The Parāstuti consists of nine verses composed in the āryā gīti meter by one Sahajānanda Yogin (as we are told in the final verse), describing and praising the nature of the Goddess Parā. As of this writing, we are not aware of any more information about the author, aside from this signature in the final verse.

The Parāstuti itself is included within the Nityotsava of Umānandanātha, a ritual manual based on the Paraśurāmakalpasūtra (PKS). It is from the Nityotsava* that this hymn has been taken and translated. Parā’s worship is treated in the 8th chapter of PKS in its Parākrama and in the 6th chapter of Nityotsava, entitled the Parāpaddhati. Though the PKS itself describes the mantras and rituals for its primary deities (Mahāgaṇapati, Lalitā Trpurasundarī, Vārāhī, Mātaṅgī and Parā) it does not directly provide any complete hymns to be recited for them. Nityotsava on the other hand provides a hymn for each of these deities within their respective sections of worship, each of these hymns are taken from other sources.

The Goddess Parā has long had a relationship to Śrīvidyā. She is even described as the Heart of Lalitā Tripurasundarī in PKS (8.2). Her seed syllable “SAUḤ” is the final seed syllable of the mantra of Bālā Tripurasundarī, and occurs frequently in mantras in the PKS, though sometimes in inflected form. She is also mentioned in the Kāmākṣīmāhātmya of the Lalitopākhyāna (LU 39.10). The form described in LU and PKS is the same as the one described in this hymn, She is white in complexion and holds the cinmudrā (the hand gesture of consciousness) and a manuscript (of a scripture). The list of Gurus related to the worship of Parā in the PKS also correspond to what is mentioned here in the Parāstuti. In PKS the Gurus begin with Parā Bhaṭṭārikā (i.e. the Goddess Parā herself) and next go to Aghora (i.e. the southern face of Śiva). Likewise in this hymn we are told her worship was spread by the Gurus beginning with Aghora.

Her worship in the PKS is highly esoteric and contemplative, it involves uniting and dissolving the tattvas, the principles of reality, into Her and worshipping her form as being made up of both prakāśa, the light of consciousness and vimarśa, reflective awareness. Likewise in this hymn she is described as one’s own consiousness (svasaṃvid, verse 1) and the dynamic power of consciousness (citkalā, verse 2).

We believe this is the first translation of this text into English and hope practitioners of Srīvidyā will benefit form studying and reciting this hymn.

*Nityotsava of Umānandanātha (Supplement to Paraśurāma–kalpa–sūtra). edited by A. Mahadeva Sastri. Oriental Institute Vadodara. 2000.

We have prepared a document with the above introduction, full text, translation and a second version of the text with the words and meter marked out for easier reading. Additional we have worked together with Nityānanda Dāsa to produce a recording of the Parastuti in the Ahir Bhairav Raga (embedded below). He has additionally produced five more recordings in other Ragas as well related to different times of day.

Parāstuti
The Praise of the Goddess Parā

Verse 1

याऽघोरादिभिरेतैः पारम्पर्यक्रमागतैर्नाथैः।
प्रथते तां विश्वमयीं विश्वातीतां स्वसंविदं नौमि ॥१॥

yā’ghorādibhiretaiḥ pāramparyakramāgatairnāthaiḥ।
prathate tāṃ viśvamayīṃ viśvātītāṃ svasaṃvidaṃ naumi ॥1॥

I make reverent salutations to the Goddess Parā, who was revealed by the masters in the lineage beginning from Aghora (i.e. Śiva) himself. She is composed of this universe and again transcends this universe and is my own consciousness.

Verse 2

आनन्दचरणकमलामकळङ्कशशाङ्कमण्डलच्छायाम् |
तन्मण्डलाधिरूढां तत्कलया कलितचित्कलां नौमि ॥२॥

ānandacaraṇakamalāmakalaṅkaśaśāṅkamaṇḍalacchāyām ।
tanmaṇḍalādhirūḍhāṃ tatkalayā kalitacitkalāṃ naumi ॥2॥

I bow to the Goddess Parā, whose lotus feet bestow bliss and whose beautiful complexion is like the orb of the moon free from any blemish. She is the dynamic power/aspect (kalā) of consciousness, ornamented with the digit/aspect (kalā) of the moon, and is seated upon its orb as well.

Verse 3

इच्छादिशक्तिशूलांबुजमूलां मूलकुण्डलीरूपाम् ।
नित्यामप्यणुरूपामणोश्च महतो महीयसीं नौमि ॥३॥

icchādiśaktiśūlāṃbujamūlāṃ mūlakuṇḍalīrūpām ।
nityāmapyaṇurūpāmaṇośca mahato mahīyasīṃ naumi ॥3॥

I bow to the Goddess Parā, who is the root of the lotus of the trident of the three powers (śaktis), of will (icchā), knowledge (jñāna) and action (kriyā), in the form of the kuṇḍalinī in the root cakra (mūlādhāra). She is eternal, and though her form is more minute than an atom, she is more massive and great than largest of things.

