Kathasaritsagara is a wonderful collection of ancient stories of India in Sanskrit,composed in the eleventh century by the great poet Somadeva of Kashmir. The Kathasaritsagara is a Sanskrit rendering of the most ancient story collection of India called Brihatkatha which was in paishachi prakrit language and is lost. This great book Kathasaritsagara,comprises about twenty two thousand shlokas or verses, classified into eighteen lambakas or sections. In the beginning of each lambaka, the poet prays Lord Shiva and Lord Ganesha, and also Lord Vishnu as Lord Narasimha,Goddess Saraswati, and Kamadeva as is customary.More verses are for Lord Shiva and Lord Ganesha as the poet is a Shaiva.Moreover,the whole story of Brihatkatha has been narrated by Lord Shiva to Parvati.However there are few verses on Lord Vishnu and Goddesses Saraswati too and few in appreciation of Kamadeva, the god of love, as the book mainly deals with the stories of love and romance. Many verses of Lord Shiva are also erotic in nature, indicating the main genre of stories being that of love.All these poems are rich in imagery and hence unique. A collection of these unique verses forms a beautiful anthology.
1.श्रियं दिशतु वः शंभोः श्यामः कंठो मनोभुवा।
अंकस्थपार्वतीदृष्टिपाशैरिव विवेष्टितः।।
Let the neck of Lord Shiva, which appears black as if due to being entwined by the love god Manmatha by nooses of Parvati's looks,who is sitting on his lap, bestow wealth upon you!
KSS-1.1.1
2.संध्यानृत्तोत्सवे ताराः करेणोद्धूय विघ्नजित्।
सीत्कारसीकरैरन्याः कल्पयन्निव पातु वः।।
Let the Lord Ganesha, the conquerer of all obstacles, who, during the dance festival at evening appears as if pushing away all the stars from his trunk and creating new stars from the water droplets of hissing sound, protect you!
KSS-1.1.2
3.गौरीनवपरिष्वंगे विभोः स्वेदांबु पातु वः।
नेत्राग्निभीत्या कामेन वारुणास्त्रमिवाहितम्।।
Let the sweat of Lord Shiva, which flowed through the first embrace of Goddess Gauri,which was like the Varunastra, the missile of water shot by Kamadeva, due to the fear of the fire of the Lord's third eye, protect you!
KSS-2.1.1
4.निर्विघ्नविश्वनिर्माणसिद्धये यदनुग्रहम्।
मन्ये स वव्रे धातापि तस्मै विघ्नजिते नमः।।
Salutations to Lord Ganesha, the conquerer of all obstacles, for whose blessing even Lord Brahma prayed for creating the world without any obstacle.
KSS-3.1.1
5.आश्लिष्यमाणः प्रियया शंकरो'पि यदाज्ञया।
उत्कंपते स भुवनं जयत्यसमसायकः।।
Kamadeva,on whose command,even Lord Shiva trembles when he is embraced by his beloved, wins over the whole world, his arrow having no equal!
KSS-3.1.2
6.कर्णतालबलाघातसीमंतितकुलाचलः।
पंथानमिव सिद्धीनां दिशन् जयति विघ्नजित्।।
Lord Ganesha, the conquerer of obstacles, by the strong flapping of his fan like ears,appears as if making partitions in the hills and making a pathway of accomplishments,and thus becomes victorious!
KSS-4.1.1
7.मदघूर्णितवक्त्रोत्थैः सिंदूरैश्छुरयन् महीम्।
हेरंंबः पातु वो विघ्नान् स्वतेजोभिर्दहन्निव।।
Let the Lord Heramba(Ganesha),who is anointing the earth by sindura or vermilion particles due to trembling of his face by intoxication, and who appears as if he is burning the obstacles by his effulgance,protect you!
KSS-5.1.1
8.तर्जयन्निव विघ्नौघान्नमितोन्नमितेन यः।
मुहुर्विभाति शिरसा स पायाद्वो गजाननः।।
Let the elephant faced Lord Ganesha, who appears as if scaring the floods of obstacles by moving his head up and down, protect you!
KSS-6.1.1
9.नमः काामाय यद्बाणपातैरिव निरंतरम्।
भाति कंटकितं शंभोरप्युमालिंगितं वपुः।।
Salutations to Kamadeva, by whose shots of arrows, even the body of Lord Shiva, embraced by Uma(Parvati),appears as if horripilating always!
