Pandurangashtakam
पाण्डुरङ्गाष्टकम्
Pāṇḍuraṅgāṣṭakam
All 8 verses
Verse 1
महायोगपीठे तटे भीमरथ्या वरं पुण्डरीकाय दातुं मुनीन्द्रैः । समागत्य तिष्ठन्तमानन्दकंदं परब्रह्मलिङ्गं भजे पाण्डुरङ्गम् ॥१॥
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- महायोगपीठे तटे भीमरथ्या वरं पुण्डरीकाय दातुं मुनीन्द्रैः ।
- On the bank of the Bhimarathi at the great seat of yoga, to grant a boon to Pundarika, together with the chief sages.
- समागत्य तिष्ठन्तमानन्दकंदं परब्रह्मलिङ्गं भजे पाण्डुरङ्गम् ॥१॥
- Having come and standing, the root of bliss: I worship Panduranga, the emblem of supreme Brahman.
Panduranga standing on the river bank for Pundarika's sake is the Lord who waits where the devotee places him. As emblem of supreme Brahman, the standing form reminds the seeker that the absolute is not distant but present where yoga and surrender meet.
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Verse 2
तटिद्वाससं नीलमेघावभासं रमामंदिरं सुंदरं चित्प्रकाशम् । वरं त्विष्टकायां समन्यस्तपादं परब्रह्मलिङ्गं भजे पाण्डुरङ्गम् ॥२॥
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- तटिद्वाससं नीलमेघावभासं रमामंदिरं सुंदरं चित्प्रकाशम् ।
- Clothed in lightning-yellow garment, appearing like a blue cloud, abode of Rama, beautiful, luminous consciousness.
- वरं त्विष्टकायां समन्यस्तपादं परब्रह्मलिङ्गं भजे पाण्डुरङ्गम् ॥२॥
- Placing his feet on the brick as a boon: I worship Panduranga, the emblem of supreme Brahman.
Feet placed on the devotee's brick show that God honours human love and does not spurn the humble offering. The Lord as cit-prakasha, luminous consciousness, is worshipped in form yet known as the light behind every form.
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Verse 3
प्रमाणं भवाब्धेरिदं मामकानां नितम्बः कराभ्यां धृतो येन तस्मात् । विधातुर्वसत्यै धृतो नाभिकोशः परब्रह्मलिङ्गं भजे पाण्डुरङ्गम् ॥३॥
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- प्रमाणं भवाब्धेरिदं मामकानां नितम्बः कराभ्यां धृतो येन तस्मात् ।
- The measure of the ocean of becoming for beings like us is the curve of the earth held by his two hands.
- विधातुर्वसत्यै धृतो नाभिकोशः परब्रह्मलिङ्गं भजे पाण्डुरङ्गम् ॥३॥
- The navel-lotus is held for Brahma's dwelling: I worship Panduranga, the emblem of supreme Brahman.
He who holds the earth's curve and Brahma in the navel is the cosmic Self sustaining creation. For the Advaitin, this image affirms that the same Lord who upholds the universe stands on the brick before the devotee's eyes.
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Verse 4
स्फुरत्कौस्तुभालङ्कृतं कण्ठदेशे श्रिया जुष्टकेयूरकं श्रीनिवासम् । शिवं शांतमीड्यं वरं लोकपालं परब्रह्मलिङ्गं भजे पाण्डुरङ्गम् ॥४॥
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- स्फुरत्कौस्तुभालङ्कृतं कण्ठदेशे श्रिया जुष्टकेयूरकं श्रीनिवासम् ।
- Neck adorned with the shining Kaustubha, armlets graced by Sri, Srinivasa.
- शिवं शांतमीड्यं वरं लोकपालं परब्रह्मलिङ्गं भजे पाण्डुरङ्गम् ॥४॥
- Auspicious, peaceful, praiseworthy, excellent protector of the worlds: I worship Panduranga, the emblem of supreme Brahman.
Srinivasa, home of fortune and peace, is the inner ruler whose auspicious nature needs no outer cause. To worship him as world-protector is to rest in the Self that guards all beings while remaining utterly still.
