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By
Dr. M.K.Prabhakar,
Gaithersberg, Maryland, USA
Phone: (301) 924 - 9360
The topic of this article is Lakshmi Stuti in the devotional works of one
of the famous haridasa of Karnataka Sri. Jagannathadasa. Before actually
getting into this topic, I find it to be in order to give a brief
introduction about Sri. Jagannathadasa and his religious philosophy.
Such an introduction will help to understand better the nature of Lakshmi
Stuti of Sri. Jagannathadasa and how it differs from several other
Lakshmi Stutis.
Sri Jagannathadasa was a prominent haridasa of the second or third
generation depending on how one keeps the count. He was the disciple of
Sri. Gopaladasa who was the disciple of the Great Vijayadasa. Sri.
Vijayadasa himself was indirectly the disciple of the greatest of all
haridasas, Sri. Purandaradasa. Sri. Jagannatha-dasa, like all other
haridasas followed the ‘Dwaita (Duality) Philosophy’ espoused by Sri.
Madhvacharya. This philosophy clearly distinguishes between ‘Jeeva’
(life), ‘Jada’ (matter or inanimate objects) and ‘Paramatma’ (Supreme
God). It recognizes only Lord Vishnu as ‘Paramatma’ or the God Supreme.
He is referred to as ‘Anantha’ meaning eternal and having neither a
beginning nor an end. He is categorized as ‘Swatantra’ meaning
independent of everything else. Everyone else is categorized as neither
eternal nor independent. Dwaita philosophy states that ‘Jeevaru’, ‘Jada’
and ‘Paramatma’ will for ever remain different from one another, one will
never become the other and one will never merge into the other. This
contrasts with other religious philosophies which accept an eventual
merger of soul or life with god. Several gods such as, Brahma, Vayu,
Maheswara, etc. are identified as ‘Jeevothamaru’ meaning being at a
higher level than ordinary ‘Jeevaru’. One exception to this
categorization is Goddess Lakshmi. Except that she is not as independent
as Lord Vishnu she otherwise enjoys all the attributes of the Supreme God
and is not identified as ‘Jeevothamaru’. In the ascension of gods she
occupies a position next only to ‘Lord Vishnu’. In additional she is
also his wife. In every way they are inseparable. These facts should be
considered while discussing Lakshmi Stuti in Sri. Jagannathadasa’s
devotional works. It should be observed that Vishnu Stuti is implicitly
included in Sri. Jagannathadasa’s Lakshmi Stuti and that Lakshmi Stuti is
an off-shoot of Vishnu Stuti.
The Lakshmi Stuti of Sri. Jagannathadasa that I am presenting before you
here is based on the excerpts taken from Dasa’s monumental work entitled
‘Hari-kathaamrutha-saara’ meaning the essence of nectar of the divine
virtues of Lord Vishnu. The work is in the Kannada language. I will
quote the verses in Kannada and then provide the English translation
which I try to keep more philosophical and less literal.
Jaga-dudara-nati-vimala-guna-roopa-galana-alochanadi
bhaarata nigama-tatigala-atikramisi kriya-visesha-gala
bage-bageya noothanava kaanuta
mige harushadim pogali higguva
triguna-maani mahalakumi santaisala-nudinavu
In this verse Sri Jagannathadasa devotionally praises Goddess Lakshmi as
next only to Lord Vishnu. Possessing an immense spiritual knowledge she
is able to envision and enjoy not just the physical beauty of Lord Vishnu
but the pure inner beauty of his divine virtues and spiritual intellect.
What she sees and enjoys is way beyond what can be or what has been
described in the Vedas and the Scriptures. With her superior spiritual
intellect she can visualize the creative activities of the Lord in
numerous different ways and as she does that she is in a state of
heavenly ecstasy. Dasa begs the Supreme Goddess in this state of
heavenly ecstasy to bestow on him eternal peace and divine happiness. It
is quite evident that Jagannathadasa praises Goddess Lakshmi not with any
physical attributes but as a personification of divine spiritual
knowledge. He does not beg for any wealth but eternal peace and divine
happiness.
Jeeva-jeevara bhedha jada-jada
jeeva-jada jada-jeeva-rindali
srivaranu atyanta-bhinna vilakshananu
Lakshmi moovarindali paduma-jaandadi
ta vilaksha-lenisi-kombalu
savadhika-sama-shoonya-rendaritu-eervaranu bhajisu
This verse describes the essence of Dwaita philosophy which very clearly
differentiates among ‘Jeeva’ (life), ‘Jada’ (matter) and ‘Paramathma’
(God Supreme). It states that each is an entity on its own and one will
never become the other or merge with the other (separation of ‘Jeeva’ and
‘Paramathma’). It states, however, that Goddess Lakshmi is very unique
in a way that she is different from all these three entities. Other than
being not as independent as ‘Paramathma’ she is as eternal and
omnipresent as Lord Vishnu (Paramathma) himself. Dasa, therefore, urges
the humanity to worship Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Vishnu as one without
differentiating between each other.
