The Abhyudayika Stotra for Ancestral Rites

Verse 1 (padma.6.76.1)

महादेव उवाच- शृणु सुंदरि वक्ष्यामि स्तोत्रं चाभ्युदयं ततः । यच्छ्रुत्वा मुच्यते पापी ब्रह्महा नात्र संशयः

mahādeva uvāca- śṛṇu suṁdari vakṣyāmi stotraṁ cābhyudayaṁ tataḥ yacchrutvā mucyate pāpī brahmahā nātra saṁśayaḥ

Mahadeva said: Listen, O beautiful one, I shall now tell that hymn of prosperity, hearing which even a sinner and a killer of a brahmin becomes freed - of this there is no doubt.

Verse 2 (padma.6.76.2)

धाता वै नारदं प्राह तदहं तु ब्रवीमि ते । तमुवाच ततो देवः स्वयंभूरमितद्युतिः

dhātā vai nāradaṁ prāha tadahaṁ tu bravīmi te tamuvāca tato devaḥ svayaṁbhūramitadyutiḥ

This was told by the Ordainer [Brahma] to Narada, and that same thing I now tell you. Then the self-existent god [Brahma], of boundless splendor, spoke thus to him [Rama] -

Verse 3 (padma.6.76.3)

प्रगृह्य रुचिरं बाहुं स्मारयेच्चौर्ध्वदेहिकम् । भगवान्नारायणः श्रीमान्देवश्चक्रायुधोहरिः

pragṛhya ruciraṁ bāhuṁ smārayeccaurdhvadehikam bhagavānnārāyaṇaḥ śrīmāndevaścakrāyudhohariḥ

Taking hold of his beautiful arm, reminding him of his own transcendent divine nature - 'You are the Blessed Lord Narayana, the glorious god, Hari, wielder of the discus,

Verse 4 (padma.6.76.4)

शार्ङ्गधारी हृषीकेशः पुराणपुरुषोत्तमः । अजितः खड्गभृज्जिष्णुः कृष्णश्चैव सनातनः

śārṅgadhārī hṛṣīkeśaḥ purāṇapuruṣottamaḥ ajitaḥ khaḍgabhṛjjiṣṇuḥ kṛṣṇaścaiva sanātanaḥ

the bearer of the Sharnga bow, Hrishikesha, the ancient Purushottama; Ajita, the sword-bearer, Vijayin, Krishna, eternal.

Verse 5 (padma.6.76.5)

एकशृंगो वराहस्त्वं भूतभव्यभवात्मकः । अक्षरं ब्रह्म सत्यं तु आदौ चांते च राघवः

ekaśṛṁgo varāhastvaṁ bhūtabhavyabhavātmakaḥ akṣaraṁ brahma satyaṁ tu ādau cāṁte ca rāghavaḥ

You are the one-horned Boar, of the very form of the past, future, and present; the imperishable Brahman, the truth, Raghava both at the beginning and at the end.

Verse 6 (padma.6.76.6)

लोकानां तु परो धर्मो विष्वक्सेनश्चतुर्भुजः । सेनानी रक्षणस्त्वं च वैकुंठस्त्वं जगत्प्रभुः

lokānāṁ tu paro dharmo viṣvaksenaścaturbhujaḥ senānī rakṣaṇastvaṁ ca vaikuṁṭhastvaṁ jagatprabhuḥ

You are the supreme dharma of all the worlds, Vishvaksena, four-armed; the commander, the protector, Vaikuntha, the lord of the universe.

Verse 7 (padma.6.76.7)

प्रभवश्चाव्ययस्त्वं च उपेंद्रो मधुसूदनः । पृश्निगर्भो धृतार्चिस्त्वं पद्मनाभो रणांतकृत्

prabhavaścāvyayastvaṁ ca upeṁdro madhusūdanaḥ pṛśnigarbho dhṛtārcistvaṁ padmanābho raṇāṁtakṛt

You are the source [of creation] and imperishable, Upendra, Madhusudana; born of Prishni's womb, radiant, Padmanabha, the ender of battle.

Verse 8 (padma.6.76.8)

शरण्यं शरणं च त्वामाहुः सेन्द्रा महर्षयः । ऋक्सामश्रेष्ठो वेदात्मा शतजिह्वो महर्षयः

śaraṇyaṁ śaraṇaṁ ca tvāmāhuḥ sendrā maharṣayaḥ ṛksāmaśreṣṭho vedātmā śatajihvo maharṣayaḥ

Even Indra and the great sages call you alone the giver of refuge and the very refuge itself; the foremost of the Rik and Sama, the very self of the Veda, of a hundred tongues, of the form of the great sages.

