॥श्री महात्रिपुरसुन्दरी -समेत-चन्द्रमौलीश्वराय नमः ॥
Prostrations to Shri Maha Tripurasundari sametha Shri Chandramoulishwara.

1. वेदान्तार्थ-तदाभास-क्षीरनीरविवेकिनम्।नमामि भगवत्पादं परहंसधुरन्धरम्॥

I worship the greatest among Paramahamsas (supreme swans), Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada, who discriminates between the true import of Vedanta (milk) and its fallacious appearance (water). (Vedanta Kalpataru)

2. वेदान्तार्थाभिधानेन सर्वानुग्रहकारिणम्। यतिरूपधरं वन्दे शङ्करं लोकशङ्करम्॥

I worship Shankara, who does good to the world, who blesses all by conveying the true import of Vedanta and who (Shiva himself) dons the form of Sanyasi.

(Bodhendra Saraswathi in Harihara Advaita Bhushanam)

3. हरलीलावताराय शङ्कराय वरौजसे। कैवल्य-कलना -कल्पतरवे गुरवे नमः ॥

I prostrate to Guru Shankara, who is a sportive incarnation of Shiva, whose splendour is precious, and who is the munificent Kalpaka tree bestowing Liberation. (Tattva Chandrika)

4. नमस्तस्मै भगवते शङ्कराचार्यरूपिणे। येन वेदान्त-विद्येयमुद्धृता वेदसागरात्॥

My prostration to Bhagavan Shankaracharya, by whom was extracted this Knowledge of Vedanta from the ocean of Vedas. (Vidyaranya Swamiji in Aparokshanubhuti Deepika)

5. नमः श्रीशङ्कराचार्यगुरवे शङ्करात्मने। शरीरिणां शङ्कराय शङ्करज्ञानहेतवे॥

I prostrate to Guru Shankaracharya, who is verily the form of Shiva, who bestows good on Jivas and who is the source of knowledge of Shiva. (Sankshepa Shariraka Tattva Bodhini)

6. यमाश्रिता गिरां देवी नन्दयत्यात्मसंश्रितान्। तमाश्रये श्रिया जुष्टं शङ्करं करुणानिधिम्॥

I take refuge in Shankara, the treasure of compassion, in whom Devi Saraswathi, who delights those who surrender to Atma, abides, and who is served by (Moksha) Lakshmi. (Bodhendra Saraswathi in Advaita Bhushanam)

7. स्तुवन्मोहतमःस्तोम-भानुभावमुपेयुषः। स्तुमस्तान् भगवत्पादान् भवरोगभिषग्वरान्॥

We pray to Bhagavatpada, who is Surya to the mass of darkness of delusion of those who adore him, and who is the best healer for the disease of Samsara (cycle of birth and death). (Sadashiva Brahmendra in Brahma Tattva Prakashika)

8. काश्यां हि काशते काशी काशी सर्वप्रकाशिका । सा काशी विदिता येन तेन प्राप्ता हि काशिका ॥

The brilliance of Jnanashakti, which lights up everything, radiates in Kashi. One, who knows that Jnanashakti, indeed attains that power. (Kashi Panchakam 4)

9. विष्णवे व्यासरूपाय ब्रह्मसूत्रकृते नमः । महेशाय च तद्भाष्यकृते शङ्कररूपिणे॥

My prostration to Vishnu, who took the form of Vyasa and wrote Brahma sutras, and to Maheshwara, who took the form of Shankara and wrote commentary to those Brahma sutras. (Allala Suri in Bhamati Tilakam)

10. श्रुतिस्मृतिपुराणानामालयं करुणालयम्। नमामि भगवत्पाद-शङ्करं लोकशङ्करम्॥

I prostrate to Shankara Bhagavatpada, who is the repository of Vedas, Shastras and Puranas, who is the abode of compassion and who bestows good on the world.

11. विचार्यं सर्ववेदान्तैः सञ्चार्यं हृदयाम्बुजे। प्रचार्यं सर्वलोकेषु आचार्यं शङ्करं भजे॥

I worship Shankaracharya, who is the Tattva (Principle) of all Vedantas, who is to be housed in the lotus heart (of all), and who is to be propagated in all worlds.

12. आनन्दघनमद्वन्द्वं निर्विकारं निरञ्जनम्। भजेऽहं भगवत्पादं भजतामभयप्रदम्॥

I worship Bhagavatpada, who is Bliss incarnate, free from dualities, immutable, spotless, who bestows freedom from fear on those who worship. (Manisha Panchakam Commentary)

13. भगवत्पाद-पादाब्जपांसवः सन्तु सन्ततम्। अपारासारसंसार-सागरोत्तार-सेतवः ॥

May the dust of the lotus feet of Bhagavatpada abide with us always; they are the bridge for crossing the boundless ocean of the insubstantial Samsara.

14. काशीक्षेत्रं शरीरं त्रिभुवनजननी व्यापिनी ज्ञानगङ्गा, भक्तिः श्रद्धा गयेयं निजगुरुचरणध्यानयोगः प्रयागः ।

विश्वेशोऽयं तुरीयः सकलजनमनः साक्षिभूतोऽन्तरात्मा , देहे सर्वं मदीये यदि वसति पुनस्तीर्थमन्यत्किमस्ति ॥

The pilgrim centre of Kashi is the body; Ganga of Jnana, all-pervading, is mother of the three worlds; bhakti and faith are Gaya; Yoga of meditation on the feet of our Guru is Prayaga; this Visweshwara is the inherent Atma, the witness of the minds of all people, the Fourth State (beyond the three states of waking, dream and deep sleep); if all of this resides in my body, which other Tirtha (pilgrim centre) is there at all? (Kashi Panchakam 5)

15. कोशेषु पञ्चस्वधिराजमाना बुद्धिर्भवानी प्रतिदेहगेहम्। साक्षी शिवः सर्वगतोऽन्तरात्मा सा काशिकाऽहं निजबोधरूपा॥

Bhavani is the power of intellect shining in the five sheaths (Annamaya, Pranamaya, Manomaya, Vijnanamaya, Anandamaya) housed in every body; Shiva is the witness, the all-pervading inherent Atma; I am that Kashi, the Self-Knowledge (of the form of union of Shiva and Shakti). (Kashi Panchakam 3)

16. मनो निवृत्तिः परमोपशान्तिः सा तीर्थवर्या मणिकर्णिका च । ज्ञानप्रवाहा विमलादिगङ्गा सा काशिकाऽहं निजबोधरूपा॥

The best Tirtha, Manikarnika is the state of supreme tranquillity with quiescence of mind; the flow of blemishless Jnana is the river Adi Ganga; I am that Kashi, the Self-Knowledge. (Kashi Panchakam 1)

17. यस्यामिदं कल्पितमिन्द्रजालं चराचरं भाति मनोविलासम् । सच्चित्सुखैका परमात्मरूपा सा काशिकाऽहं निजबोधरूपा ॥

I am that Kashi, the Self-Knowledge, Supreme Atma of the form of Existence, Consciousness and Bliss, in which this magical illusory world of moving and non-moving objects shines as pleasurable mental modes. (Kashi Panchakam 2)

Translated: P. R. Kannan

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