Maatru Panchakam

Let us think of mothers on this International Women's Day.

Given below is the lyrics and meaning of Matru Panchakam. by Adi Shankara, his tribute to 'mother'

Our eyes get moist on reading this Maatru Panchakam ,by a Sanyasi.

aasthaam tavaddeyam prasoothi samaye durvara soola vyadha,

nairuchyam thanu soshanam malamayee sayya cha samvatsaree,

ekasyapi na garbha bara bharana klesasya yasya kshmo dhathum,

nishkruthi munnathopi thanaya tasya janyai nama.

Oh mother mine,

With clenched teeth bore thou the excruciating pain,

When I was born to you,

Shared thou the bed made dirty by me for an year,

And thine body became thin and painful,

During those nine months that you bore me,

For all these in return,

Oh mother dearest,

I can never compensate,

Even by my becoming great.

gurukulamupasruthya swapnakaale thu drushtwa,

yathi samuchitha vesham praarudho maam twamuchai

gurukulamadha sarva prarudathe samaksham

sapadhi charanayosthe mathurasthu pranaama.

Clad in a dress of a sanyasin,

You saw me in my teacher’s school,

In your dream and wept,

And rushed thither,

Smothered, embraced and fondled me, Oh mother mine,

And all the teachers and students wept with you dear,

What could I do,

Except falling at your feet,

And offering my salutations.

ambethi thathethi shivethi tasmin,

prasoothikale yadavocha uchai,

krishnethi govinda hare mukunde tyaho,

janye rachito ayamanjali.

Oh mother mine,

Crying thou shouted in pain,

During thine hard labour,

“Oh mother, Oh father,

Oh God Shiva,

Oh Lord Krishna,

Oh Lord of all, Govinda,

Oh Hari and Oh God Mukunda,”

But in return,

Oh my mother dearest.

I can give you but humble prostrations.

na dattam mathasthe marana samaye thoyamapi vaa,

swadhaa vaa no dheyaa maranadivase sraadha vidhina

na japtho mathasthe marana samaye tharaka manu,

akale samprapthe mayi kuru dhayaam matharathulaam.

Neither did I give you water at thine time of death,

Neither did I offer oblations to thee to help thine journey of death,

And neither did I chant the name of Rama in thine ear,

Oh Mother supreme, pardon me for these lapses with compassion,

For I have arrived here late to attend to those.

mukthaa manisthvam, nayanam mamethi,

rajethi jeevethi chiram sthutha thwam,

ithyuktha vathya vaachi mathaa,

dadamyaham thandulamesh shulkam.

Long live,

Oh, pearl mine,

Oh jewel mine,

Oh my dearest eyes,

Oh mine prince dearest,

And oh my soul of soul,

Sang thou to me,

But in return of that all,

Oh my mother dearest.

I give you but dry rice in your mouth

I have received a greeting from my husband today

When I was born, a WOMAN was there to hold me-MY MOTHER

As I grew up as child, a WOMAN was there to care and play with me -MY SISTER

I went to school, a WOMAN was there to help me learn-MY TEACHER

I needed compatibility, company and love, a WOMAN was there for me-MY WIFE

I became tough, a WOMAN was there to melt me-MY DAUGHTER

When I will die, a WOMAN will be there to absorb me in -MOTHERLAND

Jayasala 42

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Maatru Panchakam