హరిదధీశ్వరం ఆరాధ్యపాదుకమ్ ।
అరివిమర్దనం నిత్యనర్తనమ్
హరిహరాత్మజం దేవమాశ్రయే ॥ 1 ॥
- హరివరాసనమ్ (harivarāsanam)whose seat is Hari's own
- విశ్వమోహనమ్ (viśvamohanam)who draws the whole world to him
- హరిదధీశ్వరమ్ (haridadhīśvaram)lord of the quarters of the sky
- ఆరాధ్యపాదుకమ్ (ārādhyapādukam)whose sandals are worth worshipping
- అరివిమర్దనమ్ (arivimardanam)who grinds down those who stand against him
- నిత్యనర్తనమ్ (nityanartanam)whose dance never stops
- హరిహరాత్మజమ్ (hariharātmajam)born of Hari and Hara
- దేవమ్ (devam)the god
- ఆశ్రయే (āśraye)I take refuge in
anvaya హరివరాసనమ్ విశ్వమోహనమ్ హరిదధీశ్వరమ్ ఆరాధ్యపాదుకమ్ అరివిమర్దనమ్ నిత్యనర్తనమ్ హరిహరాత్మజమ్ దేవమ్ ఆశ్రయే
chandas Unnamed metre: 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas, every pāda in the pattern LLLGLGGLGLG
హరిహరాత్మజమ్ born of Hari and Hara — Hari is Vishnu and Hara is Shiva. Ayyappa is worshipped as the son of both, which is why one name of his is Hariharasuta.
హరివరాసనమ్ whose seat is Hari's own — Read as hari-vara-āsana, the excellent seat of Hari. Hari also means a lion, so the line is read by some as the one whose seat is the lion throne.
హరిదధీశ్వరమ్ lord of the quarters of the sky — Harit is a direction, one of the quarters. The compound makes him lord over all of them.
note Sung at Sabarimala every night as the sanctum is closed, so the hymn works as a lullaby: eight verses, each ending on the same line, హరిహరాత్మజం దేవమాశ్రయే. The title is taken from its first word.
భరణలోలుపం నర్తనాలసమ్ ।
అరుణభాసురం భూతనాయకమ్
హరిహరాత్మజం దేవమాశ్రయే ॥ 2 ॥
- శరణకీర్తనమ్ (śaraṇakīrtanam)who is sung to with the cry of refuge
- భక్తమానసమ్ (bhaktamānasam)who lives in the minds of those who love him
- భరణలోలుపమ్ (bharaṇalolupam)eager to keep and care for them
- నర్తనాలసమ్ (nartanālasam)whose dance is unhurried
- అరుణభాసురమ్ (aruṇabhāsuram)shining red as daybreak
- భూతనాయకమ్ (bhūtanāyakam)leader of the hosts
- హరిహరాత్మజమ్ (hariharātmajam)born of Hari and Hara
- దేవమ్ (devam)the god
- ఆశ్రయే (āśraye)I take refuge in
anvaya శరణకీర్తనమ్ భక్తమానసమ్ భరణలోలుపమ్ నర్తనాలసమ్ అరుణభాసురమ్ భూతనాయకమ్ హరిహరాత్మజమ్ దేవమ్ ఆశ్రయే
chandas Unnamed metre: 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas, every pāda in the pattern LLLGLGGLGLG
శరణకీర్తనమ్ sung to with the cry of refuge — The cry is Swamiye Sharanam Ayyappa, which pilgrims call out the whole way up the hill. The verse makes that cry his praise song.
భరణలోలుపమ్ eager to keep and care for them — Lolupa is greedy or hungry for something. The word is strong on purpose: he wants the keeping of his people.
నర్తనాలసమ్ whose dance is unhurried — Alasa is slow or languid. At this hour of the night the dance is a slow one, which suits a hymn sung at closing.
note Each of the three lines before the refrain begins on the same sound, śa, bha, a, and the verse is built to be easy on the ear at night.
ప్రణతకల్పకం సుప్రభాఞ్చితమ్ ।
ప్రణవమన్దిరం కీర్తనప్రియమ్
హరిహరాత్మజం దేవమాశ్రయే ॥ 3 ॥
- ప్రణయసత్యకమ్ (praṇayasatyakam)true to those who love him
- ప్రాణనాయకమ్ (prāṇanāyakam)lord of the breath of life
- ప్రణతకల్పకమ్ (praṇatakalpakam)who shapes what those who bow ask for
- సుప్రభాఞ్చితమ్ (suprabhāñcitam)about whom a fine light plays
- ప్రణవమన్దిరమ్ (praṇavamandiram)the house the sound Om lives in
- కీర్తనప్రియమ్ (kīrtanapriyam)who loves being sung to
- హరిహరాత్మజమ్ (hariharātmajam)born of Hari and Hara
- దేవమ్ (devam)the god
- ఆశ్రయే (āśraye)I take refuge in
anvaya ప్రణయసత్యకమ్ ప్రాణనాయకమ్ ప్రణతకల్పకమ్ సుప్రభాఞ్చితమ్ ప్రణవమన్దిరమ్ కీర్తనప్రియమ్ హరిహరాత్మజమ్ దేవమ్ ఆశ్రయే
chandas Unnamed metre: 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas, every pāda in the pattern LLLGLGGLGLG
ప్రణవమన్దిరమ్ the house the sound Om lives in — Praṇava is Om. Mandira is a house or a temple, so he is spoken of as the place that sound is kept.
