Narmadashtakam

नर्मदाष्टकम्

Narmadāṣṭakam

All 8 verses

Verse 1

सबिन्दुसिन्धुसुस्कलत्तरङ्गभङ्गरञ्जितं द्विषत्सु पापजातकारिवारिसंन्युतम् । कृतान्तदूतकालभूतभीतिहारिवर्मदे त्वदीयपादपङ्कजं नमामि देवि नर्मदे ॥१॥

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सबिन्दुसिन्धुसुस्कलत्तरङ्गभङ्गरञ्जितं द्विषत्सु पापजातकारिवारिसंन्युतम् । कृतान्तदूतकालभूतभीतिहारिवर्मदे त्वदीयपादपङ्कजं नमामि देवि नर्मदे ॥१॥: Delighting even the ocean with its drop and wave-break, united with the enemy of the brood of sins in foes, removing the fear of Yama's messengers, time, ghosts, and goblins like armour, O Narmada, I bow to your lotus feet.

The river that terrifies sin and shields from death's messengers images the inner refuge that cuts fear at its root; devotion to her feet turns the mind from dread of consequences toward the fearless ground of being.

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Verse 2

त्वदम्बुलीनदीनमीनदिव्यसंप्रदायकं कलौ मलौघभारहारिसर्वतीर्थनायकम् । सुमच्छकच्छनक्रचक्रवाकचक्रशर्मदे त्वदीयपादपङ्कजं नमामि देवि नर्मदे ॥२॥

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त्वदम्बुलीनदीनमीनदिव्यसंप्रदायकं कलौ मलौघभारहारिसर्वतीर्थनायकम् । सुमच्छकच्छनक्रचक्रवाकचक्रशर्मदे त्वदीयपादपङ्कजं नमामि देवि नर्मदे ॥२॥: Giver of divine heritage to humble fish in your waters, chief of all tirthas who removes the burden of Kali's mass of impurity, giver of peace with banks fair, fish, chakravaka birds, and wheels, O Narmada, I bow to your lotus feet.

She uplifts even the lowly fish and bears away Kali's stain because grace does not reckon worldly rank; the chief of sacred fords points the heart toward the one source that purifies every station of life.

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Verse 3

महागभीरनीरपूरपापधूतभूतलं ध्वनत्समस्तपातकारिरीतापदाचलम् । जगल्लये महाभये मृकण्डुसूनुहर्म्यदे त्वदीयपादपङ्कजं नमामि देवि नर्मदे ॥३॥

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महागभीरनीरपूरपापधूतभूतलं ध्वनत्समस्तपातकारिरीतापदाचलम् । जगल्लये महाभये मृकण्डुसूनुहर्म्यदे त्वदीयपादपङ्कजं नमामि देवि नर्मदे ॥३॥: Filling the earth with very deep waters and washing away sin, resounding, foe of all sins, mountain of refuge from calamity, place of dissolution of the world, of great fear, abode of Markandeya son of Mrikandu, O Narmada, I bow to your lotus feet.

Her depths cleanse the earth as the Self's depth cleanses the mind of accumulated error; where Markandeya found refuge beyond great fear, the devotee discovers the unborn awareness that outlives every wave of dissolution.

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Verse 4

गतं तदैव मे भयं त्वदम्बु विम्शितं यदा मृकण्डुसूनुशौनकासुरारिसेवितं सदा । पुनर्भवाब्धिजन्मजं भवाब्धिदुःखवर्मदे त्वदीयपादपङ्कजं नमामि देवि नर्मदे ॥४॥

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गतं तदैव मे भयं त्वदम्बु विम्शितं यदा मृकण्डुसूनुशौनकासुरारिसेवितं सदा । पुनर्भवाब्धिजन्मजं भवाब्धिदुःखवर्मदे त्वदीयपादपङ्कजं नमामि देवि नर्मदे ॥४॥: My fear vanished then and there when your water was seen, ever served by Markandeya's son, Shaunaka, and the enemy of the asura. Armour against the sorrow of the ocean of becoming born of rebirth in the ocean of becoming, O Narmada, I bow to your lotus feet.

Fear departs at the sight of her waters because recognition of the sacred breaks the spell of becoming; the armour she grants is the steady turning of mind from rebirth's sorrow toward the sages' abiding witness.