Verse 9 (padma.6.76.9)

त्वं यज्ञस्त्वं वषट्कारस्त्वमोंकारः परंतपः । शतधन्वा वसुः पूर्वं वसूनां त्वं प्रजापतिः

tvaṁ yajñastvaṁ vaṣaṭkārastvamoṁkāraḥ paraṁtapaḥ śatadhanvā vasuḥ pūrvaṁ vasūnāṁ tvaṁ prajāpatiḥ

You yourself are the sacrifice, you yourself are the exclamation 'vashat', you yourself are the syllable Om, the scorcher of enemies; long ago you were the Vasu named Shatadhanva, the lord of creatures among the Vasus.

Verse 10 (padma.6.76.10)

त्रयाणामपि लोकानां आदिकर्ता स्वयंप्रभुः । रुद्राणामष्टमो रुद्रः साध्यानामपि पंचमः

trayāṇāmapi lokānāṁ ādikartā svayaṁprabhuḥ rudrāṇāmaṣṭamo rudraḥ sādhyānāmapi paṁcamaḥ

You are the primal creator of the three worlds, self-sovereign; the eighth among the Rudras, and the fifth among the Sadhyas too.

Verse 11 (padma.6.76.11)

आश्विनौ चापि कर्णौ ते सूर्यचंद्रौ च चक्षुषी । अंते चादौ च मध्ये च दृश्यसे त्वं परंतपः

āśvinau cāpi karṇau te sūryacaṁdrau ca cakṣuṣī aṁte cādau ca madhye ca dṛśyase tvaṁ paraṁtapaḥ

The Ashvin twins are your two ears, the sun and moon are your two eyes; at the end, at the beginning, and in the middle too, you alone, O scorcher of foes, are what is seen.

Verse 12 (padma.6.76.12)

प्रभवो निधनं चास्य न विदुः को भवानिति । दृश्यसे सर्वलोकेषु गोषु च ब्रह्मणेषु च

prabhavo nidhanaṁ cāsya na viduḥ ko bhavāniti dṛśyase sarvalokeṣu goṣu ca brahmaṇeṣu ca

None knows your origin and your end, who you truly are. You are seen in all the worlds, in cattle, and in brahmins too,

Verse 13 (padma.6.76.13)

दिक्षु सर्वासु गगने पर्वतेषु गुहासु च । सहस्रनयनः श्रीमाञ्छतशीर्षः सहस्रपात्

dikṣu sarvāsu gagane parvateṣu guhāsu ca sahasranayanaḥ śrīmāñchataśīrṣaḥ sahasrapāt

in all directions, in the sky, in the mountains, and in caverns too; of a thousand eyes, glorious, of a hundred heads, of a thousand feet.

Verse 14 (padma.6.76.14)

त्वं धारयसि भूतानि वसुधां च सपर्वताम् । अंतःपृथिव्यां सलिले सर्वसत्वमहोरगः

tvaṁ dhārayasi bhūtāni vasudhāṁ ca saparvatām aṁtaḥpṛthivyāṁ salile sarvasatvamahoragaḥ

You alone sustain all beings and the earth with its mountains; within the earth, in the waters, you alone are the great serpent-form that upholds all creation.

Verse 15 (padma.6.76.15)

त्रींल्लोकान्धारयन्नास्ते देवगंधर्वदानवान् । अहं ते हृदयं राम जिह्वा देवी सरस्वती

trīṁllokāndhārayannāste devagaṁdharvadānavān ahaṁ te hṛdayaṁ rāma jihvā devī sarasvatī

Sustaining the three worlds, sustaining even the gods, gandharvas and demons, you remain established. O Rama, I am your heart, the goddess Sarasvati is your tongue,

Verse 16 (padma.6.76.16)

देवा रोमाणि गात्रेषु निर्मितास्ते स्वमायया । निमिषस्ते स्मृता रात्रिरुन्मेषो दिवसस्तथा

devā romāṇi gātreṣu nirmitāste svamāyayā nimiṣaste smṛtā rātrirunmeṣo divasastathā

the gods were fashioned by your own maya as the hairs upon your body; your closing of the eyelids is reckoned as night, and their opening as day.

Verse 17 (padma.6.76.17)

संस्कारस्ते भवेद्देहो न तदस्ति विना त्वया । जगत्सर्वं शरीरे तत्स्थैर्यं च वसुधातलम्

saṁskāraste bhaveddeho na tadasti vinā tvayā jagatsarvaṁ śarīre tatsthairyaṁ ca vasudhātalam

Your very body is the ground of all sacraments; without you it is nothing at all; the entire universe exists within your body, and its very stability is this surface of the earth.

