Goddess Lakshmi - Photo Credit:Sue Halstenberg |
The Kanakadhara Stotra is composed by Adi Shankaracharya. One day he went for Bhiksha and visited the house of a poor Brahmin. Nothing was available in the house to offer. The Brahmin lady earnestly searched for something to give and at last, she found an Amla fruit and offered it in the bowl of Sankaracarya. Sri Shankaracharya was deeply moved by the poverty-stricken woman's sincerity and devotion and immediately implored Goddess Lakshmi to be merciful towards this poor Brahmin lady to drive away her poverty. He recited twenty-two slokas in praise of Goddess Lakshmi Who was pleased and appeared before Shankaracharya. Shankaracharya pleaded with her to grant riches to the Brahmin lady.
Goddess Lakshmi said that the Brahmin lady did not qualify for any riches in this life as she did not to do any charities in her previous life. Shankaracharya replied that in this life she gave him Amla fruit with very great reverence in spite of her extreme poverty and this act of her alone is enough to shower riches on her. Hearing this Goddess Lakshmi was greatly moved and immensely pleased with the advocacy of the argument of Sri Shankaracharya, showering her with instant rain of golden Amla fruits. Shankaracharya while reciting the Kanakadhara Stotra extolled Lakshmi in all her eight qualifying manifestations (Asta Lakshmi).
Goddess Lakshmi said that the Brahmin lady did not qualify for any riches in this life as she did not to do any charities in her previous life. Shankaracharya replied that in this life she gave him Amla fruit with very great reverence in spite of her extreme poverty and this act of her alone is enough to shower riches on her. Hearing this Goddess Lakshmi was greatly moved and immensely pleased with the advocacy of the argument of Sri Shankaracharya, showering her with instant rain of golden Amla fruits. Shankaracharya while reciting the Kanakadhara Stotra extolled Lakshmi in all her eight qualifying manifestations (Asta Lakshmi).
Kanakadhara Stotram
Angam hare pulaka bhooshanamasrayanthi,
Bhringanga neva mukulabharanam thamalam,
Angikrithakhila vibhuthirapanga leela,
Mangalyadasthu mama mangala devathaya.
Mugdha muhurvidhadhadathi vadhane Murare,
Premathrapapranihithani gathagathani,
Mala dhrishotmadhukareeva maheth pale ya,
Sa ne sriyam dhisathu sagarasambhavaya.
Ameelithaksha madhigamya mudha Mukundam
Anandakandamanimeshamananga thanthram,
Akekara stiththa kaninika pashma nethram,
Bhoothyai bhavenmama bhjangasayananganaya.
Bahwanthare madhujitha srithakausthube ya,
Haravaleeva nari neela mayi vibhathi,
Kamapradha bhagavatho api kadaksha mala,
Kalyanamavahathu me kamalalayaya
Kalambudhaalithorasi kaida bhare,
Dharaadhare sphurathi yaa thadinganeva,
Mathu samastha jagatham mahaneeya murthy,
Badrani me dhisathu bhargava nandanaya
Praptham padam pradhamatha khalu yat prabhavath,
Mangalyabhaji madhu madhini manamathena,
Mayyapadetha mathara meekshanardham,
Manthalasam cha makaralaya kanyakaya.
Viswamarendra padhavee bramadhana dhaksham,
Ananda hethu radhikam madhu vishwoapi,
Eshanna sheedhathu mayi kshanameekshanartham,
Indhivarodhara sahodharamidhiraya
Ishta visishtamathayopi yaya dhayardhra,
Dhrishtya thravishta papadam sulabham labhanthe,
Hrishtim prahrushta kamlodhara deepthirishtam,
Pushtim krishishta mama pushkravishtaraya.
Dhadyaddhayanupavanopi dravinambhudaraam,
Asminna kinchina vihanga sisou vishanne,
Dhushkaramagarmmapaneeya chiraya dhooram,
Narayana pranayinee nayanambhuvaha.
Gheerdhevathethi garuda dwaja sundarithi,
Sakambhareethi sasi shekara vallebhethi,
Srishti sthithi pralaya kelishu samsthitha ya,
Thasyai namas thribhvanai ka guros tharunyai.
Sruthyai namosthu shubha karma phala prasoothyai,
Rathyai namosthu ramaneeya gunarnavayai,
Shakthyai namosthu satha pathra nikethanayai,
Pushtayi namosthu purushotthama vallabhayai.
Namosthu naleekha nibhananai,
Namosthu dhugdhogdhadhi janma bhoomayai,
Namosthu somamrutha sodharayai,
Namosthu narayana vallabhayai.
Namosthu hemambhuja peetikayai,
Namosthu bhoo mandala nayikayai,
Namosthu devathi dhaya prayai,
Namosthu Sarngayudha vallabhayai.
Namosthu devyai bhrugu nandanayai,
Namosthu vishnorurasi sthithayai,
Namosthu lakshmyai kamalalayai,
Namosthu dhamodhra vallabhayai.
Namosthu Kanthyai kamalekshanayai,
Namosthu bhoothyai bhuvanaprasoothyai,
Namosthu devadhibhir archithayai,
Namosthu nandhathmaja vallabhayai.
Sampath karaani sakalendriya nandanani,
Samrajya dhana vibhavani saroruhakshi,
Twad vandanani dhuritha haranodhythani,
Mamev matharanisam kalayanthu manye.
Yath Kadaksha samupasana vidhi,
Sevakasya sakalartha sapadha,
Santhanodhi vachananga manasai,
Twaam murari hridayeswareem bhaje
Sarasija nilaye saroja hasthe,
Dhavalathamamsuka gandha maya shobhe,
Bhagavathi hari vallabhe manogne,
Tribhuvana bhoothikari praseeda mahye
Dhiggasthibhi kanaka kumbha mukha vasrushta,
Sarvahini vimala charu jalaapluthangim,
Prathar namami jagathaam janani masesha,
Lokadhinatha grahini mamrithabhi puthreem.
Kamale Kamalaksha vallabhe twam,
Karuna poora tharingithaira pangai,
Avalokaya mamakinchananam,
Prathamam pathamakrithrimam dhyaya
Sthuvanthi ye sthuthibhirameeranwaham,
Thrayeemayim thribhuvanamatharam ramam,
Gunadhika guruthara bhagya bhagina,
Bhavanthi the bhuvi budha bhavithasayo.