Kanakadhara Stotram in Sanskrit, English with Meaning

Kanakadhara Stotram

अङ्गं हरेः पुलकभूषणमाश्रयन्ती
भृङ्गाङ्गनेव मुकुलाभरणं तमालम् ।
अङ्गीकृताखिलविभूतिरपाङ्गलीला
माङ्गल्यदास्तु मम मङ्गळदेवतायाः ॥ १॥

aṅgaṃ hareḥ pulakabhūṣaṇamāśrayantī
bhṛṅgāṅganeva mukulābharaṇaṃ tamālam .
aṅgīkṛtākhilavibhūtirapāṅgalīlā
māṅgalyadāstu mama maṅgal̤adevatāyāḥ .. 1..

To the Hari who wears supreme happiness as ornament,the goddess Lakshmi is attracted like the black bees getting attracted to the unopened buds of black Tamala tree, let her who is the goddess of all good things, grant me a glance that will bring prosperity.

मुग्धा मुहुर्विदधती वदने मुरारेः
प्रेमत्रपाप्रणिहितानि गतागतानि ।
माला दृशोर्मधुकरीव महोत्पले या
सा मे श्रियं दिशतु सागरसम्भवायाः ॥ २॥

mugdhā muhurvidadhatī vadane murāreḥ
prematrapāpraṇihitāni gatāgatāni .
mālā dṛśormadhukarīva mahotpale yā
sā me śriyaṃ diśatu sāgarasambhavāyāḥ .. 2..

The shy glances filled with hesitation and love of her who is born to the ocean of milk, again and again return to the face of Murari, like the honey bees return to the pretty blue lotus. Let those glances shower me with wealth.

आमीलिताक्षमधिगम्य मुदा मुकुन्दं
आनन्दकन्दमनिमेषमनङ्गतन्त्रम् ।
आकेकरस्थितकनीनिकपक्ष्मनेत्रं
भूत्यै भवेन्मम भुजङ्गशयाङ्गनायाः ॥ ३॥

āmīlitākṣamadhigamya mudā mukundaṃ
ānandakandamanimeṣamanaṅgatantram .
ākekarasthitakanīnikapakṣmanetraṃ
bhūtyai bhavenmama bhujaṅgaśayāṅganāyāḥ .. 3..

Goddess Lakshmi with happiness, shyness, love has her gaze fixed on her lord who has his eyes closed in ecstasy. Let her, who is the wife of Him who sleeps on the snake, shower me with wealth.

बाह्वन्तरे मधुजितः श्रितकौस्तुभे या
हारावलीव हरिनीलमयी विभाति ।
कामप्रदा भगवतोऽपि कटाक्षमाला
कल्याणमावहतु मे कमलालयायाः ॥ ४॥

bāhvantare madhujitaḥ śritakaustubhe yā
hārāvalīva harinīlamayī vibhāti .
kāmapradā bhagavato’pi kaṭākṣamālā
kalyāṇamāvahatu me kamalālayāyāḥ .. 4..

He who has won over Madhu (Lord Vishnu), wears the Kousthuba as ornament. He also wears the garland of goddess Lakshmi’s glances which are like the blue Indraneela, filled with love to protect and are capable of fulfilling all the wishes
of the lord himself. May these also fall on me and grant me all that is good.

कालाम्बुदाळिललितोरसि कैटभारेः
धाराधरे स्फुरति या तडिदङ्गनेव ।
मातुस्समस्तजगतां महनीयमूर्तिः
भद्राणि मे दिशतु भार्गवनन्दनायाः ॥ ५॥

kālāmbudāl̤ilalitorasi kaiṭabhāreḥ
dhārādhare sphurati yā taḍidaṅganeva .
mātussamastajagatāṃ mahanīyamūrtiḥ
bhadrāṇi me diśatu bhārgavanandanāyāḥ .. 5..

Like the streak of lightning illuminating the dark black clouds, Mahalakshmi is shining on the dark , broad chest of Vishnu – the one who killed Kaidaba. Let the eyes of this great mother of the entire universe, the daughter of Sage Bharghava, fall on me and bring me prosperity.

