Raghavendra Stotra (Appannacharya)

A river of divine speech that rises from the ocean of Sri Purnabodha (Madhvacharya), reaches the heads of Shiva and the other great gods, is full of swans in the form of the earlier and later scriptures, and rests in the lotus feet the gods worship.

May Guru Raghavendra purify this river of Sarasvati's speech, which carries the truth of the difference between souls and God and the reality of the world, and is crowded with great fish that swallow the arguments of false debaters.

May Sri Raghavendra, the giver of everything to those devoted to his two lotus feet, whose glance is a thunderbolt that shatters the mountain of sin, lord of the earth, always protect me.

Having gained every blessing by serving the lotus feet of Hari, Raghavendra, divine by nature, is a wish-granting tree among the gods; may he always grant me what I seek.

Of graceful form, a fire to the heap of cotton that is worldly sorrow, strong in happiness and courage, master over all evil planetary influences, a bridge across the sea of troubles that are hard to cross.

Free of fault and spotless in appearance, his speech silences opposing debaters, his great distinction is understood by the learned, and his eloquence surpasses even Shesha.

Giving children, wealth, pure devotion, knowledge, speech, bodily strength and the like, and destroying every ailment of the body, may Guru Raghavendra protect us.

I take refuge in him whose foot-water, mixed with the waters of Ganga and the other rivers, carries the merit of countless holy places; who removes the three kinds of sorrow, gives good children to the childless, restores limbs to the disabled, and relieves troubles from planets and great sins.

Those whose bodies are adorned with the dust of his lotus feet, whose minds hover like bees around those feet, and whose voices tire from praising them: his sight is a wildfire to the forest of their sins.

Independent master of every system of thought, nourisher of the Madhva school, the worthy son of Sudhindra who was born from the lotus hand of Vijayindra: may Raghavendra, king of ascetics, be my guru and remove my fear.

He increases knowledge, devotion, good children, long life, fame, wealth and merit, and rejoices in overcoming opponents. There is no one other than Raghavendra so skilled in every branch of learning.

He has directly realised the Lord of Lakshmi and has set aside worldly desire. There is no one other than Raghavendra who grants what is sought.

Marked by compassion, courtesy, detachment and skill in speech, able to curse and to bless: there is no one other than Raghavendra.

Ignorance, forgetfulness, confusion, doubt, loss of memory, drowsiness, trembling, stammering and the other faults born of the senses all vanish through Raghavendra's grace.

This verse says that by reciting daily, with devotion and reflection, the eight-syllable mantra 'Om Sri Raghavendraya Namah', the results one seeks come about, without doubt.

May the guru who knows the Self destroy our faults born of body and mind, and give us all the aims of life.

This verse says that whoever offers this prayer daily at the three times of the day, having gained what they wish here and hereafter, rejoices, without doubt.

Raghavendra, whose greatness cannot be fathomed, of great fame, the moon in the milk-ocean of Madhva's teaching and free of fault, may he always protect us.

To gain the fruit of every pilgrimage I circle your Brindavan as best I can, and I carry on my head the water that has touched it, to gain the fruit of all holy waters.

To fulfil all my wishes I bow to you; singing your praise brings success in understanding the Vedas and the shastras.

In this endless ocean of worldly life, deep by nature and always hard to cross, filled with the crocodiles of every fault, rough with desire and the like, whirling with confusion, frothing with countless fears and carrying the poison of suffering: lift me out, O Guru, for I am always sinking.

This verse says that whoever recites this Raghavendra Guru Stotra with devotion will be quickly freed from diseases such as leprosy.

This verse says that by reciting this stotra even a blind person gains divine sight, even a deaf and mute person becomes master of speech, and one gains a full life and full prosperity.

This verse says that whoever drinks water consecrated with this stotra will have all faults within the body destroyed at once.

This verse says that a lame person who reaches the Brindavan, circles it and bows reciting this stotra, will by the Guru's grace be able to walk.

This verse says that whoever recites this supreme stotra 108 times during an eclipse of the sun or moon, or when Pushya falls on a Sunday, will not be troubled by ghosts, spirits and the like.

This verse says that reciting this stotra near the Guru's Brindavan and lighting a lamp surely brings knowledge and sons.

This verse says that victory over opponents, growth of divine knowledge and devotion, and increase of all one's wishes follow, and there is no need to doubt it.

This verse says that troubles from kings, thieves, great tigers, snakes, crocodiles and the like do not arise, by the power of this stotra, without doubt.

This verse says that whoever recites this divine stotra with devotion, remembering the two feet of Guru Raghavendra, will never suffer any unhappiness; instead there is growth in what they wish, by the grace of the Lord of Lakshmi, with fame spread in all directions and unmatched prosperity. Hayagriva is the witness here.

This holy stotra was composed by Appannacharya, by the grace of Sri Raghavendra, the guru-king.