KSS-6.1.2
10.केलीकेशग्रहव्यग्रगौरीकरनखावृतम्।
शिवायानेकचंद्राढ्यमिव शार्वं शिरो'स्तु वः।।
Let the head of Lord Shiva, which appeared as if covered with many moons due to being covered by the nails of Goddess Parvati when she held his hair in bewilderment during a game, bestow auspiciousness upon you!
KSS-7.1.1
11.करं दानांभसार्द्रं यः कुंचिताग्रं प्रसारयन्।
ददत्सिद्धिमिवाभाति स पायाद्वो गजाननः।।
Let Lord Gajanana (the elephant faced Lord Ganesha), who appears as if bestowing accomplishments by extending his trunk which is wet with the water of intoxication, and which is bent in the tip, protect you!
KSS-7.1.2
12.चलत्कर्णानिलोद्धूतसिंदूरारुणितांबरः।
जयत्यकाले'पि सृजन्संध्यामिव गजाननः।।
Lord Gajanana ( the elephant faced Lord Ganesha),who appears as if creating an untimely twilight by the wind blowing from the flapping of his ears which has dispersed the sindura or vermilion of his forehead into the sky and made it red,becomes victorious!
KSS-8.1.1
13.निशुंभभरनम्रोर्वीखर्विताः पर्वता अपि।
यं नमंतीव नृत्यंतं नमामस्तं विनायकम्।।
We salute the dancing Lord Vinayaka,who is as if being saluted by the hills which too have bent because of the bending earth due to the heaviness of the demon Nishumbha!
KSS-9.1.1
14.अवारणीयं रिपुभिर्वारणीयं करं नुमः।
हेरंबस्य ससिंदूरमसिं दूरमघच्छिदम्।।
We salute the trunk of Lord Heramba(Ganesha),which is unavoidable by the enemies, which is annointed with sindura or vermilion, and which is a sword which destroys sins from afar!
KSS-10.1.1
15.पायाद्वः पुरदाहाय शंभोः संदधतः शरम्।
समं व्यग्रेषु नेत्रेषु तृतीयमधिकं स्फुरत्।।
Let the third eye of Lord Shiva, which is burning more than the others,when all his three eyes are equally concentrating when he is fixing the arrow to burn the Tripura, or the three cities of demons,protect you!
KSS-10.1.2
16.रक्तारुणा नृसिंहस्य कुटिला विद्विषो वधे।
नखश्रेणी च दृष्टिश्च निहंतु दुरितानि वः।।
Let the nails and the looks of Lord Narasimha,which have turned red and curved during the killing of the enemy demon Hiranyakashipu,destroy your sins!
KSS-10.1.3
17.नमताशेषविघ्नौघवारणं वारणाननम्।
कारणं सर्वसिद्धीनां दुरितार्णवतारणम्।।
Salute the elephant faced Lord Ganesha, who destroys all the floods of obstacles, who is the cause for all the accomplishments, and who crosses us the ocean of sins.
KSS-11.1.1
18.अव्याद्वो विघ्नविध्वंसकीर्तिस्तंभमिवोतिपन्।
करं गणपतिः क्रीडालीनभृंगाक्षरावलिम्।।
Let Lord Ganapati,who is holding his trunk like a fame pillar for destroying the obstacles, which is associated with a line of letters being the bees which are immersed in playing,protect you!
KSS-12.1.1
19.अरागमपि रागाढ्यरचनाचतुरं परम्।
हरं नवनवाश्चर्यसर्गचित्रकरं नुमः।।
We salute to Lord Shiva, who,though devoid of raga or passion, is expert in making creations filled with ragas or colours, and who is making paintings of new surprising creations!
Raga means both passion and colour. Shiva is devoid of raga or passion but at the same time he is expert in creating paintings called lives with ragas or colours. It can also mean that Shiva, who is devoid of raga or passion is expert in bringing many anuraga bhavas or passionnaite feelings and make surprising creations.Thus there is a beautiful pun in the verse.
