Bhavani Bhujangam

भवानीभुजङ्गम्

Bhavānībhujaṅgam

All 17 verses

Verse 1

षडाधारपङ्केरुहान्तर्विराज त्सुषुम्नान्तरालेऽतितेजोल्लसन्तीम् सुधामण्डलं द्रावयन्तीं पिबन्तीं सुधामूर्तिमीडेऽहमानन्दरूपाम् ॥१॥

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Editorial Advaita reflection

Word breakdown

षडाधारपङ्केरुहान्तर्विराज: Shining within the lotus of the six adharas,
त्सुषुम्नान्तरालेऽतितेजोल्लसन्तीम्: blazing with supreme radiance in the middle of the susumna,
सुधामण्डलं द्रावयन्तीं पिबन्तीं: melting and drinking the circle of nectar,
सुधामूर्तिमीडेऽहमानन्दरूपाम्: I praise her nectar-form, the very shape of bliss.

In the susumna she drinks the nectar that yogis seek through ascent of the chakras. The bliss-form worshipped here is not other than the Self revealed when energy rises to the crown.

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Verse 2

ज्वलत्कोटिबालार्कभासारुणाङ्गीं सुलावण्यशृङ्गारशोभाभिरामाम् महापद्मकिञ्जल्कमध्ये विराजत् त्रिकोणोल्लसन्तीं भजे श्रीभवानीम् ॥२॥

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Word breakdown

ज्वलत्कोटिबालार्कभासारुणाङ्गीं: Of crimson body with the splendour of a billion young suns,
सुलावण्यशृङ्गारशोभाभिरामाम्: charming with the beauty of grace and love's adornment,
महापद्मकिञ्जल्कमध्ये विराजत्: shining in the centre of the great lotus filaments,
त्रिकोणोल्लसन्तीं भजे श्रीभवानीम्: rejoicing in the triangle; I worship Sri Bhavani.

She dwells in the golden triangle at the lotus heart, the sacred geometry of Sri Vidya. To worship her there is to centre the mind in the point from which the whole manifest world expands.

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Verse 3

क्वणत्किङ्किणीनूपुरोद्भासिरत्न प्रभालीढलाक्षार्द्रपादारविन्दम् अजेशाच्युताद्यैः सुरैः सेव्यमानं महादेवि मन्मूर्ध्नि ते भावयामि ॥३॥

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क्वणत्किङ्किणीनूपुरोद्भासिरत्न: With anklets of tinkling bells and flashing rubies,
प्रभालीढलाक्षार्द्रपादारविन्दम्: lotus feet wet with the lustre of lac-dyed rubies,
अजेशाच्युताद्यैः सुरैः सेव्यमानं: served by Brahma, Vishnu, and other gods,
महादेवि मन्मूर्ध्नि ते भावयामि: O great Goddess, on my head I meditate them.

Gods bow at her feet because every deity is a ray of her power. Placing those feet on the head is the ego's surrender to the ground of all worship.

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Verse 4

सुषोणाम्बराबद्धनीवीविराज न्महारत्नकाञ्चीकलापं नितम्बम् स्फुरद्दक्षिणावर्तनाभिं च तिस्रो वली रम्यते रोमराजिं भजेऽहम् ॥४॥

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सुषोणाम्बराबद्धनीवीविराज: Her hips splendid with a red silk girdle,
न्महारत्नकाञ्चीकलापं नितम्बम्: and a great jewelled hip-chain on the buttocks,
स्फुरद्दक्षिणावर्तनाभिं च तिस्रो: with a right-turning navel and three
वली रम्यते रोमराजिं भजेऽहम्: graceful folds; I worship the line of down.

The ascent through the body in this hymn trains devotion to see the sacred in every form. Even the waist and its folds become a field of contemplation when the Goddess is known as all-pervading.

