The Lullaby of Queen Madalasa, “The Madalasa Upadesha”
One day I came across a beautiful Sanskrit song on YouTube (which I have mentioned at the end of this blog), and I was totally spellbound by not only the sweetness of sound of the singer, but also the deep meanings those texts had. So I decided to write a small blog on the same to share with my followers, the beauty of ancient texts and Sanskrit language. Read this blog, and enjoy the song!
Madalasa is known as one of India’s most ideal and learned woman. But who was Madalasa? and what is her story? and what is “The Madalasa Updesh”?
Before going further, I have some things to say (if you don’t want to read about some boring and philosophical stuff, then I’d say you should jump on to next section directly without reading following few paragraphs).
Don’t you think human mind is always ruled by fear? I even mentioned it once in one of my blogs that, people’s heart is always ruled by fear, whether it may be the fear of being insulted, or the fear of losing money and property, or the fear of separation from loved ones, therefore, the existence of fear is considered to be natural by all.
But, is it really natural? if we think deeply, the situation or object that gives birth to fear is not the actual cause of sorrow, our reaction to it and our thinking attracts sorrow! Moreover, our experience tells us that being afraid doesn’t relieve one from his sorrows and pain.
Now going further, do you think fear is our only enemy? NO, emotions like greed, lust, anger, temptation, ego have also become human companion these days. But all of these are responsible for raising fear in our mind. Greed gives rise to fear of losing fortune, lust gives rise to fear of not getting your temptations fulfilled, and ego, it’s the root of all suffering, isn’t it?
I don’t want to ruin the beauty of this song by deviating the topic more, but just imagine a world where there is
Only peace, no war. Only love, no hate. Only empathy in human beings for all living things.
Impossible?
No, it is possible if we all realize this one simple fact that nothing is permanent, our body, our fortune, our relations, everything we see around us is momentary. Well, if everything is temporary, then why should greed exist, why should we be tempted towards personal interests?
Coming Back…
In the Markandeya purana there is a mention of this lullaby which the queen Madalasa used to recite before her children. Madalasa is known as one of India’s most ideal and learned woman, and it is considered that she attained enlightenment, and due to her teachings only her 4 sons Vikranta, Subahu, Shatrumardana, and Alarka left the throne and went for penance.
Considering the limitations of a blog, I won’t mention the complete story of how the King Ritadhwaja met Madalasa and what was the story behind naming of the first three sons and the fourth son, and how his son, King Alarka left the throne for penance. But yes, the story is very interesting and hence I would suggest everyone to read it.
When her babies cried, queen Madalasa used to sing this lullaby rather than pleasuring them with small toys and dolls (which children generally love) which acts as an indication towards not getting attracted to material things. So here’s the lullaby with meaning.
Please Note That…
These translations have not been done by me, I am merely sharing them from this page so that everyone can read it.
The Madalassa Updesha
Strophe 1:
शुद्धोसि बुद्धोसि निरँजनोऽसि
सँसारमाया परिवर्जितोऽसि
सँसारस्वप्नँ त्यज मोहनिद्राँ
मँदालसोल्लपमुवाच पुत्रम्।
Suddhosi bubbhosi niranjanosi
samsara maya parivarjitosi
samsara svapnam tyaja moha nidra
mandalasollapamuvacha putram
Meaning:
Madalasa says to her crying son:
“You are pure, Enlightened, and spotless.
Leave the illusion of the world
and wake up from this deep slumber of delusion”
Strophe 2:
शुद्धोऽसि रे तात न तेऽस्ति नाम
कृतँ हि तत्कल्पनयाधुनैव।
पच्चात्मकँ देहँ इदँ न तेऽस्ति
नैवास्य त्वँ रोदिषि कस्य हेतो॥
śuddho’si re tāta na te’sti nāma
kṛtaɱ hi tatkalpanayādhunaiva|
paccātmakaɱ dehaɱ idaɱ na te’sti
naivāsya tvaɱ rodiṣi kasya heto||
Meaning:
My Child, you are Ever Pure! You do not have a name. A name is only an imaginary superimposition on you.
