When the heavens rained gold

Śaṅkara’s upanayana ceremony was duly completed and the little boy of five started living the life of a Brahmacāri – the trikāla Sandhya, Brahmayajñam, Samitadhānam, Nitya-kula-devata-puja and so on. His mother Āryambha enrolled him into a Gurukula where his formal education was initiated. It was time for the little boy to leave his home and stay with his Guru at the Gurukula. For, Āryambha the separation was hard, she had lost her husband a couple of years ago and now her son would be gone for twelve long years. She held back the hot tears that stung her eyes and told herself that she was now father and mother to this boy and she had to do what was right for the boy, what else was there for her to live for?

From the first day at the Gurukula, Śaṅkara shone like the bright midday sun and his brilliance dazzled all those who studied with him, even those who were much elder than him. It is common to call young achievers and dazzlingly brilliant youngsters precocious learners, prodigies, and confer other such titles on them, but none of these words or titles could adequately capture the phenomenon that Śaṅkara was. Even his Guru often found himself at a loss for words to answer the many questions the boy asked and was amazed at the rapidity with which he learnt all that was there to be learnt.

The Āśrama Dharma of the Brahmacāri is to go out for Bhikṣa and receive food from the houses in and around the Gurukula. It was in this context that one day, the young Śaṅkara stood in front of the house of a family that was caught in the throes of deep poverty. The husband had gone out, and it was only the poor lady who was at home when she heard the voice of a young Brahmacāri, seeking Bhikṣa:
“भवति भिक्षां देहि!”
“Mother, give me Bhikṣa!”, said the little boy of five.
The lady of the house desperately searched in every corner of the house to see if she could find something that she could offer this “Atithi” a guest who comes to the doorstep without prior intimation (i.e., he who has not decided on a “tithi” or date beforehand or informed the host in advance about his visit but has turned up at the doorstep unexpectedly).

In Sanātana Dharma, the Atithi is one of the most important visitors and it is considered a privilege to serve such an Atithi. To offer annam (food) to an atithi is the greatest privilege and enjoined as one of the Pañcamahayajñas^[1] to be followed by every Gṛhastha (householder). As the poor woman searched frantically and became increasingly desperate, she finally found a wrinkled and small amlaka fruit^[2] and nothing else. She carried this in her enclosed palm and hesitatingly dropped it into the cupped and outstretched palms of Śaṅkara. The little boy looked at the woman and his eyes brimmed over with tears of compassion. He knew how big a sacrifice this was that the lady had made. It is one thing to give when you have plenty, but completely different when you have nothing to give but you still give, for in that giving lives the seed of Dharma.

Śaṅkara at that moment, instantaneously composed one of the most beautiful stōtras^[3] that is now known as the Kanakadhārā stōtram in praise of Lakṣmī, the consort of Viṣṇu and the bestower of auspiciousness, wealth, and opulence. As Śri, Lakṣmī is an inseparable part of Viṣṇu, and Śaṅkara uses this to begin his opening verses of the stōtra that runs into 22 stanzas each ending with a request to Lakṣmī to shift her gaze from Hari and turn it towards him and in turn towards the poor lady standing there trembling in embarrassment at not being able to offer the boy anything more than that wrinkled gooseberry. The kanakadhārā stōtram is an early indicator of Śaṅkara’s style and approach – brevity, directness, clarity in style, and lyrical and poignant in approach. It is also a testimony to the chutzpah of the youngster to ask Lakṣmī to shift her gaze from Hari onto him!

The Tamāla tree, scientifically known as Cinnamomum Tamāla^[4] grows particularly in the North and Northeastern parts of India but is also sparsely cultivated in some parts of the Malabar region along the western ghats. This plant, known as Tejpatta or Malabar leaf was referred to in Greek literature as Malabathrum^[5] or Malabathron. The Periplus^[6] notes that although this was largely grown in the Himalayan regions of India, its primary trade route was through the ancient port of Muziris^[7] on the Malabar coast in Kerala, which is why this leaf which is used in Indian cuisine to add aroma to rice dishes (and gravy) is also known as the Malabar leaf. This also perhaps explains Śaṅkara’s choice of the Tamāla tree and the bees buzzing around its flowers as an allegory for the close relationship between Lakṣmī and Viṣṇu in the opening verses of this stōtram.

