Srinivasa Karavalambanam Stotram
Sri Swamiji looks upon Lord Srinivasa as his father. He has composed on Him innumerable songs and an Ashtakam (set of 8 slokas) known as Srinivasa Karavalambanam Stotram. In Sanskrit, “Kara” means hand, “Avalambanam” means “Holding”. Sri Swamiji pleads with the Lord to take him unto his fold by grasping his hand and guiding him through this ocean of samsara, just as a father would lead a child. Every shloka in the Ashtakam ends with this prayer. The shlokas are not just philosophical in nature. They describe the beauty of the Lord very poetically. One interesting lyrical beauty that can be observed is that each sloka’s first line begins with “shveta” which means white or bright color and the second line with “neela” which means blue or dark hue, the opposite of white.
Here are the slokas and their meaning:
shvEta-sAgara-madhya-rAjita-vEnkaTEsha-ramApatE
neela-ratna-samAnabhAsa-sudivyagAtra-dharApatE |
vainatEya-bhujanga-rAja-parIta sarva-jagatpatE
shrInivAsa karAvalambanam Ashu dEhi dayAnidhE ||
श्वेत-सागर-मध्य-राजित-वॆङ्कटेश-रमापते
नील-रत्न-समान-भास-सुदिव्य-गात्र-धरापते ।
वैनतेय-भुजङ्ग-राज-परीत सर्व-जगत्पते
श्रीनिवास करावलम्बनम् आशु देहि दयानिधे ॥
O Lord Venkatesha, the consort of Ramaa, the One who shines in the white ocean of milk,
The Lord of Earth, the One who has a brilliance like a blue-colored jewel, the One with beautiful limbs.
The Lord of the universe around whom Garuda and the king of serpents coexist,
O Lord Srinivasa, the ever-compassionate One, without further delay, extend Thy hand and take me unto Your fold!
shvEta-shankha-rathAnga-shObhita-shyAma-varNa-kalEvara
neela-mEgha-samAvrutAdri-nivAsa-saukhya-girIsha-hE |
shrIramA-vasudhA-nirantara-sEvitAbja-padadvaya
shrInivAsa-karAvalambanam-Ashu-dEhi-dayAnidhE ||
श्वेत-शङ्ख-रथाङ्ग-शोभित-श्याम-वर्ण-कलेवर
नील-मेघ-समावृताद्रि-निवास-सौख्य-गिरीश हे ।
श्रीरमा-वसुधा-निरन्तर-सेविताब्ज-पदद्वय
श्रीनिवास-करावलम्बनम् आशु देहि दयानिधे ॥
O Girisha(Lord of the Hills), the One who is adorned with a white conch and a discus,
The One who resides comfortably in a hill that is surrounded by water-bearing blue clouds.
The One whose lotus feet are always worshiped by Sri Ramaa Devi and Bhumi Devi,
O Lord Srinivasa, the ever-compassionate One, without further delay, extend Thy hand and take me unto Your fold!
shvEta-sapta-giristhita-nishi-dEvatAgaNa-pUjita
neela-nirmala-vyOmanAma-nrupAtmajA-priya-vallabha |
svAmi-pushkariNi-taTa-priya vEnkaTAdri-virAjita
shrInivAsa karAvalambanam Ashu dEhi dayAnidhE ||
श्वेत-सप्त-गिरिस्थित-निशि-देवतागण-पूजित
नील-निर्मल-व्योमनाम-नृपात्मजा-प्रिय-वल्लभ ।
स्वामि-पुष्करिणी-तट-प्रिय वॆङ्कटाद्रि-विराजित
श्रीनिवास करावलम्बनम् आशु देहि दयानिधे ॥
Situated on the bright, holy seven hills, worshiped by Gods and demigods during nights,
The Lord who is dear to the daughter of the King who bears the name of the crystal clear blue sky (daughter of Akasha Raja).
The One who loves the banks of Swami Pushkarini and shines on Venkatadri,
O Lord Srinivasa, the ever-compassionate One, without further delay, extend Thy hand and take me unto Your fold!
shvEta-mukta-samAna-ranjana-danta-pankti-yuta-smita
neela-shrIdhara-nAgathalpa-shayAna yOgi-samAshrita |
Ananda-nAma-vimAna-mandira-supratishTita-sundara
shrInivAsa karAvalambanam Ashu dEhi dayAnidhE ||
श्वेत-मुक्त-समान-रञ्जन-दन्त-पङ्क्ति-युत-स्मित
नीलश्रीधर-नाग-तल्प-शयान योगि-समाश्रित ।
आनन्द-नाम-विमान-मन्दिर-सुप्रतिष्ठित-सुन्दर
श्रीनिवास करावलम्बनम् आशु देहि दयानिधे ॥
The One whose smile manifests His white, pearl-like array of white teeth,
The lord who reclines on a serpent which resplendently bears bluish poison, The one who is the refuge for all Yogis.