KSS-12.1.2
20.जितं स्मरशरैर्येषु पौष्पेष्वपि पतत्स्विह।
वज्रादीन्यपि जायन्ते कुंठितान्येव तद्भृताम्।।
The flowery arrows of Kamadeva, the god of love, though are flowery and soft, when shot from his flowery bow and fall,cut off even the strong weapons like Vajrayudha held by their beholders!Such flowery arrows of Kamadeva are victorious!
KSS-12.1.3
21.स वो विघ्नेश्वरः पायान्नमितोन्नमितेव यम्।
अनुनृत्यति नृत्यंतं सन्ध्यासु भुवनावली।।
Let Lord Vighneshwara,the Lord of obstacles, whom the whole world follows in dancing by bending down and getting up,when he dances in the evening, protect you!
KSS-13.1.1
22.गौरी प्रसाधनालग्न चरणालक्तकश्रियः।
सखी सुखाय भूयाद्वः शंभोर्भालेक्षणप्रभा।।
Let the effulgence of the eye in the forehead of Lord Shiva, which gets anointed with the lac and shines with red beauty when he decorates the feet of Goddess Gauri(Parvati),become a friend to you to give happiness!
KSS-13.1.2
23.कवीन्द्रमानसांभोजनिवासभ्रमरीं नमः।
देवीं सहृदयानंदशब्दमूर्तीं सरस्वतीम्।।
Salutations to Goddess Saraswati, who resides as a bee in the lotus minds of poet kings, and who is in the form of words who give happiness to good connoisseurs!
KSS-13.1.3
24.तुष्टेन येन देहार्धमप्युमायै समर्पितम्।
स वो ददात्वभिमतं वरदः पार्वतीपतिः।।
Let Lord Shiva, the husband of Parvati, who got pleased and gave even half of his body to Uma(Parvati),bestow upon you all that you desire!
KSS-14.1.1
25.निशि विघ्नजितो वो'व्यात्तांडवोद्दंडितः करः।
शोणश्चंद्रातपत्रस्य तन्वन्विद्रुमदंडताम्।।
Let the hand of Lord Shiva, who has lifted it straight up during his Tandava dance at night after conquering all the obstacles,which,under the umbrella of reddish moon rays appears like a stick of coral!
KSS-14.1.2
26.निशासु ताण्डवोद्दंडशुंडासीत्कारशीकरैः।
ज्योतींषि पुष्णन्निव वस्तमो मुष्णातु विघ्नजित्।।
Let Lord Ganesha, the conquerer of obstacles,who during performing the Tandava dance at nights lifts his trunk straight up and with the hissing sound and sprinkling of cool water droplets,appears as if he increases the stars, remove your darkness of ignorance!
KSS-15.1.1
27.पातु वस्ताण्डवोद्दंडगंडसिंदूरमंडनः।
वांताभीपीतप्रत्यूहप्रताप इव विघ्नजित्।।
Let Lord Ganesha, the conquerer of obstacles, who during the Tandava dance,pouring out the vermilion powder from his uplifted cheek appears as if he is putting out the heat of the obstacles he himself engulfed, protect you!
KSS-15.1.2
28.देहार्धधृतकान्तो'पि तपस्वी निर्गुणो'पि यः।
जगस्तुत्यो नमस्तस्मै चित्ररूपाय शंभवे।।
Salutations to Lord Shambhu(Shiva) of a strange form,who though having held his beloved wife in half of his body(and hence called Ardhanareeshwara), is an ascetic, and who though is bereft of qualities(hence Nirguna), is glorified by the whole world!
The formful and qualified aspect, or Saguna,and the formless and non-qualified aspect,or Nirguna of God both have been glorified in this verse.
KSS-17.1.1
29.चलत्कर्णाग्रविक्षिप्तगंडोड्डीनालिमंडलम्।
धुन्वानं विघ्नसंघातमिव विघ्नान्तकं नमः।।
Salutations to Lord Ganesha, the destroyer of obstacles, who is pushing away the flock of bees which are sticking to the intoxicant water of his cheeks,as if they are obstacles by flapping his ear edges and thus avoiding them!
KSS-17.1.2
30.चन्द्राननार्धदेहाय चन्द्रांशुसितभूतये।
चन्द्रार्कानलनेत्राय चन्द्रार्धशिरसे नमः।।
Salutations to Lord Shiva, who holds the moonfaced Goddess Parvati in half of his body, who has vibhuti(glory and sacred ash) as white as moon's rays,who has moon, sun, and fire as his three eyes, and who has half moon in his head!
