Santhathipradha Abhilashashtakam - A Prayer to Shiva For Progeny

Original by Viswanara & Translated by P.R.Ramachander

Here is a great Stotra composed by a Brahmin called Viswanara addressing Lord Shiva. The God appeared before him and granted him the boon of progeny. This has to be read daily for a year by either the wife or husband, in front of Shiva linga

1.Yekam Brahmaivaa, dwitheeyam Samastham,
SAthyam, sathyam neha nanasythi kinchith,
Yeko Rudro, na dwitheeya thaasthe,
THasmad yewkam thwaam prapadhye sadaham.

Brahman is only one and all others are second to it,
This is the truth, the truth because there are nothing else,
Rudra is one and there is no second to him,
And so I worship you forever.

2. Yeka karthaa thwam hi sarvasya Shambho,
Nana roopeshu yeka rooposi aroopa,
Yadwath prathyapsu arka yekopi Aneka,
THasmad na anyam thwam vinesam prapadhye.

There is only one doer and Oh Lord Shiva it is you,
You show yourself in several forms though you have one form that is no form,
Like The Sun having only one form is seen as different forms,
And so I would not surrender to any God except you.

3.Rajjou sarpa sukthikaayam cha roopyam,
Nara pura than mrugakhye mareecho,
Yadwath, thadwath vishyak yesha prapancha,
Yasmin jnathe tham prapadhye mahesam.

Once I understand what appeared as snake was really a rope,
Like what appeared as silver is a pearl and what appeared as deer is just a mirage,
You who appeared as the world is seen as only the lord,
And having understood it, I surrender to you only my lord.

4.THoye saithyam dahakathwam cha vahnou,
THapo bhanou seethe bhanou Prasada ,
Pushpe GAndha, Dugdha madyepi sarpi,
Yathath Shambho thwam thatha thwaam prapadhye.

The coldness in the water, the capacity for burning in the fire,
The heat that is in the Sun, the coolness in the moon (given by Sun),
The scent in the flower and the ghee in the curd are your aspects,
And so Oh Shambhu I surrender to you.

5.SAbdham grunhaasi asravaa thwam hi jigre,
Agraana thwam vyangri aayaasi dhoorath,
Vyaksha pasye thwam rasagnopi ajihwa,
Ka thwaam samyak vethi atha thwaam prapadhye.

You hear without ears, you smell without a nose,
You come from a long distance but you do not have a body,
You see without eyes and taste without a toungue,
And so who can understand you properly and so I surrender to you.\

6.No Vedathwaam eesa sakshath vivedha,
No vaa Vishnu no vidhathaa akhilasya,
No Yogeendro nendra mukhyascha deva,
Bhaktho Veda thwaam atha sthwaam prapadhye.

Even Vedas have not understood properly, oh God,
Neither have Lord Vishnu nor the creator of the world,
Neither the king among Yogis, nor Indra or the chief devas,
But only devotees know you and so I surrender to you.

7.No they gothram ney eesa janmaapi naakhya,
Novaa roopam naiva seelam na thejaa,
Itham bhoothopi Easwara thwam trilokhyaa,
Sarvaan Kaaman pooraye thath Bhajeham.

Oh God you do not have clan nor were you born at any time,
You do not have any form, nor characteristics nor splendour,
And like this you are the lord of all beings and the three worlds,
Oh God please fulfill all my desires and for that I sing about you.

8.THwatha sarvam, thaw hi sarvam smaraare,
THwam Gowreeesa, thwam cha nana athi santha,
Thwam vai vrudha thwam yuvaa, thwam cha balaa,
Thathwam yathikam naasi atha thwam nathosmi.

Everything is from you, you are everything, Oh enemy of God of love,
You are the God of Gauri, you are naked, you are extremely peaceful,
You are old, you are young lad, you are a boy ,
What are you not? And so I salute you with devotion.

9.Sthuthwethi vipro nipapatha bhoomou,
Sadandavath yavath atheeva hrushta,
Thavath sa thalo, akhila loka vrudha vrudha,
Brovacha bhoodeva varam vrunee hi.

When that Brahmin fell on the flor,
And saluted him, he became extremely happy,
And at that time with rhythm that oldest one among the old,
Told ,”Oh Brahmin, choose your boon.”

10.Sarvantharathma Bhagavan sarva, sarva pradho Bhagawan,
Yaajnam prathi niyungthe maam kimeeso dainyakarineem.

That God who is in every one, that God who gives everything to all,
That god, who does everything with mercy, addressed me.

11. Ithi Sruthwa vcha sthasya devo Viswanarasya ha ,
Suche suchi vrathasyatha suchi smithwa Abraveechu.

Hearing this that God spoke to that Viswanara ,
Who was clean and observing clean penance with a clean smile.

12. Bala Uvacha:
Thwayaa suche susuishmadhyaam yo abhilasha krutho hrudhi,
Achirenanaiva kaalena sa bhavishyath asamsayam.

That lad told:
That desire in the mind of yours who is clean and has a clean mind,
Without any doubt would be fulfilled very soon.

13.THava puthrathwam yeshyami susishmadhyam maha mathe ,
Khyatho Grahapathir naamnaa suchi sarvamara priya.

Oh very intelligent one, the son whom you desire would be well instructed,
Become famous and would be a householder liked by the devas.

14.Abhilashashtakam punyam sthothramethan mayeritham,
Abdham trikala padanath kamadham Shiva sannidhou.

This blessed octet on desire which was a prayer done by you addressing me,
Should be read for one year three times before Lord Shiva for fulfilling the desire.

15.Yethad stotrasya padanam puthra pouthra dhana pradham ,
SArva shanthikaram vapi sarva aapad vairi nasanam.

The reading of this prayer leads to increase of number of sons, grand sons and wealth,
And it clams down all problems and destroys all dangers and enemies.

16.SWargapavargasampathi karakam nathra samsaya,
Prathr uthaya susnano lingam apayachya sambhavam.

If one gets up early in the morning, bathes worships the Shiva linga,
Without any doubt he will go to heaven and would also gain great wealth.

17.Varsham japen nithyam sthothram aputhra puthravan bhaveth,
Vaisake, karthike mase visesha niyamair yutha.

If daily this is chanted for a year, one who does not have son will get a son,
And special rules are to be followed in Vaisaka and Krithika months.

18.Thava puthrathwam yeshyamiya sthvanyasthath padishyathi,
Abhilasashtakam idhamna dheyam yasya kasyachith.

Since I grant sons to those who read and to all those who read it,
This octet of desire should not be given by you to any one.

19.Gopaneeyamprayathnena maha vandhyaa prasoothi kruth,
Sthriya vapurushenaapi niyama linga sannidhou.

It should be kept hidden with effort for even a very barren woman would become in the family way,
If the lady or a man reads it before Siva Linga with discipline.

20.Abdham japthamidham stotram puthradam nathra samsaya,
Ithyukthwaaanthardadhe bala so api, vipro gruham yayou.

If this is chanted for oone year, Theywould get a son without any doubt,
Saying this that lad disappeared and that Brahmin went back to his house.

Ithi Sri skanda purane kasi kandeSAnthathi pradham, Abilasahtaka stotram sampoornam.

Thus ends the octet of desire which gives progeny which occurs in chapter on Kasi which is in Skanda Purana.