Verse 18 (padma.6.76.18)

अग्निः कोपः प्रसादस्ते शेषः श्रीमांश्च लक्ष्मणः । त्वया लोकास्त्रयः क्रांताः पुराणैर्विक्रमैस्त्रिभिः

agniḥ kopaḥ prasādaste śeṣaḥ śrīmāṁśca lakṣmaṇaḥ tvayā lokāstrayaḥ krāṁtāḥ purāṇairvikramaistribhiḥ

Fire is your wrath, your grace is Shesha, and the glorious Lakshmana too [is a portion of Shesha]; you it was who measured all three worlds with three primeval strides.

Verse 19 (padma.6.76.19)

त्वयेंद्रश्च कृतो राजा बलिर्बद्धो महासुरः । लोकान्संहृत्य कालस्त्वं निवेश्यात्मनि केवलम्

tvayeṁdraśca kṛto rājā balirbaddho mahāsuraḥ lokānsaṁhṛtya kālastvaṁ niveśyātmani kevalam

You made Indra a king, and bound the great demon Bali; gathering up the worlds, O form of Time, you establish them solely within yourself.

Verse 20 (padma.6.76.20)

करोष्येकार्णवं घोरं दृश्यादृश्ये च नान्यथा । त्वया सिंहवपुः कृत्वा परमं दिव्यमुत्तमम्

karoṣyekārṇavaṁ ghoraṁ dṛśyādṛśye ca nānyathā tvayā siṁhavapuḥ kṛtvā paramaṁ divyamuttamam

You create the terrible single ocean, which [absorbs] both the seen and the unseen, and not otherwise; you it was who, taking on the supreme, divine, most excellent lion's body,

Verse 21 (padma.6.76.21)

भयदः सर्वभूतानां हिरण्यकशिपुर्हतः । त्वमश्ववदनो भूत्वा पातालतलमाश्रितः

bhayadaḥ sarvabhūtānāṁ hiraṇyakaśipurhataḥ tvamaśvavadano bhūtvā pātālatalamāśritaḥ

slew Hiranyakashipu, the terror of all beings. You it is who, taking on the form of a horse-faced one [Hayagriva], take refuge in the depths of the netherworld,

Verse 22 (padma.6.76.22)

संहृतं परमं हव्यं रहस्यं वै पुनः पुनः । यत्परं श्रूयते ज्योतिर्यत्परं श्रूयते परः

saṁhṛtaṁ paramaṁ havyaṁ rahasyaṁ vai punaḥ punaḥ yatparaṁ śrūyate jyotiryatparaṁ śrūyate paraḥ

and recover once more that supreme oblation [the Veda], the secret mystery stolen again and again. That supreme light which is heard of, that supreme beyond even the highest which is heard of,

Verse 23 (padma.6.76.23)

यत्परं परतश्चै वपरमात्मेति कथ्यते । परो मंत्रः परं तेजस्तमेव हि निगद्यसे

yatparaṁ parataścai vaparamātmeti kathyate paro maṁtraḥ paraṁ tejastameva hi nigadyase

that which is beyond even the beyond and is called the 'Supreme Self' - that very supreme mantra, that supreme splendor - that very thing you yourself are declared to be.

Verse 24 (padma.6.76.24)

हव्यं कव्यं पवित्रं च प्राप्तिः स्वर्गापवर्गयोः । स्थित्युत्पत्तिविनाशांस्ते त्वामाहुः प्रकृतेः परम्

havyaṁ kavyaṁ pavitraṁ ca prāptiḥ svargāpavargayoḥ sthityutpattivināśāṁste tvāmāhuḥ prakṛteḥ param

Oblation, ancestral offering, purity, the attainment of both heaven and liberation, sustenance, creation, and dissolution - all these they declare to be you yourself, beyond even Prakriti.

Verse 25 (padma.6.76.25)

यज्ञश्च यजमानश्च होता चाध्वर्युरेव च । भोक्ता यज्ञफलानां च त्वं वै वेदैश्च गीयसे

yajñaśca yajamānaśca hotā cādhvaryureva ca bhoktā yajñaphalānāṁ ca tvaṁ vai vedaiśca gīyase

The sacrifice, the performer of the sacrifice, the invoker, and the officiating priest - you yourself are all of these; you are also the enjoyer of the fruits of sacrifice, and it is you alone who are sung by the Vedas.

