Totakashtakam | తోటకాష్టకమ్

విధితాఖిలశాస్త్రసుధాజలధే మహితోపనిషత్కథితార్థనిధే 

హృదయే కలయే విమలం చరణం భవ శఙ్కర దేశిక మే శరణమ్

కరుణావరుణాలయ పాలయ మాం భవసాగరదుఃఖవిదూనహృదమ్ర 

చయాఖిలదర్శనతత్త్వవిదం భవ శఙ్కర దేశిక మే శరణమ్

భవతా జనతా సుఖితా భవితా నిజబోధవిచారణ చారుమతే 

కలయేశ్వర జీవవివేకవిదం భవ శఙ్కర దేశిక మే శరణమ్

భవ ఏవ భవానితి మే నితరాం సమజాయత చేతసి కౌతుకితా 

మమ వారయ మోహమహాజలధిం భవ శఙ్కర దేశిక మే శరణమ్

సుకృతేధికృతే బహుధా భవతో భవితా సమదర్శనలాలసతా 

అతిదీనమిమం పరిపాలయ మాం భవ శఙ్కర దేశిక మే శరణమ్

జగతీమవితుం కలితాకృతయో విచరన్తి మహామహసశ్ఛలతః 

అహిమాంశురివాత్ర విభాసి గురో భవ శఙ్కర దేశిక మే శరణమ్

గురుపుఙ్గవ పుఙ్గవకేతన తే సమతామయతాం నహి కోపి సుధీః 

శరణాగతవత్సల తత్త్వనిధే భవ శఙ్కర దేశిక మే శరణమ్

విదితా న మయా విసదైకకలా న చ కించన కాఞ్చనమస్తిగురో 

ద్రుతమేవ విధేహి కృపాం సహజాం భవ శఙ్కర దేశిక మే శరణమ్ 

~ ఇతి శ్రీ తోటకాష్టకం సంపూర్ణమ్ ~

VIDITAKILA SASTRA SUDHA JALATHE 

MAHITOPA NISATKATHI TARTHANIDHE 

HRDAYEKALAYE VIMALAM SARANAM 

BHAVA SANKARA DESIKA ME SARANAM || 1 ||

O thou, the knower of all the milk-ocean of scriptures! The expounder of the topics of great upanisadic treasure-trove! On thy faultless feet i meditate in my heart. Be thou my refuge o master, sankara

KARUNA VARUNALAYA PALAYA MAM 

BHVASAGARA DUKHA VIDUNAHRDAM 

RACAYAKHILA DARSHANA THATVANIDAM 

BHAVA SANKARA DESIKA ME SARANAM ||2||

O the ocean of campassion! Save me whose heart is tormented by the misery of the sea of birth! Make me understand the truths of all the schools of philosophy! Be thou my refuge o master, sankara

BHAVATA JANATA SUHITA BHAVITA 

NIJABODHA VICARANA CHARUMATE 

KALAYESHVARA JIVA VIVEKAVIDAM 

BHAVA SANKARA DESIKA ME SARANAM ||3||

By thee, the masses have been made happy. O thou who hast a noble intellect skilled in the inquiry into self-knowledge! Enable me to understand the wisdom relating to god and the soul. Be thou my refuge o master, sankara

BHAVA EVA BHAVANITI ME NITARAM 

SAMAJAYATA CHETASI KAUTUKITA 

MAMAVARAYA MOHA MAHAJALADHIM 

BHAVA SANKARA DESIKA ME SARANAM ||4||

Knowing that thou art verily the supreme lord, there arises overwhelming bliss in my heart. Protect me from the vast ocean of delusion. Be thou my refuge o master, sankara

SUKRTE DHIKRETE BAHIDHA BHAVATO 

BHAVITA SAMA DARSHANA LALASATA 

ATIHINAMIMAM PARIPALAYA MAM 

BHAVA SANKARA DESIKA ME SARANAM ||5||

Desire for the insight into unity through thee will spring only when virtuous deeds are performed in abundance and in various directions. Protect this extremely helpless person. Be thou my refuge o master, sankara

JAGATIMAVITUM KALITAKRITAYO 

VICHARANTI MAHAMANA SASCHALATAH 

AHIMAM STURIVATRA VIBHASI GURO 

BHAVA SANKARA DESIKA ME SARANAM ||6||

Oh teacher! For saving the world, the great assume various forms and wander in disguise. Of them, thou shinest like the sun. Be thou my refuge o master, sankara

GURUPUNGAVA PUNGAVA KETANA TE 

SAMATAM AYATAM NAHI KO’PI SUDHIH 

SARANAGATAVATSALA TATTVINIDHE 

BHAVA SANKARA DESIKA ME SARANAM ||7||

O the best of the teachers! The supreme lord having the bull as banner! None of the wise is equal to thee! Thou who art compassionate to those who have taken refuge! The treasure trove of truth! Be thou my refuge o master, sankara