In summer, the Tamāla tree explodes into thousands and thousands of small bell-shaped yellowish-white flowers. These flowers exude a heady and sweet perfume that drives the bees crazy and these bees can be seen buzzing around these flowers, drinking deeply from the sweet sticky nectar that oozes out of these flowers. The bees pick up the pollen dust in the process of feasting on the honey and help in the pollination and perpetuation of the tree species – it is this symbiotic and eternal relationship between the bees and the flowers that Śaṅkara uses to set the context for the stōtram and as his first stanza.

This stōtram is a mind-boggling feat, unimaginable in present times, for a boy of five to have come up with a stōtram as magnificent as this. That Śaṅkara was a divine child animated by the supreme essence of the divine becomes clear with this one incident itself. There would of course be several other incidents in the short but eventful life of the boy who changed the course of Dharma forever, but this was the earliest and clearest indicator of his divinity.

The first stanza

अङ्ग हरेः पुलकभूषणमाश्रयन्ती

भृङ्गाङ्गनेव मुकुलाभरणं तमालम् ।

अङ्गीकृताखिलविभूतिरपाङ्गलीला

माङ्गल्यदास्तु मम मङ्गलदेवतायाः ॥1॥ ^[8]

aṅgaṃ hareḥ pulakabhūśhaṇamāśrayantī

bhṛṅgāṅganeva mukuḻābharaṇaṃ tamālam |

aṅgīkṛtākhila vibhūtirapāṅgalīlā

māṅgalyadāstu mama maṅgaḻadevatāyāḥ ‖ 1 ‖ ^[9]

Just as the bees, buzz, and hum around the half-open buds of the Tamāla flower, seeking their shelter (and reluctant to move away from them), so also, she who is eternally attracted to the intoxicatingly beautiful body of Hari, that Śri (Lakṣmī) forever dwells in the body of Viṣṇu, glittering therein as the most fabulous of his ornaments. She is the epitome and storehouse of all auspiciousness, wealth, and opulence. In whom supreme auspiciousness forever remains filled to the brim, she who is the supreme abode of Aiśvaryam, that Maha Lakṣmī, I beseech and seek her benevolence. O Mother! Will you bestow your benevolent glance upon me?

The second stanza:

मुग्धा मुहुर्विदधती वदने मुरारेः

प्रेमत्रपाप्रणिहितानि गतागतानि ।

माला दृशोर्मधुकरीव महोत्पले या

सा मे श्रियं दिशतु सागरसम्भवायाः ॥2॥

mugdhā muhurvidadhatī vadane murāreḥ

prematrapāpraṇihitāni gatāgatāni |

mālādṛśormadhukarīva mahotpale yā

sā me śriyaṃ diśatu sāgara sambhavā yāḥ ‖ 2 ‖

Mother Lakṣmī casts her sidelong glance at the remarkable and attractive face of Mukunda. She looks at him with love and passion overflowing and then bashfully turns away, with downcast eyes… Then again her glance returns to him because she can’t take her eyes off him. Her back-and-forth glances are like the bees that swarm around the waterlily – going round and round and then back and forth. She who has risen from the ocean of milk, that Lakṣmī, I beseech her to turn her glance onto me and shower me with wealth and prosperity.

So goes this stōtram, running into twenty-two verses where Lakṣmī is praised as the storehouse and bestower of wealth and opulence on her devotees while also brilliantly bringing out the inseparable relationship between Śri and Hari, which is why he is Śrīnivāsa – the abode of Śri. The full stotram with meaning for each stanza in English is provided as an appendix to this chapter.

