Five Stanzas on Salutation to Mother: Ādi Śaṅkarācārya’s Mātṛ-pañcakam (Rendered in English by Radha Raghunathan)

Five Stanzas on Salutation to Mother

Ādi Śaṅkarācārya’s Mātṛ-pañcakam

(Rendered in English by Radha Raghunathan)

1

This lady must remain that long at the time of delivery excruciating sharp pain,

Eating insipid food, emaciated in body, for a year on a bed soiled with my excretions,

Not even one of the miserable woes of whose pregnancy can be compensated

Even by a great son; Salutations to that mother!

2

After sending me to residential school, but seeing in a dream,

Myself clad in the robes of an ascetic, you wept loudly;

Then, [alongwith you] all at the whole school wept aloud;

Mother, at once may my salutations be done at your feet.

3

Not even a sip of water was given by me while you were dying,

Neither can the ordained oblations be given by me on your death anniversary;

Nor has the redeeming mantra, O Mother, uttered by me when you were dying,

Mother, please be abundantly compassionate to me who has arrived late.

4

“You are a precious pearl,” “You are my eyes,”

“You are my king,” “May you live long, O my son,”

O Mother, by whom these words were spoken,

To you I offer these dry rice-grains.

5

“O Mother, O Father, O Śiva!” At the time

Of delivery to her who cried aloud these names,

“O Kṛṣṇa,” “O Govinda,” “Hare Mukunda,” and so on;

Alas, to that Mother this obeisance is addressed.

May 12, 2024; Chennai                                                                   ― Radha Raghunathan