Background
It was a divine co-incidence that along with few devotees, I got a chance to work on writing English subtitles for Devi Bhagavatam by Om Swami, on os.me. This divine Devi Bhagavad week was organized in April 2019, in Sri Badrika Ashram.
In Jan and Feb 2023, I took a short break and spent bulk of the time listening to discourses, repeatedly – immersed in them with a goal to get the Hindi to English subtitles right. In that process, I started exploring more about the scriptures he had sung from, quoted from and so soulfully explained the stories & meanings. It is indeed Divine Mother who speaks through Him. Level of clarity and simplicity of expression is a sign of a truely realized master. I hesitate to draw analogies, but I remember reading the Kathamrita of Bhagwan Ramakrishna Paramahansa, and the simplicity with which it carried the message. A similar simplicity, I found in several of Om Swami ji’s discourses & writings.
Somewhere in Devi Bhagavatam discourse, I felt Swami ji is sharing the most significant and the essence of Sri Suktam as shared by Divine Mother.
As I learnt about the sadhana of Sri Suktam and its significance, recognized the significance of Chapter 50 of Lakshmi Tantra on Sri Suktam, is where the Divine Mother shares with Indra how to worship Her with Sri Suktam. How this is like Chapter 10 of Srimad Bhagavat Gita. As you may recall, in Chapter 10, Shree Krishna desires to increase Arjun’s bhakti by describing His infinite glories and opulence.
Thus started my journey of exploring Sri Suktam, and its the chapter in depth. As I started exploring, I could not find a place where I could read the sanskrit verse followed with hindi and english basic meaning. Thus, started the compilation of that, from various sources, with Swami ji’s discourse as inspiration, and base material, and Samyukta Gupta’s English book, and Dr Sudhakar Malaviya’s, Shri Kapildev Narayan’s work in Hindi, along with several other references and my notes helped me put this together.
This compilation is an offering to Mother Divine, and a journey to a Sadhak who has taken notes and compiled them and tried to simplify them so as to understand them more deeply. No copyright violation is intended as quoting the various translations available.
Several books on Sri Suktam, also helped me understand the esoteric meaning of the verse. Significance of the verse and its Sadhana has been emphasized by Swami ji unequivocally when he said “ If there is one Sadhana, I would suggest you, it would be Sri Suktam.”
With the following prayer, from Lakshmi Tantra to invite/feel Divine Mother in our presence, to guide us through this journey, of absorbing and rejoicing in Sri Suktam.
प्रातिकूल्यं परित्यक्तमानुकूल्यं च संश्रितम्।
मया सर्वेषु भूतेषु यथाशक्ति यथामति
prātikūlyaṃ parityaktamānukūlyaṃ ca saṃśritam|
mayā sarveṣu bhūteṣu yathāśakti yathāmati ||
मैंने सभी प्राणियों में यथाशक्ति यथामति प्रतिकूल भाव का त्याग कर दिया है और अनुकूल भाव का आश्रय लिया है |
As far as my ability and character permit, I refrain from any adverseness or harming any living beings, and am well disposed towards all creatures.
अपायेभ्यो निवृत्तोऽस्मि पातकेभ्यो भवोदधौ।
तथाप्यत्र प्रवृत्तिर्या त्वत्स्मृतेः सापि नश्यतु ।।
apāyebhyo nivṛtto’smi pātakebhyo bhavodadhau|
tathāpyatra pravṛttiryā tvatsmṛteḥ sāpi naśyatu ||
मैंने इस क्षणभंगुर अस्तित्व के सागर में सभी प्रकार के अनर्थकारी पापों को करना बंद कर दिया है। हे भगवति ! उस सचेत प्रयास के बावजूद, आप मुझे स्मरण करके, जो भी पाप मैं अनजाने में करता हूँ, उसके प्रभावों को नष्ट कर दें।
I have ceased to commit the errors and sins that abound in this ocean of transient existence. Despite that conscious effort, may thou, called to mind, destroy the effects of whatever sins I may inadvertently commit.
अलसस्याल्पशक्तेश्च यथावच्चाविजानतः।
उपायाश्चोदिताः शास्रैर्न मे स्युस्तारकाश्रयः ।।
alasasyālpaśakteśca yathāvaccāvijānataḥ|
upāyāścoditāḥ śāsrairna me syustārakāśrayaḥ ||
मैं आलसी और अल्पशक्ति हूँ , ठीक तरह से कर्त्याकर्त्तव्य का ज्ञान मुझ में नहीं है | इसलिए, शास्त्रों में भवसागर पार करने के तीन उपाय – कर्म , ज्ञान और भक्ति, वे मुझे तरण तारण करने में असमर्थ हैं |
Since, I am lazy, weak and ignorant, the three methods(karma, gyan and bhakti) of knowing thee described in religious texts, cannot avail me.
