Dakshinamurthy Stotram

NOTE: The Mahakaleshwar Lingam is said to be Dakshinamurthy. The mantra associated with Mahakaleshwar - for self protection and victory is at the bottom of this page
Adhi Sankara has written very many great Stotras (prayers) but here is a unique prayer, which is not only a prayer but the summary of all the philosophy that he has taught. Even during his time, this stotra was difficult to comprehend and it became necessary for one of his disciples, Sureshwaracharya to write a commentary called Manasollasa to this stotra. There are large number of books and commentaries on this commentary itself.
Adhi Sankara has written very many great Stotras (prayers) but here is a unique prayer, which is not only a prayer but the summary of all the philosophy that he has taught. Even during his time, this stotra was difficult to comprehend and it became necessary for one of his disciples, Sureshwaracharya to write a commentary called Manasollasa to this stotra. There are large number of books and commentaries on this commentary itself.
Magic Mantra - MahaKaleshwar Shiva Sadhana === Om Joom Sah Paalay Paalay Sah Joom Om (For Self protection and victory, conquering sickness)
Mouna Vyakhya prakatitha, para, Brahma thathwam yuvanam,
Varshishtha anthevasad rishiganai, Ravrutham brahma nishtai,
Acharyendram kara kalihtha chin, Mudram ananda roopam,
Swathmaramam mudhitha vadanam,Dakshinamurthim eede.
I praise and salute that Dakshinamrthy,
Who faces the south,
Who explains the true nature of the supreme Brahman,
Through his state of silence,
Who is young in looks,
Who is surrounded by disciples who are old Sages,
Whose minds are fixed on Brahman,
Who is the greatest of teachers,
Who shows the Chinmudhra[1] by his hand,
Who is personification of happiness,
Who is in the state of extreme joy within himself,
And who has a smiling face.
#1 Viswam darpana drusyamana nagari, Thulyam nijantar-gatham,
Pasyannathmani mayaya bahirivoth, Bhutham yatha nidraya,
Ya sakshath kuruthe prabodha samaye, Swathmanameva dwayam,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham, Sree Dakshinamurthaye
The world is like a reflection (not real). We can discern the truth after self illumination. I pray to the guru Dakshinamurthi by whose grace the truth can be illuminated within me
The above stanza tells us that the world which is outside us is same as our soul but we see them as different entities due to the veil of ignorance. As soon as we wake up, we realize that the dream is false and even while seeing our image in the mirror, we know that we are not seeing us in the mirror but our image. When we get knowledge from the guru we are in the wakeful state without the veil of ignorance.
#2 Beejasyanthari vankuro jagadhidham, Prang nirvikalpam punaha
Mayakalpitha desa kala kalanaa, Vaichithrya chithrikrutham,
Mayaveeva vijrumbhayathyapi maha,Yogeeva yah swechaya,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham, Sree dakshinamurthaye
The world was projected like a tree from a seed, by the will of the supreme. I pray to that Guru Dakshinamurthi (who can take this projection and put it back into the seed form)
DO you remember the moment when the world came to be?????
When the net of illusion is lifted and when we reach the stage of manifestation, we would find that what we think as different is but one and the same.
3 Yasyaiva sphuranam sadathmakamasath,
Kalparthagam bhasathe,
Sakshaath thathwamaseethi veda vachasa,
Yobodhyathyasrithhan,
Yath saksht karanath bhavenna punara,
Aavrithir bhavambhonidhow,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 4
By His illumination the false world appears real. But He can teach me “I am God – I am part of the supreme truth” – I pray to that Guru Dakshinamurthi for that enlightenment.
He who exists as the real light of truth, And shines in the false world of appearance, And He who teaches disciples the great saying, “Thou art that”[2] after realizing its import, Gets away from this cycle of life and death. Salutation to the God facing the south, Who is the greatest teacher.
4 Nanachidhra ghato dhara sthitha maha,
Deepa prabha bhaswaram,
Jnanam yasya thu chakshuradhi karana,
Dwara bahi spandathe,
Jaanameethi tham eva baandham anubathi,
Yethath samastham jagat,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 5
The world appears real by manifesting through all my senses. I pray to Guru Dakshinamurthy to illuminate my mind with the truth
Our body prevents us from seeing the truth(the light from outside) that we are the Brahman and lets out
light though the sensory organs and makes us deceive ourselves by feeling that we are happy.
This simile of a pot with holes for the body occurs in many places in Indian philosophy.
