ऋषिरुवाच॥
ṛṣiruvāca .. 1..
The Rishi said:
शक्रादयः सुरगणा निहतेऽतिवीर्ये तस्मिन्दुरात्मनि सुरारिबले च देव्या ।
तां तुष्टुवुः प्रणतिनम्रशिरोधरांसा वाग्भिः प्रहर्षपुलकोद्गमचारुदेहाः॥
śakrādayaḥ suragaṇā nihate'tivīrye tasmindurātmani surāribale ca devyā . tāṃ tuṣṭuvuḥ praṇatinamraśirodharāṃsā vāgbhiḥ praharṣapulakodgamacārudehāḥ .. 2..
When that most valiant but evil-natured Mahishasura and the army of that foe of the devas were destroyed by the Devi, Indra and the hosts of devas uttered their words of praise, their necks and shoulders reverently bent, and bodies rendered beautiful with horripilation and exultation.
देव्या यया ततमिदं जगदात्मशक्त्या निश्शेषदेवगणशक्तिसमूहमूर्त्या ।
तामम्बिकामखिलदेवमहर्षिपूज्यां भक्त्या नताः स्म विदधातु शुभानि सा नः॥
devyā yayā tatamidaṃ jagadātmaśaktyā niśśeṣadevagaṇaśaktisamūhamūrtyā . tāmambikāmakhiladevamaharṣipūjyāṃ bhaktyā natāḥ sma vidadhātu śubhāni sā naḥ .. 3..
To that Ambika who is honoured by all devas and sages and pervades this world by her power and who is the embodiment of the entire powers of all the hosts of devas, we bow in devotion. May she grant us what is good!
यस्याः प्रभावमतुलं भगवाननन्तो ब्रह्मा हरश्च न हि वक्तुमलं बलं च ।
सा चण्डिकाखिलजगत्परिपालनाय नाशाय चाशुभभयस्य मतिं करोतु॥
yasyāḥ prabhāvamatulaṃ bhagavānananto brahmā haraśca na hi vaktumalaṃ balaṃ ca . sā caṇḍikākhilajagatparipālanāya nāśāya cāśubhabhayasya matiṃ karotu .. 4..
May Chandika, whose incomparable greatness and power Bhagavan Vishnu, Brahma and Hara are unable to describe, bestow her mind on protecting the entire world and on destroying the fear of evil.
या श्रीः स्वयं सुकृतिनां भवनेष्वलक्ष्मीः पापात्मनां कृतधियां हृदयेषु बुद्धिः ।
श्रद्धा सतां कुलजनप्रभवस्य लज्जा तां त्वां नताः स्म परिपालय देवि विश्वम्॥
yā śrīḥ svayaṃ sukṛtināṃ bhavaneṣvalakṣmīḥ pāpātmanāṃ kṛtadhiyāṃ hṛdayeṣu buddhiḥ . śraddhā satāṃ kulajanaprabhavasya lajjā tāṃ tvāṃ natāḥ sma paripālaya devi viśvam .. 5..
O Devi, we bow before you, who are yourself prosperity in the dwellings of the virtuous, ill-fortune in those of the vicious, intelligence in the hearts of the learned, faith in the hearts of the good, and modesty in the hearts of the high-born. May you protect the universe!
किं वर्णयाम तव रूपमचिन्त्यमेतत् किं चातिवीर्यमसुरक्षयकारि भूरि ।
किं चाहवेषु चरितानि तवाद्भुतानि सर्वेषु देव्यसुरदेवगणादिकेषु॥
kiṃ varṇayāma tava rūpamacintyametat kiṃ cātivīryamasurakṣayakāri bhūri . kiṃ cāhaveṣu caritāni tavādbhutāni sarveṣu devyasuradevagaṇādikeṣu .. 6..
O Devi, how can we describe your inconceivable form, or your abundant surpassing valour that destroys the asuras, or your wonderful feats displayed in battles among all the hosts of gods, asuras and others?