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Verse 5

अलक्षलक्षकिन्नरामरासुरादिपूजितं सुलक्षणीरतीरधीरपक्षिलक्षकूजितम् । वसिष्ठशिष्टपिप्पलादिकर्दमादिशर्मदे त्वदीयपादपङ्कजं नमामि देवि नर्मदे ॥५॥

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अलक्षलक्षकिन्नरामरासुरादिपूजितं सुलक्षणीरतीरधीरपक्षिलक्षकूजितम् । वसिष्ठशिष्टपिप्पलादिकर्दमादिशर्मदे त्वदीयपादपङ्कजं नमामि देवि नर्मदे ॥५॥: Worshipped by countless kinnaras, gods, asuras, and others, with auspicious banks where steady birds cry in flocks, giver of peace to Vasishtha, Pippalada, Kardama, and the righteous, O Narmada, I bow to your lotus feet.

Gods, kinnaras, and sages alike honor her banks because the holy does not belong to one rank alone; the shore where Vasishtha and seers found rest invites every mind to settle in the peace beneath outward worship.

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Verse 6

सनत्कुमारनाचिकेतकश्यपात्रिषट्पदैर्धृतं स्वकीयमानसेषु नारदादिषट्पदैः । रवीन्दुरन्तिदेवदेवराजकर्मशर्मदे त्वदीयपादपङ्कजं नमामि देवि नर्मदे ॥६॥

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सनत्कुमारनाचिकेतकश्यपात्रिषट्पदैर्धृतं स्वकीयमानसेषु नारदादिषट्पदैः । रवीन्दुरन्तिदेवदेवराजकर्मशर्मदे त्वदीयपादपङ्कजं नमामि देवि नर्मदे ॥६॥: Held in their own minds by Sanatkumara, Nachiketa, Kashyapa, and the six-footed ones, by Narada and the six-footed ones, giver of peace in the deeds of the sun, moon, and Indra king of gods, O Narmada, I bow to your lotus feet.

The seers who hold her in the mind show that the river is not only water but inward presence; when the great ones of heaven and earth draw peace from her, the seeker learns to carry the tirtha within.

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Verse 7

अलक्षलक्षपापलक्षसारसायुधं ततस्तु जीवजन्तुतन्तुभुक्तिमुक्तिदायकम् । विरिञ्चिविष्णुशङ्करस्वकीयधामवर्मदे त्वदीयपादपङ्कजं नमामि देवि नर्मदे ॥७॥

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अलक्षलक्षपापलक्षसारसायुधं ततस्तु जीवजन्तुतन्तुभुक्तिमुक्तिदायकम् । विरिञ्चिविष्णुशङ्करस्वकीयधामवर्मदे त्वदीयपादपङ्कजं नमामि देवि नर्मदे ॥७॥: Weapon against countless hosts of sins, then giver of enjoyment and liberation to every living creature and being, armour and abode of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shankara, O Narmada, I bow to your lotus feet.

Weapon against sin and giver of both enjoyment and release, she holds the Trimurti's abode because the one reality sustains worldly life and freedom alike; liberation is not escape from creation but knowledge of the source that pervades it.

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Verse 8

अहो धृतं स्वनं श्रुतं महेशकेशजातटे किरातसूतबाडवेषु पण्डिते शठे नटे । दुरन्तपापतापहारि सर्वजन्तुशर्मदे त्वदीयपादपङ्कजं नमामि देवि नर्मदे ॥८॥

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अहो धृतं स्वनं श्रुतं महेशकेशजातटे किरातसूतबाडवेषु पण्डिते शठे नटे । दुरन्तपापतापहारि सर्वजन्तुशर्मदे त्वदीयपादपङ्कजं नमामि देवि नर्मदे ॥८॥: Ah, your sound is held and heard on the slope of Mahesha's matted locks, in the hunter, the charioteer, the brahmin, the rogue, and the actor. Remover of the burning torment of endless sin, giver of peace to all creatures, O Narmada, I bow to your lotus feet.

Her sound on Shiva's locks and in every human type declares that grace reaches all masks of the one Self; when the fire of sin's remorse is quenched, peace is not earned by role but received by the creature as such.

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