Shyamalaa Dandakam ~ श्यामलादण्डकम्~ Mahakavi Kaalidaasar
There is a folk story about how he came about to write this stotra. He was a foolish wood cutter. The courtiers of a proud princess made him act as a wise man and made the princess marry him. The princess advised the wood cutter to enter in to a temple of kali, when she goes out for a walk and lock himself in. When Kali came back, the wood cutter refused to allow her in , unless she makes him wise. She did that. Shyamala Dandakam is supposed to be the first prayer of this wood cutter to Kali after he became wise.
Dhyaana Shlokam
...
माणिक्यवीणामुपलालयन्तीं
मदालासां मञ्जुलवाग्विलासाम् ।
माहेन्द्रनीलद्युतिकोमलाङ्गीं
मातंगकन्यां सततं स्मरामि ॥१॥
Manikhya veenaam upalalayanthim,
Madalasam manjula vaag vilasam,
Mahendra Neela dhyuthi komalangim,
Mathanga kanyam manasa smarami.
I always meditate on the daughter of Matanga Maharshi who playfully holds a Veena made of Mankikya, who is lazy by intoxication, whose speech is picturesque and beautiful and whose body is resplendent like the dark blue gemstone.
चतुर्भुजे चन्द्रकलावतंसे
कुचोन्नते कुङ्कुमरागशोणे ।
पुण्ड्रेक्षुपाशाङ्कुशपुष्पबाण-
हस्ते नमस्ते जगदेकमातः ॥२॥
Chathurbhuje Chandra kala vathamse,
Kuchonnathe kumkuma raga sone,
Pundrekshu pasangusa pushpa bana,
Hasthe namasthe jagadaika matha.
O The Mother of the Worlds who has four hands, whose head is adorned with the crescent moon, who has a full bosom, who has a complexion red as kukum and who carries in her hands a bow of sugarcane, arrows of flowers, the rope and the ankusa (goad), my prostrations before you.
माता मरकतश्यामा
मातङ्गी मदशालिनी ।
कटाक्षयतु कल्याणी
कदंबवनवासिनी ॥३॥
Matha marakatha shyama, Mathangi madha shalini,
Kuryath kadaksham kalyani kadambha vana vasini.
May the Mother, who is dark as the marakata gemstone, who is the daughter of Matanga maharshi, who is exuberant, who is auspicious and who abides in the kadamba forest, cast on me the glances from her eye-corners.
जय मातंगतनये
जय नीलोत्पलद्युते ।
जय संगीतरसिके
जय लीलाशुकप्रिये ॥४॥
Jaya Mathanga thanaye, Jaya Neelolpala dhyuthe,
Jaya Sangeetha rasike, Jaya Leela shuka priye.
Victory to the daughter of Matanga. Victory to the one who has the complexion of the dark blue lily. Victory to the one who enjoys and appreciates music. Victory to the one who is fond of the playful parrot.See More
There is a folk story about how he came about to write this stotra. He was a foolish wood cutter. The courtiers of a proud princess made him act as a wise man and made the princess marry him. The princess advised the wood cutter to enter in to a temple of kali, when she goes out for a walk and lock himself in. When Kali came back, the wood cutter refused to allow her in , unless she makes him wise. She did that. Shyamala Dandakam is supposed to be the first prayer of this wood cutter to Kali after he became wise.
Dhyaana Shlokam
...
माणिक्यवीणामुपलालयन्तीं
मदालासां मञ्जुलवाग्विलासाम् ।
माहेन्द्रनीलद्युतिकोमलाङ्गीं
मातंगकन्यां सततं स्मरामि ॥१॥
Manikhya veenaam upalalayanthim,
Madalasam manjula vaag vilasam,
Mahendra Neela dhyuthi komalangim,
Mathanga kanyam manasa smarami.
I always meditate on the daughter of Matanga Maharshi who playfully holds a Veena made of Mankikya, who is lazy by intoxication, whose speech is picturesque and beautiful and whose body is resplendent like the dark blue gemstone.
चतुर्भुजे चन्द्रकलावतंसे
कुचोन्नते कुङ्कुमरागशोणे ।
पुण्ड्रेक्षुपाशाङ्कुशपुष्पबाण-
हस्ते नमस्ते जगदेकमातः ॥२॥
Chathurbhuje Chandra kala vathamse,
Kuchonnathe kumkuma raga sone,
Pundrekshu pasangusa pushpa bana,
Hasthe namasthe jagadaika matha.
O The Mother of the Worlds who has four hands, whose head is adorned with the crescent moon, who has a full bosom, who has a complexion red as kukum and who carries in her hands a bow of sugarcane, arrows of flowers, the rope and the ankusa (goad), my prostrations before you.
माता मरकतश्यामा
मातङ्गी मदशालिनी ।
कटाक्षयतु कल्याणी
कदंबवनवासिनी ॥३॥
Matha marakatha shyama, Mathangi madha shalini,
Kuryath kadaksham kalyani kadambha vana vasini.
May the Mother, who is dark as the marakata gemstone, who is the daughter of Matanga maharshi, who is exuberant, who is auspicious and who abides in the kadamba forest, cast on me the glances from her eye-corners.
जय मातंगतनये
जय नीलोत्पलद्युते ।
जय संगीतरसिके
जय लीलाशुकप्रिये ॥४॥
Jaya Mathanga thanaye, Jaya Neelolpala dhyuthe,
Jaya Sangeetha rasike, Jaya Leela shuka priye.
Victory to the daughter of Matanga. Victory to the one who has the complexion of the dark blue lily. Victory to the one who enjoys and appreciates music. Victory to the one who is fond of the playful parrot.See More
