srI shyAmalA shoDashanAma stotram

After srI vArAhI devI proceeded in her lion vAhana, war-drums started playing in order to indicate the commencement of marching of Sri Rajashyamala Devi, the minister (Mantrini) of Sri Lalita Mahatripurasundari. Sri Shyamala Devi, who had a deep bluish-black complexion, ascended a chariot named 'Geya Chakra' (chariot that makes musical sounds whenever it moves). She had the glow of the rising sun and her eyes with deeply ruddied due to intoxication of Kadambari. Small droplets of sweat on her forehead made her look more beautiful. 

She regulated the movement of her army by the mere movement of her creeper-like eyebrows. The army carried many triangular banners of peacock feathers. Thus, with great pomp and show, Sri Shyamala Devi began marching along with her army. At the same time, the Devas began to praise the goddess with sixteen divine names. They are:

1) Sangeetayogini, 
2) Shyama 
3) Shyamala, 
4) Mantrinayika, 
5) Mantrini, 
6) Sachiveshani, 
7) Pradhaneshi, 
8) Shukapriya, 
9) Vinavati, 
10) Vainiki, 
11) Mudrini, 
12) Priyakapriya,
13) Nipapriya, 
14) Kadambeshi, 
15) Kadambavanavasini and 
16) Sadamada.

सङ्गीतयोगिनी श्यामा श्यामला मन्त्रनायिका |
मन्त्रिणी सचिवेशानी प्रधानेशी शुकप्रिया ||
saGgItayoginI shyAmA shyAmalA mantranAyikA |
mantriNI saciveshAnI pradhAneshI shukapriyA ||

वीणावती वैणिकी च मुद्रिणी प्रियकप्रिया |
नीपप्रिया कदम्बेशी कदम्बवनवासिनी  ||
vINAvatI vaiNikI ca mudriNI priyakapriyA |
nIpapriyA kadambeshI kadambavanavAsinI ||

सदामदा च नामानि षोडशैतानि कुम्भज  |
sadAmadA ca nAmAnI ShoDashaitAni kumbhaja |

एतैर्य: सचिवेशनीं सकृत्स्तौति  शरीरवान् |
तस्य त्रैलोक्यमखिलं वशे तिष्ठत्य संशय: ||
etairyaH saciveshAnIM sakRtstauti sharIravAn |
tasya trailokyamakhilaM vashe tiShThatya saMshayaH ||

A man who recites these sixteen names shall doubtlessly conquer all the three worlds.

srI jagadambA sharaNam

bhArata sAvitrI - Mahabharata Svargarohana parva

bhArata sAvitrI from mahAbhArata - svargarohaNa parva

[Extracted from Kisari Mohan Ganguli's translation of Mahabharata [1883-1896]]

Sauti said:...The high race of the Bharatas is its topic. Hence it is called Bharata. And because of its  grave import, as also of the Bharatas being its topic, it is called Mahabharata. He who is  versed in interpretations of this great treatise, becomes cleansed of every sin. Such a man lives in righteousness(dharma), wealth(artha), and pleasure(kAma), and attains to Emancipation(moksha) also, O chief of Bharatas race.

That which occurs here occurs elsewhere. That which does not occur here occurs nowhere else. This history is known by the name of Jaya. It should be heard by every one desirous of Emancipation (moksha). It should be read by Brahmanas, by kings, and by women quick with children. He that desires Heaven attains to Heaven; and he that desires victory attains to victory. The woman quick with child gets either a son or a daughter highly blessed. The puissant Island-born Krishna (veda-vyAsa), who will not have to come back, and who is Emancipation incarnate, made an abstract of the Bharata, moved by the desire of aiding the cause of righteousness. He made another compilation consisting of sixty lakhs of verses. Thirty lakhs of these were placed in the region of the deities(deva loka). In the region of the Pitris fifteen lakhs, it should be known, are current; while in that of the Yakshas fourteen lakhs are in vogue. One lakh is current among human beings.

Narada recited the Mahabharata to the gods; Asita-Devala to the Pitris; Suka to the Rakshasas and the Yakshas; and Vaishampayana to human beings. This history is sacred, and of high import, and regarded as equal to the Vedas. That man, O Saunaka, who hears this history, placing a Brahmana before him, acquires both fame and the fruition of all his wishes. He who, with fervid devotion, listens to a recitation of the Mahabharata, attains (hereafter) to high success in consequence of the merit that becomes his through understanding even a very small portion thereof. All the sins of that man who recites or listens to this history with devotion are washed off.

In former times, the great Rishi Vyasa, having composed this treatise, caused his son Suka to read it with him, along with these four Verses (bhArata sAvitrI).

bhArata savitrI:-

मातापितृ सहस्राणि पुत्रदार शतानि च |
संसारेष्वनुभूतानि  यान्ति यास्यन्ति चापरे ||
mAtApitR sahasrANi putradAra shatAni ca |
saMsAreShv-anubhUtAni yAnti yAsyanti cApare ||
Thousands of mothers and fathers, and hundreds of sons and wives arise in the world and depart from it. Others will (arise and) similarly depart.