Verse 4

मौक्तिकमणिगणरुचिरां शशाङ्कनिर्मोकनिर्मलं क्षौमम् ।
निवसानां परमेशीं नमामि सौवर्णसम्पुटान्तःस्थाम् ॥ ४॥

śaśāṅkanirmokanirmalaṃ kṣaumam ।
nivasānāṃ parameśīṃ namāmi sauvarṇasampuṭāntaḥsthām ॥ 4॥

I bow to Parā, the Supreme Goddess, situated within a golden sphere, ornamented with a charming collection of jewels and pearls and attired with pure stainless linen garments which are emanating moon light.

Verse 5

भक्तजनभेदभञ्जनचिन्मुद्राकलितदक्षपाणितलाम् ।
पूर्णाहन्ताकारणपुस्तकवर्येण रुचिरवामकराम् ॥ ५ ॥

bhaktajanabhedabhañjanacinmudrākalitadakṣapāṇitalām । pūrṇāhantākāraṇapustakavaryeṇa ruciravāmakarām ॥ 5 ॥

With her right hand she makes the gesture of Consciousness (cit mudrā), shattering the notion of duality in her devotees. Her charming left hand holds the Supreme Scripture which brings about the state of the all-embracing identity (pūrṇāhantā).*

*Following Dr. Ben Williams’ translation of pūrṇāhantā as ‘all-embracing identity’ published in the Saubhāgyahṛdayastotra: Praise to the Heart of Auspiciousness. Tripurā Tallikā. 2024.

Verse 6

सृष्टिस्थितिलयकृद्भिर्नयनाम्भोजैश्शशीनदहनाख्यैः ।
मौक्तिकताटङ्काभ्यां मण्डितमुखमण्डलां परां नौमि ॥ ६॥

sṛṣṭisthitilayakṛdbhirnayanāmbhojaiśśaśīnadahanākhyaiḥ ।
mauktikatāṭaṅkābhyāṃ maṇḍitamukhamaṇḍalāṃ parāṃ naumi ॥ 6॥

I bow to the Goddess Parā, who creates, preserves and destroys the universe with her lotus eyes known as the sun, moon and fire. The orb of her face is decorated with a pair of pearl earrings.

Verse 7

षड्गतिषडूर्मिषडरीन् धिक्कृत्याशु स्वभक्तवर्गस्य ।
कञ्चुकपञ्चकनोदनसञ्चितसंवित्प्रकाशिनीं नौमि ॥ ७ ॥

ṣaḍgatiṣaḍūrmiṣaḍarīn dhikkṛtyāśu svabhaktavargasya । kañcukapañcakanodanasañcitasaṃvitprakāśinīṃ naumi ॥ 7 ॥

I bow to the Goddess Parā, whose devotees are able to quickly renounce the six realms of rebirth, the six waves of worldly existence and also the six inner enemies. With the illumination of the light of the totality of consciousness she removes the five coverings of māyā.

Verse 8

अध्वातीतं बुद्ध्वा बुधाः प्रबुद्धाः परं पदं यस्याः।
कैवल्यं यान्ति हठात् कटाक्षपातेन तां परां नौमि ॥ ८ ॥

adhvātītaṃ buddhvā budhāḥ prabuddhāḥ paraṃ padaṃ yasyāḥ ।
kaivalyaṃ yānti haṭhāt kaṭākṣapātena tāṃ parāṃ naumi ॥ 8 ॥

I bow to the Goddess Parā. The wise and enlightened beings realizing Her supreme state, which is beyond the paths to liberation, without fail enter the Absolute (kaivalya) merely by receiving the grace of her side long glance.

Verse 9

यः पठतीदं स्तोत्रं पात्रं स भवेच्च पञ्चवर्गस्य ।
गुरुचरणकमलभाजा सहजानन्देन योगिनाऽभिहितम् ॥ ९॥

yaḥ paṭhatīdaṃ stotraṃ pātraṃ sa bhavecca pañcavargasya ।
gurucaraṇakamalabhājā sahajānandena yoginā’bhihitam ॥ 9॥

Whoever recites this praise poem spoken by the yogī Sahajānanda, who reveres the Guru’s lotus feet, becomes the receptacle of the group of five (or master of the five senses or powers).

इति परस्तुतिः सम्पूर्णा ॥

iti parastutiḥ sampūrṇā ॥

Thus the praise of the Goddess Parā is fully complete.

Our collaborator

We are deeply grateful to Nityānanda Dāsa for his beautiful renditions of the Parāstuti in specific and the Āryā Gīti meter in general.

You can also support him and his music by purchasing the album of these recordings on his bandcamp page – Album on Nityananda Dasa’s Band Camp.