VIDITA NA MAYA VISHATAIKAKALA 

NACHA KINCANA KANCANAMASTI GURO 

DRUTAMEVA VIDEHI KRUPAM SAHAJAM 

BHAVA SANKARA DESIKA ME SARANAM ||8||

Not even a single branch of knowledge has been understood by me correctly. Not even the least wealth do i possess, o teacher. Bestow on me quickly thy natural grace. Be thou my refuge o master, sankara

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About Adi Shankaracharya: Adi Shankaracharya was eight century Hindu saint and philosopher. He consolidated the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta and preached the unity of soul and Brahman. It is believed that Shankaracharya was born in the year 788 AD in a Brahmin family. He hailed from South India, Kalady which is present day Kerala. A legend is connected to his birth, saying that his parents had a vision of Lord Shiva who promised them that he would incarnate in the form of their child.

Shankaracharya’s life was full of preaching the gospel of Advaita. He traveled across India and other parts of Asia to propagate the philosophy through discourses and debates with the philosophers. He founded several mathas and organized Dashanami monastic order. He was the founder of the Shanmata tradition of worship. He wrote volumes of commentaries on the Vedic canon.

Adi Shankaracharya was excellent manager of his movement. He established his monasteries in the 4 corners of India and sent his disciples to head them. The tradition of disciples succeeding the throne exists till date. He lived a short life, only of 32 years. It is believed that he left his body in 820 CE.

Celebrations: Adi Shankaracharya Jayanti is also referred as Philosopher’s Day. On this day the several seminars are conducted on the life and teachings of Adi Shankaracharya. The followers chant Adi Shankaracharya Stotras and meditate on the great works of Shankaracharya. The discourses are held on the realizations on the principles of Advaita Vedanta.

* * *

AdiShankaracharya is known to have reestablished the Sanatha Dharma in the midst of rituals and onslaught by the other religions and faiths viz : Budhism, Jaininsm, Islam, Christinaity etc. He is known to have reestablished the faith in Vedas. His four disciples were : Surshwarar, Hasthamalakar, Padmapadhar and Totakacharya.

Adi Shankaracharya was born in Kaladi ( Kerala - South India ) to mother Aryamba. He took sanyas at the tender age of five when his leg was caught by a crocodile. Mother Aryamba permitted his son to take Sanyas reluctantly so that he may be released from the clutches of the Crocodile.

On becoming a Sanyasi, he went about seeking alms - bhiksha. Once during such rounds he went to an old lady who was steeped in poverty and could give him nothing. Suddenly she remembered that she could give him a Amla friut from the courtyard. Shakara seeing her love and affection composed 'KANAKADHARA' stotram and made gold amla friuts rain from the tree through his Kanakadhara strotram. Such was his prowess and ability to compose rich sanskrit verses.

During one such trips to Pandarpur he composed 'Pandurangaashtakam' in praise of Lord Vittala. This is one of the oldest documentary evidence of the existence of Pandarpur ( about 1200 years ago ) though there are also references in Skanda Puran.

He then traveled to the North India and won over a sanskrit scholar Mandana Mishra and his wife in a debate and accepted Mandanamishra as his disciple and named him Sureshwarar. He subsequently accepted other disciples - Hasthamalakar and PadmaPadhar. There was one disciple who believed more in service than studying or understanding rituals and was always engaged in doing all the day-today chores like plucking flowers, washing clothes, cleaning and arranging Pooja samagri etc. He was not considered to be intelligent or worthy as a disciple. This disciple was known as Totaka.

Once when Adi Shakara was to begin his teaching session, he refused to start since Totaka was not seen. The other disciples always ridiculed Totaka for his lack of intelligence and being dumb. But Totaka was unmindful and went about doing his duties to serve the master Adi Shankaracharya. He was washing clothes when the session had to start. But seeing that the other students ridiculed Totaka for his faithful services Adi Shankara blessed him thru his diksha and suddenly Totaka was found to be one of the most intelligent of all the students. Thus Adi Shankara established to the world that service to the master is as essential and an integral part of the Guru Shishya Paramapara and one can attain knowledge or Gyana also through performing services to the master.

Totakacharya then composed Totakashtakam rich in Sanskrit language and its meaning in praise of his master Adi Shakaracharya. Subsequently Totakacharya established the Jyotir Peetham at Kashmir. Sri. Sivarathnagiri Swamigal and his Disciple Swami Gnananandagiri Swamigal of Thapovanam ( Thirkovilur ) hail from the same lineage.