Meaning of Sri Venkatesha Suprabhatam- Part 1

Sri Venkatesha Suprabhatam was composed by Prativadibhayankara Sri Anantacharya in the fifteenth century.

The first shloka, Kausalya Supraja Rama, is taken from the Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana. In this shloka, Rishi Vishwamitra is giving a wake-up call to Sri Rama.

कौसल्या सुप्रजा राम पूर्वा सन्ध्या प्रवर्तते।
उत्तिष्ठ नरशार्दूल कर्तव्यं दैवमाह्निकम्॥

Uthishta - Wake up, Oh Rama, the noble son of Kausalya; it is dawn, purva sandhya.
Purva sandhya pravartate - it is dawn, wake up.
Uthishta nara shardoola -
Nara shardoola - Oh great nara.

नरतीति नरः प्रोक्तः परमात्मा सनातनः – नरति सद्गतिं प्रापयति – he accords sadgati; hence he is called naraha – he is none other than the eternal Paramatma.
नराज्जातानि तत्वानि – the tatvas originated from him. Hence he is called naraha.
Shardulaha means shreshtaha, the noble one – the great one.

Daivam ahnikam kartavyam – ahnikam means the daily routine, the dharmic routine prescribed for the day. For him, the ahnikam is daivam - divine, not manusham. His daily routine is divine. We want to take you through your divine daily routine. Please wake up.
Kartavyam – it is time to do the ahnikam.

The stotra continues with its own verses:
उत्तिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ गोविन्द उत्तिष्ठ गरुडध्वज।
उत्तिष्ठ कमलाकान्त त्रैलोक्यं मङ्गलं कुरु॥

गोविन्दः –
Why is he called Govinda?
गां भुमिं विन्दतीति गोविन्दः।
नष्टां वै धरणीं पूर्वमविन्दं वै गुहागताम्।
गोविन्द इति तेनाहं देवैर्वाग्भिरभिष्टुतः।

When the earth was stolen by Hiranyaksha and hidden under the ocean, I alone retrieved her, taking avatara as Varaha. Hence, I am called Govinda, says Bhagawan.

Uthishtothishta Govinda – wake up, wake up, oh Govinda.
The wake-up call is repeated. No one wakes up with a single call.

Garudadhwaja – Dhwaja means flag. Your flag carries the image of Garuda; hence Garudadhwaja.

Kamalakanta – husband of Kamala, Lakshmi Devi.

Trailokyam mangalam kuru – Bhagawan is being asked to wake up and act for the welfare of the three worlds, to make the three worlds auspicious.

Now Suprabhatam is wished to Sri Lakshmi Devi:

मातस्समस्तजगतां
मधुकैटभारेः वक्षोविहारिणि
मनोहरदिव्यमूर्ते।
श्रीस्वामिनि श्रितजनप्रियदानशीले
श्रीवेङ्कटेशदयिते तव सुप्रभातम्॥

Samasta jagatam mataha – Oh mother of all the worlds.
Madhukaitabharehe vakshoviharini – you occupy the vakshas (heart) of the enemy of the demons Madhu and Kaitabha (Madhukaitabhari), that is, Sri Hari. You occupy his vakshas.

Manoharadivyamurte – having a beautiful divine form, that is, the mother’s form, beautiful and divine.

Shree Swamini – the goddess of prosperity and abundance.

Shritajanapriya dana sheele – for those who depend on you and take refuge in you, you grant whatever is priya (desired) by them.

Shreevenkatesha dayite – Dayita means wife, wife of Sri Venkatesha.
Suprabhatam to you.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi