Bhagavad Dhyana Sopanam — Complete Lyrics

श्री भगवद्ध्यानसोपानम्

Sanskrit text with English transliteration and translation

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Verse 1

अन्तर्ज्योतिः किमपि यमिनामञ्जनं योगदृष्टे- श्चिन्तारत्नं सुलभमिह नः सिद्धिमोक्षानुरूपम् । दीनानाथव्यसनशमनं दैवतं दैवतानां दिव्यं चक्षुः श्रुतिपरिषदां दृश्यते रङ्गमध्ये ॥ १ ॥

antarjyotiḥ kimapi yaminām añjanaṃ yogadṛṣṭe- ścintāratnaṃ sulabhamiha naḥ siddhimokṣānurūpam | dīnānāthavyasanaśamanaṃ daivataṃ daivatānāṃ divyaṃ cakṣuḥ śrutipariṣadāṃ dṛśyate raṅgamadhye || 1 ||

There, in the midst of Srirangam, is seen — some ineffable inner light, the collyrium that opens the yogic eye of sages, a wish-gem here easily had by us and suited to both worldly attainment and liberation, the calmer of the distress of the helpless, the God of gods, the divine eye of the assembly of the Vedas. (1)

Verse 2

वेदातीतश्रुतिपरिमलं वेधसां मौलिसेव्यं प्रादुर्भूतं कनकसरितः सैकते हंसजुष्टे । लक्ष्मीभूम्योः करसरसिजैर्लालितं रङ्गभर्तुः पादाम्भोजं प्रतिफलति मे भावनादीर्घिकायाम् ॥ २ ॥

vedātītaśrutiparimalaṃ vedhasāṃ maulisevyaṃ prādurbhūtaṃ kanakasaritaḥ saikate haṃsajuṣṭe | lakṣmībhūmyoḥ karasarasijairlālitaṃ raṅgabhartuḥ pādāmbhojaṃ pratiphalati me bhāvanādīrghikāyām || 2 ||

In the deep pond of my contemplation is reflected the lotus feet of the Lord of Srirangam — fragrant beyond the Vedas yet the perfume of the Vedas, served by the crowns of Brahma and the gods, risen on the swan-frequented sands of the golden river (Kaveri), and caressed by the lotus-hands of Lakshmi and Bhumi. (2)

Verse 3

चित्राकारां कटकरुचिभिश्चारुवृत्तानुपूर्वां काले दूत्यद्रुततरगतिं कान्तिलीलाकलाचीम् । जानुच्छायाद्विगुणसुभगां रङ्गभर्तुर्मदात्मा जङ्घां दृष्ट्वा जननपदवीजाङ्घिकत्वं जहाति ॥ ३ ॥

citrākārāṃ kaṭakarucibhiścāruvṛttānupūrvāṃ kāle dūtyadrutataragatiṃ kāntilīlākalācīm | jānucchāyādviguṇasubhagāṃ raṅgabharturmadātmā jaṅghāṃ dṛṣṭvā jananapadavījāṅghikatvaṃ jahāti || 3 ||

Beholding the shanks of the Lord of Srirangam — wondrous in form, beautifully tapering and round, swift as a messenger in their hour, graceful with playful charm, and twice-blessed by the glow of His knees — my enraptured mind gives up forever its wandering on the road of repeated births. (3)

Verse 4

कामारामस्थिरकदलिकास्तम्भसम्भावनीयं क्षौमाश्लिष्टं किमपि कमलाभूमिनीलोपधानम् । न्यञ्चत्काञ्चीकिरणरुचिरं निर्विशत्यूरुयुग्मं लावण्यौघद्वयमिव मतिर्मामिका रङ्गयूनः ॥ ४ ॥

kāmārāmasthirakadalikāstambhasambhāvanīyaṃ kṣaumāśliṣṭaṃ kimapi kamalābhūminīlopadhānam | nyañcatkāñcīkiraṇaruciraṃ nirviśatyūruyugmaṃ lāvaṇyaughadvayamiva matirmāmikā raṅgayūnaḥ || 4 ||

My mind enters the pair of thighs of the youthful Lord of Srirangam — worthy to be likened to the firm plantain-stems of the garden of love, wrapped in silk, an ineffable dark cushion for Lady Lakshmi, lovely with the downward-streaming rays of His girdle — as though entering two streams of pure loveliness. (4)

