Manikarnikashtakam

मणिकर्णिकाष्टकम्

Maṇikarṇikāṣṭakam

All 8 verses

Verse 1

त्वत्तीरे मणिकर्णिके हरिहरौ सायुज्यमुक्तिप्रदौ वादन्तौ कुरुतः परस्परमुभौ जन्तोः प्रयाणोत्सवे । मद्रूपो मनुजोऽयमस्तु हरिणा प्रोक्तः शिवस्तत्क्षणात्तन्मध्याद्भृगुलाञ्छनो गरुडगः पीताम्बरो निर्गतः ॥१॥

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त्वत्तीरे मणिकर्णिके हरिहरौ सायुज्यमुक्तिप्रदौ वादन्तौ कुरुतः परस्परमुभौ जन्तोः प्रयाणोत्सवे । मद्रूपो मनुजोऽयमस्तु हरिणा प्रोक्तः शिवस्तत्क्षणात्तन्मध्याद्भृगुलाञ्छनो गरुडगः पीताम्बरो निर्गतः ॥१॥: On your bank, O Manikarnika, Hari and Hara, both givers of sayujya liberation, debate each other at a creature's departure-festival. 'Let this man be in my form,' says Vishnu; instantly Shiva agrees; from between them emerges the yellow-clad one marked with Bhrigu's sign, riding Garuda.

At Manikarnika's bank Vishnu and Shiva contend over the departing soul, yet both grant the same liberation. The debate of Hari and Hara dissolves in the one reality that wears both forms.

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Verse 2

इन्द्राद्यास्त्रिदशाः पतन्ति नियतं भोगक्षये ये पुनर्जायन्ते मनुजास्ततोऽपि पशवः कीटाः पतङ्गादयः । ये मातर्मणिकर्णिके तव जले मज्जन्ति निष्कल्मषाः सायुज्येऽपि किरीटकौस्तुभधरा नारायणाः स्युर्नराः ॥२॥

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इन्द्राद्यास्त्रिदशाः पतन्ति नियतं भोगक्षये ये पुनर्जायन्ते मनुजास्ततोऽपि पशवः कीटाः पतङ्गादयः । ये मातर्मणिकर्णिके तव जले मज्जन्ति निष्कल्मषाः सायुज्येऽपि किरीटकौस्तुभधरा नारायणाः स्युर्नराः ॥२॥: Indra and the gods fall when their enjoyments end and are born again; so too men, then animals, worms, moths, and the rest. But those who bathe sinless in your waters, O Mother Manikarnika, become Narayanas bearing crown and Kaustubha, even in sayujya.

Gods and creatures cycle through birth and fall, but the sinless bath at Manikarnika lifts the soul beyond repetition. The place of death becomes the gate where the many return to the one Narayana-nature.

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Verse 3

काशी धन्यतमा विमुक्तनगरी शालङ्कृता गङ्गया तत्रेयं मणिकर्णिका सुखकरा मुक्तिर्हि तत्किङ्करी । स्वर्लोकस्तुलितः सहैव विबुधैः काश्या समं ब्रह्मणा काशी क्षोणितले स्थिता गुरुतरा स्वर्गो लघुत्वं गतः ॥३॥

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काशी धन्यतमा विमुक्तनगरी शालङ्कृता गङ्गया तत्रेयं मणिकर्णिका सुखकरा मुक्तिर्हि तत्किङ्करी । स्वर्लोकस्तुलितः सहैव विबुधैः काश्या समं ब्रह्मणा काशी क्षोणितले स्थिता गुरुतरा स्वर्गो लघुत्वं गतः ॥३॥: Kashi is the most blessed city of liberation, adorned by Ganga; there this Manikarnika gives delight, for Liberation herself is her handmaid. Heaven is weighed with the gods against Kashi by Brahma; Kashi standing on earth proves heavier, and heaven grows light.

Kashi adorned by Ganga outweighs heaven itself, and Manikarnika is where Liberation serves. The sacred place images the inner city of awakening that surpasses every worldly reward.

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Verse 4

गङ्गातीरमनुत्तमं हि सकलं तत्रापि काश्युत्तमा तस्यां सा मणिकर्णिकोत्तमतमा यत्रेश्वरो मुक्तिदः । देवानामपि दुर्लभं स्थलमिदं पापौघनाशक्षमं पूर्वोपार्जितपुण्यपुञ्जगमकं पुण्यैर्जनैः प्राप्यते ॥४॥

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गङ्गातीरमनुत्तमं हि सकलं तत्रापि काश्युत्तमा तस्यां सा मणिकर्णिकोत्तमतमा यत्रेश्वरो मुक्तिदः । देवानामपि दुर्लभं स्थलमिदं पापौघनाशक्षमं पूर्वोपार्जितपुण्यपुञ्जगमकं पुण्यैर्जनैः प्राप्यते ॥४॥: All Ganga's banks are supreme, yet Kashi is supreme among them; in her, Manikarnika is most supreme, where the Lord grants liberation. This place rare even for gods destroys floods of sin; it is reached by people through heaps of merit gathered before.

Of all holy places Manikarnika is where the Lord grants mukti, reached through accumulated merit. Outer pilgrimage mirrors the inner journey earned by turning the mind toward the sacred.

