Shyamala Dandakam

by Kalidasa

Manikhya veenaam upalalayanthim,
Madalasam manjula vaag vilasam,
Mahendra Neela dhyuthi komalangim,
Mathanga kanyam manasa smarami.
I meditate on the daughter of Matanga,
Who plays the veena made of precious gems,
Who has become lazy due to her exuberance,
Who is blessed with very sweet words,
Who has a pretty mien which shines like the blue gem.
Chathurbhuje Chandra kala vathamse, 
Kuchonnathe kumkuma raga sone,
Pundrekshu pasangusa pushpa bana,
Hasthe namasthe jagadaika matha,
My salutations to that mother of universe,
Who has four hands,
Who wears the crescent as an ornament,
Who has very high breasts,
Who is of the colour of saffron,
And who holds flower, sugar cane, rope, arrow,
The goad and pundareeka in her hands.
Matha marakatha shyama, Mathangi madha shalini,
Kuryath kadaksham kalyani kadambha vana vasini, 
Please bless me with a side long glance,
Oh daughter of sage Mathanga,
Who is my mother,
Who is as green as an emerald,
Who is exuberant,
Who blesses with all that is good,
And who lives in the forest of Kadambha
Jaya Mathanga thanaye, Jaya Neelolpala dhyuthe,
Jaya Sangeetha rasike, Jaya Leela shuka priye, 
Victory to the daughter of Mathanga,
Victory to her who resembles Neelothphala flowers,
Victory to her who enjoys music,
Victory to her who likes the playful parrot.
Dandakam Jaya janani, sudha samudranthar udhuyanmani 
dheepa samrooda vilwadavi Madhya Kalpadhruma
kalpa kadambha vasa priye, krithivasa priye, sarva loka priye.
Victory to the Mother
Who is interested always in living in the forest of Kadamba trees
which are similar to the wish giving Kalapaka trees
and which is in the forest of Vilwa trees and
which is situated in the gem island in the sea of nectar,
Who is the consort of Lord Shiva,
Who is the darling of all the world,
Sadararabdha sangeetha sambhavana a sambhrama lola
neepasraga badha chooli sanadathrike, Sanumath puthrike,
Who has her posterior decorated by her dancing hair which has been freed by the raising crescendo of the soulful music, Who is the daughter of the mountain,
Shekhari bhootha sheethamsu leka mayookhavalibadha
susnigdha neelaalaka sreni sringarithe,
Loka Sambhavithe,
Who is extremely pretty with her bluish black hair curls
which shine due to the light emanating from the cold crescent
which she wears on her head,
Who is respected by all the world,
Kama leela dhanusannibha brullatha pushpa
sandoha sandeha krullochane, Vak sudha sechane,
Who has eye lashes which resemble the flower arrows
coming from the playful bow of the God of love,
Who cools down the universe with nectar like words,
Charu gorchana panga keli lalabhirame, surame, rame,
Who is very pretty with her Tilak made of musk,
Who makes all the world happy,
Who is Rama, the goddess Lakshmi,
Prollasad valika moukthika srenika chandrika
mandalothbhasi lavanya gandasthalanyatha
kasthurika pathra rekha samudbhootha sourabhya
sambhrantha brungangana geetha santhree
bhavan mantra thanthreesware, Susware, Bhasware,
Who is with the charming sound of Veena
mixed with appropriate beats,
strengthened by the several bees,
which rush towards the incenses of the marks of musk
made on her pretty necks and the light
emanating from the ornaments
she wears in her ears made of very precious gems
which put to shame the light of the universe of the moon,
Who has very pleasing musical voice,
Who shines with her very pretty features,
Vallaki vadana prakriya lola thali dhala badha
thadanga bhoosha viseshanwithe, Sidha sammanithe,
Who wears the ear ornaments made of palm leaves
when she plays the musical instrument called Vallaki,
Who is recognized by great sages,
Divya halamadho dwelahelala sachakshurandholana
sri samakshiptha karanaika neelothphale,
poorithasesha lokapi vanchapale, sreephale
Who wears ear studs made of neelothphala flowers,
whose shine is more than the light of her divine glances
that emanate from her very pretty eyes
