Dakshinamurti Stotram

Meaning:

Viśvaṁ darpaṇa-dṛśyamāna-nagarītulyaṁ nijāntargataṁ
Paśyannātmani māyayā bahirivodbhutaṁ yathā nidrayā .
Yaḥ sākṣātkurute prabodhasamaye svātmānam-evādvayaṁ
Tasmai śrīgurumūrtaye nama idaṁ śrīdakṣiṇāmūrtaye .. 1..

The universe, like a city in mirror, is within oneself. But by the power of Maya, one sees the world manifested outside, like a dream. To him who shows the unparalleled self on waking up from this dream, to that Dakshinamurti , the teacher, I offer my salutations.

Bījasyāntarivāṅkuro jagadidaṁ prāṅ-nirvikalpaṁ punaḥ
Māyākalpita-deśakālakalanā-vaicitrya-citrīkṛtam .
Māyāvīva vijṛmbhayatyapi mahāyogīva yaḥ svecchayā
Tasmai śrīgurumūrtaye nama idaṁ śrīdakṣiṇāmūrtaye.. 2..

The universe, in the beginning, was latent like the sprout in a seed. By the order of Maya, it was made into a variety of forms by space and time. To him who expands himself, like a magician or a yogi, by his own will, to that Dakshinamurti , the teacher, I offer my salutations.

Yasyaiva sphuraṇaṁ sadātmakamasat-kalpārthakaṁ bhāsate
Sākṣāt-tattvamasīti vedavacasā yo bodhayatyaaśritān .
Yatsākṣātkaraṇād-bhavenna punarāvṛttir-bhavāmbhonidhau
Tasmai śrīgurumūrtaye nama idaṁ śrīdakṣiṇāmūrtaye .. 3..

To him, whose radiance illumines the lifeless forms making them living, who enlightens his devotees with the Vedic utterance "You are that", and by knowing whom there is no return to the ocean of birth and death, to that Dakshinamurti, the teacher, I offer my salutations.

Nānāchidra-ghaṭodara-sthitamahā-dīpaprabhā-bhāsvaraṁ
Jñānaṁ yasya tu cakṣurādi-karaṇadvārā bahiḥ spandate .
Jānāmiiti tameva bhāntam-anubhātyetat-samastaṁ jagat
Tasmai śrīgurumūrtaye nama idaṁ śrīdakṣiṇāmūrtaye .. 4..

To him, whose light shines, like a lamp placed in a pot with holes, through the senses like the eyes, and illumines the world by saying "I know", to that Dakshinamurti, the teacher, I offer my salutations.

Dehaṁ prāṇamapīndriyāṇyapi chalāṁ buddhiṁ ca shūnyaṁ viduḥ
Strībālāndha-jaḍopamāstv-ahamiti bhrāntā bhṛshaṁ vādinaḥ .
Māyāśakti-vilāsakalpita-mahāvyāmoha-saṁhāriṇe
Tasmai śrīgurumūrtaye nama idaṁ śrīdakṣiṇāmūrtaye .. 5..

Some philosophers think that the body, the senses, life, the intellect and non-existence is the real `I', and are like women, children, the blind and the dull in their pointless arguments. To him who destroys this delusion caused by Maya, to that Dakshinamurti, the teacher, I offer my salutations.

Rāhugrasta-divākarendu-sadṛsho māyāsamācchādanāt
Sanmātraḥ karaṇopasaṁharaṇato yo'bhūtsuṣuptaḥ pumān .
Prāgasvāpsamiti prabodhasamaye yaḥ pratyabhijñāyate
Tasmai śrīgurumūrtaye nama idaṁ śrīdakṣiṇāmūrtaye .. 6..

Like the eclipsed sun and the moon, covered by Maya, one sleeps after withdrawing his senses into that self. To him who on awakening makes one realize that "I was sleeping before", to that Dakshinamurti, the teacher, I offer my salutations.

Bālyādiṣvapi jāgradādiṣu tathā sarvāsvavasthāsvapi
Vyāvṛttāsvanuvartamānam-ahamityantaḥ sphurantaṁ sadā .
Svātmānaṁ prakaṭīkaroti bhajatāṁ yo mudrayā bhadrayā
Tasmai śrīgurumūrtaye nama idaṁ śrīdakṣiṇāmūrtaye .. 7..

To him, who throughout all states of being-such as childhood,etc., waking and sleep-shines inside us as the self, and illumines himself by showing the Chin Mudra, to that Dakshinamurti, the teacher, I offer my salutations.

Viśvaṁ paśyati kāryakāraNatayā svasvāmisambandhataḥ
Śiṣyācāryatayā tathaiva pitṛputrādyātmanā bhedataḥ .
Svapne jāgrati vā ya eṣa puruṣo māyāparibhrāmitaḥ
Tasmai śrīgurumūrtaye nama idaṁ śrīdakṣiṇāmūrtaye .. 8..

One sees this world in terms of cause and effect, in terms of the relationship between one and one's master, one' teacher, one's father and one's son. To him who confuses man by his Maya, to that Dakshinamurti, the teacher, I offer my salutations.