हेतुः समस्तजगतां त्रिगुणापि दोषैर् न ज्ञायसे हरिहरादिभिरप्यपारा ।
सर्वाश्रयाखिलमिदं जगदंशभूतम् अव्याकृता हि परमा प्रकृतिस्त्वमाद्या॥
hetuḥ samastajagatāṃ triguṇāpi doṣair na jñāyase hariharādibhirapyapārā . sarvāśrayākhilamidaṃ jagadaṃśabhūtam avyākṛtā hi paramā prakṛtistvamādyā .. 7..
You are the origin of all the worlds! Though you are possessed of the three gunas you are not known to have any of their attendant defects! You are incomprehensible even to Vishnu, Shiva and others! You are the resort of all! This entire world is composed of an infinitesimal portion of yourself! You are verily the supreme primordial Prakriti untransformed.
यस्याः समस्तसुरता समुदीरणेन तृप्तिं प्रयाति सकलेषु मखेषु देवि ।
स्वाहासि वै पितृगणस्य च तृप्तिहेतुर् उच्चार्यसे त्वमत एव जनैः स्वधा च॥
yasyāḥ samastasuratā samudīraṇena tṛptiṃ prayāti sakaleṣu makheṣu devi . svāhāsi vai pitṛgaṇasya ca tṛptihetur uccāryase tvamata eva janaiḥ svadhā ca .. 8..
O Devi, you are Svaha at whose utterance the whole assemblage of gods attains satisfaction in all the sacrifices. You are the Svadha which gives satisfaction to the manes. Therefore you are recited by people.
या मुक्तिहेतुरविचिन्त्यमहाव्रता त्वम् अभ्यस्यसे सुनियतेन्द्रियतत्त्वसारैः ।
मोक्षार्थिभिर्मुनिभिरस्तसमस्तदोषैर् विद्यासि सा भगवती परमा हि देवि॥
yā muktiheturavicintyamahāvratā tvam abhyasyase suniyatendriyatattvasāraiḥ . mokṣārthibhirmunibhirastasamastadoṣair vidyāsi sā bhagavatī paramā hi devi .. 9..
O Devi, you are the supreme knowledge, the cause of liberation, and of inconceivable great penance. You are cultivated by sages desiring liberation, whose senses are well restrained, who are devoted to the reality, and have shed all their blemishes.
शब्दात्मिका सुविमलर्ग्यजुषां निधानम् उद्गीथरम्यपदपाठवतां च साम्नाम् ।
देवी त्रयी भगवती भवभावनाय वार्ता च सर्वजगतां परमार्तिहन्त्री॥
śabdātmikā suvimalargyajuṣāṃ nidhānam udgītharamyapadapāṭhavatāṃ ca sāmnām . devī trayī bhagavatī bhavabhāvanāya vārtā ca sarvajagatāṃ paramārtihantrī .. 10..
You are the soul of Brahman. You are the repository of the very pure Rig-veda and Yajus stotra, and of Samans, the recital of whose words is beautiful with the Udgitha! You are Bhagavati embodying the three Vedas. And you are the sustenance whereby life is maintained. You are the supreme destroyer of the pain of all the worlds.
मेधासि देवि विदिताखिलशास्त्रसारा दुर्गासि दुर्गभवसागरनौरसङ्गा ।
श्रीः कैटभारिहृदयैककृताधिवासा गौरी त्वमेव शशिमौलिकृतप्रतिष्ठा॥
medhāsi devi viditākhilaśāstrasārā durgāsi durgabhavasāgaranaurasaṅgā . śrīḥ kaiṭabhārihṛdayaikakṛtādhivāsā gaurī tvameva śaśimaulikṛtapratiṣṭhā .. 11..
O Devi, you are the Intellect, by which the essence of all scriptures is comprehended. You are Durga, the boat that takes men across the difficult ocean of worldly existence, devoid of attachments. You are Shri, who has invariably taken her abode in the heart of Vishnu. You are indeed Gauri, who has established herself with Shiva.
