हृदयबोधनस्तोत्रम् | Hridaya Bodhana Stotram | Hymn to Awaken the Heart | Detach from illusion скачать в хорошем качестве

हृदयबोधनस्तोत्रम् | Hridaya Bodhana Stotram | Hymn to Awaken the Heart | Detach from illusion

हृदयबोधनस्तोत्रम् (Hṛdayabodhanastotram) stands as a concise yet profound devotional composition traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, the 8th-century philosopher-saint and foremost exponent of Advaita Vedanta. Though lesser-known compared to his celebrated works such as the Soundarya Lahari, Shiva Panchakshara Stotram, or Bhaja Govindam, this four-verse stotra appears in compilations of Shankaracharya's devotional hymns preserved in Sanskrit repositories and anthologies dedicated to Shaiva literature. The hymn opens with an auspicious invocation to Lord Ganesha—"śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ"—to remove obstacles before embarking on its introspective journey. It is addressed directly to the hṛdaya (heart or inner self), personified as the mind ensnared by worldly illusions. The poet urges this inner faculty to awaken from delusion and turn toward the supreme reality embodied in Lord Shiva. In the first verse, the stotra paints a stark picture of life's impermanence and futility. The heart is exhorted to cease its restless pursuit of sense objects (viṣaya-bhramaṇa), which offer no true rest and breed endless afflictions—mental torments (ādhi), physical ailments (vyādhi), greed for fleeting pleasures, and myriad sufferings. Life itself is likened to a trembling water droplet clinging to the edge of a lotus leaf—beautiful yet instantly vanishing. Attachment to the impure, inevitably decaying body is dismissed as childish folly (bāliśa-amata), while enjoyments are deemed transient, perilous, and ultimately wretched. The second verse shifts to self-reproach and redirection. The heart is accused of vainly indulging in poisonous, inauspicious thoughts driven by inner enemies—such as lust, anger, and greed—that lead only to misfortune. What gain comes from perpetual delusion in sensory pursuits? Instead, the hymn points to the feet of Shankara (Shiva) as the ultimate refuge: skilled at shattering clusters of dangers (saṅkaṭa-saṅgha-vidāraṇa-nipuṇe), the shelter of humble devotees (kiṅkara-śaraṇe). Here, the call is urgent—cultivate devotion (rati), gather steadfast resolve (dhṛti), and make fruitful the rare gift of human birth (janilābha) in quiet contemplation. The third verse exalts Shiva's transcendent majesty. He is the Great Lord (Maheśvara) whose single resolve (saṅkalpa) manifests the entire cosmos in its play of creation, sustenance, and dissolution. In Him, the term "Maheśvara" fully realizes its profound meaning without deviation. The devotee is invited to worship this sin-destroyer, bestower of boundless auspiciousness, granter of fearlessness, burner of Kama's body (symbolizing the conquest of desire), ocean of compassion's nectar, and one whose crown gleams with the moon (the deer-marked hariṇāṅka). The verse culminates in a tender appeal: "O mind, serve Him" (upāsva). The final verse crowns the praise with Shiva's unparalleled glory. His magnificence transcends the three worlds (trijagad-atīta), so vast that even the sacred Vedas (trayī) speak of it with awe-struck hesitation. His lotus feet shine, illuminated by the jeweled radiance of bowed immortals' crowns. Endowed with supreme power to fulfill devotees' earnest prayers and uplift the cosmic order, Shiva stands as the epitome of generosity—none other rivals Him, not even the vanquisher of Kama himself. He alone triumphs eternally. In essence, the Hṛdayabodhanastotram serves as a Vedantic wake-up call wrapped in devotional fervor. It blends sharp discernment of worldly transience with fervent surrender to Shiva as the compassionate liberator. Though obscure in popular recitation—lacking widespread commentaries, audio traditions, or ritual prominence—it quietly embodies Shankaracharya's genius: using poetic elegance to instruct the mind toward detachment, resolve, and ultimate union with the divine. For the seeker, it remains a timeless whisper to the heart: awaken, renounce illusion, and take refuge in the eternal Shankara.