Bhūr-ambhāṁsyanalo'nilo'mbaram-aharnātho himāṁśuḥ pumān
Ityābhāti carācarātmakamidaṁ yasyaiva mūrtyaṣṭakam .
Nānyatkiñcana vidyate vimṛśatāṁ yasmāt parasmādvibhoḥ
Tasmai śrīgurumūrtaye nama idaṁ śrīdakṣiṇāmūrtaye .. 9..

To him, who shines in the universe through his eight forms-Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Space, Sun, Moon and Man; and beyond whom there is none for the seekers, to that Dakshinamurti, the teacher, I offer my salutations.

Sarvātmatvamiti sphuṭīkṛtamidaṁ yasmādamuṣmin stave
Tenāsya shravaṇāt tadarthamananāt dhyānācca saṅkīrtanāt .
Sarvātmatva-mahāvibhūtisahitaṁ syādīśvaratvaṁ svataḥ
Siddhyettat punaraṣṭadhā pariṇataṁ caishvaryam-avyāhatam .. 10..

This hymn points out that everything is the Self. By hearing, contemplating on, meditating on and singing this hymn, one attains the state of oneness with the Self and gains divine qualities on his own. His merit is increased eight-fold and he gets uninterrupted prosperity.

                                                                                            This hymn was composed by Adi Shankara.

Notes

  This is a hymn to Shiva in the form of Dakshinamurti, the teacher facing south. It is a concise rendering of the teachings of the Vedas and an expression of gratitude to Him who makes one realize these truths.

 The form of Dakshinamurti is shown to be facing south. In Vedic philosophy, south is the direction of death, and hence Dakshinamurti is one who accepts death and change with open arms. Of all Hindu Gods, he is the only one who always faces south. He is seated under a banyan tree, surrounded by sages waiting to receive instruction from him. He holds the damaru or hand drum, symbolising creation of knowledge, and fire, symbolising the destruction of ignorance. He also holds the Vedas in his hand and holds the other hand in the Chinmudra gesture. The Chinmudra gesture symbolises the awakening of knowledge in the mind. The Dakshinamurti form is considered to be the source of all knowledge.

Narayani Stuti

Meaning:

Sarvasya buddhi rūpeṇa janasya hṛdi saṁsthite .
Svargāpavargade devi nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..1..

Salutations to you, O Narayani, who is present in the heart of all people as intelligence, and grants heaven and liberation.

Kalākāṣṭādi rūpeṇa pariṇāma pradāyini . 
Viśvasyoparatau śakte nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..2..

Salutations to you, O Narayani, who causes change in the form of time periods such as kala and kashtha (~1.6 min and ~3.2s respectively), and has the power to withdraw the universe. 

Sarva maṅgala māṅgalye śive sarvārtha sādhike .
Śaraṇye tryambake gaur nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..3..
O Narayani, who is the most auspicious among the auspicious, who is peaceful, who grants all boons, who gives refuge to all, who has three eyes, and who has a fair complexion! Salutations to you.

Sṛṣṭisthitivināśānāṁ śaktibhūte sanātani .
Guṇāśraye guṇamaye nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..4..

Salutations to you, O Narayani, who has become the power of creation, sustenance, and destruction, who is eternal, who is the creator of all qualities and who possesses them.

Śaraṇāgata-dīnārta-paritrāṇa-parāyaṇe .
Sarvasyārthihare devi nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..5..


Salutations to you, O Goddess Narayani, who is engaged in saving the poor and distressed who take refuge in her, and who removes the sorrows of all people

Haṁsayukta-vimānasthe brahmāṇīrūpa-dhāriṇi .
Kauśāmbhaḥ-kṣarike devi nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..6..

Salutations to you, O Narayani, who is seated in a vehicle drawn by swans, and who, taking the form of Brahmani, sprinkles water with kusha grass.

Triśūla-candrāhi-dhare mahāvṛṣabhavāhini .
Māheśvarī-swarūpeṇa nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..7..

Salutations to you, O Narayani, who, in the form of Maheswari, bears the moon, the snake, and the trident and rides on a great bull .

Mayūra-kukkuṭavṛte mahāśaktidhare'naghe .
Kaumārīrūpa-saṁsthāne nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..8..

Salutations to you, O Narayani, who has assumed the form of Kaumari, who is flanked by a peacock and a cock, who holds the great spear, and who is flawless.

Śaṅkhacakra-gadāśārṅa-gṛhīta-paramāyudhe .
Prasīda Vaiṣṇavīrūpe nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..9..

Salutations to you,O Narayani, who has assumed the form of Vaishnavi, who holds the conch, the disc, the mace and the bow;may you be pleased with us.

Gṛhītogra-mahācakre daṁṣṭoddhṛta-vasundhare .
Varāharūpiṇi śive nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..10..

Salutations to you, O Narayani, who, in the form of Varaha(wild pig), holds a terrible disc, and lifted the earth with her teeth, and who is Shiva.

Nṛsiṁharūpeṇogreṇa hantuṁ daityān kṛtodyame .

Trailokyatrāṇa-sahite nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..11..

Salutations to you, O Narayani, who, in the form of Narasimha, is ever ready to kill the demons, and who protects the three worlds.

