topics: |  poetry | india | medieval | devotional-physical | erotica

dashAvatArstotram [hymns to the ten avatArs]

I have grown up listening to my mother chant this song, the dashAvatArastotram (dasha=10 + avatAra + stotram = hymn, verse). the ten stanzas of which deal with the ten incarnations (avatAras) of vishNu.

Right after a bath, she would offer a brief puja at the small altar in the house, and then go around cleansing the house with incense sticks, singing this song. If you ever have had a tune imprinted on your mind, then this is that for me!

Like many such songs that children hear, the words I often re-bracketed in interesting ways; e.g. the opening line has a "dhritavAn-asi-vedam" where the word vAn is pronounced "bAn" in bengali (which does not distinguish the v and b sounds) means a tidal wave (actually a bore wave travelling up a river), and the verse is talking about the mIna avatAr who saved the universe when everything was getting washed away in enormous floods. So I naturally associated the dhrita-bAn asi vedam as likely to mean that a bAn caught [dhrita] the vedas. but asi is actually the 3d person pres. form of "be", and the phrase says simply that you held the vedas upright.

And I vaguely knew that the verses were from jayadeva's gita-govinda, but that the text of this book contains such explicit references to the love of krishNa and rAdhA I didn't know until I came across the artbook volume Kangra Paintings of the Gita Govinda ed. M.S. Randhawa, which includes the full text with translations, along with illustrations in the kangra style.

Stoler Miller gives the sanskrit text, but if you wish to follow the text, it may be helpful to have the avyaya (gloss; lit. decomposition) which is key to receiving the literal meaning of the text. I provide below an avyaya_ from the site giirvaani.

Excerpts

[This sequence constitutes the opening song on the book p. 70-71, right
after the author's declaration on p.69.]

opening line:

meghairmeduramambaraM vanabhuvaH shyamastamAladrumair-
naktaM bhirurayaM tvameva tadimaM radhe! grihaM prApaya!

gloss:
	hè raadhe= hey! Raadha;
	ambaram+meghaiH+ meduram = sky, with clouds, thick with;
	vana+bhuvaH= wood, areas [lands]; shyaamaaH= are blackened;
	tamaala+ drumaiH = with Tamaala, trees;
	naktam [ca + abhivartate]= night [is also drawing nigh];
	bhiiruH+ayam= [naively] timorous, that one [Krishna is];
	tat= thereby; tvam + eva= you, alone;
	imam+gR.iham+praapaya= him, to home, see he reaches [lead him forth];
	ittham + nanda+ nideshitaH= this way, by Nanda, she who is instructed
	      [Raadha];
	chalitayoH= while both are on the go [to home]; raadhaa+
	maadhavayoH = of both Raadha, Maadhava;
	yamunaa+kuule= on Yamuna, banks of;
	prati= each, at each and every;
	adhva= on pathway;
	kunja+drumam= in arbour, at tree;
	rahaH+kelayaH= sequestered, [Gr. erös, or epithymia, or philia not
		just love] plays of passion [that are the happenstances,
		bechanced events];
	jayanti= won over, fructified [transcendentally exquisite.]

[background:  Radha, who is married, is somewhat older to the boy Krishna,
whom she is being asked to protect in this verse].
meduram: has a meaning also of "soft", cotton-like

translation BSM:
	clouds thicken the sky.
	tamAla trees darken the forest.
	the night frightens him.
	rAdha, you take him home!"
	they leave at nanda's order,
	passing trees in thickets on the way,
	until secret passions of rAdha and mAdhava
	triumph on the jumna riverbank.


image executed in a hill court style, from M.S. Randhawa's
Kangra Paintings of the Gita Govinda

dasha-avatAra stotram (kIrti dhavalam) [aShTa padi]

	(dasha=10 + avatAra=incarnation
stotram = hymn, verse; kiirti = acts; dhavalam = glorious, white
	[ashTapadI = eight-footed stanzas, with a repeatable stanza at their end.]

sung to the Raga Malalava
    (This rAga i have never heard being performed in present-day Hindustani
	classical music; it may	be esoteric, or more likely, may be known by
	an alternate name).