which are red coloured because of the divine alcoholic spirits drunk by her,
Who grants all wishes for all people of the world,
Who grants wealth and happiness
Sweda bindulla sathphala lavanya nishyandha
sandhoha sandeha krunnasika moukthike,
Sarva viswathmike, Kalike,
Who has nose rings, which makes one wonder
whether it is made by the perspiration on her pretty forehead
which has flown down from there and crystallized on her nose,
Who is the soul of all the world,
Who also assumes the form of Kali,
Mugdha mandasmithodhara vyaktha sphural pooga
thamboola karpoora gandolkare, Jnana mudhrakare,
Sarvasampathkare, Padmabaswathkare, Sreekare,
Who has a pretty face which easily showers smiles and
which is made by prettier by the areca nut,
Thamboola and camphor in her mouth,
Who shows the symbol of jnana(wisdom)
Who has all types of wealth,
Who holds the lotus flower in her hand,
Who grants good blessings,
Kunda pushpa dhyuthi snigdha dantha vali nirmala lola kallola, 
Sammelanasmera sona dhare, Charu veena dhare,
Pakwa bimbha dhare,
Who is having the soft sweet reddish smile
which comes in waves from the very pretty set of teeth with its white shine
similar to the garland made of white jasmine buds,
Who holds in her hand the pretty Veena,
Who is having reddish lips like the Bimba fruits,
Sulalithayouanarambha chandrayodhvela 
lavanya dughdarnawavir
bhava th kambhu bibhoka bruth kandhare,
Sathkala mandhire, Mandhare,
Who is having the bright white conch like neck
which has arisen from the ocean of milk at the time of high tide
that too at the moonrise of the very pretty new youth,
Who is the personification of all arts,
Who is voluptuous,
Divya rathna prabha banduhrachaanna haaradhi
bhoosha samudhyotha mananavadhyanga shobhe, Shubhe,
Who is having the total blemish less luster
created by her shining parts of the body
which are decorated by several garlands and ornaments
made by holy gems,
Who is the personification of all that is good,
Rathna keyura rasmi chada pallava prollasath
dhorlatha rajithe, Yogibhi poojithe,
Who is pretty because of her two arms which shine
like young tendrils decorated by the shining armlets
made of umpteen rathnas(gems),
Who is being worshiped by sages,
Viswa ding mandala vyapi manikhya theja 
spurath kankanalangruthe, Vibhramalankruthe,
Sadhubhi poojithe,
Who wears bangles, the light of whose gems spread all over the world,
Who is also very pretty because of all that she wears,
Who is worshiped by holy people,
Vasararambha vela samjrumbhamana aravinda 
prathi dwandwi panidwaye, Santhothdhyaddhaye, Adwaye,
Who has two hands which challenge in their beauty
the luster of newly opened lotus flowers at the rise of the sun,
Who always rains the shower of mercy,
Who is the one in whom there is no two,
Divyarathnormika dheethithi sthoma sandhyaya mananguli 
pala vodhyanna khendu prabha mandale,
Sannadha ghandale, Chith prabha mandale, Prollasath khundale,
Who has very pretty fingers which has the luster emanating from her nails and
which are decorated by several rings studded with very precious jewels
which is similar to the luster of the moon,
Who is worshiped byLord Indra, the king being of devas,
Who is surrounded the holy light of God emanating from the cit,
Who wears ear studs which have great luster,
Tharaka jala neekasa haraa valee smera
charu sthana bhoga bharanamanmadhya
vallee valee schedha veechi
samudhyath samullasa sandarsithakara soundarya rathna kare,
Vallevibruthkare, Kimkara sreekare,
Who is an ocean of beauty due to the three wave
like lines which are formed in her middle due to a slight bent
caused by her very attractive and heavy breasts
which are happily pretty due to the luster of several chains
that she wears which resemble a bevy of stars,
Who plays the sacred veena,
Who blesses her devotees with wealth,
Hemakumbhopamothunga vakshoja parava namre, Trilokavanamre,
Who has a look of humility due to the slight bent
caused by her very heavy golden breasts,
