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Mantra · The 'bolt' hymn of the Saptashati, with its refrain 'rupam dehi'

Argala Stotram

ॐ जय त्वं देवि चामुण्डे जय भूतापहारिणि । जय सर्वगते देवि कालरात्रि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

In Devanagari, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English — with the meaning of every word, and the one syllable most people pronounce wrongly.

What the Argala Stotram is

The Argala Stotram is a hymn to the Goddess as Chandika, recited as one of the angas, the preliminary limbs, of the Durga Saptashati. Its words are given to the sage Markandeya, and the colophon of the 27-verse editions places it in the Markandeya Purana. The viniyoga that heads it names Vishnu as its rishi, the anushtubh as its metre and Mahalakshmi as its deity. Verse 1 hails her as Chamunda and Kalaratri, and verse 2 strings together eleven of her names, from Jayanti to Svadha. Verses 3 to 7 then retrace the battles of the Devi Mahatmya in story order, from Madhu and Kaitabha to Shumbha and Nishumbha. Verses 20 to 23 recall her being praised by Brahma, Krishna, Shiva and Indra. From verse 3 to verse 26 every couplet closes on the same line asking for beauty, victory and glory, and verse 27 states the fruit of the recitation.

A bolt between the armour and the pin

No episode of composition is told for the Argala Stotram. Its setting is the order of the Chandi Patha itself. Before the 700 verses of the Devi Mahatmya are recited, three short texts are read in sequence: the Devi Kavacham, the Argala Stotram and the Kilakam. The names form a set. Kavacha means armour, argala is the bar or bolt across a door, and kilaka is a pin or wedge. Devotional teachers explain the bolt as the lock on the door to the Goddess's secret, and read the hymn as the drawing back of that bolt before the main text is opened. The same teachers note that the order of the angas is not fixed: some books reverse it, and some place the Kavacham after the 700 verses. The angas are later than the core text, which scholars date to about 400 to 600 CE. The scholar Thomas Coburn observes that artistic evidence links them with the text from roughly the fourteenth century. The hymn's own last verse states its purpose in the sequence: the verse says that one who recites it and then the great hymn, worshipping through the Saptashati, wins a boon that is hard to obtain.

The mantra, in six scripts

DevanagariSanskrit & Hindiॐ जय त्वं देवि चामुण्डे जय भूतापहारिणि । जय सर्वगते देवि कालरात्रि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

Tamilௐ ஜய த்வம் தேவி சாமுண்டே ஜய பூதாபஹாரிணி । ஜய ஸர்வகதே தேவி காலராத்ரி நமோஸ்து தே ॥

Teluguఓం జయ త్వం దేవి చాముణ్డే జయ భూతాపహారిణి । జయ సర్వగతే దేవి కాలరాత్రి నమోఽస్తు తే ॥

Kannadaಓಂ ಜಯ ತ್ವಂ ದೇವಿ ಚಾಮುಣ್ಡೇ ಜಯ ಭೂತಾಪಹಾರಿಣಿ । ಜಯ ಸರ್ವಗತೇ ದೇವಿ ಕಾಲರಾತ್ರಿ ನಮೋಽಸ್ತು ತೇ ॥

Malayalamഓം ജയ ത്വം ദേവി ചാമുണ്ഡേ ജയ ഭൂതാപഹാരിണി । ജയ സര്വഗതേ ദേവി കാലരാത്രി നമോഽസ്തു തേ ॥

EnglishRoman transliterationoṃ jaya tvaṃ devi cāmuṇḍe jaya bhūtāpahāriṇi | jaya sarvagate devi kālarātri namo'stu te ||

“Victory to you, Goddess Chamunda; victory to you who take away the troubles of all beings. Victory to you, Goddess present everywhere; Kalaratri, salutations to you.”

ॐ: oṃ — Om
जय: jaya — victory (to you)
त्वं: tvaṃ — you
देवि: devi — O Goddess
चामुण्डे: cāmuṇḍe — O Chamunda
जय: jaya — victory
भूतापहारिणि: bhūtāpahāriṇi — remover of beings' troubles
जय: jaya — victory
सर्वगते: sarvagate — O all-pervading one
देवि: devi — O Goddess
कालरात्रि: kālarātri — O Kalaratri, night of time
नमोऽस्तु: namo'stu — salutation be
ते: te — to you

Argala Stotram lyrics in full

All 27 verses, in Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English, each with its meaning. Choose a script:

Download the Argala Stotram PDFAll 27 verses with their meanings, in Sanskrit. Free to print and keep.