When Śaṅkara’s extemporaneous outpouring ended and he slowly opened his eyes, he saw before him the enchanting form of the Goddess herself. She stood there looking more beautiful than anyone or anything he had seen till then and dazzling his eyes with her brilliance. He prostrated before her and then stood with hands folded. The goddess smiled and told him “I have understood what you want from me but how can I bestow my benevolence on this family when they are devoid of any past meritorious acts that would make them eligible to receive my grace?” Śaṅkara looked at her and said: “Mother, they have made a gift of this gooseberry to me and if you are pleased with me, then you must reward this family for the gift they have given to me.” Lakṣmī smiled at the boy and then disappeared. At that precise moment, pellets of pure gold, the size of little gooseberries started to rain into the house, it was as if the sky had opened up and instead of water was raining gold!

Everyone who witnessed this stood transfixed and looked at the child in awe and wonderment. Unknown to Śaṅkara, his Guru had witnessed this incident as well and he too realized that he was in the presence of a divinity that had taken human form. Śaṅkara was just five years old and he had already arrived on the world stage. Soon, at the age of seven, he completed his Gurukulavāsa – what takes everyone twelve to fifteen years of study, Śaṅkara had completed in two. When he reached home, he ran into the arms of his waiting mother whose eyes brimmed over with tears of joy – despite his genius, he was still a child, his mother’s child…

 

Postscript

In chapter-1, the prevailing state of adharma at the time of Śaṅkara-avatāra was discussed and the rationale and need for an avatāra-puruṣa were clarified. In chapter 2 the prelude to Śaṅkara-avatāra and Śaṅkara’s parents were covered and in chapter-3 the promise of the descent was detailed. Chapter-4 was about the victory of Kumārila Bhaṭṭa. Chapter-5 is about Maṇḍana Miśhra and Bhārati’s love for each other and the descent of Śaṅkara. Chapter-6 is about the death of Śaṅkara’s father and the marriage of Maṇḍana Miśhra and Bhārati.

Go to the links below to read the chapters:

Chapter-1

Chapter-2

Chapter-3

Chapter-4

Chapter-5

Chapter-6

To be continued…

…………………..

Appendix:

The following is taken from: Kanakadhara Stotram Lyrics & Meaning (Sanskrit and English) (vedicfeed.com). Last Accessed: February 3, 2023. Nothing has been edited or modified. The full credit for the translation belongs to: https://vedicfeed.com/kanakadhara-stotram-lyrics/

अङ्गं हरेः पुलकभूषणमाश्रयन्ती

भृङ्गाङ्गनेव मुकुलाभरणं तमालम् ।

अङ्गीकृताखिलविभूतिरपाङ्गलीला

माङ्गल्यदास्तु मम मङ्गलदेवतायाः ॥१॥

 

मुग्धा मुहुर्विदधती वदने मुरारेः

प्रेमत्रपाप्रणिहितानि गतागतानि ।

माला दृशोर्मधुकरीव महोत्पले या

सा मे श्रियं दिशतु सागरसम्भवायाः ॥२॥

 

आमीलिताक्षमधिगम्य मुदा मुकुन्दम्_

आनन्दकन्दमनिमेषमनङ्गतन्त्रम् ।

आकेकरस्थितकनीनिकपक्ष्मनेत्रं

भूत्यै भवेन्मम भुजङ्गशयाङ्गनायाः ॥३॥

 

बाह्वन्तरे मधुजितः श्रितकौस्तुभे या

हारावलीव हरिनीलमयी विभाति ।

कामप्रदा भगवतोऽपि कटाक्षमाला

कल्याणमावहतु मे कमलालयायाः ॥४॥

 

कालाम्बुदालिललितोरसि कैटभारेर्_

धाराधरे स्फुरति या तडिदङ्गनेव ।

मातुः समस्तजगतां महनीयमूर्तिर्_

भद्राणि मे दिशतु भार्गवनन्दनायाः ॥५॥

 

