ಮೂಕಪಂಚಶತೀ ಕಟಾಕ್ಷಶತಕಮ್ ೧-೨೫

ಮೂಕಪಞ್ಚಶತೀ (ಮೂಕಕವಿ ಪ್ರಣೀತಾ)  
              ಕಟಾಕ್ಷಶತಕಮ್
              (slokas ೧ to ೨೫)
Mooka Panchashati is a devotional composition by Muka Kavi dedicated to Kamakshi. The real name of the poet is not known. Legend has it that he was born dumb but regained not only his voice  by  the grace of Goddess Kamakshi but also became a poet of considerable merit. Mooka Panchashati  consists of five satakams, each Satakam containing ೧೦೦ verses. The Satakams  are Arya Satakam, Padaravinda Satakam, Stuti Satakam, Kataksha Satakam and Mandasmita Satakam.

Goddess Kamakshi is the presiding deity of Kancheepuram.  Her consort is Ekamreshwara, an aspect of Lord Shiva.  Kanchi is the Central Peetham established by Aadi Shankaracharya who installed and consecrated the  idol of Kamakshi and established the system of worship there. The other  Peethams are at Badrinath in the North, Dwarka in theWest,  Puri in the East and Sringeri (Sringa giri) in the South.

The translation into English of a hymn of this nature is a delicate task and readers may kindly pardon the shortcomings, though every attempt has been made to make the translation as close as possible to the intended or perceived meaning. 

ಮೋಹಾನ್ಧಕಾರನಿವಹಂ ವಿನಿಹನ್ತುಮೀಡೇ
ಮೂಕಾತ್ಮನಾಮಪಿ ಮಹಾಕವಿತಾವದಾನ್ಯಾತ್ | 
ಶ್ರೀಕಾಞ್ಚಿದೇಶಶಿಶಿರೀಕೃತಿಜಾಗರೂಕಾ-
ನೇಕಾಮ್ರನಾಥತರುಣೀಕರುಣಾವಲೋಕಾನ್ || ೧|| 

I pray to the compassionate glances of the consort of Ekamranatha  that they dispel  the darkness of my delusion and attachment.  Those glances are generous enough to make even those who are dumb great poets and are alive to the need for keeping Kanchi a cool place  (i.e. happy and contented),

ಮಾತರ್ಜಯನ್ತಿ ಮಮತಾಗ್ರಹಮೋಕ್ಷಣಾನಿ
ಮಾಹೇನ್ದ್ರನೀಲರುಚಿಶಿಕ್ಷಣದೀಕ್ಷಣಾನಿ| 
ಕಾಮಾಕ್ಷಿ ಕಲ್ಪಿತಜಗತ್ತ್ರಯರಕ್ಷಣಾನಿ
ತ್ವದ್ವೀಕ್ಷಣಾನಿ ವರದಾನವಿಚಕ್ಷಣಾನಿ || ೨|| 

O Mother! victory to those glances of yours which release from the clutches of attachment  and possessiveness, which are dark blue as the blue gemstone, which have taken on the job of protecting the three worlds and which are generous in giving boons.


ಆನಙ್ಗತನ್ತ್ರವಿಧಿದರ್ಶಿತಕೌಶಲಾನಾ-
ಮಾನನ್ದಮನ್ದಪರಿಘೂರ್ಣಿತಮನ್ಥರಾಣಾಮ್| 
ತಾರಲ್ಯಮಂಬ ತವ ತಾಡಿತಕರ್ಣಸೀಮ್ನಾಂ
ಕಾಮಾಕ್ಷಿ ಖೇಲತಿ ಕಟಾಕ್ಷನಿರೀಕ್ಷಣಾನಾಮ್|| ೩|| 

O Kamakshi! your glances exhibit skill in the art of   love expounded in Kamashastra.   They are the source of ananda ( joy,happiness), they are long reaching up to the ears and they are extremely flitting and playful.   