This body made of five elements is not you nor do you belong to it. This being so, what can be a reason for your crying ?
Strophe 3:
न वै भवान् रोदिति विक्ष्वजन्मा
शब्दोयमायाध्य महीश सूनूम्।
विकल्पयमानो विविधैर्गुणैस्ते
गुणाश्च भौताः सकलेन्दियेषु॥
na vai bhavan roditi vikshvajanma
shabdoyamayadhya mahisha sunum|
vikalpayamano vividhairgunaiste
gunascha bhautah sakalendiyeshu||
Meaning:
The essence of the universe does not cry in reality. All is a maya of words, oh Prince! Please understand this. The various qualities you seem to have are are just your imaginations, they belong to the elements that make the senses (and have nothing to do with you).
Strophe 4:
भूतनि भूतैः परिदुर्बलानि
वृद्धिँ समायाति यथेह पुँसः।
अन्नाम्बुपानादिभिरेव तस्मात्
न तेस्ति वृद्धिर् न च तेस्ति हानिः॥
bhutani bhutaih paridurbalani
vriddhim samayati yatheha pumsah|
annambupanadibhireva tasmat
na testi vriddhir na cha testi hanih||
Meaning:
The Elements [that make this body] grow with accumulation of more elements or reduce in size if some elements are taken away. This is what is seen in a body’s growing in size or becoming lean depending upon the consumption of food, water etc. You do not have growth or decay.
Strophe 5:
त्वम् कँचुके शीर्यमाणे निजोस्मिन्
तस्मिन् देहे मूढताँ मा व्रजेथाः।
शुभाशुभौः कर्मभिर्देहमेतत्
मृदादिभिः कँचुकस्ते पिनद्धः॥
tvam kamchuke shiryamane nijosmin
tasmin dehe mudhatam ma vrajethah|
shubhashubhauh karmabhirdehametat
mridadibhih kamchukaste pinaddhah||
Meaning:
You are in the body which is like a jacket that gets worn out day by day. Do not have the wrong notion that you are the body. This body is like a jacket that you are tied to, for the frutification of the good and bad karmas.
Strophe 6:
तातेति किँचित् तनयेति किँचित्
अँबेति किँचिद्धयितेति किँचित्।
ममेति किँचित् न ममेति किँचित्
त्वम् भूतसँघँ बहु म नयेथाः॥
tateti kimchit tanayeti kimchit
ambeti kimchiddhayiteti kimchit|
mameti kimchit na mameti kimchit
tvam bhutasamgham bahu ma nayethah||
Meaning:
Some may refer to you are Father and some others may refer to you a Son or some may refer to you as mother and some one else may refer to you as wife. some say “you are mine” and some others say “you are not mine” These are all references to this “Combination of Physical Elements”, Do not identify with them.
Strophe 7:
सुखानि दुःखोपशमाय भोगान्
सुखाय जानाति विमूढचेताः।
तान्येव दुःखानि पुनः सुखानि
जानाति विद्धनविमूढचेताः॥
sukhani duhkhopashamaya bhogan
sukhaya janati vimudhachetah|
tanyeva duhkhani punah sukhani
janati viddhanavimudhachetah||
Meaning:
The deluded look at objects of enjoyments as giving happiness by removing the unhappiness. The wise clearly see that the same object which gives happiness now will become a source of unhappiness.
Strophe 8:
यानँ चित्तौ तत्र गतश्च देहो
देहोपि चान्यः पुरुषो निविष्ठः।
ममत्वमुरोया न यथ तथास्मिन्
देहेति मात्रँ बत मूढरौष।
yanam chittau tatra gatascha deho
dehopi chanyah purusho nivishthah|
mamatvamuroya na yatha tathasmin
deheti matram bata mudharausha|
Meaning:
The vehicle that moves on the ground is different from the person in it similarly this body is also different from the person who is inside! The owner of the body is different from the body! Ah how foolish it is to think I am the body!
That’s it
I hope you all found this blog insightful, do check out this YouTube video I was talking about earlier. I am sure, you would love it ✨
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDd3iupKUyI