ईषत्सहासममलं परिपूर्णचन्द्र बिम्बानुकारि कनकोत्तमकान्तिकान्तम् ।
अत्यद्भुतं प्रहृतमात्तरुषा तथापि वक्त्रं विलोक्य सहसा महिषेण सद्यः॥
īṣatsahāsamamalaṃ paripūrṇacandra bimbānukāri kanakottamakāntikāntam . atyadbhutaṃ prahṛtamāttaruṣā tathāpi vaktraṃ vilokya sahasā mahiṣeṇa sadyaḥ .. 12..
Gently smiling, pure, resembling the full moon's orb, beautiful like the splendour of excellent gold was your face! Yet it was very strange that, being swayed by anger, Mahishasura suddenly struck your face when he saw it.
दृष्ट्वा तु देवि कुपितं भ्रुकुटीकरालम् उद्यच्छशाङ्कसदृशच्छवि यन्न सद्यः ।
प्राणान्मुमोच महिषस्तदतीव चित्रं कैर्जीव्यते हि कुपितान्तकदर्शनेन॥
dṛṣṭvā tu devi kupitaṃ bhrukuṭīkarālam udyacchaśāṅkasadṛśacchavi yanna sadyaḥ . prāṇānmumoca mahiṣastadatīva citraṃ kairjīvyate hi kupitāntakadarśanena .. 13..
Greatly strange it is that when Mahishasura saw your wrathful face, O Devi, terrible with its frowns and red in hue like the rising moon, he did not at once give up his life! For, who can live after beholding the enraged Destroyer?
देवि प्रसीद परमा भवती भवाय सद्यो विनाशयसि कोपवती कुलानि ।
विज्ञातमेतदधुनैव यदस्तमेतन् नीतं बलं सुविपुलं महिषासुरस्य॥
devi prasīda paramā bhavatī bhavāya sadyo vināśayasi kopavatī kulāni . vijñātametadadhunaiva yadastametan nītaṃ balaṃ suvipulaṃ mahiṣāsurasya .. 14..
O Devi, be propitious. You are Supreme. If enraged, you forthwith destroy the asura families for the welfare of the world. This was known this very moment when the vast forces of Mahishasura were brought to their end.
ते सम्मता जनपदेषु धनानि तेषां तेषां यशांसि न च सीदति धर्मवर्गः ।
धन्यास्त एव निभृतात्मजभृत्यदारा येषां सदाभ्युदयदा भवती प्रसन्ना॥
te sammatā janapadeṣu dhanāni teṣāṃ teṣāṃ yaśāṃsi na ca sīdati dharmavargaḥ . dhanyāsta eva nibhṛtātmajabhṛtyadārā yeṣāṃ sadābhyudayadā bhavatī prasannā .. 15..
You who are always a bestower of prosperity, with whom you are well pleased, those fortunate ones are indeed highly honoured in the country, theirs are riches, theirs are glories, and their acts of righteousness perish not; they are indeed blessed and possessed of devoted children, servants and wives.
धर्म्याणि देवि सकलानि सदैव कर्माण्यत्यादृतः प्रतिदिनं सुकृती करोति ।
स्वर्गं प्रयाति च ततो भवतीप्रसादाल् लोकत्रयेऽपि फलदा ननु देवि तेन॥
dharmyāṇi devi sakalāni sadaiva karmāṇyatyādṛtaḥ pratidinaṃ sukṛtī karoti . svargaṃ prayāti ca tato bhavatīprasādāl lokatraye'pi phaladā nanu devi tena .. 16..
By your grace, O Devi, the blessed individual does daily all righteous acts with utmost care and thereby goes to heaven. Are you not, therefore O Devi, the bestower of reward in all the three worlds?
दुर्गे स्मृता हरसि भीतिम् अशेषजन्तोः स्वस्थैः स्मृता मतिमतीव शुभां ददासि ।
दारिद्र्यदुःखभयहारिणि का त्वदन्या सर्वोपकारकरणाय सदार्द्रचित्ता॥
durge smṛtā harasi bhītim aśeṣajantoḥ svasthaiḥ smṛtā matimatīva śubhāṃ dadāsi . dāridryaduḥkhabhayahāriṇi kā tvadanyā sarvopakārakaraṇāya sadārdracittā .. 17..
