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Home › Mantras › Devi Aparadha Kshamapana Stotram
Chandi (Durga) Devi Aparadha Kshamapana Stotram: the Mother, child Ganesha on her lap, reaching out to an aged devotee asking pardon
The Mother leans toward an old devotee asking pardon at the close of worship
Mantra · Twelve verses asking the Mother to pardon a worshipper's every lapse

Devi Aparadha Kshamapana Stotram

न मन्त्रं नो यन्त्रं तदपि च न जाने स्तुतिमहो न चाह्वानं ध्यानं तदपि च न जाने स्तुतिकथाः । न जाने मुद्रास्ते तदपि च न जाने विलपनं परं जाने मातस्त्वदनुसरणं क्लेशहरणम् ॥

Also known as Na Mantram No Yantram

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

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What the Devi Aparadha Kshamapana Stotram is

The Devi Aparadha Kshamapana Stotram, literally the hymn asking the Goddess to pardon offences, is a twelve-verse Sanskrit prayer that its closing line ascribes to Adi Shankaracharya and that opens with the words na mantram no yantram. It is a confession, not a hymn of praise. Verse 1 lists what the speaker does not know: mantra, yantra, invocation, meditation, mudra. Verses 2 to 4 name the causes of their neglect, ignorance of the rules, lack of money, laziness, and each ends on the same line: a bad son may be born, but never a bad mother. Verse 5 turns to old age and asks the mother of Lambodara where else to go. Verses 6 and 7 pause to praise her, through the power of her mantra's letters and the rank Shiva gained by marrying her. Verse 8 asks for nothing, not even liberation. The first eight verses run in one long seventeen-syllable line; verses 9 to 12 are shorter, ending on a two-line plea.

A prayer spoken past eighty-five

No legend of composition comes down with this hymn, and the text supplies its own setting instead. The colophon at the end of most printed editions reads that it was made by Shankaracharya. Yet verse 5 has the speaker say they have left the other gods behind, tired of their many demands, now that more than eighty-five years have gone by. Tradition holds that Adi Shankara left the world at Kedarnath at about thirty-two, so the two do not sit easily together. Some readers take the old age as a persona, the voice of any devotee at the end of a long life. Others think the hymn belongs to a later holder of the Shankaracharya title, and one modern suggestion names a medieval head of the order who held office for decades; no manuscript evidence has settled the question. What is settled is its use. Because verse 1 confesses the very slips a worshipper can make, a mantra half-remembered, a mudra not known, it has long been recited at the close of worship of the Goddess as a plea for pardon. Many printed books of the Durga Saptashati place it among the closing prayers. Arthur Avalon included an English rendering in Hymns to the Goddess (1913) under the title May the Devi Grant Me Pardon.

The mantra, in six scripts

DevanagariSanskrit & Hindiन मन्त्रं नो यन्त्रं तदपि च न जाने स्तुतिमहो न चाह्वानं ध्यानं तदपि च न जाने स्तुतिकथाः । न जाने मुद्रास्ते तदपि च न जाने विलपनं परं जाने मातस्त्वदनुसरणं क्लेशहरणम् ॥
Tamilந மந்த்ரம் நோ யந்த்ரம் ததபி ச ந ஜாநே ஸ்துதிமஹோ ந சாஹ்வாநம் த்யாநம் ததபி ச ந ஜாநே ஸ்துதிகதாஃ । ந ஜாநே முத்ராஸ்தே ததபி ச ந ஜாநே விலபநம் பரம் ஜாநே மாதஸ்த்வதநுஸரணம் க்லேஶஹரணம் ॥
Teluguన మన్త్రం నో యన్త్రం తదపి చ న జానే స్తుతిమహో న చాహ్వానం ధ్యానం తదపి చ న జానే స్తుతికథాః । న జానే ముద్రాస్తే తదపి చ న జానే విలపనం పరం జానే మాతస్త్వదనుసరణం క్లేశహరణమ్ ॥
Kannadaನ ಮನ್ತ್ರಂ ನೋ ಯನ್ತ್ರಂ ತದಪಿ ಚ ನ ಜಾನೇ ಸ್ತುತಿಮಹೋ ನ ಚಾಹ್ವಾನಂ ಧ್ಯಾನಂ ತದಪಿ ಚ ನ ಜಾನೇ ಸ್ತುತಿಕಥಾಃ । ನ ಜಾನೇ ಮುದ್ರಾಸ್ತೇ ತದಪಿ ಚ ನ ಜಾನೇ ವಿಲಪನಂ ಪರಂ ಜಾನೇ ಮಾತಸ್ತ್ವದನುಸರಣಂ ಕ್ಲೇಶಹರಣಮ್ ॥
Malayalamന മന്ത്രം നോ യന്ത്രം തദപി ച ന ജാനേ സ്തുതിമഹോ ന ചാഹ്വാനം ധ്യാനം തദപി ച ന ജാനേ സ്തുതികഥാഃ । ന ജാനേ മുദ്രാസ്തേ തദപി ച ന ജാനേ വിലപനം പരം ജാനേ മാതസ്ത്വദനുസരണം ക്ലേശഹരണമ് ॥
EnglishRoman transliterationna mantraṃ no yantraṃ tadapi ca na jāne stutimaho na cāhvānaṃ dhyānaṃ tadapi ca na jāne stutikathāḥ | na jāne mudrāste tadapi ca na jāne vilapanaṃ paraṃ jāne mātastvadanusaraṇaṃ kleśaharaṇam ||
“I know no mantra and no yantra, alas, nor any hymn of praise; I know neither how to invoke you nor how to meditate on you, nor the stories told in your praise. I do not know your mudras, nor even how to cry out to you; but this I know, Mother: following you takes away all distress.”
न
na — not
मन्त्रं
mantraṃ — mantra
नो
no — nor
यन्त्रं
yantraṃ — yantra
तदपि
tadapi — that too
च
ca — and
न
na — not
जाने
jāne — I know
स्तुतिमहो
stutimaho — hymn of praise, alas
न
na — not
चाह्वानं
cāhvānaṃ — and invocation
ध्यानं
dhyānaṃ — meditation
तदपि
tadapi — that too
च
ca — and
न
na — not
जाने
jāne — I know
स्तुतिकथाः
stutikathāḥ — stories of praise

