The sacred mantra called Sri Kanakadhara Stotram is composed by Sri Adi Sankaracharya. He was a revered Hindu saint who wrote the auspicious hymn in the 8th century. Sankaracharya had taken renunciation at an early age of eight.
One day, he was begging alms and reached the house of a poor Brahmin lady. The lady was very poor and had nothing worth giving as biksha. She searched the house and found one fruit of amla (gooseberry) and dropped it into the hands of Sankaracharya. He was touched to see the plight of the poor woman and recited twenty-one hymns in praise of Goddess Lakshmi who was pleased with this and appeared before Sankaracharya and asked about the reason for his prayer. He pleaded the goddess to grant the Brahmin lady some riches.
Goddess Lakshmi at first refused to offer any riches to the lady as she did not qualify for them. The goddess said she did not do any charity work in her previous lives and deserves suffering and it is not possible to change anybody’s fate. Sankaracharya replied that the lady offered him amla fruit in this life with reverence though there was nothing in her house due to poverty and such an act would justify as a reason to shower riches on her.
Hearing this, Goddess Lakshmi was moved and pleased extensively with Sankaracharya’s argument and instantly showered rain of golden amla fruits on the lady. These 21 stanzas became sacred and popular as Kanakadhara Stotram sung for the welfare of anybody suffering because of the past karma and suffering from poverty.
The Kanakadhara Stotram
The hymn composed by Adi Sankaracharya is meant to please Goddess Lakshmi and seek her blessings and riches. The 21 verses contain the description of the power, beauty, personality, and grace of the Goddess of wealth and prosperity. For Sankara, there is no difference between the three main Hindu Goddesses. He considers Lakshmi, Parvati, and Saraswati the same.
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Angam hare pulaka bhooshanamasrayanthi, Bhringanga neva mukulabharanam thamalam, Angikrithakhila vibhuthirapanga leela, Mangalyadasthu mama mangala devathaya.
Goddess Lakshmi is attracted to Hari wearing the ornament of supreme happiness, just like black bees get attracted to the close buds of the tree of black Tamala. May the Goddess of all good things grant me a glance that brings prosperity.
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Mugdha muhurvidhadhadathi vadhane Murare, Premathrapapranihithani gathagathani, Mala dhrishotmadhukareeva maheth pale ya, Sa ne sriyam dhisathu sagarasambhavaya.
Those glances may return again and again, filled with love and hesitation, of the one who is born out of the ocean of milk, the face of Murari, just as honey bees are to the beautiful blue lotus, let the glances shower wealth on me.
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Ameelithaksha madhigamya mudha MukundamAnandakandamanimeshamananga thanthram, Akekara stiththa kaninika pashma nethram, Bhoothyai bhavenmama bhjangasayananganaya.
She stares at Mukunda with half-closed eyes, filled with love, shyness, and happiness, she has an ecstasy filled face with closed eyes of Lord. May she who is the wife of Him sleeping on snake shower wealth on me.
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Bahwanthare madhujitha srithakausthube ya, Haravaleeva nari neela mayi vibhathi, Kamapradha bhagavatho api kadaksha mala, Kalyanamavahathu me kamalalayaya
The one who has won over Madhu, the one wearing the ornament of Kousthuba, the garland of glances, blue Indraneela, the one who is filled with love to protect him and grant him wishes. The one who resides in the Lotus, let those fall upon me and grant me everything that is good.
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Kalambudhaalithorasi kaida bhare, Dharaadhare sphurathi yaa thadinganeva, Mathu samastha jagatham mahaneeya murthy, Badrani me dhisathu bhargava nandanaya
Just as the lightning striking in dark black cloud, she shines on broad, dark chest, of the one who killed Kaidaba. Let the eyes of the mother of the universe, the daughter of sage Bhargava fall upon me and bring prosperity.
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Praptham padam pradhamatha khalu yat prabhavath, Mangalyabhaji madhu madhini manamathena, Mayyapadetha mathara meekshanardham, Manthalasam cha makaralaya kanyakaya.
The Lord of Love could reach the destroyer of Madhu, through the power of kind glances, filled with love and blessing, let the glance that is indolent and auspicious fall upon me.
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Viswamarendra padhavee bramadhana dhaksham, Ananda hethu radhikam madhu vishwoapi, Eshanna sheedhathu mayi kshanameekshanartham, Indhivarodhara sahodharamidhiraya
The one who is capable of making him the King of Devas in the world, her sidelong glance that made Indra regain the kingdom. She is making the destroyer of Madhu supremely happy. May she with blue lotus eyes glance upon me.
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Ishta visishtamathayopi yaya dhayardhra, Dhrishtya thravishta papadam sulabham labhanthe, Hrishtim prahrushta kamlodhara deepthirishtam, Pushtim krishishta mama pushkravishtaraya.
To the devotees and the great that grant her a place in heaven that is difficult to attain, just with a glance of her mercy filled eyes, let her shining eyes like the fully blooming lotus fall upon me and grant me good desires.
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Dhadyaddhayanupavanopi dravinambhudaraam, Asminna kinchina vihanga sisou vishanne, Dhushkaramagarmmapaneeya chiraya dhooram, Narayana pranayinee nayanambhuvaha.
I pray to you to send down your mercy which is like wind, shower the rain of prosperity on parched land, quench the thirst of this small bird, drive away loads of my sins. Oh Goddess, the dear of Narayana, by the glance from your eyes resembling dark clouds.