प्राप्तं पदं प्रथमतः खलु यत्प्रभावान्-
माङ्गल्यभाजि मधुमाथिनि मन्मथेन ।
मय्यापतेत्तदिह मन्थरमीक्षणार्धं
मन्दालसं च मकरालयकन्यकायाः ॥ ६॥

prāptaṃ padaṃ prathamataḥ khalu yatprabhāvān-
māṅgalyabhāji madhumāthini manmathena .
mayyāpatettadiha mantharamīkṣaṇārdhaṃ
mandālasaṃ ca makarālayakanyakāyāḥ .. 6..

The god of love Manmatha could reach Madhusudana the killer of demon Madhu only because of Her kind glances loaded with love and blessing. Let that auspicious and indolent side glance fall on me.

विश्वामरेन्द्रपदविभ्रमदानदक्षं
आनन्दहेतुरधिकं मुरविद्विषोऽपि ।
ईषन्निषीदतु मयि क्षणमीक्षणार्ध-
मिन्दीवरोदरसहोदरमिन्दिरायाः ॥ ७॥

viśvāmarendrapadavibhramadānadakṣaṃ
ānandaheturadhikaṃ muravidviṣo’pi .
īṣanniṣīdatu mayi kṣaṇamīkṣaṇārdha-
mindīvarodarasahodaramindirāyāḥ .. 7..

A momentary glance from the goddess is enough to make one as king of Devas in this world. It made Indra regain his kingdom. It has made Madhusudana supremely happy. May her blue lotus eyes glance at me for a moment.

इष्टा विशिष्टमतयोऽपि यया दयार्द्र
दृष्ट्या त्रिविष्टपपदं सुलभं लभन्ते ।
दृष्टिः प्रहृष्टकमलोदरदीप्तिरिष्टां
पुष्टिं कृषीष्ट मम पुष्करविष्टरायाः ॥ ८॥

iṣṭā viśiṣṭamatayo’pi yayā dayārdra
dṛṣṭyā triviṣṭapapadaṃ sulabhaṃ labhante .
dṛṣṭiḥ prahṛṣṭakamalodaradīptiriṣṭāṃ
puṣṭiṃ kṛṣīṣṭa mama puṣkaraviṣṭarāyāḥ .. 8..

To her devotees and those who are great, grants she a place in heaven which is difficult to attain, just by a compassion filled look. Let her sparkling eyes which are like the fully opened lotus fall on me and grant me all my desires.

दद्याद्दयानुपवनो द्रविणाम्बुधारां
अस्मिन्नकिञ्चनविहङ्गशिशौ विषण्णे ।
दुष्कर्मघर्ममपनीय चिराय दूरं
नारायणप्रणयिनीनयनाम्बुवाहः ॥ ९॥

dadyāddayānupavano draviṇāmbudhārāṃ
asminnakiñcanavihaṅgaśiśau viṣaṇṇe .
duṣkarmagharmamapanīya cirāya dūraṃ
nārāyaṇapraṇayinīnayanāmbuvāhaḥ .. 9..

Like how the wind helps release the rain on the parched land and quench thirst of the Chataka bird, like that drive away my load of sins Oh, darling of Narayana by the glance from your cloud like dark eyes.

धीर्देवतेति गरुडध्वजसुन्दरीति
शाकम्भरीति शशिशेखरवल्लभेति ।
सृष्टिस्थितिप्रलयकेलिषु संस्थितायै
तस्यै नमस्त्रिभुवनैकगुरोस्तरुण्यै ॥ १०॥

dhīrdevateti garuḍadhvajasundarīti
śākambharīti śaśiśekharavallabheti .
sṛṣṭisthitipralayakeliṣu saṃsthitāyai
tasyai namastribhuvanaikagurostaruṇyai .. 10..

She is the preceptor of all three worlds. She is variously known the goddess of Knowledge, the consort of Vishnu who has Garuda as flag, the power that causes death at time of deluge and she is the wife of Him who has the crescent. She does the creation, upkeep and destruction. My salutations to her.

