Saraswati Stotram (Ya Kundendu Tushara...)
verse 1
या कुन्देन्दु-तुषारहार-धवलाया शुभ्र-वस्त्रावृता
Yā kundendu-tuṣārahāra-dhavalāyā śubhra-vastrāvṛtā
या वीणावरदण्डमण्डितकराया श्वेतपद्मासना
Yā vīṇāvaradaṇḍamaṇḍitakarāyā śvetapadmāsanā
या ब्रह्माच्युत-शङ्कर-प्रभृतिभिर्देवैःसदा पूजिता
Yā brahmācyuta-śaṅkara-prabhṛtibhirdevaiḥsadā pūjitā
सा मां पातु सरस्वती भगवतीनिःशेषजाड्यापहा
Sā māṃ pātu sarasvatī bhagavatīniḥśeṣajāḍyāpahā
Meaning
She who is white as jasmine, as the moon, as a garland of frost, wrapped in bright white cloth,
whose hand is graced by the fine neck of the veena, who is seated on a white lotus,
who is ever worshipped by Brahma, Achyuta, Shankara and the other gods,
may she, Bhagavati Saraswati, who takes away dullness without remainder, protect me.
verse 2
दोर्भिर्युक्ता चतुर्भिःस्फटिकमणिमयीमक्षमालां दधाना
Dorbhiryuktā caturbhiḥsphaṭikamaṇimayīmakṣamālāṃ dadhānā
हस्तेनैकेन पद्मं सितमपिच शुकं पुस्तकं चापरेण
Hastenaikena padmaṃ sitamapica śukaṃ pustakaṃ cāpareṇa
भासा कुन्देन्दु-शङ्खस्फटिकमणिनिभाभासमानाऽसमाना
Bhāsā kundendu-śaṅkhasphaṭikamaṇinibhābhāsamānā'samānā
सा मे वाग्देवतेयं निवसतुवदने सर्वदा सुप्रसन्ना
Sā me vāgdevateyaṃ nivasatuvadane sarvadā suprasannā
Meaning
endowed with four arms, holding a rosary of crystal beads,
in one hand a white lotus, and in the others a parrot and a book,
shining with a radiance like jasmine, moon, conch and crystal, she who has no equal,
may this goddess of speech dwell in my mouth always, well pleased.
verse 3
आशासु राशी भवदंगवल्लि भासैवदासीकृत-दुग्धसिन्धुम्
Āśāsu rāśī bhavadaṃgavalli bhāsaivadāsīkṛta-dugdhasindhum
मन्दस्मितैर्निन्दित-शारदेन्दुंवन्देऽरविन्दासन-सुन्दरि त्वाम्
Mandasmitairnindita-śāradenduṃvande'ravindāsana-sundari tvām
Meaning
Your body, a slender vine whose radiance spreading in every direction has made a handmaid of the ocean of milk,
whose gentle smiles put the autumn moon to shame: I bow to You, beauty seated on the lotus.
verse 4
शारदा शारदाम्बोजवदना वदनाम्बुजे
Śāradā śāradāmbojavadanā vadanāmbuje
सर्वदा सर्वदास्माकं सन्निधिं सन्निधिं क्रियात्
Sarvadā sarvadāsmākaṃ sannidhiṃ sannidhiṃ kriyāt
Meaning
May Sharada, whose face is the autumn lotus, in the lotus that is our face
always make her nearness, she who is the giver of all.
verse 5
सरस्वतीं च तां नौमि वागधिष्ठातृ-देवताम्
Sarasvatīṃ ca tāṃ naumi vāgadhiṣṭhātṛ-devatām
देवत्वं प्रतिपद्यन्ते यदनुग्रहतो जनाः
Devatvaṃ pratipadyante yadanugrahato janāḥ
Meaning
And I bow to that Saraswati, the deity who presides over speech,
by whose grace people come to be gods.
verse 6
पातु नो निकषग्रावा मतिहेम्नः सरस्वती
Pātu no nikaṣagrāvā matihemnaḥ sarasvatī
प्राज्ञेतरपरिच्छेदं वचसैव करोति या
Prājñetaraparicchedaṃ vacasaiva karoti yā
Meaning
May Saraswati protect us, she who is the touchstone for the gold of the mind,
who by speech alone tells the wise apart from the rest.
verse 7
शुद्धां ब्रह्मविचारसारपरमा-माद्यां जगद्व्यापिनीं
Śuddhāṃ brahmavicārasāraparamā-mādyāṃ jagadvyāpinīṃ
वीणापुस्तकधारिणीमभयदां जाड्यान्धकारापहाम्
Vīṇāpustakadhāriṇīmabhayadāṃ jāḍyāndhakārāpahām
हस्ते स्पाटिकमालिकां विदधतीं पद्मासने संस्थितां
Haste spāṭikamālikāṃ vidadhatīṃ padmāsane saṃsthitāṃ
वन्दे तां परमेश्वरीं भगवतीं बुद्धिप्रदां शारदाम्
Vande tāṃ parameśvarīṃ bhagavatīṃ buddhipradāṃ śāradām
Meaning
the pure one, supreme in the essence of enquiry into Brahman, the first, pervading the world,
bearing veena and book, giver of fearlessness, remover of the darkness of dullness,
holding a crystal rosary in her hand, seated upon the lotus,
I bow to that supreme sovereign, Bhagavati, giver of understanding, Sharada.
