Amba Pancharatnam of Sri Adi Sankara

Vocal: Priya Padmanabhan Veena: Mythili Kidambi Violin: Radhika Srinivasan Mridangam: Vidyasagar Amba Pancharatnam: A beautiful composition on Mother Goddess by Sri Adi Sankaracharya. In this hymn, Sri Sankara speaks of Devi as the One who lives in Amba Pura; the mother of Ganesha (Heramba); the One who loves the Kadamba forests; the One who resides in the holy letter 'Hreem'; the One who is the killer of the demons, Shumbha and Nishumbha; and the One who is sung about in the Vedas. Sri Sankara prays, O Mother! Kill the evil within me. Dispel the darkness that cloaks my mind. Amba! Protect me! Amba shambara vairitata bhagini Sri Chandrabimbanana Bimboshtismita bhashini shubhakari kadambavatyasritha Hreemkarakshara mantra madhya subhaga shroninitambankita Mamambapura vasini bhagawati herambamatavatu. Kalyani kamaniyasundaravapu katyayani Kalika Kala shyamalamechaka dhyutimati kaditripanchakshari Kamakshi karunanidhi kalimala-ranyatidavanala Mamambapura vasini bhagawati herambamatavatu Kanchikankanaharakundalavati kotikireetanvita Kandarpadhyuti kotikotisadana piyushakumbhastana Kausumbarunakanchanambaravrita kailasavasa priya Mamambapura vasini bhagawati herambamatavatu Yaa sa Shumbha Nishumbhadaitya shamani ya raktabeejashani Yaa Sri vishnusarojanetrabhavana ya brahmavidyasati Yaa Devi madhukaitabhasuraripu ya mahishadwamsini Mamambapura vasini bhagawati herambamatavatu Srividyaparadevatadi janani durgajaya Chandika Balasritripureshwari sivasati srirajarajeshwari Sriragyi sivadutika shrutinuta shringara choodamani Mamambapura vasini bhagawati herambamatavatu Ambapanchakamad-Bhutam pathatichedhyo va prabhatenisham Divyaishwarya shatayuruthamamatim vidyaam shriyam shashwatim Labdhva bhumitale swadharmanirataam srisundarim bhaminim Anteswargaphalam labhetavibhudai samstuyamano naraha. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * (This hymn is set to tune by Priya Padmanabhan in the ragas Yamunakalyani, Mechakalyani, Hamirkalyani, Purvikalyani and Mohanakalyani).