Sri Kevalastakam

 

An Anonymous Sanskrit Poem

(1)

madhuram madhurebhyo 'pi

mangalebhyo 'pi mangalam

pavanam pavanebhyo 'pi

harer namaiva kevalam

SYNONYMS

madhuram – more sweet; madhurebhyah  than other sweet things; api – even; mangalebhyah – more auspicious; api – even; mangalam – than other auspicious things; pavanam – the greatest purifier; pavanebhyah – than all purifying things; api – even; hareh nama – the holy name of Hari; eva – indeed; kevalam – is the only thing.

TRANSLATION

1) More sweet than all other sweet things; more auspicious than all other auspicious things; the greatest purifier of all purifying things – The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything.

(2)

abrahma-stamba-paryantam

sarvam maya-mayam jagat

satyam satyam punah satyam

harer namaiva kevalam

SYNONYMS

a-brahma – from Lord Brahma; stamba-paryantam – down to the clump of grass; sarvam – all; maya-mayam – full of illusion; jagat – the entire universe; satyam satyam – it is true, it is true; punah satyam – again I say it is true.

TRANSLATION

2) The entire universe, from exalted Brahma down to the lowly clump of grass, is a product of the illusory energy of the Supreme Lord. The only thing that is reality, reality, again I say reality – The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything.

(3)

sa guruh sa pita capi

sa mata bandhavo 'pi sah

siksayec cet sada smartum

harer namaiva kevalam

SYNONYMS

sa – he; guruh – is the spiritual master; sa – he; pita – is the father; ca api – and also; sa – he; mata – is the mother; bandhavah – is the friend; api – even; sah – he; siksayet – may give instructions; cet – if; sada – always; smartum – to be remembered.

TRANSLATION

3) That person is a true preceptor, or a true father, a true mother, and a true friend also only if they teach one to always remember – The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything.

(4)

nihsvase nahi visvasah

kada ruddho bhavisyati

kirtaniya mato balyad

harer namaiva kevalam

SYNONYMS

nihsvase – when the breath stops; nahi – there is not; visvasah  – certainty; kada – when; ruddhah – stopped; bhavisyati  – will be; kirtaniya – to be chanted; matah – the mentality; balyat – from childhood.

TRANSLATION

4) There is no certainty when the last breath will come and put an abrupt halt to all one's material plans; therefore it is wise to always practice chanting from very childhood – The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything.

(5)

harih sada vaset tatra

yatra bhagavata janah

gayanti bhakti-bhavena

harer namaiva kevalam

SYNONYMS

harih – Lord Hari; sada – always; vaset  – lives; tatra – there; yatra – where; bhagavata janah – the exalted devotees; gayanti – are singing; bhakti-bhavena – with devotional feelings.

TRANSLATION

5) Lord Hari eternally dwells in that place where truly exalted, spiritually advanced souls sing in the mood of pure devotion  – The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything.

(6)

aho duhkham maha-duhkham

duhkhad duhkhataram yatah

kacartham vismrtam ratna-

harer namaiva kevalam

SYNONYMS

aho – oh!; duhkham – what a sorrow; maha-duhkham – what a great sorrow; duhkhat – than any other misery; duhkhataram – much more painful; yatah – where; kaca-artham – the value of mere glass fragments; vismrtam – forgotten; ratna-hari-nama – the jewel of the Lord's name.

TRANSLATION

6) Aho! What a sorrow, what a great sorrow! More painful than any other misery in the world! Mistaking it as a mere piece of glass, the people have forgotten this jewel – The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything.

(7)

diyatam diyatam karnon

iyatam niyatam vacah

giyatam giyatam nityam

harer namaiva kevalam

SYNONYMS

diyatam diyatam – should be given (heard) again and again; karnah – to the ears; niyatam niyatam – should be uttered over and over; vacah – with the words; giyatam giyatam – should be sung and sung; nityam – perpetually.

TRANSLATION

7) It should be heard again and again with one's ears; It should be uttered over and over with one's voice; It should be perpetually sung and sung anew  – The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything.

(8)

trni-krtya jagat sarvam

rajate sakalopari

cid-ananda-mayam suddham

harer-namaiva kevalam

SYNONYM

strni-krtya – as a blade of grass; jagat sarvam – the entire universe; rajate sakala-upari – reigns supreme over all; cit-ananda-mayam – full of eternally conscious divine ecstasy; suddham – supremely pure.

TRANSLATION

8) It makes the entire universe seem insignificant as a blade of grass; it splendrously reigns supreme over all; it is full of eternally conscious divine ecstasy; it is supremely pure – The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => 25. Song, Prayer, and Verse Books/ More Songs of the Vaisnava Acarya (MSVA)/ MSVA 32: Madhuram Madhurebhyo Sri Kevalastakam