Who is being worshiped by all the people of all the three worlds,
Lasadvrutha gambheera nabhee sarastheera saivala
sangakara syama romavalee bhooshane, Manju sambhashane,
Who shines due to pretty greenish black hair
which appears like the thin row of water plants surrounding her lake
like deep,round and attractive belly button,
Who has a very attractive speech,
Charu sinchath kati soothra nirbarsthinanga leela
dhanu sinchineedambare, Divya rathnambare,
Who defeats the lovely sugarcane bow of the God of love
in arousing passionate love by just using the slight shake of her golden belt,
Who wears silk studded with gems,
Padmaraghollasanmekhala moukthi sreni shobajitha
swarna bhoo bruthale, Chandrika seethale,
Who by the shine of the diamond studded bells
which are tied to her golden belt and which lessen the beauty
of the greenish valley of the Mount Meru,
Who is as cool as the moon light,
Vikasitha navakimsuka thara divyamsuka channa charooru
shobha para bhootha sindhoora sonaya
manendra matanga hasthargale, Vaibhavan argale, Syamale,
Who has very pretty thighs hidden by the holy cloth
which is as red as the fully open flowers of palas tree
and which defeats the prettiness of the trunk of Iravatha
which has the pasting of a saffron coat,
Who has the ever flowing grace without hindrance emanating from her,
Who is a dark beauty,
Komala snighdha neelothpalothpaditha ananga thunnera
sangakare dara jangalathe, Charu leela gathe,
Who has very beautiful knee caps resembling
the quiver of the God of love,
which is shiningly pretty and made of dark flowers,
Who has very pretty feminine gait,
Namradik pala seemanthini kunthalasnighdha neela prabha
punja samjatha durvangurasangi saranga samyoga
ringanna khendujjwale, Projjwale, Nirmale,
Who has lustrous and the crescent like nails, which are bent and saluted by the wives of the eight lord of directions whose flowing hair is attracted by deer who think is as the luscious grass,
Who has a wholly lustrous mien,
Who is holy and pure,
Prahwa devesa lakshmeesa bhoothesa thoyesa 
vaneesa keenasa daithyesa yakshesa vayvagni koteera manikhya sangushta
bala thapodhama lakshara sarunya tharunya Lakshmi
graheethangri padme, Supadme, Ume,
Who has lotus like feet which shine in the light
emanating from the crowns of the bent head of Indra, Vishnu, Shiva,
Varuna, Brahma, Yama Niryathi, Vaisravana (God of wealth),
Vayu, and Agni, which because they are painted red by the plant extracts shines
like the reddish rising sun and which are the treasure house of youthful beauty,
Who holds lotus flower in her hands,
Who has the form of Parvathi,
Suruchira navarathna peeta sthithe, Susthithe, Rathna padmasane,
Rathna simhasane, Sankapadmadvayopasrithe, Vishruthe,
Who sits in the seat made of the nine precious gems,
Who sits prettily,
Who sits on the jeweled lotus flower,
Who sits on the jeweled throne,
Who is being sought by the Conch and the lotus flower,
Who is very famous,
Thathra vignesa durga vatu ksethra palairyuthe, 
Matha mathanga kanya samoohanvithe,
Bhairavair ashtabhir veshtithe,
Who is surrounded by Ganesa, Durga, Bhairava and Kshethra pala,
Who due to her ebbing youthful vigour shines
among the girls in the house of mathanga,
Who is surrounded by the eight Bhairavas,
Manjula menakadhyanga namanithe, Devi vamadhibhi shakthihi sevithe,
Mathurka mandalair mandithe,
Yaksha gandharwa sidhangana mandalair archithe,
Pancha banathmike, Pancha banenarathya cha sambhavithe,
Preethibhajaa vasanthena chaanandithe,
Who is being revered by the divine beauties like Manjula and Menaka,
Who is being served by Goddess Durga and Vama deva,
Who is with the eight divine mothers ,
Who is being worshiped by the yakshas, gandarwas and sidhas,
Who is the soul of the arrows of the God of love,
Who is being worshiped by Manmatha (God of love) and his wife Rathi devi,
Who is being worshipped in spring along with love,
Bhakthi baajam param sreyase, kalpase yoginaam manase dhyothase, 