The ten avatAras of VishNu

    1. mIna (fish), during the great flood, vishNu appears in the
		incarnation of a fish, in which he saves mankind, and
		preserves divine knowledge (vedas)
    2. kachchhapa (tortoise) : holds up the world on his strong back
		(also called kurma)
    3. varAha (boar) : holding the earth on his tusk
    4. narasiMha (man-lion) : to vanquish the great asura king,
		hiraNyakashipu, who had a boon that he could be killed by
		neither man nor animal.
    5. vAmaNa (dwarf) : comes as a brahmin dwarf to the court of the
		invincible asura, balI, whom he fools into granting him
		three foot steps of land.  he then assumes a giant form and
		occupies all three worlds which were balI's kingdom.
    6. parashurAma (axe-wielder) : appearing as the ferocious
		parashurAma, kills all kshatriyas (kings) and makes the world
		free of sin
    7. rAma (rAma) : incarnation as rAma to conquer the all-powerful
		asura rAvaNa
    8. balarAm : the strong plough-wielding farmer and wrestler,
		brother of krishNa
    9. buddha : for mitigating the exccessive killing of animals,
		vishnu appears incarnated as the buddha
    10. kalki () : the yet-to-appear kalki avatAr, who will
		vanquish the mlechchhas, alien races

Other avataras: 
There is also a tradition of mohini-avatAra, where during the
samudra-manthan, Vishnu incarnated as a beautiful woman and beguiled all
the rAkShasas with her charm.  Unfortunately Shiva also fell in love with
her, and out of their union was born Ayappa, the deity of Sabarimala in the
Kerala ghats.

avatara 1: mIna (fish)

pralayapayodhijale dhR.itavaanasi vedam | vihitavahitracharitramakhedam ||
keshavaadhR.itamiinashariira jayajagadiishahare || 1-1

	jagat+ iisha= worlds, the Almighty of;
	hare= oh, Hari;
	pra+ laya=completely, commingled [deluged];
	payodhi= oceans; jale= in waters;
	dhR.ita+ miina+ shariira= on donning, fish's, body;
	vihita= make do [improvising];
	vahitra= [like a] ship;
	charitram= legendary; a+khedam= not, with weariness [indefatigably];
	dhR.itavaan+ asi= upheld, you are; vedam= Veda-s;
	jaya=hail to thee.

In seas that rage as the aeon of chaos collapses,
You keep the holy Veda like a ship straight on course
   You take form as the fish, Krishna
   Triumph, Hari, Lord of the world.

avatara 2 : kachchhapa (tortoise)

kshitirativipulatare tavatiShThatipR.ishhThe | dharaNidharaNakiNachakragariShThe
keshava dhR.itakacChaparuupa jayajagadiishahare || 1-2

	dhR.ita+ kacChapa+ ruupa= assumed, tortoise, form;
	ati+ vipula+ tare= very, wide, much in degree [widest];
	dharaNi+ dharaNa= earth, by bearing weight [or by bearing the weight
		of Mt. Manthara, when Milky Ocean was churned];
	kiNa= tumid, puffed up;
	chakra+ tava= circular shell of tortoise, of yours;
	gariShThe + pR.iShThe= on its heightened, back;
	kshitiH+ tiShThati = earth, is abiding

Where the world rests on your vast back,
Thick scars show the weight of bearing earth.
   You take form as the Tortoise, Krishna.
   Triumph, Hari, Lord of the World!

avatara 3 : varAha (boar)

vasati dashanashikhare dharaNiitavalagnaa | shashini kala~Nkakaleva nimagnaa ||
keshava dhR.itasuukararuupa jayajagadiishahare || 1-3

	dhR.ita+suukara+ruupa= on assuming, wild boar's, form;
	tava+dashana+shikhare= your, fang's, top;
	lagnaa+dharaNii= became stuck, earth;
	shashini+ nimagnaa = in moon, embedded;
	kalaN^ka+kala+iva= blemish's, streak, like;
	vasati= is lodged;

The earth clings to the tip of your tusk
Like a speck of dust caught on the crescent moon.
   You take form as the Boar, Krishna.
   Triumph, Hari, Lord of the World!

