rishiruvaach . 1 .
The rishi said:
devyaa hate tatr mahaasurendre sendraah suraa vahnipurogamaastaam . kaatyaayaneen tushtuvurishtalaabhaadvikaashivaktraabjavikaashitaashaah . 2 .
When the Devi had slain the great king of the asuras there, Indra and the devas, with Agni at their head, praised Katyayani. Their wish fulfilled, their faces bloomed like lotuses and lit up every quarter.
devi prapannaartihare praseed praseed maatarjagato'khilasy . praseed vishveshvari paahi vishvan tvameeshvaree devi charaacharasy . 3 .
O Devi, You who take away the suffering of those who come to You, be gracious. Be gracious, O Mother of the whole world. Be gracious, O Queen of the universe, and protect the universe. O Devi, You rule all that moves and all that does not.
aadhaarabhootaa jagatastvamekaa maheesvaroopen yatah sthitaasi . apaan svaroopasthitayaa tvayaitadaapyaayate kritsnamalanghyaveerye . 4 .
You alone are the ground the world stands on, for You abide as the earth. And abiding as the waters, O Devi of strength none can pass, it is You who nourish all of this.
tvan vaishnavee shaktiranantaveeryaa vishvasy beejan paramaasi maayaa . sammohitan devi samastametat tvan vai prasannaa bhuvi muktihetuh . 5 .
You are the power of Vishnu, of endless strength; You are the supreme maya, the seed of the universe. O Devi, it is You who have cast all this into delusion; and You, when You are gracious, are the cause of liberation on earth.
vidyaah samastaastav devi bhedaah striyah samastaah sakalaa jagatsu . tvayaikayaa pooritamambayaitat kaa te stutih stavyaparaa paroktih . 6 .
O Devi, all knowledge is Your many forms, and so is every woman in every world. By You alone, the Mother, is all this filled. What praise can there be for You, who are beyond all that is praised, the highest word itself?
sarvabhootaa yadaa devee svargamuktipradaayinee . tvan stutaa stutaye kaa vaa bhavantu paramoktayah . 7 .
When You, O Devi, who are all beings and grant heaven and liberation, have been praised as that, what finer words could there be to praise You?
sarvasy buddhiroopen janasy hridi sansthite . svargaapavargade devi naaraayani namo'stu te . 8 .
O Devi, who dwell as understanding in the heart of every being and grant heaven and liberation: O Narayani, we bow to You.
kalaakaashthaadiroopen parinaamapradaayini . vishvasyoparatau shakte naaraayani namo'stu te . 9 .
You who, as the kalas, the kashthas and every measure of time, bring all things to change, and who have the power to end the universe: O Narayani, we bow to You.
sarvamangalamaangalye shive sarvaarthasaadhike . sharanye tryambake gauri naaraayani namo'stu te . 10 .
O blessing within every blessing, O kind One who bring every aim to fulfilment, O refuge of all, O three-eyed Gauri: O Narayani, we bow to You.
srishtisthitivinaashaanaan shaktibhoote sanaatani . gunaashraye gunamaye naaraayani namo'stu te . 11 .
You who are the power behind creation, sustaining and dissolution, the Eternal One, the refuge of the three gunas and made of them: O Narayani, we bow to You.
sharanaagatadeenaartaparitraanaparaayane . sarvasyaartihare devi naaraayani namo'stu te . 12 .
You who are ever intent on saving the helpless and the suffering who come to You, O Devi who take away the pain of all: O Narayani, we bow to You.
hansayuktavimaanasthe brahmaaneeroopadhaarini . kaushaambhahksharike devi naaraayani namo'stu te . 13 .
You who ride in the chariot drawn by swans in the form of Brahmani, O Devi who sprinkle water with kusha grass: O Narayani, we bow to You.
trishoolachandraahidhare mahaavrishabhavaahini . maaheshvareesvaroopen naaraayani namo'stu te . 14 .
You who hold the trishul, the Moon and the serpent and ride the great bull, in the form of Maheshwari: O Narayani, we bow to You.
mayoorakukkutavrite mahaashaktidhare'naghe . kaumaareeroopasansthaane naaraayani namo'stu te . 15 .
You who are attended by the peacock and the cock and bear the great spear, O sinless One, in the form of Kaumari: O Narayani, we bow to You.
shankhachakragadaashaarngagriheetaparamaayudhe . praseed vaishnaveeroope naaraayani namo'stu te . 16 .
You who hold the great weapons, the conch, the discus, the mace and the bow Sharnga, in the form of Vaishnavi, be gracious: O Narayani, we bow to You.
griheetogramahaachakre danshtroddhritavasundhare . varaaharoopini shive naaraayani namo'stu te . 17 .
You who grasp the fearsome great discus and raised the earth on Your tusk, O kind One, in the form of the Boar: O Narayani, we bow to You.
nrisinharoopenogren hantun daityaan kritodyame . trailokyatraanasahite naaraayani namo'stu te . 18 .
