The Heavenly Helmsman
The song about the eternal shelter and divine saviour
Sanskrit: Swajanodadhisamvruddhipoornachandro
Kannada: Baala kadala naavika
Nearest meaning in English:
Like a full moon, you make the sea (of your devotees) swell
And draw them close to you, O temple of all virtues
O reservoir filled with joy forever, Lord of Ramaa
I entreat you to protect us always and forever.
Ramaa is like the love-struck partridge and you are her moon (-light)
You destroy the evil ones, like water snakes getting burnt by fire-ice
You are the shelter to the noble ones trudging along life
I bow to you, O Naarayana.
You create, nurture and destroy this world
Which is filled with varieties of lives and objects
O divine house-holder, beyond the confines of our minds and speech
I bow to Hari, who indulges in playfulness with Ramaa.
You are the personification of eternal joy
Yet you are forever waiting for Indira’s subtle smile
Accompanied by her affectionate glance
And act most pleased by those! I bow to you, Hari.
Everything is under his control, he is under no one’s
He is the supreme victor, never having lost to anybody
He has created everything, he is not ‘created’
Such is the lord of Ramaa, to whom I bow.
He is beyond the three attributes, yet he is filled with superlative attributes
That cause him to appear to be brimming over, he is the cause of the universe
O destroyer of hordes of enemies, O valiant Vaasudeva
I bow to thee.
Before you begin creation, you lie contentedly in the ocean
You are the foremost among all celestials, slayer of the wicked
You bring to an end all kinds of baseless, ignorant beliefs
O heavenly helmsman, I bow to thee.
The one who has neither birth nor death, the father of the universe
The one who displayed his machismo by executing the demons The one who accepts the worship of Bramha and other celestials
I bow to the one who is borne by Garuda.
The cause of the universe, besides being the cause of the celestials
The unseen one who is present in plain sight as the brilliance in the rising sun
The lord of Ramaa alone is the unvanquished victor in every battle-field
The divine protector of those who have sought his refuge.
The one who enjoys being the recipient of Indira’s loving glances
The one who is himself the embodiment of love and affection
The one whose sole desire is to grant us our every desire
I bow to the flawless Hari.
O virtuous, exceptional lord, O Vishnu
May you continue to protect us forever
I offer my perpetual salutations to Srihari
The supreme one who carries Siri in his heart.