Global Hindu Electronic Network (GHEN) The Hindu Universe: Vande Mataram

	Composed by Bankim Chandra, this song appears in the Bengali novel Anand Math. The English translation of Vande Mataram rendered by Shree Aurobindo, is considered to be the "official" and best. According to Bhavan's book, Vande Mataram by Moni Bagchee (pg. 66), "Bankin Chandra composed the song in an inspired moment, Rabindranath sang it by setting a tune to it and it was left to the genius of Aurobindo to interpret the deeper meaning of the song out of which India received the philosophy of new Nationalism." Here is the entire song. Only first two stanza of this song are considered to be national song. (Did you know that even Jana Gana Mana...is much longer, and that only first two stanzas are recognized as National Anthem) In fact, I find some of the later stanza much more powerful and inspirational. Please note, only translation is by Shree Aurobindo.
Entire Text of Vande Mataram
Mother, I bow to thee! Rich with thy hurrying streams, bright with orchard gleams, Cool with thy winds of delight, Dark fields waving Mother of might, Mother free. Glory of moonlight dreams, Over thy branches and lordly streams, Clad in thy blossoming trees, Mother, giver of ease Laughing low and sweet! Mother I kiss thy feet, Speaker sweet and low! Mother, to thee I bow. Who hath said thou art weak in thy lands When the sword flesh out in the seventy million hands And seventy million voices roar Thy dreadful name from shore to shore? With many strengths who art mighty and stored, To thee I call Mother and Lord! Though who savest, arise and save! To her I cry who ever her foeman drove Back from plain and Sea And shook herself free. Thou art wisdom, thou art law, Thou art heart, our soul, our breath Though art love divine, the awe In our hearts that conquers death. Thine the strength that nervs the arm, Thine the beauty, thine the charm. Every image made divine In our temples is but thine. Thou art Durga, Lady and Queen, With her hands that strike and her swords of sheen, Thou art Lakshmi lotus-throned, And the Muse a hundred-toned, Pure and perfect without peer, Mother lend thine ear, Rich with thy hurrying streams, Bright with thy orchard gleems, Dark of hue O candid-fair In thy soul, with jewelled hair And thy glorious smile divine, Lovilest of all earthly lands, Showering wealth from well-stored hands! Mother, mother mine! Mother sweet, I bow to thee, Mother great and free!	*vande maataraM* *sujalaaM suphalaaM malayaja shiitalaaM* *sasyashyaamalaaM maataraM \|\|* *shubhrajyotsnaa pulakitayaaminiiM* *pullakusumita drumadala shobhiniiM* *suhaasiniiM sumadhura bhaashhiNiiM* *sukhadaaM varadaaM maataraM \|\|* *koTi koTi kaNTha kalakalaninaada karaale* *koTi koTi bhujai.rdhR^itakharakaravaale* *abalaa keno maa eto bale* *bahubaladhaariNiiM namaami taariNiiM* *ripudalavaariNiiM maataraM \|\|* *tumi vidyaa tumi dharma* *tumi hR^idi tumi marma* *tvaM hi praaNaaH shariire* *baahute tumi maa shakti* *hR^idaye tumi maa bhakti* *tomaara i pratimaa gaDi* *mandire mandire \|\|* *tvaM hi durgaa dashapraharaNadhaariNii* *kamalaa kamaladala vihaariNii* *vaaNii vidyaadaayinii namaami tvaaM* *namaami kamalaaM amalaaM atulaaM* *sujalaaM suphalaaM maataraM \|\|* *shyaamalaaM saralaaM susmitaaM bhuushhitaaM* *dharaNiiM bharaNiiM maataraM \|\|*
*Sanskrit Script of Vande Mataram*	*Tamil Version of Vande Mataram*
Note : We have seen some versions saying spatkoti (i.e. seventy crores), instead of koti koti (crores and crores)