Nataraja Dasakam

Nataraja Dasakam
By Sengalipuram Ananthrama Deekshithar
Translated by P. R. Ramachander

[This prayer is addressed to Nataraja (the king of dancers), a form of Lord Shiva. This has been composed by one of the greatest scholars of the last generation who was an expert in Upanayasas about stories of all Gods. Sengalipuram Anantarama Dikshitar (2 August 1903 - 30 October 1969) was a Śrauti scholar and also was a great exponent of the art of upanyasas (discourses) on various subjects in Hinduism. Born in the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu as the first son to Sri Subramanya Dikshithar, boy Anantharaman was initiated into the learning of the Vedass under his father Subramanya Dikshithar who was also known as chinna Muthannaval brother of Sengalipuram Vaidhyanatha Dikshithar or Periya Muthannaval. After a fruitful life, Sri Deekshithat took Apad Sanyasa and died. His Samadhi is in Chinna Thiruppathi, Salem, Tamil Nadu.]

1. Kanaka sabha gatha, kanchana Vigraha, kama vinigraha, kantha thano,
Kali kalithakhila papamalapaha kruthi samavrutha deha vibho,
Kuvalaya sannibha rathna vinirmitha, divya kireeta, subashta thano,
Jaya jaya hey nataraja pathe shiva bhagya samrudhi muparjaya may.

Oh God who lives in the golden hall, who has a golden body,
who killed God of love and has amagnetic body,
Who removes all the sins created by Kali age,
who is the lord who covers his body in elephant hide
Who wears a divine crown which is embedded,
With several gems and resembles the blue lotus flower,
Victory, victory to Lord Nataraja, please grant me,
The peaceful luck and wealth in plenty.

2. Karakalithamala, shula bhayangara, kala nirasaka Padha vibho,
Padha kamala gatha bhakthajanaqvana, bhaktha sukankana deva vibho,
Shiva nilayagatha bhoothi vibhooshitha, deekshitha poojitha poojaya thano,
Jaya jaya hey nataraja pathe shiva bhagya samrudhi muparjaya may.

Oh God who holds the pure trident and is the lord
Who kicked by his feet the horrifying God of death,
Who is determined to look after the pleasures,
Of the forest of devotees who come seeking his lotus like feet,
And whose form is worshipped by the Deekshithas,
Who have applied sacred ash and came from Kailasa,
Victory, victory to Lord Nataraja, please grant me,
The peaceful luck and wealth in plenty.

3. Hara hara Sankara Bhaktha hrudambara vasa Chidambara nadha Vibho,
Duritha niranthara, Dushta Bhayankara darasana sankara divya thano,
Dasa satha kanthara sesha hrudanthara, sankara rakshitha Partha guro,
Jaya jaya hey nataraja pathe shiva bhagya samrudhi muparjaya may.

Oh God who lives on the minds of devotees, who shout,
"Hara hara Sankara" and who is the lord of Chidambara,
Who is fearful loking to those bad people,
Who permenantly cause trouble to others,
Who has a holy body seeing which you grant peace,
Who occupies the heart of Adhi sesha with thousand heads,
AndWho s the teacher of Arjuna who gave him protection,
Victory, victory to Lord Nataraja, please grant me,
The peaceful luck and wealth in plenty.

4. Shiva, shiva Sankara, Samba puranthara poojitha sundara manthra nidhe,
Mura hara sannithi mangala Darsana Manthra rahasya Chidathma thano,
Pura hara samharapapamapaa kuru, bheethimara athikrutha makilaam,
Jaya jaya hey nataraja pathe shiva bhagya samrudhi muparjaya may.

Oh peace of peace who is Sankara, who is with the Goddess,
Who is worshipped by Indra and is the treasure of pretty chants,
Who grants auspicious looks near the killer of Mura,
Whose form is that of secret chants and the ultimate divine,
Who destroyed the three cities, please destroy my sins,
Fear which is created by all the enemies,
Victory, victory to Lord Nataraja, please grant me,
The peaceful luck and wealth in plenty.

5. Bhujaka vibhooshana, bhoothi vilepana, Phala vilochana, loka thano,
Vrushabha suvahana, ganga payo dhara, Sundara narthana, soma thano,
Sutha dhana Dhayaka, soukhya vidhayaka, sadhu dayakara sathva thano,
Jaya jaya hey nataraja pathe shiva bhagya samrudhi muparjaya may.

Oh God who decorates himself with snake, who applies sacred ash,
Who has an eye on forehead and whose body is the world,
Who rides on a bull, who carries a river,
Who dances beautifully, who has a body with Goddess,
Who grants sons and wealth, Who grants pleasant life,
Who shows mercy on the good and has a body of pure conduct,
Victory, victory to Lord Nataraja, please grant me,
The peaceful luck and wealth in plenty.

