Lalita Pancha Ratnam

Lalita Pancha Ratnam
[Five Gems on Lalita]
By Adi Shankara
Translated by P. R. Ramachander

Pratha smarami Lalitha vadanaravindam,
Bimbadaram pradhula maukthika shobhi nasam,
Aakarna deerga nayanam mani kundaladyam,
Mandasmitham mruga madojjwala phala desam. 1

I meditate in the morning,
On the lotus face of Lalitha,
Who has deep red lips,
Who has nose shining like a pearl,
Who has very long eyes which extend to the ears,
Who has ear drops made of very precious gems,
Who has a very sober pleasant smile,
And who has a very pretty shining forehead.

Prathar Bhajami Lalitha Bhuja kalpa vallim,
Rathnanguleeya lasathanguli pallavadyam,
Manikhya hema valayangadha Shobha maanam,
Pundreshu Chapa kusumeshu sruneen dadhanam. 2

I salute in the morning,
That Lalitha whose hand,
Is like a wish giving climbing plant,
Who wears shining gem studded rings,
Who wears golden bangles with precious stones,
Who holds a bow of flowers,
And who has the goad in her hands.

Prathar namami lalitha charanaravindam,
Bhakteshta dana niratham bhava sindhu potham,
Padmasanadhi sura nayaka poojaneeyam,
Padmangusa dwaja sudarsana lanchanadyam. 3

I worship in the morning,
The lotus like feet of Lalitha,
Which blesses her devotees with their wishes,
Which is a boat which helps them cross this life,
And who is worshipped by leaders of devas.
Sitting in the lotus posture,
And who holds lotus, goad, and flag
And the wheel in her hands.

Pratha sthuthave parasivaam lalithaam bhvaneem,
Trayyanha vedhya vibhavam karunanan vadhyam,
Viswasya srushti vilaya sthithi hethu bhootham,
Visweswareem nigama vang mana sathi dhooram. 4

I pray in the morning, that Lalitha
Who is the power behind Shiva,
Who is the Goddess who is the slayer of arrogance,
Who is described and known by Vedas and Upanishads,
Who is the pure and auspicious form of mercy,
Who is the cause of creation, upkeep and destruction,
Who is the Lord of the universe,
And who is beyond the reach of mind and words.

Prathar vadami lalithe thava punya nama,
Kameswarethi, kamalethi Maheswareethi,
Sri shambhaveethi jagatham janani parethi,
Vag deva thethi vachasa tripureswareethi. 5

I repeat in the morning your holy names, Lalitha,
As the goddess of passion and love,
As one who sits on the lotus,
As one who is the greatest goddess,
As the consort of Lord Shiva,
As one who is he mother of the world,
As the goddess of words and language,
And as the one who is the goddess of the three cities.

Ya sloka panchakam idham, Lalithambikya,
Soubhagyuam, sulalitham patathi prabhathe,
Thasmai dadathi lalitha jadithi prasanna,
Vidhyaam sriyam vimala soukha manantha keerthim.

He who reads these five stanzas,
In the morning, extolling the mother Lalitha,
Who is easy to please
Would get luck, knowledge riches, endless fame
By the grace of Goddess Lalitha.