प्राप्तं पदं प्रथमतः किल यत्प्रभावान्

माङ्गल्यभाजि मधुमाथिनि मन्मथेन ।

मय्यापतेत्तदिह मन्थरमीक्षणार्धं

मन्दालसं च मकरालयकन्यकायाः ॥६॥

 

विश्वामरेन्द्रपदविभ्रमदानदक्षम्_

आनन्दहेतुरधिकं मुरविद्विषोऽपि ।

ईषन्निषीदतु मयि क्षणमीक्षणार्धम्_

इन्दीवरोदरसहोदरमिन्दिरायाः ॥७॥

इष्टा विशिष्टमतयोऽपि यया दयार्द्र_

दृष्ट्या त्रिविष्टपपदं सुलभं लभन्ते ।

दृष्टिः प्रहृष्टकमलोदरदीप्तिरिष्टां

पुष्टिं कृषीष्ट मम पुष्करविष्टरायाः ॥८॥

 

दद्याद् दयानुपवनो द्रविणाम्बुधाराम्_

अस्मिन्नकिञ्चनविहङ्गशिशौ विषण्णे ।

दुष्कर्मघर्ममपनीय चिराय दूरं

नारायणप्रणयिनीनयनाम्बुवाहः ॥९॥

 

गीर्देवतेति गरुडध्वजसुन्दरीति

शाकम्भरीति शशिशेखरवल्लभेति ।

सृष्टिस्थितिप्रलयकेलिषु संस्थितायै

तस्यै नमस्त्रिभुवनैकगुरोस्तरुण्यै ॥१०॥

 

श्रुत्यै नमोऽस्तु शुभकर्मफलप्रसूत्यै

रत्यै नमोऽस्तु रमणीयगुणार्णवायै ।

शक्त्यै नमोऽस्तु शतपत्रनिकेतनायै

पुष्ट्यै नमोऽस्तु पुरुषोत्तमवल्लभायै ॥११॥

 

नमोऽस्तु नालीकनिभाननायै

नमोऽस्तु दुग्धोदधिजन्मभूत्यै ।

नमोऽस्तु सोमामृतसोदरायै

नमोऽस्तु नारायणवल्लभायै ॥१२॥

 

नमोऽस्तु हेमाम्बुजपीठिकायै

नमोऽस्तु भूमण्डलनायिकायै ।

नमोऽस्तु देवादिदयापरायै

नमोऽस्तु शार्ङ्गायुधवल्लभायै।।१३।।

 

नमोऽस्तु देव्यै भृगुनन्दनायै

नमोऽस्तु विष्णोरुरसि स्थितायै ।

नमोऽस्तु लक्ष्म्यै कमलालयायै

नमोऽस्तु दामोदरवल्लभायै।।१४।।

 

सम्पत्कराणि सकलेन्द्रियनन्दनानि

साम्राज्यदानविभवानि सरोरुहाक्षि ।

त्वद्वन्दनानि दुरिताहरणोद्यतानि

मामेव मातरनिशं कलयन्तु मान्ये ॥१५॥

 

यत्कटाक्षसमुपासनाविधिः

सेवकस्य सकलार्थसम्पदः ।

संतनोति वचनाङ्गमानसैस्_

त्वां मुरारिहृदयेश्वरीं भजे ॥१६॥

 

सरसिजनिलये सरोजहस्ते

धवलतमांशुकगन्धमाल्यशोभे ।

भगवति हरिवल्लभे मनोज्ञे

त्रिभुवनभूतिकरि प्रसीद मह्यम् ॥१७॥

 

दिग्घस्तिभिः कनककुम्भमुखावसृष्ट_

स्वर्वाहिनीविमलचारुजलप्लुताङ्गीम् ।

प्रातर्नमामि जगतां जननीमशेष_

लोकाधिनाथगृहिणीममृताब्धिपुत्रीम् ॥१८॥

 

कमले कमलाक्षवल्लभे

त्वं करुणापूरतरङ्गितैरपाङ्गैः ।

अवलोकय मामकिञ्चनानां

प्रथमं पात्रमकृत्रिमं दयायाः ॥१९॥

 

