GAṆGĀ STOTRAM

May 2015
You are listening to “GAṆGĀ STOTRAM”
from Shubhraji’s CD “Chants for Healing”.

 

devi sureśvari bhagavati gaṅge tribhuvana-tāriṇi tarala-tareṅge |
śaṅkara-mauli-vihāriṇi vimale mama matir āstāṁ tava pada-kamale ‖ (1)

O Devī, ruler of the gods, Bhagavatī, Gaṅgā, who has traversed the three worlds,
With tremulous waves – pure one playing at Śiva’s head, may my mind rest at your lotus feet.

bhāgīrathi sukha-dāyini mātas tava jala-mahimā nigame khyātaḥ |
nāhaṁ jāne tava mahimānaṁ pāhi kṛpāmayi mām ajñānam ‖ (2)

Daughter of Bhagiratha (whose austerities brought Gaṅgā to earth), granting pleasure, Mother, the majesty of your waters is described in the Veda-s.
I cannot comprehend your greatness. Full of compassion – protect me, lacking in wisdom.

hari-pada-pādya-taraṅgini gaṅge hima-vidhu-muktā-dhavala-taraṅge |
dūrīkuru mama duṣkṛti-bhāraṁ kuru kṛpayā bhava-sāgara-pāram ‖ (3)

Whose waves are the refuge for the feet of Hari – O Gaṅgā, the white froth of your waves like snowy pearls – carry the burden of my mistakes far away.
Take me, out of your compassion, to the far shore of the ocean of existence.

tava jalam amalaṁ yena nipītaṁ parama-padaṁ khalu tena gṛhītam |
mātar gaṅge tvayi yo bhaktaḥ kila taṁ draṣṭuṁ na yamaḥ śaktaḥ ‖ (4)

By whomever your pure water is drunk, by that one the highest state is grasped.
O Mother Gaṅgā, even death has no power to visit the one who is devoted to you.

patitoddhāriṇi jāhnavi gaṅge khaṇḍita-giri-vara-maṇḍita-bhaṅge |
bhīṣma-janani he muni-vara-kanye patita-nivāriṇi tribhuvana-dhanye ‖ (5)

Rescuing the troubled, O Jāhnavī, Gaṅgā, whose chasms are decorated with the broken fragments of great mountains – mother of Bhiṣma and daughter of the most illumined of sages, diverting the troubles of those who are lost, blessing the three worlds.

kalpalatām iva phala-dāṁ loke praṇamati yas tvāṁ na patati śoke |
pārāvāra-vihāriṇi gaṅge vimukha-yuvati kṛta-taralāpāṅge ‖ (6)

Whoever surrenders in devotion to you who grant rewards like the wish-fulfilling tree, does not fall into sorrow. O Gaṅgā, whose tremulous sweet glance is like that of a maiden with face averted.

tava cenmātaḥ srotaḥ-snātaḥ punar api jaṭhare so’pi na jātaḥ |
naraka-nivāriṇi jāhnavi gaṅge kaluṣa-vināśini mahimottuṅge ‖ (7)

If, O Mother, one has bathed in your waters – that one is not born again in the womb.
O Jāhnavī, Gaṅgā, warding off all suffering, removing impurities, exalted in greatness.

punarasad-aṅge puṇya-taraṅge jaya jaya jāhnavi karuṇāpāṅge |
indra-mukuṭa-maṇi-rājita-caraṇe sukhade śubhade bhṛtya-śaraṇye ‖ (8)

Of radiant form, with blessed waves – Victory, victory, O Jāhnavī with compassionate glances – whose movement is like sparkling jewels in the crown of Indra, giving happiness, giving goodness, refuge to those who attend to you.

rogaṁ śokaṁ tāpaṁ pāpaṁ hara me bhagavati kumati kalāpaṁ |
tribhuvana-sāre vasudhā-hāre tvam asi gatir mama khalu sansāre ‖ (9)

Take away my whole accumulation of negative thoughts, sickness, sorrow, suffering and wrongdoing, O Bhagavatī. Essence of the three worlds, like a necklace encompassing the earth, you are truly my destination in the midst of sansāra (the cycles of worldly changes).

alakānande paramānande kuru karuṇām ayi kātara-vandye |
tava taṭa-nikaṭe yasya nivāsaḥ khalu vaikuṇṭhe tasya nivāsaḥ ‖ (10)

O Alakānandā (joy-daughter of Alakā, Himālayan abode of Śiva), supreme bliss – Create compassion, I pray, you who should be honored by those in distress. Whoever has a dwelling close to your banks – that person’s residence is truly in Vaikuṇṭha (the heaven of Viṣṇu).

varam iha nīre kamaṭho mīnaḥ kiṁ vā tīre śaraṭaḥ kṣīṇaḥ |
athavā śvapaco malino dīnaḥ tava na hi dūre nṛpati-kulīnaḥ ‖ (11)

Better to be a turtle or fish here in your water, is it not, or a small chameleon on your bank, or else, a poor soiled outcast, rather than be far from you as a wealthy noble.

bho bhuvaneśvari puṇye dhanye devi dravamayi muni-vara-kanye |
gaṅgā-stavam imam amalaṁ nityaṁ paṭhati naro yaḥ sa jayati satyam ‖ (12)

Bho! Bhuvaneśvarī, ruler of the worlds, virtuous, blessed, Devī, fluid, the daughter of the most illumined sages. Whoever regularly reads this pure song to Gaṅgā, that person wins truth.

yeṣāṁ hṛdaye gaṅgā-bhaktiḥ teṣāṁ bhavati sadā sukha-muktiḥ |
madhurā kāntā pajjhaṭikābhiḥ paramānandakalita lalitābhiḥ ‖ (13)

The ones with devotion to Gaṅgā in their hearts, theirs is always a happy liberation. This lovely lady (Gaṅgā) is charming, accompanied by her attendants endowed with supreme bliss, their curling tresses twisting to their feet.

gaṅgā-stotram idaṁ bhava-sāraṁ vāñchitaphaladaṁ vimalaṁ sāraṁ |
śaṅkara-sevaka śaṅkara-racitaṁ paṭhati sukhī stava iti ca samāptaḥ ‖ (14)

This song to Gaṅgā, is the pure essence, the essence of being, granting the desired fruit–composed by Śaṅkarācarya, the servant of Lord Śiva. Happy is he who reads it, and thus it is complete.

jaya jaya gaṅge jaya hare gaṅge jaya jaya gaṅge jaya hare gaṅge |
jaya jaya gaṅge jaya hare gaṅge jaya jaya gaṅge jaya hare gaṅge ‖ (2 times)

Victory to Gaṅgā! Victory to Śiva! Victory to Gaṅgā! Victory to Śiva!