When called to mind in a difficult pass, you remove fear for every person. When called to mind by those in happiness, you bestow a mind still further pious. Which devi but you, O Dispeller of poverty, pain and fear, has an ever sympathetic heart for helping everyone?
एभिर्हतैर्जगदुपैति सुखं तथैते कुर्वन्तु नाम नरकाय चिराय पापम् ।
सङ्ग्राममृत्युमधिगम्य दिवं प्रयान्तु मत्वेति नूनमहितान् विनिहंसि देवि॥
ebhirhatairjagadupaiti sukhaṃ tathaite kurvantu nāma narakāya cirāya pāpam . saṅgrāmamṛtyumadhigamya divaṃ prayāntu matveti nūnamahitān vinihaṃsi devi .. 18..
The world attains happiness by the killing of these foes and though these asuras have committed sins to keep them long in hell, let them reach heaven by meeting death eventually at the battle with me - thinking thus, that you, O Devi, certainly destroy our enemies.
दृष्ट्वैव किं न भवती प्रकरोति भस्म सर्वासुरानरिषु यत्प्रहिणोषि शस्त्रम् ।
लोकान् प्रयान्तु रिपवोऽपि हि शस्त्रपूता इत्थं मतिर्भवति तेष्वपि तेऽतिसाध्वी॥
dṛṣṭvaiva kiṃ na bhavatī prakaroti bhasma sarvāsurānariṣu yatprahiṇoṣi śastram . lokān prayāntu ripavo'pi hi śastrapūtā itthaṃ matirbhavati teṣvapi te'tisādhvī .. 19..
Don't you reduce to ashes all asuras by mere sight? But you direct your weapons against them so that even the enemies, purified by the missiles, may attain the heavenly worlds. Such is your most kindly intention towards them.
खड्गप्रभानिकरविस्फुरणैस्तथोग्रैः शूलाग्रकान्तिनिवहेन दृशोऽसुराणाम् ।
यन्नागता विलयमंशुमदिन्दुखण्ड योग्याननं तव विलोकयतां तदेतत्॥
khaḍgaprabhānikaravisphuraṇaistathograiḥ śūlāgrakāntinivahena dṛśo'surāṇām . yannāgatā vilayamaṃśumadindukhaṇḍa yogyānanaṃ tava vilokayatāṃ tadetat .. 20..
If the eyes of the asuras had not been put out by the terrible flashes of the mass of light issuing from your sword or by the copious lustre of your spearhead, it is because they saw also your face resembling a portion of the moon, giving out cool rays.
दुर्वृत्तवृत्तशमनं तव देवि शीलं रूपं तथैतदविचिन्त्यमतुल्यमन्यैः ।
वीर्यं च हन्तृ हृतदेवपराक्रमाणां वैरिष्वपि प्रकटितैव दया त्वयेत्थम्॥
durvṛttavṛttaśamanaṃ tava devi śīlaṃ rūpaṃ tathaitadavicintyamatulyamanyaiḥ . vīryaṃ ca hantṛ hṛtadevaparākramāṇāṃ vairiṣvapi prakaṭitaiva dayā tvayettham .. 21..
O Devi, your nature is to subdue the conduct of the wicked; this your peerless beauty is inconceivable for others; your power destroys those who have robbed the devas of their prowess, and you have thus manifested your compassion even towards the enemies.
केनोपमा भवतु तेऽस्य पराक्रमस्य रूपं च शत्रुभयकार्यतिहारि कुत्र ।
चित्ते कृपा समरनिष्ठुरता च दृष्टा त्वय्येव देवि वरदे भुवनत्रयेऽपि॥
kenopamā bhavatu te'sya parākramasya rūpaṃ ca śatrubhayakāryatihāri kutra . citte kṛpā samaraniṣṭhuratā ca dṛṣṭā tvayyeva devi varade bhuvanatraye'pi .. 22..
