कनकधारास्तोत्रं सानुवादम् /23

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penury. The Chātaka should be fed only by the rain
cloud as the drops fall into his bill una
cloud as the drops fall into his bill unasked. The cloud

itself quenches the thirst of the bird, magnanimously

responding in sweet murmuring thunder, and gives it

rain drops to reach its parched throat trishākulais chā-

takapakshiņām kulaiḥ prayāchitãs toyabharāvalambinaḥ,

prayānti mandam navavāridhārino balaṇo balāhakās śrotramano-

harasvanāḥ, RitusamhaṚitusaṁhāra, 2,3. It is this golden downpour,

a favourite idea that was realised by SanŚaṅkara, all because

of his compassionate heart. He would himself beg of

none anything, but for one in distress he would. A

little boy, he did this miracle not just to perform one,

but because he was so touched by the extremity of

poverty that he wanted her to taste of the happiness of

life herein and assuredly hereafter as well by good deeds

that she could perform with this same artha, as without

artha, there is no acquisition of dharma or kama and
āma and
the glory of moksha, all of them qualified by the

controlling factor of dharma. Dharma controls the

acquisition and expenditure of artha, the expending and

controlling of the sensory organs in any form of kama

and even in dharma itself, it controls dharma by fighting
an illusory dharma that could go against real dharma,
dharmam yo ba
an illusory dharma that could go against real dharma,
dhaṛmam yo bādhate dharmaḥ na sa dharmaḥ, kudharma

tat, Mahabhaābhārata. It is this rigorous practice of the

balanced three that assures moksha. This is a great

hymn composed by not only the greatest thinker but

the greatest devotee and in the simplest form of hymnal

worship. No wonder the goddess immediately answered

his appeal and there was the shower of gold from

heaven. It is a fundamental belief in India even today
that the daily reading of this stotra of San
that the daily reading of this stotra of Śaṅkara assures

plenty and prosperity for the devotee who utters it with

faith.