Geetha vidhya vinodhati trushnena krishnena sampoojyase,
Bhakthimaschedasa vedhasa sthooyase,
Viswa hrudhyena vadhyena vidhyadharair gheeyase,
Who grants great fame to her devotees,
Who from the beginning of the world
is being meditated upon by sages,
Who is being worshipped by Lord Krishna,
a great expert in music,
Who becomes pleased by the power of Vedic chants,
Who is being worshiped by Lord Brahma with devotion,
Who is being worshiped by Vidhyadharas by soulful music made of pretty words,
Sravana harana dakshinakwanaya veenaya kinnarair gheeyase, 
Yaksha gandarwa sidhangana mandalair archyase,
Sarva soubhagya vanchavahirvadhudhir suranam samaradhyase,
Who is being praised by Kinaaras
accompanied by soulful music of the Veena,
Who is being worshipped by the women of Yaksha,
Gandharwa and Sidha clan,
Who is also being worshipped by all devas
with a deep wish to grant them all their desires,
Sarva Vidhya viseshathmakam, chadu gatha samuchaaranam, 
Kanda mulolla sadwarna raji thrayam,
Komala syamalo dhara paksha dwayam, 
Thunda shobhathi dhoori bhavath kisukam tham shukam,
Lalayanthi parikreedase,
Who pets and plays with that parrot which is the personification of all knowledge,
which keeps on singing pretty songs,
which has the shining three lines on its neck
in three different colours,
which shines with two wings of green colour,
which has shining beaks which are more pretty than the Kimsuka flowers,
Pani padmadwaye nakshamalamapi sphatikeem 
jnanasarathmakam pustakangusam pasa
bibrathiyena sanchinthyse,
tasya vakthrantharal gadya padyathmika bharathi nissareth,
Yena vaa yavaka bhakruitheer bavyase tasya vasya
bhavanthi sthriya purusha
yena vaa sathakumbhadyuthir bhavyase sopi
Lakshmi sahasarair parikreedathe,
Who when meditated upon as the one
who holds the crystal chain in one hand,
the knowledge filled book in another ,
and the goad and rope in other hands,
makes knowledge flow from the devotee's mouth
in the form of prose and poems,
Who when meditated upon as the one who has he reddish colour of dawn similar to the juice of red cotton, makes the devotee attractive to all males and females,
Who when meditated upon as the one who has a golden coloured body
grants the devotee all sort of wealth and makes him live happily,
Kinna sidhyedwapu shyamalam komalam Chandra
choodanwitham thavakam dhyatha thasya kelivanam
nandanam thasya bhadrasanam bhoothalam,
thasya gheer devatha kimkari thasya chajnakari sree swayam,
Who when meditated upon as prettily greenish lustrous form wearing a crescent on her head,
would grant all occult powers to the devotee and make him feel that the ocean is his pool for playing,
great gardens are his kitchen gardens, the entire earth appears as his seat,
Goddess Saraswati appears as his servant and
Goddess Lakshmi as the one obeys all his orders,
Sarva Theerthathmike, Sarva mantrathmike, Srava yantrathmike, 
Sarva shakthyathmike, Sarva peedathmike, Sarva thathwathmike,
Sarva vidhyathmike, Sarva yogathmike, Sarva nadathmike,
Sarva shabdathmike, Sarva viswathmike, Sarva vargathmike,
Sarva sarvathmike, Sarvage, Sarva roope, Jagan mathruke,
Pahi maam, Pahi Maam, Pahi maam, Devi thubhyam nama,
Devi Thubhyam nama. Devi thubhyam nama.
Who is the form of all sacred waters,
Who is the form of all holy chants to god,
Who is the form of all holy and sacred symbols
Who is the form of goddess of female principles,
Who is the form of all sacred platforms,
Who is the form of all philosophy,
Who is the form of all knowledge,
Who is the form of all yoga,
Who is the form of all musical sounds,
Who is the form of all sound,
Who is the form of all universes,
Who is the form of all divisions,
Who is the form of all souls,
Who is everything,
Who has all forms,
Who is the mother of the universe,

Please save me, pleases save me, Pleas save me,
Salutations to the holy goddess,
Salutations to the holy goddess,
Salutations to the holy goddess
Om.

Translated by P. R. Ramachander