What is your prowess to be compared to? Where can one find this beauty (of yours) most charming, (yet) striking fear in enemies? Compassion in heart and relentlessness in battle are seen, O Devi, O Bestower of boons, only in you in all the three worlds.
त्रैलोक्यमेतदखिलं रिपुनाशनेन त्रातं त्वया समरमूर्धनि तेऽपि हत्वा ।
नीता दिवं रिपुगणा भयमप्यपास्तमस्माकमुन्मदसुरारिभवं नमस्ते॥
trailokyametadakhilaṃ ripunāśanena trātaṃ tvayā samaramūrdhani te'pi hatvā . nītā divaṃ ripugaṇā bhayamapyapāstamasmākamunmadasurāribhavaṃ namaste .. 23..
Through the destruction of the enemies all these three worlds have been saved by you. Having killed them in the battle-front, you have led even those hosts of enemies to heaven, and you have dispelled our fear from the frenzied enemies of the devas. Salutation to you!
शूलेन पाहि नो देवि पाहि खड्गेन चाम्बिके ।
घण्टास्वनेन नः पाहि चापज्यानिःस्वनेन च॥
śūlena pāhi no devi pāhi khaḍgena cāmbike . ghaṇṭāsvanena naḥ pāhi cāpajyāniḥsvanena ca .. 24..
O Devi, protect us with your spear. O Ambika, protect us with your sword, protect us by the sound of your bell and by the twang of your bow-string.
प्राच्यां रक्ष प्रतीच्यां च चण्डिके रक्ष दक्षिणे ।
भ्रामणेनात्मशूलस्य उत्तरस्यां तथेश्वरि॥
prācyāṃ rakṣa pratīcyāṃ ca caṇḍike rakṣa dakṣiṇe . bhrāmaṇenātmaśūlasya uttarasyāṃ tatheśvari .. 25..
O Chandika, guard us in the east, in the west, in the north and in the south by the brandishing of your spear, O Iswari!
सौम्यानि यानि रूपाणि त्रैलोक्ये विचरन्ति ते ।
यानि चात्यर्थघोराणि तै रक्षास्मांस्तथा भुवम्॥
saumyāni yāni rūpāṇi trailokye vicaranti te . yāni cātyarthaghorāṇi tai rakṣāsmāṃstathā bhuvam .. 26..
Protect us and the earth with those lovely forms of yours moving about in the three worlds, as also with your exceptionally terrible forms.
खड्गशूलगदादीनि यानि चास्त्राणि तेऽम्बिके ।
करपल्लवसङ्गीनि तैरस्मान् रक्ष सर्वतः॥
khaḍgaśūlagadādīni yāni cāstrāṇi te'mbike . karapallavasaṅgīni tairasmān rakṣa sarvataḥ .. 27..
O Ambika, protect us on every side with your sword, spear and club and whatever other weapons your sprout-like (soft) hand has touched.
ऋषिरुवाच॥
ṛṣiruvāca .. 28..
The Rishi said:
एवं स्तुता सुरैर्दिव्यैः कुसुमैर्नन्दनोद्भवैः ।
अर्चिता जगतां धात्री तथा गन्धानुलेपनैः॥
evaṃ stutā surairdivyaiḥ kusumairnandanodbhavaiḥ . arcitā jagatāṃ dhātrī tathā gandhānulepanaiḥ .. 29..
Thus the supporter of the worlds was praised by the devas, given puja with celestial flowers that blossomed in Nandana and with perfumes and unguents;
भक्त्या समस्तैस्त्रिदशैर्दिव्यैर्धूपैः सुधूपिता ।
प्राह प्रसादसुमुखी समस्तान् प्रणतान् सुरान्॥
bhaktyā samastaistridaśairdivyairdhūpaiḥ sudhūpitā . prāha prasādasumukhī samastān praṇatān surān .. 30..
and with devotion all of them offered her heavenly incense. Benignly serene in countenance she spoke to all obeisant devas.
देव्युवाच॥
devyuvāca .. 31..