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Verse 5

लसद्वृत्तमुत्तुङ्गमाणिक्यकुम्भो पमश्री स्तनद्वन्द्वमम्बाम्बुजाक्षि भजे पूर्णदुग्धाभिरामं तवेदं महाहारदीप्तं सदा प्रस्नुतास्यम् ॥५॥

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लसद्वृत्तमुत्तुङ्गमाणिक्यकुम्भो: With rounded, lofty, flashing ruby vessels,
पमश्री स्तनद्वन्द्वमम्बाम्बुजाक्षि: O Mother lotus-eyed, your pair of breasts,
भजे पूर्णदुग्धाभिरामं तवेदं: I worship, delightful with full milk,
महाहारदीप्तं सदा प्रस्नुतास्यम्: this ever-flowing mouth bright with great saffron.

The nourishing breast is the Mother who feeds the world with grace. In Advaita bhakti, such imagery points to the fullness of consciousness that sustains all beings without diminution.

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Verse 6

शिरीषप्रसूनोल्लसद्बाहुदण्डै र्ज्वलद्बाणकोदण्डपाशाङ्कुशैश्च चलत्कङ्कणोदारकेयूरभूषो ज्ज्वलद्भिर्स्फुरन्तीं भजे श्रीभवानीम् ॥६॥

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Word breakdown

शिरीषप्रसूनोल्लसद्बाहुदण्डै: With arm-staves splendid with sirisha blossoms,
र्ज्वलद्बाणकोदण्डपाशाङ्कुशैश्च: and flashing bow, arrow, noose, and goad,
चलत्कङ्कणोदारकेयूरभूषो: adorned with moving anklets and noble armlets,
ज्ज्वलद्भिर्स्फुरन्तीं भजे श्रीभवानीम्: flashing radiantly; I worship Sri Bhavani.

Bow and noose in her hands are the powers that attract and bind the universe. The devotee who worships these arms acknowledges that liberation and restraint both flow from the one Mother.

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Verse 7

शरत्पूर्णचन्द्रप्रभापूर्णबिम्बा धरस्मेरवक्त्रारविन्दश्रियं ते सुरत्नावलीहारताटङ्कशोभां भजे सुप्रसन्नामहं श्रीभवानीम् ॥७॥

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Word breakdown

शरत्पूर्णचन्द्रप्रभापूर्णबिम्बा: Of face full like the autumn full moon's radiance,
धरस्मेरवक्त्रारविन्दश्रियं ते: bearing the lotus-glory of your gently smiling face,
सुरत्नावलीहारताटङ्कशोभां: beautiful with gem-garland, necklace, and earrings,
भजे सुप्रसन्नामहं श्रीभवानीम्: I worship supremely gracious Sri Bhavani.

The moon-face and satisfied smile show the Goddess pleased with the devotee's effort. When her graciousness is felt, the restless mind settles like moonlight on still water.

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Verse 8

सुनासापुटं सुन्दरभ्रूललाटं तवैष्ठश्रियं दानदक्षं कटाक्षम् ललाटे लसद्गन्धकस्तूरिभूषं स्फुरच्छ्रीमुखाम्भोजमीडेऽहमम्ब ॥८॥

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सुनासापुटं सुन्दरभ्रूललाटं: Lovely nostrils, beautiful brows and forehead,
तवैष्ठश्रियं दानदक्षं कटाक्षम्: your sidelong glance rich in generous giving,
ललाटे लसद्गन्धकस्तूरिभूषं: on the brow a shining sandal and musk mark,
स्फुरच्छ्रीमुखाम्भोजमीडेऽहमम्ब: I praise your glorious lotus face, O Mother.

The generous sidelong glance is the grace that awakens devotion in the heart. Every feature praised here teaches the mind to see the divine not above but in the very field of beauty before it.

