Kanakadhara stotram was first sung by Adhi Shankara. Here is the story of the cirucumstances that led to Adhi Shankara’s rendition of the stotram. Adhi Shankara visited the house of a poor Brahmin lady, and she did not have anything to offer to the Great Saint. Her family was living in penury and her husband himself sought alms in the village for sustenance. She was understandably very upset. She however sincerely searched her house for some thing worthy of giving to her guest. She found an Amla fruit and offered it with all humility and reverence to the Great Saint. Adhi Shankara in the meanwhile had nticed the condition of the household and their poverty. He was moved by the lady’s gesture.
Goddess Lakshmi appeared before him and enquired him about the reason for prayer after Adhi Shankara recited 22 shlokas in praise of Mahalakshmi. He pleaded and prayed to Goddess Lakshmi to show mercy on this Brahmin household and grant them riches. Goddess Lakshmi responded that the lady did not deserve it as she had not been benovalent in her earlier life and did not participate in any charitable activity. Adhi Shankara accepted this but however argued the poor lady’s case by saying that she deserved the riches because even though she did not have anything in her present life she still gave away whatever she could and did it happily. He said that this act alone makes her deserving of the riches. Mahalakshmi was pleased with Adhi Shankara’s argument and immediately there was a shower of golden Amla. Thus the stotram came to be known as Kanakadhara Stotram. Kanaka is gold and Dhara is rain or shower.
It is important to note that reciting this stotram does not only address Dhanalakshmi, it is addressed to Ashta Lakshmi. Hence this stotram can be recited for attaining any good and fulfilling all wishes.
தமிழில் ஸ்ரீ கனகதாரா ஸ்தோத்ரம்
Kanakadhara Stotram in Latin Script
अंगहरे पुलकभूषण माश्रयन्ती भृगांगनैव मुकुलाभरणं तमालम।
अंगीकृताखिल विभूतिरपांगलीला मांगल्यदास्तु मम मंगलदेवताया:।।1।।
मुग्ध्या मुहुर्विदधती वदनै मुरारै: प्रेमत्रपाप्रणिहितानि गतागतानि।
माला दृशोर्मधुकर विमहोत्पले या सा मै श्रियं दिशतु सागर सम्भवाया:।।2।।
विश्वामरेन्द्रपदविभ्रमदानदक्षमानन्द हेतु रधिकं मधुविद्विषोपि।
ईषन्निषीदतु मयि क्षणमीक्षणार्द्धमिन्दोवरोदर सहोदरमिन्दिराय:।।3।।
आमीलिताक्षमधिगम्य मुदा मुकुन्दमानन्दकन्दम निमेषमनंगतन्त्रम्।
आकेकर स्थित कनी निकपक्ष्म नेत्रं भूत्यै भवेन्मम भुजंगरायांगनाया:।।4।।
बाह्यन्तरे मधुजित: श्रितकौस्तुभै या हारावलीव हरिनीलमयी विभाति।
कामप्रदा भगवतो पि कटाक्षमाला कल्याण भावहतु मे कमलालयाया:।।5।।
कालाम्बुदालिललितोरसि कैटभारेर्धाराधरे स्फुरति या तडिदंगनेव्।
मातु: समस्त जगतां महनीय मूर्तिभद्राणि मे दिशतु भार्गवनन्दनाया:।।6।।
प्राप्तं पदं प्रथमत: किल यत्प्रभावान्मांगल्य भाजि: मधुमायनि मन्मथेन।
मध्यापतेत दिह मन्थर मीक्षणार्द्ध मन्दालसं च मकरालयकन्यकाया:।।7।।
दद्याद दयानुपवनो द्रविणाम्बुधाराम स्मिभकिंचन विहंग शिशौ विषण्ण।
दुष्कर्मधर्ममपनीय चिराय दूरं नारायण प्रणयिनी नयनाम्बुवाह:।।8।।
इष्टा विशिष्टमतयो पि यथा ययार्द्रदृष्टया त्रिविष्टपपदं सुलभं लभंते।
दृष्टि: प्रहूष्टकमलोदर दीप्ति रिष्टां पुष्टि कृषीष्ट मम पुष्कर विष्टराया:।।9।।
गीर्देवतैति गरुड़ध्वज भामिनीति शाकम्भरीति शशिशेखर वल्लभेति।
सृष्टि स्थिति प्रलय केलिषु संस्थितायै तस्यै नमस्त्रि भुवनैक गुरोस्तरूण्यै ।।10।।
श्रुत्यै नमोस्तु शुभकर्मफल प्रसूत्यै रत्यै नमोस्तु रमणीय गुणार्णवायै।
शक्तयै नमोस्तु शतपात्र निकेतानायै पुष्टयै नमोस्तु पुरूषोत्तम वल्लभायै।।11।।
नमोस्तु नालीक निभाननायै नमोस्तु दुग्धौदधि जन्म भूत्यै ।
नमोस्तु सोमामृत सोदरायै नमोस्तु नारायण वल्लभायै।।12।।
सम्पतकराणि सकलेन्द्रिय नन्दानि साम्राज्यदान विभवानि सरोरूहाक्षि।
त्व द्वंदनानि दुरिता हरणाद्यतानि मामेव मातर निशं कलयन्तु नान्यम्।।13।।
यत्कटाक्षसमुपासना विधि: सेवकस्य कलार्थ सम्पद:।
संतनोति वचनांगमानसंसत्वां मुरारिहृदयेश्वरीं भजे।।14।।
सरसिजनिलये सरोज हस्ते धवलमांशुकगन्धमाल्यशोभे।
भगवति हरिवल्लभे मनोज्ञे त्रिभुवनभूतिकरि प्रसीद मह्यम्।।15।।
दग्धिस्तिमि: कनकुंभमुखा व सृष्टिस्वर्वाहिनी विमलचारू जल प्लुतांगीम।
प्रातर्नमामि जगतां जननीमशेष लोकाधिनाथ गृहिणी ममृताब्धिपुत्रीम्।।16।।
कमले कमलाक्षवल्लभे त्वं करुणापूरतरां गतैरपाड़ंगै:।
अवलोकय माम किंचनानां प्रथमं पात्रमकृत्रिमं दयाया : ।।17।।
स्तुवन्ति ये स्तुतिभिर भूमिरन्वहं त्रयीमयीं त्रिभुवनमातरं रमाम्।
गुणाधिका गुरुतरभाग्यभागिनो भवन्ति ते बुधभाविताया:।।18।।
।। इति श्री कनकधारा स्तोत्रं सम्पूर्णम् ।।