Verse 5

सम्प्रीणाति प्रतिकलमसौ मानसं मे सुजाता गम्भीरत्वात्क्वचन समये गूढनिक्षिप्तविश्वा । नालीकेन स्फुरितरजसा वेधसो निर्मिमाणा रम्यावर्तद्युतिसहचरी रङ्गनाथस्य नाभिः ॥ ५ ॥

samprīṇāti pratikalamasau mānasaṃ me sujātā gambhīratvātkvacana samaye gūḍhanikṣiptaviśvā | nālīkena sphuritarajasā vedhaso nirmimāṇā ramyāvartadyutisahacarī raṅganāthasya nābhiḥ || 5 ||

At every instant the well-formed navel of Ranganatha gladdens my heart — so deep that at the time of dissolution it secretly holds the whole universe within, giving birth, through its lotus with blossoming pollen, to Brahma the creator, and graced by its lovely whorl of light. (5)

Verse 6

श्रीवत्सेन प्रथितविभवं श्रीपदन्यासधन्यं मध्यं बाह्वोर्मणिवररुचा रञ्जितं रङ्गधाम्नः । सान्द्रच्छायं तरुणतुलसीचित्रया वैजयन्त्या सन्तापं मे शमयति धियश्चन्द्रिकोदारहारम् ॥ ६ ॥

śrīvatsena prathitavibhavaṃ śrīpadanyāsadhanyaṃ madhyaṃ bāhvormaṇivararucā rañjitaṃ raṅgadhāmnaḥ | sāndracchāyaṃ taruṇatulasīcitrayā vaijayantyā santāpaṃ me śamayati dhiyaścandrikodārahāram || 6 ||

The waist of the Lord of Srirangam — its glory proclaimed by the Srivatsa, blessed by the imprint of Sri's feet, reddened between the arms by the lustre of the choicest gems, densely shaded by the Vaijayanti garland bright with fresh tulasi, and bearing a necklace generous as moonlight — stills the burning of my mind. (6)

Verse 7

एकं लीलोपहितमितरं बाहुमाजानुलम्बं प्राप्तौ रङ्गे शयितुरखिलप्रार्थनापारिजातम् । दृप्ता सेयं दृढनियमिता रश्मिभिर्भूषणानां चिन्ताहस्तिन्यनुभवति मे चित्रमालानयन्त्रम् ॥ ७ ॥

ekaṃ līlopahitamitaraṃ bāhumājānulambaṃ prāptau raṅge śayiturakhilaprārthanāpārijātam | dṛptā seyaṃ dṛḍhaniyamitā raśmibhirbhūṣaṇānāṃ cintāhastinyanubhavati me citramālānayantram || 7 ||

The two arms of the reclining Lord of Srirangam — one laid in graceful ease, the other hanging down to the knee, a very wish-tree fulfilling every prayer — are proud yet firmly bound by the rays of their ornaments; my 'elephant of contemplation' experiences them as a wondrous tethering post. (7)

Verse 8

साभिप्रायस्मितविकसितं चारुबिम्बाधरोष्ठं दुःखापायप्रणयिनि जने दूरदत्ताभिमुख्यम् । कान्तं वक्त्रं कनकतिलकालङ्कृतं रङ्गभर्तुः स्वान्ते गाढं विलगति मम स्वागतोदारनेत्रम् ॥ ८ ॥

sābhiprāyasmitavikasitaṃ cārubimbādharoṣṭhaṃ duḥkhāpāyapraṇayini jane dūradattābhimukhyam | kāntaṃ vaktraṃ kanakatilakālaṅkṛtaṃ raṅgabhartuḥ svānte gāḍhaṃ vilagati mama svāgatodāranetram || 8 ||

The lovely face of the Lord of Srirangam — blossoming with a meaningful smile, with charming bimba-red lips, turned graciously toward the suffering devotee from afar, adorned with a golden tilaka — clings deep within my heart, with its wide, generously welcoming eyes. (8)