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Verse 9

चलत्कुण्डलां ते भ्रमद्भृङ्गवृन्दां घनस्निग्धधम्मिल्लभूषोज्ज्वलन्तीम् स्फुरन्मौलिमाणिक्यमध्येन्दुरेखा विलासोल्लसद्दिव्यमूर्धानमीडे ॥९॥

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चलत्कुण्डलां ते भ्रमद्भृङ्गवृन्दां: Your swaying earrings like swarms of circling bees,
घनस्निग्धधम्मिल्लभूषोज्ज्वलन्तीम्: shining with thick, glossy braided hair,
स्फुरन्मौलिमाणिक्यमध्येन्दुरेखा: with a moon-line on the flashing ruby crest,
विलासोल्लसद्दिव्यमूर्धानमीडे: I praise your divine crown playful with splendour.

The crown where moon and ruby meet is the summit of the inner ascent. Worship at the head completes the journey from the lotus feet to the thousand-petalled seat where Shakti unites with Shiva.

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Verse 10

स्फुरत्वम्ब बिम्बस्य मे हृत्सरोजे सदा वाङ्मयं सर्वतेजोमयं च इति श्रीभवानिस्वरूपं तदेवं प्रपञ्चात्परं चातिसूक्ष्मं प्रसन्नम् ॥१०॥

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स्फुरत्वम्ब बिम्बस्य मे हृत्सरोजे: May your form shine, O Mother, in my heart-lotus,
सदा वाङ्मयं सर्वतेजोमयं च: ever made of word and all light,
इति श्रीभवानिस्वरूपं तदेवं: thus the very nature of Sri Bhavani,
प्रपञ्चात्परं चातिसूक्ष्मं प्रसन्नम्: beyond the world, exceedingly subtle, and serene.

Here the hymn turns from form to essence: Bhavani as word, light, and stillness beyond the world. The heart-lotus is the place where the personal deity dissolves into the subtle, serene Self.

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Verse 11

गणेशाणिमाद्याखिलैः शक्तिवृन्दैः स्फुरच्छ्रीमहाचक्रराजोल्लसन्तीम् परां राजराजेश्वरीं त्वा भवानीं शिवाङ्कोपरिस्थां शिवां भावयेऽहम् ॥११॥

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Word breakdown

गणेशाणिमाद्याखिलैः शक्तिवृन्दैः: Surrounded by Ganesha, Anima, and all hosts of shaktis,
स्फुरच्छ्रीमहाचक्रराजोल्लसन्तीम्: rejoicing on the glorious great sovereign chakra,
परां राजराजेश्वरीं त्वा भवानीं: supreme Empress of emperors, you Bhavani,
शिवाङ्कोपरिस्थां शिवां भावयेऽहम्: seated on Shiva's lap, as Shiva I meditate you.

She who sits on the great chakra and on Shiva's lap is both power and peace. To meditate her as Shiva is to see that the active and the still are one in the non-dual heart of devotion.

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Verse 12

त्वमर्कस्त्वमग्निस्त्वमिन्दुस्त्वमाप स्त्वमाकाशभूर्वायवस्त्वं चिदात्मा त्वदन्यो न कश्चित्प्रकाशोऽस्ति सर्वं सदानन्दसंवित्स्वरूपं तवेदम् ॥१२॥

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Word breakdown

त्वमर्कस्त्वमग्निस्त्वमिन्दुस्त्वमाप: You are the sun, fire, moon, and waters,
स्त्वमाकाशभूर्वायवस्त्वं चिदात्मा: you are space, earth, wind, and the Self of consciousness,
त्वदन्यो न कश्चित्प्रकाशोऽस्ति सर्वं: apart from you no light exists; all
सदानन्दसंवित्स्वरूपं तवेदम्: this is your nature as eternal bliss-consciousness.

The hymn rises to non-dual confession: she is every element and the conscious Self, and nothing shines apart from her. This is the Advaita heart of Bhavani worship, where the Mother is not other than awareness itself.

