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dwAdash stOtra - 1

vaMdE vaMdyam sadAnaMdaM vAsudEvaM niraMjanaM |

iMdirApatimAdhyAdi- varadEshavarapradaM || 1 ||

I offer my salutations always to Krishna, the son of Vasudeva and consort of Lakshmi, who is always fit for such prostration, who is full of bliss and other auspicious qualities, and is without any blemish or defect, and is the giver of great boons such as Moksha to Gods like Brahma, who are themselves known as givers of boons to others.

Srimadacharya now describes the limbs of the Lord from the feet up.

namAmi nikhilAdhIshA kiriTAghRushTapIThavat |

hRuttamashshamanErkAbham SrIpateH pAdapaMkajaM || 2 ||

The feet of the Lord of Shri are like the Efulgent Sun in dispelling the darknees of the mind called Ajnana, and rests on a pedestal which is touched frequently by the crowns on the heads of the great gods like Brahma and Rudra who are the masters of the world. (when they prostrate with deep devotion before Him.)

jAMbUnadAMbarAdhAram nitaMbaMchiMtyamIshituH |

svarNamaMjIrasamvItaM- ArUDhaMjagadaMbayA || 3 ||

The waist of the Lord is covered by a golden cloth and is surrounded by a golden waistband (Manjeera - Odyaana). Sri Lakshmi is always resting there (she sits on His lap, with her hands around His waist). Such a waist is to be contemplated. (by those desiring Mukthi).

udaraM chiMtyamIshasya tanutvEpi akhilaMbharaM |

valitrayAMkitam nityaM upagUDhaM/ArUDaM shriyaikayA || 4 ||

The stomach portion of the Lord looks slim and small, but holds the entire Universe. It is also covered by the Three lines (Vali thrayaa) and is always embraced by Ramaa. Such a stomach should be contemplated.

smaraNiyamuro viShNOH iMdirAvAsamIshituH/iMdirAvAsamuttamaM/iMdirAvAsamuttamaiH |

anaMtaMAMtavadiva bhujayoraMtaraMgataM || 5 ||

The chest of Lord Vishnu, who is all pervading and is the Lord of all, is the abode of Indira (Lakshmi) and is infinite in space and time, but is still spanned by the arms (at either end). Such a chest should be remembered.

shaMkhachakragadApadma - dharASchiMtyA harErbhujAH |

pInavRuttA jagadrakShA kEvalOdhyOginOnishaM || 6 ||

The four arms of the Lord wear the conch, discus, mace and the lotus and are round and full. Their main task is to protect the world always. Such arms should always be remembered.

saMtataM chiMtayEtkaMThaM bhAsvatkaustubhabhAsakaM |

vaikuMThasyAkhilavEdA udgIryaMtEnisham yataH || 7 ||

The neck of the Lord of Vaikunta (Naaraayana) is adorned with the brilliant Kausthubha Mani and is always reciting all the Vedas. Such a neck should always be contemplated.

smarEta yAminInAtha-sahasrAmitakAMtimat |

bhavatApApanOdIDyam SrIpatErmukhapaMkajam || 8 ||

The lotus like face of the Lord of Shri is effulgent with such brilliance that it can not be equalled even by thousands of full moons. It removes the sorrows of the worldly bonds and is very suitable for praise. Such a face should be remembered.

pUrNAnanyasukhOdbhAsi aMdasmitamadhIshituH |

gOviMdasya sadA chiMtyaM nityAnaMdapadapradaM|| 9 ||

There is a half smile on the face of Govinda ( which means main diety described by the Shruthies) which is capable of giving the greatest gift of the coveted Moksha - the abode of eternal bliss, which is full and without any comparison. Such a smile should be contemplated.

smarAmi bhavasaMtApa-hAnidAmrutasAgaraM |

pUrNAnaMdasya rAmasya sAnurAgAvalOkanaM || 10 ||

I think of the gracious and love-filled look of Sri Rama, who is Himself full of bliss. His kind look is like the ocean of nectar which can remove all the sorrows and miseries caused by Samsara.

dhyAyEdajasramIshasya padmajAdipratIkShitaM |

bhrUbhaMgam pAramEshThyAdi-padadAyi vimuktidaM || 11 ||

The twitching of the eye brows of the Lord of all can give the highest positions like that of Chathurmukha Brahma and even Moksha. It is waited upon even by Brahma and others. Such eye brows should be contemplated.

saMtataM chiMtayEnaMtaM aMtakAlE vishEShataH

naivOdApurgRuNaMtOMtaM yadguNAnAmajAdayaH |

Brahma and other great gods praise the unique, great and extraordinary auspicious qualities of the Lord of all who has no end (of the four kinds) and can never reach the position of having completely described or understood even one of these qualities. I will contemplate such a Paramaathma always.

NOTES :

This sthothra is an aid to remember the extraordinary qualities of the Lord and also serves as an Aaapadashira sthothra – describing Him from feet to the Head.

Vasudeva (the prelude to the Krishna Icon being installed shortly) is the fittest entity to be worshipped as He is Himself without blemish and is the giver of boons to boon givers themselves. More over, He is the only person who can give Moksha, which none else can give and gives this supreme blessing even to the others. The conviction that Krishna is supreme, without blemish and can give us the greatest gift which we can aspire, will lead to our praying Him rather than any one else and will also make us disinterested in worldly boons - just as some one who has access to the emperor will not seek some minor favours from a lesser official. The prayer also conveys the nature of the true Rju Jiva - absolute certainty in knowledge, devotion to God Vishnu surpassing all else and being never affected by ignorance (Ajnana). The sthothra also conveys the following qualities of Vishnu :

1. His Sakala Kalyana Guna paripoornathva

2. His Nirdoshathva

3. His supremacy over all other gods

4. His grace being essential for the removal of primordial ignorance (Ajnana)

5. His being served by His consort Lakshmi - in every manner possible.

6. His infinite auspicious qualities - in number, extent etc. and being without any limitation of any kind.

7. His reciting the Vedas constantly in the form of Hayagriva.

8. His face with the radiance of thousand moons which will remove the misery of the world just by contemplation.

9. His totally effortless control over the world - indicated by the twitching of His eye brows being adequate to confer even the positions of the Creator of the world etc.

10. The necessity to think of Him always, specially when one anticipates his end. This gives the indication that the last thoughts of a dying person, which can only be determined by his priorites in life, will have decisive effect on his future lives.

11. The epithets used for addressing God are also most appropriate - Sreepathi - who is worshipped by all other gods, Isha - who is the lord of Lakshmi herself, the mother of all others, Vishnu - being sarvavyapi and Anantha, Hari – who destroys the causes of our misery and suffering (evil), Vaikunta - who always recites the Vedas, thus giving continuity to them even at the time of universal dissolution, Govinda - the main diety extolled by the Vedas, Raama - the one form which gave pleasure even to the onlookers when they saw Him and who will remove the sorrow and the pain of the world, Anantha - who is infinte in space, time and qualities and whose extent no one but Himself knows - as it is said that Lakshmi, His eternal consort who has been with Him with no break since beginningless time is yet to complete her understanding of the extent of His qualities with respect to a nail of His.

Further thinking about the words, phrases used, appellations for God, directions for action (Vidhi Vakya) etc will perhaps give far more understanding. Thus Dvadasha Sthothra flowing from the devotion filled mind of the Sarvajna who founded the Thathvavada philosophy is inspired, mystical, accurate, and most efficacious in giving the desired results for those who recite it with understanding and devotion.