UMA MOHAN – Born in Chennai on 31st October 1966, into a family of musician… Read Full Bio ↴UMA MOHAN – Born in Chennai on 31st October 1966, into a family of musicians, was trained from her childhood by her mother and Guru Smt.P.L.Saraswathy Ram in classical carnatic music. She learned several compositions of her ancestor Mahathma Sri Neelakanta Sivan –an enlightened Saint from Padmanabhapuram- Kerala.

After acquiring her masters in commerce, she entered into matrimony and later took up several religious and spiritual practices. Even as a child, she was interested in philosophy and read books of Vivekananda and J. Krishnamoorthy. Books of Zen Buddhism, the Bible and the Bagavad Gita were her all time favourites.

Initially, after having had several experiential revelations, she began writing songs in Tamil, which she released. Then, she did a series of Devotional albums with songs from all languages including Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, and foreign languages like Singhalese and English. She also cut a solo CD in English-for Divine healing, called “Ocean Of Love” which was well received in Russia, Sweden, and India. At this point, her interest in the Vedas took over and she started coaching a group of youths to chant the Vedas, which on popular demand materialized as the Sacred Chants Series of 3 volumes released by Kosmic Music. Two other albums of “Moolamantra” for meditation were also released. Pragnya has released “Amruthavarsha” a series in which she has sung in 4 volumes two of which are her solo albums. Times music has released “Divine Chants of Ganesh”, “Sounds of Harmony”, “Shanthi Mantras”, and “Divine chants of Mahalakshmi” and many more solo albums by her.

Each of her albums has a concept and enables one to feel God as an experience. Her goal is mainly to take the positive vibrations of the Veda Mantras to every home and into every Child’s life. She endeavours to mix symphony music with the regular rendering of Vedas, ceremoniously maintaining its authenticity but giving it a different flavour with her harmonies and western touches. This has proved appealing both to the classes and the masses.

Uma Mohan is also an Artist, Dramatist, Dancer, and Storywriter.

Dakshinaamoorthy sthothram
Uma Mohan Lyrics

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मौनव्याख्या प्रकटित परब्रह्मतत्त्वं युवानं
वर्षिष्ठांते वसद् ऋषिगणैः आवृतं ब्रह्मनिष्ठैः ।
आचार्येन्द्रं करकलित चिन्मुद्रमानंदमूर्तिं
स्वात्मारामं मुदितवदनं दक्षिणामूर्तिमीडे ॥१॥

वटविटपिसमीपेभूमिभागे निषण्णं
सकलमुनिजनानां ज्ञानदातारमारात् ।
त्रिभुवनगुरुमीशं दक्षिणामूर्तिदेवं

जननमरणदुःखच्छेद दक्षं नमामि ॥२॥

यस्यैव स्फुरणं सदात्मकमसत्कल्पार्थकं भासते
साक्षात्तत्त्वमसीति वेदवचसा यो बोधयत्याश्रितान् ।
यत्साक्षात्करणाद्भवेन्न पुनरावृत्तिर्भवाम्भोनिधौ
तस्मै श्रीगुरुमूर्तये नम इदं श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये ॥३॥

नानाच्छिद्रघटोदरस्थितमहादीपप्रभा भास्वरं
ज्ञानं यस्य तु चक्षुरादिकरणद्वारा वहिः स्पन्दते ।
जानामीति तमेव भान्तमनुभात्येतत्समस्तं जगत्
तस्मै श्रीगुरुमूर्तये नम इदं श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये ॥४॥

देहं प्राणमपीन्द्रियाण्यपि चलां बुद्धिं च शून्यं विदुः
स्त्रीबालान्धजडोपमास्त्वहमिति भ्रान्ता भृशं वादिनः ।
मायाशक्तिविलासकल्पितमहाव्यामोहसंहारिणे
तस्मै श्रीगुरुमूर्तये नम इदं श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये ॥५॥

राहुग्रस्तदिवाकरेन्दुसदृशो मायासमाच्छादनात्
सन्मात्रः करणोपसंहरणतो योऽभूत्सुषुप्तः पुमान् ।
प्रागस्वाप्समिति प्रबोधसमये यः प्रत्यभिज्ञायते
तस्मै श्रीगुरुमूर्तये नम इदं श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये ॥६॥

बाल्यादिष्वपि जाग्रदादिषु तथा सर्वास्ववस्थास्वपि
व्यावृत्तास्वनुवर्तमानमहमित्यन्तः स्फुरन्तं सदा ।
स्वात्मानं प्रकटीकरोति भजतां यो मुद्रयाभद्रया
तस्मै श्रीगुरुमूर्तये नम इदं श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये ॥७॥

विश्वं पश्यति कार्यकारणतया स्वस्वामिसम्बन्धतः
शिष्याचार्यतया तथैव पितृपुत्राद्यात्मना भेदतः ।
स्वप्ने जाग्रति वा य एष पुरुषो मायापरिभ्रामितः
तस्मै श्रीगुरुमूर्तये नम इदं श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये ॥८॥

