TOTAKASHTAKAM

[JaneSmith105]

ivaidtaaiKala Saas~asauQaajalaQao maihtaaopa inaYatkxiQataaqa-inaQao |
=dyao kxlayao ivamalaM carNa Bava SaMkxr doiSakx mao SarNama\ ||1||

VIDITAKILA SASTRA SUDHA JALATHE MAHITOPA NISATKATHI TARTHANIDHE
HRDAYEKALAYE VIMALAM SARANAM BHAVA SANKARA DESIKA ME SARANAM ||1||

O THOU, THE KNOWER OF ALL THE MILK-OCEAN OF SCRIPTURES! THE EXPOUNDER OF THE TOPICS OF GREAT UPANISADIC TREASURE-TROVE! ON THY FAULTLESS FEET I MEDITATE IN MY HEART. BE THOU MY REFUGE O MASTER, SANKARA

kxr}Naa var}Naalaya paalaya maaM Bavasaagar du:KaivadUna=dma\ |
rcayaaiKala dSa-natacvainad Bava SaMkxr doiSakx mao SarNama\ ||2||

KARUNA VARUNALAYA PALAYA MAM BHVASAGARA DUKHA VIDUNAHRDAM
RACAYAKHILA DARSHANA THATVANIDAM BHAVA SANKARA DESIKA ME SARANAM ||2||

O THE OCEAN OF CAMPASSION! SAVE ME WHOSE HEART IS TORMENTED BY THE MISERY OF THE SEA OF BIRTH! MAKE ME UNDERSTAND THE TRUTHS OF ALL THE SCHOOLS OF PHILOSOPHY! BE THOU MY REFUGE O MASTER, SANKARA

Bavataa janataa sauihtaa Baivataa inajabaaoQa ivacaarNa caar}matao |
kxlayaOScar jaIvaivavaokxivadM Bava SaMkxr doiSakx mao SarNama\ ||3||

BHAVATA JANATA SUHITA BHAVITA NIJABODHA VICARANA CHARUMATE
KALAYESHVARA JIVA VIVEKAVIDAM BHAVA SANKARA DESIKA ME SARANAM ||3||

BY THEE, THE MASSES HAVE BEEN MADE HAPPY. O THOU WHO HAST A NOBLE INTELLECT SKILLED IN THE INQUIRY INTO SELF-KNOWLEDGE! ENABLE ME TO UNDERSTAND THE WISDOM RELATING TO GOD AND THE SOUL. BE THOU MY REFUGE O MASTER, SANKARA

Bava eva Bavainaita mao inataraM samajaayata caotaisa kxaOtauikxtaa |
mama vaarya maaohmahajalaiQa Bava SaMkxr doiSakx mao SarNama\ ||4||

BHAVA EVA BHAVANITI ME NITARAM SAMAJAYATA CHETASI KAUTUKITA
MAMAVARAYA MOHA MAHAJALADHIM BHAVA SANKARA DESIKA ME SARANAM ||4||

KNOWING THAT THOU ART VERILY THE SUPREME LORD, THERE ARISES OVERWHELMING BLISS IN MY HEART. PROTECT ME FROM THE VAST OCEAN OF DELUSION. BE THOU MY REFUGE O MASTER, SANKARA

saukRxtao iQakRxtao bahuQaa Bavataao Baivataa samadSa-na laalasataa |
AitadInaimamaM pairpaalaya maaM Bava SaMkxr doiSakx mao SarNama\ ||5||

SUKRTE DHIKRETE BAHIDHA BHAVATO BHAVITA SAMA DARSHANA LALASATA
ATIHINAMIMAM PARIPALAYA MAM BHAVA SANKARA DESIKA ME SARANAM ||5||

DESIRE FOR THE INSIGHT INTO UNITY THROUGH THEE WILL SPRING ONLY WHEN VIRTUOUS DEEDS ARE PERFORMED IN ABUNDANCE AND IN VARIOUS DIRECTIONS. PROTECT THIS EXTREMELY HELPLESS PERSON. BE THOU MY REFUGE O MASTER, SANKARA

jagataImaivatauM kxilataakRxtayaao ivacarinta mahamah sacClata: |
AihmaaMs~auirvaa~a ivaBaaisa gaurao Bava SaMkxr doiSakx mao SarNama\ ||6||

JAGATIMAVITUM KALITAKRITAYO VICHARANTI MAHAMANA SASCHALATAH
AHIMAM STURIVATRA VIBHASI GURO BHAVA SANKARA DESIKA ME SARANAM ||6||

