2023-09-10 12:45:52 by ambuda-bot
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The
Viṣṇupādādikeśastotra
and its Commentary
The Viṣṇupādādikeśastotra is a stotra in fifty-two verses written in sragdharā
meter and is traditionally ascribed to Sankara. It consists of a detailed
visualisation of Visņu, from his toes to his hair, as well as his weapons and
retinue. Pūrṇasarasvatī, a well known commentator from Kerala has written
a detailed commentary on this stotra named Bhaktimandākinī.
This commentary was first published in 1911 by Vani Vilas Press, but
since it was prepared using only a single manuscript this first edition con-
tains many errors. Apart from this, the text of the Viṣṇupādādikeśastotra
provided in this edition does not seem to follow the readings provided in the
commentary.¹
We have therefore endeavoured in this publication to furnish a new and
more accurate edition of the Bhaktimandakinī.
1.1 A word on the title
Even though the editions of this stotra refer to it as the Viṣṇupādādi-
keśāntastotra we have chosen to call it the Viṣṇupādikeśastotra because
the last verse (52a) uses the expression pādādikeśastuti. Pūrṇasarasvatī
comments as follows:
pādādikeśastutim = pādādikeśāntasamagravigrahavarṇanaparatvāt pādā-
dikeśāntasamjñitam stotram; antaśabdaḥ prasiddhyā nopāttaḥ.
Thus it is the commentator who supplements anta to clarify the meaning
of the compound. In the introductory verses of the commentary he refers
to the text thus: śrīmaccankarapujyapādaracitam pādādikeśāvadhistotram.
But the colophon, as transmitted to us, reads:
¹Viṣṇupādādikeśāntastotra of Sankara with the commentary of Pūrṇasarasvai, ed. J.
K. Balasubrahmanyam. Srirangam: Vani Vilas Press, 1911.
xiii
Viṣṇupādādikeśastotra
and its Commentary
The Viṣṇupādādikeśastotra is a stotra in fifty-two verses written in sragdharā
meter and is traditionally ascribed to Sankara. It consists of a detailed
visualisation of Visņu, from his toes to his hair, as well as his weapons and
retinue. Pūrṇasarasvatī, a well known commentator from Kerala has written
a detailed commentary on this stotra named Bhaktimandākinī.
This commentary was first published in 1911 by Vani Vilas Press, but
since it was prepared using only a single manuscript this first edition con-
tains many errors. Apart from this, the text of the Viṣṇupādādikeśastotra
provided in this edition does not seem to follow the readings provided in the
commentary.¹
We have therefore endeavoured in this publication to furnish a new and
more accurate edition of the Bhaktimandakinī.
1.1 A word on the title
Even though the editions of this stotra refer to it as the Viṣṇupādādi-
keśāntastotra we have chosen to call it the Viṣṇupādikeśastotra because
the last verse (52a) uses the expression pādādikeśastuti. Pūrṇasarasvatī
comments as follows:
pādādikeśastutim = pādādikeśāntasamagravigrahavarṇanaparatvāt pādā-
dikeśāntasamjñitam stotram; antaśabdaḥ prasiddhyā nopāttaḥ.
Thus it is the commentator who supplements anta to clarify the meaning
of the compound. In the introductory verses of the commentary he refers
to the text thus: śrīmaccankarapujyapādaracitam pādādikeśāvadhistotram.
But the colophon, as transmitted to us, reads:
¹Viṣṇupādādikeśāntastotra of Sankara with the commentary of Pūrṇasarasvai, ed. J.
K. Balasubrahmanyam. Srirangam: Vani Vilas Press, 1911.
xiii