Kirīṭini mahāvajre sahasranayanojjvale . 
Vṛtraprāṇahare caindri nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..12..

Salutations to you, O Narayani, who wears a crown, who holds the great thunderbolt, who has a thousand shining eyes, and who killed Vritra as Aindri.

Śivadūtīsvarūpeṇa hathadaitya-mahābale .
Ghorarūpe mahārāve nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..13..

Salutations to you, O Narayani, who, in the form of Shivaduti(one who has Shiva as her messenger), slaughtered the demons with her great strength, who has a terrible form, and a terrible cry.

Daṁṣṭrākarālavadane śiromālā-vibhūṣaṇe .
Chāmunde mundamathane nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..14..

Salutations to you, O Narayani, who are Chamunda, whose canines make her face dreadful, who is decorated with a necklace of severed heads, and who destroyed the demon Munda.

Lakshmi lajje mahāvidye sraddhe puṣṭi svadhe dhruve .
Mahāratri mahāvidye nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..15..

Salutation to you,O Narayani, who is Lakshmi, who is modesty, who is the great knowledge, who is faith, who is nourishment, who is oblation, who is eternal, who is the great night and who is the greatest knowledge.

Medhe sarasvati vare bhūti bābhravi tāmase .
Niyate tvaṁ prasīdeśe nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..16..

Salutations to you,O Narayani, who is intelligence, who is Saraswati, who is prosperity, who is reddish-brown in colour, who is dark, who is the mistress of all, and who is fate;be pleased with us.

This hymn is found in the 11th chapter of the Devimahatmya .

Notes:

  The Devimahatmya is a  portion of the Markandeya Purana which describes the glories of the Mother Goddess. The gods praise the Goddess with this hymn after she killed the demons Shumbha and Nishumbha. The demons Shumbha and Nishumbha obtained a boon from Lord Brahma that only the most powerful woman in the world can kill them. Armed with this boon they created havoc in the three worlds. The troubled gods and sages requested the Mother Goddess Durga to save them from the demons and she obliged. 

  Taking the form of Kaushiki, Durga descended to the Earth. This was when Chanda and Munda, two demons in the service of Shumbha, saw her and reported the news to him. Shumbha sent a group of demons, led by Dhumralochana, to persuade Kaushiki to come with them and marry their masters. Kaushiki flatly refused, and said that she would only marry the person who defeats her in war. This made Dhumralochana angry and he tried to molest her. The enraged Kaushiki uttered the syllable "hmm", causing Dhumralochana to explode. 

  The news reached Shumbha and he decided to take her by force. He sent Chanda and Munda with a small army to bring Kaushiki by force. On seeing herself outnumbered, Kaushiki created a black goddess from her mind. This goddess was dreadful to look at, had sharp teeth, and a dark complexion. She slaughtered the demons, including Chanda and Munda. Kaushiki named her Kalika, as she was black in colour. She was also called Chamunda as she killed Chanda and Munda.

  Shumbha and Nishumbha now decided to launch a full-fledged attack against Kaushiki. Kaushiki decided to send Shiva as a messenger of peace, but the mission failed. The demon launched their attack on Kaushiki. On seeing this, the gods pooled their energies to help Kaushiki in the form of eight goddesses. Brahmani sprinkled water with kusha grass on the demon forces, making them senseless. Vaishnavi, Maheshwari, Kaumari, Varahi, Narasimhi, and Aindri then killed the demons. These seven goddesses were later known as the seven Matrikas. Other goddesses also joined the war.

  One of the major problems the army of Kaushiki faced was Raktabeeja, Shumbha's general. Every drop of his blood that touched the ground would form a new Raktabeeja. The goddesses then invoked Chamunda to help them. Chamunda assumedas man forms as there were Raktabeejas, killed each one and then drank their blood, preventing newones from being formed. The goddesses then killed Nishumbha. An enraged Shumbha taunted Kaushiki saying that it was the other goddesses who helped her defeat his brother. On hearing this, Kaushiki absorbed all the other goddesses into her body and killed Shumbha in single combat. The delighted gods then praised her for restoring order to the three worlds.

Mrityunjaya Stotram

Meaning:

Rudraṁ paśupatiṁ sthānuṁ nīlakaṇṭham umāpatiṁ .
Namāmi śirasā devaṁ kiṁ no mṛtyuḥ kariṣyati ..1..

I bow down to Shiva, who is Rudra, who is the lord of all beasts, who has a blue neck, and who is the husband of Parvati; what can death do to me?

Nīlakaṇṭhaṁ kālamūrtiṁ kālajñaṁ kālanāśanaṁ .
Namāmi śirasā devaṁ kiṁ no mṛtyuḥ kariṣyati ..2..

I bow down to Shiva, who is blue-necked, who takes the form of time, who knows past present and future, and who destroys death; what can death do to me?

Nīlakaṇṭhaṁ virūpakṣam nirmalaṁ nilayaprabhaṁ .
Namāmi śirasā devaṁ kiṁ no mṛtyuḥ kariṣyati ..3..

I bow down to Shiva, who is blue-necked, who has three eyes , and who is the abode of light; what can death do to me?

