Shad Pathi
By Adi Shankara Bhagawat Pada
Translated by P. R. Ramachander
Avinayamapanaya vishno, damaya mana,samaya vishaya mruga thrushnam, Bhootha dayaam vistharaya, tharaya samasara sagaratha., 1
Oh my lord Vishnu, please remove my pride,
Make my entire mind filled with peace,
Put an end to any attraction towards animal desires,
Expand my mind with mercy to all beings,
And help me cross, this ocean of daily life.
Divya dhooni makarande parimala pari bhoga sachidanande, Sripathi padaaravinde bhava bhaya khedha chidhe vande., 2
I salute the lotus like feet of Vishnu,
Which cuts off the fear and sorrow of the worldly life,
Which is like a river of holy pollen grains,
And which is with the divine scent of eternal happiness.
Sathyapi bhedhapagame nadha thwaham na mamakeenasthwam, Saamudhro hi tharanga kwachana samudhro na tharanga., 3
Even at the time of true realization, when I see no differences,
I am but a part of you, and you are never my part,
For a tide is a part of the sea and sea can never be a part of the tide.
Udhruthanaga nagabhidanuja dhanukalaa mithra mithra sasi drushte, Drushte bhavathi prabhavathi na bhavathi kim bhava thiraskara., 4
He who lifted the mountain,
Who is the brother of the enemy of the mountain,
Who is the enemy of the Asura clan,
And who sees with the eyes of moon and sun,
Once you are seen, the sorrow of the world end,
And is there anything that will remain to happen?
Mathsyadhi biravathaarai ravatharavatha avatha sadha vasudham, Parameshwara paripalyo bhavatha bhava thapa bheethoham., 5
You who took incarnations starting from that of fish,
And well looked after, forever, this entire earth,
Oh, God who is the greatest one,
Please protect me, who am afraid of the life of the world.
Dhamodhara guna mandira Sundara vadanara vinda govinda, Bhava jaladhi madhana mandhara paramam dharamapanaya thwam mey 6
He who was tied by a rope in your belly,
Who is the storehouse of good qualities,
Who has a lotus like face,
Who is the care taker of all beings,
And who is the greatest method to churn the ocean of life,
Please remove the fear of worldly life from me.
Narayana karunamaya saranam karavani thawakou charanou, Ithi shadpadhee madheeye vadhana saroje sada vasathu., 7
Oh Narayana, Oh personification of mercy,
Let my hands salute thine feet,
And let these six verses live always,
In my lotus like face.