Kilaka Stotra: Sanskrit Text, Transliteration and Meaning, from the 1917 Print

अस्य श्रीकीलकमन्त्रस्य शिव ऋषिः अनुष्टुप् छन्दः श्रीमहासरस्वती देवता श्रीजगदम्बाप्रीत्यर्थं सप्तशतीपाठाङ्गजपे विनियोगः । ॐ नमश्चण्डिकायै । मार्कण्डेय उवाच ।

Asya shrikilakamantrasya shiva rishih anushtup chhandah shrimahasarasvati devata shrijagadambaprityartham saptashatipathangajape viniyogah, om namashchandikayai, markandeya uvacha

NoteThe formula said before the text. It names the sage (Shiva), the metre (Anushtubh), the deity (Mahasaraswati) and the purpose, which is pleasing the Mother of the world as part of the Saptashati recitation. Then a bow to Chandika, and Markandeya speaks.

विशुद्धज्ञानदेहाय त्रिवेदीदिव्यचक्षुषे
श्रेयःप्राप्तिनिमित्ताय नमः सोमार्धधारिणे ॥ १ ॥

Vishuddhajnanadehaya trivedidivyachakshushe
Shreyahpraptinimittaya namah somardhadharine

MeaningMarkandeya says: Bow to the one whose body is pure knowledge, whose divine eye is the three Vedas, the cause of reaching the highest good, who wears the half moon (Shiva).

सर्वमेतद्विनायस्तु मन्त्राणामपि कीलकम्
सोऽपि क्षेममवाप्नोति सततं जाप्यतत्परः ॥ २ ॥

Sarvametadvinayastu mantranamapi kilakam
So'pi kshemamavapnoti satatam japyatatparah

MeaningThe text says that all of this, apart from the pin that fastens even the mantras, brings well-being to the one who is always intent on reciting.

सिद्ध्यन्त्युच्चाटनादीनि वस्तूनि सकलान्यपि
एतेन स्तुवतां नित्यं स्तोत्रमात्रेण सिद्ध्यति ॥ ३ ॥

Siddhyantyuchchatanadini vastuni sakalanyapi
Etena stuvatam nityam stotramatrena siddhyati

MeaningThe text says that all the rites such as driving away an enemy succeed, and that for those who praise with this each day, the result comes by the hymn alone.

न मन्त्रो नौषधं तत्र न किञ्चिदपि विद्यते
विना जाप्येन सिद्ध्येत सर्वमुच्चाटनादिकम् ॥ ४ ॥

Na mantro naushadham tatra na kinchidapi vidyate
Vina japyena siddhyeta sarvamuchchatanadikam

MeaningThere is no mantra and no medicine there, nothing at all, yet the text says every such rite succeeds by recitation alone.

समग्राण्यपि सिद्ध्यन्ति लोकशङ्कामिमां हरः
कृत्वा निमन्त्रयामास सर्वमेवमिदं शुभम् ॥ ५ ॥

Samagranyapi siddhyanti lokashankamimam harah
Kritva nimantrayamasa sarvamevamidam shubham

MeaningAll of them succeed. Hara (Shiva), seeing the doubt of the world, invited the whole matter in this way and made it auspicious.

स्तोत्रं वै चण्डिकायास्तु तच्च गुह्यं चकार सः
समाप्तिर्न च पुण्यस्य तां यथावन्नियन्त्रणाम् ॥ ६ ॥

Stotram vai chandikayastu tachcha guhyam chakara sah
Samaptirna cha punyasya tam yathavanniyantranam

MeaningHe made the hymn to Chandika secret, and he set a fitting restraint on it, so that the gain from merit does not simply come to an end.

सोऽपि क्षेममवाप्नोति सर्वमेव न संशयः
कृष्णायां वा चतुर्दश्यामष्टम्यां वा समाहितः ॥ ७ ॥

So'pi kshemamavapnoti sarvameva na samshayah
Krishnayam va chaturdashyamashtamyam va samahitah

MeaningThe one who keeps the rule, on the fourteenth or the eighth of the dark fortnight, with a steady mind, also reaches well-being, the text says without doubt.

ददाति प्रतिगृह्णाति नान्यथैषा प्रसीदति
इत्थं रूपेण कीलेन महादेवेन कीलितम् ॥ ८ ॥

Dadati pratigrihnati nanyathaisha prasidati
Ittham rupena kilena mahadevena kilitam

MeaningThe goddess gives and receives in this way, and is not pleased otherwise. Thus, in this form, the hymn has been fastened with a pin by Mahadeva.

यो निष्कीलां विधायैनां नित्यं जपति सुस्फुटम्
स सिद्धः स गणः सोऽपि गन्धर्वो जायते वने ॥ ९ ॥

Yo nishkilam vidhayainam nityam japati susphutam
Sa siddhah sa ganah so'pi gandharvo jayate vane

MeaningThe one who makes it free of the pin and then recites it every day, clearly, is said to become a perfected being, a member of Shiva's host, and a gandharva in the forest.

न चैवाप्यटतस्तस्य भयं क्वापि हि जायते
नापमृत्युवशं याति मृतो मोक्षमवाप्नुयात् ॥ १० ॥

Na chaivapyatatastasya bhayam kvapi hi jayate
Napamrityuvasham yati mrito mokshamavapnuyat

MeaningThe text says that wherever such a person wanders no fear arises for him, and he does not come under the power of untimely death. When he dies he may reach liberation.

ज्ञात्वा प्रारभ्य कुर्वीत ह्यकुर्वाणो विनश्यति
ततो ज्ञात्वैव सम्पन्नमिदं प्रारभ्यते बुधैः ॥ ११ ॥

Jnatva prarabhya kurvita hyakurvano vinashyati
Tato jnatvaiva sampannamidam prarabhyate budhaih

MeaningOne should know this and then begin. The one who does not do so is lost. That is why the wise begin this only after they know it fully.

सौभाग्यादि च यत्किञ्चिद् दृश्यते ललनाजने
तत्सर्वं तत्प्रसादेन तेन जाप्यमिदं शुभम् ॥ १२ ॥

Saubhagyadi cha yatkinchid drishyate lalanajane
Tatsarvam tatprasadena tena japyamidam shubham

MeaningWhatever good fortune and the like is seen among women, all of it is by her grace. For that reason this auspicious hymn is to be recited.

शनैस्तु जप्यमानेऽस्मिन् स्तोत्रे सम्पत्तिरुच्चकैः
भवत्येव समग्रापि ततः प्रारभ्यमेव तत् ॥ १३ ॥

Shanaistu japyamane'smin stotre sampattiruchchakaih
Bhavatyeva samagrapi tatah prarabhyameva tat

MeaningWhen this hymn is recited quietly and steadily, the text says that great prosperity, in its entirety, does come. So it should certainly be begun.

ऐश्वर्यं यत्प्रसादेन सौभाग्यारोग्यसम्पदः
शत्रुहानिः परो मोक्षः स्तूयते सा न किं जनैः ॥ १४ ॥

Aishvaryam yatprasadena saubhagyarogyasampadah
Shatruhanih paro mokshah stuyate sa na kim janaih

MeaningShe by whose grace come lordship, good fortune, health and wealth, the loss of enemies and the highest liberation: is she not praised by people? Colophon: here ends the Kilaka Stotra of the goddess.