Vāmadevaṁ mahādevaṁ lokanāthaṁ jagatguruṁ .
Namāmi śirasā devaṁ kiṁ no mṛtyuḥ kariṣyati ..4..

I bow down to Shiva, who is benevolent, who is the greatest god, who is the master of the universe, and who is the teacher of the world; what can death do to me?

Devadevaṁ jagannāthaṁ deveśaṁ vṛṣabhadhvajaṁ.
Namāmi śirasā devaṁ kiṁ no mṛtyuḥ kariṣyati ..5..

I bow down to Shiva, who is the god of gods, who is the lord of the universe, who is the ruler of gods, and whose flag bears the insignia of a bull; what can death do to me?

Gaṅgādharaṁ mahādevaṁ sarvābharaṇa-bhūṣitaṁ .
Namāmi śirasā devaṁ kiṁ no mṛtyuḥ kariṣyati ..6..

I bow down to Shiva, who bears the Ganga, who is the great god, and who is bedecked with a variety of ornaments; what can death do to me?

Anāthaṁ paramānandaṁ kaivalyapada-gāminam .
Namāmi śirasā devaṁ kiṁ no mṛtyuḥ kariṣyati ..7..

I bow down to Shiva, who has no master, who is the supreme bliss, and who shows the path to salvation; what can death do to me?

Svargāpavarga-dātāraṁ sṛṣṭisthiti-vināśanaṁ .
Namāmi śirasā devaṁ kiṁ no mṛtyuḥ kariṣyati ..8..

I bow down to Shiva, who gives heaven and salvation, and who creates, sustains, and destroys; what can death do to me?

Utpatti-sthitisaṁhāra-kartāram-īśvaraṁ gurum .
Namāmi śirasā devaṁ kiṁ no mṛtyuḥ kariṣyati ..9..

I bow down to Shiva, who  creates, sustains, and destroys, who is the lord and who is the teacher; what can death do to me?

Mārkaṇḍeyakṛtaṁ stotraṁ yaḥ paṭhet śivasannidhau .
Tasya mṛtyubhayaṁ nāsti nāgneścorabhayaṁ kvacit ..10..

Whoever reads this hymn composed by Markandeya in the presence of Shiva will not fear death, fie, and thieves.

Śatāvṛttaṁ prakartavyaṁ saṅkate kaṣṭanaśanam .
Śucirbhūtvā paṭhet stotraṁ sarvasiddhi-pradāyakam ..11..

This hymn should be repeated a hundred times, as it removes difficulty during the time of distress. After becoming clean, one must read this hymn which gives all types of attainments.

Mṛtyuñjaya mahādeva trāhi māṁ śaraṇāgatam .
Janma-mṛtyu-jarārogaiḥ pīḍitaṁ karmabandhanaiḥ ..12..

O Slayer of death! O greatest among gods! Save me,who am tortured by the bonds of karma, from birth,death, old age and disease, as I have taken refuge in you.

Namaḥ śivāya sāmbāya haraye paramātmane .
Praṇataḥ-kleśa-nāśāya yogīnāṁ pataye namaḥ ..13..

Salutations to Shiva, who is accompanied by Shakti, who is Vishnu, who is the supreme Soul, who destroys the pain of his devotees, and who is the master of all Yogis.

 This hymn was composed by Sage Markandeya.

Notes

  Markandeya was a great devotee of Lord Shiva. Before his birth, Shiva asked his father Mrikandu if he wanted hundred long-lived sons who would be stupid, or one son who would earn a lot of fame and glory, but die at the age of sixteen. Mrikandu asked Shiva for the short-lived son.

 The child was called Markandeya as he was the son of Mrikandu. He grew up to be a staunch devotee of Shiva.When he reached the age of sixteen, he noticed that his parents grew sadder day by day. After queries, his father reluctantly told him that he was fated to die at the age of sixteen. Markandeya was undaunted. He went to the seashore, built a Shivalinga out of the sand, and started worshipping it.

  Yama, the god of death, noticed that the boy's time was up and sent his servants to fetch Markandeya. When the servants went to fetch him, he refused to go with them. After failing to take him, the servants told their master to look into the matter. Yama went to the spot and tried to drag Markandeya along with him. At once, Shiva, to protect his devotee, jumped out of the Linga and kicked Yama so hard that he fainted.

  Shiva blessed Markandeya with immortality and told him that he need not have any fear of death, old age, and disease. He also instructed Yama not to come anywhere near his devotees. This episode earned Shiva the epithet 'The destroyer of death'.

Annapurna Stotram

Meaning:

Nityānandakarī varābhayakarī saundaryaratnākarī
Nirdhūtākhila-ghora-pāvanakarī pratyakṣamāheśvarī .
Prāleyācala-vaṁśapāvanakarī kāśīpurādhīśvarī
Bhikṣāṁ dehi kṛpāvalambanakarī mātānnapūrṇeśvarī ..1..

O mother Annapurna, who extends compassion to all, who gives eternal happiness, who gives blessings and fearlessness, who is the ocean of beauty, who purifies all evil, who is the great goddess visible to the eye, who purified the lineage of the snowy Himalaya, and who rules the city of Kashi! Give me alms.