Devi Aparadha Kshamapana Stotram lyrics in full

The twelve verses, from na mantram no yantram to the closing couplet matsamah pataki nasti.

All 12 verses, in Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English, each with its meaning. Choose a script:

Download the Devi Aparadha Kshamapana Stotram PDFAll 12 verses with their meanings, in Sanskrit. Free to print and keep.

Verse 1

न मन्त्रं नो यन्त्रं तदपि च न जाने स्तुतिमहो न चाह्वानं ध्यानं तदपि च न जाने स्तुतिकथाः ।
न जाने मुद्रास्ते तदपि च न जाने विलपनं परं जाने मातस्त्वदनुसरणं क्लेशहरणम् ॥

I know no mantra and no yantra, alas, nor any hymn of praise; I know neither how to invoke you nor how to meditate on you, nor the stories told in your praise. I do not know your mudras, nor even how to cry out to you; but this I know, Mother: following you takes away all distress.

Verse 2

विधेरज्ञानेन द्रविणविरहेणालसतया विधेयाशक्यत्वात्तव चरणयोर्या च्युतिरभूत् ।
तदेतत् क्षन्तव्यं जननि सकलोद्धारिणि शिवे कुपुत्रो जायेत क्वचिदपि कुमाता न भवति ॥

Through ignorance of the rules, through lack of wealth, through laziness, and because I could not do what was prescribed, I have fallen away from your feet. Forgive this, Mother, auspicious Shiva who uplifts all; a bad son may sometimes be born, but there is never a bad mother.

Verse 3

पृथिव्यां पुत्रास्ते जननि बहवः सन्ति सरलाः परं तेषां मध्ये विरलतरलोऽहं तव सुतः ।
मदीयोऽयं त्यागः समुचितमिदं नो तव शिवे कुपुत्रो जायेत क्वचिदपि कुमाता न भवति ॥

Mother, on this earth you have many sons who are simple and upright, but among them I, your son, am rare in my restlessness. Yet it is not fitting, auspicious one, that you should abandon me; a bad son may sometimes be born, but there is never a bad mother.

Verse 4

जगन्मातर्मातस्तव चरणसेवा न रचिता न वा दत्तं देवि द्रविणमपि भूयस्तव मया ।
तथापि त्वं स्नेहं मयि निरुपमं यत्प्रकुरुषे कुपुत्रो जायेत क्वचिदपि कुमाता न भवति ॥

Mother of the world, I have not served your feet, nor have I offered you much wealth, O Goddess. Yet you bestow on me a love beyond compare; a bad son may sometimes be born, but there is never a bad mother.

Verse 5

परित्यक्ता देवा विविधविधसेवाकुलतया मया पञ्चाशीतेरधिकमपनीते तु वयसि ।
इदानीं चेन्मातस्तव यदि कृपा नापि भविता निरालम्बो लम्बोदरजननि कं यामि शरणम् ॥

Bewildered by the many kinds of service they demand, I have given up the other gods, now that I am past eighty-five years. If even now, Mother, your grace does not come to me, then, mother of Lambodara (Ganesha), where can I, who have no other support, go for refuge?