6. Sakala hrudanthara, Chandra kala dhara, manthra parakrutha, bhootha dhadhe,
Charana samarchana divya druhagatha, Deva vararpitha Bhaghya dadhe,
Vidhi, hari narada yaksha surasura, bhootha krutha sthuthi Thushata mathe,
Jaya jaya hey nataraja pathe shiva bhagya samrudhi muparjaya may.

Oh God who is in the heart of all beings, who carries crescent of moon,
Who is the one who has Bhoothas that can be driven away by Manthras,
And who gets satisfied by prayers of Vishnu, Brahma, Narada,
Devas, Asuras and the Bhoothas,
Victory, victory to Lord Nataraja, please grant me,
The peaceful luck and wealth in plenty.

7. Giri Thanayarpitha Chandana Champaka, kumkuma pankaja gandha thano,
Dhimi dhimi dhindhimi vadhana noopura, pada thalothitha nrutha guro,
Ravi kiranasthama yagatha daivatha drushta sunarthana daksha thano,
Jaya jaya hey nataraja pathe shiva bhagya samrudhi muparjaya may.

Oh God who has a scented body due to application,
Of Sandal paste, Champaka flowers,Kukum and Lotus,
Who is the teacher of dance from whose feet,
And anklet the sound of "Dhimi,dhimi, dindhimi" arises,
And who is the body punished by good dance,
When the devas come to see him at time of sunset,
Victory, victory to Lord Nataraja, please grant me,
The peaceful luck and wealth in plenty.

8. Himi girija kara sangrahanothitha modha supoorna, suvarna thano,
Guhagana nayaka, geetha gunarnava, gopura suchitha viswa thano,
Guna gana bhooshana gopathi lochana gopa kuladhipa mithramane,
Jaya jaya hey nataraja pathe shiva bhagya samrudhi muparjaya may.

Oh God who got great joy by getting married,
To the daughter of snow mountain, who has a golden body,
Whose good qualities are sung by Lord Ganesa and Subrahmanya,
Whose super great form is indicated by the tall tower,
Whose decoration is good character, who has sun as an eye,
And who is the great friend of the chief of the gopa clan,
Victory, victory to Lord Nataraja, please grant me,
The peaceful luck and wealth in plenty.

9. Damaruka dharina, indhu kala dhara, indrapada brutha magnikaram,
Guha jananiyutha matha mrugothama marthijanakhila roga haram,
Bhaja bhaja manasa vismruthikaraka roga thanu pari dathapadham,
Jaya jaya hey nataraja pathe shiva bhagya samrudhi muparjaya may.

God who holds the small drum, who wears crescent of moon,
Who grants position of Indra, who carries fire in his hand,
Who is with mother of Subrhamanya, who holds the deer,
Who destroys al diseases of devotees who approach him,
Who removes diseases like epilepsy by giving his leg,
To those who have mind always singing him,
Victory, victory to Lord Nataraja, please grant me,
The peaceful luck and wealth in plenty.

10. Natha jana sankara, pinka jada dhara, gandala sathkara gaura thano,
Varada pathanjali sathkruthi sannutha mruga charanapitha pushpa dathe,
Damaruka Vadana bodhitha sarva kalakhila, Veda rahasya thano,
Jaya jaya hey nataraja pathe shiva bhagya samrudhi muparjaya may.

God who gives pleasure to his devotees, who has a brown matted hair,
Who holds poison in his neck, who is white in colour,
Who was pleased ny the prayers of sage Pathanjali,
Whose feet was offered flowers by he who had a tiger’s feet,
Who has all the arts in the universe due to playing drum,
And who has the body which is the secret of Vedas,
Victory, victory to Lord Nataraja, please grant me,
The peaceful luck and wealth in plenty.

11. Shivatha manantha padanvitha Rama sudeekshitha sathkavi padyamitham,
Nadana padherathi thushtikaram, bahu bhagyameepsitha sidhikaram,
Padathi, srunothi cha bhakthi yuktho yathi bhagya samrudhi madholapathe,
Jaya jaya hey nadaraja pathe shiva bhagya samrudhi muparjaya may.

This poem composed by the good poet Antharama Deekshitha,
Gives eternal peace, makes Lord Nataraja happy,
Gives occult powers to those who read or hear it with devotion,
And also grants them great luck without doubt,
Victory, victory to Lord Nataraja, please grant me,
The peaceful luck and wealth in plenty.