Uttaṅka’s Stotra to Vishṇu
This stotra was sung by Uttaṅka Maharshi when he saw the māhātmya (greatness) of the pādodaka (the water that has washed the feet) of Śrīhari. It is a long hymn that praises Bhagavān Vishṇu as Paramātmā, as Nirguṇa Brahman (Brahman without guṇas), as the all-pervading one, as the root of all creation and as the only giver of moksha. It ends with Uttaṅka’s prayer of śaraṇāgati (taking refuge). It is found in the Nārada Mahā Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, chapters 36 to 40.
The stotra
Uttaṅka Maharshi praises Bhagavān Vishṇu in these words.
Refuge in Nārāyaṇa and Śrīhari
I offer namaskāra to Nārāyaṇa, the Jagannivāsa (dwelling-place of the world), the only friend of all the worlds, the Ādi-deva. I take refuge in Śrīhari, who bears the śaṅkha (conch), cakra (discus), śārṅga (bow) and khaḍga (sword). He is the great-hearted one (mahātmā) who destroys the suffering of those who think of him.
From Śrīhari’s navel-lotus (nābhi-kamala) was born four-faced Brahmā, who creates all these worlds. From Śrīhari’s anger (krodha) arose Rudra, who dissolves the universe. Such is the Ādi-deva whom I salute every day.
Vishṇu, the husband of Lakshmī, with eyes wide like petals, of wonderful power, the chief cause of all the universe, to be known through Vedānta, the ancient Purusha, the treasure of tejas (radiance): I have taken refuge in him.
The nature of Bhagavān Vishṇu
He is Ātmabhūta, Akshara, Sarvagata, Acyuta. He is Jñānātmaka, the refuge of the jñānins (knowers), to be known only through jñāna (knowledge). He is the Ādi (first) Bhagavān Vishṇu, who is both vyashṭi (the individual) and samashṭi (the whole). May he be gracious to me.
He is of endless power. He is beyond all difference of quality (guṇajātihīna), yet he is the ground of qualities (guṇātmaka). He is the best among those who know jñāna, he is eternal, he removes the suffering of those who take refuge, he is Paramātmā, the ocean of compassion. May he give me the vara (boon) I ask.
The gross and the subtle, all creation: he enters them in due order and fills them. He is the endless essence of all that is infinite. Nothing is equal to you, and nothing is beyond you. You alone are Paramātmā.
Your pure form cannot be seen (agocara). It is free from māyā, without qualities, without the marks of a bound being (nirañjana), stainless (nirmala) and beyond measure (apramēya). You alone are seen by sants as the highest reality (paramārtha).
As gold is one but looks like many ornaments through the work of the craftsman, so the all-pervading Sarveśvara, though one, appears in different forms through the differences of upādhis (limiting conditions). Those whose minds are overcome by your māyā cannot see the well-founded ātma-svarūpa (true nature of the Ātmā). But when māyā is removed, they see that same one as the all-pervading Ātmā.
Bows to the one who is light, consciousness and the Ātmā
I bow to the shining one (jyotiḥ-svarūpa), the all-pervading (vibhu), the one without equal, Śrī Mahāvishṇu.
This whole universe arose from you and stays in you. This consciousness (caitanya) arose from you. Namaskāra to you, the form of caitanya.
I bow to Vāsudeva, the immeasurable (apramēya), the one without support (anādhāra) who is yet the self of all that supports and is supported, pure consciousness and bliss (paramānanda-cinmātra).
I bow to Śrīhari, who is worshipped by yogins, who lives in the hollow of the heart, who is the first cause (ādi-bhūta) of all the yogas, who dwells in the praṇava (Oṃ).
I bow to the one who is nāda-ātmaka (whose self is sound), nāda-bīja (the seed of sound), praṇavātmaka (whose self is Oṃ), avyaya (undying), sad-bhāva (being itself) and saccidānanda (being, consciousness and bliss), who holds the sharp cakra.
I bow to the one who never ages (ajara), the witness (sākshin), who is beyond speech and mind (avāṅmānasagocara), the stainless (nirañjana), the one known as Ananta.
The indriyas (senses), manas (mind), buddhi (understanding), sattva, tejas, bala (strength) and dhṛti (steadiness): all of these are declared to be Vāsudeva’s own svarūpas. Kshetra (the field) and kshetrajña (the knower of the field) are both declared to be Vāsudeva’s svarūpas. He is the form of vidyā (knowledge) and the form of avidyā (ignorance), and he is parātpara, beyond the beyond.
Without beginning or end, peaceful (śānta), the upholder of all (sarvadhātā), Acyuta: those great ones who take refuge in Śrīhari gain eternal mukti without fail.
I bow again and again to Śreshṭha (the best), Śreshṭhatara (better than the best), Varada (giver of vara), the Purāṇa Purusha, the Sanātana, Sarvagata, Samastarūpa (who has every form), Śrīhari.
