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Pancharatna Stuti

Pancharatnastuti of Shri Appayya Dixita

Introduction

This short poem made of five gem like verses establishes the greatness of Lord Paramasiva based on the authority of the vedas and puranas. Sri Dixita had also written a commentary on the verses. It contains a systematic exposition of the theme of the poem (viz.) the supremacy of Paramasiva as parabrahman by a discussion of the many scriptural passages. It is a brilliant discussion by a great scholar.

Background

It seems that during his period there was much unseemly squabble between the adherents of Siva and Vishnu as to who was the greater of the two. Sri Dixita was saddened by this spectacle. It appears that some of the adherents of Vishnu went to the extent of condemning the Saivashastras as tamasic and Siva Himself as a jiva only. Sri Dixita was very much pained at all these happenings and was forced to espouse the other side (viz) supremacy of Siva. Even though in this poem the author argues to establish the supremacy of Lord Siva, it has to be emphasised that he had no bias towards Siva or Vishnu. He had mentioned this in many places in his works. His Hariharabedhastuti is an example of his attitude. In this stotra he praises both Lord Siva and Vishnu in each verse. In the last verse he says clearly that he sees no difference between them. It reads as follows.

vastA.n pisha~Nga.n vasana.n disho vA garutmatA yAtu kakudmatA vA |
nidrAtu vA nR^ityatu vA.adhira~Nge bhedo na me syAtparamasya dhAmnaH ||

In fact, he had composed Varadarajastava which shows his intense devition to Lord Vishnu. He had also written commentaries on Yadavabhyudayam of Sri Vedanta Desika. All these go to show his liberal mind. He was, in fact, a true advaitin.

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         .. pa~ncharatnastutiH ..
|| shrImadappayyadIxitasArvabhaaumaiH virachitA ||

bhUtasya jAta iti vAriruhAsanasya
jAto bR^ihanniti hareshcha janiH prasiddhA |
yasmAdajAta iti mantravaropadiShTA\-
tta.n rudrameva janitashchakitaH prapadye || 1||

uktvA prasUtimajashaurihareshvarANA.n
sa.nsUchya dIpakasahoktibhiranyanighnAm |
tA.n sa.nyadhArayadatarvashikhA hi yasya
ta.n sarvakAraNamanAdishiva.n prapadye || 2||

vedAnteShu prathamabhavana.n varNita.n yasya yAbhyA.n
tadvattasya prasavavachasA janma tatkhyApayitvA |
yasyaikasya sphuTamajanitA nishchitA kAraNasya
dhyAyAmasta.n janivihataye sha.nbhumAkAshamadhye || 3||

yadbhrUbha~NgaikavashyA vidhiharigirishakhyAtidAH shaktikoTyo
yadbhR^ityA devadevAH sakalabhuvanagAH sa.nniyachChanti vishvam |
yalli~Nga.n sarvadevAsuramanujamukhairarchyate vishvarUpa.n
tasmai nitya.n namasyA.n pravitanuta parabrahmaNe sha.nkarAya || 4||

Asya.n sUxma.n li~NgarUpatvali~Nga.n
syAdbrahmeshAnAkhyayaivAlpamAtram |
ityevenAvedayatsUtrakAro
ya.n brahmAkhya.n ta.n prapadye mahesham || 5||

iti shrImadappayyadIxitasArvabhaumaiH 
virachitA pa~ncharatnastutiH sa.npUrNA ||