हर्षस्थान सहस्राणि भयस्थान शतानि च |
दिवसे दिवसे मूढं आविशन्ति न पण्डितम्  ||
harShasthAna sashasrANi bhayasthAna shatAni ca |
divase divase mUDhaM Avishanti na paNditam ||
There are thousands of occasions for joy and hundreds of occasions for fear. These affect only him that is ignorant (mUDha) but never him that is wise (paNDita).

ऊर्ध्व बाहुर्विरौम्येष न च कश्चिच्छृ णोति मे  |
धर्मादर्थश्च कामश्च स किमर्थं न सेव्यते ||
Urdhva bAhur-viraumyeSha na ca kashcicchRNoti me |
dharmAdarthashca kAmashca sa kimarthaM na sevyate ||
With uplifted arms I am crying aloud but nobody hears me. From Righteousness (dharma) is Wealth (artha) as also Pleasure (kAma). Why should not Righteousness (dharma), therefore, be courted (followed)?

न जातु कामान्न भयान्न लोभाद् 
        धर्मे त्यजेज्जीवितस्यापि हेतो: |
नित्यो धर्म: सुखदु:खे त्वनित्ये 
        जीवो नित्यो हेतुरस्य त्वनित्य: ||
na jAtu kAmAnna bhayAnna lobhAd
        dharme tyajej-jIvitas-yApi hetoHo |
nityo dharmaH sukhaduHkhe tvanitye
        jIvo nityo heturasya tvanityaH ||
For the sake neither of pleasure (kAma), nor of fear, nor of cupidity (lobha) should any one cast off Righteousness (dharma). Indeed, for the sake of even life one should not cast off Righteousness (dharma). Righteousness is eternal. Pleasure and Pain are not eternal. JIva is eternal. The cause, however, of Jivas being invested with a body is not so.

इमां भारत सावित्रीं प्रातरुत्थाय य: पठेत्  |
स भारत फलं प्राप्य परं ब्रह्माधिगच्छति  ||
imAM bhArata sAvitrIM prAtarutthAya yaH paThet |
sa bhArata phalaM prApya paraM brahmAdhi-gacchati ||
That man who, waking up at dawn, reads this Savittri of the Bharata, acquires all the rewards attached to a recitation of this history (itihAsa - mahAbharata) and ultimately attains to the highest Brahma (param-brahma).

इति भारत सावित्री संपूर्णम् 
iti bhArata sAvitrI saMpUrNam

nArAyaNArpaNaM

srI lakshmI stotraM

अथ श्री लक्ष्मीस्तोत्रं
atha srI lakSmIstotram |

ईश्वर उवाच
Izvara uvAca :

त्रैलोक्यपूजिते देवि कमले विष्णुवल्लभे |
यथा त्वमचला कृष्णे तथा भव मयि स्थिरा |1|
trailokyapUjite devi kamale viSNuvallabhe |
yathA tvamacalA kRSNe tathA bhava mayi sthirA || 1 ||

ईश्वरी कमला चञ्चला लक्ष्मीश्चला भूतिर्प्रिया |
पद्मा पद्मालया सम्पदुच्चैः श्रीपद्मधारिणी |2|
IzvarI kamalA caJcalA lakSmIzcalA bhUtirharipriyA |
padmA padmAlayA sampaduccaiH zrIpadmadhAriNI || 2 ||

द्वादशैतानि नामानि लक्ष्मीं सम्पूज्य य:पठेत् |
स्थिरा लक्ष्मीर्भवेत् तस्य पुत्रदारादिभिः सह |3|
dvAdazaitAni nAmAni lakSmIM sampUjya yaH paThet |
sthirA lakSmIrbhavet tasya putradArAdibhiH saha || 3 ||

इति विश्वसारतन्त्रे लक्ष्मी स्तोत्रं समाप्तम् |
iti vizvasAratantre lakSmIstotraM samAptam |

srI siddhikAlI stotram

अथ श्रीसिद्धिकाली स्तोत्रम्  ||
श्री सिद्धिकालिकायै ||
अथ वक्ष्य महादेव्या स्तोत्रं सर्वज्ञ भाषितम |
पठनाद्भक्ति युक्तेन शक्रस्यैश्वर्यमाप्नुयात् |1|

ब्रह्मणा ब्रह्मशब्देन स्तुतात्वं परमेश्वरि |
इच्छाशक्तिं परां मायां सिद्धिकालीं नमाम्यहम् |2|

पालनाय जगद्देवि विष्णुनात्वं परापरम्  |
संस्तुता ज्ञानशब्देन सिद्धिकालीं नमाम्यहम् |3|

अपरां कालरुद्रेन संहारार्थं स्तुता शिवे |
त्वां क्रियां रुद्रशब्देन सिद्धिकालीं नमाम्यहम् |4|