You who, in the fierce form of Narasimha, set out to slay the daityas, and who save the three worlds: O Narayani, we bow to You.
kireetini mahaavajre sahasranayanojjvale . vritrapraanahare chaindri naaraayani namo'stu te . 19 .
You who wear the crown and bear the great thunderbolt, blazing with a thousand eyes, who took the life of Vritra, O Aindri: O Narayani, we bow to You.
shivadooteesvaroopen hatadaityamahaabale . ghoraroope mahaaraave naaraayani namo'stu te . 20 .
You who, as Shivaduti, slew the mighty host of the daityas, O You of fearsome form and thundering roar: O Narayani, we bow to You.
danshtraakaraalavadane shiromaalaavibhooshane . chaamunde mundamathane naaraayani namo'stu te . 21 .
You whose face is fearsome with tusks, who are adorned with a garland of heads, O Chamunda, who crushed Munda: O Narayani, we bow to You.
lakshmi lajje mahaavidye shraddhe pushti svadhe dhruve . mahaaraatri mahaamaaye naaraayani namo'stu te . 22 .
O Lakshmi, O modesty, O great knowledge, O faith, O nourishment, O Swadha, O steadfast One, O great night, O great maya: O Narayani, we bow to You.
medhe sarasvati vare bhooti baabhravi taamasi . niyate tvan praseedeshe naaraayani namo'stu te . 23 .
O wisdom, O Saraswati, O best of all, O prosperity, O Babhravi, the tawny One, O Tamasi, the dark One, O Niyata, the self-restrained, O Ruler of all, be gracious: O Narayani, we bow to You.
sarvasvaroope sarveshe sarvashaktisamanvite . bhayebhyastraahi no devi durge devi namo'stu te . 24 .
O You who are the form of all, the Ruler of all, endowed with every power, save us from fear, O Devi. O Devi Durga, we bow to You.
etatte vadanan saumyan lochanatrayabhooshitam . paatu nah sarvabheetibhyah kaatyaayani namo'stu te . 25 .
May this gentle face of Yours, adorned with three eyes, protect us from every fear. O Katyayani, we bow to You.
jvaalaakaraalamatyugramasheshaasurasoodanam . trishoolan paatu no bheeterbhadrakaali namo'stu te . 26 .
Fearsome with flames, most fierce, the slayer of all the asuras: may Your trishul guard us from fear. O Bhadrakali, we bow to You.
hinasti daityatejaansi svanenaapoory yaa jagat . saa ghantaa paatu no devi paapebhyo nah sutaaniv . 27 .
O Devi, may Your bell, which fills the world with its sound and destroys the might of the daityas, guard us from wrongdoing, as a mother guards her children.
asuraasrigvasaapankacharchitaste karojjvalah . shubhaay khadgo bhavatu chandike tvaan nataa vayam . 28 .
May Your sword, gleaming in Your hand and smeared with the blood and fat of asuras, be for our good. O Chandika, we bow to You.
rogaanasheshaanapahansi tushtaa rushtaa tu kaamaan sakalaanabheeshtaan . tvaamaashritaanaan n vipannaraanaan tvaamaashritaa hyaashrayataan prayaanti . 29 .
Pleased, You destroy every illness; displeased, You take away every wish that was longed for. No calamity comes to those who have taken refuge in You, and those who take refuge in You become a refuge for others.
etatkritan yatkadanan tvayaady dharmadvishaan devi mahaasuraanaam . roopairanekairbahudhaa''tmamoorti kritvaambike tatprakaroti kaanyaa . 30 .
O Devi, O Ambika, this slaughter You have wrought today of the great asuras who hated dharma, making Your own form many and manifold: who else could have done it?
vidyaasu shaastreshu vivekadeepeshvaadyeshu vaakyeshu ch kaa tvadanyaa . mamatvagarte'timahaandhakaare vibhraamayatyetadateev vishvam . 31 .
In all learning, in the shastras that light the diya of discernment, and in the first words, the Vedas, who is spoken of but You? And who but You keeps this world wandering in the pit of 'mine', in its deep darkness?
rakshaansi yatrogravishaashch naagaa yatraarayo dasyubalaani yatr . daavaanalo yatr tathaabdhimadhye tatr sthitaa tvan paripaasi vishvam . 32 .
Where there are rakshasas, where there are serpents of deadly venom, where there are foes and bands of robbers, where the forest is on fire, and in the middle of the sea: there You stand, and protect the world.
vishveshvari tvan paripaasi vishvan vishvaatmikaa dhaarayaseeti vishvam . vishveshavandyaa bhavatee bhavanti vishvaashrayaa ye tvayi bhaktinamraah . 33 .
O Queen of the universe, You protect the universe; being its very self, You uphold it. Even Vishwanath bows to You; and those who bow to You in bhakti become a refuge for the whole universe.
devi praseed paripaalay no'ribheeternityan yathaasuravadhaadadhunaiv sadyah . paapaani sarvajagataan prashaman nayaashu utpaatapaakajanitaanshch mahopasargaan . 34 .