श्रुत्यै नमोऽस्तु शुभकर्मफलप्रसूत्यै
रत्यै नमोऽस्तु रमणीयगुणार्णवायै ।
शक्त्यै नमोऽस्तु शतपत्रनिकेतनायै
पुष्ट्यै नमोऽस्तु पुरुषोत्तमवल्लभायै ॥ ११॥

śrutyai namo’stu śubhakarmaphalaprasūtyai
ratyai namo’stu ramaṇīyaguṇārṇavāyai .
śaktyai namo’stu śatapatraniketanāyai
puṣṭyai namo’stu puruṣottamavallabhāyai .. 11..

Salutations to you, the very manifestation of the Vedas which gives rise to good actions. Beautiful like Rathi you are the ocean of the most beautiful qualities. Salutation to you as Shakthi ,who lives in the hundred petalled lotus. Salutations to you who is goddess of plenty and is the consort of Purushottama.

नमोऽस्तु नालीकनिभाननायै
नमोऽस्तु दुग्धोदधिजन्मभूम्यै ।
नमोऽस्तु सोमामृतसोदरायै
नमोऽस्तु नारायणवल्लभायै ॥ १२॥

namo’stu nālīkanibhānanāyai
namo’stu dugdhodadhijanmabhūmyai .
namo’stu somāmṛtasodarāyai
namo’stu nārāyaṇavallabhāyai .. 12..

Salutations to her who is as pretty as the lotus in full bloom. Salutations to her who is born from ocean of milk. Salutations to the sister of nectar and the moon. Salutations to the consort of Narayana.

नमोऽस्तु हेमाम्बुजपीठिकायै
नमोऽस्तु भूमण्डलनायिकायै ।
नमोऽस्तु देवादिदयापरायै
नमोऽस्तु शार्ङ्गायुधवल्लभायै ॥ १३॥

namo’stu hemāmbujapīṭhikāyai
namo’stu bhūmaṇḍalanāyikāyai .
namo’stu devādidayāparāyai
namo’stu śārṅgāyudhavallabhāyai .. 13..

Salutations to her who has the golden lotus as seat. Salutations to her who is the leader of the universe. Salutations to her who showers mercy on devas. And salutations to the consort of Him who has the bow called Saranga.

नमोऽस्तु देव्यै भृगुनन्दनायै
नमोऽस्तु विष्णोरुरसि स्थितायै ।
नमोऽस्तु लक्ष्म्यै कमलालयायै
नमोऽस्तु दामोदरवल्लभायै ॥ १४॥

namo’stu devyai bhṛgunandanāyai
namo’stu viṣṇorurasi sthitāyai .
namo’stu lakṣmyai kamalālayāyai
namo’stu dāmodaravallabhāyai .. 14..

Salutations to her who is daughter of Bhrigu, who adorns the broad chest of Vishnu. Salutations to Goddess Lakshmi who lives in a lotus and saluations to her who is the consort of Damodhara.

नमोऽस्तु कान्त्यै कमलेक्षणायै
नमोऽस्तु भूत्यै भुवनप्रसूत्यै ।
नमोऽस्तु देवादिभिरर्चितायै
नमोऽस्तु नन्दात्मजवल्लभायै ॥ १५॥

namo’stu kāntyai kamalekṣaṇāyai
namo’stu bhūtyai bhuvanaprasūtyai .
namo’stu devādibhirarcitāyai
namo’stu nandātmajavallabhāyai .. 15..

Salutations to her who is light living in lotus flower. Salutations to her who is the earth and also mother of earth. Salutations to her who is worshipped by devas. And salutations to her who is the consort of the son of Nanda.

सम्पत्कराणि सकलेन्द्रियनन्दनानि
साम्राज्यदानविभवानि सरोरुहाक्षि ।
त्वद्वन्दनानि दुरिताहरणोद्यतानि
मामेव मातरनिशं कलयन्तु मान्ये ॥ १६॥

sampatkarāṇi sakalendriyanandanāni
sāmrājyadānavibhavāni saroruhākṣi .
tvadvandanāni duritāharaṇodyatāni
māmeva mātaraniśaṃ kalayantu mānye .. 16..

