जम्बुनाथाष्टकम्

This hymn is about Jambunatha as Shiva is known at Jambukeshwaram (known as Tiruvanaikkaval in Tamil), a place of pilgrimage in Tamilnadu. It is on the northern bank of the river Cauvery and 5 K.M. north of Trichy. The temple is one of the largest (having a spread of nearly 18 acres) and historic temples in the country.

It dates back to the 13th century and has been visited by the great saivaite saints who had sung hymns on the presiding deity - Lord Shiva in the temple. It seems that the temple was once a forest of jambu trees and there was a Shiva linga under one of the trees. So Shiva came to be known as Jambunatha or Jambukeshwara.

This is a Shiva temple associated with one of the five great elements (viz.) water and so called pancha bhoota sthalam (पञ्च भूत स्थलम्). The Shiva lingam in the sanctum is always surrounded by water and so is known as appu lingam (ap for water). The other places where Shiva is worshipped in the form of the great elements are Chidambaram (space), Kalahasthi (air), Tiruvannamalai (fire) and Tiruvarur (earth).

The temple is known for the historical inscriptions and magnificient architecture. It suffered damages during the moghul invasion in the 14th century and worship in the temple was disrupted. The temple was restored during the Vijayanagar rule and the worship also revived. The goddess Parvathi in the temple has the name Akilandeshwari. She is said to have meditated on lord Shiva here. Her shrine is very famous and attracts large number of visitors.

Adi Shankaracharya is said to have visited the temple and worshipped the Lord and goddess here. Legend. As said earlier the Shiva lingam was under a jambu tree. Two devotees of Shiva were born as a spider and an elephant in the forest due to a curse. Both were regularly worshipping the lord in their own way. The spider would weave a web over the lingam to protect it from the falling leaves. The elephant brought flowers and water in its trunk for bathing the lingam before offering the flowers. But it would clear off the web the spider has built first. This act angered the spider very much. Soon a fierce fight broke out between the two resulting in the death of both. Pleased with their devotion Lord Shiva appeared before them and blessed them. Shince Shiva was worshipped by an elephant (Anai in Tamil) here the place is called AnaikkA.

कश्चन जगतां हेतुः
कपर्द-कन्दलित-कुमुद-जीवातुः ।
जयति ज्ञान-महीन्दुर्
जन्म-मृति-क्लान्ति-हर-दया-बिन्दुः ॥ १॥

कश्चन जगतां हेतुः कपर्दकन्दलितकुमुदजीवातुः ।
जयति ज्ञानमहीन्दुर्जन्ममृतिक्लान्तिहरदयाबिन्दुः ॥ १॥

श्रित-भृति-बद्ध-पताकः
कलितोत्पल-वन-नव-मदोद्रेकः ।
अखिलाण्ड-मातुर् एकः
सुखयत्व् अस्मांस् तपः-परीपाकः ॥ २॥

श्रितभृतिभद्धपताकः कलितोत्पलवननवमदोद्रेकः ।
अखिलाण्डमातुरेकः सुखयत्वस्मांस्तपःपरीपाकः ॥ २॥

कश्चन कारुण्य-झरः
कमला-कुच-कलश-कषण–निशित-+++(विष्ण्वाख्य-)+++शरः ।
श्रीमान् दमित-त्रिपुरः
श्रित-जम्भू-परिसरश् चकास्तु पुरः ॥ ३॥+++(5)+++

कश्चन कारुण्यझरः कमलाकुचकलशकषणनिशितशरः ।
श्रीमान् दमितत्रिपुरः श्रितजम्भूपरिसरश्चकास्तु पुरः ॥ ३॥

शमित-स्मर-दव-विसरश्
शक्राद्य्-आशास्य-सेवनावसरः ।
करि-वन-घन-भाग्य-भरो
गिरतु मलं मम मनस्-सरश्-शफरः ॥ ४॥+++(4)+++

शमितस्मरदवविसरश्शक्राद्याशास्यसेवनावसरः ।
करिवनघनभाग्यभरो गिरतु मलं मम मनस्सरश्शफरः ॥ ४॥

गृहिणी-कृत-वैकुण्ठं
गेहित-जम्भू-मही-रुड्-उपकण्ठम् ।
दिव्यं किम् अप्य् अकुण्ठं
तेजः स्ताद्+++(=भूयाद्)+++ अस्मद्-अवन-सोत्कण्ठम् ॥ ५॥

गृहिणीकृतवैकुण्ठं गेहितजम्भूमहीरुडुपकण्ठम् ।
दिव्यं किमप्यकुण्ठं तेजः स्तादस्मदवनसोत्कण्ठम् ॥ ५॥

कृत-शमन-दर्प-हरणं
कृतकेतर-फणिति+++(=भणिति→वेदा अश्वीकृता)+++-चारि-रथ-चरणम् ।+++(4)+++
शक्रादि-श्रित-चरणं
शरणं जम्भू-द्रुमान्तिकाभरणम् ॥ ६॥

कृतशमनदर्पहरणं कृतकेतरफणितिचारिरथचरणम् ।
शक्रादिश्रितचरणं शरणं जम्भूद्रुमान्तिकाभरणम् ॥ ६॥

करुणा-रस-वारिधये
करवाणि नमः प्रणम्र-सुर-विधये ।
जगद्-आनन्द-धुनि-धये
जम्भू-तरु-मूल-निलय-सन्निधये ॥ ७॥

करुणारसवारिधये करवाणि नमः प्रणम्रसुरविधये ।
जगदानन्दधुनिधये जम्भूतरुमूलनिलयसन्निधये ॥ ७॥

कश्चन शशि-चूडालं
कण्ठे-कालं दयौघम् उत्कूलम् ।
श्रित-जम्भू-तरु-मूलं
शिक्षित-कालं भजे जगन्-मूलम् ॥ ८॥

कश्चन शशिचूडालं कण्ठेकालं दयौघमुत्कूलम् ।
श्रितजम्भूतरुमूलं शिक्षितकालं भजे जगन्मूलम् ॥ ८॥