Note about this photo – This photo which is in the Puja Room of our house is nearing its Century. Yes ! it is nearly 100 years old. The work done on the image of Goddess Saraswathi. The silk embroidery with ornamental decorations were done by my mother when she was an young girl. We have made sure that this wonderful gift to me by my parents is carefully preserved.
Composer
Muthuswamy Dikshithar– Pl refer http://musicinfoguide.blogspot.com/2007/08/muthuswami-dikshitar-1775-1835.html for biography and http://guru-guha.blogspot.com for his compositions
Audio Link
Priya Sisters – https://www.dropbox.com/s/2xqnqt25vyrcoil/Sri%20Saraswathi-WB7bembvlmg.mp3?dl=0
Meaning in English
Salutations to you, O Sarasvati! Giver of boons, Supreme goddess!, one praised by Vishnu, Shiva and Guruguha! Youthful wife of Brahma!
O one whose form is meditated upon by eminent Rishis who are devoid of the three Vasanas, one who is renowned for granting boons to all Devas headed by Indra, one with a lotus face (lit) with a gentle smile, one with lotus-feet of marvelous beauty, remover of the fear of Samsara, storehouse(literally cave) of all Mantras!
Meaning in Tamil
பல்லவி
அருள்மிகு சரஸ்வதியே அடிபணிந்தேன் எளியேனே
வரம்தரும் வாணியே செல்விநாதனும் உமாகாந்தனும்
குருகுகனும் போற்றும் கமலாலயனின் இளம் கலைமகளே
சமஷ்டி சரணம்
மூவாசனை தவிர் பெருமுனியோர் வணங்கும் வடிவம்,
முகில்வாகனனுடன் விண்ணோர்க்கும் வரம் பல தரும்,
முகமதனில் மலரும் புன்னகையும் எழில் கமலபாதமும்,
மும்மலம் நிறை பிறவிதரும் அச்சம் அகற்றிடும்,
மூவலகம் போற்றும் மறை ஞானக் கருவூலமாம்……அருள்மிகு
Sanskrit Verses
पल्लवि
श्री सरस्वति नमोऽस्तु ते
वरदे पर देवते
(मध्यम काल साहित्यम्)
श्री पति गौरी पति गुरु गुह विनुते
विधि युवते
समष्टि चरणम्
वासना त्रय विवर्जित –
वर मुनि भावित मूर्ते
वासवाद्यखिल निर्जर –
वर वितरण बहु कीर्ते दर –
(मध्यम काल साहित्यम्)
हास युत मुखाम्बुरुहे
अद्भुत चरणाम्बुरुहे
संसार भीत्यापहे
सकल मन्त्राक्षर गुहे
English Transliteration
pallavi
SrI sarasvati namO(a)stu tE
varadE para dEvatE
(madhyama kAla sAhityam)
SrI pati gaurI pati guru guha vinutE
vidhi yuvatE
samashTi caraNam
vAsanA traya vivarjita –
vara muni bhAvita mUrtE
vAsavAdyakhila nirjara –
vara vitaraNa bahu kIrtE dara –
(madhyama kAla sAhityam)
hAsa yuta mukhAmburuhE
adbhuta caraNAmburuhE
saMsAra bhItyApahE
sakala mantrAkshara guhE
Meaning of the Sanskrit Words
पल्लवि
श्री सरस्वति – Sri Saraswathi
नमो-अस्तु ते – salutations, to you
वरदे – boon giver
पर देवते – supreme goddess
श्री पति – lakshmi’s husband Vishnu
गौरी पति – gauri’s husband – siva
गुरु गुह – pen name of the composer
विनुते – prayed
विधि – brahma’s
युवते- youthful woman
समष्टि चरणम्
वासना – त्रय – vasanaas, three – The three Vasanas (innate tendencies) that control us are : Loka Vasana, or the desire to win approval from everyone, Deha Vasana, or identification with the body and indulging its desires and lastly, Shastra Vasana or being satisfied with the mere intellectual understanding of scriptures.
विवर्जित -avoid/abandon
वर – eminent
मुनि – saints/sages
भावित – worshipped
मूर्ते – form
वासव-आदि- Indra, Others,
अखिल निर्जर – all,immortal
वर – boon
वितरण – distribution
बहु कीर्ते – very renowned
दर -हास – posses smile
युत मुख- attached, face
अम्बु-रुहे – lotus, sprout
अद्भुत चरण-अम्बु-रुहे – wonderful, feet,lotus, sprout
संसार भीति-अपहे – samsara (life), fear (bheeti), cut off
सकल मन्त्र-अक्षर गुहे – all, mantras akshara, cave (store house)
Prabhu's Ponder 