ప్రణతకల్పకమ్ who shapes what those who bow ask for — Kalpaka is the one who arranges or makes ready, the same word as in kalpavṛkṣa, the tree that gives whatever is asked.
note Five of the words in this verse open with pra, which is how the verse holds together as a sound before it holds together as a sentence.
వరగదాయుధం వేదవర్ణితమ్ ।
గురుకృపాకరం కీర్తనప్రియమ్
హరిహరాత్మజం దేవమాశ్రయే ॥ 4 ॥
- తురగవాహనమ్ (turagavāhanam)carried by a horse
- సున్దరాననమ్ (sundarānanam)whose face is a fair one
- వరగదాయుధమ్ (varagadāyudham)whose weapon is the good mace
- వేదవర్ణితమ్ (vedavarṇitam)spoken of in the Veda
- గురుకృపాకరమ్ (gurukṛpākaram)whose kindness comes as a teacher's does
- కీర్తనప్రియమ్ (kīrtanapriyam)who loves being sung to
- హరిహరాత్మజమ్ (hariharātmajam)born of Hari and Hara
- దేవమ్ (devam)the god
- ఆశ్రయే (āśraye)I take refuge in
anvaya తురగవాహనమ్ సున్దరాననమ్ వరగదాయుధమ్ వేదవర్ణితమ్ గురుకృపాకరమ్ కీర్తనప్రియమ్ హరిహరాత్మజమ్ దేవమ్ ఆశ్రయే
chandas Unnamed metre: 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas, every pāda in the pattern LLLGLGGLGLG
తురగవాహనమ్ carried by a horse — Ayyappa is shown riding a horse in the story of his ride to hunt down Mahishi, and on other days riding a tiger or an elephant.
గురుకృపాకరమ్ whose kindness comes as a teacher's does — Guru here can be read as great, giving great kindness, or as the teacher whose grace it is like. Both readings are current.
note The weapon named is the mace, which belongs to Vishnu. The hymn keeps handing him things from both his fathers.
త్రినయనప్రభుం దివ్యదేశికమ్ ।
త్రిదశపూజితం చిన్తితప్రదమ్
హరిహరాత్మజం దేవమాశ్రయే ॥ 5 ॥
- త్రిభువనార్చితమ్ (tribhuvanārcitam)worshipped in all three worlds
- దేవతాత్మకమ్ (devatātmakam)in whom the gods have their being
- త్రినయనప్రభుమ్ (trinayanaprabhum)lord of the three-eyed one
- దివ్యదేశికమ్ (divyadeśikam)a guide of the clearest kind
- త్రిదశపూజితమ్ (tridaśapūjitam)worshipped by the thirty gods
- చిన్తితప్రదమ్ (cintitapradam)who gives what has only been thought of
- హరిహరాత్మజమ్ (hariharātmajam)born of Hari and Hara
- దేవమ్ (devam)the god
- ఆశ్రయే (āśraye)I take refuge in
anvaya త్రిభువనార్చితమ్ దేవతాత్మకమ్ త్రినయనప్రభుమ్ దివ్యదేశికమ్ త్రిదశపూజితమ్ చిన్తితప్రదమ్ హరిహరాత్మజమ్ దేవమ్ ఆశ్రయే
chandas Unnamed metre: 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas, every pāda in the pattern LLLGLGGLGLG
త్రిదశ the thirty — An old way of counting the gods: thirty three, shortened to thirty. Three words in this verse begin with tri, and the count is part of the play.
త్రినయనప్రభుమ్ lord of the three-eyed one — The three-eyed one is Shiva, his father. A son called the lord of his own father is the kind of turn these hymns like.
చిన్తితప్రదమ్ who gives what has only been thought of — Cintita is what has been turned over in the mind. The asking need not be said aloud.
note The verse counts upward, three worlds, three eyes, thirty gods, and the sound tri carries it.
భువనమోహనం భూతిభూషణమ్ ।
ధవలవాహనం దివ్యవారణమ్
హరిహరాత్మజం దేవమాశ్రయే ॥ 6 ॥
- భవభయాపహమ్ (bhavabhayāpaham)who takes away the fear of being born again
- భావుకావకమ్ (bhāvukāvakam)who guards those whose hearts are set on him
- భువనమోహనమ్ (bhuvanamohanam)towards whom the world turns
- భూతిభూషణమ్ (bhūtibhūṣaṇam)whose ornament is ash
- ధవలవాహనమ్ (dhavalavāhanam)carried by the white one
- దివ్యవారణమ్ (divyavāraṇam)the elephant of the gods
- హరిహరాత్మజమ్ (hariharātmajam)born of Hari and Hara
- దేవమ్ (devam)the god
- ఆశ్రయే (āśraye)I take refuge in
anvaya భవభయాపహమ్ భావుకావకమ్ భువనమోహనమ్ భూతిభూషణమ్ ధవలవాహనమ్ దివ్యవారణమ్ హరిహరాత్మజమ్ దేవమ్ ఆశ్రయే
chandas Unnamed metre: 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas, every pāda in the pattern LLLGLGGLGLG
భూతిభూషణమ్ whose ornament is ash — Bhūti is the ash worn by Shiva and by those who follow him. The same word also means well-being, and some read it that way here.