KSS-18.1.1
31.करेण कुञ्चिताग्रेण लीलयोन्नमितेन यः।
भाति सिद्धीरिव ददत्स पायाद्वो गजाननः।।
Let Lord Gajanana, the elephant faced Ganesha, who has lifted his trunk up playfully, and appears as if he is bestowing accomplishments from his trunk which is bent at the tip, protect you!
KSS-18.1.2
1.श्रियं दिशतु वः शंभोः श्यामः कंठो मनोभुवा।
अंकस्थपार्वतीदृष्टिपाशैरिव विवेष्टितः।।
Let the neck of Lord Shiva, which appears black as if due to being entwined by the love god Manmatha by nooses of Parvati's looks,who is sitting on his lap, bestow wealth upon you!
KSS-1.1.1
2.संध्यानृत्तोत्सवे ताराः करेणोद्धूय विघ्नजित्।
सीत्कारसीकरैरन्याः कल्पयन्निव पातु वः।।
Let the Lord Ganesha, the conquerer of all obstacles, who, during the dance festival at evening appears as if pushing away all the stars from his trunk and creating new stars from the water droplets of hissing sound, protect you!
KSS-1.1.2
3.गौरीनवपरिष्वंगे विभोः स्वेदांबु पातु वः।
नेत्राग्निभीत्या कामेन वारुणास्त्रमिवाहितम्।।
Let the sweat of Lord Shiva, which flowed through the first embrace of Goddess Gauri,which was like the Varunastra, the missile of water shot by Kamadeva, due to the fear of the fire of the Lord's third eye, protect you!
KSS-2.1.1
4.निर्विघ्नविश्वनिर्माणसिद्धये यदनुग्रहम्।
मन्ये स वव्रे धातापि तस्मै विघ्नजिते नमः।।
Salutations to Lord Ganesha, the conquerer of all obstacles, for whose blessing even Lord Brahma prayed for creating the world without any obstacle.
KSS-3.1.1
5.आश्लिष्यमाणः प्रियया शंकरो'पि यदाज्ञया।
उत्कंपते स भुवनं जयत्यसमसायकः।।
Kamadeva,on whose command,even Lord Shiva trembles when he is embraced by his beloved, wins over the whole world, his arrow having no equal!
KSS-3.1.2
6.कर्णतालबलाघातसीमंतितकुलाचलः।
पंथानमिव सिद्धीनां दिशन् जयति विघ्नजित्।।
Lord Ganesha, the conquerer of obstacles, by the strong flapping of his fan like ears,appears as if making partitions in the hills and making a pathway of accomplishments,and thus becomes victorious!
KSS-4.1.1
7.मदघूर्णितवक्त्रोत्थैः सिंदूरैश्छुरयन् महीम्।
हेरंंबः पातु वो विघ्नान् स्वतेजोभिर्दहन्निव।।
Let the Lord Heramba(Ganesha),who is anointing the earth by sindura or vermilion particles due to trembling of his face by intoxication, and who appears as if he is burning the obstacles by his effulgance,protect you!
KSS-5.1.1
8.तर्जयन्निव विघ्नौघान्नमितोन्नमितेन यः।
मुहुर्विभाति शिरसा स पायाद्वो गजाननः।।
Let the elephant faced Lord Ganesha, who appears as if scaring the floods of obstacles by moving his head up and down, protect you!
KSS-6.1.1
9.नमः काामाय यद्बाणपातैरिव निरंतरम्।
भाति कंटकितं शंभोरप्युमालिंगितं वपुः।।
Salutations to Kamadeva, by whose shots of arrows, even the body of Lord Shiva, embraced by Uma(Parvati),appears as if horripilating always!
KSS-6.1.2
10.केलीकेशग्रहव्यग्रगौरीकरनखावृतम्।
शिवायानेकचंद्राढ्यमिव शार्वं शिरो'स्तु वः।।
Let the head of Lord Shiva, which appeared as if covered with many moons due to being covered by the nails of Goddess Parvati when she held his hair in bewilderment during a game, bestow auspiciousness upon you!
