Aditi’s Stotra to Vishṇu (Nārada Purāṇa)
Aditi’s stotra to Bhagavān Janārdana (Vishṇu) is found in the Nārada Mahā Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, chapter 71. Aditi, the mother of the devas, sang it when Bhagavān Vishṇu appeared before her and offered her a vara (a boon). In it she names Vishṇu as the ruler of all devas, the cause of the three guṇas, the Purusha of the Purusha-sūkta and the one who lives in all beings, and she says that Hari and Hara are not different. She asks him to protect her sons from the rākshasas. Bhagavān Vishṇu is so moved that he agrees to be born as her son. The same chapter also holds the stotra of Kaśyapa at the birth of Vāmana.
The setting
In chapter 70 the daityas sent rākshasas in disguise to disturb the tapas (austerity) of Aditi on the Himālaya. The Sudarśana Cakra of Śrī Mahāvishṇu destroyed them all. The fire they raised burned a hundred yojanas of forest, but it could not touch Aditi, because the cakra of Vishṇu guarded her throughout her meditation.
Then Śrīman Nārāyaṇa himself appeared near her. His face was calm, his eyes were wide like lotuses, he held the śaṅkha (conch) and the cakra, and his smile lit all directions. He touched Aditi with his supremely pure hand and spoke words of comfort: “O mother of the devas, you have worshipped me through tapas. I am pleased. Ask for the vara of your choice.”
Aditi bowed before Janārdana and sang this stotra for the welfare of all the worlds.
The stotra
Aditi spoke:
“O Janārdana, ruler of these devas, O Prabhu Vishṇu who is present everywhere, you are the cause (kāraṇa) of all the activity of the world through the divisions of sattva, rajas and tamas. I bow to you.
O one of many forms, O one without form, O mahānubhāva (greatly powerful one), O one who dwells as one form within everything, O guṇa-rahita (free of the guṇas), O ananta-kalyāṇa-guṇa-svarūpa (whose nature is endless auspicious qualities). I bow to you.
O master of all worlds, O highest jñāna-svarūpa (one whose nature is knowledge), O one whose nature is to look with vātsalya (tender love) on those who are devoted to the good (sat-bhakta), O maṅgala-svarūpa (one whose nature is auspiciousness). I bow to you.
O ādi-purusha (first Purusha) who has taken the forms of many avatāras, worshipped by the munīśvaras (chiefs of the munis), I bow to you so that my wish may be fulfilled.
O Paramātmā, unknowable to the śrutis and to the jñānīs (knowers), cause of the world, joined with māyā yet never ruled by māyā, I bow to you.
The very sight of you, most wonderful, is the cause that drives away māyā. O one whose form is the world, O one who became the cause of the world, bowed to by all, I bow to you.
Those who serve the parāga (dust) of your lotus feet protect their heads by it and reach paramānanda (highest bliss). O Kamalā-pati (husband of Lakshmī), I bow to you.
O Svāmī, beyond the knowledge even of Brahmā and others, yet close to your bhaktas and always present with them, I bow to you.
O one who has withdrawn from all saṅga (attachment), O ocean of kāruṇya (compassion), O saṅga-rahita (free of attachment): you are the yajña-prabhu (master of the yajña), yajña-karma-svarūpa (the very form of the yajña rite), the one who dwells in yajña rites, the giver of the yajña-phala (fruit of yajña) and the teacher of the yajña rite. O Ādideva, I bow to you.
O witness (sākshī) of all worlds, you gave the paramapada (the highest state) to Ajāmila by the mere speaking of your name. I bow to you.
O one who is Mahādeva in the form of Hari, O Janārdana who is in the form of Śiva, O Jagadguru, O Lokapati (master of the worlds), I bow to you.
Bound by your māyā-pāśa (noose of māyā), even Brahmā and all the great chiefs of the devas cannot know your true nature. O master of all, I bow to you.
To those who are ayogya (unfit) you seem far away, even while you dwell in the lotus of their hearts. O jñāna-sākshī (witness of knowledge), O one whose existence is beyond all pramāṇas (means of knowing), I bow to you.
From your mouth came the brāhmaṇas, from your arms the kshatriyas, from your thighs the vaiśyas, from your feet the śūdras. From your mind arose Candra, from your eye Sūrya, from your mouth Agni and Indra, from your breath Vāyu. O one whose form is the Ṛg, Yajus and Sāma Vedas, O one whose form is the word of truth, O one whose form is the six Vedāṅgas (shaḍaṅga), I bow to you again and again.