भूरम्भांस्यनलोऽनिलोऽम्बरमहर्नाथो हिमांशु पुमान्
इत्याभाति चराचरात्मकमिदं यस्यैव मूर्त्यष्टकम्
नान्यत् किञ्चन विद्यते विमृशतां यस्मात्परस्माद्विभोः
तस्मै श्रीगुरुमूर्तये नम इदं श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये ॥९॥

सर्वात्मत्वमिति स्फुटीकृतमिदं यस्मादमुष्मिन् स्तवे
तेनास्य श्रवणात्तदर्थमननाद्ध्यानाच्च संकीर्तनात् ।

सर्वात्मत्वमहाविभूतिसहितं स्यादीश्वरत्वं स्वतः
सिद्ध्येत्तत्पुनरष्टधा परिणतं चैश्वर्यमव्याहतम् ॥१०॥

Overall Meaning

The Dakshinamurthy Stotram is a hymn dedicated to Lord Shiva, the supreme deity of Hinduism, and is considered one of the most significant and influential stotrams in the Hindu tradition. The hymn is composed by Adi Shankaracharya, one of the most important spiritual leaders in Hinduism, and is in the form of a conversation between the teacher and the disciple. The hymn describes Shiva as the embodiment of the supreme truth and wisdom, and emphasizes the importance of obtaining knowledge through a spiritual teacher or guru.

The first verse describes Lord Dakshinamurthy as the embodiment of silence, wisdom, and happiness. It emphasizes the importance of wisdom and knowledge, and acknowledges the role of gurus and teachers in guiding and imparting spiritual knowledge to their disciples.

The second verse praises Lord Dakshinamurthy as the giver of knowledge to all sages and seers, and as the guru of the entire universe. It acknowledges the power of the deity to eliminate the sorrows of birth and death and exalts him as the supreme lord.

The third verse speaks of Lord Dakshinamurthy's ability to reveal the truth to his disciples and to free them from the cycle of birth and death through spiritual realisation. It praises the guru as the only way to attain liberation and enlightenment.

The fourth verse describes Lord Dakshinamurthy as the source of all knowledge and wisdom, which is evidenced in the splendor of the universe. It encourages the devotee to seek the inner knowledge and illumination that the guru can provide.

The fifth verse denounces the illusion of the material world and the attachment to the body and material possessions that it brings. It offers worship to Lord Dakshinamurthy as the one who frees his devotees from the bondage of Maya or illusion.

The sixth verse describes the deep sleep state of the human mind, which is said to be ruled by Lord Dakshinamurthy. It exhorts the worshipper to awaken from the sleep of ignorance and attain spiritual realization through the guidance of the guru.

The seventh verse praises Lord Dakshinamurthy as the self-revealing Atman or the inner spirit that illuminates all states of consciousness. It describes the guru as the one who shows the path to the attainment of spiritual realization.

The eighth verse speaks of the unity of all beings in the divine, the oneness of the teacher and the taught, and the illusion of the cycle of birth and death. It extols the deity as the one who reveals the true nature of the universe to the seeker.

The ninth verse acknowledges the importance of the hymn itself in revealing the true nature of Atman or the self, and in connecting the worshipper to the divine. It describes the hymn as the only thing necessary for understanding the divine and achieving spiritual liberation.

The tenth and final verse speaks of the supreme power and omniscience of Lord Dakshinamurthy, who, when worshipped with the hymn, grants the devotee all forms of prosperity and divinity.

Overall, the Dakshinamurthy Stotram is a powerful hymn that emphasizes the importance of spiritual guidance and the pursuit of inner knowledge as the path to spiritual liberation.

Line by Line Meaning

मौनव्याख्या प्रकटित परब्रह्मतत्त्वं युवानं
The youthful manifestation of the supreme Brahman, whose silent teachings reveal the essence of reality

वर्षिष्ठांते वसद् ऋषिगणैः आवृतं ब्रह्मनिष्ठैः
Surrounded by devoted sages who are firmly established in Brahman's knowledge and wisdom

आचार्येन्द्रं करकलित चिन्मुद्रमानंदमूर्तिं
The embodiment of divine bliss, whose hand gestures are skillfully guided by the great teacher

स्वात्मारामं मुदितवदनं दक्षिणामूर्तिमीडे
I bow to Dakshinamurthy, whose joyful countenance reflects the self-bliss within

वटविटपिसमीपेभूमिभागे निषण्णं
Seated near the banyan tree, rooted firmly in the realm of this earth

सकलमुनिजनानां ज्ञानदातारमारात्
The bestower of knowledge to all the enlightened sages

त्रिभुवनगुरुमीशं दक्षिणामूर्तिदेवं
The divine Dakshinamurthy, the guru of the three worlds

जननमरणदुःखच्छेद दक्षं नमामि
I bow to Dakshinamurthy, the dispeller of birth and death-related sorrows

यस्यैव स्फुरणं सदात्मकमसत्कल्पार्थकं भासते
The one whose constantly shining, eternal essence manifests as the true purpose of every thought

साक्षात्तत्त्वमसीति वेदवचसा यो बोधयत्याश्रितान्
He who, with the words of the Vedas, enlightens those who have sought refuge by declaring 'You are That'

यत्साक्षात्करणाद्भवेन्न पुनरावृत्तिर्भवाम्भोनिधौ
Through the direct experience of which, there arises no more reiteration in the ocean of existence