Saraswati Bhujanga Prayata Stotram (stotra.19)
Translated by P. R. Ramachander

[Here is a rarely available prayer addressed to Goddess Saraswathi. It is written in the bhujanga prayatha (movement of snake) style. Adhi Shankara has written many stotras in this style. So people attribute the authorship of this prayer also to him. But this is not listed in the complete works of Adhi Shankara, nor is there any reference to it in the web.]

Sada bhavayeham prasadena yasyaa,
Pumamso jadaa santhi lokaika nadhe,
Sudha pura nishyanthi vagreethayaswam,
Sarojaasana prana nadhe hrudhyanthe. 1

I meditate on her who sits on the lotus,
Who is the goddess of the worlds,
Through whose blessings even idiots,
Become capable of words dripping with nectar.

Vishudharka shibhaa valarksham viraja,
JJjada mandalasaktha sheethamsu ganda,
Bhajamyardha dosha karodhyal lalatam,
Vapusthe samastheswari Sri Krupabdhe. 2

I sing about you,who is a goddess of all,
And an ocean of mercy, who has the greatness,
Of the pure luster of the shining sun,
Who wears the crescent on her hair,
And who has forehead like the cool moon's crescent.

Mrudhu brullatha nirjithananga chapam,
Dhyuthi dwastha neelaravindayathaksham,
SArad padma kinjalka sanghasanasam,
Maha moukthika darsa rajath kapaalaam. 3

I pray that Goddess whose eyelids defeat,
The bow of the great God of love,
Whose long eyes defeat the beauty of blue lotus,
Whose nose is like inner bud of the lotus flower of the spring,
And whose cheeks are white as pearls and shine like a mirror.

Pravalabhi ramadharam charu mandha-,
Smitha bhavi nibarsithendhu prakasam,
Sphunan mallika kudmalollasi dantham,
Galabhaavi nirdhootha sankhabhi ramyam. 4

I pray that Goddess whose lips are like pearls,
Who showers her smile which is similar to moon light,
Whose teeth has the luster of jasmine buds,
And whose necks are prettier than conch.

Varanchabhayam pusthakancha akshamalaam,
Dhadhadbhi chathubhi karai rambhujabhai,
Sahasraksha kumbheendra kumbhopamana,
Sthana dwandhwa mukthaghatabhyam vinamram. 5

I pray that Goddess who shows the sign of boon and blessing,
By her two hands, Carries in her two hands. which are similar to the lotus
A book and a chain of prayer beads,
Who has thousand eyes and has two breasts,
Which can be compared to the head of the divine elephant, Iravatha.

Sphuradroma raji prabha poora dhoori,
Krutha shyama chakshu srava kanthi bharaaram,
Gabheera tri rekha virajath pichanda,
Dhyuthi dwatha bodhi dhruma snigdha shobham. 6

I pray the splendour of the navel of the great Goddess,
Whose hair pattern beats the shine of the serpent,
Whose prettiness of the shining stomach with its triple hair pattern,
Is much more prettier than the beautiful leaf of a banyan tree,

Lasad sookshma shuklambarodhynithambham,
Maha kaadala sthambha thulyoorru kaandam,
Suvrutha prakaamaabhiramoru parva,
Prabhaa nindhithaananga samudhgakaabham. 7

I sing about that divine form of the Goddess,
Whose hips are covered by a white silk,
Whose pretty and well formed knees,
Mark victory over the love treasures of the love God,
And who shines with her thighs which are similar to banana pseudo stem.

Upasanga sangaasa jangam padagra-,
Prabha bharsidothunga korma prabhavam,
Paadombhoja sabhavitha soka salam,
Sphurad chandrika kudmalo dhyunna khaabham. 8

I salute that divine form of the goddess,
Who has calves in the shape of a quiver,
Whose upper feet resembles the shell of a tortoise,
And whose feet blessed the Asoka tree by a kick.

Namasthe maha devi, Hey Varna roope,
Namasthe Maha devi, Geervana vandhye,
Namasthe maha padma kandhara vase,
Samasthaam cha vidhyam pradehi, pradehi. 9

Salutations great goddess, oh goddess who is colured,
Salutations to great goddess, who is being worshipped by devas,
Salutations to the Goddess who lives in the cavity of lotus flower,
Bless me, bless me with all the known knowledge.

Nama padmabhoo vakthra padmadhi vase,
Nama padmanethrathibhi sevyamane,
Nama padma kinchalka sangasa varne,
Nama padma pathrabhiramakshi. 10

Salutations to you who lives in the lotus face of Brahma,
Salutations to you who is worshipped by Vishnu with lotus eye,
Salutations to you who is the colour of fully opened lotus,
Salutations to you who has ever pretty lotus like eyes.

Palaasaprasoonopamam charu thundam,
Valaarathi neelothpala labham pathathram,
TRivarnam galantham vahantham shukam tham,
Dhadhtyai mahathyai bhvathyai namosthu. 11

I salute you who has immeasurable greatness and has a parrot,
Who has a beak of the colour of flower of Palasa tree,
Who has feathers of the colour of the blue lotus flower,
And who has three colours on his neck.

Kadambaatavi madhye samshthaam sakheebhir-,
Manognaabhi rananda leelaa rasabhi,
Kalaswanaya veenaya raajamanam,
Bhaje thwam saraswathyaham devi nithyam. 12

I daily sing about you, Oh Goddess Saraswathi,
Who is surrounded by her pretty friends
In the Kadamba forest and enjoys enchanting joy.
And shines playing Veena which gives out sweet music.

Sudhaa poorna hairanya kumbhabhisheka,
Priye bhaktha loka priye poojaneeye,
Sanadhabhir yogineebhir-,
Jjaganmathasmanmana shodhaya thwam. 13

Please make my mind clean and pure, Oh Goddess,
Who likes anointing with nectar filled in a golden pot,
Who likes her devotees, who is fit to be worshipped,
And who is being worshipped by yogis like Sananda.

Avidhyanthakarougha marthanda deepthyai,
Suvidhyaa pradhanothsukayai shivayai,
SAmasthartha raksha karaayai varayai,
Samsthambhike devi, thubhyam namosthu. 14

My salutations to you, who is the Goddess for all,
Who is like a Sun to the darkness of ignorance,
Who is the Shivaa, interested in giving good knowledge,
And who is the blessed one interested in protecting the oppressed.

Pare nirmale nishkale, nithya shudhe,
Saranye varenye trayeemayyananthe,
Namosthwambike yushma dheeyangri padme,
Rasagnathale santhatham nruthyathaam may. 15

I salute the lotus like feet of the great goddess,
Who is pure, without stains and ever clean,
Who is the protector, who blesses and has no end,
And pray her to always dance on the tip of my toungue.

Praseeda, praseeda praseedambike maa-,
Ma seemanu dheenanukambavaloke,
Padaamboruha dwandwamekawalambam,
Na jane param kinchid aananda moorthe. 16

Show your kindness, show your kindness, oh mother goddess,
Who has limitless pity on the oppressed and downtrodden,
For my only support in this world is your two lotus like feet,
And of personification of joy, I do not know any one greater.

Itheedham bhujanga prayatham padedhyo,
Mudha prathar uthaya bhakthya sametha,
Sa masa thrayath Poorva mevasthi noonam,
Prasadasya saraswathasai eka pathram. 17

He who gets up early morning and reads with devotion,
This prayer written with movement like a snake,
Would in a period prior to completion of three months,
Become the only recipient to the blessing of Goddess Saraswathi.