Aruṇācala

anvaya অভ্রসদসি দর্শনাত্ কমলালযে জননাত্ কাশ্যাম্ মরণাত্ তু অরুণাচলে স্মরণাত্ মুক্তিঃ

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

অভ্রসদসি in the Hall of the Sky, Chidambaram — Abhra is cloud or sky and sadas a hall. The shrine at Chidambaram is called the Hall of Space, where Shiva is worshipped as the dancer.

কমলালযে at Kamalalaya, Tiruvarur — The town is named for its lotus tank. Being born there is what the verse counts.

অরুণাচলে at Arunachala — The red hill at Tiruvannamalai, worshipped as Shiva himself in the form of fire. Aruṇa is the red of daybreak.

note A saying known all over the south, set here as the opening verse. Each of the four places asks something different of a person: you must go and see Chidambaram, be born at Tiruvarur, die at Kashi. For Arunachala it is enough to remember it.

• করুণা-পূরিত-অপাঙ্গম্ (karuṇā-pūrita-apāṅgam)whose sidelong glance brims with compassion
• শরণ-আগত-বত্সলম্ (śaraṇa-āgata-vatsalam)tender toward all who come for refuge
• তরুণ-ইন্দু-জটা-মৌলিম্ (taruṇa-indu-jaṭā-maulim)whose crown of matted hair bears the young moon
• স্মরণাত্ (smaraṇāt)by the mere remembering of
• অরুণাচলম্ (aruṇācalam)Aruṇācala, the red mountain

anvaya করুণাপূরিতাপাঙ্গম্ শরণাগতবত্সলম্ তরুণেন্দুজটামৌলিম্ অরুণাচলম্ স্মরণাত্ [মুক্তিঃ]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

অপাঙ্গম্ the outer corner of the eye — The sidelong look, which is how kindness shows in a face before anything is said.

শরণাগতবত্সলম্ tender towards whoever comes for shelter — Vatsala is the feeling a cow has for its calf, used for the care a god has for those who turn up with nothing.

note From here to the end, every verse keeps the fourth pāda of the first verse as a refrain and hangs its describing words on it. The verb is the one carried over from that verse: liberation comes by remembering.

• সমস্ত-জগত্-আধারম্ (samasta-jagat-ādhāram)the support of the whole world
• সত্-চিত্-আনন্দ-বিগ্রহম্ (sat-cit-ānanda-vigraham)whose form is being, consciousness and bliss
• সহস্র-রথস-উপেতম্ (sahasra-rathasa-upetam)attended by a thousand chariots of the sun
• স্মরণাত্ (smaraṇāt)by the mere remembering of
• অরুণাচলম্ (aruṇācalam)Aruṇācala, the red mountain

anvaya সমস্তজগদাধারম্ সচ্চিদানন্দবিগ্রহম্ সহস্ররথসোপেতম্ অরুণাচলম্ স্মরণাত্ [মুক্তিঃ]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

সচ্চিদানন্দবিগ্রহম্ whose form is being, awareness and joy — Sat, cit and ānanda are the three words Vedanta uses for what is finally real. Vigraha is a form or a shape, so the three are spoken of here as having taken shape.

সহস্ররথসোপেতম্ attended by a thousand — The word as printed gives no settled reading. Ratha is a chariot, so it can be read as a thousand chariots in attendance; a nearby reading is sahasra-raśmi, the thousand-rayed sun. The gloss keeps only what is certain.

note The third pāda is doubtful as printed. It has been left as it stands and glossed only as far as the words allow.

• কাঞ্চন-প্রতিমা-আভাসম্ (kāñcana-pratimā-ābhāsam)shining like an image of gold
• বাঞ্ছিত-অর্থ-ফল-প্রদম্ (vāñchita-artha-phala-pradam)giver of the fruit of every wished-for end
• মাম্ চ রক্ষ (mām ca rakṣa)and protect me
• সুর-অধ্যক্ষম্ (sura-adhyakṣam)overseer of the gods
• স্মরণাত্ (smaraṇāt)by the mere remembering of
• অরুণাচলম্ (aruṇācalam)Aruṇācala, the red mountain

anvaya কাঞ্চনপ্রতিমাভাসম্ বাঞ্ছিতার্থফলপ্রদম্ সুরাধ্যক্ষম্ অরুণাচলম্ স্মরণাত্ মাম্ চ রক্ষ

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

সুরাধ্যক্ষম্ the one set over the gods — Adhyakṣa is the one who oversees, the head of an assembly.

বাঞ্ছিতার্থফলপ্রদম্ who gives the fruit of what is wished for — Vāñchita is the thing wanted, artha what it is wanted for, phala what comes of it.

note The third pāda steps out of the describing and asks straight out for protection. It is the only line in the hymn that does so.

