Bhavani Ashtakam

न तातो न माता न बन्धुर्न दाता
न पुत्रो न पुत्री न भृत्यो न भर्ता ।
न जाया न विद्या न वृत्तिर्ममैव
गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥१॥

Na taato na maataa na bandhur na daataa.
Na putro na putree na bhrityo na bhartaa.
Na jaayaa na vidyaa na vrittir-ma-mai-va.
Gatistvam gatistvam tvamekaa bhavaani.

Not mother or father; not relative, friend or spouse, not giver or donor, not son or daughter, not even knowledge or profession – no one is mine forever. Save me, O Universal Mother – You alone are my origin, you alone are my shelter, you alone are my true companion.

Notes: When very young we are attached to parents, later we become attached to friends, then to our spouse and children, and to our titles, certificates and profession. But none of these attachments are permanent. The attached I become, the harder life becomes> With attachments the arishadvargas arise (kaama, krodha, lobha, moh, mada, matsarya, that is, desire, greed, ego, jealousy, anger, hate etc.) arise – as can be discerned in the next verse. None of these relationships are permanent and none can provide me with the bliss, shelter and liberation that is ultimately needed. Save me, O Univeral Mother, You are my only shelter and protection. My homage to you O Universal Mother.

न not तातो father माता mother बंधू relative/friend दाता giver, donor पुत्रो son पुत्री daughter भृत्यो servant भर्ता husband जाया wife विद्या knowledge वृत्ति profession मम my एव indeed गति refuge, reason, origin त्वम् you एक alone, one, singular भवानी divine Mother Bhavani, God, Universal Mother

भवाब्धावपारे महादुःखभीरु
पपात प्रकामी प्रलोभी प्रमत्तः ।
कुसंसारपाशप्रबद्धः सदाहं
गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥२॥

Bhavaab-dhaava-paare mahaaduhkha-bheerooh.
Papaa-ta pra-kaamee pra-lo-bhee pramat-tah.
Ku-sam-saara-paasha-prabad-dhah sadaaham.
Gatistvam gatistvam tvamekaa bhavaani.

I feel caught up in this ocean of worldly existence in which pain, depression and sorrow seem endless. I have become fearful of these negatives of life. I become bound and tied to the intoxication of excessive desires, greed and gross worldly existence. Save me O Universal Mother. Save me, O Universal Mother, You alone are my origin, you alone are my shelter, you alone are my true companion.

The attachments (see verse 1 above) are all part of the ocean of worldly existence. Each material/worldly attachment comes with meeting and parting, birth and death, pain, sorrow, fear and endless search for more and more. In the search for more physical satisfaction we become excessively attached, with insatiable desire, greed, and intoxication. And these excessive compulsions bind me even stronger to the attachments and unfulfillable desires. Save me, O Univeral Mother, You are my only shelter and protection. My homage to you O Universal Mother.

भवाब्धि the ocean of worldly existence अपार boundless, endless महा great दुःख sorrow, pain भीरु fearful, afraid of पपात fallen with desires (पात – fall, downfall) प्रकामी entangled with excessive desires (प्रकाम objects of desire) प्रलोभा excessive greed परमातः intoxicated, drunk कु bad संसार worldly existence पाश bond, fetter प्रबन्धः bound, tied सदा always अहम् I गति refuge त्वम् you एक alone, one, singular भवानी divine Mother Bhavani, God, Universal Mother

न जानामि दानं न च ध्यानयोगं
न जानामि तन्त्रं न च स्तोत्रमन्त्रम् ।
न जानामि पूजां न च न्यासयोगं
गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥३॥

Na jaanaami daanam na cha dhyaa-na-yo-gam.
Na jaa-naa-mi tantram na cha stotra-mantram.
Na jaanaa-mi poojaam na cha nyaasa-yogam.
Gatistvam gatistvam tvamekaa bhavaani.

I have lost my way; I do not know how to give charity and I do not know how to meditate. I have forgotten how to practice discipline, rituals, prayers and worship. I feel unable to practice any disciplines of devotion. Save me, O Universal Mother, You alone are my origin, you alone are my shelter, you alone are my true companion.

With my focus on friends, wealth, desires and the other attractions of life, I have lost my way. I cannot even give charity without wanting recognition, I have forgotten how to pray and so I am unable to meditate or to feel any connection with worship and devotion. Save me, O Univeral Mother, You are my only shelter and protection. My homage to you O Universal Mother.

