Sri Ayyappa Suprabhatham

A dawn call modelled on a famous verse

The first verse begins Sri Harihara-suprajah Shastah purva sandhya pravartate. It tells Shasta, the worthy son of Hari and Hara, that dawn is breaking in the east, and asks the tiger among men to rise and give darshan. The line follows the pattern of Kausalya supraja Rama, the opening of the Venkatesha Suprabhatam, with Ayyappa taking the place of Rama.

Rise, rise

The second verse repeats uttishtha again and again. It calls him Shabarisha, lord of Sabari, Shantidayaka, giver of peace, and Hariharaputra, and asks him to wake and bring good fortune to the three worlds.

Guru and the unity of the three

The third verse addresses him as guru and inner self of the whole world, remover of affliction, the one who moves in the hearts of devotees, dear to his people and generous in giving. It closes by wishing a good morning to the one who dwells in the ashram on the Sabari peak. The fourth verse calls him as handsome as Manmatha and the single form in which Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are one.

The words in brackets, such as Pitha-ashrama-stha-gurave and He bhaktarakshaka, are alternative readings found in other copies. This version ends after four verses and does not name its author. Ayyappa devotees keeping the 41-day mandala vratam often read it at dawn after their bath, before the day's puja.