OH TEACHER! FOR SAVING THE WORLD, THE GREAT ASSUME VARIOUS FORMS AND WANDER IN DISGUISE. OF THEM, THOU SHINEST LIKE THE SUN. BE THOU MY REFUGE O MASTER, SANKARA

gaur}pauMgava pauMgavakoxtana tao samataamayataaM naih kxaoipa sauQaI: |
SarNaagatavatsala tatvainaQao Bava SaMkxr doiSakx mao SarNama\ ||7||

GURUPUNGAVA PUNGAVA KETANA TE SAMATAM AYATAM NAHI KO’PI SUDHIH
SARANAGATAVATSALA TATTVINIDHE BHAVA SANKARA DESIKA ME SARANAM ||7||

O THE BEST OF THE TEACHERS! THE SUPREME LORD HAVING THE BULL AS BANNER! NONE OF THE WISE IS EQUAL TO THEE! THOU WHO ART COMPASSIONATE TO THOSE WHO HAVE TAKEN REFUGE! THE TREASURE TROVE OF TRUTH! BE THOU MY REFUGE O MASTER, SANKARA

ivaidtaa na mayaa ivaSadOkxkxlaa na ca ikxcana kxanaMcanamaista gaurao |
d`utamaova ivaQaoih kRxpaaM sahjaaM Bava SaMkxr doiSakx mao SarNama \||8||

VIDITA NA MAYA VISHATAIKAKALA NACHA KINCANA KANCANAMASTI GURO
DRUTAMEVA VIDEHI KRUPAM SAHAJAM BHAVA SANKARA DESIKA ME SARANAM ||8||

NOT EVEN A SINGLE BRANCH OF KNOWLEDGE HAS BEEN UNDERSTOOD BY ME CORRECTLY. NOT EVEN THE LEAST WEALTH DO I POSSESS, O TEACHER. BESTOW ON ME QUICKLY THY NATURAL GRACE. BE THOU MY REFUGE O MASTER, SANKARA

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[JaneSmith105]

THE STORY

AdiShankaracharya is known to have reestablished the Sanatha Dharma in the midst of rituals and onslaught by the other religions and faiths viz : Budhism, Jaininsm, Islam, Christinaity etc. He is known to have reestablished the faith in Vedas. His four disciples were : Surshwarar, Hasthamalakar, Padmapadhar and Totakacharya. ​

Adi Shankaracharya was born in Kaladi ( Kerala - South India ) to mother Aryamba. He took sanyas at the tender age of five when his leg was caught by a crocodile. Mother Aryamba permitted his son to take Sanyas reluctantly so that he may be released from the clutches of the Crocodile.

On becoming a Sanyasi, he went about seeking alms - bhiksha. Once during such rounds he went to an old lady who was steeped in poverty and could give him nothing. Suddenly she remembered that she could give him a Amla friut from the courtyard. Shakara seeing her love and affection composed 'KANAKADHARA' stotram and made gold amla friuts rain from the tree through his Kanakadhara strotram. Such was his prowess and ability to compose rich sanskrit verses.

During one such trips to Pandarpur he composed 'Pandurangaashtakam' in praise of Lord Vittala. This is one of the oldest documentary evidence of the existence of Pandarpur ( about 1200 years ago ) though there are also references in Skanda Puran.

He then traveled to the North India and won over a sanskrit scholar Mandana Mishra and his wife in a debate and accepted Mandanamishra as his disciple and named him Sureshwarar. He subsequently accepted other disciples - Hasthamalakar and PadmaPadhar. There was one disciple who believed more in service than studying or understanding rituals and was always engaged in doing all the day-today chores like plucking flowers, washing clothes, cleaning and arranging Pooja samagri etc. He was not considered to be intelligent or worthy as a disciple. This disciple was known as Totaka

Once when Adi Shakara was to begin his teaching session, he refused to start since Totaka was not seen. The other disciples always ridiculed Totaka for his lack of intelligence and being dumb. But Totaka was unmindful and went about doing his duties to serve the master Adi Shankaracharya. He was washing clothes when the session had to start. But seeing that the other students ridiculed Totaka for his faithful services Adi Shankara blessed him thru his diksha and suddenly Totaka was found to be one of the most intelligent of all the students. Thus Adi Shankara established to the world that service to the master is as essential and an integral part of the Guru Shishya Paramapara and one can attain knowledge or Gyana also through performing services to the master.

Totakacharya then composed Totakashtakam rich in Sanskrit language and its meaning in praise of his master Adi Shakaracharya. Subsequently Totakacharya established the Jyotir Peetham at Kashmir. Sri. Sivarathnagiri Swamigal and his Disciple Swami Gnananandagiri Swamigal of Thapovanam ( Thirkovilur ) hail from the same lineage.