Nānāratna-vicitrabhūṣaṇakarī hemāmbarāḍambarī
Muktāhāra-vilambamānavilasad-vakṣojakumbhāntarī .
Kāśmīrāgaru-vāsitā rucikarī kāśīpurādhīśvarī
Bhikṣāṁ dehi kṛpāvalambanakarī mātānnapūrṇeśvarī ..2..

O mother Annapurna, who extends compassion to all, who is decorated with many varieties of gems, who wears luxurious golden garments, who has a string of pears hanging in the space between her full breasts, who is perfumed with saffron and aloe wood, who creates taste, who rules the city of Kashi! Give me alms.

Yogānandakarī ripukṣayakarī dharmārtha-niṣṭhākarī
Candrārkānalabhā-samānalaharī trailokyarakṣākarī .
Sarvaiśvarya-samastavāñchitakarī kāśīpurādhīśvarī
Bhikṣāṁ dehi kṛpāvalambanakarī mātānnapūrṇeśvarī ..3..

O mother Annapurna, who extends compassion to all, who gives the bliss of yoga, who destroys her enemies, who gives dharma, wealth, and devotion, who emanates waves with the combined radiance of the sun, the moon, and fire, who protects the three worlds, who gives all opulence and all that is desired, and who rules the city of Kashi! Give me alms.

Kailāsācala-kandarālayakarī gaurī umā shaṅkarī
Kaumārī nigamārtha-gocarakarī oṁkārabījākṣarī .
Mokṣadvāra-kapāṭa-pāṭanakarī kāśīpurādhīśvarī
Bhikṣāṁ dehi kṛpāvalambanakarī mātānnapūrṇeśvarī ..4..

O mother Annapurna, who extends compassion to all, who lives in the caves of Kailasa, who is white, who is Uma, who gives prosperity, who is the energy of Subrahmanya, who makes the meaning of the Vedas perceptible, who has "Om" as her seed syllable, who throws the gate of salvation open, and who rules the city of Kashi! Give me alms.

Dṛśyādṛśya-vibhūti-vāhanakarī brahmāṇḍa-bhāṇḍodarī
Līlānāṭaka-sūtra-khelanakarī vijnānadīpāṅkurī .
Śrīviśveśa-manaḥprasādanakarī kāśīpurādhīśvarī
Bhikṣāṁ dehi kṛpāvalambanakarī mātānnapūrṇeśvarī ..5..

O mother Annapurna, who extends compassion to all, who carries visible and invisible attributes, who holds within herself the whole universe, who directs the sporting drama of the world, who is the seed of the lamp of knowledge, who pleases the mind of Shiva, and who rules the city of Kashi! Give me alms.

Ūrvī sarvajaneśvarī bhagavatī mātānnapūrṇeśvarī
Veṇīnīla-samāna-kuntaladharī nityānnadāneśvarī .
Sākṣānmokṣakarī sadāśubhakarī kāśīpurādhīśvarī
Bhikṣāṁ dehi kṛpāvalambanakarī mātānnapūrṇeśvarī ..6..

O mother Annapurna, who is the earth, who is the mistress of all people, who is the goddess and the mother Annapurna, who has braided hair which resembles indigo, who is always engaged in distribution of food, who gives direct liberation, who always gives auspiciousness, and who rules the city of Kashi! Give me alms.

Ādikṣānta-samasta-varṇanakarī śambhostribhāvākarī
Kāśmīrā trijaleśvarī trilaharī nityāṅkurā śarvarī .
Svargadvāra-kapāṭa-pāṭanakarī kāśīpurādhīśvarī
Bhikṣāṁ dehi kṛpāvalambanakarī mātānnapūrṇeśvarī ..7..

O mother Annapurna, who creates all the letters beginning with A and ending with Kṣa, who creates the three forms of Shiva, who has the colour of saffron,who is the mistress of the three states and the three energies, who is always sprouting, who is the night, who throws the gate of heaven open, and who rules the city of Kashi! Give me alms.

Devī sarvavicitra-ratnaracitā dākṣāyaṇī sundarī
Vāme svādupayodharā priyakarī saubhāgya-māheśvarī .
Bhaktābhīṣṭakarī sadāśubhakarī kāśīpurādhīśvarī
Bhikṣāṁ dehi kṛpāvalambanakarī mātānnapūrṇeśvarī ..8..

O mother Annapurna, who extends compassion to all, who is decorated with various gems, who is the beautiful daughter of Daksha, who holds sweet milk in her left hand, who causes happiness, who is the goddess of fortune, who fulfills the desires of her devotees, who always gives auspiciousness, and who rules the city of Kashi! Give me alms.

Candrārkānala-koṭikoṭi-sadṛśī candrāṁśu-bimbādharī
Candrārkāgnisamāna-kuṇḍaladharī candrārka-varṇeśvarī .
Mālāpustaka-pāśasāṅkuśa-dharī kāśīpurādhīśvarī
Bhikṣāṁ dehi kṛpāvalambanakarī mātānnapūrṇeśvarī ..9..

O mother Annapurna, who extends compassion to all, who resembles billions of suns, moons and fires, whose lips resemble the crescent moon, who wears earrings which shine like the sun, the moon and the fire, who is the goddess of the brilliance of the sun and moon, who holds a rosary, a book, a noose, and a goad, and who rules the city of Kashi! Give me alms.

