Aananda roopay nijabodha roopay brahma swaroopay srutimoorthi roopay
Sasaanka roopay ramaneeya roopay Sri Ranga roopay ramathaam manomay
Kaveri theeray karuna vilolay mandaara moolay dhritha chaaru kaylay
Daithyaantha kaalay akhila loka leelay Sri Ranga leelay ramathaam manomay
Lakshmi nivaasay jagathaam nivaasay hridpadma vaasay ravi bimba vaasay
Kripa nivaasay guna vrinda vaasay Sri Ranga vaasay ramathaam manomay
Brahmaadi vandyay jagadega vandyay mukunda vandyay suranaatha vandyay
Vyaasaadi vandyay sanakaadi vandyay Sri Ranga vandyay ramathaam manomay
Brahmaadi raajay garudaadi raajay vaikuntha raajay suraraaja raajay
Thrailokya raajay akhila loka raajay Sri Ranga raajay ramanthaam manomay
Amokhamudre paripoorna nidray sreeyoga nidray sasamudra nidray
Srithaika bhadray jagathaika nidray Sri Ranga bhadray ramathaam manomay
Sa Chitra saayee bhujagendra saayee nandaanga sayee kamalaanga saayee
Ksheerabhi saayee vatapathra saayee Sri Ranga saayee ramathaam manomay
Itham hirangam thyajathaamihaangam punarna saangam yathisaangamaythi
Baanou rathaangam charanembu kaangam yaanay vihangam sayanay bhujangam
Ranganatha Ashtakam punyam praatharutthaaya ya patheth
Sarvaan kaamanavaapnothi Ranga saayoojya maapnuyaath
Ranganatha Ashtakam was composed by Adi Sankara Bhagavatpada when he stood before Lord Sri Ranganatha in Srirangam, which he visited during his travels. This Ashtakam (an octet) reveals that Adi Sankara was overwhelmed by Lord Ranganatha that his mind is instantly captivated and he revels in that feeling. As a Sanskrit sloka mentions
‘Pratikshanam yannavathaamupaithi thadayvaroopam ramaneeya thaayah’.
Adi Sankara Bhagavatpada sings in praise of Sri Ranganatha in 8 slokas, of which 7 of them end with the words ‘Ramathaam manomay’. He is immensely captivated by the Lord and he sings by bringing out all the attributes in every word.
In the first sloka he addresses the lord as the cause of all happiness (Aananda roopay), pure consciousness (nijabodha roopay), and manifestation of the ultimate truth (brahma swaroopay) and as the embodiment of the learnings of the Vedas (srutimoorthi roopay) and says that his mind is reveling in Lord Ranganatha.
River Kaveri finds mention in the second sloka. We can visualize Adi Sankara Bhagavatpada taking a holy dip in Kaveri before going to offer worship to Sri Ranganatha, as any devotee would. He addresses Sri Ranganatha as extremely merciful (karuna vilolay) and as the lord of all times (Daithyaantha kaalay) and that the whole world sings in praise of Sri Ranganatha (akhila loka leelay).
In the third, he addresses Sri Ranganatha as he in whom Goddess Lakshmi resides (Lakshmi nivaasay) and in whom the whole world resides (jagathaam nivaasay). This is a reference to Purusha Sooktham in which is said that the whole world emanates from the Lord (Sahasra sheersha purushah….). Jagatguru sees Sri Ranganatha in everything around him – in the sunshine around him (ravi bimba vaasay) and in the heart of every devotee! The fulfillment that Jagatguru experiences when he is standing in front of Sri Ranganatha can be visualized with the flowery language that he uses.
The deity of Sri Ranganatha that is in Srirangam was first worshipped by Lord Brahma himself, before passing it onto the kings of Ikshwaku clan in which is born Lord Ram. After defeating Ravana in the war, Lord Ram thanks Vibheeshana by gifting the deity of Sri Ranganatha to him. But en route from Ayodhya to Sri Lanka, Vibheeshana stops at Srirangam on seeing a big crowd on the banks of Kaveri. The deity of Sri Ranganatha stays put there and Vibheeshana leaves for Sri Lanka as he could not carry it from Srirangam. Most temples are facing east but in Srirangam, Sri Ranganatha is facing south, looking at Sri Lanka. A reference to the fact that Sri Ranganatha was worshipped by Brahma, Vyasa, Indra, Sanakaathi rishis and by every devotee in the world is brought out in the 4th and 5th slokas.
Sri Ranganatha is in blissful sleep on the bed (paripoorna nidray) provided by the body of Anantha or the serpent king, in the milky ocean – Paalaazhi. Goddess Lakshmi is at his feet (srithaika bhadray). These attributes find mention in the 6th sloka.
References to Lord Krishna’s childhood could be found in the 7th sloka – of sleeping on the lap of Nandagopa, his foster father (nandaanga sayee). Sri Ranganatha, who sleeps with his head resting on his right arm (bhujagendra sayee) is the one who slept on Nandagopa’s lap, on the leaf of peepal tree (vata pathra sayee) and he is referred to as the one who sleeps in the milky ocean (ksheeraabdi sayee).
After singing in praise of Sri Ranganatha in the first 7 slokas by mentioning his attributes, Adi Sankara Bhagavatpada praises Srirangam, in the 8th sloka as the place where if a devotee leaves his body, will attain nirvana.
The ‘phalasruti’ – the benefit of singing Sri Ranganatha Ashtakam is mentioned outside of the octet. The devotee who sings this in the morning will fulfill his wishes and will attain the abode of Sri Ranganatha.
