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VIVEKACŪDAMAŅI
svāminnamaste natalokabandho
kārunyasindho patitam bhavābdhau māmuddharātmīyakațākşadrstyā
rjvyātikārunyasudhābhivrstyā 11
My master! I bow to you. You are friend to those who make obeisance to you. You are the ocean of compassion. I have fallen into the sea of samsāra. Bathe me in the nectar of your straight and compassionate look and save me from the deeps of this ocean.
natalokabandhu means the annihilator of the afflictions of those who bow to him. As you are the dispeller of the sorrow of those who seek refuge in you, I bow to you seeking relief from sorrow. By apostrophising him as ocean of compassion (kārunyasindhu), the reason which impels the śişya to seek refuge in him is indicated. This has been explained already with reference to the expression ahetukadayāsindhu.
By the expression patitam bhavābdhau the sisya submits to the guru the nature of the sorrow by which he is afflicted. The meaning is: I who have sunk into the samsāra-samudra which is filled with the malefics of birth, old age, disease and death.
mām uddhara: rescue me. The śişya prays for release from all this. Make me free from the bonds of birth etc
He seeks the means of such liberation by saying ātmāyakațākşadrstyā: by your compassionate look, i.e., with a mere glance of your eyes. By the fact of your having realised Brahman, you are absolutely free from all impurities. Your glance so full of compassion is both pure and purifying. Released by it from all sins, I shall cross the ocean of samsāra. It is said: yasyānubhavaparyantā buddhiḥ sattve pravartate. taddrștigocarāssarve mucyante sarvakilbişaiḥ 11 "All persons on whom falls the glance of those whose buddhi is directed to the Reality till it becomes a fact of realisation, are saved from every kind of sin." By this the form of humility also has been shown that the śişya should not stand face to face before the guru. Even by a glance there will arise complete beholding by the guru. Hence the sişya is said to make the request for such a glance. The idea is: I shall become free from affliction completely purified when the grace of one who is immersed in the bliss of the ever-pure Brahman falls on me emanating in full from his side-long glance. Or, ātmūyakațākşadrstyā may mean: by your gracious look directly fall
