Stava-mālā chapter-14

Sn-Hari-kusuma-stavakam

sri-krsnaya namah

I offer respects to Sri Krsna.

gati-ganjita-mattatara-dviradam rada-nindita-sundara-kunda-madam | madanarbuda-rupa-mada-ghna-rucim rucira-smita-manjari manju-mukham ||1||

I offer respects to Krsna, whose gait derides that of an intoxicated elephant, whose teeth criticize the pride of beautiful jasmine flowers, whose beauty destroys billions of Cupids’ pride in their beauty, whose face is radiant with a blossoming smile.

I offer respects to Hari (verb is in verse eleven). How is he described? By his gait (gati) he derides (ganjita) an intoxicated elephant (dviradam). By his teeth he criticizes the pride of beautiful jasmine buds. His beauty destroys billions of Cupids’ pride in their beauty. His face is attractive with a radiant (rucira'), blossoming smile (smita-manjari).

mukharikrta-venu-hrta-pramadam mada-valgita-locana-tamarasam | rasa-pura-vikdsaka-keli-param paramartha-parayana-loka-gatim ||2||

I offer respects to Krsna who attracts the women by playing his flute, whose lotus eyes are red with intoxicating youth, who is absorbed in pastimes which manifest a variety of rasas and who is the shelter of devotees having understanding of tattva.

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He attracts the women by playing (mukhari-krta) his flute. He has lotus (tamarasam) eyes attractive with redness (valgita) of intoxicating youth (mada). He is absorbed (param) in pastimes which reveal waves of rasa such as sakhya and hasya. He is the shelter (method and goal) of surrendered persons on the path of bhakti with understanding of tattva (paramartha).

gati-mandita-yamuna-tira-bhuvam bhuvanesvara-vandita-caru-padam I padakojjvala-komala-kantha-rucam rucakatta-visesaka-valgutaram 11311

I offer respects to Krsna who decorates the land on the bank of the Yamuna with the marks on his feet as he walks, whose attractive feet are worshipped by all devatas, the beauty of whose neck shines with a padaka, and who is most attractive with gorocana tilaka.

He decorates the land on the bank of the Yamuna with the marks on his feet, flag, thunderbolt, etc., when he walks (gati). His attractive (earn) feet are worshipped by Brahma, Siva and other controllers of the world. He is beautiful with a tender neck bright with a padaka ornament on his chest. He is attractive (valgutaram) with tilaka (visesaka) made of gorocana (rucaka). Rucaka means gorocana according to Visva. Visesaka means tilaka according to Halayudha.

tarala-pracaldka-parita-sikham sikharindra-dhrti pratipanna-bhujam | bhujagendra-phanangana-ranga-dharam dhara-kandara-khelana-lubdha-hrdam ||4||

I offer respects to Krsna whose head is decorated with a trembling peacock feather, whose left arm boldly lifts Govardhana, who makes a dancing arena on Kaliya’s hoods, whose heart is greedy to play in the mountain caves.

Sri-Hari-kusuma-stavakam 105

The hair on his head is endowed (pafita) with a trembling (tarala) peacock feather (pracalaka). Pracalaka means peacock feather according to Halayudha. His left arm is endowed with boldness to lift Govardhana (sikharlndra). He made the arena of the hoods of Kaliya a place for performing dancing and singing (ranga-dharam). His heart is greedy to play in the mountain caves (dhara-kandara).

hrdayalu-suhrd-gana-datta-maham mahaniya-katha-kula-dhuta-kalim I kalitakhi la-durjaya-bahu-balam bala-ballava-savaka-sannihitam ||5||

I offer respects to Krsna who gives joy to his affectionate friends, who destroys Kali-yuga by his worshippable topics, whose arms are unconquerable in strength, who is accompanied by Balarama and cowherd boys.

He gives joy (maham) to his affectionate (hrdayalu) friends. Hrdayalu means good hearted according to Amara-kosa. Maha means joyous festival. He destroys Kali-yuga, the last yuga by many worshippable stories of his exploits. Kali is the last yuga according to Haima. Or he destroys quarrels (kali) among the gopis. The strength of his arms cannot be conquered by anyone. He is accompanied by Balarama and by cowherd boys (ballava- savaka).

hita-sadhu-samlhita-kalpa-tarum taruni-gana-nutana-puspa-saram I saranagata-raksana-daksatamam tarn asadhu-kulotpala-canda-karam ||6||

1 offer respects to Krsna who fulfills the desires of the favorable devotees, who is a new Cupid for the young girls, who is most skillful at protecting the surrendered, who is the harsh sun for the lotus-like demons.

