Shree Margabandhu Stotram.. of the great Appayya Deekshita

Shree Margabandhu Stotram.. of the great Appayya Deekshita
It is believed that those who are undertaking very long and risky travels and voyages would be under the complete protection of Lord Shankara the Margabandhu Himself if this hymn is chanted repeatedly during the entire journey
श्री मार्गबन्धु स्तोत्रं
शंभो महादेव देव शिव शंभो महादेव देवेश शंभो
शंभो महादेव देव
फालावनम्रत्किरीटं फालनेत्रार्चिषा दग्ध पञ्चेषुकीटम्।
शूलाहतारातिकूटं शुद्धमर्धेन्दुचूडं भजे मार्गबन्धुम्॥ ॥ शंभो… १
अङ्गे विराजद्भुजङ्गं अभ्र गङ्गातरङ्गाभिरामोत्तमाङ्गम्।
ओंकारवाटी कुरङ्गं सिद्ध संसेविताङ्घ्रिं भजे मार्गबन्धुम् ॥ ॥ शंभो… २
नित्यं चिदानंदरूपं निह्नुताशेषलोकेशवैरिप्रतापम् ।
कार्तस्वरागेन्द्र चापं कृत्तिवासं भजे दिव्य सन्मार्गबन्धुम्॥ ॥ शंभो… ३
कन्दर्पदर्पघ्नमीशं काळकण्ठं महेशं महाव्योमकेशम्।
कुंन्दाभदन्तं सुरेशं कोटिसूर्यप्रकाशं भजे मार्गबन्धुम् ॥ ॥ शंभो… ४
मन्दारभूतेरुदारं मन्दरागेन्द्रसारं महाशौर्यदूरम्।
सिन्धूर दूर प्रचारं सिन्धुराजातिधीरं भजे मार्गबन्धुम्॥ ॥ शंभो… ५
अप्पय्ययज्वेन्द्रगीतं स्तोत्रराजं पठेद्यस्तु भक्त्या प्रयाणे।
तस्यार्थसिद्धिं विधत्ते मार्ग मध्येऽभयं चाशुतोषी महेशः॥ ॥ शंभो… ६
ശ്രീ മാര്‍ഗബന്ധു സ്തോത്രം
ശംഭോ മഹാദേവ ദേവ ശിവ ശംഭോ മഹാദേവ ദേവേശ ശംഭോ
ശംഭോ മഹാദേവ ദേവ
ഫാലാവനമ്രത് കിരീടം ഫാലനേത്രാര്‍ചിഷാ ദഗ്ധ പഞ്ചേഷുകീടം।
ശൂലാഹതാരാതികൂടം ശുദ്ധമര്‍ധേന്ദുചൂഡം ഭജേ മാര്‍ഗബന്ധും॥ ॥ ശംഭോ… ൧
അംഗേ വിരാജദ്ഭുജംഗം അഭ്ര ഗംഗാതരംഗാഭിരാമോത്തമാംഗം।
ഓംകാരവാടീ കുരംഗം സിദ്ധ സംസേവിതാംഘ്രിം ഭജേ മാര്‍ഗബന്ധും ॥ ॥ ശംഭോ… ൨
നിത്യം ചിദാനന്ദരൂപം നിഹ്നുതാശേഷലോകേശവൈരിപ്രതാപം ।
കാര്‍ത്തസ്വരാഗേന്ദ്ര ചാപം കൃത്തിവാസം ഭജേ ദിവ്യ സന്മാര്‍ഗബന്ധും॥ ॥ ശംഭോ… ൩
കന്ദര്‍പദര്‍പഘ്നമീശം കാളകണ്ഠം മഹേശം മഹാവ്യോമകേശം।
കുന്ദാഭദന്തം സുരേശം കോടിസൂര്യപ്രകാശം ഭജേ മാര്‍ഗബന്ധും ॥ ॥ ശംഭോ… ൪
മന്ദാരഭൂതേരുദാരം മന്ദരാഗേന്ദ്രസാരം മഹാശൌര്യദൂരം।
സിന്ധൂര ദൂര പ്രചാരം സിന്ധുരാജാതിധീരം ഭജേ മാര്‍ഗബന്ധും॥ ॥ ശംഭോ… ൫
അപ്പയ്യയജ്വേന്ദ്രഗീതം സ്തോത്രരാജം പഠേദ്യസ്തു ഭക്ത്യാ പ്രയാണേ।
തസ്യാര്‍ഥസിദ്ധിം വിധത്തേ മാര്‍ഗമധ്യേഽഭയം ചാശുതോഷീ മഹേശഃ॥ ॥ ശംഭോ… ൬
Shree Maragabandhu Stotram.. Free translation
Shambo mahaadeva deva, shiva shambo mahaadeva devesha shambho, shambo mahaadeva deva.
I worship with all humility and reverence
That Lord who wears a crown that sits on his head and covers the upper portion of his wide forehead
That Lord who, by sending powerful rays of fire from his third eye adorning his forehead and burnt to ashes that wretch by name Kamadeva who wears five arrows made of flowers
That Lord who by the flourish of his trident annihilated the whole array of obnoxious enemies along with their abodes
That Lord who is personification of purity
That Lord who wears half-moon crescent on his matted locks
That Lord who is ever giving protection to his devotees who have set out on journey 1
I worship with all humility and reverence
That Lord who shines forth with numerous snakes writhing around his whole body
That Lord head ia attractively adorned with heavenly clouds and the huge waves of River Ganga which is oozing out of his matted locks.
The Lord who is the divine deer in the beautiful garden which is Omkara the Pranava mantram
The Lord whose hallowed pair of feet are ever served by the divine beings, Siddhas
That Lord who is ever giving protection to his devotees who have set out on journey 2
I worship with all humility and reverence
