Introduction
Adi Sankara, sends up a prayer to the Goddess Sri Mahalakshmi when he sees the very poor lady behind a door opened ajar, unable give alms to the holy devotee. It is in this connection the young saint sends up the prayer Kanadhaara Stotram. Sri Mahalakshmi rains a shower of gold and thus Sankara’s prayer is answered.

Initial Prayer
Salutations to Hayagriva who makes Sri Mahalakshmi the delighted one with the form of eternal bliss and the one who is wish-fulfilling to all devotes.

Substance of the Slokas of the paean

1. As bees take resort to Tamalavriksha (the Indian Beech tree) with plentiful buds, as Sri Mahalakshmi with Her all-bestowing side-long glances looks at Sri Mahavishnu, may She also bestow on me Her auspicious rewards.

2. As the female bees come very often to the black lotus, with Her splendid eyes She looks ar Her lord with side-long glances. May such of Her glances grant me all prosperity and happiness.

3. May Her side-long glances which have the grace of granting the status of the highest deity and the one with the skill of bestowing bliss, may She with the inner black radiance stay before me for a while.

4. May the glances of Goddess Lakshmi, the beloved one of Sri Mahavishnu, may she grant me all auspiciousness.

5. Like the ray of lightning flashes between black clouds on Sri Mahavisnu’s chest, may the cool and affectionate glance of Sr Mahalakshmi bestow all auspiciousness on me.

6. The line of Sr Mahalakshmi’s side-long glances appear like the diamond emblazoned chest of Sri Mahavishnu with the glances of His consort. May She bestow holy things and all benefits auspicious on us.

7. At the beginning of creation, Lakshmi Devi’s side-long glances gave Manmadha, the Love God great powers. May those very glances perch on me.

8.  May the impecunious me, the one with nothing like the little one of a Chataka (a bird supposed to live on rain drops) may all heat of the sins in me be dispelled by the look of the goddess. May the sight the cloud of Her mercy shower the rain of riches on me.

9. Even those who have not done meritorious things like yajnas are blessed by the glance of Sri Mahalakshmi. Thus is blessed Devendra by Her. May the goddess with the radiance of the inward lotus bless me with Her side-long glance with riches I wish for.

10. My salutations to the goddesses of creation, sustenance and destruction, Saraswati, Lakshmi, Shiva’s consort Sreedevi and Shakambhari Devi, the goddess of TIME. My salutations to the beloved one, Sri Mahalakshmi, consort of Sri Mahavishnu.

11. My salutations to the one, the form of Vedas, the one like an ocean of compassion. Salutation to the goddess Shakti seated on the lotus, consort of Sri Mahavishnu, the best and unique Purusha. Salutations to the embodiment of strength and fulness.

12. My salutations to Sri Mahalakshmi with the face having the radiance of a lotus. My salutations to the one born of the ocean of milk and ambrosia and the consort of Sri Mahavishnu.

13. Salutations to the one seated on a lotus, the queen of the entire universe, the one with compassion even to the angels and the sweetheart of the one, the wielder of a unique and powerful bow worshipped as Sr Mahavishnu.

14. Salutations to Bhrighu Maharshi’s daughter, the beloved Sri Mahalakshmi who is in the bosom of Her Lord, Sri Mahavishnu. Salutations to the one seated in the lotus, the one in Damodara’s bosom.

15. Salutations to the Devi with eyes like lotuses and the one the embodiment of radiance. She is the Mother of the worlds, the one with the form of riches and fortunes. Salutations to the one adored and worshipped by all deities. Salutations to Sri Krishna’s consort in the form of Rukmini Devi.

16. Salutations to the highly worshipful Mother with eyes like lotuses and adored and worshipped for making Her devotees happy with all sensibilities and bestowing empires. Her worship dispels all and everything sinful. May these salutations make me exalted.

17. Mother to every one You bless the devout with kindness intense. You bestow on Your devotee all fortunes with Your side-long glance. I serve You, adore You and worship You, O! the sweetheart of the slayer of the demon, Mura!

18. Lotus-eyed one, lotus in hand and clad in white attire, effulgent with garlands on Your chest and anointed with sandal wood paste, oh, the worshipful wife of Sr Mahavishnu, the one who would bless Your devotee with prosperity and fortune, favour me!

19. The deity washed by the elephants of the eight directions with the sky-born waters, Mother of all the worlds, daughter of the ocean, and Sri Mahavishnu’s consort, I worship You at every dawn.

20. O! Goddess Lakshmi, I am the poorest of the poor, bless me with Your all-bestowing side-long glance.

21. You are the embodiment of all Vedas, Mother of all the three worlds, the one who sings Your praise with devotion would be the most happy and would be blessed with riches. He or she would be praised by the learned.

22. The one who reads this paean sung by Adi Sankara would equal Kuber, the deity of riches.

Here concludes kanakadhaaraa stavam uttered by Srimad Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharya Srimad Sankara Bhagavatpaada.

Extended Salutation Slokas – Perhaps later additions

• My salutations to Sri Mahalakshmi, the gold hued one, the one seated in the midst of the forest of Bilwas (Bengal quince trees) on the thousand petals wearing golden lotuses.
  
• O Mother! Wipe out the the writing of Lord Brahma on the brows of the unfortunate beggars with Your foot.
  
• O Sri Mahalakshmi! The thousand petalled lotus is Your parental home. Sri Mahavisnu’s bosom is the home You went to. With kindness and mercy make the lotus of My heart Your home.