KSS-7.1.1
11.करं दानांभसार्द्रं यः कुंचिताग्रं प्रसारयन्।
ददत्सिद्धिमिवाभाति स पायाद्वो गजाननः।।
Let Lord Gajanana (the elephant faced Lord Ganesha), who appears as if bestowing accomplishments by extending his trunk which is wet with the water of intoxication, and which is bent in the tip, protect you!
KSS-7.1.2
12.चलत्कर्णानिलोद्धूतसिंदूरारुणितांबरः।
जयत्यकाले'पि सृजन्संध्यामिव गजाननः।।
Lord Gajanana ( the elephant faced Lord Ganesha),who appears as if creating an untimely twilight by the wind blowing from the flapping of his ears which has dispersed the sindura or vermilion of his forehead into the sky and made it red,becomes victorious!
KSS-8.1.1
13.निशुंभभरनम्रोर्वीखर्विताः पर्वता अपि।
यं नमंतीव नृत्यंतं नमामस्तं विनायकम्।।
We salute the dancing Lord Vinayaka,who is as if being saluted by the hills which too have bent because of the bending earth due to the heaviness of the demon Nishumbha!
KSS-9.1.1
14.अवारणीयं रिपुभिर्वारणीयं करं नुमः।
हेरंबस्य ससिंदूरमसिं दूरमघच्छिदम्।।
We salute the trunk of Lord Heramba(Ganesha),which is unavoidable by the enemies, which is annointed with sindura or vermilion, and which is a sword which destroys sins from afar!
KSS-10.1.1
15.पायाद्वः पुरदाहाय शंभोः संदधतः शरम्।
समं व्यग्रेषु नेत्रेषु तृतीयमधिकं स्फुरत्।।
Let the third eye of Lord Shiva, which is burning more than the others,when all his three eyes are equally concentrating when he is fixing the arrow to burn the Tripura, or the three cities of demons,protect you!
KSS-10.1.2
16.रक्तारुणा नृसिंहस्य कुटिला विद्विषो वधे।
नखश्रेणी च दृष्टिश्च निहंतु दुरितानि वः।।
Let the nails and the looks of Lord Narasimha,which have turned red and curved during the killing of the enemy demon Hiranyakashipu,destroy your sins!
KSS-10.1.3
17.नमताशेषविघ्नौघवारणं वारणाननम्।
कारणं सर्वसिद्धीनां दुरितार्णवतारणम्।।
Salute the elephant faced Lord Ganesha, who destroys all the floods of obstacles, who is the cause for all the accomplishments, and who crosses us the ocean of sins.
KSS-11.1.1
18.अव्याद्वो विघ्नविध्वंसकीर्तिस्तंभमिवोतिपन्।
करं गणपतिः क्रीडालीनभृंगाक्षरावलिम्।।
Let Lord Ganapati,who is holding his trunk like a fame pillar for destroying the obstacles, which is associated with a line of letters being the bees which are immersed in playing,protect you!
KSS-12.1.1
19.अरागमपि रागाढ्यरचनाचतुरं परम्।
हरं नवनवाश्चर्यसर्गचित्रकरं नुमः।।
We salute to Lord Shiva, who,though devoid of raga or passion, is expert in making creations filled with ragas or colours, and who is making paintings of new surprising creations!
Raga means both passion and colour. Shiva is devoid of raga or passion but at the same time he is expert in creating paintings called lives with ragas or colours. It can also mean that Shiva, who is devoid of raga or passion is expert in bringing many anuraga bhavas or passionnaite feelings and make surprising creations.Thus there is a beautiful pun in the verse.
KSS-12.1.2
20.जितं स्मरशरैर्येषु पौष्पेष्वपि पतत्स्विह।
वज्रादीन्यपि जायन्ते कुंठितान्येव तद्भृताम्।।
The flowery arrows of Kamadeva, the god of love, though are flowery and soft, when shot from his flowery bow and fall,cut off even the strong weapons like Vajrayudha held by their beholders!Such flowery arrows of Kamadeva are victorious!
KSS-12.1.3
21.स वो विघ्नेश्वरः पायान्नमितोन्नमितेव यम्।
अनुनृत्यति नृत्यंतं सन्ध्यासु भुवनावली।।
Let Lord Vighneshwara,the Lord of obstacles, whom the whole world follows in dancing by bending down and getting up,when he dances in the evening, protect you!