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Verse 5

दुःखाम्बोधिगतो हि जन्तुनिवहस्तेषां कथं निष्कृतिः ज्ञात्वा तद्विरिञ्चिना विरचिता वाराणसी शर्मदा । लोकाः स्वर्गसुखास्ततोऽपि लघवो भोगान्तपातप्रदाः काशी मुक्तिपुरी सदा शिवकरा धर्मार्थमोक्षप्रदा ॥५॥

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दुःखाम्बोधिगतो हि जन्तुनिवहस्तेषां कथं निष्कृतिः ज्ञात्वा तद्विरिञ्चिना विरचिता वाराणसी शर्मदा । लोकाः स्वर्गसुखास्ततोऽपि लघवो भोगान्तपातप्रदाः काशी मुक्तिपुरी सदा शिवकरा धर्मार्थमोक्षप्रदा ॥५॥: Beings drowning in the ocean of sorrow - how could they find release? Knowing this, Brahma fashioned comfort-giving Varanasi. Heavenly worlds, lighter than its joys, end in fall after pleasure; Kashi, city of liberation, ever grants Shiva, giving dharma, wealth, and moksha.

Brahma created Kashi as refuge for beings drowning in sorrow's ocean. Heaven's pleasures end in fall, but the city of liberation grants dharma, wealth, and the final freedom of the Self.

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Verse 6

एको वेणुधरो धराधरधरः श्रीवत्सभूषाधरो योऽप्येकः किल शङ्करो विषधरो गङ्गाधरो माधवः । ये मातर्मणिकर्णिके तव जले मज्जन्ति ते मानवाः रुद्रा वा हरयो भवन्ति बहवस्तेषां बहुत्वं कथम् ॥६॥

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एको वेणुधरो धराधरधरः श्रीवत्सभूषाधरो योऽप्येकः किल शङ्करो विषधरो गङ्गाधरो माधवः । ये मातर्मणिकर्णिके तव जले मज्जन्ति ते मानवाः रुद्रा वा हरयो भवन्ति बहवस्तेषां बहुत्वं कथम् ॥६॥: One is Krishna the flute-bearer, mountain-lifter, bearer of Srivatsa; one is Shankara, poison-bearer, Gangadhara, Madhava. Those who bathe in your waters, O Mother Manikarnika, become Rudras or Hari - how can they be many?

Krishna and Shiva are one, yet those who bathe here become many Rudras or Hari. The question of multiplicity dissolves when the many are recognized as waves of the one Lord.

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Verse 7

त्वत्तीरे मरणं तु मङ्गलकरं देवैरपि श्लाघ्यते शक्रस्तं मनुजं सहस्रनयनैर्द्रष्टुं सदा तत्परः । आयान्तं सविता सहस्रकिरणैः प्रत्युद्गतोऽभूत्सदा पुण्योऽसौ वृषगोऽथवा गरुडगः किं मन्दिरं यास्यति ॥७॥

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त्वत्तीरे मरणं तु मङ्गलकरं देवैरपि श्लाघ्यते शक्रस्तं मनुजं सहस्रनयनैर्द्रष्टुं सदा तत्परः । आयान्तं सविता सहस्रकिरणैः प्रत्युद्गतोऽभूत्सदा पुण्योऽसौ वृषगोऽथवा गरुडगः किं मन्दिरं यास्यति ॥७॥: Death on your bank is auspicious, praised even by gods; Indra with his thousand eyes is ever eager to see that man. The sun with a thousand rays always goes forth to meet him as he comes. That meritorious one - will he go to the temple on Nandi or on Garuda?

Death on Manikarnika's bank is auspicious; even gods hasten to witness the blessed soul's departure. The question whether Nandi or Garuda bears him points to the one liberation beyond every vehicle.

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Verse 8

मध्याह्ने मणिकर्णिकास्नपनजं पुण्यं न वक्तुं क्षमः स्वीयैरब्दशतैश्चतुर्मुखधरो वेदार्थदीक्षागुरुः । योगाभ्यासबलेन चन्द्रशिखरस्तत्पुण्यपारंगतः त्वत्तीरे प्रकरोति सुप्तपुरुषं नारायणं वा शिवम् ॥८॥

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मध्याह्ने मणिकर्णिकास्नपनजं पुण्यं न वक्तुं क्षमः स्वीयैरब्दशतैश्चतुर्मुखधरो वेदार्थदीक्षागुरुः । योगाभ्यासबलेन चन्द्रशिखरस्तत्पुण्यपारंगतः त्वत्तीरे प्रकरोति सुप्तपुरुषं नारायणं वा शिवम् ॥८॥: Brahma, Guru of Vedic initiation, cannot in hundreds of his own years tell the merit of bathing at Manikarnika at midday. Shiva, having reached the far shore of that merit through power of yoga, on your bank makes the sleeping person become Narayana or Shiva.

The merit of noon bath here exceeds Brahma's power of speech; Shiva by yoga transforms the sleeper into Narayana or Shiva. Death at the sacred bank is awakening to the Lord who is both Vishnu and Shiva, one's own Self.

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