The pādodaka, the pāda-raja and the nāma
Śrīhari’s pādodaka is the medicine for the disease of bhava (worldly life). The dust of his feet (pāda-raja) gives purity. His nāma (name) removes all dushkarmas (bad deeds). I serve such an immeasurable Parameśvara.
To the one who is sat-rūpa (being), asat-rūpa (not-being) and sadasat-rūpa (both), the avyaya, the one wholly different from all and above all, the most excellent among all that is excellent: I surrender.
To the nirañjana, the nirākāra (formless), the paripūrṇa (complete), who stands in the midst of ākāśa (space), who is beyond vidyā and avidyā, who dwells in the lotus of the heart, who is svayamprakāśa (self-shining), anirdeśya (not to be pointed out), greater than the greatest of the great (mahats), finer than the finest, free from all upādhis, nityā (eternal), the paramānanda, the sanātana Parabrahman, to the Jagannivāsa Śrī Mahāvishṇu: I have taken refuge.
To the one worshipped by those firm in kriyā (rites), to the one seen by yogins, to the most to be revered among all who are revered, to the śānta: I have surrendered. To the one whom even the vidvāns (learned) cannot fully see, to the one who fills this whole universe, to the one greater than all, the nityā, the avyaya, the vibhu: I bow.
The jīva and Paramātmā
The jīva who is joined with the antaḥkaraṇa (inner instrument) is called jīva. When free from avidyā and its effects, this same one is praised as Paramātmā. He is sarvātmaka (the self of all), sarva-hetu (the cause of all), sarvakarma-phala-prada (the giver of the fruit of all actions), Śreshṭha, Śreshṭhatara, Parātpara. I bow down before him.
Surrender to the all-knowing one
To the Sarvajña, Sarvagata, Śānta, Sarvāntaryāmin (the inner ruler of all) Śrīhari, the Jñānātmaka, Jñānanidhi (treasure of knowledge), Jñānasaṃstha Vibhu: I sing and surrender. To the Vedanidhi (treasure of the Vedas), the Murāri, whose svarūpa is made known by Vedānta-vijñāna, whose eyes shine like the sun and the moon, the master of Indra, he who has the form of a bird (pakshirūpa), the Sarvajagannātha, the Sarveśvara, the Sarvagata, the Mahānubhāva, the Vedasvarūpa, the foremost among those who know the Vedas, beyond dhyāna (meditation) by speech and mind, of endless śakti (power), the Purusha known only through jñāna (Jñānaikavedya): I surrender.
To the one in whom Indra, Agni, Yama, Nirṛti, Varuṇa, Vāyu, Candra, Śiva, Sūrya, Kubera and all the lokapālas (guardians of the worlds) are fully held, to the immeasurable Parameśvara who rules all the worlds: I take refuge.
To the Sahasraśīrsha, the Sahasrapāda, the Sahasrabāhu, the Sahasranetra (of a thousand heads, feet, arms and eyes), worshipped by all yajñas, the giver of joy, of fearsome power, the Ādi-deva: I bow.
To the Kālasvarūpa (whose form is time), the cause of the divisions of kāla (time), who is beyond the three guṇas yet knows the guṇas and loves the guṇas, the one who fulfils desires, the saṅga-rahita (free from attachment), who is beyond the indriyas, the Viśvabāhu, the niḥspṛha (without longing), the nishkāma (without desire), the uttṛshṭa (the highest), who cannot be reached by the manas yet is Manomaya (made of mind), the Annamaya (made of food), the Nisaṅga, the Vijñāna-bodhu, the one who has taken form yet is Vācāmagocara (beyond speech), the Prāṇamaya (made of breath): I surrender.
The prayer of one who cannot praise enough
Your svarūpa, your bala, your prabhāva (power), your karmas (deeds) and your pramāṇas (proofs): even Brahmā and the devas do not know them. How then can I rightly praise such an Ātmarūpa?
I have fallen into the terrible, vast ocean of saṃsāra. I am deluded and bewildered, bound by countless kāmas (desires). I have earned a bad name. I am piśuna (a talebearer) and kṛtaghna (ungrateful), always impure, given to pāpa (sin), full of too much krodha (anger). I am wretched and afraid. Protect me. O Dayānidhi (treasure of mercy), I take refuge in you.
Whatever pūjā I have done, without bhakti, lacking in kriyā, without the rules of the śāstra, empty of enough dravya (offering materials) and mantra: may you, by the mere saying of your nāma, make it whole and fulfilled. O Śrī Hari, this karma I have done in your name, even if it knows nothing of the Vedic rule (vidhi) and is empty of bhakti, dravya and mantra: by your nāma alone all is fulfilled.
The response of Bhagavān Vishṇu
Uttaṅka had praised him with this deep stotra. Bhagavān Vishṇu, the ocean of compassion, then appeared before him in dazzling splendour. He offered Uttaṅka a vara. Uttaṅka, a true bhakta, asked for nothing but steady devotion to Bhagavān Vishṇu. Bhagavān Vishṇu gave it to him.
Sources
- Nārada Mahā Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, chapters 36 to 40