Kṣatratrāṇakarī mahābhayaharī mātā kṛpāsāgarī
Sarvānandakarī sadāśivakarī viśveśvarī śrīdharī .
Dakṣākrandakarī nirāmayakarī kāśīpurādhīśvarī
Bhikṣāṁ dehi kṛpāvalambanakarī mātānnapūrṇeśvarī ..10..

O mother Annapurna, who extends compassion to all, who protects the warrior class, who removes the greatest fears, who is the mother of all, who is the ocean of compassion, who gives all happiness, who always gives auspiciousness, who is the mistress of the world, who is the store of prosperity, who made Daksha cry, who removes all diseases, and who rules the city of Kashi! Give me alms.

Annapūrṇe sadāpūrṇe śaṅkara-prāṇavallabhe .
Jñānavairāgya-siddhyarthaṁ bhikṣāṁ dehi ca pārvati ..11..

O Annapurna, who is always complete! O beloved of Lord Shiva! For the attainment of knowledge and detachment, give me alms.

Mātā ca pārvatī devī pitā devo maheśvaraḥ .
Bāndhavāḥ śivabhaktāśca svadeśo bhuvanatrayam ..12..

My mother is the Goddess Parvati, my father is Lord Shiva, my relatives are the devotees of Shiva, and the three worlds are my motherland.

 This hymn was composed by Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada.

Notes

  This hymn has been composed in praise of Annapurna, the presiding goddess of the city of Varanasi. The city Varanasi is also called Kashi or the city of light. The temple and the city are very sacred spots. The goddess here is also called Vishalakshi.

  One day, Shiva and Parvati entered into a philosophical argument. Shiva said that the soul is alone true and that the whole universe, including food is an illusion. Parvati, the goddess of the material world, was displeased and asked Shiva to accept that food is not an illusion. Shiva did not yield, causing Parvati to disappear. This caused widespread famine on the Earth.

  Seeing the suffering of her children, the divine mother came to the city of Kashi and started feeding all creatures from the gods in heaven to the dogs on the street. She would not eat a morsel unless all those who came to her were well-fed. This earned her the name Annapurna. People from all over the Earth came to her for food. Eventually, Shiva too started feeling hungry and went to Kashi. He was shocked on seeing the masses that approached Annapurna for food. He went to her with begging bowl in hand and told her he realized that food was essential for the survival of the soul. The Goddess Annapurna is considered the goddess of food and nourishment. She is depicted with a ladle and a bowl of rice in her hands.

Vishvanathashtakam

Meaning:

Gaṅgātaraṅga-ramaṇīya-jaṭākalāpaṁ
Gaurī-nirantara-vibhūṣita-vāmabhāgam .
Nārāyaṇapriyam anaṅgamadāpahāraṁ
Vārāṇasīpurapatiṁ bhaja viśvanātham ..1..

Worship Shiva, the lord of Varanasi, whose matted locks are made beautiful by the waves of the Ganga, whose left side is beautified by goddess Parvati, who is dear to Lord Vishnu and who destroyed the pride of Kama.

Vācāmagocaram anekaguṇasvarūpaṁ
Vāgīśa-viṣṇu-surasevitapādapīṭham .
Vāmeṇa vigrahavareṇa kalatravantaṁ
Vārāṇasīpurapatiṁ bhaja viśvanātham ..2..

Worship Shiva, the lord of Varanasi, who cannot be described through words, who is the embodiment of many qualities, whose feet are are worshipped by Brahma, Vishnu and the gods, and who has his spouse as his left part.

Bhūtādipaṁ bhujagabhūṣaṇa-bhūṣitāṅgaṁ
Vyāghrājināmbaradharaṁ jaṭilaṁ trinetram .
Pāśāṅkuśābhaya-varaprada-śūlapāṇiṁ
Vārāṇasīpurapatiṁ bhaja viśvanātham ..3..

Worship Shiva, the lord of Varanasi, who is the leader of ghosts, who is decorated with snake ornaments, who wears tiger-skin clothes, who has matted hair and three eyes,and who holds the elephant .

Śītāṁśuśobhita-kireeṭa-virājamānaṁ
Phālekṣaṇānala-viśoṣita-pañcabāṇam .
Nāgādhipāracita-bhāsura-karṇapūraṁ
Vārāṇasīpurapatiṁ bhaja viśvanātham ..4..

Worship Shiva, the lord of Varanasi, who shines with the moon as his crown, who by the fire of his third eye burnt the god of love, and who wears the best among snakes as his earrings.

Pañcānanaṁ durita-mattamataṅgajānāṁ
Nāgāntakaṁ danujapuṅgava-pannāgānām .
Dāvānalaṁ maraṇaśoka-jarāṭavīnāṁ
Vārāṇasīpurapatiṁ bhaja viśvanātham ..5..

Worship Shiva, the lord of Varanasi, who is like the lion who kills the mad elephants of sin, who is the killer of the snakes of demons, and who is the forest fire unto the forest of death, sorrow and old age.