5 Deham pranam api indryanyapi chalaam,
Budhim cha soonyam vidhu,
Stree balandha jadopamasthvaha mithi,
Brandha brusam vadhina,
Maya sakthi vilasa kalpitha maha,
Vyamoha samharine,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 6
Some intellectuals claim the world is real. I pray to Guru Dakshinamurthy to destroy that delusion within me This is a sample of the approach of negation in identifying the truth about the concept of self. Senses, the body etc cannot be the absolute truth as they are transient.
6 Rahu grastha divakarendu sadrusho,
Maya samachadanath,
Sanamthra karanopa samharanatho,
Yo abhoot sushuptha pumaan,
Pragaswapsaamithi prabodha samaye,
Yaa prathyabignayathe,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 7
After a solar eclipse, we realize the sun is still there. My mind is dark now, let me realize the light behind, and realize that the state of ignorance was unreal, I pray to Guru Dakshinamurthy to help me with this.
7 Balyadishwapi jagaradhadishu thadha,
Sarva sva avasthasthaswapi,
Vyavrutha swanuvarthamanamaha,
Mithyanth sphurantham sada,
Svathmaanam pragatikarothi bajatham,
Yo mudraya bhadraya,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 8
We seem to go through changes (states of mind, aging process). But we are the same, and I pray to Guru Dakshinamurthy to help me realize the ONE truth with the help of Gyana Mudra.
The truth as represented by the concept of Brahman, exists always.
8 Viswam pasyathi karya karana thaya,
Swa swami sambandatha,
Sishyacharya thaya thadaiva pithru,
Puthradhyathmana bedatha,
Swapne Jagrathi va ya esha purusho,
Maya Paribramitha,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 9
His maya imposes the relationships and states of minds – that amplifies the realism. I pray to that Guru Dakshinamurthy to help me through that.
.
9 Bhoorambaamsya anilo ambhara,
Maharnadho himamasu puman,
Ithyabhathi characharathmakamidham,
Yasyaiva murthyashtakam,
Nanyath kinchana vidhyathe vimrusathaam,
Yasmath parasmath vibho,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 10
He makes the universe manifest; by his grace alone the manifestation disappears, and then All that remains is Brahmin, so I pray to that Guru Dakshinamurthi to send me his grace
10 Sarvathmathvamithi sphutikruthamitham,
Yasmadamushamin sthave,
Thenasya sravanath thadartha mananath,
Dyanascha Sankeerthanath,
Sarvathmathva maha vibhuthi sahitham,
Syadheeswarasthvam svatha,
Siddhyeth thath punarashtadha parinatham,
Chaisvaryamvayhatham., 11
The concept of the Athma,
Which is explained in this poem of praise,
Hearing which, understanding which,
Meditating which and singing which,
One would attain the state of the godliness,
And the great state of self realization,
And also you would get the eight powers of occult,
Varshishtha anthevasad rishiganai, Ravrutham brahma nishtai,
Acharyendram kara kalihtha chin, Mudram ananda roopam,
Swathmaramam mudhitha vadanam,Dakshinamurthim eede.
I praise and salute that Dakshinamrthy,
Who faces the south,
Who explains the true nature of the supreme Brahman,
Through his state of silence,
Who is young in looks,
Who is surrounded by disciples who are old Sages,
Whose minds are fixed on Brahman,
Who is the greatest of teachers,
Who shows the Chinmudhra[1] by his hand,
Who is personification of happiness,
Who is in the state of extreme joy within himself,
And who has a smiling face.
#1 Viswam darpana drusyamana nagari, Thulyam nijantar-gatham,
Pasyannathmani mayaya bahirivoth, Bhutham yatha nidraya,
Ya sakshath kuruthe prabodha samaye, Swathmanameva dwayam,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham, Sree Dakshinamurthaye
The world is like a reflection (not real). We can discern the truth after self illumination. I pray to the guru Dakshinamurthi by whose grace the truth can be illuminated within me
The above stanza tells us that the world which is outside us is same as our soul but we see them as different entities due to the veil of ignorance. As soon as we wake up, we realize that the dream is false and even while seeing our image in the mirror, we know that we are not seeing us in the mirror but our image. When we get knowledge from the guru we are in the wakeful state without the veil of ignorance.
#2 Beejasyanthari vankuro jagadhidham, Prang nirvikalpam punaha
Mayakalpitha desa kala kalanaa, Vaichithrya chithrikrutham,
Mayaveeva vijrumbhayathyapi maha,Yogeeva yah swechaya,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham, Sree dakshinamurthaye
The world was projected like a tree from a seed, by the will of the supreme. I pray to that Guru Dakshinamurthi (who can take this projection and put it back into the seed form)
DO you remember the moment when the world came to be?????