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Verse 5
शरच्चंद्रबिंबाननं चारुहासं लसत्कुण्डलाक्रांतगण्डस्थलांतम् । जपारागबिंबाधरं कञ्जनेत्रं परब्रह्मलिङ्गं भजे पाण्डुरङ्गम् ॥५॥
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- शरच्चंद्रबिंबाननं चारुहासं लसत्कुण्डलाक्रांतगण्डस्थलांतम् ।
- Face like the autumn-moon disc, charming smile, swinging earrings reaching to the cheeks.
- जपारागबिंबाधरं कञ्जनेत्रं परब्रह्मलिङ्गं भजे पाण्डुरङ्गम् ॥५॥
- Lips red as the hibiscus globe, lotus eyes: I worship Panduranga, the emblem of supreme Brahman.
The moon-like face and lotus eyes are meditations that steady the mind on beauty without grasping. Every lovely feature praised here turns attention from fleeting appearance toward the changeless bliss that shines through it.
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Verse 6
किरीटोज्वलत्सर्वदिक्प्रांतभागं सुरैरर्चितं दिव्यरत्नैरनर्घैः । त्रिभङ्गाकृतिं बर्हमाल्यावतंसं परब्रह्मलिङ्गं भजे पाण्डुरङ्गम् ॥६॥
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- किरीटोज्वलत्सर्वदिक्प्रांतभागं सुरैरर्चितं दिव्यरत्नैरनर्घैः ।
- Crown blazing to the ends of every direction, worshipped by the gods with priceless divine jewels.
- त्रिभङ्गाकृतिं बर्हमाल्यावतंसं परब्रह्मलिङ्गं भजे पाण्डुरङ्गम् ॥६॥
- Of tri-bent form, crested with a peacock-feather garland: I worship Panduranga, the emblem of supreme Brahman.
The tri-bent Lord crowned and adored by gods is consciousness bending toward the devotee in grace. Even the highest worship offered with jewels points to the one reality that cannot be bought yet accepts every sincere gift.
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Verse 7
विभुं वेणुनादं चरंतं दुरंतं स्वयं लीलया गोपवेषं दधानम् । गवां वृन्दकानन्ददं चारुहासं परब्रह्मलिङ्गं भजे पाण्डुरङ्गम् ॥७॥
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- विभुं वेणुनादं चरंतं दुरंतं स्वयं लीलया गोपवेषं दधानम् ।
- The all-pervading one, sounding the flute, moving, hard to cross, assuming cowherd dress by his own sport.
- गवां वृन्दकानन्ददं चारुहासं परब्रह्मलिङ्गं भजे पाण्डुरङ्गम् ॥७॥
- Giver of joy to the herds of cows, of charming smile: I worship Panduranga, the emblem of supreme Brahman.
The all-pervading Lord plays the flute in cowherd guise, showing that Brahman is not confined to heaven. His sport delights the simple and the wise alike, for joy is the nature of the Self when illusion drops away.
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Verse 8
अजं रुक्मिणीप्राणसञ्जीवनं तं परं धाम कैवल्यमेकं तुरीयम् । प्रसन्नं प्रपन्नार्तिहं देवदेवं परब्रह्मलिङ्गं भजे पाण्डुरङ्गम् ॥८॥
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- अजं रुक्मिणीप्राणसञ्जीवनं तं परं धाम कैवल्यमेकं तुरीयम् ।
- Unborn, life-restorer of Rukmini's breath, that supreme abode, the one liberation, the fourth state.
- प्रसन्नं प्रपन्नार्तिहं देवदेवं परब्रह्मलिङ्गं भजे पाण्डुरङ्गम् ॥८॥
- Gracious, remover of the suffering of those who take refuge, God of gods: I worship Panduranga, the emblem of supreme Brahman.
The unborn Lord as turiya, the fourth, is the state beyond waking, dream, and sleep. Panduranga who ends the refugee's sorrow is the Self known when devotion dissolves the last veil between seeker and sought.
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