Composer: Sriman Madhvacharya
Translator: Sri NAPS Rao
Source: dvaita dot org

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Dwaadasha stotras are a collection of twelve stotras in praise of Lord Sri Vishnu, composed by Srimad Ananda Teertha (also called Sriman Madhwacharya and Sri Poornaprajna). This collection is collectively counted as one of his 37 works, and is said to encapsulate the doctrine of Tattvavaada to a great deal of depth.

Popular tradition has it that the Dwaadasha Stotras were composed at the time of the installation by him of the Sri Krishna icon at Udupi.

Each word of Dwaadasha Stotras can be interpreted in several ways, in accordance with recognized rules of grammar; each verse is also evocative of many works by Srimad Acharya when studied with care and analyzed. In expressing such thoughts in English or other colloquial language, the limitations of the language sought to be used may also be barriers, to overcome which needs one to have patience and perseverance.

Sriman Madhvacharya’s texts are extremely brief, terse, and usually associated with a number of meanings which do not conflict with each other, but are all separately supportive to his philosophy of Tattvavaada.

An attempt at direct translation, if carried out with an open mind and some competence, usually yields the main gist of the text. But the depth and width of the material usually escapes one, until he is aided by the extremely detailed and powerful commentaries on Srimad Acharya’s works.

There are texts where up to 8 different and valid meanings have been given, all within the rules of textual interpretation and grammar.

The circumstances of the Dwaadasha Stotras’ creation

The exact circumstances under which the stotras were composed are not known to a certainty, and various conflicting accounts exist. One popular account is that once, when Srimad Anandateertha was meditating at what is now called the Malpe beach (near Udupi), a ship in distress in the sea came to his attention; he waved his upper garment, causing the fearsome winds and the angry seas to subside, enabling the ship to reach the shore safely with its cargo and crew intact.

The grateful captain of the ship, realizing the debt of gratitude he owed to Srimad Acharya, offered the latter gifts; however, Sri Acharya refused gifts of wealth, but asked for a large mound of gopi-chandana that had served as part of the ship’s ballast.

The mound contained the long-concealed icon of Sri Krishna which in the Dwapara Yuga had been worshipped by His own consort Rukmini devi. This icon was carried to Udupi and installed there by Sri Madhwacharya, and the Dvaadasha stotras were composed by him on this occasion.

There are other, somewhat less common, variants of this account of the circumstances of the stotras’ composition, such as one according to which the first seven stotras had already been composed before the saving of the ship, and the rest were composed later.

Occasions for the Dwaadasha Stotras’ recitation

The Dwaadasha Stotras are sung in a musical note during the event of ‘naivedya’ or ceremonial offering of food to Lord Vishnu, not only in Udupi Krishna temple, but also in practically all Maadhva temples and homes.

Extracts from the Dwaadasha stotras, containing the highly condensed and encapsulated philosophy of Tattvavaada, are also recited on other occasions such as Hari-Katha discussions.

With this background, we shall now look into explanations of each verse of DwAdasha Stotras in next pages.