When the net of illusion is lifted and when we reach the stage of manifestation, we would find that what we think as different is but one and the same.
3 Yasyaiva sphuranam sadathmakamasath,
Kalparthagam bhasathe,
Sakshaath thathwamaseethi veda vachasa,
Yobodhyathyasrithhan,
Yath saksht karanath bhavenna punara,
Aavrithir bhavambhonidhow,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 4
By His illumination the false world appears real. But He can teach me “I am God – I am part of the supreme truth” – I pray to that Guru Dakshinamurthi for that enlightenment.
He who exists as the real light of truth, And shines in the false world of appearance, And He who teaches disciples the great saying, “Thou art that”[2] after realizing its import, Gets away from this cycle of life and death. Salutation to the God facing the south, Who is the greatest teacher.
4 Nanachidhra ghato dhara sthitha maha,
Deepa prabha bhaswaram,
Jnanam yasya thu chakshuradhi karana,
Dwara bahi spandathe,
Jaanameethi tham eva baandham anubathi,
Yethath samastham jagat,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 5
The world appears real by manifesting through all my senses. I pray to Guru Dakshinamurthy to illuminate my mind with the truth
Our body prevents us from seeing the truth(the light from outside) that we are the Brahman and lets out
light though the sensory organs and makes us deceive ourselves by feeling that we are happy.
This simile of a pot with holes for the body occurs in many places in Indian philosophy.
5 Deham pranam api indryanyapi chalaam,
Budhim cha soonyam vidhu,
Stree balandha jadopamasthvaha mithi,
Brandha brusam vadhina,
Maya sakthi vilasa kalpitha maha,
Vyamoha samharine,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 6
Some intellectuals claim the world is real. I pray to Guru Dakshinamurthy to destroy that delusion within me This is a sample of the approach of negation in identifying the truth about the concept of self. Senses, the body etc cannot be the absolute truth as they are transient.
6 Rahu grastha divakarendu sadrusho,
Maya samachadanath,
Sanamthra karanopa samharanatho,
Yo abhoot sushuptha pumaan,
Pragaswapsaamithi prabodha samaye,
Yaa prathyabignayathe,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 7
After a solar eclipse, we realize the sun is still there. My mind is dark now, let me realize the light behind, and realize that the state of ignorance was unreal, I pray to Guru Dakshinamurthy to help me with this.
7 Balyadishwapi jagaradhadishu thadha,
Sarva sva avasthasthaswapi,
Vyavrutha swanuvarthamanamaha,
Mithyanth sphurantham sada,
Svathmaanam pragatikarothi bajatham,
Yo mudraya bhadraya,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 8
We seem to go through changes (states of mind, aging process). But we are the same, and I pray to Guru Dakshinamurthy to help me realize the ONE truth with the help of Gyana Mudra.
The truth as represented by the concept of Brahman, exists always.
8 Viswam pasyathi karya karana thaya,
Swa swami sambandatha,
Sishyacharya thaya thadaiva pithru,
Puthradhyathmana bedatha,
Swapne Jagrathi va ya esha purusho,
Maya Paribramitha,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 9
His maya imposes the relationships and states of minds – that amplifies the realism. I pray to that Guru Dakshinamurthy to help me through that.
.
9 Bhoorambaamsya anilo ambhara,
Maharnadho himamasu puman,
Ithyabhathi characharathmakamidham,
Yasyaiva murthyashtakam,
Nanyath kinchana vidhyathe vimrusathaam,
Yasmath parasmath vibho,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 10
He makes the universe manifest; by his grace alone the manifestation disappears, and then All that remains is Brahmin, so I pray to that Guru Dakshinamurthi to send me his grace
10 Sarvathmathvamithi sphutikruthamitham,
Yasmadamushamin sthave,
Thenasya sravanath thadartha mananath,
Dyanascha Sankeerthanath,
Sarvathmathva maha vibhuthi sahitham,
Syadheeswarasthvam svatha,
Siddhyeth thath punarashtadha parinatham,
Chaisvaryamvayhatham., 11
The concept of the Athma,
Which is explained in this poem of praise,
Hearing which, understanding which,
Meditating which and singing which,
One would attain the state of the godliness,
And the great state of self realization,
And also you would get the eight powers of occult,
Mahakaleshwar Ujjain

MahaKaleshwar Shiva Sadhana ===
Om Joom Sah Paalay Paalay Sah Joom Om (For Self protection and victory)
Om Joom Sah Paalay Paalay Sah Joom Om (For Self protection and victory)