• বদ্ধ-চন্দ্র-জটা-জূটম্ (baddha-candra-jaṭā-jūṭam)with the moon bound into his coil of matted hair
• অর্ধ-নারী-কলেবরম্ (ardha-nārī-kalebaram)whose body is half woman
• বর্ধমান-দযা-অম্ভোধিম্ (vardhamāna-dayā-ambhodhim)an ever-swelling ocean of mercy
• স্মরণাত্ (smaraṇāt)by the mere remembering of
• অরুণাচলম্ (aruṇācalam)Aruṇācala, the red mountain

anvaya বদ্ধচন্দ্রজটাজূটম্ অর্ধনারীকলেবরম্ বর্ধমানদযাম্ভোধিম্ অরুণাচলম্ স্মরণাত্ [মুক্তিঃ]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

জটাজূটম্ the coil of matted hair — Jaṭā is matted hair and jūṭa the knot it is gathered into, with the crescent moon tied into it.

অর্ধনারীকলেবরম্ whose body is half woman — The form in which Shiva and the Goddess share one body, the right side his and the left hers. Printed कलेबर, a common spelling of कलेवर, the body.

note The kindness is called a sea that keeps rising, vardhamāna, so it is never at its highest mark.

• কাঞ্চন-প্রতিমা-আভাসম্ (kāñcana-pratimā-ābhāsam)shining like an image of gold
• সূর্য-কোটি-সম-প্রভম্ (sūrya-koṭi-sama-prabham)of a brilliance equal to ten million suns
• বদ্ধ-ব্যাঘ্র-পুরী-ধ্যানম্ (baddha-vyāghra-purī-dhyānam)held fast in meditation upon the Tiger City, Cidambaram
• স্মরণাত্ (smaraṇāt)by the mere remembering of
• অরুণাচলম্ (aruṇācalam)Aruṇācala, the red mountain

anvaya কাঞ্চনপ্রতিমাভাসম্ সূর্যকোটিসমপ্রভম্ বদ্ধব্যাঘ্রপুরীধ্যানম্ অরুণাচলম্ স্মরণাত্ [মুক্তিঃ]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

ব্যাঘ্রপুরী the Tiger City, Chidambaram — Named after the sage Vyaghrapada, who was given tiger's feet so he could climb for flowers before the bees reached them.

কোটি ten million — A round figure for a number past counting.

note The first pāda repeats the opening of verse 4 word for word, as the printed text has it. The hill is described as held fast in meditation on Chidambaram, so the two shrines of the first verse are tied together.

• শিক্ষযা (śikṣayā)by chastisement
• অখিল-দেব-অরি (akhila-deva-ari)of every foe of the gods
• ভক্ষিত-ক্ষ্বেল-কন্ধরম্ (bhakṣita-kṣvela-kandharam)in whose throat the swallowed poison rests
• রক্ষযা (rakṣayā)by his protection
• অখিল-ভক্তানাম্ (akhila-bhaktānām)of all his devotees
• স্মরণাত্ (smaraṇāt)by the mere remembering of
• অরুণাচলম্ (aruṇācalam)Aruṇācala, the red mountain

anvaya অখিলদেবারি শিক্ষযা অখিলভক্তানাম্ রক্ষযা ভক্ষিতক্ষ্বেলকন্ধরম্ অরুণাচলম্ স্মরণাত্ [মুক্তিঃ]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

ক্ষ্বেল poison — A spelling of kṣveḍa. When the sea was churned the poison came up first, and Shiva drank it and held it in his throat so that it went no further.

কন্ধরম্ the throat — Holding the poison there is what gives him the name Nilakantha, the blue throat.

note Two things are set side by side in one verse: the lesson given to the enemies of the gods, and the guard kept over his own people. Printed দেবারি; read as devārīn, the foes of the gods.

• অষ্ট-ভূতি-সমাযুক্তম্ (aṣṭa-bhūti-samāyuktam)possessed of the eight forms of manifest being
• ইষ্ট-কাম-ফল-প্রদম্ (iṣṭa-kāma-phala-pradam)giver of the fruit of every cherished wish
• শিষ্ট-ভক্তি-সমাযুক্তান্ (śiṣṭa-bhakti-samāyuktān)those joined with the devotion of the good
• স্মরণাত্ (smaraṇāt)by the mere remembering of
• অরুণাচলম্ (aruṇācalam)Aruṇācala, the red mountain

anvaya শিষ্টভক্তিসমাযুক্তান্ [প্রতি] অষ্টভূতিসমাযুক্তম্ ইষ্টকামফলপ্রদম্ অরুণাচলম্ স্মরণাত্

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

অষ্টভূতি the eight — Usually read as the aṣṭamūrti, Shiva's eight forms: earth, water, fire, air, space, sun, moon and the one who offers the sacrifice. Bhūti also means well-being, so some read the eight kinds of prosperity instead.