The Devi said:
व्रियतां त्रिदशाः सर्वे यदस्मत्तोऽभिवाञ्छितम्॥
vriyatāṃ tridaśāḥ sarve yadasmatto'bhivāñchitam .. 32..
Choose all of you, O devas, whatever you desire of me.
देवा ऊचुः॥
devā ūcuḥ .. 33..
The devas said:
भगवत्या कृतं सर्वं न किञ्चिदवशिष्यते ।
यदयं निहतः शत्रुरस्माकं महिषासुरः॥
bhagavatyā kṛtaṃ sarvaṃ na kiñcidavaśiṣyate . yadayaṃ nihataḥ śatrurasmākaṃ mahiṣāsuraḥ .. 34..
Since our enemy, this Mahishasura, has been slain by Bhagavati (i.e. you) everything has been accomplished, and nothing remains to be done.
यदि चापि वरो देयस्त्वयास्माकं महेश्वरि ।
संस्मृता संस्मृता त्वं नो हिंसेथाः परमापदः॥
yadi cāpi varo deyastvayāsmākaṃ maheśvari . saṃsmṛtā saṃsmṛtā tvaṃ no hiṃsethāḥ paramāpadaḥ .. 35..
And if a boon is to be granted to us by you, O Mahesvari, whenever we think of you again, destroy our direct calamities.
यश्च मर्त्यः स्तवैरेभिस्त्वां स्तोष्यत्यमलानने ।
तस्य वित्तर्धिविभवैर्धनदारादिसम्पदाम्॥
yaśca martyaḥ stavairebhistvāṃ stoṣyatyamalānane . tasya vittardhivibhavairdhanadārādisampadām .. 36..
O Mother of spotless countenance, and whatever mortal shall praise you with these stotra,
वृद्धयेऽस्मत्प्रसन्ना त्वं भवेथाः सर्वदाम्बिके॥
vṛddhaye'smatprasannā tvaṃ bhavethāḥ sarvadāmbike .. 37..
may you, who have become gracious towards us, be also propitious to him for his increase in wealth, wife, and other prosperities.
ऋषिरुवाच॥
ṛṣiruvāca .. 38..
The Rishi said:
इति प्रसादिता देवैर्जगतोऽर्थे तथाऽऽत्मनः ।
तथेत्युक्त्वा भद्रकाली बभूवान्तर्हिता नृप॥
iti prasāditā devairjagato'rthe tathā''tmanaḥ . tathetyuktvā bhadrakālī babhūvāntarhitā nṛpa .. 39..
O King, being thus propitiated by the devas for the sake of the world and for their own sake, Bhadrakali said, 'Be it so' and vanished from sight.
इत्येतत्कथितं भूप सम्भूता सा यथा पुरा ।
देवी देवशरीरेभ्यो जगत्त्रयहितैषिणी॥
ityetatkathitaṃ bhūpa sambhūtā sā yathā purā . devī devaśarīrebhyo jagattrayahitaiṣiṇī .. 40..
Thus have I narrated, O King, how the Devi who desires the good of all the three worlds made her appearance of yore out of the bodies of the devas.
पुनश्च गौरीदेहात्सा समुद्भूता यथाभवत्।
वधाय दुष्टदैत्यानां तथा शुम्भनिशुम्भयोः॥
punaśca gaurīdehātsā samudbhūtā yathābhavat | vadhāya duṣṭadaityānāṃ tathā śumbhaniśumbhayoḥ || 41 ||
And again how she emerged from the body of Gauri for the slaying of the wicked asuras as well as Sumbha and Nisumbha,
रक्षणाय च लोकानां देवानामुपकारिणी ।
तच्छृणुष्व मयाख्यातं यथावत्कथयामि ते॥
rakṣaṇāya ca lokānāṃ devānāmupakāriṇī | tacchṛṇuṣva mayākhyātaṃ yathāvatkathayāmi te || 42 ||
and for the protection of the worlds, as a benefactress of the devas, listen as I relate it. I shall tell it to you exactly as it happened.