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Chatuh Shloki

The Chatuh Shloki () is a Sanskrit hymn by the Hindu philosopher Yamunacharya of the Sri Vaishnava tradition. Consisting of four verses, the Chatuh Shloki extols the various attributes of Lakshmi, the consort of the deity Vishnu.

Etymology

The word chatuh shloki is a Sanskrit compound formed from chatuh (चतुः, 'four') and shloka (श्लोक, 'verse'), yielding the compound chatuh shloka (चतुःश्लोक, 'four verses'). The possessive suffix '-in' (इन्) is then added to form the adjectival stem chatuh shlokin (चतुःश्लोकिन्), meaning possessing four verses or consisting of four verses. This stem is declined in the masculine gender to agree with an implied masculine noun such as grantha (ग्रन्थ, 'text'), resulting in the nominative singular form chatuh shloki (चतुःश्लोकी) - which literally means "that (Grantha) which consists of four verses". With the help of a grammatical rule called "वा शरि"(vā śari) , this can also be called chatushshloki (चतुश्श्लोकी).Thus, both Chatuhshloki (with visarga - ः) and Chatushshloki (with sandhi transformation - श्श) are grammatically valid forms of the same word.

Description

The four stanzas of the work describe the various attributes of the goddess Lakshmi, her greatness and mercy, the grace she offers to her devotees, and her inseparability in form from her consort Vishnu (Lakshmi Narayana) respectively. Lakshmi is represented as an intermediary between a devotee and Vishnu; she is described to present a devotee's piety to her consort, offering her consort's grace to the devotee in turn. The work is regarded to be a pioneer in offering descriptions of the personality of the goddess and her relationship with a devotee and her consort in Vaishnava philosophy.

Shlokas

Each shloka of the Chatuhshloki progressively unveils the attributes of Lakshmi and her supreme position among all beings.

Chatuh Shloki Bhagavatam

The Chatuh Shloki Bhagavatam (Sanskrit: चतुःश्लोकी भागवतम्, lit. 'Bhagavata in Four Verses') refers to four specific verses from the second canto of the Bhagavata Purana that have long been considered a kind of philosophical summary of the whole twelve-canto text . These verses are identified as Bhagavata Purana 2.9.33–36 and form part of a dialogue between the creator deity Brahma and Vishnu. According to the traditional narrative, after being divinely inspired to create the universe, Brahma became bewildered by his creative power and developed a sense of ego; to clear up his confusion, Vishnu revealed four secret verses to Brahma that explained the whole truth in a nutshell.

The first verse establishes the Supreme Being as the sole reality existing before, during, and after creation. The second explains that anything perceived as independent of the divine is illusion (māyā). The third describes the deity's paradoxical nature as simultaneously immanent within creation and transcendent beyond it, using the analogy of the great elements that both enter into and remain outside of all created things. The fourth directs spiritual seekers to pursue inquiry into the Absolute through both direct and indirect means (anvaya and vyatireka).

In the Vaishnava tradition, these verses have attracted extensive commentary from prominent theologians. The 13th-century commentator Sridhara Swami was the first to identify these four verses as a distinct set representing the original revelation.

The significance of these verses is attested in multiple textual traditions. The Bhagavata Mahatmya of the Padma Purana contains a reference to the four-versed summary.Physical manuscripts of the Chatuh Shloki Bhagavatam exist in both Sharda script and Devnagari script in Indian government archives, providing material evidence of the text's transmission. The Chaitanya-charitamrita states that these verses explain everything - the relationship with the Supreme Lord, activities in that connection, and the goal of life.

See also

References