स्तुवन्ति ये स्तुतिभिरमूभिरन्वहं

त्रयीमयीं त्रिभुवनमातरं रमाम् ।

गुणाधिका गुरुतरभाग्यभागिनो

भवन्ति ते भुवि बुधभाविताशयाः ॥२०॥

 

॥ इति श्रीमच्छङ्कराचार्यकृत

श्री कनकधारास्तोत्रं सम्पूर्णम् ॥२१॥

 

Lyrics in English with Meaning

Angam hare pulaka bhooshanamasrayanthi,

Bhringanga neva mukulabharanam thamalam,

Angikrithakhila vibhuthirapanga leela,

Mangalyadasthu mama mangala devathaya.

 

To the Hari who wears supreme happiness as Ornament,

The Goddess Lakshmi is attracted,

Like the black bees getting attracted,

To the unopened buds of black Tamala tree,

Let her who is the Goddess of all good things,

Grant me a glance that will bring prosperity.

 

Mugdha muhurvidhadhadathi vadhane Murare,

Premathrapapranihithani gathagathani,

Mala dhrishotmadhukareeva maheth pale ya,

Sa ne sriyam dhisathu sagarasambhavaya.

 

Again and again return ,those glances,

Filled with hesitation and love,

Of her who is born to the ocean of milk,

To the face of Murari,

Like the honey bees to the pretty blue lotus,

And let those glances shower me with wealth.

 

Ameelithaksha madhigamya mudha Mukundam

Anandakandamanimeshamananga thanthram,

Akekara stiththa kaninika pashma nethram,

Bhoothyai bhavenmama bhjangasayananganaya.

With half closed eyes stares she on Mukunda,

Filled with happiness , shyness and the science of love,

On the ecstasy filled face with closed eyes of her Lord,

And let her , who is the wife of Him who sleeps on the snake,

Shower me with wealth.

 

Bahwanthare madhujitha srithakausthube ya,

Haravaleeva nari neela mayi vibhathi,

Kamapradha bhagavatho api kadaksha mala,

Kalyanamavahathu me kamalalayaya

 

He who has won over Madhu,

Wears the Kousthuba as an ornament,

And also the garland of glances, of blue Indraneela,

Filled with love to protect and grant wishes to Him,

Of her who lives on the lotus,

And let those also fall on me,

And grant me all that is good.

 

Kalambudhaalithorasi kaida bhare,

Dharaadhare sphurathi yaa thadinganeva,

Mathu samastha jagatham mahaneeya murthy,

Badrani me dhisathu bhargava nandanaya

 

Like the streak of lightning in black dark cloud,

She is shining on the dark , broad chest,

Of He who killed Kaidaba,

And let the eyes of the great mother of all universe,

Who is the daughter of Sage Bhargava,

Fallon me lightly and bring me prosperity.

 

Praptham padam pradhamatha khalu yat prabhavath,

Mangalyabhaji madhu madhini manamathena,

Mayyapadetha mathara meekshanardham,

Manthalasam cha makaralaya kanyakaya.

 

The God of love could only reach,

The killer of Madhu,

Through the power of her kind glances,

Loaded with love and blessing

And let that side glance,

Which is auspicious and indolent,

Fall on me.

 

Viswamarendra padhavee bramadhana dhaksham,

Ananda hethu radhikam madhu vishwoapi,

Eshanna sheedhathu mayi kshanameekshanartham,

Indhivarodhara sahodharamidhiraya

 

Capable of making one as king of Devas in this world,

Her sidelong glance of a moment,

Made Indra regain his kingdom,

And is making Him who killed Madhu supremely happy.

And let her with her blue lotus eyes glance me a little.

 

Ishta visishtamathayopi yaya dhayardhra,

Dhrishtya thravishta papadam sulabham labhanthe,

Hrishtim prahrushta kamlodhara deepthirishtam,

Pushtim krishishta mama pushkravishtaraya.