Verse 26 (padma.6.76.26)

सीतालक्ष्मीर्भवान्विष्णुर्देवः कृष्णः प्रजापतिः । वधार्थं रावणस्य त्वं प्रविष्टो मानुषीं तनुम्

sītālakṣmīrbhavānviṣṇurdevaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ prajāpatiḥ vadhārthaṁ rāvaṇasya tvaṁ praviṣṭo mānuṣīṁ tanum

Sita herself is Lakshmi, you yourself are the god Vishnu, Krishna, the lord of creatures; it was solely for the slaying of Ravana that you entered a human body.

Verse 27 (padma.6.76.27)

तदिदं च त्वया कार्यं कृतं धर्मभृतां वर । निहतो रावणो राम प्रहृष्टा देवताः कृताः

tadidaṁ ca tvayā kāryaṁ kṛtaṁ dharmabhṛtāṁ vara nihato rāvaṇo rāma prahṛṣṭā devatāḥ kṛtāḥ

O most excellent of the upholders of dharma, this task has now been accomplished by you. O Rama, Ravana has been slain, and the gods have become filled with joy.

Verse 28 (padma.6.76.28)

अमोघं देववीर्यं ते न ते मोघः पराक्रमः । अमोघदर्शनं राम न च मोघस्तव स्तवः

amoghaṁ devavīryaṁ te na te moghaḥ parākramaḥ amoghadarśanaṁ rāma na ca moghastava stavaḥ

Your divine might is unfailing, your valor is never in vain; O Rama, even the sight of you is unfailing, and this praise of you too shall never be in vain.

Verse 29 (padma.6.76.29)

अमोघास्ते भविष्यंति भक्तिमंतो नरा भुवि । ये च त्वां देव संभक्ताःपुराणं पुरुषोत्तमम्

amoghāste bhaviṣyaṁti bhaktimaṁto narā bhuvi ye ca tvāṁ deva saṁbhaktāḥpurāṇaṁ puruṣottamam

Those devoted men who shall be upon this earth shall likewise be unfailing [in their success] - those who, O god, offer true devotion to you, that ancient Purushottama.

Verse 30 (padma.6.76.30)

इममार्षस्तवं पुण्यमितिहासं पुरातनम् । ये नराः कीर्तयिष्यंति नास्ति तेषां पराभवः

imamārṣastavaṁ puṇyamitihāsaṁ purātanam ye narāḥ kīrtayiṣyaṁti nāsti teṣāṁ parābhavaḥ

Whatever men shall recite this meritorious, ancient, sage-spoken hymn and tale, they shall never know defeat.

Verse 31 (padma.6.76.31)

कथमिह हि पराभवं व्रजेयुः पुरुषवराः पुरुषोत्तमे हि भक्ताः । नहि जगति चतुर्भुजप्रियाणां त्रिदश इहास्ति वरप्रदो विशिष्टः

kathamiha hi parābhavaṁ vrajeyuḥ puruṣavarāḥ puruṣottame hi bhaktāḥ nahi jagati caturbhujapriyāṇāṁ tridaśa ihāsti varaprado viśiṣṭaḥ

How could excellent men, devotees of Purushottama, ever meet with defeat in this world? For in this universe there is no other deity more excellent as a boon-giver to those dear to the four-armed one [Vishnu].

Verse 32 (padma.6.76.32)

स्तोत्राणां प्रवरं स्तोत्रं राघवस्य महात्मनः । त्रिकाले यः पठेन्नित्यं महापातकवानपि

stotrāṇāṁ pravaraṁ stotraṁ rāghavasya mahātmanaḥ trikāle yaḥ paṭhennityaṁ mahāpātakavānapi

This hymn of the great-souled Raghava is the most excellent among all hymns. Whatever man, even a great sinner, reads it daily at all three times of day [dawn, noon, and evening],

Verse 33 (padma.6.76.33)

संध्याकाले द्विजश्रेष्ठैः श्राद्धकाले विशेषतः । पठनीयं प्रयत्नेन भक्तिभावेन चेतसा

saṁdhyākāle dvijaśreṣṭhaiḥ śrāddhakāle viśeṣataḥ paṭhanīyaṁ prayatnena bhaktibhāvena cetasā

excellent brahmins should recite it at the time of twilight-worship, and especially at the time of shraddha, with diligent effort and a heart full of devotion.

