Amaru Shatakam With Bhaswati Tantra Commentary (भास्वतीतन्त्रभाष्यं)

(अमरूशतकम् – 7 th Century)

Amaru Shatakam

ज्याकृष्टिबद्धखटकामुखपाणिपृष्ठ-
प्रेङ्खन्नखांशुचयसंवलितोऽम्बिकायाः ।
त्वां पातु मञ्जरितपल्लवकर्णपूर-
लोभभ्रमद्भ्रमरविभ्रमभृत्कटाक्षः ॥१॥

“May the sidelong glance of Ambika (the Divine Mother) protect you—
Whose hands, holding the drawn bow and arrows,
Are adorned with the shining rays from her moving fingernails,
And whose captivating side-glance carries the illusion of a bee
Confused by the tempting cluster of blossoming buds adorning her ear.”

पदविभागः (Padavibhāgaḥ): मञ्जरित-पल्लव-कर्णपूर-लोभ-भ्रमत्-भ्रमर-विभ्रम-भृत्-कटाक्षः → mañjarita-pallava-karṇapūra-lobha-bhramat-bhramara-vibhrama-bhṛt-kaṭākṣaḥ, ज्या-आकृष्टि-बद्ध-खटका-मुख-पाणि-पृष्ठ-प्रेङ्खन्-नख-अंशु-चय-संवलितः, → jya-ākṛṣṭi-baddha-khaṭakā-mukha-pāṇi-pṛṣṭha-preṅkhan-nakha-aṁśu-chaya-saṁvalitaḥ, अम्बिकायाः → ambikāyāḥ, त्वाम् → tvām, पातु → pātu

Comment: This verse is a striking example of the integration of aesthetic beauty (śṛṅgāra) and divine power (Sakti) in Sanskrit devotional poetry. The imagery of Ambikā’s sidelong glance, compared to a bee beguiled by ear-adorning blossoms, illustrates the poet’s mastery in conveying sensual charm while simultaneously invoking the goddess’s protective and martial attributes. The juxtaposition of her graceful demeanor with the radiant force of her weapon-wielding hands encapsulates the paradoxical nature of the Divine Feminine in Hindu theology—both nurturing and formidable.

क्षिप्तो हस्तावलग्नः प्रसभमभिहतोऽप्याददानोंशुकान्तं
गृह्णन् केशेष्वपास्तश्चरणनिपतितो नेक्षितः सम्भ्रमेण ।
आलिङ्गन् योऽवधूतस्त्रिपुरयुवतिभिः साश्रुनेत्रोत्पलाभिः
कामीवार्द्रापराधः स दहतु दुरितं शाम्भवो वः शराग्निः ॥२॥

May the fire-tipped arrow of Shiva (the Sharagni, destroyer of Tripura) burn away your sins—
He who, though pushed away,
Clung to their hands, was struck forcefully,
Tried to snatch at the edge of their garments,
Grasped their hair, fell at their feet—yet was not looked upon with compassion;
He who was embraced and then cast off
By the young women of Tripura, their eyes filled with tears like lotus-petals,
Just like a lustful man suffering from the consequences of his offense.

पदविभागः (Padavibhāgaḥ): क्षिप्तः → kṣiptaḥ, हस्त-आवलग्नः → hasta-āvalagnaḥ (“grasped by the hand”), प्रसभम् → prasabham (“forcibly”), अभिहतः अपि → abhihataḥ api (“even though struck”), आददानः अंशुक-अन्तम् → ādadānaḥ aṁśuka-antam (“seizing the edge of the garment”), गृह्णन् केशेषु
→ gṛhṇan keśeṣu (“grasping the hair”), अपास्तः → apāstaḥ (“pushed away”), चरण-निपतितः → caraṇa-nipatitaḥ (“fallen at the feet”), नेक्षितः सम्भ्रमेण → nekṣitaḥ sambhrameṇa (“not looked upon with concern/anxiety”), आलिङ्गन् → āliṅgan (“embracing”), यः → yaḥ (“who”), अवधूतः त्रिपुर-युवतिभिः → avadhūtaḥ tripura-yuvatibhiḥ (“scorned by the maidens of Tripura”), स-अश्रु-नेत्र-उत्पलाभिः → sa-aśru-netra-utpalābhiḥ (“with lotus-like eyes filled with tears”), कामिवत्
→ kāmī-va(t) (“like a lustful man”), आर्द्र-अपराधः → ārdra-aparādhaḥ (“with a fresh offense / melting with remorse”), सः → saḥ (“that one”), दहतु → dahatu (“may burn”) दुरितम् → duritam
(“sin / misdeed”), शाम्भवः → śāmbhavaḥ (“of Śambhu / Śiva”), वः → vaḥ (“your”), शर-अग्निः
→ śara-agniḥ (“fire of Śiva’s arrow”)

Comment: This verse is a powerful poetic metaphor describing Lord Shiva’s assault on the Tripura cities, often interpreted in allegorical or mystical terms. The description anthropomorphizes Shiva’s fiery arrow as a passionate, almost desperate lover who is rejected, humiliated, and hurt—mirroring the destruction of illusion or ego. The Tripura women represent the alluring forces of illusion (Maya). The final line wishes that this fiery, purifying force of Shiva—however dramatic its approach—burn away one’s sins and impurities.

आलोलामलकावलीं विलुलितां बिभ्रच्चलत्कुण्डलं
किञ्चिन्मृष्टविशेषकं तनुतरैः खेदाम्भसां शीकरैः ।
तन्व्या यत्सुरतान्ततान्तनयनं वक्त्रं रतिव्यत्यये
तत्त्वां पातु चिराय किं हरिहरब्रह्मादिभिर्दैवतैः ॥३॥

May that divine face protect you forever—
With its disheveled locks of wavy hair,
Adorned by swinging earrings,
Slightly smudged with special makeup,
Moistened with tiny droplets of sweat,
Caused by the strain of intense love-play,
With tired eyes of a slender maiden after union.
What need then is there for protection from the gods—Hari (Vishnu), Hara (Shiva), or Brahma?

Comment: This verse is part of the rich sriṅgāra rasa (romantic/erotic aesthetic) tradition in classical Sanskrit poetry, and likely from a Tantric or esoteric devotional context. It describes the face of the Divine Beloved, likely a form of the Goddess, after the ecstatic exhaustion of love, radiating divine beauty and bliss. The poet reveres this vision of divine intimacy as so powerful and protective that the aid of even the Trinity of gods—Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva—seems unnecessary. This verse blends mysticism with sensuality, portraying the Goddess or the Divine Consort in a moment of vulnerability and divine ecstasy, elevating it to a spiritually protective force for the devotee.

 भट्टाचार्य तन्मयकृत वज्रजालतन्त्रे अमरूशतके भास्वतीतन्त्रभाष्यं