ಕಲ್ಲೋಲಿತೇನ ಕರುಣಾರಸವೇಲ್ಲಿತೇನ
ಕಲ್ಮಾಷಿತೇನ ಕಮನೀಯಮೃದುಸ್ಮಿತೇನ| 
ಮಾಮಞ್ಚಿತೇನ ತವ ಕಿಂಚನ ಕುಞ್ಚಿತೇನ
ಕಾಮಾಕ್ಷಿ ತೇನ ಶಿಶಿರೀಕುರು ವೀಕ್ಷಿತೇನ|| ೪|| 

O Kamakshi!  Cool me (give me peace and happiness) by your glances which are wave-like, full of compassion, dark, accompanied by a beautiful soft smile, pretty and slightly crooked.

ಸಾಹಾಯ್ಯಕಂ ಗತವತೀ ಮುಹುರರ್ಜುನಸ್ಯ
ಮನ್ದಸ್ಮಿತಸ್ಯ ಪರಿತೋಷಿತಭೀಮಚೇತಾಃ| 
ಕಾಮಾಕ್ಷಿ ಪಾಣ್ಡವಚಮೂರಿವ ತಾವಕೀನಾ
ಕರ್ಣಾನ್ತಿಕಂ ಚಲತಿ ಹನ್ತ ಕಟಾಕ್ಷಲಕ್ಷ್ಮೀಃ|| ೫|| 

O Kamakshi! The Lakshmi of your glances reach out to help the bright smile and gladden the heart of Shiva. (Your glances reach out to help Arjuna and gladden the heart of Bhima).  Like the army of Pandavas it moves towards Karna ( it reaches up to the ears)

[Arjuna,  besides being the name of one of the sons of Pandu,  also means ‘white’ which qualifies the ‘smile’.
Similarly Bhima refers to one of the Pandavas and also means Lord Shiva. Karna  refers to Karna of Mahabharata and also means ‘ear’.  shleshalamkara]


ಅಸ್ತಂ ಕ್ಷಣಾನ್ನಯತು ಮೇ ಪರಿತಾಪಸೂರ್ಯ-
ಮಾನನ್ದಚನ್ದ್ರಮಸಮಾನಯತಾಂ ಪ್ರಕಾಶಮ್ | 
ಕಾಲಾನ್ಧಕಾರಸುಷಮಾಂ ಕಲಯನ್ದಿಗನ್ತೇ
ಕಾಮಾಕ್ಷಿ ಕೋಮಲಕಟಾಕ್ಷನಿಶಾಗಮಸ್ತೇ || ೬|| 

O Kamakshi! Let the beautiful side- glances which are like the arrival of night spreading dense darkness in all quarters cause the scorching sun of my misery to set and let the moon of joy rise spreading its light.

ತಾಟಙ್ಕ ಮೌಕ್ತಿಕರುಚಾಂಕುರದನ್ತಕಾನ್ತಿ:
ಕಾರುಣ್ಯಹಸ್ತಿಪಶಿಖಾಮಣಿನಾಧಿರೂಢಾ| 
ಉನ್ಮೂಲಯತ್ವಶುಭಪಾದಪಮಸ್ಮದೀಯಂ
ಕಾಮಾಕ್ಷಿ ತಾವಕ ಕಟಾಕ್ಷಮತಙ್ಗಜೇನ್ದ್ರ: || ೭|| 

O kamakshi! your side-glance is like an intoxicated elephant.  The radiance of pearls in your ear-ornaments appears as the tusk of this elephant.  The expert mahout who is riding this elephant is your mercy (compassion, kindness).  May this elephant uproot the tree of all my ill-luck and miseries.  


ಚ್ಛಾಯಾಭರೇಣ ಜಗತಾಂ ಪರಿತಾಪಹಾರೀ
ತಾಟ್ಙ್ಕರತ್ನಮಣಿತಲ್ಲಜಪಲ್ಲವಶ್ರೀಃ| 
ಕಾರುಣ್ಯನಾಮ ವಿಕಿರನ್ಮಕರನ್ದಜಾಲಂ
ಕಾಮಾಕ್ಷಿ ರಾಜತಿ ಕಟಾಕ್ಷಸುರದ್ರುಮಸ್ತೇ || ೮|| 

O Kamakshi your glance is the wish-yielding tree, kalpataru.  By its shade it drives away the sorrows of the world.  Its tender leaves are the radiance from the diamonds in your ear ornaments.  Its flower honey is mercy, compassion.   Thus shines the kalpataru of your glances.