तथाप्यत्र प्रवृत्तिर्या त्वदाज्ञापालनं तु तत्।
ततोऽहमनुपायत्वात् कृपणोऽकिंचनोऽगतिः ।।
tathāpyatra pravṛttiryā tvadājñāpālanaṃ tu tat|
tato’hamanupāyatvāt kṛpaṇo’kiṃcano’gatiḥ ||
यद्यपि मैं कोई लाभ नहीं चाहता, फिर भी यहाँ जो भी कार्य करता हूँ, उसे आपकी आज्ञा का पालन मानता हूँ। मैं असहाय, निर्धन, दीन और असुरक्षित हूँ।
(Although I seek no gain), I regard any function I perform here (I regard as) in obedience to thy bidding. I am helpless, (I am) poor, humble and unprotected.
छायामाश्रित्य वर्तेऽहं त्वदीयां तापहारिणीम्।
निरुपाधिः स्वतन्त्रा च स्वामिनी नः कृपानिधिः ।।
त्वमेव सर्वशास्रेषु शरणत्वेन गीयसे।
chāyāmāśritya varte’haṃ tvadīyāṃ tāpahāriṇīm|
nirupādhiḥ svatantrā ca svāminī naḥ kṛpānidhiḥ ||
tvameva sarvaśāsreṣu śaraṇatvena gīyase|
हे मात:! मैं केवल ताप हारिणि आपकी कृपा का आश्रय लेकर जी रहा हूँ | उपाधि रहित, असीमित, हम सभी की संप्रभु स्वामिनी और करुणा का सहारा, आप ही एकमात्र शरण हैं| समस्त शास्त्रों में शरण प्रदातृत्व रूप में आपका गान किया गया है |
My only means of survival is by sheltering under thy cooling shadow. O unlimited, sovereign mistress of us all and resort of compassion, every scripture sings that thou art the sole refuge.
आत्मात्मीयं च यत्किंचिद् दुस्त्यजं दुर्भरं मतम् ।।
तत् सर्वं तव विन्यस्तं शुभयोः पादपद्मयोः.
उपेयायास्तव प्राप्त्यै त्वामुपायं तथा वृणे ।।
ātmātmīyaṃ ca yatkiṃcid dustyajaṃ durbharaṃ matam ||
tat sarvaṃ tava vinyastaṃ śubhayoḥ pādapadmayoḥ.
upeyāyāstava prāptyai tvāmupāyaṃ tathā vṛṇe ||
मैं स्वयं और जो मेरा है, जो सर्वथा दुस्त्यज है और जो दुर्भर है, हे मात: ! आत्मा आत्मीय वह रूप से सब मैंने आपके कल्याणकारी चरणों में समर्पित कर दिया है | आप ही समस्त आध्यात्मिक साधनों का निर्धारित लक्ष्य हैं,और उस तक पहुँचने के लिए मैं आपको ही एकमात्र साधन मानता हूँ।
Whatever is considered challenging to relinquish or an onerous burden to carry, such as the self and whatever belongs to the self, I have placed at thy auspicious lotus feet. To approach thee, who art the goal envisaged by all methods of spiritual endeavour, I accept thee as the only means. I ask you to help me find the means to attain you.
उपायो भव मे देवि शरणं भव मेऽम्बुजे।
प्लुष्य मेदुरितं सर्वं पुष्य मे त्वद्गतां धियम् ।।
upāyo bhava me devi śaraṇaṃ bhava me’mbuje|
pluṣya meduritaṃ sarvaṃ puṣya me tvadgatāṃ dhiyam ||
अतः हे देवी, आप मेरा उपाय बनो | हे अम्बुजे ! आप मुझे शरण प्रदान करें, मेरा समस्त पाप नष्ट करें | जिस प्रकार मेरी बुद्धि आपकी शरण में बनी रहे मेरी इस प्रकार की बुद्धि को और अधिक पुष्ट करें |
O Lotus-born Goddess, deign to aid and protect me. All my sins be scorched away, and my intellect, focussed on thee, be invigorated.
Here is a beautiful meditation on the (portion) of the prayer by Swami ji, and which also appears in Black Lotus app.