Krishna Dwadasa Manjari

Shri Hari Hara

While Sridhara Ayyawal was staying in Trichy, some greedy neighbours voiced their opinion to the King that Ayyawal was more leaning towards Lord Shiva than Lord Vishnu and he should be put to test. The King who was a great devotee of Ayyaval did not like the idea of testing the saint. However the desire to know the heart of the saint sprouted in him and hence he decided to test Ayyaval without malice and hit upon a plan. 

He ordered the priests to dress up Sri Mathrubhuteshwara Lord Shiva in Tiruchirapalli as Lord Krishna and take him in procession. He thought that Sridhara Ayyaval’s reaction would indicate his bias. When the procession passed through the home of Ayyaval he was meditating on Lord Shiva. Upon hearing that the procession is nearing his house he came out to see the Lord and found Mathrubuteshwara in the form of Krishna. 

Upon seeing this Ayyaval spontaneously poured out and started praising Lord Krishna through his divine composition known as “Krishna Dwadasa Manjari comprising of twelve verses and in one of the verse he asks , “Oh! Lord Krishna! When will I spend every moment of my life in meditating on your Lotus Feet by reminding myself of the transitory nature of this world, being humble, knowing my deficiencies, turning blind to other’s faults, being compassionate towards all living beings, being a servant of the devotees of the Lord and eyeing both joy and sorrow alike?” 

The King was taken aback on this and all his greedy neighbours fell at the feet of Sridhara Ayyaval and apologized for their ignorance. The King then requested Ayyaval to stay back in Trichy. However Ayyaval politely declinded the offer as that will stop his mission of spreading the divine message to the world.

|| shrI shrIdharave.nkaTeshAryeNa kR^itA ||

durAshAndho\-.amuShminviShaya\-visarAvartajaThare
tR^iNachChanne kUpe tR^iNakabalalubdhaH pashuriva |
patitvA khidye.asAvagatirita uddhR^itya kalayeH
kadA mA.n kR^iShNa tvatpadakamalalAbhena sukhitam || 1 ||

katha.nchi\-dyachchitte kamalabhava\-kAmAntakamukhAH
vahanto majjanti svaya\-manavadhau harShajaladhau |
Vkva taddivya\-shrImachcharaNakamala.n kR^iShNa bhavataH
kva chAha.n tatrehA mama shuna ivA\-khaNDalapade || 2 ||

durApastva.n kR^iShNa smarahara\-mukhAnA.n tadapi te
xatiH kA kAruNyA\-dagatiriti mA.n lAlayasi chet |
prapashyan rathyAyA.n shishu\-magati\-muddAmarudita.n
na samrADapya~Nge dadhadurudayassAntvayati kim || 3 ||

pratishvAsa.n netu.n prayatanadhurINaH pitR^ipatiH
vipattInA.n vyakta.n viharaNamida.n tu pratipadam |
tathA heyavyUhA tanuriyamihA\-thApybhirame
hatAtmA kR^iShNaitA.n kumati\-mapahanyA mama kadA || 4 ||

vidhIshArAdhyastva.n praNaya\-vinayAbhyA.n bhajasi yAn
priyaste yatsevI vimata itarasteShu tR^iNadhIH |
kimanya\-tsarvApi tvadanabhimataiva sthitiraho
durAtmaiva.n te syA.n yaduvara dayArhAH kathamaham || 5 ||

vinindyatve tulyAdhika\-virahitA ya khalu khalAH
tathA bhUta.n kR^itya.n yadapi saha taireva vasatiH |
tadevAnuShTheya.n mama bhavati nehAstyaruchira\-
pyaho dhi~NmA.n kurve kimiva na dayA kR^iShNa mayi te || 6 ||

tvadAkhyA\-bhikhyAna tvadamala\-guNAsvAdana bhavat\-
saparyAyAsaktA jagati kati vA.a.anandajaladhau |
na khelantyeva.n durvyasana\-hutabhuggarbha\-patita\-
stvaha.n sIdAmyeko yaduvara dayethA mama kadA || 7 ||

kada vA nirhetUnmiShita\-karuNAli~Ngitabhavat\-
kaTAxAlabdhena vyasanagahanA\-nnirgata itaH |
hatAsheSa\-glAninyamR^itarasa\-niShyandashishire
sukha.n pAdA.nbhoje yaduvara kadAsAni viharan || 8 ||

anityatva.n jAna\-nnatidR^iDha\-madarpassavinayaH
svake doShe.abhij~naH parajuShi tu mUDhassakaruNaH |
satA.n dAsashshAnta\-ssamamati\-rajasra.n tava yathA
bhajeya.n pAdAbja.n yaduvara dayethA mama kadA || 9 ||

karAla.n dAvAgni.n kabalitavatA deva bhavatA
paritrAtA gopAH paramakR^ipayA kinna hi purA |
madIyAntarvairiprakara\-dahana.n ki.n kabalayan
dayAsindho gopIdayita vada gopAyasi na mAm || 10 ||

na bhIrAruhyA.nsa nadati shamane nApyudayate
jugupsA dehasyAshuchinichayabhAve spuTatare |
api vrIDA nodetyavamatishate satyanupada.n
kva me syAttavabhaktiH kathamiva kR^ipA kR^iShNa mayi te || 11 ||

balIyasyatyanta.n madaghapaTalI tadyadupate
paritrAtu.n no mA.n prabhavasi tathA no damayitum |
alAbhAdartInAmidamanuguNAnAmadayite
kiyaddausthya.n dhi~NmA.n tvayi vimatamAtmadruhamimam || 12 ||

|| iti shrI shrIdharave~NkaTeshAryeNakR^itA
kR^iShNadvAdashama~njarI samAptA ||

Also read Sri Sridhara Venkatesa Ayyaval