In my opinion, this song in Carnatic music is THE PERFECT ONE. It has lyrical beauty, the typical sentiment of a devotee, and focusses on one theme.. grace. It is set to one of the loveliest of ragas. It sounds too good to be true... just listen and you will agree!
pAhi shrI girirAjasutE
Abstracted from: Compositions of Shyama Shastri, Subbaraya Shastri & Annasvami Shastri by Sangeetha Kalanidhi T. K. Govinda Rao, published in Chennai 1997 (No. 31).
Raga: Anandabhairavi / Tala: rUpakam / Composer Syama Sastri
P: pAhi shrI girirAjasutE karuNAkalitE padasarOja manusarAmi tE amba
A: dEhi matEranupamagatim mE EkAmrapatisudati sati tEjasA atulita divyamUrttE lalitE atilalitE
C1: dEvi purANi nigamavinutE prItiriha vasatutE mAnadE anudinamajitE yudhi jitEndra vimatE dEvAvirata kRta nutE kAmakOTipITha gatE dInajana nikarE bhuvi paradEvatE sucaritE
C2: nIpavanI paramanivasanE namra jagadavana nEtri janani kanakavasanE jhaSavishAlanayanE gOpayita sukavijanE pApa tApa khaNDana nipuNE kuntaLa vijita ghanE ghanajaghanE kalAvati ratE
C3: kAmitadhAtri kamalamukhi kAmAkSi akhilasAkSi kAmarati kAma shubhaphaladE dhRta sugandha ghanalatE shyAmE adya bhava mama mudE shyAmakRSNasadvaradE shyAmaLE AshritaratE viditagatE sadA iha varadE
My translation:
Oh Daughter of the King of Hills, Mother, bestow thy grace on me, for I just follow in your lotus steps....and grace is your very nature!
Mother, also give me wisdom, you pearly-toothed consort of Siva(Ekamreshwara), unmatched in effulgent form, divine Lalitha, ever-so-pliant in feminine grace!
You're primordial, worshipped in scriptures, and once ended god's quarrels too, oh unvanquished one! May your affection be with me here always....just enshrined as you're in Kamakoti Pitha, uplifting all poor souls.
You're the Purifier, Mother! Your eyes are filled with love for all creation, those large eyes that recall beauteous fish.
You're the inspiration for great poets, you're adept at destroying infernal misdeeds, you're a lovely one, with such splendid hair and figure!
You fulfill our wishes, and you foster passionate love amongst us. Oh lotus-faced one of dark mein, oh one swathed in golden robes, holding a fragrant plant in hand, grace me just this instant! For you're ever and ever grace personified!