Giver of wealth, giver of pleasures to all senses, giver of the right to rule kingdoms. Worshipping you lotus eyed goddess who removes all miseries My salutations to you mother.

यत्कटाक्षसमुपासनाविधिः
सेवकस्य सकलार्थसम्पदः ।
सन्तनोति वचनाङ्गमानसैः
त्वां मुरारिहृदयेश्वरीं भजे ॥ १७॥

yatkaṭākṣasamupāsanāvidhiḥ
sevakasya sakalārthasampadaḥ .
santanoti vacanāṅgamānasaiḥ
tvāṃ murārihṛdayeśvarīṃ bhaje .. 17..

He who worships your sidelong glances is blessed with wealth and prosperity. My salutations through word, thought and deed to the queen of the heart of my Lord Murari.

सरसिजनिलये सरोजहस्ते
धवळतमांशुकगन्धमाल्यशोभे ।
भगवति हरिवल्लभे मनोज्ञे
त्रिभुवनभूतिकरि प्रसीद मह्यम् ॥ १८॥

sarasijanilaye sarojahaste
dhaval̤atamāṃśukagandhamālyaśobhe .
bhagavati harivallabhe manojñe
tribhuvanabhūtikari prasīda mahyam .. 18..

She who sits on the lotus with a lotus in her hands, dressed in dazzling white, adorned with garlands and sandal paste, the goddess who is the consort of Hari, gladdens our mind. She who confers prosperity on the three worlds, please show compassion towards me.

दिग्घस्तिभिः कनककुम्भमुखावसृष्ट
स्वर्वाहिनी विमलचारुजलप्लुताङ्गीम् ।
प्रातर्नमामि जगतां जननीमशेष
लोकाधिनाथगृहिणीममृताब्धिपुत्रीम् ॥ १९॥

digghastibhiḥ kanakakumbhamukhāvasṛṣṭa
svarvāhinī vimalacārujalaplutāṅgīm .
prātarnamāmi jagatāṃ jananīmaśeṣa
lokādhināthagṛhiṇīmamṛtābdhiputrīm .. 19..

The eight celestial elephants guarding various directions bathe you everyday with waters of the holy Ganga poured out from golden vessels.
My salutations to you, the mother of all worlds, consort of the lord of worlds and daughter of the ocean which gave nectar.

कमले कमलाक्षवल्लभे त्वं
करुणापूरतरङ्गितैरपाङ्गैः ।
अवलोकय मामकिञ्चनानां
प्रथमं पात्रमकृत्रिमं दयायाः ॥ २०॥

kamale kamalākṣavallabhe tvaṃ
karuṇāpūrataraṅgitairapāṅgaiḥ .
avalokaya māmakiñcanānāṃ
prathamaṃ pātramakṛtrimaṃ dayāyāḥ .. 20..

She who is the lotus and is the consort of the lord with lotus like eyes, direct your gaze filled with mercy at me who is the poorest of the poor. First make me the vessel to receive your pity and compassion.

देवि प्रसीद जगदीश्वरि लोकमातः
कल्यानगात्रि कमलेक्षणजीवनाथे ।
दारिद्र्यभीतिहृदयं शरणागतं मां
आलोकय प्रतिदिनं सदयैरपाङ्गैः ॥ २१॥

devi prasīda jagadīśvari lokamātaḥ
kalyānagātri kamalekṣaṇajīvanāthe .
dāridryabhītihṛdayaṃ śaraṇāgataṃ māṃ
ālokaya pratidinaṃ sadayairapāṅgaiḥ .. 21..

She who is the controller of the universe and protector of people, bless me with your lotus eyed gazes and your limbs. My heart is filled with fear of poverty. O compassionate one, forgive me and watch over me everyday.