That Lord who is eternal and is manifesting in a state of ultimate and blemish less ecstasy
That Lord who has entirely subdued the vigour and valour of the enemies of the Divine beings
That Lord who is holding as his bow the Mahameru mountain made of pure gold as his bow .. the bow supplied by Indra, in his victorious march for subjugation of Tripuras
That Lord who wears the raw bleeding hide of a huge elephant as his garment.
That Lord who is ever giving protection to his devotees who have set out on journey 3
I worship with all humility and reverence
That lord all pervading being, who had humbled the Lord of Love Kamadeva of all his arrogance by burning him with his third eye
That Lord who is manifesting with a neck coloured utterly dark due to the potent venom Kalakoodam that is lodged there, he is Kaalakanda for that reason
That Lord who is the supreme one, the foremost even among all the potent gods
That Lord who manifests in his Vishvaroopam, with the tall limitless sky forming his hair
That Lord who sports a smile with teeth shining like pure fresh jasmine flowers
That Lord who is the leader of all the Divine being
That Lord who shines forth with the glitter of crores of Suns
That Lord who is ever giving protection to his devotees who have set out on journey 4
I worship with all humility and reverence
That Lord who surpasses even the divine Wish yielding tree Kalpakavriksham,( which is the source of Mandara flowers,) in generosity when it comes to granting the wishes of his devotees
That Lord whose brilliant glow would make the powerful glow and shine of the lightning and thunderbolt or shine of Vajra of Indra the leader of Gods
That Lord who traverses great distances covering the whole universe atop steeds of superior pedigree
That Lord whose eminence subdues even the Lord of Sindhu, the Lord of Oceans Varuna himself
That Lord who is ever giving protection to his devotees who have set out on journey 5
This eminent prayer is sung by the sincere practitioner of many Yajnas.. Appayya.. Appayya Deekshita.. If this prayer is recited with devotion by anyone during his long and arduous journeys, the Lord Shiva, the Margabandhu, who is ever pleased with the devotees would lead to success the mission of journey and also would provide complete protection during the journey.6
Shambo mahaadeva deva, shiva shambo mahaadeva devesha shambho, shambo mahaadeva deva.
śrī mārgabandhu stotraṃ
śaṃbho mahādeva deva śiva śaṃbho mahādeva deveśa śaṃbho
śaṃbho mahādeva deva
phālāvanamratkirīṭaṃ phālanetrārciṣā dagdha pañceṣukīṭam।
śūlāhatārātikūṭaṃ śuddhamardhenducūḍaṃ bhaje mārgabandhum॥ ॥ śaṃbho… 1
aṅge virājadbhujaṅgaṃ ābhra gaṅgātaraṅgābhirāmottamāṅgam।
oṃkāravāṭī kuraṅga siddha saṃsevitāṅghriṃ bhaje mārgabandhum ॥ ॥ śaṃbho… 2
nityaṃ cidānaṃdarūpaṃ nihnutāśeṣalokeśavairipratāpam ।
kārtasvarāgendra cāpaṃ kṛttivāsaṃ bhaje divya sanmārgabandhum॥ ॥ śaṃbho… 3
kandarpadarpaghnamīśaṃ kāḻakaṇṭhaṃ maheśaṃ mahāvyomakeśam।
kuṃndābhadantaṃ sureśaṃ koṭisūryaprakāśaṃ bhaje mārgabandhum ॥ ॥ śaṃbho… 4
mandārabhūterudāraṃ mandarāgendrasāraṃ mahāśauryadūram।
sindhūra dūra pracāraṃ sindhurājātidhīraṃ bhaje mārgabandhum॥ ॥ śaṃbho… 5
appayyayajvendragītaṃ stotrarājaṃ paṭhedyastu bhaktyā prayāṇe।
tasyārthasiddhiṃ vidhatte mārga madhye'bhayaṃ cāśutoṣī maheśaḥ॥ ॥ śaṃbho… 6