He fulfills the desires (samihita) of the devotees following him (hita). He is fresh Cupid (puspa-saram) for the young girls. He is most skillful at protecting those who are surrendered. He is the sun (candakaram) for the blue lotuses who are groups of demons. Utpala is a blue lotus according to Halayudha. He restricts the demons.

kara-padma-milat-kusuma-stavakam baka-danava-matta-kanndra-harim I harini-gana-haraka-venu-kalam kala-kantha-ravojjvala-kantha-ranam ||7||

I offer respects to Krsna who holds in his lotus hands clusters of flowers, who is a lion tearing apart the mad elephant called the Baka demon, who attracts the women with the sound of his flute, whose voice is more brilliant than the cuckoo’s song.

He holds flower clusters(stavakam) in his lotus hands. He holds flower clusters in his right hand. Kusuma-stavakam also indicates meter of the work, also called dandaka. This is called

mudra alankdra as explained in Kdvya-kaustubha.

dyotartha-dyotanam mudra. sabdaih prakrti-vacibhih

Indicating another meaning (such as author or title of work) by words having a different meaning in the context of the poem is called mudra.

He is a lion tearing up the Baka demon, like a mad elephant. With the sound of his flute he attracts all the women (deer). Kala-kantha is cuckoo according to Halayudha.

rana-khandita~durjana-punya-janam jana-mangala-kirti-lata-prabhavam I bhava-sagara-kumbhaja-nama-gunam guna-sariga-vivarjita-bhakta-ganam ||8||

Sri-Hari-kusuma-stavakam 107

I offer respects to Krsna who destroys the wicked demons in battle, whose fame spreads auspiciousness throughout the world, whose single quality dries up the ocean of ignorance like Agastya, whose devotees are free of the touch of the material gunas.

He destroyed the wicked Raksasas (punya-janam) in battle. Punya-jana means a Raksasa according to Amara-kosa. He produces (prabhavam) a creeper of fame which is auspicious for the world. His fame produces auspiciousness for the world.

His qualities are Agastya (kumbhaja) for the ocean of material existence. Just one designated (nama) quality dries up the ocean of ignorance, just as Agastya swallows the ocean. What to speak of all his qualities. His devotees are devoid of the touch of material gunas.

gananatiga-divya-gunollasitam smita-rasmi-sahodara-vaktra-varam | vara-drpta-vrsasura-dara-ghanam ghana-vibhrama-vesa-vihara-mayam ||9||

I offer respects to Krsna who has manifested attractive, unlimited qualities, whose excellent face is brother of the moon, who is a cloud for the forest fire of proud Vrsasura, whose pastimes and ornaments are intensely beautiful.

He has manifested (ullasitam) qualities related to his svarupa (divya) such as omnipotence, omniscience, friendship and mercy which are unlimited (gananatiga). He is excellent (yaram) for his face which is like the brother of the moon (smita-rasmi). He is a cloud for the forest fire of extremely proud (vara-drpta) Vrsasura. He destroys the demon. His pastimes like activities in the bower and his decorations are profoundly (ghana) beautiful (yibhrama).

maya-putra-tamah-ksaya-purna-vidhum vidhurikrta-danava-raja-kulam | kula-nandanam atra namami harim ||1O||

I offer respects to Krsna who is the full moon which destroys the darkness of Vyomasura, who brings disaster to the dynasty of demons, and who gives joy to his family.

He is the full moon which destroys the darkness of Vyomasura

(maya-putra).

He brought disaster (yidhurl-krtd) to the dynasty of demons (danava-raja-kulam). Vidhura means trouble according to Dhananjaya. I offer respects to Krsna who gives joy to his family (kulam). The alankara is chekdnuprasa (alliteration).

The characteristics of dandaka are given (of which Kusuma-

stavaka is a subtype):

sa-ganah sakalah khaluyatra bhavet tarn iha pravadanti budhah kusuma-stavakam

The wise call a dandaka with all sa ganas (ssl ssl ssl ssl,

etc.) as kusuma-stavaka.

Here there are 156 sa ganas in total, or four lines with 40 sa

ganas (ssl) each.9

urasi parisphurad-indiram indindira-mandira-srajollasitam I harim anganatimangalam anga-lasac-candanam vande 111 111

I offer respects to Hari who shines with Laksmi on his chest, who is beautiful with a garland which is the abode of bees, who is most auspicious for the young women and whose limbs shine with sandalwood.

9 The number in the text is thus not correct. The regular verse should have four lines. Therefore he has given 39 ganas per line it seems.

Sri-Hari-kusuma-stavakam 109

The author praises the Lord with arya dandaka.

1 offer respects to Hari. He is described. The mark of Laksmi shines brightly on his chest. He is beautiful (ullasitam) with a Vaijayanti garland (sraja), the abode of bees (indindira). He is most auspicious for the young women (arigana). He attracts them. He shines with sandalwood on his limbs. Yamaha alankdra is used. It is described as follows:

bhinndrtha sambhavaty arthe svara vyanjana samhatih | kramena tena ced gacched avrttim yamakam tada II

Repetition of phrases with same sound with different meaning is called yamdka. (Kavya-kaustubha)

Thus hari-kusuma-stavaka has been explained.