verse 8
वीणाधरे विपुलमंगलदानशीले
Vīṇādhare vipulamaṃgaladānaśīle
भक्तार्तिनाशिनि विरिंचिहरीशवन्द्ये
Bhaktārtināśini viriṃciharīśavandye
कीर्तिप्रदेऽखिलमनोरथदे महार्हे
Kīrtiprade'khilamanorathade mahārhe
विद्याप्रदायिनि सरस्वति नौमि नित्यम्
Vidyāpradāyini sarasvati naumi nityam
Meaning
O bearer of the veena, whose nature is to grant blessing in abundance,
destroyer of Your devotees' distress, revered by Virinchi, Hari and Isha,
giver of renown, giver of every wish of the heart, most worthy of honour,
giver of learning, Saraswati, I bow to You always.
verse 9
श्वेताब्जपूर्ण-विमलासन-संस्थिते हे
Śvetābjapūrṇa-vimalāsana-saṃsthite he
श्वेताम्बरावृतमनोहरमंजुगात्रे
Śvetāmbarāvṛtamanoharamaṃjugātre
उद्यन्मनोज्ञ-सितपंकजमंजुलास्ये
Udyanmanojña-sitapaṃkajamaṃjulāsye
विद्याप्रदायिनि सरस्वति नौमि नित्यम्
Vidyāpradāyini sarasvati naumi nityam
Meaning
O You seated on a spotless seat heaped with white lotuses,
with graceful limbs of lovely form, wrapped in white cloth,
whose face is charming as a white lotus just opening,
giver of learning, Saraswati, I bow to You always.
verse 10
मातस्त्वदीय-पदपंकज-भक्तियुक्ता
Mātastvadīya-padapaṃkaja-bhaktiyuktā
ये त्वां भजन्ति निखिलानपरान्विहाय
Ye tvāṃ bhajanti nikhilānaparānvihāya
ते निर्जरत्वमिह यान्ति कलेवरेण
Te nirjaratvamiha yānti kalevareṇa
भूवह्नि-वायु-गगनाम्बु-विनिर्मितेन
Bhūvahni-vāyu-gaganāmbu-vinirmitena
Meaning
Mother, those who are joined in devotion to Your lotus feet,
who worship You and leave all others aside,
they reach the state of the ageless gods here and now, with this very body
which is made of earth, fire, air, sky and water.
verse 11
मोहान्धकार-भरिते हृदये मदीये
Mohāndhakāra-bharite hṛdaye madīye
मातः सदैव कुरु वासमुदारभावे
Mātaḥ sadaiva kuru vāsamudārabhāve
स्वीयाखिलावयव-निर्मलसुप्रभाभिः
Svīyākhilāvayava-nirmalasuprabhābhiḥ
शीघ्रं विनाशय मनोगतमन्धकारम्
Śīghraṃ vināśaya manogatamandhakāram
Meaning
In my heart, which is filled with the darkness of delusion,
Mother of generous nature, make Your dwelling for ever,
and with the pure bright radiance of all Your own limbs
swiftly destroy the darkness that lies in my mind.
verse 12
ब्रह्मा जगत् सृजति पालयतीन्दिरेशः
Brahmā jagat sṛjati pālayatīndireśaḥ
शम्भुर्विनाशयति देवि तव प्रभावैः
Śambhurvināśayati devi tava prabhāvaiḥ
न स्यात्कृपा यदि तव प्रकटप्रभावे
Na syātkṛpā yadi tava prakaṭaprabhāve
न स्युः कथंचिदपि ते निजकार्यदक्षाः
Na syuḥ kathaṃcidapi te nijakāryadakṣāḥ
Meaning
Brahma creates the world, the lord of Indira preserves it,
and Shambhu destroys it, Devi, all by Your powers.
If Your grace were not there, O You of manifest power,
they could in no way be equal to their own tasks.
verse 13
लक्ष्मिर्मेधा धरा पुष्टिर्गौरी तृष्टिः प्रभा धृतिः
Lakṣmirmedhā dharā puṣṭirgaurī tṛṣṭiḥ prabhā dhṛtiḥ
एताभिः पाहि तनुभिरष्टभिर्मां सरस्वती
Etābhiḥ pāhi tanubhiraṣṭabhirmāṃ sarasvatī
Meaning
Lakshmi, Medha, Dhara, Pushti, Gauri, Tushti, Prabha, Dhriti:
with these eight bodies, Saraswati, protect me.
verse 14
सरसवत्यै नमो नित्यं भद्रकाल्यै नमो नमः
Sarasavatyai namo nityaṃ bhadrakālyai namo namaḥ
वेद-वेदान्त-वेदांग-विद्यास्थानेभ्य एव च
Veda-vedānta-vedāṃga-vidyāsthānebhya eva ca
Meaning
To Saraswati salutation always, to Bhadrakali salutation again and again,
and to the Veda, to Vedanta, to the Vedangas and to the seats of learning.
verse 15
सरस्वति महाभागे विद्ये कमललोचने
Sarasvati mahābhāge vidye kamalalocane
विद्यारूपे विशालाक्षि विद्यां देहि नमोस्तु ते
Vidyārūpe viśālākṣi vidyāṃ dehi namostu te
Meaning
Saraswati, greatly blessed, O Learning itself, lotus-eyed,
whose very form is learning, wide-eyed one, grant me learning: salutation to You.
verse 16
यदक्षर-पदभ्रष्टं मात्राहीनं च यद्भवेत्
Yadakṣara-padabhraṣṭaṃ mātrāhīnaṃ ca yadbhavet
तत्सर्वं क्षम्यतां देवि प्रसीद परमेश्वरि
Tatsarvaṃ kṣamyatāṃ devi prasīda parameśvari
Meaning
Whatever has slipped in letter or in word, and whatever lacks its proper measure,
let all of that be forgiven, Devi; be gracious, supreme sovereign.
Sourced and cross-checked against two independent sources; our meanings are written in our own words, never copied. Personal, devotional use — including printing and sharing short excerpts with attribution — is free and encouraged.
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