śrī mārgabandhustotraṁ

श्री मार्गबन्धु स्तोत्रं

śrī mārgabandhustotraṁ

फालावनम्रत् किरीटं फालनेत्रार्चिषादग्ध पञ्चेषुकीटम्

शूलाहतारातिकूटं शुद्धमर्धेन्दुचूढं भजे मार्गबन्धुम्॥

अङ्गेविराजत् भुजङ्गं अभ्रगङ्गातरङ्गाभिरामोत्तमाङ्गम्

ॐकारवाटीकुरङ्गं सिद्धसंसेविताङ्गं भजे मार्गबन्धुम्॥

कन्दर्पदर्पघ्नमीशं काळकण्डं महेशं महाव्योमकेशम्

कुन्दाभदन्तं महेशं कोटिसूर्यप्रकाशं भजे मार्गबन्धुम्॥

मन्दारभूतेरुदारं मन्दरागेन्द्रसारं महाशौर्यदूरम्

सिन्दूरदूरप्रचारं सिन्धुराजातिधीरं भजे मार्गबन्धुम्॥

नित्यं चिदानन्दरूपं निह्नुताशेषलोकेशवैरिप्रतापम्

कार्त्तस्वरागेन्द्रचापं कृत्तिवासं भजे दिव्य सन्मार्गबन्धुम्॥

अप्पय्ययज्वेन्द्रगीतं स्तोत्रराजं पठेत् यस्तु भक्त्या प्रयाणे

तस्यार्थसिद्धिं विधत्ते मार्गमध्यऽभयं चाशुतोषो महेशः॥

शम्भो महादेव शम्भो शिव शम्भो महादेव देवेश शम्भो शम्भो महादेव देव

phālāvanamrat kirīṭaṁ phālanetrārciṣādagdha pañceṣukīṭam śūlāhatārātikūṭaṁ śuddhamardhenducūḍhaṁ bhaje mārgabandhum||