Verse 34 (padma.6.76.34)

इदं गोप्यं हि परमं नाख्येयं कर्हिचित्क्वचित् । पठनान्मुक्तिमाप्नोति सात्त्वतः स भवेद्ध्रुवम्

idaṁ gopyaṁ hi paramaṁ nākhyeyaṁ karhicitkvacit paṭhanānmuktimāpnoti sāttvataḥ sa bhaveddhruvam

This is a most profound secret, never to be revealed anywhere, at any time. By reciting it, liberation is attained; that man certainly becomes sattvic.

Verse 35 (padma.6.76.35)

प्रथमं पिंडपूजांते ब्राह्मणैर्द्विजसत्तमैः । पठितव्यमिदं स्तोत्रं श्राद्धमक्षयमाप्नुयात्

prathamaṁ piṁḍapūjāṁte brāhmaṇairdvijasattamaiḥ paṭhitavyamidaṁ stotraṁ śrāddhamakṣayamāpnuyāt

First, at the conclusion of the worship of the pindas, this hymn should be recited by excellent brahmins; by this the shraddha becomes imperishable.

Verse 36 (padma.6.76.36)

इदं पवित्रं परमं जनानां मुक्तिदायकम् । लिखित्वा वै गृहे यस्तु धारयेत्सुसमाधिना

idaṁ pavitraṁ paramaṁ janānāṁ muktidāyakam likhitvā vai gṛhe yastu dhārayetsusamādhinā

This is supremely pure, granting liberation to people. Whoever writes it down and keeps it at home with full concentration,

Verse 37 (padma.6.76.37)

आयुः श्रीश्च बलं तस्य वृद्धिं याति दिनेदिने । लिखित्वा ब्राह्मणे दद्याद्धीमान्यो वै कदाचन

āyuḥ śrīśca balaṁ tasya vṛddhiṁ yāti dinedine likhitvā brāhmaṇe dadyāddhīmānyo vai kadācana

his lifespan, glory, and strength increase day by day. Whatever wise man writes it and gives it in gift to a brahmin at any time,

Verse 38 (padma.6.76.38)

विमुक्ताः पूर्वजास्तस्य यांति विष्णोः परं पदम् । चतुर्णां चैव वेदानां पाठे चैव तु यत्फलम्

vimuktāḥ pūrvajāstasya yāṁti viṣṇoḥ paraṁ padam caturṇāṁ caiva vedānāṁ pāṭhe caiva tu yatphalam

his ancestors, liberated, attain the supreme state of Vishnu. Whatever fruit is obtained from the recitation of all four Vedas,

Verse 39 (padma.6.76.39)

समवाप्नोति जापेन नरः स्तोत्रं पठन्जपन् । धृत्वा वै शंखचक्रादि ब्राह्मणैर्वेदतत्परैः

samavāpnoti jāpena naraḥ stotraṁ paṭhanjapan dhṛtvā vai śaṁkhacakrādi brāhmaṇairvedatatparaiḥ

that same fruit a man obtains merely by chanting and reciting this hymn, through chanting alone. When the conch, discus, and the like are borne by brahmins devoted to the Veda,

Verse 40 (padma.6.76.40)

श्राद्धकाले महादेवि अक्षयं तद्भवेद्ध्रुवम् । कंठे पद्माक्षमालां च शंखचक्रादिधारणम्

śrāddhakāle mahādevi akṣayaṁ tadbhaveddhruvam kaṁṭhe padmākṣamālāṁ ca śaṁkhacakrādidhāraṇam

O great goddess, at the time of shraddha it certainly becomes imperishable. Wearing a garland of lotus-seed beads about the neck, and bearing the conch, discus, and the like,

Verse 41 (padma.6.76.41)

ततः श्राद्धं प्रकुर्वीत इदं स्तोत्रं पठन्जपन् । विधिना भक्तिभावेन पूर्णं भवति नान्यथा

tataḥ śrāddhaṁ prakurvīta idaṁ stotraṁ paṭhanjapan vidhinā bhaktibhāvena pūrṇaṁ bhavati nānyathā

one should then perform the shraddha, reciting and chanting this hymn; it becomes complete only through due rite and a heart full of devotion, and not otherwise.

Verse 42 (padma.6.76.42)

अतो भक्तिमता पुंसा पठनीयं प्रयत्नतः । पठनात्सर्वमाप्नोति स नरः सुखमेधते

ato bhaktimatā puṁsā paṭhanīyaṁ prayatnataḥ paṭhanātsarvamāpnoti sa naraḥ sukhamedhate

Therefore a devoted man should recite it with diligent effort. By reciting it, a man obtains everything, and he prospers in happiness.