Shree Raja Rajeswari Sthavam

Sri Raja Rajeswari dEvi

Aum, Bhagavathee Sri Raja Rajeswari

Raja Rajeswari means the the lord of the lords, or the king of kings. In Hinduism, she is one of the highest aspects of Shakti or Parvathi, the consort of Shiva. Since she is the ruler of the universe, the name, Raja Rajeswari, aptly fits her. In the Lalitha Sahsranamam she is mentioned as an aspect of Sri Lalitha Tripura Sundari. In the following sthavam (a poem of praise) addressed to her, she is extolled by many names and described as eternally youthful, auspicious, the wealth of empires, ruler of the rulers, and the slayer of Dhumraakhsa, an asura.

In the images she is generally depcited as a beautiful and youthful godess, sitting on a golden throne, holding in her four hands an ankusa (a sharp object to control elephants), a pasa ( a rope denoting bondage), a sugarcane stalk, and a lotus. The last one also is held in the gestire of abhaya (assurance). Devotees believe that when she is pleased by devotion, she grants power, authority, rulership, and wealth to her devotees and protects them from enemies. There are many temples of the goddess in different parts of India, including Varanasi, where according to local legends, the goddess is said to be very powerful, and devotees may often feel her presence in the temple.

Guidelines for pronunciation are in the footnotes

shree raaja raajeshwaree sthavam

ambaa shaambhavi chandramouli rabala | aparnaa umaa parvathee
kaalee haimavathee shivaa thrinayanee | kathyaayanee bhairavee
saavithree nava yauvanee shubhakaree | saamraajya lakshmeeprada
chhidruupi paradevathaa bhagavathee shree raaja raajeshwaree |

ambaa mohini devathaa thribhuvanee | aananda sandhayanee
vaanee pallava paani venu muralee gaana | priyaa lolinee
kalyaanee udu raaja bimba vadanaa | dhumraksha samharinee
chhidruupi paradevathaa bhagavathee shree raaja raajeshwaree |

ambaa nuupura rathna kankana dharinee| keyuura haaraavalee
jaajee champaka vaijayanthi laharee | graiveya vairaajithaa
veenaa venu vinoda manditha karaa | veeraasane samsthithaa
chhidruupi paradevathaa bhagavathee shree raaja raajeshwaree

ambaa raudrini bhadra kaali bagalaa | jvaalaamukhee vaishnavee
brahmanee thripuranthakee sura suthaa | dedeepya maanojvala
chaamundee sritharakshaposha jananee | daakshayanee pallavee
chhidruupi paradevathaa bhagavathee shree raaja raajeshwaree

ambaa shuuladhanuh kushaankushadharee | ardhendu bimbaadharee
vaaraahi madhu kaitaka prashamanee | dedeepyamaanojjvalaa
chaamundee sritharaksha posha jananee | dakshaayanee pallavi
chhidruupi paradevathaa bhagavathee shree raaja raajeshwaree

ambaa shrishti vinaasha paalanakaree | aaryaani samshobhithaa
gaayathree pranavaaksharaamruthaa rasah | puurnaanu sandhee kruthaa
aumkaari vinuthaamaaraarchi thapadaa | uddandadaithyapahaa
chhidruupi paradevathaa bhagavathee shree raaja raajeshwaree

ambaa shaankari aagamaadi vinuthaa | aaryaa mahaa devathaa
yaa brahmaadi pipeelikaantha jananee | yaa vai jaganmohinee
ya panchathpranavadvi repha jananee | yaa chithkalaammaalinee
chhidruupi paradevathaa bhagavathee shree raaja raajeshwaree

ambaa paalitha bhakta raaja ranisham | ambaashtakam yah pattehd
ambaa loka kataaksha veeksha lalithaa | aishvarya mavyahathaa
ambaa paavana manthra raaja patthanaa | danthyena moksha pradaa
chhidruupi paradevathaa bhagavathee shree raaja raajeshwaree

Suggestions for Further Reading

Guidelines to pronunciation: Sanskrit is essentially a language of sounds and sound vibrations. The efficacy of Sanskrit prayers depends upon the vibrations that are produced during chanting. It is difficult to transliterate Sanskrit words into English with full justification to the original sounds. In the above stated transliteration we followed a simple approach to make it easier even for those who are not familiar with English or Sanskrit. Wherever you find repeat vowels (aa, uu, ee) please stretch the vowel sound (for ex., aa as in vast or path, uu as in cool or root, ee as in eel or feel). Similarly, "ai" should be pronounced as in gait, fight, or tight. Th should be pronounced as in think or thick, but when t alone is used, it should be pronounced as in two, top or tip.

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