Stotra Ratna
Rajput painting of Vishnu upon Garuda.
Information
ReligionHinduism
AuthorYamunacharya
LanguageSanskrit
Verses65

The Stotra Ratna (Sanskrit: स्तोत्ररत्नम्, romanized: Stotraratnam), also rendered the Alavandarstotra,[1] is a Sanskrit work of Hindu literature written by the Sri Vaishnava philosopher Yamunacharya.[2] The hymn consists of sixty-five stanzas that extol the deity Vishnu.[3]

Etymology

The title of the work consists of the Sanskrit terms stotra (hymn) and ratnam (jewel), therefore literally meaning, 'the jewel of hymns'.[4]

Description

The main theme of the Stotra Ratna is prapatti, the concept of total surrender to God.[5] In the first few verses, the author pays tribute to his teachers. The subsequent verses establish the supremacy of Vishnu and his accessibility to his devotees, to whom he is referred to as a saviour. Yamunacharya offers his surrender to Vishnu, indicating that even simple acts of service such as offering salutations are effective to his worship. He states that divine mercy would be offered to all those who undertake the path of prapatti, also describing it to be the only means of attaining salvation. The relief of the author in entrusting his burdens to Vishnu and seeking the forgiveness of the deity is also a theme of the work. Vishnu is described to be the source of the power of Brahma and Shiva in the hymn, regarded to perform the functions of creation, preservation, as well as destruction. His consort, Lakshmi, is eulogised as the source of prosperity of the universe. The work is described to disseminate the central tenets of the philosophy of Vishishtadvaita.[6] The hymn also describes Vaikuntha, the abode of Vishnu, and the author's desire to witness the cosmic form of the deity in this realm.[7] The closing line of the hymn describes Yamunacharya requesting Vishnu to look upon him kindly despite his wrongdoings, citing his relationship with his grandfather, the saint Nathamuni.[8]

Yamunacharya is regarded to have been influenced by the hymns of the poet-saints called the Alvars. He pays homage to Nammalvar at the outset of this work.[9]

Murti of Yamunacharya.

Hymns

The ninth hymn of this work glorifies the attributes of Vishnu:[10]

kah srih sriyah parama-sattva-samasrayah kah
kah pundarika-nayanah purushottamah kah
kasyaytutayuta-sataika-kalamsakamse
visvam vicitra-cid-acit-pravibhaga-vrittam

Who is the splendor of the goddess of fortune? Who is the shelter of the pure devotees? Who has handsome lotus-eyes? Who is the Supreme Person? In a fraction of a fraction of a hundred-million-millionth part of whom is this world, filled with wonderful spiritual and material variety, manifested?

— Stotra Ratna, Verse 9

The thirty-eighth hymn of the work mentions Garuda, the vahana (mount) of the deity:[11]

dasah sakha vahanam asanam dhvajo
yas te vitanam vyajanam trayimayah
upasthitam tena puro garutmata
tvad-anghri-sammarda-kinanka-sobhina

O Lord before whom stands Garuda, who bears Your splendid footprints, and who is Your servant, friend, carrier, throne, flag, canopy, fan, and three Vedas

— Stotra Ratna, Verse 38

See also

References

  1. ↑ Sharma, Chandradhar (2000). A Critical Survey of Indian Philosophy. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. p. 401. ISBN 978-81-208-0365-7.
  2. ↑ Pintchman, T.; Sherma, R. (2011-08-29). Woman and Goddess in Hinduism: Reinterpretations and Re-envisionings. Springer. p. 179. ISBN 978-0-230-11992-5.
  3. ↑ Dasgupta, Surendranath (1991). A History of Indian Philosophy. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. p. 99. ISBN 978-81-208-0414-2.
  4. ↑ Carman, John; Narayanan, Vasudha (1989-05-16). The Tamil Veda: Pillan's Interpretation of the Tiruvaymoli. University of Chicago Press. p. 314. ISBN 978-0-226-09306-2.
  5. ↑ Raman, Srilata (2007-01-24). Self-Surrender (prapatti) to God in Shrivaishnavism: Tamil Cats Or Sanskrit Monkeys?. Routledge. p. 48. ISBN 978-1-134-16538-4.
  6. ↑ Narasimhachary, M. Contribution Of Yāmunācārya To Viśiṣṭādvaita. pp. 62–69.
  7. ↑ Tapasyananda, Swami (2019-12-18). Bhakti Schools of Vedānta: (Lives and Philosophies of Rāmānuja, Nimbārka, Madhva, Vallabha and Caitanya). Sri Ramakrishna Math. p. 144.
  8. ↑ Nayar, Nancy Ann (1992). Poetry as Theology: The Śrīvaiṣṇava Stotra in the Age of Rāmānuja. Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. p. 92. ISBN 978-3-447-03255-1.
  9. ↑ Chari, S. M. Srinivasa (1997). Philosophy and Theistic Mysticism of the Āl̲vārs. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. p. 235. ISBN 978-81-208-1342-7.
  10. ↑ Yamunacharya. Complete Works Of Yamunacharya (English). p. 346.
  11. ↑ Yamunacharya. Complete Works Of Yamunacharya (English).
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