गन्धद्वारां दुराधर्षां नित्यपुष्टां करीषिणीम्।

ईश्वरीं* सर्वभूतानां तामिहोपह्वये श्रियम्॥ ९

gandhadvārāṁ durādharṣāṁ nityapuṣṭāṁ karīṣiṇīm |

īśvarīṁ sarvabhūtānāṁ tāmihopahvaye śriyam || 9

(*alternate reading - ईश्वरी īśvarīgum)

Meaning: I appeal to Goddess Lakṣmī, who is an embodiment of fragrance, unconquerable, gives strength, complete in everything and the chief of all beings, to continue to remain here.

gandha dvārāṁ - gandha means fragrance; dvārāṁ - entrance or door. This means that She is the source of fragrance.

durādharṣāṁ - durādharṣa means difficult to approach. She is difficult to approach. She is approachable only through pure devotion and love for Her. She cannot be approached only when in trouble. She has to be contemplated all the time. When devotion and love for Her persists over a period of time, She will on Her own, shower Her Grace (give him or her wealth).

nityapuṣṭāṁ - nityapuṣṭa means always well-supplied. Those who are devout to Her are eternally supplied with all their requirements. There is no need to ask Her for anything. She supplies everything that the aspirant needs, including wealth.

karīṣiṇīm - karīṣin means abundance in cow-dung. This means that the aspirant will be showered with plenty of cattle.

īśvarīṁ - Īśvari means ruler. She rules the universe and hence She is adored as Īśvari. Her Consort Viṣṇu is Īśvara (Viṣṇu Sahasranāma 36 and 74).

sarva bhūtānāṁ - sarvabhūta means the maker or cause of all beings, essence or nature of all creatures, the supreme lord of all beings. This conveys Her omnipresence, and as the soul, in every being.

tām iha upahvaye – I am inviting Her to this place. The aspirant makes a simple statement that he is inviting Her, the ruler of the universe, again and again to his place (to stay eternally in his home).

मनसः काममाकूतिं वाचः सत्यमशीमहि।

पशूनां रूपमन्नस्य मयि श्रीः श्रयतां यशः॥ १०

manasaḥ kāmamākūtiṁ vācaḥ satyamaśīmahi |

paśūnāṁ rūpamannasya mayi śrīḥ śrayatāṁ yaśaḥ || 10

Meaning: O Lakṣmī! Please bless me to have good thoughts, allow me to experience bliss, truth in all my words and actions, the happiness arising out of completeness. Please bless me to have fame and name.

manasaḥ - mind. This verse is more related to peaceful mind.

kāma ākūtiṁ - kāma means material desires; ākūti means intention. Desire is inclination for want of material prosperity, etc. Intention is anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides planned actions. For example prayer for name and fame is desire and good thoughts, experiencing bliss, truth in words and actions, happiness arising out of completeness, etc. are inclination. How beautifully sage of this verse had coined this ‘kāma ākūtiṁ’!!

vācaḥ - speech. The aspirant prays to Her that his speech should always be truthful. A true aspirant will always speak truth. Upaniṣad-s say that Truth is Brahman. One has to uphold truth in his life while pursuing spiritual path.

satyam – truth, which is explained above.

aśīmahi – getting; referring to getting material prosperity. The mind cannot be tranquil until all its desires are satiated. When the mind has no desires, it is the state of completeness leading bliss or inexplicable happiness.

paśūnāṁ - cattle, etc. In those days, cattle were considered as biggest wealth. Here it indirectly conveys wealth and prosperity.

rūpam annasya – different varieties of food derived from milk and other produce. This subtly conveys that every day he wants to eat varieties of food and also wants to share them with others. He feels that he becomes complete only after sharing his food with others – atithi.

mayi – I, referring to the aspirant. Aspirant prays for his personal wealth and happiness apart from seeking truth in his speech, etc.

śrīḥ - Lakṣmī; also refers to prosperity and happiness. Lakṣmī is embodiment of prosperity, welfare, good fortune, success, auspiciousness, wealth, treasure, riches. Instead of using all these words, usage of Her name Lakṣmī includes all these auspiciousness.

śrayatāṁ - means refuge. The aspirant takes refuge in Her (total surrender) to accomplish his goal.

yaśaḥ - beautiful appearance, splendour, worthy, excellent, honoured, respected are the words that describe Lakṣmī, whom the aspirant is addressing.