ईश्वरेन लयार्थत्वां स्तुतासि चित्कलेव्यये |
कलातीतां महामायां सिद्धिकालीं नमाम्यहम् |5|

सदाशिवेन सततं स्तुतात्वं परमेश्वरि  |
अनुग्रहाय लोकानां सिद्धिकालीं नमाम्यहम् |6|

इदं स्तोत्रं पठेद्यस्तु भक्तियुक्तेन चेतसा 
तस्मै दद्यात् सिद्धिकाली सर्वसिद्धिर्न संशय: |7|

य: श्लोकपञ्चकं देवी नित्यं मनसि धारयेत् |
सर्वज्ञत्वं लभेद्देवि सिद्धिकाली प्रशादत:  |8|

यामासाद्य मया देवि प्राप्ता सिद्धिरनेकधा |
ब्रह्मापि सृष्टिकर्त्तात्वं विष्णु: स्यात् पालको भवेत् |9|

संहार कृत्कालरुद्र ईश्वरोलय कृत्सदा |
बहुनात्र किमुक्तेन सा देवी ध्यान मात्रत |10|

संजीवनेन मुक्ति: स्यात् सत्यं सत्यं मयोदितम्  |11|

इति श्री त्रिदशडामरे श्री सिद्धिकाली स्तोत्रं संपूर्णं | |

shiva nAma mahimA from nirvANa sundarI Blog

Browsing through Kamakoti Mandali's Blog - Nirvana Sundari, I found this interesting article on shiva nama japa/smaraNa. I thought it would make a valuable addition to this blog and hence...

nAmasmaraNam

By Sri Kamakoti Mandali on Dec 28, 2008 | In Bhakti

Hare kR^iShNa

nAma smaraNa of any chosen deity is possible, as long as it is done with devotion and love for the beloved. These are the only two specifications listed in the shAstras propagating nAma siddhAnta. Shiva keshavAbheda is an important aspect of dAkShiNatya nAma siddhAnta and this has been demonstrated effectively by Sri Sridhara Ayyaval. There is abundant pramANa for the glory of shiva nAma smaraNa:

nAmno.asti shaktirshambhoryA pApasamharaNe dvijAH |
tAvat pApAni kartuM vai shaktaH ko vA kalau yuge ||

The power in the holy name of Mahadeva to absolve sins is so great that it is impossible for any mortal to perform a sin greater than what can be absolved by these names.

sadA samucchareddhImAn shiva ityakSharadvayam |
samsArasAgaraM tIrtvA shivasAyujyamApnuyAt ||

By reciting two sacred letters, shi-va always, one can cross the ocean of samsAra and attain shiva sAyujya.

prasa~NgAt kautukAt lobhAt bhayAdaj~nAnato.api vA |
hara ityccharan martyaH sarvapApaiH pramuchyate ||

Whether one knows that it is fire or not, when touched, fire burns. Similarly, a person may recite the holy name of hara by chance, owing to curiosity, for accomplishing desires, out of fear or ignorance. Irrespective of all this, he shall be absolved of sins! Now, what to speak of the merits attained by reciting the name with devotion and as taught by Sadguru?

kOTayo brahmahatyAnAm agamyAgamakoTayaH |
sadyaH praLayamAyAnti mahAdeveti kIrtanAt ||

By reciting the four lettered mantra mahAdeva, one is absolved of even mahApAtakas like brahmahatyA, agamyAgamana etc.

The glory of shiva nAma is described in baDabAnala and Linga Purana as well:

vedeShu sAramakhileShu cha mantra tantra-
shAstreShu sAramapi shabdasamudrasAram |
sAreShu sAramidameva shiveti nAma
yenApi kena sakR^iduccharitaM sa dhanyaH ||

shaivAgama states:

shuchitvayukto.apyashuchitvayuktaH shivaM smaran janturupaiti siddhim ||

amR^itaghaTeshwara or kAlasamhAra mUrti is an aspect of mahAdeva and can be remembered using any name of parameshwara.

1. You can recite dwyakShara mantra shiva or chaturakShara mantra mahAdeva
2. You can recite shiva sahasranAma found in mahAbhArata, various Agamas, purANas and tantras
3. You can recite hymns like shiva mahimna etc.
4. If initiated, you can recite mantras like pa~nchAkSharI, aShTAkSharI, prAsAda, prAsAda parA, mahAprAsAda, dhvani etc.

The most important aspect of nAma siddhAnta however is to never violate the code of conduct prescribed by Shruti and smR^iti:

vedo mUlaM hi dharmANAM vedamUlaM maheshwaraH |
tasmAt sarvaprayatnena vedasmR^ityuditaM param |
dharmaM shivAshrayaM prAj~naH na kadApi parityajet ||

The same is true for hari nAma smaraNa as well:

dharmasya prabhurachyutaH ||