Tripura Sundari Ashtakam is a stotra depicting eight verses relating to Tripura Sundari. Tripura Sundari possesses all the marks of beauty and all the qualities of perfection.
And is thus the source of bliss. Maha Tripura Sundari, who as Ishvara rules the world but is none other than the indwelling spirit within us and which pervades us all that exists.
According to the Sri kula tradition in Shaktism, Tripura Sundari is the foremost of the Mahavidyas, the highest aspect of Mahadevi, and also the primary goddess of Sri Vidya.
The Tripura Upanishad places her as the ultimate Shakti of the universe. According to the Tripura Upanishad, she holds the position of the supreme consciousness, ruling above Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.
The number sixteen is also associated with sixteen individualized aspects, Kalas, or sixteen phases of the moon Shodasha Kala. Hence, the wisdom of the ulnar digits is another name for this Vidya, known as Chandra-Kala-vidya.
Devi created all three forms, and she is before all because she is in the form of all the three and exists even after the dissolution of the three worlds and recreates them again.
The Brahmanda-Purana mentions that the Goddess Tripura Sundari rules over the entire universe as the supreme empress, and Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva function as mere functionaries in her empire.
Tripura Sundari Ashtakam Meaning
त्रिपुरसुन्दरीअष्टकम्
कदम्बवनचारिणीं मुनिकदम्बकादम्बिनीं
नितम्बजित भूधरां सुरनितम्बिनीसेविताम् ।
नवाम्बुरुहलोचनामभिनवाम्बुदश्यामलां
त्रिलोचनकुटुम्बिनीं त्रिपुरसुन्दरीमाश्रये ॥ १॥
kadambavanachaarineem munikadambakaadambineem
nitambajita bhoodharaam suranitambineesevitaam .
navaamburuhalochanaamabhinavaambudashyaamalaam
trilochanakut'umbineem tripurasundareemaashraye .. 1.
I salute that beauty of the three worlds,
Who is the consort of the three-eyed one,
Who wanders in the forest of Kadamba**,
Who is like a rich cloud to the sages*,
Whose hips excel in the mountains.
Who is served by wide-hipped deva maidens,
Who has eyes like a newly opened lotus,
And whose color is that of the rich grey cloud?
**” Kadambha is a tree called Nauclea Cadamba. It is said.
to put forth orange, fragrant buds at the roaring of thunder clouds.
A withered relic of the Kadamba tree is preserved in the precincts of
the Madurai Sri Meenakshi Temple. It also means multitude. In that.
sense, the Kadamba forest stands for the universe that the Devi
permeates completely.”
* She is like a cloud that quenches the thirst for knowledge of the sages.
कदम्बवनवासिनीं कनकवल्लकीधारिणीं
महार्हमणिहारिणीं मुखसमुल्लसद्वारुणीम् ।
दयाविभवकारिणीं विशदलोचनीं चारिणीं
त्रिलोचनकुटुम्बिनीं त्रिपुरसुन्दरीमाश्रये ॥ २॥
kadambavanavaasineem kanakavallakeedhaarineem
mahaarhamanihaarineem mukhasamullasadvaaruneem .
dayaavibhavakaarineem vishadalochaneem chaarineem
trilochanakut'umbineem tripurasundareemaashraye .. 2..
I salute that beauty of the three worlds,
Who is the consort of the three-eyed one,
Who lives in the forest of Kadamba trees,
Who carries a Veena made of gold,
Who wears a necklace of precious gems,
Whose face is aglow with the delight of nectar,
Who in her mercy showers all that is wanted.
Who has exceedingly pretty eyes,
And who keeps on shifting?
कदम्बवनशालया कुचभरोल्लसन्मालया
कुचोपमितशैलया गुरुकृपालसद्वेलया ।
मदारुणकपोलया मधुरगीतवाचालया
कयाऽपि घननीलया कवचिता वयं लीलया ॥ ३॥
kadambavanashaalayaa kuchabharollasanmaalayaa
kuchopamitashailayaa gurukri'paalasadvelayaa .
madaarunakapolayaa madhurageetavaachaalayaa
kayaa'pi ghananeelayaa kavachitaa vayam leelayaa .. 3..
She playfully covered us from all evils,
Her dwelling in the Kadamba forest,
By her garland, which is kept above her breasts,
By her breasts, which are like mountains,
By her grace and benevolence, which is great,
By her blushed red cheeks,
Through her mellifluous, sweet-toned songs,
And by her body, which is blue like the cloud.