దివ్యవారణమ్ the elephant of the gods — Vāraṇa is an elephant. From the root vṛ, to ward off, it can also be read as the divine warding away of harm, which fits the first line.
ధవలవాహనమ్ carried by the white one — Dhavala is white. The white mount is taken as the white elephant, and in some readings as a white horse.
note Four words in a row begin with bha, and the verse is the most songlike in the hymn.
కలభకోమలం గాత్రమోహనమ్ ।
కలభకేసరీవాజివాహనమ్
హరిహరాత్మజం దేవమాశ్రయే ॥ 7 ॥
- కలమృదుస్మితమ్ (kalamṛdusmitam)whose smile is soft and sweet
- సున్దరాననమ్ (sundarānanam)whose face is a fair one
- కలభకోమలమ్ (kalabhakomalam)as tender as a young elephant
- గాత్రమోహనమ్ (gātramohanam)the sight of whose body holds the eye
- కలభకేసరీవాజివాహనమ్ (kalabhakesarīvājivāhanam)carried by elephant, lion and horse
- హరిహరాత్మజమ్ (hariharātmajam)born of Hari and Hara
- దేవమ్ (devam)the god
- ఆశ్రయే (āśraye)I take refuge in
anvaya కలమృదుస్మితమ్ సున్దరాననమ్ కలభకోమలమ్ గాత్రమోహనమ్ కలభకేసరీవాజివాహనమ్ హరిహరాత్మజమ్ దేవమ్ ఆశ్రయే
chandas Unnamed metre: 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas, every pāda in the pattern LLLGLGGLGLG
కలభ a young elephant — The word appears twice in the verse, once for how tender he is and once for what carries him.
కల sweet, soft in sound — Kala is used of a low sweet sound, a birdcall or a murmur. Here it colours the smile.
note The third line names three mounts together, elephant, lion and horse, which is the fullest list in the hymn.
శ్రుతివిభూషణం సాధుజీవనమ్ ।
శ్రుతిమనోహరం గీతలాలసమ్
హరిహరాత్మజం దేవమాశ్రయే ॥ 8 ॥
- శ్రితజనప్రియమ్ (śritajanapriyam)dear to those who have come to him
- చిన్తితప్రదమ్ (cintitapradam)who gives what has only been thought of
- శ్రుతివిభూషణమ్ (śrutivibhūṣaṇam)the ornament of the Veda
- సాధుజీవనమ్ (sādhujīvanam)the life of the good
- శ్రుతిమనోహరమ్ (śrutimanoharam)sweet to the ear
- గీతలాలసమ్ (gītalālasam)who longs for song
- హరిహరాత్మజమ్ (hariharātmajam)born of Hari and Hara
- దేవమ్ (devam)the god
- ఆశ్రయే (āśraye)I take refuge in
anvaya శ్రితజనప్రియమ్ చిన్తితప్రదమ్ శ్రుతివిభూషణమ్ సాధుజీవనమ్ శ్రుతిమనోహరమ్ గీతలాలసమ్ హరిహరాత్మజమ్ దేవమ్ ఆశ్రయే
chandas Unnamed metre: 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas, every pāda in the pattern LLLGLGGLGLG
శ్రుతి the Veda, and hearing — Śruti is what is heard, so it means both the Veda and the ear. The verse uses it twice, once in each sense.
గీతలాలసమ్ who longs for song — Lālasa is longing. The last verse of a hymn sung at closing time says that the god wants the singing, and then it stops.
note The eighth and last of the verses proper. The chant after it is not part of the composition.
శరణం అయ్యప్పా స్వామి శరణం అయ్యప్పా ॥
- శరణమ్ (śaraṇam)refuge
- అయ్యప్పా (ayyappā)Ayyappa
- స్వామి (svāmi)lord
anvaya శరణమ్ అయ్యప్పా స్వామి శరణమ్ అయ్యప్పా శరణమ్ అయ్యప్పా స్వామి శరణమ్ అయ్యప్పా
అయ్యప్పా Ayyappa — The name used in Kerala and Tamil Nadu for the god of Sabarimala. Ayya and appa are both words of respect for a father.
note The pilgrims' cry, repeated after the hymn rather than composed as part of it. There is no word order to rearrange in a chant, so the anvaya simply repeats it as it is called out. At Sabarimala this is what the crowd says while the doors are closed for the night.