avatara 4: narasiMha (man-lion)

tava karakamalavare nakhamadbhutashR.i~Ngam | dalitahiraNyakashiputanubhR.i~Ngam ||
keshava dhR.itanarahariruupa jayajagadiishahare || 1-4

	dhR.ita+nara+hari+ruupa= on assuming, man, lion, form of;
	tava+kara+kamala+vare= in your, hand, [called] lotus, the best;
	dalita+ hiraNya kashipu + tanu = lacerated, Hiranyakashyapa's, body;
	bhR.iN^gam= [which is like a] honeybee;
	adbhuta+shR.iN^gam + nakham+ [bhaati]= wondrous, tip, of nail
		[thus those nails shine forth];

Nails on your soft lotus hand are wondrous claws
Tearing the gold-robed body of black bee Hiranyakashipu.
   You take form as the Man-lion, Krishna.
   Triumph, Hari, Lord of the World!

avatara 5: vAmaNa (dwarf)

Chalayasi vikramaNe balimadbhutavaamana | padanakhaniirajanitajanapaavana ||
keshava dhR.itavaamanaruupa jayajagadiishahare || 1-5

	chhalayasi - vikramaNe - balim - adbhuta - vaamana - pada - nakha -
	niira - janita - jana - paavana - keshava - dhR.ita - vaamana - ruupa
	jaya jagadiisha hare

Wondrous dwarf, when you cheat demon Bali with wide steps,
Water falls from your lotus toenails to purify creatures.
    You take form as the Dwarf, Krishna.
    Triumph, Hari, Lord of the World!

avatara 6 : parashurAma (axe-wielder)

kshatriyarudhiramaye jagadapagatapaapam | snapayasi payasi shamitabhavataapam |
keshava dhR.itabhR.ighupatiruupa jayajagadiishahare || 1-6

	dhR.ita+bhR.ighu+pati+ruupa= on assuming, sage Bhrigu's legatee
		[ParashurAma] saver, saviour's, mien;
	kshatriya+ rudhira+ maye= Kshatriya, blood of, filled with;
	payasi= in waters [pools of blood waters];
	jagat= world [people];
	apagata+ paapam= swerved off, sin is; snapayasi=
		you make them to bathe [in blood pools of kings];
	shamita+ bhava+ taapam= ceased, worldly, torridity;

You wash evil from the world in a flood of warriors' blood,
And the pain of existence is eased.
   You take form as the axman Priest, Krishna.
   Triumph, Hari, Lord of the World!

avatar 7: rAma

vitarasi dikshu raNe dikpatikamaniiyam | dashamukhamaulibalim ramaNiiyam ||
keshava dhR.itaraamashariira jayajagadiishahare || 1-7

	dhR.ita+ raama+ shariira= on assuming, Rama's, body;
	dikshu= in all directions, ten of them;
	dik+pati= direction, presiding deity of;
	kamaniiyam= desired by [those deities];
	ramaNiiyam= heart-pleasing [act of];
	dasha+ mukha= ten, faced demon, octahedron rAvaNa's;
	mauli= heads; balim= sacrifice;
	raNe= in war; vitarasi = generously giving;

Incited by gods who guard the directions in battle,
You hurl rAvaNa's ten demon heads to the skies.
   You take form as the prince Rama, Krishna.
   Triumph, Hari, Lord of the World!

avatar 8: balarAma

vahasi vapuSivishadevasanam jaladaabham | halahatibhiitimilitayamunaabham ||
keshava dhR.itahaladhararuupa jayajagadiishahare || 1-8

	dhR.ita= on assuming;
	hala+ dhara+  ruupa = plough, wielder, form of;
	vishade+ vapuShi= on whitish, body;
	jala+ da+ abham= water, giver [cloud,] shining with;
	hala+ hati+ bhiiti+ milita= by plough, hit, fear, blended with;
	yamuna + aabham = River Yamuna, shining;
	vasanam+ vahasi= raiemnt, you bear [you are clad in];

The robe on your bright body is colored with rain clouds,
And Jumna waters roiling in fear of your plow's attack.
   You take form as the plowman Balarama, Krishna.
   Triumph, Hari, Lord of the World!