The handsome One who is established in the temple bearing the ‘Ananda Vimana’,
O Lord Srinivasa, the ever-compassionate One, without further delay, extend Thy hand and take me unto Your fold!
shvEta-kaNTa-sushObhita-dvija-rAja-kalpita-vAhana
neela-padma-sarOvarAvruta-kAnanAntara-chAraNa |
bhU-varAha-supuNya-dhAma-krutAlaya-suguNAlaya
shrInivAsa karAvalambanam Ashu dEhi dayAnidhE ||
श्वेत-कण्ठ-सुशोभित-द्विज-राज-कल्पित-वाहन
नील-पद्म-सरोवरावृत-काननान्तर-चारण ।
भू-वराह-सुपुण्य-धाम-कृतालय-सुगुणालय
श्रीनिवास करावलम्बनम् आशु देहि दयानिधे ॥
The One who has as His vehicle the white-necked king of birds (Garuda),
The One who wanders inside deep forests surrounded by lakes filled with blue lotuses.
The One who is an abode of all divine qualities and who has made the beautiful holy place of Bhu Varaha His abode!
O Lord Srinivasa, the ever-compassionate One, without further delay, extend Thy hand and take me unto Your fold!
shvEta-danta-viBUshitAdbhuta-ratna-maNTapa-madhyaga
neela-kaNTa-sadAshivArchita-chAru-mangaLa-vigraha |
brahmaja-bhrugu-kOpa-sAntvana-bhakta-pOsha parAtpara
shrInivAsa karAvalambanam Ashu dEhi dayAnidhE ||
श्वेत-दन्त-विभूषिताद्भुत-रत्न-मण्डप-मध्यग
नील-कण्ठ-सदाशिवार्चित-चारु-मङ्गल-विग्रह ।
ब्रह्मज-भृगु-कोप-सान्त्वन-भक्त-पोष परात्पर
श्रीनिवास करावलम्बनम् आशु देहि दयानिधे ॥
The One who is present in a wondrous sanctum decorated with precious gems and white ivory,
The divine One who has a charming and auspicious form and is always worshiped by Lord Shiva, the Neelakanta
The great One who pacified the anger of Bhrigu, the son of Lord Brahma, and nurtures His devotees and is the Supreme of the supreme,
O Lord Srinivasa, the ever-compassionate One, without further delay, extend Thy hand and take me unto Your fold!
shvEta-pUrNa-shashAnka-shItala-sundarAnana-mAdhava
neela-manjuLa-jambvalankruta-varSha-madhya-nikEtana |
yakSha-rAja-kubEra-sEvita-kAmavarSha-padAmbuja
shrInivAsa karAvalambanam Ashu dEhi dayAnidhE ||
श्वेत-पूर्ण-शशाङ्क-शीतल-सुन्दरानन-माधव
नील-मञ्जुल-जम्ब्वलङ्कृत-वर्ष-मध्य-निकेतन ।
यक्ष-राज-कुबेर-सेवित-कामवर्ष-पदाम्बुज
श्रीनिवास करावलम्बनम् आशु देहि दयानिधे ॥
The One who is the consort of Lakshmi (Madhava) and whose beautiful face resembles a cool, white, full moon,
The One who has His abode in the middle of ‘Jambu Dwipa’ – the island filled with sweet blue ‘Jamun’ berries,
The One whose lotus feet are served by Kubera, the king of Yakshas, and can fulfill all desires,
O Lord Srinivasa, the ever-compassionate One, without further delay, extend Thy hand and take me unto Your fold!
shvEta-chAmara-chhatra-samyuta-rAja-vaibhava-shObhita
neela-chitra-dukUla-vEshTita-nitya-saumya-tanO-harE |
hEma-neeraja-kAnti-pUritha-padmajA-mana-mOhana
shrInivAsa karAvalambanam Ashu dEhi dayAnidhE ||
श्वेत-चामर-छत्र-संयुत-राज-वैभव-शोभित
नील-चित्र-दुकूल-वेष्टित-नित्य-सौम्य-तनॊ-हरे ।
हेम-नीरज-कान्ति-पूरित-पद्मजा-मन-मोहन
श्रीनिवास करावलम्बनम् आशु देहि दयानिधे ॥
The One who is resplendent with royal paraphernalia like the white fan and royal white umbrella,
The One who wears a blue-colored multi-patterned cloth and has an ever-pleasing form,
The One captivates the heart of the Lotus-born Mahalakshmi Devi who shines with the radiance of a golden lotus,
O Lord Srinivasa, the ever-compassionate One, without further delay, extend Thy hand and take me unto Your fold!
