Tripura Sundaryashtakam
त्रिपुरसुन्दर्याष्टकम्
Tripurasundaryāṣṭakam
All 8 verses
Verse 1
चतुर्भुजे चन्द्रकलावतंसे कुचोन्नते कुङ्कुमरागशोणे । पुण्ड्रेक्षुपाशाङ्कुशपुष्पबाणहस्ते नमस्ते जगदेकमातः ॥१॥
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- चतुर्भुजे चन्द्रकलावतंसे कुचोन्नते कुङ्कुमरागशोणे ।
- O four-armed one, with crescent crest, with uplifted breasts, red with saffron hue.
- पुण्ड्रेक्षुपाशाङ्कुशपुष्पबाणहस्ते नमस्ते जगदेकमातः ॥१॥
- With sugarcane bow, noose, goad, and flower-arrows in hand, salutations to you, sole Mother of the world.
The opening salutation beholds the Mother in Sri Vidya form with the weapons of inner discipline. She who is the one Mother of the world is the consciousness in which the many appear.
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Verse 2
कदम्बवनवासिनीं कनकवल्लकीधारिणीं महार्हमणिहारिणीं मुखसमुल्लसद्वारुणीम् । दयाविभवकारिणीं विशदलोचनीं चारिणीं त्रिलोचनकुटुम्बिनीं त्रिपुरसुन्दरीमाश्रये ॥२॥
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- कदम्बवनवासिनीं कनकवल्लकीधारिणीं
- Dweller in the kadamba grove, bearer of a golden vina.
- महार्हमणिहारिणीं मुखसमुल्लसद्वारुणीम् ।
- Wearer of great jewelled necklaces, with face blooming like gracious wine.
- दयाविभवकारिणीं विशदलोचनीं चारिणीं
- Producer of the wealth of compassion, with clear eyes, graceful in movement.
- त्रिलोचनकुटुम्बिनीं त्रिपुरसुन्दरीमाश्रये ॥२॥
- Consort of the three-eyed one, I take refuge in Tripurasundari.
She dwells in the kadamba grove of the heart, bearing the music of consciousness. Refuge in Tripurasundari is refuge in the beauty that is the Self, consort of Shiva.
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Verse 3
कदम्बवनशालया कुचभरोल्लसन्मालया कुचोपमितशैलया गुरुकृपालसद्वेलया । मदारुणकपोलया मधुरगीतवाचालया कयापि घननीलया कवचिता वयं लीलया ॥३॥
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- कदम्बवनशालया कुचभरोल्लसन्मालया
- With the mansion of the kadamba grove, with garland blooming from the fullness of her breasts.
- कुचोपमितशैलया गुरुकृपालसद्वेलया ।
- With breasts like mountains, with the steady tide of the Guru's grace.
- मदारुणकपोलया मधुरगीतवाचालया
- With wine-red cheeks, eloquent in sweet song.
- कयापि घननीलया कवचिता वयं लीलया ॥३॥
- By some dark-blue one we are playfully armoured.
The devotee is playfully armoured by her dark splendour and the tide of guru-grace. Protection is not outer defence but the Mother's own being wrapping the seeker in consciousness.
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Verse 4
कदम्बवनमध्यगां कनकमण्डलोपस्थितां षडम्बुरुहवासिनीं सततसिद्धसौदामिनीम् । विडम्बितजपारुचिं विकचचन्द्रचूडामणिं त्रिलोचनकुटुम्बिनीं त्रिपुरसुन्दरीमाश्रये ॥४॥
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- कदम्बवनमध्यगां कनकमण्डलोपस्थितां
- Seated in a golden orb in the midst of the kadamba grove.
- षडम्बुरुहवासिनीं सततसिद्धसौदामिनीम् ।
- Dweller among six lotuses, ever flashing like accomplished lightning.
- विडम्बितजपारुचिं विकचचन्द्रचूडामणिं
- Outshining the hibiscus in beauty, with an open crescent crest-jewel.
- त्रिलोचनकुटुम्बिनीं त्रिपुरसुन्दरीमाश्रये ॥४॥
- Consort of the three-eyed one, I take refuge in Tripurasundari.
She is seated in the golden orb of the six chakras, flashing like lightning. The Sri Chakra image points to the radiant center where Shakti and Shiva are realized as one.