ಸೂರ್ಯಾಶ್ರಯಪ್ರಣಯಿನೀ ಮಣಿಕುಣ್ಡಲಾಂಶು-
ಲೌಹಿತ್ಯಕೋಕನದಕಾನನಮಾನನೀಯಾ| 
ಯಾನ್ತೀ ತವ ಸ್ಮರಹರಾನನಕಾನ್ತಿಸಿನ್ಧುಂ
ಕಾಮಾಕ್ಷಿ ರಾಜತಿ ಕಟಾಕ್ಷಕಲಿನ್ದಕನ್ಯಾ || ೯|| 

O Kamakshi!  your sidelong glance is like the Yamuna river. (both are dark in complexion).  Both are fond of those who depend on the Sun.(Yamuna is the daughter of the Sun god. Your glances are wide as the lotus which depends on the sun for blossoming) The radiance from your ear-globes resembles a forest of red lotuses.  Lotus flowers of red hue grow in Yamuna  also.  Your  glances flow towards the sea of effulgence of the face of enemy of Cupid, Shiva. ( Yamuna also flows into Ganga which Lord Shiva carries in his matted locks).
[The poet is comparing Kamakshi’s glances with the river Yamuna]
ಪ್ರಾಪ್ನೋತಿ ಯಂ ಸುಕೃತಿನಂ ತವ ಪಕ್ಷಪಾತಾ-
ತ್ಕಾಮಾಕ್ಷಿ ವೀಕ್ಷಣವಿಲಾಸಕಲಾಪುರನ್ಧ್ರೀ
ಸದ್ಯಸ್ತಮೇವ ಕಿಲ ಮುಕ್ತಿವಧೂರ್ವೃಣೀತೇ
ತಸ್ಮಾನ್ನಿತಾನ್ತಮನಯೋರಿದಮೈಕಮತ್ಯಮ್ || ೧೦|| 

As soon as the artist damsel of your side-glance  embraces a  sukriti (person who has earned enough merit by his good deeds), the mukti damsel also embraces him simultaneously.  These two damsels, your side-glance and mukti  are always of the same mind.

ಯಾನ್ತೀ ಸದೈವ ಮರುತಾಮನುಕೂಲಭಾವಂ
ಭ್ರೂವಲ್ಲಿಶಕ್ರಧನುರುಲ್ಲಸಿತಾ ರಸಾರ್ದ್ರಾ | 
ಕಾಮಾಕ್ಷಿ ಕೌತುಕತರಙ್ಗಿತನೀಲಕಣ್ಠಾ
ಕಾದಮ್ಬಿನೀವ ತವ ಭಾತಿ ಕಟಾಕ್ಷಮಾಲಾ || ೧೧|| 

O Kamakshi ! the string  of your sidelong glances is like a cloud formation which always follows the marut ( wind, sons of Diti friendly to Indra).   The rainbow of your eyebrows is colourful and displays different feelings and emotions. Seeing these (cloud and rainbow) there is a wave of interest in Nilakantha, that is Shiva  (also peacock which dances with joy when it sees the clouds)

ಗಂಗಾಮ್ಭಸಿ ಸ್ಮಿತಮಯೇ ತಪನಾತ್ಮಜೇವ
ಗಂಗಾಧರೋರಸಿ ನವೋತ್ಪಲಮಾಲಿಕೇವ| 
ವಕ್ತ್ರಪ್ರಭಾಸರಸಿ ಶೈವಲಮಣ್ಡಲೀವ
ಕಾಮಾಕ್ಷಿ ರಾಜತಿ ಕಟಾಕ್ಷರುಚಿಚ್ಛ್ಟಾ ತೇ || ೧೨|| 


O Kamkshi! The radiance of your sidelong glance is like the Yamuna mingling with the waters of Ganga (because your glance is dark as the Yamuna and your smile is bright as the waters of Ganga).  Your glances form, as it were,  a garland of dark blue lilies on the chest of Lord Shiva ( as they linger on it intermittently). They are also like moss on the surface of the lake which is the effulgence of your face.     

ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರತಃ ಕಿಮಪಿ ಕನ್ದಲಿತಾನ್ ರಸಜ್ಞ-
ಕೇದಾರಸೀಮ್ನಿ ಸುಧಿಯಾಮುಪಭೋಗಭಾಗ್ಯಾನ್| 
ಕಲ್ಯಾ಼ಣಸೂಕ್ತಿಲಹರೀಕಲಮಾಂಕುರಾನ್ನಃ
ಕಾಮಾಕ್ಷಿ ಕನ್ದಲಯತು ತ್ವದಪಾಙ್ಗಮೇಘಃ || ೧೩|| 
O Kamakshi! May the cloud of your sidelong glances help nourish the young plants of  auspicious, picturesque and poetic output fit for the enjoyment of the wise which grows in properly cultivated fields of those who love and enjoy poetry and have been trained in its nuances.     

ಚಾಞ್ಚಲ್ಯಮೇವ ನಿಯತಂ ಕಲಯನ್ಪ್ರಕೃತ್ಯಾ
ಮಾಲಿನ್ಯಭೂಃ ಶ್ರುತಿಪಥಾಕ್ರಮಜಾಗರೂಕಃ| 
ಕೈವಲ್ಯಮೇವ ಕಿಮು ಕಲ್ಪಯತೇ ನತಾನಾಂ
ಕಾಮಾಕ್ಷಿ ಚಿತ್ರಮಪಿ ತೇ ಕರುಣಾಕಟಾಕ್ಷಃ || ೧೪|| 

O Kamakshi! Your glances are,  by nature, ambulatory and wavering.  It is stained by anjana. It is bent on encroaching the path of the ears (srutipatha  also means the path of the Vedas).  It is therefore surprising that  your glances charged with mercy grant kaivalya or liberation to those who bow at your feet. [Being stained and trespassing the path of the Vedas are not quite in consonance kaivalya,  therefore the surprise) 

ಸಂಜೀವನೇ ಜನನಿ ಚೂತಶಿಲೀಮುಖಸ್ಯ
ಸಂಮೋಹನೇ ಶಶಿಕಿಶೋರಕಶೇಖರಸ್ಯ| 
ಸಂಸ್ತಮ್ಭನೇ ಚ ಮಮತಾಗ್ರಹಚೇಷ್ಟಿತಸ್ಯ
ಕಾಮಾಕ್ಷಿ ವೀಕ್ಷಣಕಲಾ ಪರಮೌಷಧಂ ತೇ || ೧೫|| 
O Kamakshi! the art of your sidelong glances is the best medicine in bringing back to life Kamadeva burnt down by Shiva, in captivating the heart of Shiva who sports the crescent moon and in blocking the activities of the planet which is mamata (attachment, possessiveness)


ನೀಲೋಽಪಿ ರಾಗಮಧಿಕಂ ಜನಯನ್ಮುರಾರೇ-
ರ್ಲೋಲೋಽಪಿ ಭಕ್ತಿಮಧಿಕಾಂ ದ್ರಢಯನ್ನರಾಣಾಮ್| 
ವಕ್ರೋಽಪಿ ದೇವಿ ನಮತಾಂ ಸಮತಾಂ ವಿತನ್ವ-
ನ್ಕಾಮಾಕ್ಷಿ ನೃತ್ಯತು ಮಯಿ ತ್ವದಪಾಙ್ಗಪಾತಃ|| ೧೬|| 

O Kamakshi !  the glances from the corners of your eyes,  though dark,  generate raga  (red, love and affection ) in Murari (Vishnu),  though flimsy,  they make the devotion of men strong and,  though crooked,  they make those who bow to them straight.  Let those glances of  yours fall on me and dance ( with joy). 

