śrī bhavānī bhujaṅgam

I bow to that embodiment of ambrosia which is Consciousness and Bliss incarnate. It melts the orb of the moon and drinks (the moon-light). It shines with its profuse lustre inside the sushumná located in the lotus of shadádhára. Sushumná: a vein of the body supposed to be one of the passages for the breath. Shadádhára: one of the mystical circles in the body.

I worship that Goddess Bhavánè who is seated on the triangle which shines in the midst of the filaments of the white lotus. She is extremely beautiful with lovely and charming grace. She has a shining red body similar to that of innumerable rising suns.

Oh! Great Goddess! I contemplate your lotus feet on my head as being served by the celestials such as Brahmá, Achyuta (Vishnu) and others. These feet are wet due to red dye and dazzling with the gems of the anklets jingling with bells.

Oh! Mother! I worship your streak of hair on the three folds on the belly, as also the shining naval circling to the right. (I also worship your) hip having the red garment tied around the waist, adorned by the girdle studded with gems and tinkling.

Oh! Lotus-eyed Mother! I worship your two radiant breasts, round in shape comparable to lofty gem-studded pitchers. They are beautiful and are full with milk. Shining with a breast-lace and oozing at the top, they are beautiful and are full of milk.

I worship Goddess Bhavánè who glitters with (four) arms delicate like the Sirisha flowers, and which carry arrow, bow, noose and goad and which shine with bangles and bracelets.

I worship Goddess Bhavani who is extremely graceful and tranquil, who has her lotus-face shining like the autumnal full-moon smiling with red bimbha-like lips. She is lustrous with ear-ornaments studded with gems.

Oh Mother! I praise your lotus-face which bears musk on the cheeks and forehead, and the nostrils, the beautiful eye-brows and forehead, the lips and the graceful side-glance capable of conferring rewards.

I praise your head which is radiant with the crest-jewel and the digit of the moon. It has the swarms of bees swinging inside the moving braids and is shining with the densely set white jasmine flowers.

May this smiling form of yours, Oh! Bhaváni! which is beyond the Universe, very subtle and peaceful shine forth the lotus heart of mine, your child! May the literature in the form of all effulgence also dawn upon me!

I contemplate on you Oh! Rajarajeshwari! Traipurè, who are seated on the lap of Lord shiva. You are the highest, are shining in the radiant cakra and are surrounded by all groups of shaktis led by Lord Ganeshá.

I worship you. You are of the form of blissful knowledge. There is none else in the universe superior to you. You are the sun, the moon, the fire, the water, the sky, the earth, the wind and the mahat. Here the Goddess is conceived as aúûamürti-eight forms as the lord of the principles.

Oh! Goddess! You are my preceptor. You are Lord shiva. You are the shakti. You are my mother and father. You are the knowledge. You are my kith and kin. You are my only refuge, thinking and indeed all in all.

Oh! Mother Bhavánè! I wish to praise you; Oh! Knower of the Vedas and Ágamas! You are unattainable through scriptures. (People) do not know the extent of your greatness. You please forgive this act of mine! I am indeed foolish.

Oh! Bhaváni! Salutations to you again and again. Oh! Auspicious one! Oh! my refuge! Oh! Meritorious one! oh! Compassion-incarnate! One who cannot be understood by Brahmá and others! Protect me from the fear of the forest of mundane existence.

Whoever reads this meritorious hymn on Bhavánè set in bhujañga-prayáta metre with devotion, Goddess Bhaváni confers on him the eight perfections (siddis), prosperity and her own external abode which is the essence of the Vedas.

Whoever joyfully repeats the name 'Bhaváni' thrice will have no grief, no confusion, no sin, no fear anytime or anyway or from any quarter.

Thus is completed the Bhavānī Bhujaṅgaprayāta Stotram composed by the venerable Śrī Śaṅkarācārya.