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Verse 1

ॐ जय त्वं देवि चामुण्डे जय भूतापहारिणि ।
जय सर्वगते देवि कालरात्रि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

Victory to you, Goddess Chamunda; victory to you who take away the troubles of all beings. Victory to you, Goddess present everywhere; Kalaratri, salutations to you.

Verse 2

जयन्ती मङ्गला काली भद्रकाली कपालिनी ।
दुर्गा शिवा क्षमा धात्री स्वाहा स्वधा नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

Jayanti, Mangala, Kali, Bhadrakali, Kapalini, Durga, Shiva, Kshama, Dhatri, Svaha and Svadha: salutations to you who bear all these names.

Verse 3

मधुकैटभविध्वंसि विधातृवरदे नमः ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥

Salutations to you who destroyed Madhu and Kaitabha and granted a boon to Brahma the creator. Give me beauty, give me victory, give me glory, and strike down my enemies.

Verse 4

महिषासुरनिर्नाशि भक्तानां सुखदे नमः ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥

Salutations to you who destroyed Mahishasura and give happiness to your devotees. Give me beauty, give me victory, give me glory, and strike down my enemies.

Verse 5

धूम्रनेत्रवधे देवि धर्मकामार्थदायिनि ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥

Goddess who slew Dhumranetra, giver of dharma, desire and wealth: give me beauty, give me victory, give me glory, and strike down my enemies.

Verse 6

रक्तबीजवधे देवि चण्डमुण्डविनाशिनि ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥

Goddess who slew Raktabija and destroyed Chanda and Munda: give me beauty, give me victory, give me glory, and strike down my enemies.

Verse 7

निशुम्भशुम्भनिर्नाशि त्रैलोक्यशुभदे नमः ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥

Salutations to you who destroyed Nishumbha and Shumbha and bring good to the three worlds. Give me beauty, give me victory, give me glory, and strike down my enemies.

Verse 8

वन्दिताङ्घ्रियुगे देवि सर्वसौभाग्यदायिनि ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥

Goddess whose two feet are worshipped by all, giver of every good fortune: give me beauty, give me victory, give me glory, and strike down my enemies.

Verse 9

अचिन्त्यरूपचरिते सर्वशत्रुविनाशिनि ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥

You whose form and deeds are beyond thought, destroyer of all enemies: give me beauty, give me victory, give me glory, and strike down my enemies.

Verse 10

नतेभ्यः सर्वदा भक्त्या चापर्णे दुरितापहे ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥

Aparna, remover of wrongdoing, to those who always bow to you with devotion give beauty, give victory, give glory, and strike down their enemies.

Verse 11

स्तुवद्भ्यो भक्तिपूर्वं त्वां चण्डिके व्याधिनाशिनि ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥

Chandika, destroyer of disease, to those who praise you with devotion give beauty, give victory, give glory, and strike down their enemies.

Verse 12

चण्डिके सततं युद्धे जयन्ति पापनाशिनि ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥

Chandika, ever victorious in battle, destroyer of sin: give me beauty, give me victory, give me glory, and strike down my enemies.

Verse 13

देहि सौभाग्यमारोग्यं देहि देवि परं सुखम् ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥

Give me good fortune and health; give me, Goddess, the highest happiness. Give me beauty, give me victory, give me glory, and strike down my enemies.

Verse 14

विधेहि देवि कल्याणं विधेहि विपुलां श्रियम् ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥

Goddess, bring about my welfare and grant abundant prosperity. Give me beauty, give me victory, give me glory, and strike down my enemies.

Verse 15

विधेहि द्विषतां नाशं विधेहि बलमुच्चकैः ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥

Bring about the ruin of those who hate me, and grant great strength. Give me beauty, give me victory, give me glory, and strike down my enemies.

Verse 16

सुरासुरशिरोरत्ननिघृष्टचरणेऽम्बिके ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥

Ambika, whose feet are rubbed by the crown jewels of gods and demons bowing before you: give me beauty, give me victory, give me glory, and strike down my enemies.

Verse 17

विद्यावन्तं यशस्वन्तं लक्ष्मीवन्तञ्च मां कुरु ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥

Make me learned, renowned and prosperous. Give me beauty, give me victory, give me glory, and strike down my enemies.

Verse 18

देवि प्रचण्डदोर्दण्डदैत्यदर्पनिषूदिनि ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥

Goddess who crushed the pride of demons with mighty arms: give me beauty, give me victory, give me glory, and strike down my enemies.