avatAr 9: buddha

nindati yaGYavidherahaha shrutijaatam | sadayahR.idayadarshitapashughaatam ||
keshava dhR.itabuddhashariira jayajagadiishahare || 1-9

	dhR.ita+ buddha+ shariira= on assuming, Buddha's, body;
	sa+ daya+ hR.idaya= with, kindness, in heart;
	darshita= shown [taught by scriptures];
	pashu+ ghaatam= animal, killing;
	yaj~na+ vidheH= in Vedic-rituals, methods of;
	shruti+ jaatam= scriptural words, collection of;
	nindati= fault-finding;
	a ha ha= aha, aha, aha [expression of surprise];

Moved by deep compassion, you condemn the Vedic way
That ordains animal slaughter in rites of sacrifice.
You take form as the enlightened Buddha, Krishna.
Triumph, Hari, Lord of the World!

[The incorporation of Buddha among the 10 avatars of Hinduism always
surprised me.  Of course, this is partly because at that time, there was no
concept of "hinduism" - and the notions of buddha came to become canonized in
the existing pantheon, perhaps as a way of integrating their flock back into
the fold.  ]

avatAr 10: kalki

mlecChanivahanidhane kalayasikaravaalam | dhuumaketumiva kimapikaraalam ||
keshava dhR.itakalkishariira jayajagadiishahare || 1-10

	dhR.ita+ kalki+ shariira= on assuming, Kalki, body of;
	mlecCha+ nivaha+ nidhane= fractious, groups of race, in eliminating;
	dhuumaketum+ iva= as with a comet, as with [or, dhuuma+ ketu= smoke,
		as symbol; Kalki wields a sword and its golden handle is
		compared to burning fire, and bloodstained blade with red
		smoke];
	karavaalam+ kalayasi= sword, you are brandishing; na
	karaalam+ kim+ api= dreadful [deeds of yours,] why, even [tell about
		them, unimaginable to detail them];

You raise your sword like a fiery meteor
Slashing barbarian hordes to death.
    You take form as the avenger Kalki, Krishna.
   Triumph, Hari, Lord of the World!

closure

vedaanuddharate jagannivahate bhuugolamudbibhrate
daityam daarayate balim chhalayate kshatrakshayam kur.hvate |

	vedaan+ uddharate= Veda-s, one who revives;
	jagat+ nivahate= world, one who bears up;
	bhuu+ golam+ ut+ bibhrate= eath, globe of, up, lifted to support;
	daityam+ daarayate= demon [Hiranya kashyapa,] one who slashed;
	balim+ cChalayate= Bali, one who deluded;
	kshatra+ kshayam+ kurvate= Kshatriya-s, annihilation, one who does;
	paulastyam+ jayate= Pulasya's legatee, rAvaNa, one who conquers;
	halam+ kalayate= plough, one who wields;
	kaaruNyam+  aatanvate= pity [non-violence,] one who fosters;
	mlecChaan+ muurcChayate= fractious races, one makes them to swoon
		[mangler of];
	dasha+ akR.iti+  kR.ite= ten, semblances, one who puts on;
	kR.iShNaaya+ tubhyam+ namaH= [such is] Krishna, for your reverence.

Listen to the perfect invocation of poet Jayadeva,
Joyously evoking the essence of existence!
   You take the tenfold cosmic form, Krishna.

paulastyam jayate halam kalayate kaaruNyamaatanvate
mlechchhaanmuurchchhayate dashaakR.itikR.ite kR.ishhNaaya tubhyam namaH || 1-5

	The reviver of Veda-s  as a fish, bearer of this earth as tortoise,
	uplifter and supporter of earth as wild boar, slasher of
	Hiranyakashyapa as lion-man, deluder of Bali as dwarf-boy,
	annihilator of Kshatriya-s as Parashu Rama, conqueror of rAvaNa, the
	legatee of Paulastya, as Rama, wielder of plough as Bala Rama,
	fosterer of non-violence as Buddha, mangler of fractious races as
	Kalki, and as you alone can put on ten semblances, thus oh, Krishna,
	my reverences are unto you... [1-5]