न not जानामि not know दानम् charity, act of giving च and ध्यान meditation योगम् discipline, practice of Yoga तन्त्रम् practice of Tantra स्तोत्रम् hymn, praise of God मंत्र mantra पूजा worship न्यास applying, resigning (oneself) योगम् practice of discipline, practice of Yoga गति refuge त्वम् you एक alone, one, singular भवानी Giver of Life, Divine Mother Bhavani, God, Universal Mother

न जानामि पुण्यं न जानामि तीर्थ
न जानामि मुक्तिं लयं वा कदाचित् ।
न जानामि भक्तिं व्रतं वापि मातर्गतिस्त्वं
गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥४॥

Na jaanaami puṅyam na jaanaami teertham
Na jaanaami muktim layam vaa kadaachit.
Na jaanaami bhaktim vratam vaapi maata
Gatistvam gatistvam tvamekaa bhavaani.

I have forgotten how to be righteous and virtuous; I do not even know sacred places of worship. I have forgotten the pathways for liberation of my soul and I no longer remember the methods of devotion. But I know you can save me! Save me, O Universal Mother, You alone are my origin, you alone are my shelter, you alone are my true companion.

Falling into the trap of desires, attachment and ego, I allow everyone and everything to take prominence in my mind. My mind becomes preoccupied with all the things in life and that preoccupation becomes a vicious cycle as I keep chasing for more and more. I realise that I have stopped making time for God. I have even forgotten how to be righteous and virtuous. The places of worship holds no importance in my life anymore and I have forgotten how to pray. Save me, O Univeral Mother, You are my only shelter and protection. My homage to you O Universal Mother.

न not जानामि do not know पुण्यम् holy, meritorious, virtuous तीर्थम् pilgrimage मुक्तिम् liberation लयम् absorption (in God or self) वा just कदाचित sometimes भक्तिम् devotion वृत्तम् religious vows वा nevertheless अपि indeed माता mother गति refuge त्वम् you एक alone, one, singular भवानी divine Mother Bhavani, God, Universal Mother

कुकर्मी कुसङ्गी कुबुद्धिः कुदासः
कुलाचारहीनः कदाचारलीनः ।
कुदृष्टिः कुवाक्यप्रबन्धः सदाहं
गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥५॥

Ku-karmee ku-saṅgee ku-buddhih ku-daa-sah.
Ku-laa-chaarahee-nah ka-daa-chaa-ra-lee-nah.
Ku-driṣhṭih kuvaakya-prabandhah sadaa-ham.
Gatistvam gatistvam tvamekaa bhavaani.

I spend my time in bad company and commit bad actions. I have become a slave to my mind and have cast intellect aside. I blindly follow family, race, community, friends, customs and traditions and have become engrossed in fulfilling my physical senses. Save me, O Universal Mother, You alone are my origin, you alone are my shelter, you alone are my true companion.

I have allowed myself to sink into despair as I have placed my logical thinking aside. I have started to blindly follow friends, tradition, bad company and family. I have become a slave to my bad habits and I cling to false friends and false leaders who are continuously lie and mislead me – and having cast my own logical thinking aside I become even more slavish in following them. Save me, O Univeral Mother, You are my only shelter and protection. My homage to you O Universal Mother.

कु bad कर्म action, deeds कर्मी performer of actions सङ्गी clinging, association बुद्धि mind, intelligence, intention दास servant कुल family, race, community आचार custom, tradition हीन bereft, without कदाचार bad conduct लीन engrossed in दृष्टि seeing, viewing वाक्य speech प्रबन्ध continuous series, composition सदा always अहम् I गति refuge त्वम् you एक alone, one, singular भवानी divine Mother Bhavani, God, Universal Mother

प्रजेशं रमेशं महेशं सुरेशं
दिनेशं निशीथेश्वरं वा कदाचित् ।
न जानामि चान्यत् सदाहं शरण्ये
गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥६॥

Prajesham ramesham mahesham suresham.
Dinesham nishee-thesh-varam vaa kadaa-chit.
Na jaanaami chaanyat sadaaham sharaṇye.
Gatistvam gatistvam tvamekaa bhavaani.