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Verse 13

गुरुस्त्वं शिवस्त्वं च शक्तिस्त्वमेव त्वमेवासि माता पिताऽसि त्वमेव त्वमेवासि विद्या त्वमेवासि बुद्धि र्गतिर्मे मतिर्देवि सर्वं त्वमेव ॥१३॥

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Word breakdown

गुरुस्त्वं शिवस्त्वं च शक्तिस्त्वमेव: You alone are guru, Shiva, and Shakti,
त्वमेवासि माता पिताऽसि त्वमेव: you alone are mother and father,
त्वमेवासि विद्या त्वमेवासि बुद्धि: you alone are knowledge and intellect,
र्गतिर्मे मतिर्देवि सर्वं त्वमेव: my path and mind, O Goddess; you are everything.

When the devotee says she is all relations and faculties, the separate self loosens its claim. Guru, parent, knowledge, and goal merge in the one Shakti who is the source of every help on the path.

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Verse 14

श्रुतीनामगम्यं सुवेदागमाद्यैर् महिम्नो न जानाति पारं तवेदम् स्तुतिं कर्तुमिच्छामि ते त्वं भवानि क्षमस्वेदमम्ब प्रमुग्धः किलाहम् ॥१४॥

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Word breakdown

श्रुतीनामगम्यं सुवेदागमाद्यैर्: Beyond the reach of the Vedas and sacred tradition,
महिम्नो न जानाति पारं तवेदम्: no one knows the limit of this your glory,
स्तुतिं कर्तुमिच्छामि ते त्वं भवानि: yet I wish to make praise of you, O Bhavani,
क्षमस्वेदमम्ब प्रमुग्धः किलाहम्: forgive this, O Mother; I am indeed foolish.

Praise offered by one who knows his inadequacy is dearer than eloquence born of pride. The Mother's forgiveness completes the worship that words alone could never finish.

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Verse 15

शरण्ये वरेण्ये सुकारुण्यपूर्णे हिरण्योदराद्यैरगम्येऽतिपुण्ये भवारण्यभीतं च मां पाहि भद्रे नमस्ते नमस्ते नमस्ते भवानि ॥१५॥

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Word breakdown

शरण्ये वरेण्ये सुकारुण्यपूर्णे: O refuge, O worthy of choice, full of great compassion,
हिरण्योदराद्यैरगम्येऽतिपुण्ये: unreachable even by Hiranyagarbha and the rest, supremely holy,
भवारण्यभीतं च मां पाहि भद्रे: afraid in the forest of becoming, protect me, O gracious one,
नमस्ते नमस्ते नमस्ते भवानि: salutations, salutations, salutations to you, Bhavani.

The forest of samsara is fear only while the Mother is forgotten. Triple salutation is the mind's final rest in her, who is nearer than fear and vaster than the worlds that frighten.

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Verse 16

इमामन्वहं श्रीभवानीभुजङ्ग स्तुतिर्यः पठेच्छ्रोतुमिच्छेत तस्मै स्वकीयं पदं शाश्वतं चैव सारं श्रियं चाष्टसिद्धिं भवानी ददाति ॥१६॥

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Word breakdown

इमामन्वहं श्रीभवानीभुजङ्ग: This Sri Bhavani Bhujanga hymn, daily
स्तुतिर्यः पठेच्छ्रोतुमिच्छेत तस्मै: whoever recites or wishes to hear,
स्वकीयं पदं शाश्वतं चैव सारं: to him Bhavani grants her own abode, eternity, and essence,
श्रियं चाष्टसिद्धिं भवानी ददाति: and fortune together with the eight siddhis.

The phala-shruti promises the supreme gifts to the sincere reciter. In the Advaita view, the true fruit is not magic powers but the steady dwelling in her essence, which is one's own immortal Self.

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Verse 17

न शोकम् न मोहम् न पापं न भीतिः कदाचित्कथंचित्कुतश्चज्जनानाम् ॥१७॥

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न शोकम् न मोहम् न पापं न भीतिः: No sorrow, delusion, sin, or fear
कदाचित्कथंचित्कुतश्चज्जनानाम्: at any time, in any way, from anywhere, for those who sing this.

The closing assurance names the fruits of true devotion: freedom from the four bonds that veil the Self. When Bhavani is established in the heart, grief and fear lose their claim on consciousness.

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