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Verse 5
कुचाञ्चितविपञ्चिकां कुटिलकुन्तलालङ्कृतां कुशेशयनिवासिनीं कुटिलचित्तविद्वेषिणीम् । मदारुणविलोचनां मनसिजारिसम्मोहिनीं मतङ्गमुनिकन्यकां मधुरभाषिणीमाश्रये ॥५॥
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- कुचाञ्चितविपञ्चिकां कुटिलकुन्तलालङ्कृतां
- With vina pressed to her breasts, adorned with curling locks.
- कुशेशयनिवासिनीं कुटिलचित्तविद्वेषिणीम् ।
- Dweller on the lotus-seat, enemy of crooked minds.
- मदारुणविलोचनां मनसिजारिसम्मोहिनीं
- With wine-red eyes, bewildering even the enemy of Kamadeva.
- मतङ्गमुनिकन्यकां मधुरभाषिणीमाश्रये ॥५॥
- Daughter of Matanga the sage, sweet in speech, I take refuge in her.
Matanga's daughter enchants even Shiva, the foe of desire, with her glances. The power that subdues the mind's crookedness is the same grace that draws it homeward to the Self.
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Verse 6
स्मरेत्प्रथमपुष्पिणीं रुधिरबिन्दुनीलाम्बरां गृहीतमधुपात्रिकां मदविघूर्णनेत्राञ्चलाम् । घनस्तनभरोन्नतां गलितचूलिकां श्यामलां त्रिलोचनकुटुम्बिनीं त्रिपुरसुन्दरीमाश्रये ॥६॥
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- स्मरेत्प्रथमपुष्पिणीं रुधिरबिन्दुनीलाम्बरां
- One should remember her as the first-blooming one, in garments blue as a drop of blood.
- गृहीतमधुपात्रिकां मदविघूर्णनेत्राञ्चलाम् ।
- Holding a honey-bowl, with sidelong glances languid from intoxication.
- घनस्तनभरोन्नतां गलितचूलिकां श्यामलां
- Uplifted by the weight of full breasts, with loosened hair-crest, dark-hued.
- त्रिलोचनकुटुम्बिनीं त्रिपुरसुन्दरीमाश्रये ॥६॥
- Consort of the three-eyed one, I take refuge in Tripurasundari.
Memory holds her as the dark beloved in wine-red garments with languid glances. Contemplation of her form turns the intoxicated mind from outer pleasure toward the bliss of the Self.
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Verse 7
सकुङ्कुमविलेपनामलकचुम्बिकस्तूरिकां समन्दहसितेक्षणां सशरचापपाशाङ्कुशाम् । अशेषजनमोहिनीमरुणमाल्यभूषाम्बरां जपाकुसुमभासुरां जपविधौ स्मराम्यम्बिकाम् ॥७॥
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- सकुङ्कुमविलेपनामलकचुम्बिकस्तूरिकां
- Anointed with saffron paste, with musk on the forehead kissed by her garland.
- समन्दहसितेक्षणां सशरचापपाशाङ्कुशाम् ।
- With gently smiling eyes, bearing bow, arrows, noose, and goad.
- अशेषजनमोहिनीमरुणमाल्यभूषाम्बरां
- Enchantress of all people, adorned with red garlands and garments.
- जपाकुसुमभासुरां जपविधौ स्मराम्यम्बिकाम् ॥७॥
- Radiant as the hibiscus flower, in japa I remember Ambika.
In japa one recalls Ambika adorned with saffron, red garlands, and the weapons of Sri Vidya. Repetition fixes the mind on the form that leads beyond form to the consciousness she embodies.
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Verse 8
पुरन्दरपुरन्ध्रिकाचिकुरबन्धसैरन्ध्रिकां पितामहपतिव्रतापटुपटीरचर्चारताम् । मुकुन्दरमणीमणीलसदलङ्क्रियाकारिणीं भजामि भुवनाम्बिकां सुरवधूटिकाचेटिकाम् ॥८॥
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- पुरन्दरपुरन्ध्रिकाचिकुरबन्धसैरन्ध्रिकां
- Skilled as a maid in binding the locks of Indra's consort.
- पितामहपतिव्रतापटुपटीरचर्चारताम् ।
- Expert in anointing with sandal paste the wife of Brahma who is devoted to her husband.
- मुकुन्दरमणीमणीलसदलङ्क्रियाकारिणीं
- Maker of adornment shining like the sapphire gem of Mukunda's beloved.
- भजामि भुवनाम्बिकां सुरवधूटिकाचेटिकाम् ॥८॥
- I worship Bhuvanambika, attendant-maid to the celestial women.
The hymn closes by worshipping Bhuvanambika, sovereign of the worlds who adorns even the gods' consorts. She who serves as maid to all is the supreme mistress of the universe, one's own inner ruler.
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