Invocation to Lord Venkateswara

Invocation

We shall start this pious venture of trying to interpret our great saint-poet with a prayer verse offered at the lotus feet of the Lord Venkateswara seeking his approval and blessings. It is verily impossible to comprehend the beauty of the almighty with our physical equipments. Albeit, we give the name and form and description we like to conceptualize the unknown. This poem given below is adoration to the Lord of Seven Hills from tip to toe, composed in immaculate Sanskrit. This verse is simple to understand, none the less, its purport is also presented. A short video presentation of this slokam as rendered by Sri Sattiraju Venu Madhav garu (a famous Annamaacharya songster) is included at the end of this post. Please view this video.

Prardhna Slokam

శిరం వజ్రకిరీటం
వదనం శశివర్ణ ప్రకాశం
ఫాలే కస్తూరి శ్రీగంధ తిలకం
కర్ణం వజ్రకుండల శోభితం
నాసికా సువాసికా పుష్పదళం
నయనే శశిమండన ప్రకాశం
కంఠే సువర్ణ పుష్పమాలాలంకృతం
హృదయే శ్రీనివాస మందిరం
కరం కరుణాభయ సాగరం
భుజే శంఖచక్ర గదాధరం
సువర్ణ యజ్ఞోపవీత భూషణం
సర్వాంగే స్వర్ణ పీతాంబరధరం
పాదం పరమానంద రూపం
సర్వపాప నివారితం
సర్వం స్వర్ణ మయం
నామితం శ్రీ వేంకటేశం
తిరుమలేశం
శ్రీనివాసంనమామి

siram vajrakireetam

vadhanam sasivarna prakaasam

phaalae kastoori sreegandha thilakam

karnam vajrakundala sobhitham

naasikaa suvaasikaa pushpadalam

nayanae sasimandana prakaasam

kantae suvarna pushpa maalaalankritam

hridhayae sreenivaasa mandhiram

karam karuna abhaya saagaram

bhujae sakha chakra gadaa dharam

suvarna yajnopaveetha bhooshanam

sarvaangae swarna peetaambaradharam

paadham paramaanandha roopam

sarvapaapa nivaaritham – sarvam swarna mayam

naamitham Sree Venkataesam - Thirumalesam

Sreenivaasam Namaami

Purport or Bhaavam

Diamond studded crown adorns as Thy headdress

Thy face glitters as moon light
Thy forehead sports the Kasturi tilakam with sandal paste

Diamond earrings decorate thy ears
Thy nose is akin to the tender green Sampangi (Champa) flower

Thy eyes beam cool moonshine
Thy neck is embellished with a garland of golden flowers

Thy bosom is the abode of Sri Lakshmi
Thy kind and merciful hands offer unending protection

Thy shoulders sport the Conch, Discus & Club
The golden sacred band beautifies Thy chest

Thy entire persona is draped in golden colored silk robes
Thy feet are the embodiment of Bliss Absolute – annihilating every sin

Why so many words, every bit of Thine is nothing but the gold standard

Thou art the adorable Lord Sri Venkatesa – the Lord of Tirumala –
O! Sreenivasa – Our obeisance to Thee!

An important acknowledgement
In the process of writing serial posts on this blog, it is but necessary to build upon the creations, ideas and analysis that are already presented by our erudite and eminent scholars, artists and songsters in this field. Music clips, video clips, pictures, images and text from the available sources on the internet and in print may be used depending on the necessity of the context. My humble reverence to all those who are the owners of such material and I sincerely request them to grant me this implicit permission to use their material. Wherever possible, appropriate reference to the material used will be provided. Any errors of omission may be condoned as there is no commercial intent in this blog. Whatever that is excellent in these presentations, the credit goes to the forerunners and great masters. All inadvertent mistakes are mine. Nothing can be claimed to be my own creation.

Sarma Rachakonda