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Shri Kuurmaavataara Ashtakam

ŚRĪ KŪRMĀVATĀRĀṢṬAKAM
श्रीकूर्मावताराष्टकम्‌
[Eight Verses on the Tortoise-Incarnation of God Vishnu]

ॐ नमो नारायणाय । ॐ नमो विष्णवे ।
[Salutations to God Narayana, Who is God Vishnu]

पुरा मन्दरे मज्जति क्षीरवार्धौ, सुरप्रार्थित स्तस्य चोद्धारणाय ।
महाकर्पराविष्कृतो य स्तमीशं, भजे नाथ नारायणं कूर्मरूपम्‌ ॥1॥

[In ancient times, the Mandara mountain used for churning the milk-sea to attain divine nectar was drowning in the sea. Then, all the angels prayed You to uplift the mountain and hold it up without sinking. You appeared as tortoise with a very big and hard covering shell to support the mountain. I worship such Lord Narayana, who is in the form of tortoise.]

न हि स्वेदबिन्दुश्च यस्योद्बभूव, भ्रमन्मन्दराधो विघातैश्चिराय ।
तमेकैकसारं प्रपञ्चस्य मूलं, भजे नाथ नारायणं कूर्मरूपम्‌ ॥2॥

[For a long time, You were hit by the mountain that was rotating based on Your shell, but still, not even a single drop of sweat was generated on Your body! You are the essence of all the strength and the source of this entire creation. I worship such Lord Narayana, who is in the form of tortoise.]

भ्रमद्विश्व मन्तस्सदोद्विग्नजन्तु-क्रियापाशघूर्णं स्थितेर् मूलदेशे ।
परं बिभ्रतं मन्दरेणोपमेयं, भजे नाथ नारायणं कूर्मरूपम्‌ ॥3॥

[You are bearing the Mandara mountain and also the world on Your shell. Due to the circular rotations of the mountain during the churning of the sea, the living beings in the mountain as well as in the world, which is like another Mandara mountain, were fearing. I worship such Lord Narayana, who is in the form of tortoise.]

सुरै स्सद्गुणैर् दानवैर् दुर्गुणैश्च, पुरस्ताच्च पश्चाद् भ्रमन्तं स्वभक्तम्‌ ।
समुद्धृत्य संसारवार्धौ वहन्तं, भजे नाथ नारायणं कूर्मरूपम्‌ ॥4॥

[The Mandara mountain is rotating towards both opposite sides by good angels and bad demons. It looks like a devotee rotating between the two opposite sides by good and bad qualities. You look like the kindest God, Who uplifted the mountain (the devotee) from the physical ocean (worldly ocean) and supported it (devotee). I worship such Lord Narayana, who is in the form of tortoise.]

समाहृत्य सर्वेन्द्रियाण्यन्त रेवं, भवांभोनिधौ कर्मशैलं वहेति ।
श्रितान् बोधयन्तं श्रियो वल्लभं तं, भजे नाथ नारायणं कूर्मरूपम्‌ ॥5॥

[You are the dearest husband of Goddess Mahaa Lakshmi. You generally withdraw Your limbs into the covering shell from the water of physical ocean and bear the mountain. By this, You are preaching the devotees that they should withdraw their interests from worldly attachments into the soul and bear the worldly duty. I worship such Lord Narayana, who is in the form of tortoise.]

सुधोद्गारपर्यन्त मम्भोधिमग्नं, महाशैलघातैश्च न स्पन्दमानम्‌ ।
सुरेभ्यो ऽमरत्वं प्रदातुं श्रितेभ्यो, भजे नाथ नारायणं कूर्मरूपम्‌ ॥6॥

[You drowned Yourself in the sea and did not even vibrate by the violent blows of the mountain until the divine nectar came out. All this tolerance was shown by You in order to give the divine nectar to angels, who were Your ordinary devotees. I worship such Lord Narayana, who is in the form of tortoise.]

यमक्षिप्त कालाहि पाशावृतो ऽहं, मुहुर्जन्म मृत्युद्वयाकृष्यमाणः ।
भ्रमन् दुःख पाधोधि मग्नो ऽवलम्बं, भजे नाथ नारायणं कूर्मरूपम्‌ ॥7॥

[The mountain is surrounded by the poisonous majestic serpent and similarly, I am surrounded by the majestic poisonous sin. The mountain is dragged towards good angels and bad demons. Similarly, I am also dragged towards good deeds and bad deeds in opposite directions. The mountain is immersed in the milk ocean and similarly, I am also immersed in the miserable worldly ocean. You are the basis for the mountain as well as for me. I worship such Lord Narayana, who is in the form of tortoise.]

खलं मा मपीहोद्धरन्तं भवाब्धा-वनाद्यन्त पापाचलं मूर्तिमन्तम्‌ ।
स्वभक्तिं सुधा मेव संप्रापयन्तं, भजे नाथ नारायणं कूर्मरूपम्‌ ॥8॥

[I am a mountain of solidified sins and You are lifting me also in this worldly ocean, as You are uplifting the Mandara mountain in the physical ocean. Finally, You are giving the result, which is immortality, the quality of the divine nectar. I worship such Lord Narayana, who is in the form of tortoise.]

इदं कूर्मावतारस्य, काश्यपेन कृतं पठन् ।
अष्टकं विपदम्भोधा, वुद्धृतो न निमज्जति ॥

[This prayer on the Tortoise-Incarnation of Lord Vishnu is composed by Shri Datta Swami, born in the Kaashyapa gotra. The devotee, who sings this prayer will be uplifted from the ocean of difficulties and will not be drowned again in that ocean of difficulties.]

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