aṅgevirājat bhujaṅgaṁ abhragaṅgātaraṅgābhirāmottamāṅgam

omkāravāṭīkuraṅgaṁ siddhasaṁsevitāṅgaṁ bhaje mārgabandhum||

kandarpadarpaghnamīśaṁ kāḻakaṇḍaṁ maheśaṁ mahāvyomakeśam

kundābhadantaṁ maheśaṁ koṭisūryaprakāśaṁ bhaje mārgabandhum||

mandārabhūterudāraṁ mandarāgendrasāraṁ mahāśauryadūram

sindūradūrapracāraṁ sindhurājātidhīraṁ bhaje mārgabandhum||

nityaṁ cidānandarūpaṁ nihnutāśeṣalokeśavairipratāpam

kārttasvarāgendracāpaṁ kṛttivāsaṁ bhaje divya sanmārgabandhum||

appayyayajvendragītaṁ stotrarājaṁ paṭhet yastu bhaktyā prayāṇe

tasyārthasiddhiṁ vidhatte mārgamadhya'bhayaṁ cāśutoṣo maheśaḥ||

śambho mahādeva śambho śiva śambho mahādeva deveśa śambho śambho mahādeva deva

the connection can snap at any moment

अश्नीत पिबत खादत जाग्रत संविशत तिष्ठत वा।

सकृदपि चिन्त्याह्ना सावधिको देहबन्ध इति॥

अप्पय्य दीक्षित वैराग्यशतके॥५४

aśnīta pibata khādata jāgrata saṁviśata tiṣṭhata vā|

sakṛdapi cintyāhnā sāvadhiko dehabandha iti||

appayya dīkṣita vairāgyaśatake||54

A reminder from the great scholar Appayya Deekshita in his Vairagya Shatakam.

the free translation of the slokam.

=========

Enjoy the fruits of your action

Drink to your hearts content

Eat sumptuous food

Keep awake.. be alert

Sit somewhere if you want

You can choose to remain standing too

But every day, at least once, keep in mind the fact that the connection between your body and the vital force running it is very conditional. 

The connection can snap at any moment without notice..

=========

Life is uncertain.. Enigmatic.. We would continue planning.. but our plans can end at any moment..

I think the good god is keeping absolute control over his creations.. especially human beings by introducing that uncertainty about his existence and sudden demise..

==========

Analysis.

अश्नीत enjoy (the results of your work)

पिबत drink

खादत eat

जाग्रत keep awake

संविशत sit down

तिष्ठत वा. or keep standing

त्वया by you

सकृत्अपि at least once

अह्ना by the day

चिन्त्या should be thought that

सावधिको conditional, subject to destruction or termination (at any time)

देहबन्ध इति. your connection with your body is.

What a way to live.. What a way to leave!

What a way to live.. What a way to leave!

चीदंबरमिदं पुरं प्रथितमेव पुण्यस्थलं
सुताश्च विनयोज्वलाः सुकृतयश्च काश्चित् कृताः।
वयांसि मम सप्ततेरुपरि नैव भोगे स्पृहा
न किञ्चिदहमर्थये शिवपदं दिदृक्षे परम्॥
cīdaṁbaramidaṁ puraṁ prathitameva puṇyasthalaṁ
sutāśca vinayojvalāḥ sukṛtayaśca kāścit kṛtāḥ|
vayāṁsi mama saptaterupari naiva bhoge spṛhā
na kiñcidahamarthaye śivapadaṁ didṛkṣe param||

The great scholar and administrator Appayya Deekshitar, who officiated as chief minister to some kings in TamilNadu, like Arcot, was a very pious and down to earth person, although from very very humble beginnings, through sheer power of intellect and learning, he reached dizzying heights of personal glory..
He was a scholar without peers.. and he has written many books and commented on many texts, across many grammatical subjects in Sanskrit, and various schools of philosophy. Besides he was an authority in the traditional legal precedents and his interpretations are quoted with respect and approval even after six centuries of his passing.

For students of Sanskrit at all levels his work Kuvalayaanandam, a treatise of Alankarams in Sanksrit is almost like a bible..