                  For upholding the Vedas,
                  For supporting the earth,
                  For raising the world,
                  For tearing the demon asunder,
                  For cheating Bali,
                  For destroying the warrior class,
                  For conquering rAvaNa,
                  For wielding the plow,
                  For spreading compassion,
                  For routing the barbarians,
                  Homage to you, Krishna,
                  In your ten incarnate forms!




krishna with radha in the woods by the jamuna river
(image from M.S. Randhawa's Kangra Paintings of the Gita Govinda)

Love by the Jamuna

When he quickens all things
To create bliss in the world,
His soft black sinuous lotus limbs
Begin the festival of love
And beautiful cowherd girls wildly
Wind him in their bodies.
Friend, in spring young Hari plays
Like erotic mood incarnate.

Ecstatic Krishna

When her friends had gone,
Smiles spread on Radha's lips
While love's deep fantasies
Struggled with her modesty.
Seeing the mood in Radha's heart, Hari spoke to his love;
Her eyes were fixed
On his bed of buds and tender shoots.



kriShNa surrounded by gopis, by the banks of the jamuna

Leave lotus footprints on my bed of tender shoots, loving Radha!
Let my place be ravaged by your tender feet!
Narayana is faithful now. Love me, Radhika!

I stroke your foot with my lotus hand - You have come far.
Set your golden anklet on my bed like the sun.
Narayana is faithful now. Love me, Radhika!

Consent to my love; let elixir pour from your face!
To end our separation I bare my chest of the silk that bars your breast.
Narayana is faithful now. Love me, Radhika!

Throbbing breasts aching for loving embrace are hard to touch.
Rest these vessels on my chest! Quench love's burning fire!
Narayana is faithful now. Love me, Radhika!

Offer your lips' nectar to revive a dying slave, Radha!
His obsessed mind and listless body burn in love's desolation. Narayana is
faithful now. Love me, Radhika!

Radha, make your jeweled girdle cords echo the tone of your voice!
Soothe the long torture my ears have suffered from cuckoo's shrill cries!
Narayana is faithful now. Love me, Radhika!

Your eyes are ashamed now to see me tortured by baseless anger;
Glance at me and end my passion's despair!
Narayana is faithful now. Love me, Radhika!

Each verse of Jayadeva's song echoes the delight of Madhu's foe.
Let emotion rise to a joyful mood of love in sensitive men!
Narayana is faithful now. Love me, Radhika!

---
Displaying her passion
In loveplay as the battle began,
She launched a bold offensive
Above him
And triumphed over her lover.
Her hips were still,
Her vine-like arm was slack,
Her chest was heaving,
Her eyes were closed.
Why does a mood of manly force
Succeed for women in love ?

Then, as he idled after passionate love,
Radha, wanting him to ornament her,
Freely told her lover,
Secure in her power over him.

Yadava hero, your hand is cooler than sandalbalm on my breast;
Paint a leaf design with deer musk here on Love's ritual vessel!
She told the joyful Yadu hero, playing to delight her heart.

Lover, draw kohl glossier than a swarm of black bees on my eyes!
Your lips kissed away the lampblack bow that shoots arrows of Love.
She told the joyful Yadu hero, playing to delight her heart.

My ears reflect the restless gleam of doe eyes, graceful Lord.
Hang earrings on their magic circles to form snares for love.
She told the joyful Yadu hero, playing to delight her heart.

. . . .
Pin back the teasing lock of hair on my smooth lotus face!
It fell before me to mime a gleaming line of black bees.
She told the joyful Yadu hero, playing to delight her heart.

Make a mark with liquid deer musk on my moonlit brow!
Make a moon shadow, Krishna! The sweat drops are dried.
She told the joyful Yadu hero, playing to delight her heart.

Fix flowers in shining hair loosened by loveplay, Krishna!
Make a fly whisk outshining peacock plumage to be the banner of Love.
She told the joyful Yadu hero, playing to delight her heart.

My beautiful loins are a deep cavern to take the thrusts of love--
Cover them with jeweled girdles, cloths, and ornaments, Krishna! She told the
joyful Yadu hero, playing to delight her heart.. . . .

read the complete text at http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~aps1/graphics/wawrytko/wawrytko_sex.htm
full skt text: http://www.geocities.com/giirvaani/gg/title_gg.htm

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