Tejomayaṁ saguṇanirguṇaṁ advitīyaṁ
Ānandakandaṁ aparājitaṁ aprameyam .
Nāgātmakaṁ sakalaniṣkalaṁ atmarūpaṁ
Vārāṇasīpurapatiṁ bhaja viśvanātham ..6..

Worship Shiva, the lord of Varanasi, who is brilliant, who has all qualities and no qualities, who has no parallel, who is the cloud of happiness, who cannot be defeated, who cannot be gauged, who can and cannot be divided, and who is the soul within.  

Rāgādidoṣarahitaṁ svajanānurāgaṁ
Vairāgyaśāntinilayaṁ girijāsahāyaṁ .
Mādhuryadhairyasubhagaṁ garalābhirāmaṁ
Vārāṇasīpurapatiṁ bhaja viśvanātham ..7..

Worship Shiva, the lord of Varanasi, who does not have defects like desire, who loves his people, who is the house of peace and dispassion, who is accompanied by Parvati, who shines with sweetness and courage, and who(se neck) is the store of poison.

Āśaaṁ vihaaya parihṛtya parasya nindāṁ
Pāpe ratiṁ ca sunivārya manassamādhau .
Ādhāya hṛtkamalamadhyagataṁ pareśaṁ
Vārāṇasīpurapatiṁ bhaja viśvanātham ..8..

Worship Shiva, the lord of Varanasi, after removing desire, stopping criticism of others, giving up the enjoyment of sin, keeping the mind in meditation, and keeping the supreme lord in the lotus of your heart.

 This hymn was composed by Vyasa.

Notes

  This hymn has been composed in praise of Vishvanatha, the presiding deity of the city of Varanasi. The city is called Varanasi because it is situated at the confluence of the two rivers Varana and Asi. The city is some 3500 years old, claiming to be the oldest living city. The temple and the city are very sacred spots.  A visit to the temple and a bath in the river Ganga is believed to give one assured liberation. People from all over the nation try to visit the city at least once in their lifetime.

  The temple is considered one of the twelve jyotirlinga temples in India. The original temple was destroyed by Muhammad Ghori in 1194 and rebuilt in the 1200s. Aurangazeb destroyed the temple in 1669 and built a mosque over it. The current structure was built by the Maratha queen Ahalyabai Holkar from 1833 to 1840. Maharaja Ranjit Singh, ruler of Punjab, donated gold for the reconstruction.

Mahalakshmi Ashtakam

Meaning:

Namastestu mahāmaȳe śrīpīṭhe surapūjite .
Śaṅkhacakragadāhaste mahālakṣmi namo'stute ..1..

Salutation to you, O Mahalakshmi, who are Mahamaya, the seat of auspiciousness, who are worshipped by the gods, and who hold the conch, the disc, and the mace.

Namaste garuḍārūḍhe kolāsurabhayaṅkari .
Sarvapāpahare devi mahālakṣmi  namo'stute ..2..

Salutation to you, O goddess Mahalakshmi, who are seated on Garuda, who make the demon Kola afraid, and who remove all sins.

Sarvajñe sarvavarade sarvaduṣṭabhayaṅkari .
Sarvaduḥkhahare devi mahālakṣmi namo'stute ..3..

Salutation to you, O goddess Mahalakshmi, who are omniscient, who grant all boons, who create fear in all evil forces, and who remove all sorrows.

Siddhibuddhiprade devi bhuktimuktipradāyini .
Mantramūrte sadā devi mahālakṣmi namo'stute ..4..

Salutation to you always, O goddess Mahalakshmi, who give accomplishment and intelligence, who give enjoyment and liberation, and who are the embodiment of mantras.

Ādyantarahite devi ādyaśakti maheśvari .
Yogaje yogasambhūte mahālakṣmi namo'stute ..5..

Salutation to you, O goddess Mahalakshmi, who have no beginning and end, who are the primordial power, who are the great goddess, who are born from yoga, and who have created yoga.

Sthūlasūkṣmamahāraudre mahāśaktimahodare .
Mahāpāpahare devi mahālakṣmi namo'stute ..6..

Salutation to you, O goddess Mahalakshmi, who are gross and subtle and have great ferocity, who are the great power, who have a giant stomach, and who remove all sins.

Padmāsanasthite devi parabrahmasvarūpiṇi .
Parameśi jaganmātaḥ mahālakṣmi namo'stute ..7..

Salutation to you, O goddess Mahalakshmi, who are seated on a lotus, who are the embodiment of the supreme Brahman, who are the supreme goddess and the mother of the universe.

Śvetāmbaradhare devi nānālaṅkārabhūshite .
Jagatsthite jaganmātaḥ mahālakṣmi namo'stute ..8..

Salutation to you, O goddess Mahalakshmi, who wear white clothes, who are bedecked with various ornaments, who are the stability of the universe, and who are the mother of the universe.

 This hymn was composed by Indra.
The Lakshmi Gayatri, repeated after each pair of verses, 
is not a part of the stotram and is found in the Sri suktam.

Notes:

In the Padma Purana, there is a description of the famous 'Churning of the Ocean' story.