O Devi, be gracious. Protect us always from the fear of enemies, as You have just now by slaying the asuras. Swiftly bring to rest the sins of all the worlds, and the great calamities that evil omens bring when they come to fruit.
pranataanaan praseed tvan devi vishvaartihaarini . trailokyavaasinaameedye lokaanaan varadaa bhav . 35 .
O Devi, who take away the suffering of the universe, be gracious to us who bow before You. O You whom the dwellers of the three worlds revere, grant boons to the worlds.
devyuvaach . 36 .
The Devi said:
varadaahan suraganaa varan yanmanasechchhath . tan vrinudhvan prayachchhaami jagataamupakaarakam . 37 .
‘O hosts of devas, I am the giver of boons. Choose the boon your hearts wish for, one that will do good to the world, and I shall grant it.’
devaa oochuh . 38 .
The devas said:
sarvaabaadhaaprashamanan trailokyasyaakhileshvari . evamev tvayaa kaaryamasmadvairivinaashanam . 39 .
‘O Queen of all, quell every affliction of the three worlds, and destroy our enemies, just as You have now.’
devyuvaach . 40 .
The Devi said:
vaivasvate'ntare praapte ashtaavinshatime yuge . shumbho nishumbhashchaivaanyaavutpatsyete mahaasurau . 41 .
‘When the age of Vaivasvata Manu has come, in its twenty-eighth yuga, two other great asuras, Shumbha and Nishumbha, will be born.’
nandagopagrihe jaataa yashodaagarbhasambhavaa . tatastau naashayishyaami vindhyaachalanivaasinee . 42 .
‘Then, born in the home of Nanda the cowherd, from the womb of Yashoda, and dwelling on the Vindhya mountains, I shall destroy them both.’
punarapyatiraudren roopen prithiveetale . avateery hanishyaami vaiprachittaanstu daanavaan . 43 .
‘And again, coming down to earth in a most terrible form, I shall slay the danavas descended from Viprachitti.’
bhakshayantyaashch taanugraan vaiprachittaan mahaasuraan . raktaa dantaa bhavishyanti daadimeekusumopamaah . 44 .
‘As I devour those fierce great asuras of Viprachitti's line, My teeth will turn red like pomegranate flowers.’
tato maan devataah svarge martyaloke ch maanavaah . stuvanto vyaaharishyanti satatan raktadantikaam . 45 .
‘Then the devas in heaven and people in the world of mortals, praising Me, will always call Me Raktadantika, the red-toothed One.’
bhooyashch shatavaarshikyaamanaavrishtyaamanambhasi . munibhih sanstutaa bhoomau sambhavishyaamyayonijaa . 46 .
‘And again, when rain has failed for a hundred years and the earth is without water, I shall appear on earth, praised by the munis, born of no womb.’
tatah shaten netraanaan nireekshishyaami yanmuneen . keertayishyanti manujaah shataaksheemiti maan tatah . 47 .
‘Since I shall look upon the munis with a hundred eyes, people will sing My praise by the name Shatakshi, the hundred-eyed.’
tato'hamakhilan lokamaatmadehasamudbhavaih . bharishyaami suraah shaakairaavrishteh praanadhaarakaih . 48 .
‘Then, O devas, until the rains come, I shall sustain the whole world with life-giving plants that grow from My own body.’
shaakambhareeti vikhyaatin tadaa yaasyaamyahan bhuvi . tatraiv ch vadhishyaami durgamaakhyan mahaasuram . 49 .
‘Then I shall be known on earth as Shakambhari; and in that very time I shall slay the great asura named Durgama.’
durgaadeveeti vikhyaatan tanme naam bhavishyati . punashchaahan yadaa bheeman roopan kritvaa himaachale . 50 .
‘Because of this, My name will be renowned as Durga Devi. And again, when I take a terrible form on the Himalaya…’
rakshaansi bhakshayishyaami muneenaan traanakaaranaat . tadaa maan munayah sarve stoshyantyaanamramoortayah . 51 .
‘…and devour the rakshasas to save the munis, then all the munis will praise Me, bowing low.’
bheemaadeveeti vikhyaatan tanme naam bhavishyati . yadaarunaakhyastrailokye mahaabaadhaan karishyati . 52 .
‘Then My name will be renowned as Bhima Devi. When the asura called Aruna brings great affliction on the three worlds…’
tadaahan bhraamaran roopan kritvaasankhyeyashatpadam . trailokyasy hitaarthaay vadhishyaami mahaasuram . 53 .
‘…then, taking the form of a swarm of countless bees, I shall slay that great asura for the good of the three worlds.’
bhraamareeti ch maan lokaastadaa stoshyanti sarvatah . itthan yadaa yadaa baadhaa daanavotthaa bhavishyati . 54 .
‘Then people everywhere will praise Me as Bhramari. So, whenever trouble arises from the danavas…’
tadaa tadaavateeryaahan karishyaamyarisankshayam . 55 .
‘…then, each time, I shall come down and destroy the foes.’