I am so lost that I fail to remember the Creator, Preserver and Dissolver of the world. I have lost connection with you, the Lord of my life, the Master of my days and nights, the maker of the sun and moon and all celestial bodies. Save me, O Universal Mother, You alone are my origin, you alone are my shelter, you alone are my true companion.

O Lord, you are the creator, the preserver and the dissolver! You are Divinity, the give of life, the master of my days and nights. You are the only refuge, the only Lord and Master of my life – and still, I have lost all connections with you, O Lord. Save me, O Univeral Mother, You are my only shelter and protection. My homage to you O Universal Mother.

प्रजेश the Creator (प्रज Bringing forth, create ईश lord रमेश Lord of the world, preserver, Vishnu महेश Great Lord, Shiva, dissolver (महा great ईश lord) सुरेश Highest divinity (सुर divinity ईश Lord) दिनेशम् Lord of the Day, Lord of Light, Surya (दिन day, light-time ईश lord) निशीथेश्वरम् Lord of Night, Moon, Lord Chandra (निशेष night ईश्वर lord) वा just कदाचित sometimes न not जानामि do not know चान्यत also other (च and अन्य other) सदाहम् I always (सदा always अहम् I) शरण्ये taking refuge in you गति refuge त्वम् you एक alone, one, singular भवानी divine Mother Bhavani, God, Universal Mother

विवादे विषादे प्रमादे प्रवासे
जले चानले पर्वते शत्रुमध्ये ।
अरण्ये शरण्ये सदा मां प्रपाहि
गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥७॥

Vavaade viṣhaade pramaade pravaase.
Jale chaanale parvate shatru-madhye.
Araṇye sharaṇye sadaa maam prapaahi.
Gatistvam gatistvam tvamekaa bhavaani.

I find myself in the midst of excessive intoxication, desires, rage, sorrow, disputes, dejection, farewells, passion and depression. These negative forces surround me like unconquerable mountains. Wherever I go they are like a forest of enemies attacking from all sides. From that deep forest of despair, I seek your sanctuary O Protector. Save me, O Universal Mother, You alone are my origin, you alone are my shelter, you alone are my true companion.

Like being lost in a forest, I am surrounded by despair, depression, disputes, enmity and insanity. Whether I am in a foreign place or at home, I feel like being caught in the flames of envy and the depth of depression. My problems seem insurmountable and endless. Save me, O Univeral Mother, You are my only shelter and protection. My homage to you O Universal Mother.

ववादे during dispute and quarrel विषादे during despair and dejection प्रमादे during intoxication and insanity प्रवासे when dwelling in foreign places जले in water चानले and fire (च and अनल fire) पर्वते in mountains and hills शत्रु enemies मध्ये in the midst of अरण्ये in the forest शरण्ये taking refuge in you सदा always मा my प्रपाहि Protector (प्रपा to Protect, defend ही – a suffix for emphasis) गति refuge त्वम् you एक alone, one, singular भवानी divine Mother Bhavani, God, Universal Mother

अनाथो दरिद्रो जरारोगयुक्तो
महाक्षीणदीनः सदा जाड्यवक्त्रः ।
विपत्तौ प्रविष्टः प्रनष्टः सदाहं
गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि ॥८॥

Anaatho dari-dro jaraa-roga-yukto.
Mahaa-ksheeṇadeenah sadaa jaaḍya-vak-trah.
Vipattow praviṣhṭah pranaṣhṭah sadaaham.
Gatistvam gatistvam tvamekaa bhavaani.

Without you, I am like an orphan, impoverished and alone. I become needy and stricken with disease, easily prone to weakness and misery. I fall into slumber and become lost as my mind becomes taken over by inactivity, misery, sickness and ignorance. Due to my attachment to things in life, I become lost and destroyed. Save me, O Universal Mother, You alone are my origin, you alone are my shelter, you alone are my true companion.

अनाथो orphan, helpless दरिद्रो poor, needy जरा old age रोग disease, infirmity युक्त attached to महा very/great क्षीण weak दीन miserable, wretched सदा always जाड्य pale-looking, stiffness, inactivity, dullness, stupidity वक् face विपत fall asunder प्रविष्ट occupied with (troubles, miseries) प्रणष्ट lost, destroyed (by negatives, troubles, miseries) अहम् I गति refuge त्वम् you एक alone, one, singular भवानी divine Mother Bhavani, God, Universal Mother