The gods and the demons waged long wars against each other. The gods,afer being drained of strength and resources, offered a truce to the demons and along with them, proceeded to churn the ocean of milk, on the advice of Lord Vishnu. They uprooted the mountain Mandara and used it as a churning rod. The serpent king Vasuki became the churning rope. As they begin churning, the mountain sinks into the ocean due to its weight. When the gods and demons despair, Vishnu takes the form of a giant tortoise and supports the mountain on his back, so that the churning can continue.

  As the ocean was churned, fumes of the toxic kalakuta poison were emitted. All living beings were affected by the fumes. It was Shiva who came forth and drank the poison, thus saving the world from destruction. The poison stained his neck a deep blue colour, giving him the name 'Neelakantha', the blue-necked one.

 The next product of churning was Goddess Lakshmi herself. On seeing her splendour, the king of gods Indra praises her with this hymn. After the emergence of Lakshmi, various objects like the parijata tree, the koustubha jewel and the horse Ucchaisravas were formed. These were divided equally among the gods and the demons. The final product of churning the ocean was the nectar of immortality. The gods the consumed the nectar and defeated the demons decisively. 

Guru Paduka Stotram

Meaning:

Ananta-saṁsāra-samudra-tāra-naukāyitābhyāṁ gurubhaktidābhyām .
Vairāgya-sāṁrājyada-pūjanābhyāṁ  namo namaḥ śrī-gurupādukābhyām ..1..

Salutations to the sandals of the Guru, which have become the boat for crossing the ocean of samsara, which give devotion to the Guru, and whose worship gives one the kingdom of dispassion.

Kavitvavārāśi-niśākarābhyāṁ daurbhāgya-dāvāmbuda-mālikābhyām .
Dūrīkṛtānamra-vipattitābhyāṁ namo namaḥ śrī-gurupādukābhyām ..2..

Salutations to the sandals of the Guru, which are like the full moon to the ocean of knowledge, which are like a line of clouds to the forest fire of misfortune, and which remove the sorrows of the devotees. 

Natā yayoḥ śrīpatitāṁ samīyuḥ kadācidapyāśu daridravaryāḥ .
Mūkāśca vācaspatitāṁ hi tābhyāṁ namo namaḥ śrī-gurupādukābhyām ..3..

Salutations to the sandals of the Guru, by whose grace even the worst of the poor quickly become possessors of wealth, and the dumb become masters of speech.  

Nālīkanīkāśa-padāhṛtābhyāṁ nānāvimohādi nivārikābhyam .
Namajjanābhīṣṭa-tatipradābhyāṁ namo namaḥ śrī-gurupādukābhyām ..4..

Salutations to the sandals of the Guru, which attract one to the ( Guru's) lotus feet, which remove the delusions of the devotees, and which fulfill the series of desires of the devotees.  

Nṛpālimaulivraja-ratnakānti-saridvirājaj-jhaṣakanyakābhyām .
Nṛpatvadābhyāṁ natalokapankteḥ namo namaḥ śrī-gurupādukābhyām ..5..

Salutations to the sandals of the Guru, which shine like a pair of mermaids in a river with the lustre of a group of gems on a king's crown, and who give kingship to the line of devotees.  

Pāpāndhakārārka-paramparābhyāṁ tāpatrayāhīndra-khageśvarābhyām .
Jāḍyābdhi-samsoṣaṇa-vāḍavābhyāṁ namo namaḥ śrī-gurupādukābhyām ..6..

Salutations to the sandals of the Guru, which are like a chain of suns to the darkness of sin, which are like a pair of eagles to the snakes of the three sorrows, and which are a pair of fires that dry up the ocean of dullness.

Śamādiṣaṭka-prada-vaibhavābhyāṁ samādhidāna-vratadikṣitābhyām .
Ramādhavāṅghri-sthirabhaktidābhyāṁ namo namaḥ śrī-gurupādukābhyām ..7..

Salutations to the sandals of the Guru, which are the treasures giving the six qualities like restraint, which are initiated into the vow of giving samadhi, and which give firm devotion to the lotus feet of lord Vishnu.

Svārcāparāṇāṁ akhileṣṭadābhyāṁ svāhāsahāyākṣa-durandharābhyām .
Svāntācchabhāvā-prada-pūjanābhyāṁ namo namaḥ śrī-gurupādukābhyām ..8..

Salutations to the sandals of the Guru, which bestow all desires of those who serve them, which carry the load of service to all, and whose worship reveals ones inner nature.

Kāmādi-sarpavraja-gāruḍābhyāṁ vivekavairāgya-nidhi-pradābhyām .
Bodha-pradābhyāṁ drutamokṣadābhyāṁ namo namaḥ śrī-gurupādukābhyām ..9..

Salutations to the sandals of the Guru,  which are like eagles to the serpents of desire, which give one the valuable treasures of discrimination and dispassion, which give enlightenment and quick liberation.

 This hymn was composed by Sri Nrisimha Bharati, 33rd Shankaracharya of Shringeri Math.

Notes:

In this hymn, the Shankaracharya salutes the sandals of the feet of the Guru. He says that the sandals of the guru offer one with wealth, prosperity, and knowledge. The comparison in verse 2, line 1 implies that like the full moon causes a high tide in the ocean, the sandals of the guru cause an increase in the level of the ocean of knowledge.