After having spent seven decades of life in limelight, especially in Royal Courts and Vidvat Sadasses, he finally wanted to spent his final days in the land of Nataraja, the Lord of Dances,, the Deity close to his heart..
He retired to Chidambaram, and spent a simple life there in his seventies, and Neelakanda Deekshita, who would become one of the greatest poets of Sanskrit, and a Divan himself, was keeping him company..
Neelakanda Deekshita, a relative had been adopted as a grandson by Appayya Deekshita..

As if sensing that his tenure on this earth was coming to a close, he mentioned to Neelakanda Deekshita.. in the slokam given at the top of this post.

" This Chidambaram is a much praised holy land. My sons are and grandchildren are all behaving with me with all humility and obedience. I have crated some worthy books and have done some worthy deeds during my active life. Now may age is above seventy.. And I did never have any inclination for the worldly pleasures at any stage.. and that is more so now.
I have no more desires to be fulfilled.. I do not want anything more
I am yearning for the happy vision of that status of union with Shiva.. which is the ultimate one can hope to attain."

It is further mentioned by the biographer ( Shri Ramesan N) that Shri Appayya Deekshitar , after these worlds of his disciple, went into a trance, raising his vital energy through yogic powers from Mooladhara to Sahsraaraa.. and was about to take leave of the mortal body..
He tells Neelakanta Deekshitar agi

आभाति हाटकसभा नटपादपद्म
ज्योतिर्मयो मनसि मे तरुणरुणोऽयम्॥
ābhāti hāṭakasabhā naṭapādapadma
jyotirmayo manasi me taruṇaruṇo'yam||

The tawny red glow of the anklets adorning the Lotus feet of the Lord of Dance.. the Kanakasabhapathy.. Nataraja.. is just shining brightly in my mind
With these words, he attained samadhi..

What a way to live..
What a way to leave!

asmin graamey...

Once, a great scholar, ( it is said it is Appayyaa Dikshita) was on a visit to the village of his wife.. The great scholar was famous across the countries especially in the circle of the the learned and elite people as a person with unmatched knowledge, erudition and other achievements.. 

The scholar was walking along a street lane en route the village pond for his morning bath..

Some village ladies were walking along.. He could sense that they were glancing at him coyly and then heard them whispering to one another, "See, the husaband of that girl Aachaa is going for his bath.."

He was baffled and said to himself अस्मन् ग्रामे आचचा नाम प्रशस्तिः 

asmin graame aachaa naama prasastiH... what is famous in this village is the name of aachaal

Yes, ones fame and standing in society is dependent not only on ones own knowledge and character, but also on the standards of the persons around him..

The village ladies did not know what it is to be a great scholar, but they knew what it was to be the husband of their friend..

is there really any difference?

महेश्वरे वा जगतामधीश्वरे
जनार्दने वा जगतन्तरात्मनि।
न वस्तुभेध प्रतिपत्तिरस्ति मे
तथाऽपि भक्तिस्तरुणेन्दुशेखरे॥
॥अप्पय्यदीक्षिताः॥
maheśvare vā jagatāmadhīśvare
janārdane vā jagatantarātmani|
na vastubhedha pratipattirasti me
tathā'pi bhaktistaruṇenduśekhare||
|appayyadīkṣitāḥ||
This is a quote from the renowned scholar and devotee of Lord Shiva..
Srimad Appayya Deekshitar.

"In reality I see no difference between Lord Shiva the Maheswara who is the suzerain of the whole universe, and Lord Vishnu the Janaardhana  who remains inherent in the whole Universe. 
 Nor do I entertain any particular preference to either.. However my devotion is to the one who is adorning the fresh young moon in His matted hair.."


It is a fact that there are two distinct sects in our religion, the staunch followers of Lord Shiva and the votaries of Lord Vishnu..
Though for most Hindus, both represent the Godhead and are revered with equal devotion, at least a few take some extreme views.. 

Deekshitar's above statement, especially coming in an era where the schism between VeeraSaivas and Veera Vasihanavas was very pronounced, should have been an eye-opener..

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