कदम्बवनमध्यगां कनकमण्डलोपस्थितां
षडम्बुरुहवासिनीं सततसिद्धसौदामिनीम् ।
विडम्बितजपारुचिं विकचचंद्रचूडामणिं
त्रिलोचनकुटुम्बिनीं त्रिपुरसुन्दरीमाश्रये ॥ ४॥
kadambavanamadhyagaam kanakamand'alopasthitaam
shad'amburuhavaasineem satatasiddhasaudaamineem .
vid'ambitajapaaruchim vikachachandrachood'aamanim
trilochanakut'umbineem tripurasundareemaashraye .. 4..
I salute that beauty of the three worlds,
Who is the consort of the three-eyed one,
Who is in the middle of the Kadambha forest,
Who lives the golden disc which is,
Situated on the six lotus flowers,
Who is the permanent light giver to the seers,
Who likes fully open japa flowers,
And who wears the crescent as her headgear.
कुचाञ्चितविपञ्चिकां कुटिलकुन्तलालंकृतां
कुशेशयनिवासिनीं कुटिलचित्तविद्वेषिणीम् ।
मदारुणविलोचनां मनसिजारिसंमोहिनीं
मतङ्गमुनिकन्यकां मधुरभाषिणीमाश्रये ॥ ५॥
kuchaanchitavipanchikaam kut'ilakuntalaalankri'taam
kusheshayanivaasineem kut'ilachittavidveshineem .
madaarunavilochanaam manasijaarisammohineem
matangamunikanyakaam madhurabhaashineemaashraye .. 5..
I take refuge in her, who talks sweetly,
Who is the daughter of sage Matanga,
Who holds the Veena close to her breasts.
Who prettily makes up her curly tresses,
Who lives the petals of water lily,
Who hates people with evil thoughts,
Who has eyes red due to her zest,
And who entices the destroyer of the god of love,
स्मरप्रथमपुष्पिणीं रुधिरबिन्दुनीलाम्बरां
गृहीतमधुपात्रिकां मदविघूर्णनेत्राञ्चलां ।
घनस्तनभरोन्नतां गलितचूलिकां श्यामलां
त्रिलोचनकुटुंबिनीं त्रिपुरसुन्दरीमाश्रये ॥ ६॥
smaraprathamapushpineem rudhirabinduneelaambaraam
gri'heetamadhupaatrikaam madavighoornanetraanchalaam .
ghanastanabharonnataam galitachoolikaam shyaamalaam
trilochanakut'umbineem tripurasundareemaashraye .. 6..
I salute that beauty of the three worlds,
Who is the consort of the three-eyed one,
Who holds the first flower of God of love,
Who wears the bluish silk dotted with red spots,
Who holds in her hand the pot of wine,
Whose rim of eyes of shaking due to intoxication,
Who has heavy breasts which rise high,
And who is the swarthy one with disheveled locks?
सकुङ्कुमविलेपनामलकचुंबिकस्तूरिकां
समन्दहसितेक्षणां सशरचापपाशाङ्कुशाम् ।
अशेषजनमोहिनीमरुणमाल्य भूषाम्बरां
जपाकुसुमभासुरां जपविधौ स्मराम्यम्बिकाम् ॥ ७॥
sakunkumavilepanaamalakachumbikastoorikaam
samandahasitekshanaam sasharachaapapaashaankushaam .
asheshajanamohineemarunamaalya bhooshaambaraam
japaakusumabhaasuraam japavidhau smaraamyambikaam .. 7..
I think of Ambika during meditation,
Who adorns herself with saffron.
Whose tresses have the perfume of musk,
Who watches everyone with a gentle smile,
Who has a bow, arrow, noose, and hook,
Who entices everyone with the least effort,
Whose cloth is decorated with red hibiscus,
Who shines decorated with Japa flowers
पुरंदरपुरंध्रिकां चिकुरबन्धसैरंध्रिकां
पितामहपतिव्रतां पटपटीरचर्चारताम् ।
मुकुन्दरमणीमणीलसदलंक्रियाकारिणीं
भजामि भुवनांबिकां सुरवधूटिकाचेटिकाम् ॥ ८॥
purandarapurandhrikaa chikurabandhasairandhrikaam
pitaamahapativrataa put'apat'eeracharchaarataam .
mukundaramaneemaneelasadalankriyaakaarineem
bhajaami bhuvanaambikaam suravadhoot'ikaachet'ikaam .. 8..
I salute that goddess of the world,
Who rules over the world of Lord Shiva,
Who has her tresses plaited by the queen of devas,
Who is applied sandal by the consort of Brahma,
Who is made to wear ornaments of gems by Goddess Lakshmi,
And who has several Deva maidens as companions.
॥ इति श्रीमद् शंकराचार्यविरचितं त्रिपुरसुन्दरीअष्टकं समाप्तं ॥