 

To her devotees and those who are great,

Grants she a place in heaven which is difficult to attain,

Just by a glance of her compassion filled eyes,

Let her sparkling eyes which are like the fully opened lotus,

Fall on me and grant me all my desires.

 

Dhadyaddhayanupavanopi dravinambhudaraam,

Asminna kinchina vihanga sisou vishanne,

Dhushkaramagarmmapaneeya chiraya dhooram,

Narayana pranayinee nayanambhuvaha.

 

Please send your mercy which is like wind,

And shower the rain of wealth on this parched land,,

And quench the thirst of this little chataka bird,

And likewise ,drive away afar my load of sins,

Oh, darling of Narayana,

By the glance from your cloud-like dark eyes.

 

Gheerdhevathethi garuda dwaja sundarithi,

Sakambhareethi sasi shekara vallebhethi,

Srishti sthithi pralaya kelishu samsthitha ya,

Thasyai namas thribhvanai ka guros tharunyai.

 

She is the goddess of Knowledge,

She is the darling of Him who has Garuda as a flag,

She is the power that causes of death at time of deluge,

And she is the wife of Him who has the crescent,

And she does the creation, upkeep, and destruction at various times,

And my salutations to this lady who is worshipped by all the three worlds.

 

Sruthyai namosthu shubha karma phala prasoothyai,

Rathyai namosthu ramaneeya gunarnavayai,

Shakthyai namosthu satha pathra nikethanayai,

Pushtayi namosthu purushotthama vallabhayai.

 

Salutations to you as Vedas which give rise to good actions,

Salutation to you as Rathi for giving the most beautiful qualities,

Salutation to you as Shakthi, who lives in the hundred petalled lotus,

And salutations to you who is Goddess of plenty,

And is the consort of Purushottama.

 

Namosthu naleekha nibhananai,

Namosthu dhugdhogdhadhi janma bhoomayai,

Namosthu somamrutha sodharayai,

Namosthu narayana vallabhayai.

 

Salutations to her who is as pretty.

As the lotus in full bloom,

Salutations to her who is born from the ocean of milk,

Salutations to the sister of nectar and the moon,

Salutations to the consort of Narayana.

 

Namosthu hemambhuja peetikayai,

Namosthu bhoo mandala nayikayai,

Namosthu devathi dhaya prayai,

Namosthu Sarngayudha vallabhayai.

 

Salutations to her who has the golden lotus as a seat,

Salutations to her who is the leader of the universe,

Salutations to her who showers mercy on devas,

And salutations to the consort of Him who has the bow called Saranga.

 

Namosthu devyai bhrugu nandanayai,

Namosthu vishnorurasi sthithayai,

Namosthu lakshmyai kamalalayai,

Namosthu dhamodhra vallabhayai.

 

Salutations to her who is a daughter of Bhrigu,

Salutations to her lives on the holy chest of Vishnu,

Salutations to Goddess Lakshmi who lives in a lotus,

And situations to her who is the consort of Damodhara.

 

Namosthu Kanthyai kamalekshanayai,

Namosthu bhoothyai bhuvanaprasoothyai,

Namosthu devadhibhir archithayai,

Namosthu nandhathmaja vallabhayai.

 

Salutations to her who is light living in Lotus flower,

Salutations to her who is the earth and also the mother of earth,

Salutations to her who is worshipped by Devas,

And salutations to her who is the consort of the son of Nanda.

Sampath karaani sakalendriya nandanani,

Samrajya dhana vibhavani saroruhakshi,

Twad vandanani dhuritha haranodhythani,

Mamev matharanisam kalayanthu manye.

 

Giver of wealth, giver of pleasures to all senses,

Giver of the right to rule kingdoms,

She who has lotus like eyes,

She to whom Salutations remove all miseries fast,

And my mother to you are my salutations.