स्तुवन्ति ये स्तुतिभिरमूभिरन्वहं
त्रयीमयीं त्रिभुवनमातरं रमाम् ।
गुणाधिका गुरुतरभाग्यभागिनो
भवन्ति ते भुवि बुधभाविताशयाः ॥ २२॥

stuvanti ye stutibhiramūbhiranvahaṃ
trayīmayīṃ tribhuvanamātaraṃ ramām .
guṇādhikā gurutarabhāgyabhāgino
bhavanti te bhuvi budhabhāvitāśayāḥ .. 22..

The one who offers these prayers daily to her who is the personification of the Vedas, who is the mother of all the three worlds, who is goddess Rema (Lakshmi), will undoubtedly be blessed with good qualities, with great fortunes and he would live in this world with great recognition even from the wise.

॥ इति श्रीमद् शङ्कराचार्यकृत
श्री कनकधारास्तोत्रं सम्पूर्णम् ॥

.. iti śrīmad śaṅkarācāryakṛta
śrī kanakadhārāstotraṃ sampūrṇam ..

Description

Kanakadhara Stotram is a hymn (Stotra) composed in Sanskrit by Sri Adi Sankaracharya. Kanakadhārā means “stream” (dhārā) of “gold” (kanaka), and the hymn is called by this name since legend has it that when Adi Sankara recited it, Goddess Lakshmi appeared in front of him and unleashed a stream of gold. The hymn contains a description of the beauty, personality, power and graciousness of Goddess Lakshmi.

Chanting the powerful Stotram can help eliminate poverty and brings happiness. Chanting the Stotram with full devotion can elevate people to a higher level of spiritual consciousness and shift one’s perspective on life. The Stotram helps push away negative energy and allows people to use spiritual teachings in their daily lives.

Signficance of Kanakadhara Stotram
One day, as a young boy, the little Shankara was on bhiksha for alms to prepare his lunch and happened upon the doorstep of a very poor Brahmin lady. Having nothing edible in her home, the lady frantically searched her house, only to find a single amla (Amalak, gooseberry) fruit which she then hesitantly offered to Sankara. Sankara was so moved by the incredible kindness and selflessness of this woman that he burst forth into poetry and sang 22 stanzas in praise of Goddess Lakshmi. Pleased by the beauty and power of the hymn, the Goddess appeared before him and asked him why he had remembered her. Sankara pleaded with the Goddess to reverse the fortunes of this lady’s family by granting her riches. At first, Goddess Lakshmi refused to do so, saying that the lady had not been charitable in her previous birth and was bound by the laws of karma to have a fate bound to poverty in her current birth. Sankara implored the Goddess that the lady’s act of absolute selflessness should absolve her of her sins of the past and that Lakshmi was the only one capable of changing the fate of someone by erasing or changing the writings of the future made by Lord Brahma. Goddess Lakshmi was so pleased that she instantly showered the lady’s house with goose berries (amla) made of pure gold.

The stanza that contains the purport of Śaṅkara’s imploration to Goddess Lakshmi is among the most important ones in this hymn:

दद्याद् दयानुपवनो द्रविणाम्बुधाराम्
dadyād dayānupavano draviṇāmbudhārām
अस्मिन्नकिञ्चनविहङ्गशिशौ विषण्णे ।
asminnakiñcanavihaṅgaśiśau viṣaṇṇe
दुष्कर्मघर्ममपनीय चिराय दूरं
duṣkarmagharmamapanīya cirāya dūraṃ
नारायणप्रणयिनीनयनाम्बुवाहः ॥
nārāyaṇapraṇayinīnayanāmbuvāhaḥ

May She (Goddess Lakshmi) bestow (upon us) a stream of wealth through the wind of her mercy,
For I, utterly destitute and downcast by poverty, am as helpless as the newborn child of a bird,
May She (Goddess Lakshmi) remove forever the heat I suffer due to the sins of my past,
O, beloved of Narayana, may your eyes rain upon me (the shower of your mercy.)

The 21 stanzas of kanakadhārā stotram then became famous and are read by all devout Hindus for wellbeing.

Kanakadhara Stotram Audio in male voice

Other Lakshmi Shlokams

Kanakadhara Stotram – Lakshmi – In Sanskrit with English Transliteration, Translation and Meaning. Commentary for selected Shlokams.