Hymn- Bhavani Ashtakam –M. Venkataraman

Glimpses from Indian spirituality, mythology and way of life.

This is one of the beautiful hymns composed by Adi Sankara on Goddess Parvati. He says, ‘Oh, Mother Bhavani, you are my refuge, you alone are my protector.

‘I am tied in the bondage of worldly existence. It is an endless ocean of misery and I struggle with sorrow and fear. Neither the father nor the mother nor son, daughter, knowledge, profession nor anything in this world can help me. You alone are my guardian angel.

‘I have fallen with excessive desires and greed, drunken and intoxicated as it were. I have not done any good and virtuous deeds like charity, meditation or yoga. I do not even know them. I do not know the practice of tantra, or hymns and prayers. I do not know how to even worship. I have not done my traditional duties. I am engaged in bad conducts. I do not know anything about the various gods like Shiva, Vishnu and Rama. I always seek solace from you and you only. I am helpless, poor, afflicted by old age and disease. I am very weak and miserable. You are my refuge; you alone are my protector. Please give protection to me always.’

It is clear that Adi Sankara has composed this for the welfare of common people and recitation of this hymn will be of great advantage to all of us.

Please also visit my website at https://www.ramannithya.com/. I have published a number of e-books and audio books and you may be able to see them in my website. You may even be able to purchase a few of them through the shop page of that website. There is no prescribed price for some of the e-books like the one on Sandhyavandanam and Brahma Yagnam. They can be obtained by making any amount chosen by the purchaser.

https://www.ramannithya.com/e-books-for-sale