Verse 9

माल्यैरन्तःस्थिरपरिमलैर्वल्लभास्पर्शमान्यैः कुप्यच्चोलीवचनकुटिलैः कुन्तलैः श्लिष्टमूले । रत्नापीडद्युतिशबलिते रङ्गभर्तुः किरीटे राजन्वत्यः स्थितिमधिगता वृत्तयश्चेतसो मे ॥ ९ ॥

mālyairantaḥsthiraparimalairvallabhāsparśamānyaiḥ kupyaccolīvacanakuṭilaiḥ kuntalaiḥ śliṣṭamūle | ratnāpīḍadyutiśabalite raṅgabhartuḥ kirīṭe rājanvatyaḥ sthitimadhigatā vṛttayaścetaso me || 9 ||

Upon the crown of the Lord of Srirangam — its base entwined with His curls (precious to the touch of His beloved, curling as if vexed at the gem-studded bodice), variegated by the radiance of its jewelled crest — the activities of my mind, well-governed, have found their abode and their sovereign. (9)

Verse 10

पादाम्भोजं स्पृशति भजते रङ्गनाथस्य जङ्घा- मूरुद्वन्द्वे विलगति शनैरूर्ध्वमभ्येति नाभिम् । वक्षस्यास्ते वलति भुजयोर्मामिकेयं मनीषा वक्त्राभिख्यां पिबति वहते वासनां मौलिबन्धे ॥ १० ॥

pādāmbhojaṃ spṛśati bhajate raṅganāthasya jaṅghā- mūrudvandve vilagati śanairūrdhvamabhyeti nābhim | vakṣasyāste valati bhujayormāmikeyaṃ manīṣā vaktrābhikhyāṃ pibati vahate vāsanāṃ maulibandhe || 10 ||

This mind of mine touches and adores the lotus feet of Ranganatha, clings to His shanks and thighs, slowly rises to His navel, rests upon His chest, moves over His arms, drinks in the beauty of His face, and bears its loving fixation upon His crown. (10)

Verse 11

कान्तोदाररयैरिह भुजैः कङ्कणज्याकिणाङ्कै- र्लक्ष्मीधाम्नः पृथुलपरिघैर्लक्षिता भीतिहेतिः । अग्रे किञ्चिद्भुजगशयनः स्वात्मनैवात्मनः सन् मध्येरङ्गं मम च हृदये वर्तते सावरोधः ॥ ११ ॥

kāntodāararayairiha bhujaiḥ kaṅkaṇajyākiṇāṅkai- rlakṣmīdhāmnaḥ pṛthulaparighairlakṣitā bhītihetiḥ | agre kiñcidbhujagaśayanaḥ svātmanaivātmanaḥ san madhyeraṅgaṃ mama ca hṛdaye vartate sāvarodhaḥ || 11 ||

Here lies the reclining Lord on the serpent — His broad arms lovely and mighty, marked with calluses from the bowstring, like great door-bars of the abode of Lakshmi, His weapons a refuge from all fear; being by His own Self for His own Self, He abides in the midst of Srirangam, and now, with His entourage, within my heart as well. (11)

Verse 12

रङ्गास्थाने रसिकमहिते रञ्जिताशेषचित्ते विद्वत्सेवाविमलमनसा वेङ्कटेशेन कॢप्तम् । अक्लेशेन प्रणिहितधियामारुरुक्षोरवस्थां भक्तिं गाढां दिशतु भगवद्ध्यानसोपानमेतत् ॥ १२ ॥

raṅgāsthāne rasikamahite rañjitāśeṣacitte vidvatsevāvimalamanasā veṅkaṭeśena kḷptam | aktleśena praṇihitadhiyāmārurukṣoravasthāṃ bhaktiṃ gāḍhāṃ diśatu bhagavaddhyānasopānametat || 12 ||

May this 'Bhagavad Dhyana Sopanam' — composed by Venkatesha (Vedanta Desika), whose mind was made pure by the service of the learned, in the sanctum of Srirangam dear to the discerning and delighting every heart — effortlessly bestow deep, intense devotion upon those of fixed mind who wish to climb the steps to that state. (12)

Verse 13

॥ इति श्रीमद्वेङ्कटेशार्यप्रणीतं भगवद्ध्यानसोपानं सम्पूर्णम् ॥

|| iti śrīmadveṅkaṭeśāryapraṇītaṃ bhagavaddhyānasopānaṃ sampūrṇam ||

Thus is completed the Bhagavad Dhyana Sopanam composed by the revered Venkateshacharya (Vedanta Desika).

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