Harihara Stuti - हरिहरस्तुतिः

The following verse is very interesting and exhibits the brilliance of Sanskrit poets. The verse is the fifth one in the 10 verse हरिहरस्तुतिः

As the story goes, a Guru gave this stotra to his disciple and asked him to explain the meaning.

गवीशपत्रो, नगजार्तिहारी 

कुमारतातः, शशिखण्डमौळिः

लंकेशसंपूजित पादपद्मः

पायादनादिः

परमेश्वरो नः

The disciple, well versed in Sanskrit appreciated the simplicity of the stotra and said, "This is quite straightforward. It is in praise of Lord Shiva."

हर स्तुति :

गवीशपत्रो = गो + ईश + पत्रो = The one whose vehicle is the king of bovines (Nandi). 

नगजार्तिहारी = नग + जा + आर्ति + हारी = The one who removed the pain of the daughter of the mountains. Lord Shiva removed the pain/sorrow of Parvati, the daughter of the mountains, by marrying her.

कुमारतातः = कुमार + तातः = The father of Kumara

शशिखण्डमौळिः = शशि + खण्ड + मौळिः = The one who wears the crescent moon in the locks of his hair.

लंकेशसंपूजित = लंकेश + संपूजित पादपद्मः =  The one whose lotus feet which were worshipped by the King of Lanka (Ravana),

पायादनादिः = The one who is eternal, with no beginning

परमेश्वरो नः = परमेश्वर + ऊ + नः  = [May that] Supreme Being (Lord Shiva) protect us.

Thus, according to the disciple, the verse meant :

"May Lord Shiva, the Supreme Being, the one whose vehicle is Nandi, the King of bovines; the one who relieved the sorrow of the daughter of the mountains; the father of Kumara; the one who wears the crescent moon in his locks; the one whose feet were worshipped by the King of Lanka; protect us."

However, the Guru was still unconvinced. He said, "The word अनादि may be an instruction to read the verse, "without its start". That is reading the verse after omitting the first letter in each phrase.  Thus, the Guru interpreted it.

हरि स्तुति :

वीशपत्रो, गजार्तिहारी 

मारतातः, शिखण्डमौळिः

केशसंपूजित पादपद्मः

आयादनादिः

रमेश्वरो नः

वीशपत्रो = वी + ईश + पात्रो = The one whose vehicle is the the King of birds (Garuda)

गजार्तिहारी = गज + आर्ति + हारी = The one who removed the pain of the Elephant. Lord Vishnu rescued Gajendra from the clutches of the crocodile and removed his pain.

मारतातः = मार + तातः  = The father of Manmadha (who is also known as Maara)

शिखण्डमौळिः = शिखण्ड + मौळिः = The one who wears a peacock's tail in his locks (as Krishna)

केशसंपूजित पादपद्मः = कः  + ईश + संपूजित पादपद्मः = The one whose lotus feet are worshipped by Brahma (Kah) and Shiva (Isha). Here the ekakshara definition of कः as Brahma is being used following the interpretation given in एकाक्षर कोशाः of Purshottamadeva. 

 आयादनादिः = The one who always comes (to the rescue of his devotees)

रमेश्वरो नः = रमेश्वर + ऊ + नः  = [May that] consort of the Goddess of wealth (Lord Vishnu, the consort of Lakshmi) protect us.

Thus, according to the Guru, the meaning of the verse is :

"May Lord Vishnu, the consort of Lakshmi, the one whose vehicle is Garuda, the King of birds, the one who relieved the pain of Gajendra; the father of Manmadha; the one who wears a peacock's feather in his the locks of his hair; the one whose lotus feet are worshipped by Brahma and Shiva; and who is always ready to come to the rescue of his devotees; protect us."

How clever of the scholar who composed this stuti which could be interpreted in, not one, but two equally beautiful ways.