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Gheerdhevathethi garuda dwaja sundarithi, Sakambhareethi sasi shekara vallebhethi, Srishti sthithi pralaya kelishu samsthitha ya, Thasyai namas thribhvanai ka guros tharunyai.
The Goddess of Knowledge, the dear of He who has Garuda as a flag, the power causing death at the time of deluge, the wife of He who has the crescent, she is behind the creation, upkeeping and destruction at different times. I offer my salutations to the Lady worshipped by the three worlds.
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Sruthyai namosthu shubha karma phala prasoothyai, Rathyai namosthu ramaneeya gunarnavayai, Shakthyai namosthu satha pathra nikethanayai, Pushtayi namosthu purushotthama vallabhayai.
I salute as Vedas that give rise to good actions, as Rathi that gives beautiful qualities, as Shakthi that lives in a lotus with hundred petals, Salutations to the one who is the Goddess of abundance, the consort of Purushottama.
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Namosthu naleekha nibhananai, Namosthu dhugdhogdhadhi janma bhoomayai, Namosthu somamrutha sodharayai, Namosthu narayana vallabhayai.
I offer my salutations to the one who is as beautiful as the lotus in full bloom, the one who is born out of the ocean of milk, the sister of the moon and the nectar, the consort of Narayana.
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Namosthu hemambhuja peetikayai, Namosthu bhoo mandala nayikayai, Namosthu devathi dhaya prayai, Namosthu Sarngayudha vallabhayai.
I offer my salutations to the one who has a golden lotus seat, who is the leader of the entire universe, the one who showers mercy on gods, I salute to the one who is the consort of He who has the bow named Saranga.
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Namosthu devyai bhrugu nandanayai, Namosthu vishnorurasi sthithayai, Namosthu lakshmyai kamalalayai, Namosthu dhamodhra vallabhayai.
I offer my salutations to the one who is the daughter of Bhrigu, the one who resides on the holy chest of Vishnu, to Goddess Lakshmi living in Lotus flower. My salutations to the one who is the consort of Damodhara.
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Namosthu Kanthyai kamalekshanayai, Namosthu bhoothyai bhuvanaprasoothyai, Namosthu devadhibhir archithayai, Namosthu nandhathmaja vallabhayai.
My salutations to the one who is the light residing in Lotus flower, who is the earth and the mother of the Earth, the one who is worshipped by Lords, salutations to the one who is the consort of Nanda’s son.
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Sampath karaani sakalendriya nandanani, Samrajya dhana vibhavani saroruhakshi, Twad vandanani dhuritha haranodhythani, Mamev matharanisam kalayanthu manye.
The giver of wealth and the giver of pleasure to senses, the giver of the right to rule all kingdoms, the one who has eyes like lotus, the one to whom salutations eliminate all miseries quickly. My salutations are to you, my mother.
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Yath Kadaksha samupasana vidhi, Sevakasya sakalartha sapadha, Santhanodhi vachananga manasai, Twaam murari hridayeswareem bhaje
The one who worships your glances is blessed with wealth and prosperity. I offer my salutations by word, thoughts, and actions to the queen of the heart of the Lord Murari.
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Sarasija nilaye saroja hasthe, Dhavalathamamsuka gandha maya shobhe, Bhagavathi hari vallabhe manogne, Tribhuvana bhoothikari praseeda mahye
The one who sits on Lotus, who has lotus in her hands, whose attire is dazzling white, who shines with garlands and sandal, The consort of Hari, the Goddess who gladdens the mind, the one who bestows prosperity on the three worlds, I request you to be pleased and show compassion towards me.
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Dhiggasthibhi kanaka kumbha mukha vasrushta, Sarvahini vimala charu jalaapluthangim, Prathar namami jagathaam janani masesha, Lokadhinatha grahini mamrithabhi puthreem.
Eight elephants from different directions, from the golden vessels, pour out, The water of Ganga that flows in heaven, For the holy purifying bath. My salutations are for you who is the mother of all the worlds, the wife of the lord of the lords and the daughter of the ocean that gave nectar.
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Kamale Kamalaksha vallabhe twam, Karuna poora tharingithaira pangai, Avalokaya mamakinchananam, Prathamam pathamakrithrimam dhyaya
The one who is the lotus, the consort of the God having Lotus like eyes, one who has glances full of mercy, I pray to you to glance at me, I am the poorest among the poor. First, make me a vessel to receive your compassion and pity.
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Sthuvanthi ye sthuthibhirameeranwaham, Thrayeemayim thribhuvanamatharam ramam, Gunadhika guruthara bhagya bhagina, Bhavanthi the bhuvi budha bhavithasayo.
The one who offers these prayers daily to her who is the personification of the Vedas, who is the mother of all the three worlds, who is Goddess Rema, will undoubtedly be blessed with good qualities, with great fortunes one could get and he would live in this world with great recognition even from the wise.
The Kanakadhara Stotram is a powerful hymn that pleases Goddess Lakshmi and eliminates poverty, showering blessings, happiness, wealth and abundance on the practitioner. One should chant this hymn on Fridays and full moon days in the morning and the evening.
The hymn can be chanted one, three or nine times. It is advisable to use a picture or yantra of Goddess Lakshmi while chanting the Kanakadhara Stotram. Pink Lotus, Champa or any other fragrant flower can be offered to Lakshmi to please her better. The Kanakadhara Stotram is chanted in order to ask the blessings of the Goddess of wealth to bestow good fortune and prosperity upon the devotee and remove suffering, poverty, and misfortunes.
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Please check the stotram. There might be few spelling mistakes