Aditeyaru tiliya-diha guna
veda-maani-galen-denipa vanyadigalu
ballava-rariyada guna-galanu
vedha ballanu bomma-nariyada-agadha
gunagala lakumi ballalu
sridhara-ambopasya sadguna-poorna hari-endu
This verse describes Goddess Lakshmi’s spiritual intellect as being of
the supreme kind. In a series of comparisons, Dasa states that those
divine virtues of Lord Vishnu that gods like Indra, agni, etc. (Aditeyaru
means sons of Aditi wife of sage Kashyapa who are the ‘Devas’) did not
know God Shiva knew; what God Shiva did not know Goddesses Saraswati and
Bharati knew; what they did not know Gods Brahma and Vayu knew. What
even Gods Brahma and Vayu did not know Goddess Lakshmi knew. This
explains that the spiritual intellect of Goddess Lakshmi is much higher
than those of any gods. This verse also partly shows the ascension of
various gods which is an important component of the ‘Dwaita’ philosophy
Inta-ananta-ananta-gunagala
pranta kaanade mahalakumi
bhagavanta-gabharana-aayudha-ambara-vaalayagalagi
swantadali nelegolisi
parama-duranta-mahimana doutyakarma
nirantaradi maadutali tada-dheenatva-vaidihalu
In this verse Dasa explains that being blessed with such supreme
spiritual intellect and vision Goddess Lakshmi can see and enjoy the
endless divine virtues of Lord Vishnu. This lead her to such a state of
joy that she served Lord Vishnu by assuming herself to be every thing he
possessed such as his ornaments and decorations, his weapons and even his
divine abode ‘Vaikunta’. It indirectly suggests how she is inseparable
from Lord Vishnu.
Vedatatigala-maani-lakumi
dhara-dharana guna-roopa-kriyegala
aadi-madhya-ananta-vanu kaanade manadi yochisuta
aadipene eetanige patni krupo-dadhiyu
sveekarisidanu loka-adhipanu
bhikshu-kana mane-youtanava kombante
In this verse Sri. Jagannathadasa praises Goddess Lakshmi as a
personification of the Vedas meaning knowledge. Dasa also brings into
attention how Goddess Lakshmi is closely associated with Lord Vishnu in
the process of creation (‘Jagaj-janmaadi-kriye’) as well as in the
destruction of the evil. The destruction of evil in particular refers to
Goddess Lakshmi’s incarnation as Seetadevi in Ramayana as the wife of
Sri-Rama who himself is Lord Vishnu incarnated. As Seetadevi she plays a
very important role in the destruction of evil in the form of Khara,
Dooshana, Maareecha, Khumbhakarna and Ravana. Having been associated
with Lord Vishnu in the process of creation, protection of the good and
the destruction of the evil, Goddess Lakshmi is very happy that Lord
Vishnu took her as his wife. At the same time she is very humble and
grateful to Lord Vishnu for taking her as his wife. This is very unique
about Dais’s vision of Goddess Lakshmi and is not observed in any other
Lakshmi Stuti.
Nitya-muktale nir-vikaarale
nitya-sukha-sampoorne
nitya-anitya jagadadhare mukta-amukta guna vinute
chittayisu binnapava sri purushothamana
vaksho-nivasini
bhruthya-vargava kaaye tri-jaganmate vikhyate
In this verse Sri. Jagannathadasa praises Goddess Lakshmi by describing
her divine attributes. He states that unlike the ‘Jeevaru’ she is
eternally free of any and all bondage. She is physically and spiritually
pure and free from all imperfections. She is the embodiment of all
divine virtues. She, who resides in the heart of Lord Vishnu, protects
the entire universe like a loving mother. Dasa begs Goddess Lakshmi with
these divine attributes to listen to his prayers and protect the entire
humanity.
>From these verses we can conclude that Sri. Jagannathadasa’s Lakshmi
Stuti is highly spiritual in nature than physical and materialistic. It
also closely reflects the ‘Dwaita’ philosophy that he embraced. It
highlights Goddess Lakshmi’s participation along with Lord Vishnu in the
creation of the universe as well as her role along side Lord Vishnu in
the protection of the good and the destruction of the evil. Most of the
Lakshmi Stuti that we know of describes Goddess Lakshmi for her physical
beauty, how glamorously and richly she is decorated and how she bestows
physical and material wealth on those who worship her. But Sri.
Jagannathadasa in his Lakshmi Stuti describes her not as one who bestows
material wealth, but being the goddess of divine spiritual knowledge and
intellect bestows on her devotees eternal divine peace and salvation.
[Based on the speech delivered by the author during the ‘Lalita
Sahasra-naama
Puja Saptaaha’, August 3rd to 9th, ‘97 in Sunnyvale Hindu Temple,
California]
Copy-right 1997, Dr. M.K.Prabhakar.
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