You are Indra. You are Vāyu. You are Candra. You are Śaṅkara. You are Yama. You are Agni. You are Nirṛti. You are Varuṇa. You are Sūrya. Devas, the things that do not move, piśācas, rākshasas, mountains, siddhas, gandharvas, rivers, the earth and the oceans: all are you. You alone are the Īśvara of this world. You alone are higher than the highest. This whole world is your form alone. Therefore I bow to you at all times.
For those who have no refuge, you are their refuge. You are all-knowing (sarvajña). You are the very form of the chiefs of the beings (bhūtas) and of the devas. O Janārdana, protect my sons from the rākshasas.”
Aditi’s request for the daityas
After the stotra Aditi spoke again with joined hands: “O Devadeva, O antaryāmin (inner ruler), O one whose form is the world, O all-knowing one, O Parameśvara, you know everything. But I will tell you what is in my heart. My sons are bewildered and tormented by the daityas. Yet I do not wish the sons of the daityas, who are also my sons in spirit, to be harmed. Please give my devas rule and prosperity without harm to the daityas.”
The answer of Bhagavān Vishṇu
Bhagavān Vishṇu was delighted by Aditi’s stotra and by her very kind request. She showed a motherly love that reached even the children of her enemies. He said: “O mother of the devas, I am pleased. May you be well. I shall be born as your son.”
He then told her who is able to “carry” him. They are those free from rāga and dvesha (liking and dislike) and devoted to Śiva (Śiva-bhakti-parāyaṇa); wives faithful to their husbands (pativratā); those who serve their parents; those devoted to honouring guests (atithi-pūjā); those who do good to brāhmaṇas; those who go on tīrtha-yātrā (pilgrimage); those who seek the company of the good (sat-saṅga); those who do not covet the wealth of others and are like eunuchs toward the wives of others; those who worship the tulasī plant and sing the name of Hari (nāma-saṅkīrtana); and those who protect cows.
Having spoken, Bhagavān Vishṇu gave Aditi the garland from his neck, gave her abhaya (freedom from fear) and disappeared.
In time Aditi gave birth to Bhagavān Vishṇu as Vāmana. He held the śaṅkha and the cakra and held a kalaśa (pot) of amṛta. He shone like a thousand suns, his eyes were like fully opened lotuses, and he wore a yellow cloth and all ornaments. Groups of munis came with him. He was the one master of all worlds.
Kaśyapa’s stotra at Vāmana’s birth
Kaśyapa Maharshi saw Bhagavān Vishṇu appear as Vāmana. Full of joy, he sang this short stotra:
“I bow to the cause of the world. I bow to the protector of all worlds. I bow to the leader of the devas. I bow to the destroyer of the daityas. I bow to the lover of devoted people, the delight of good people, the destroyer of bad people, the Jagadīśvara. I bow to the one who became Vāmana for a purpose, the one of measureless valour, Purushottama Śrīman Nārāyaṇa, who bears the Śārṅga bow, the cakra, the sword and the mace. I bow to the one who rests in the ocean, who dwells in the hearts of good people, whose brightness is greater than the sun and other lights, who dwells in holy accounts (puṇya-kathā). I bow to the one whose eyes are Sūrya and Candra, the giver of the fruit of yajña, who shines with all the parts of the yajña, who is dear to good people. I bow to the cause of the causes of the world, who is untouched by the guṇas of sound and the other senses, the giver of divine bliss, who dwells in the minds of bhaktas. I bow to the remover of darkness, to the one who bore Mandara, to Yajñavarāha, to the destroyer of Hiraṇyāksha. I bow to the muni in the form of Vāmana, to the one who ended the line of the kshatriyas, to the crusher of the asura Rāvaṇa, to the son of Nanda. I bow to the beloved of Kamalā, the giver of joy, the remover of the distress of those who remember him. I bow to Yajñeśa, to Yajña-vinyāsa, to the destroyer of the obstacles of yajña, to the one whose form is yajña and whose form is pūjā, to Yajñāṅga.”
The phalaśruti
Bhagavān Vishṇu declared the fruits of this stotra. Men who read it will have sons whose wealth never runs out. Those who keep the same mind toward their own children and the children of others will never grieve for a son. He said: this is the sanātana dharma.
Sources
- Nārada Mahā Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, chapter 71