Verse 19

प्रचण्डदैत्यदर्पघ्ने चण्डिके प्रणताय मे ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥

Chandika, destroyer of the pride of fierce demons, to me who bow before you give beauty, give victory, give glory, and strike down my enemies.

Verse 20

चतुर्भुजे चतुर्वक्त्रसंस्तुते परमेश्वरि ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥

Four-armed Supreme Goddess, praised by four-faced Brahma: give me beauty, give me victory, give me glory, and strike down my enemies.

Verse 21

कृष्णेन संस्तुते देवि शश्वद्भक्त्या सदाम्बिके ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥

Goddess, Mother ever praised by Krishna with constant devotion: give me beauty, give me victory, give me glory, and strike down my enemies.

Verse 22

हिमाचलसुतानाथसंस्तुते परमेश्वरि ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥

Supreme Goddess praised by Shiva, lord of the daughter of the Himalaya: give me beauty, give me victory, give me glory, and strike down my enemies.

Verse 23

इन्द्राणीपतिसद्भावपूजिते परमेश्वरि ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥

Supreme Goddess worshipped with sincere devotion by Indra, husband of Indrani: give me beauty, give me victory, give me glory, and strike down my enemies.

Verse 24

देवि भक्तजनोद्दामदत्तानन्दोदयेऽम्बिके ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥

Goddess Ambika, who raises up boundless joy and bestows it on your devotees: give me beauty, give me victory, give me glory, and strike down my enemies.

Verse 25

भार्यां मनोरमां देहि मनोवृत्तानुसारिणीम् ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥

Give me a pleasing wife who is in harmony with my mind. Give me beauty, give me victory, give me glory, and strike down my enemies.

Verse 26

तारिणि दुर्गसंसारसागरस्याचलोद्भवे ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥

You who carry us across the hard-to-cross ocean of worldly life, daughter of the mountain: give me beauty, give me victory, give me glory, and strike down my enemies.

Verse 27

इदं स्तोत्रं पठित्वा तु महास्तोत्रं पठेन्नरः ।
सप्तशतीं समाराध्य वरमाप्नोति दुर्लभम् ॥

The verse says that a person who recites this hymn and then the great hymn, worshipping through the Saptashati, obtains a boon that is hard to win.

The syllable people get wrong

The refrain ends dviṣo jahi, 'strike down the enemies'. Say dvi as one syllable, without slipping in a vowel to make it 'di-vi', give the ṣ a retroflex sh with the tongue curled back, and keep both vowels of jahi short (ja-hi, not 'ja-hee').

When the Argala Stotram is chanted

Weekday. Friday

Festival. Navaratri, as part of the Chandi Patha

Questions

Argala is the Sanskrit word for a bar or bolt that holds a door shut. The hymn is the middle one of three preliminary texts, after the Devi Kavacham (armour) and before the Kilakam (pin). Tradition holds that reading it draws back the bolt on the Saptashati, so that the 700 verses that follow are approached through it. Its last verse makes the link itself, speaking of reciting this hymn and then the great hymn.

No human author is named. The text is spoken by the sage Markandeya, and the closing line of the 27-verse editions assigns it to the Markandeya Purana. Its viniyoga names Vishnu as the rishi, meaning the seer to whom it was revealed, and Mahalakshmi as the deity. Scholars treat the angas as later additions to the Devi Mahatmya; Thomas Coburn notes artistic evidence that they were attached to it by about the fourteenth century.

There are two recensions. The text on this page is the 27-verse form found in many printed editions, where 'jaya tvam devi camunde' is verse 1 and 'jayanti mangala kali' is verse 2. The Gita Press Gorakhpur edition, followed in most North Indian recitation, has 25 verses, opens with 'jayanti mangala kali', merges some lines and words others differently. Its last verse also differs, speaking of wealth equal to the Saptashati's count.

It is the refrain closing verses 3 to 26: 'Give beauty, give victory, give glory, strike down the enemies.' The first half of each couplet changes, naming a deed or title of the Goddess, while this line stays fixed. In the 27-verse form the refrain runs unbroken to verse 26; in the Gita Press form the couplet asking for a wife carries no refrain. Verse 25 attaches the refrain to a prayer for a wife in harmony with the reciter's mind.

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Argala Stotram

What the Argala Stotram is

A bolt between the armour and the pin

The mantra, in six scripts

Argala Stotram lyrics in full

The syllable people get wrong

When the Argala Stotram is chanted

Questions

Have your chart read before you decide

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