KSS-13.1.1
22.गौरी प्रसाधनालग्न चरणालक्तकश्रियः।
सखी सुखाय भूयाद्वः शंभोर्भालेक्षणप्रभा।।
Let the effulgence of the eye in the forehead of Lord Shiva, which gets anointed with the lac and shines with red beauty when he decorates the feet of Goddess Gauri(Parvati),become a friend to you to give happiness!
KSS-13.1.2
23.कवीन्द्रमानसांभोजनिवासभ्रमरीं नमः।
देवीं सहृदयानंदशब्दमूर्तीं सरस्वतीम्।।
Salutations to Goddess Saraswati, who resides as a bee in the lotus minds of poet kings, and who is in the form of words who give happiness to good connoisseurs!
KSS-13.1.3
24.तुष्टेन येन देहार्धमप्युमायै समर्पितम्।
स वो ददात्वभिमतं वरदः पार्वतीपतिः।।
Let Lord Shiva, the husband of Parvati, who got pleased and gave even half of his body to Uma(Parvati),bestow upon you all that you desire!
KSS-14.1.1
25.निशि विघ्नजितो वो'व्यात्तांडवोद्दंडितः करः।
शोणश्चंद्रातपत्रस्य तन्वन्विद्रुमदंडताम्।।
Let the hand of Lord Shiva, who has lifted it straight up during his Tandava dance at night after conquering all the obstacles,which,under the umbrella of reddish moon rays appears like a stick of coral!
KSS-14.1.2
26.निशासु ताण्डवोद्दंडशुंडासीत्कारशीकरैः।
ज्योतींषि पुष्णन्निव वस्तमो मुष्णातु विघ्नजित्।।
Let Lord Ganesha, the conquerer of obstacles,who during performing the Tandava dance at nights lifts his trunk straight up and with the hissing sound and sprinkling of cool water droplets,appears as if he increases the stars, remove your darkness of ignorance!
KSS-15.1.1
27.पातु वस्ताण्डवोद्दंडगंडसिंदूरमंडनः।
वांताभीपीतप्रत्यूहप्रताप इव विघ्नजित्।।
Let Lord Ganesha, the conquerer of obstacles, who during the Tandava dance,pouring out the vermilion powder from his uplifted cheek appears as if he is putting out the heat of the obstacles he himself engulfed, protect you!
KSS-15.1.2
28.देहार्धधृतकान्तो'पि तपस्वी निर्गुणो'पि यः।
जगस्तुत्यो नमस्तस्मै चित्ररूपाय शंभवे।।
Salutations to Lord Shambhu(Shiva) of a strange form,who though having held his beloved wife in half of his body(and hence called Ardhanareeshwara), is an ascetic, and who though is bereft of qualities(hence Nirguna), is glorified by the whole world!
The formful and qualified aspect, or Saguna,and the formless and non-qualified aspect,or Nirguna of God both have been glorified in this verse.
KSS-17.1.1
29.चलत्कर्णाग्रविक्षिप्तगंडोड्डीनालिमंडलम्।
धुन्वानं विघ्नसंघातमिव विघ्नान्तकं नमः।।
Salutations to Lord Ganesha, the destroyer of obstacles, who is pushing away the flock of bees which are sticking to the intoxicant water of his cheeks,as if they are obstacles by flapping his ear edges and thus avoiding them!
KSS-17.1.2
30.चन्द्राननार्धदेहाय चन्द्रांशुसितभूतये।
चन्द्रार्कानलनेत्राय चन्द्रार्धशिरसे नमः।।
Salutations to Lord Shiva, who holds the moonfaced Goddess Parvati in half of his body, who has vibhuti(glory and sacred ash) as white as moon's rays,who has moon, sun, and fire as his three eyes, and who has half moon in his head!
KSS-18.1.1
31.करेण कुञ्चिताग्रेण लीलयोन्नमितेन यः।
भाति सिद्धीरिव ददत्स पायाद्वो गजाननः।।
Let Lord Gajanana, the elephant faced Ganesha, who has lifted his trunk up playfully, and appears as if he is bestowing accomplishments from his trunk which is bent at the tip, protect you!
KSS-18.1.2
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