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Artihara stotram by Sri Sridhara Venkatesa.

This is a short poem consisting of nine verses. Herein the poet prays to Lord Siva to remove the afflictions of the devotee. He asks if it is alright for the Lord not to respond to his prayers when He is reputed to protect those who even think of Him. Then he says that he is just the opposite of the Lord who is omnipotent and omniscient in that he is a weakling and ignoramus. How is it, he asks, that Lord has not taken pity on him. These verses are very moving in their appeal. The poem is a precious gem and the reader would like to add it to the collection of hymns they recite during their prayer.

|| atha Artiharastotram ||

shrii sha.nbho mayi karuNAshishirA.n dR^iShTi.n dishan sudhAvR^iShTim. santApamapAkurume mantAparamesha tava dayAyAH syAm || 1|| avasiidAmi yadArtibhiranuguNamidamokaso.nhasA.n khalu me. tava sannavasiidAmi yadantakashAsana natattavAnuguNam || 2|| deva smara.nti tava yeteShA.n smarato.api nArtiritikiirtim. kalayasi shiva pAhItikrandan sIdAmyaha.n kimuchitamidam || 3|| AdishyAghakR^itau mAmantaryAminnasAvaghAtmeti. ArtiShumajjayase mA.n ki.nbruuyA.n tavakR^ipaikapAtramaham || 4|| mandAgrNIraha.n tava mayi karuNA.n ghaTayitu.n vibonAlam. AkR^iShTu.n tAntu balAdalamiha maddainyamiti samAshvasiti || 5|| tva.n sarvaj~no.aha.n punaraj~no.anIshohamIshvaratvamasi. tva.n mayi doShAn gaNayasi ki.n kathaye tudati ki.n dayA natvAm || 6|| AshritamArtatara.n mAmupexase kimiti shiva na ki.n dayase. shritagoptA dInArtihR^iditi khalu sha.nsa.nti jagati santastvAm || 7|| praharAharetivAdI phaNitamadAkhya iti pAlito bhavatA. shiva pAhIti vado.aha.n shR^ito na ki.n kvA.n katha.n na pAlyaste || 8|| sharaNa.n vraja shivamArtIssatava harediti satA.n girA.aham tvAm. sharaNa.n gato.asmi pAlaya khalamapi teShvIsha paxapAtAnmAm || 9|| iti shrI shrIdharave.nkaTeshAryakR^itiShu Artiharastotra.n sa.npuurNam ||