 

Yath Kadaksha samupasana vidhi,

Sevakasya sakalartha sapadha,

Santhanodhi vachananga manasai,

Twaam murari hridayeswareem bhaje

 

He who worships your sidelong glances,

Is blessed by all known wealth and prosperity,

And so my salutations by word, thought and deed,

To the queen of the heart of my Lord Murari.

 

Sarasija nilaye saroja hasthe,

Dhavalathamamsuka gandha maya shobhe,

Bhagavathi hari vallabhe manogne,

Tribhuvana bhoothikari praseeda mahye

 

She who sits on the Lotus,

She who has lotus in her hands,

She who is dressed in dazzling white,

She who shines in garlands and sandal paste,

The Goddess who is the consort of Hari,

She who gladdens the mind,

And she who confers prosperity on the three worlds,

Be pleased to show compassion to me.

 

Dhiggasthibhi kanaka kumbha mukha vasrushta,

Sarvahini vimala charu jalaapluthangim,

Prathar namami jagathaam janani masesha,

Lokadhinatha grahini mamrithabhi puthreem.

 

Those eight elephants from all the diverse directions,

Pour from out from golden vessels,

The water from the Ganga which flows in heaven,

For your holy purifying bath,

And my salutations in the morn to you,

Who is the mother of all worlds,

Who is the housewife of the Lord of the worlds,

And who is the daughter of the ocean which gave nectar.

 

Kamale Kamalaksha vallabhe twam,

Karuna poora tharingithaira pangai,

Avalokaya mamakinchananam,

Prathamam pathamakrithrimam dhyaya

 

She who is the Lotus,

She who is the consort,

Of the Lord with Lotus like eyes,

She who has glances filled with mercy,

Please turn your glance on me,

Who is the poorest among the poor,

And first, make me the vessel,

To receive your pity and compassion.

 

Sthuvanthi ye sthuthibhirameeranwaham,

Thrayeemayim thribhuvanamatharam ramam,

Gunadhika guruthara bhagya bhagina,

Bhavanthi the bhuvi budha bhavithasayo.

 

He who recites these prayers daily,

On her who is a personification of Vedas,

On her who is the mother of the three worlds,

On her who is Goddess Rema,

Will be blessed without doubt,

With all good graceful qualities,

With all the great fortunes that one can get,

And would live in the world,

With great recognition from even the learned.

[1] Five great daily sacrifices that are to be performed by every householder – Brahmayajña, Devayajña, Pitriyajña, Bhūtayajña, and Manushyayajña. Read more here: THE PANCHA MAHA YAJNAS (speakingtree.in)

[2] The Indian gooseberry

[3] Typically a hymn in praise of a deity, a literary genre specific to the Hindu religion. A stōtra is usually set to tune and sung or chanted in a particular rhythm. For example the Viṣṇusahasranāma stōtram.

[4] Available at: Cinnamomum tamala – Wikipedia. Last Accessed: February 3, 2023.

[5] Available at: Malabathrum – Wikipedia. Last Accessed: February 3, 2023.

[6] A Peripus is a sailors’ logbook. The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea also known by its Latin name as the Periplus Maris Erythraei, is a Greco-Roman periplus written in Koine Greek that describes navigation and trading opportunities from Roman Egyptian ports like Berenice Troglodytica along the coast of the Red Sea, and others along Horn of Africa, the Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean, including the modern-day Sindh region of Pakistan and southwestern regions of India. Available at: Periplus of the Erythraean Sea – Wikipedia. Last Accessed: February 3, 2023

[7] Muchiri commonly anglicized as Muziris Old Malayalam: Muciri or Muciripattanam possibly identical with the medieval Muyirikode was an ancient harbourand an urban centre on the Malabar Coast. Available at: Muziris – Wikipedia. Last accessed: February 3, 2023.

[8] Available at: [PDF] कनकधारा स्तोत्र अर्थ सहित | Kanakadhara Stotram In Hindi PDF » Panot Book. Last Accessed: February 3, 2023.

[9] Available at: Kanaka Dhaaraa Stotram – English | Vaidika Vignanam. Last Accessed: February 3, 2023.