The Kanakadhara Stotra is composed by Adi Sankaracarya. One day he went for Bhiksha and visited the house of a poor Brahmin. Nothing was available in the house to offer. The Brahmin lady earnestly searched for some thing to give and at last she found an Amla fruit and offered it in the bowl of Sankaracarya. Sri Sankaracarya was deeply moved at the sincerity and devotion of the poverty stricken woman and immediately in an extempore way started imploring Goddess Lakshmi to be merciful towards this poor Brahmin lady to drive away her poverty. He recited twenty two slokas in praise of Goddess Lakshmi Who was pleased and appeared before Sankaracarya. Sankaracarya pleaded her to grant riches to the Brahmin lady.
Goddess Lakshmi said that the Brahmin lady did not qualify for any riches in this life as she did not to do any charities in her previous life. Sankaracarya replied that in this life she gave him Amla fruit with very great reverence in spite of her extreme poverty and this act of her alone is enough to shower riches on her.
Hearing this Goddess Lakshmi was greatly moved and immensely pleased with the advocacy of the argument of Sri Sankaracarya, showered her with instant rain of golden Amla fruits.
Sankaracarya while reciting the Kanakadhara Stotra extolled Lakshmi in all her eight qualifying manifestations Asta Lakshmi).
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1. Vande vandaru mandara mindirananda kandalam |
Amandananda sandoha bandhuram sindhura nanam ||
2. Angam hareh pulaka bhusana masrayanti
Bhrungow ganeva mukula bharanam tamalam
Angikruta khila vibhuti rapangaleela
Mangalyada stu mama mangala devatayah ||
3. Mugha muhurvidadhati vadane murareh |
Prematrapa prani hitani gata gatani ||
Maladrusormadhu Kariva mahotpaleya |
Samesriyam disatusagara sambha vayah ||
4. Visva marendra pada vibhrama dana daksha
Mananda hetu radhikam mura vidviso pi |
Easannisidatu mayi kshana mikshanardha
Mindivarodara sahodara mindirayah ||
5. Amilita ksha madhigamya mudamukunda
Mananda kanda manimesa mananga tantram |
Akekarasthita Kaninika pakshma Netram |
Bhutyai bhavenmama bhujanga sayanganayah ||
6. Kalambuda lilalitorasi kaitabhare
rdharadhare sphurati ya thati daganeva
Matussa masta jagatam mahaniya murti
Rbhadrani me disatu bhargava nandanayah||
7. Bahvantare murajitah srita kowstubeya |
Haravaliva harinilamayi vibhati |
Kamaprada bhagavato pikatakshamala
Kalyana mavahatu mekamala layayah ||
8. Praptam padam prathamatah khalu yat prabhavat |
Mangala bhaji madhu madhini manmadhena |
Mayya patetta diha mandhara mikshanardham
Mandalasam ca makaralaya kanyakayah ||
9. Dadhya ddayanu pavano dravinambudhara
Masminna kincina vihanga sisow visanne |
Duskarma gharma mapaniya ciraya duram |
Narayana pranayini nayan ambu vahah ||
10. Essta visista matayo pinarayaya drag
Drusta sthrivistapa padam sulabham bhajante |
Drustih prahrsta kamalodara diptiristam
Pustim krsista mama puskara vistarayah ||
11. Girdevatiti garuda dhvaja sundariti
Sakambhariti sasisekhara vallabheti
Srusti sthiti pralaya kelisu samsthtaya
Tasyai nama sthribhu vanaika gurostarunyai ||
12. Srutyai Namo stu subhakarma phala prasutyai
Ratyai Namo stu Ramaniya gunardhavayai
Sakyai Namo stu sataparta niketanayai
Pustai Namo stu purusottama vallabhayai ||
13. Namo stu nalika nibhananayai
Namo stu dugdho dadhi janma bhumyai
Namo stu Soma mrta sodarayai
Namo stu Narayana vallabhayai ||
14. Namo stu hemambuja pitthikayai
Namo stu bhumandala nayikayai
Namo stu devadidaya parayai
Namo stu saranga yudha vallabhayai ||
15. Namo stu devyai bhrugunandanayai
Namo stu visnorusasi sthitayai
Namo stu lakshmai kamala layayai
Namo stu damodara vallabhayai ||
16. Namo stu kanyai kamalekshanayai
Namostu bhutyai bhuvana prasutyai
Namo stu devadibhi rarcitayai
Namo stu nandatmajavallabhayai ||
17. Sampatka rani sakalendriya nandanani
Samrajya dana niratani saroruhakshi
Tvadvandanani durita paharonodyatani
Mameva mata ranisam kalayastu manye ||
18. Yatkataksha samupa sana vidhih
Sevakasya sakalardha sampadah
Santanoti vacana gamanasai
Stvam murari hrdaye svar im bhaje ||
19. Sarasijanayane | Saroja haste
Dhavala taram suka gandhamalya sobhe |
Bhagavati | Harivallabhe | Manojne |
Tribhuvana bhutikari | Prasida mahyam ||
20. Dighastibhih kanaka kumbha mukha vasruta
Svarvahini vimala caru jala plutangim
Pratar namami jagatam janani masesa
Lokadhi natha grhini mamrutabdhi putrim ||
21. Kamale! kamalaksha vallabhe | tvam
Karunapura tarangitai rapamgaih
Avalokaya mama kincananam
Prathamam patra makrtrimam dayayah ||
22. Stuvanti ye stutibhi ramubhi ranvaham
Trayi mayim tribhuvana mataram Ramam |
Gunadhika gurutara bhagya bhajino
Bhavanti te bhuvi budha bhavita sayah ||
23. Suvarna dhara stotramya
Chankara carya nirmitam
Trisandhyam yah patthe nnityam
Sakubera samo bhavet ||