ಕಾಮದ್ರುಹೋ ಹೃದಯಯನ್ತ್ರಣಜಾಗರೂಕಾ
ಕಾಮಾಕ್ಷಿ ಚಞ್ಚಲದೃಗಞ್ಚಲಮೇಖಲಾ ತೇ| 
ಆಶ್ಚರ್ಯಮಮ್ಬ ಭಜತಾಂ ಝಟಿತಿ ಸ್ವಕೀಯ
ಸಂಪರ್ಕ ಏವ ವಿಧುನೋತಿ ಸಮಸ್ತಬನ್ಧಾನ್ || ೧೭|| 

O Kamakshi! your ambulatory glances  are always alert on keeping control over the heart of Shiva, the enemy of Kama.  But Mother! wonder of wonders the contact with those very glances  releases one from all bondages.   


ಕುಣ್ಠೀಕರೋತು ವಿಪದಂ ಮಮ ಕುಞ್ಚಿತಭ್ರೂ-
ಚಾಪಾನ್ವಿತಃ ಶ್ರಿತವಿದೇಹಭವಾನುರಾಗಃ| 
ರಕ್ಷೋಪಕಾರಮನಿಶಂ ಜನಯಞ್ಜಗತ್ಯಾಂ
ಕಾಮಾಕ್ಷಿ ರಾಮ ಇವ ತೇ ಕರುಣಾಕಟಾಕ್ಷಃ || ೧೮|| 

May the glances of Kamakshi charged with mercy remove all my difficulties and problems.  Those glances have the bow of the arched eye-brows and they manifest love for Shiva.  They always help protect the three worlds.  In this respect your glances are like Rama  who also carries a bow, who loved Sita (videhabhavaa) and who helped Vibhishana (a rakshasa)  gain the kingdom of Lanka)


ಶ್ರೀಕಾಮಕೊಟಿ ಶಿವಲೋಚನಶೋಷಿತಸ್ಯ
ಶೃಙ್ಗಾರಬೀಜವಿಭವಸ್ಯ ಪುನಃ ಪ್ರರೋಹೇ| 
ಪ್ರೇಮಾಮ್ಭಸಾರ್ದ್ರಮಚಿರಾತ್ಪ್ರಚುರೇಣ ಶಙ್ಕೇ
ಕೇದಾರಮಮ್ಬ ತವ ಕೇವಲದೃಷ್ಟಿಪಾತಮ್ || ೧೯|| 

O Srikamakoti!  The field, watered by love,  in which grew the seed of sringara again after Kama was burnt down by fire from the third eye of Shiva  was only the touch of your glances. 

ಮಾಹಾತ್ಮ್ಯಶೇವಧಿರಸೌ ತವ ದುರ್ವಿಲಙ್ಘ್ಯ-
ಸಂಸಾರವಿನ್ಧ್ಯಗಿರಿಕುಣ್ಠನಕೇಲಿಚುಞ್ಚುಃ| 
ಧೈರ್ಯಾಮ್ಬುಧಿಂ ಪಶುಪತೇಶ್ಚುಲಕೀಕರೋತಿ
ಕಾಮಾಕ್ಷಿ ವೀಕ್ಷಣವಿಜೃಮ್ಭಣಕುಮ್ಭಜನ್ಮಾ || ೨೦|| 

O Kamakshi!  Your glance is like the sage Agastya. It is a treasure house of greatness which playfully blocks the Vindhya mountain of Samsara just as sage Agastya put Vindhya down.  It also reduces the ocean of courage (determination) of Shiva to a palmful of water just as sage Agastya drank the ocean by the power of his penance.    

ಪೀಯೂಷವರ್ಷಶಿಶಿರಾ ಸ್ಫುಟದುತ್ಪಲಶ್ರೀ-
ರ್ಮೈತ್ರೀ ನಿಸರ್ಗಮಧುರಾ ಕೃತತಾರಕಾಪ್ತಿಃ| 
ಕಾಮಾಕ್ಷಿ ಸಂಶ್ರಿತವತೀ ವಪುರಷ್ಟಮೂರ್ತೇ-
ರ್ಜ್ಯೋತ್ಸ್ನಾಯತೇ ಭಗವತಿ ತ್ವದಪಾಙ್ಗಮಾಲಾ||  ೨೧|| 
O Bhagavati Kamakshi !the garland of your sidelong glances from your dark eyes, when it falls on your consort Ashtamurti (Shiva) becomes like moonlight. It is cool like the moonlight by the raining of nectar (from the moon which adorns Shiva’s head). It has natural sweet friendship with utpala (lily) like the moon because those glances are dark blue like the blue lily.  It also has  the company of taraka (which means Shiva in the case of the glances of Kamakshi and stars in the case of the moon).  

ಅಮ್ಬ ಸ್ಮರಪ್ರತಿಭಟಸ್ಯ ವಪುರ್ಮನೋಜ್ಞ-
ಮಮ್ಭೋಜಕಾನನಮಿವಾಞ್ಚಿತಕಣ್ಟಕಾಭಮ್| 
ಭೃಙ್ಗೀವ ಚುಮ್ಬತಿ ಸದೈವ ಸಪಕ್ಷಪಾತಾ
ಕಾಮಾಕ್ಷಿ ಕೋಮಲರುಚಿಸ್ತ್ವದಪಾಙ್ಗಮಾಲಾ || ೨೨|| 

O Mother Kamakshi! The body of Lord Shiva covered with hairs standing on end, handsome as a forest of lotus flowers with thorns, is always kissed by the waves your pretty glances forming a garland,  as honey-bees flit over lotus blossoms. 

ಕೇಶಪ್ರಭಾಪಟಲನೀಲವಿತಾನಜಾಲೇ
ಕಾಮಾಕ್ಷಿ ಕುಣ್ಡಲಮಣಿಚ್ಛವಿದೀಪಶೋಭೇ| 
ಕಮ್ರೇ ಕಟಾಕ್ಷರುಚಿರಂಗತಲೇ ಕೃಪಾಖ್ಯಾ
ಶೈಲೂಷಕೀ ನಟತಿ ಶಂಕರವಲ್ಲಭೇ ತೇ || ೨೩|| 


O Consort of Shiva ! the dancer called Mercy dances on the stage of radiance of your glances. The stage has a canopy of dark blue created by your tresses and it is lighted up by the brilliance of the diamonds in your ear-globes.

ಅತ್ಯನ್ತಶೀತಲಮತನ್ದ್ರಯತು ಕ್ಷಣಾರ್ಧ-
ಮಸ್ತೋಕವಿಭ್ರಮಮನಙ್ಗವಿಲಾಸಕನ್ದಮ್| 
ಅಲ್ಪಸ್ಮಿತಾದೃತಮಪಾರಕೃಪಾಪ್ರವಾಹ-
ಮಕ್ಷಿಪ್ರರೋಹಮಚಿರಾನ್ಮಯಿ ಕಾಮಕೊಟಿ || ೨೪|| 

O Kamakoti! May the flood of glances sprouting from your eyes which are very cool, the playfield for Cupid and lighted up by a smile,  invigorate me for a moment without delay.

ಮನ್ದಾಕ್ಷರಾಗತರಲೀಕೃತಿತಾರತಮ್ಯಾ-
ತ್ಕಾಮಾಕ್ಷಿ ಮನ್ಥರತರಾಂ ತ್ವದಪಾಙ್ಗದೋಲಾಮ್| 
ಆರುಹ್ಯ ಮನ್ದಮತಿಕೌತುಕಶಾಲಿ ಚಕ್ಷು-
ರಾನನ್ದಮೇತಿ ಮುಹುರರ್ಧಶಶಾಙ್ಕಮೌಲೇಃ || ೨೫|| 

O Kamakshi! Your  sidelong glances, wavering with the sentiments of shyness and love is like a slowly moving swing on to which Lord Shiva’s eyes often climb with excitement and become delighted in the process.