শিষ্ট the good, the well-taught — Those who keep to what has been handed down. The word also carries being trained, so it is devotion that has been schooled.

note The three pādas rhyme on -ṣṭa: aṣṭa, iṣṭa, śiṣṭa. The word play is the point of the verse as much as the meaning.

• বিনাযক-সুর-অধ্যক্ষম্ (vināyaka-sura-adhyakṣam)overlord of Vināyaka and of the gods
• বিষ্ণু-ব্রহ্ম-ইন্দ্র-সেবিতম্ (viṣṇu-brahma-indra-sevitam)served by Viṣṇu, Brahmā and Indra
• বিমল-অরুণ-পাদ-অব্জম্ (vimala-aruṇa-pāda-abjam)whose lotus feet are spotless and red as the dawn
• স্মরণাত্ (smaraṇāt)by the mere remembering of
• অরুণাচলম্ (aruṇācalam)Aruṇācala, the red mountain

anvaya বিনাযকসুরাধ্যক্ষম্ বিষ্ণুব্রহ্মেন্দ্রসেবিতম্ বিমলারুণপাদাব্জম্ অরুণাচলম্ স্মরণাত্ [মুক্তিঃ]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

বিনাযকসুরাধ্যক্ষম্ lord of Vinayaka and of the gods — Ganapati is named first among those he is lord of, then the gods as a body.

বিমলারুণপাদাব্জম্ whose lotus feet are clear and red — Aruṇa, the red of daybreak, is the colour of the hill itself, so the feet and the hill are the same colour.

note All three pādas begin with vi, and the verse is built on that repetition.

• মন্দার-মল্লিকা-জাতি-কুন্দ-চম্পক-পঙ্কজৈঃ (mandāra-mallikā-jāti-kunda-campaka-paṅkajaiḥ)with mandāra, mallikā, jāti, kunda, campaka and lotus blossoms
• ইন্দ্র-আদি-পূজিতাম্ (indra-ādi-pūjitām)worshipped by Indra and the rest
• দেবীম্ (devīm)the Goddess, his consort
• স্মরণাত্ (smaraṇāt)by the mere remembering of
• অরুণাচলম্ (aruṇācalam)Aruṇācala, the red mountain

anvaya মন্দারমল্লিকাজাতিকুন্দচম্পকপঙ্কজৈঃ ইন্দ্রাদিপূজিতাম্ দেবীম্ [চ] অরুণাচলম্ স্মরণাত্

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

মন্দারমল্লিকাজাতিকুন্দচম্পকপঙ্কজৈঃ with mandara, jasmine, jati, kunda, champak and lotus — Six flowers of temple worship, filling a whole pāda. Mallika, jati and kunda are all jasmines of different kinds.

দেবীম্ the Goddess — The Goddess of the same temple at Tiruvannamalai, worshipped there as Unnamulai.

note The one verse in the hymn that turns to the Goddess rather than to the hill.

• সম্পত্-করম্ (sampat-karam)the maker of prosperity
• পার্বতী-ঈশম্ (pārvatī-īśam)the lord of Pārvatī
• সূর্য-চন্দ্র-অগ্নি-লোচনম্ (sūrya-candra-agni-locanam)whose eyes are sun, moon and fire
• মন্দ-স্মিত-মুখ-অম্ভোজম্ (manda-smita-mukha-ambhojam)whose lotus face bears a gentle smile
• স্মরণাত্ (smaraṇāt)by the mere remembering of
• অরুণাচলম্ (aruṇācalam)Aruṇācala, the red mountain

anvaya সম্পত্করম্ পার্বতীশম্ সূর্যচন্দ্রাগ্নিলোচনম্ মন্দস্মিতমুখাম্ভোজম্ অরুণাচলম্ স্মরণাত্ [মুক্তিঃ]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

সূর্যচন্দ্রাগ্নিলোচনম্ whose eyes are sun, moon and fire — The right eye is the sun, the left the moon, and the third, in the forehead, is fire.

মন্দস্মিতমুখাম্ভোজম্ whose lotus face carries a slight smile — Manda is soft or slow. The smile is a faint one rather than a broad one.

note The last verse closes on the face, after the earlier verses have gone over hair, throat, eyes and feet. The title calls the hymn an ashtakam, a set of eight, but eleven verses are printed here.