Verse 6

श्वपाको जल्पाको भवति मधुपाकोपमगिरा निरातङ्को रङ्को विहरति चिरं कोटिकनकैः ।
तवापर्णे कर्णे विशति मनुवर्णे फलमिदं जनः को जानीते जननि जपनीयं जपविधौ ॥

Aparna, when the letters of your mantra fall on his ear, an outcaste becomes eloquent with speech as sweet as honey, and a pauper roams without fear for a long time with millions in gold. If that is the fruit of merely hearing it, Mother, who can know what comes to one who chants it by the proper rite?

Verse 7

चिताभस्मालेपो गरलमशनं दिक्पटधरो जटाधारी कण्ठे भुजगपतिहारी पशुपतिः ।
कपाली भूतेशो भजति जगदीशैकपदवीं भवानि त्वत्पाणिग्रहणपरिपाटीफलमिदम् ॥

Smeared with the ash of the pyre, with poison for food and the directions for his garment, wearing matted locks and the king of serpents as a garland at his throat, the skull-bearing lord of ghosts, Pashupati, holds the unique rank of Lord of the world. Bhavani, this is the fruit of his taking your hand in marriage.

Verse 8

न मोक्षस्याकाङ्क्षा भवविभववाञ्छापि च न मे न विज्ञानापेक्षा शशिमुखि सुखेच्छापि न पुनः ।
अतस्त्वां संयाचे जननि जननं यातु मम वै मृडानी रुद्राणी शिव शिव भवानीति जपतः ॥

I have no longing for liberation, nor any wish for worldly wealth; I have no desire for knowledge, moon-faced one, nor again for pleasure. So I ask this of you, Mother: let my life pass as I chant 'Mridani, Rudrani, Shiva, Shiva, Bhavani'.

Verse 9

नाराधितासि विधिना विविधोपचारैः किं रुक्षचिन्तनपरैर्न कृतं वचोभिः ।
श्यामे त्वमेव यदि किञ्चन मय्यनाथे धत्से कृपामुचितमम्ब परं तवैव ॥

I have not worshipped you by the rules with the many kinds of offerings, and what wrong have I not done with words given to harsh thoughts? Dark one (Shyama), if you still show some kindness to me, who have no protector, that is fitting for you alone, Mother.

Verse 10

आपत्सु मग्नः स्मरणं त्वदीयं करोमि दुर्गे करुणार्णवेशि ।
नैतच्छठत्वं मम भावयेथाः क्षुधातृषार्ता जननीं स्मरन्ति ॥

Sunk in misfortune, I remember you, Durga, sovereign ocean of compassion. Do not take this for cunning on my part; those tormented by hunger and thirst think of their mother.

Verse 11

जगदम्ब विचित्रमत्र किं परिपूर्णा करुणास्ति चेन्मयि ।
अपराधपरम्परापरं न हि माता समुपेक्षते सुतम् ॥

Mother of the world, what wonder is there if your compassion toward me is complete? A mother does not forsake her son even when he commits offence after offence.

Verse 12

मत्समः पातकी नास्ति पापघ्नी त्वत्समा न हि ।
एवं ज्ञात्वा महादेवि यथायोग्यं तथा कुरु ॥

There is no sinner equal to me, and no remover of sin equal to you. Knowing this, Great Goddess, do as you see fit.

The syllable people get wrong

In verse 2, kṣantavyaṃ (क्षन्तव्यं, 'must be forgiven') opens on the cluster kṣ, a k gliding straight into a retroflex sh; say KSHAN-tuv-yum, keeping both the v and the y, not 'shantavyam' or 'kantavyam'.

When the Devi Aparadha Kshamapana Stotram is chanted

Weekday. Friday

Festival. Navaratri

Questions

It means 'a bad son may sometimes be born, but there is never a bad mother'. Kuputra is a wayward son, kumata a bad mother, and kvachidapi 'now and then'. The line closes verses 2, 3 and 4, each time after the speaker has listed another failing: no knowledge of the rites, a restless nature, no service or wealth offered. The refrain carries the whole argument of the hymn, that pardon rests on the mother's nature, not the child's merit.
The printed colophon names Shankaracharya, and devotional tradition accepts it as his. The difficulty is verse 5, where the speaker says they are past eighty-five, while tradition has Adi Shankara leave the world at about thirty-two. Some read the age as a devotional persona rather than autobiography; others credit a later Shankaracharya of the same order. Scholars note that many of the stotras bearing his name were written by admirers or namesakes, and no critical edition has resolved this one.
Verse 1 names the exact things a worshipper can get wrong: the mantra, the yantra, the invocation, the meditation, the mudras. Reciting it at the close of worship of the Goddess serves as an admission that the rite may have been imperfect and a request that she accept it anyway. That is why many printed books of the Durga Saptashati set it among the closing prayers, after the main text, and why it is held especially dear during Navaratri.
All are names of the one Goddess, used in different verses. Aparna, in verse 6, is Parvati, the bride whose marriage to Shiva verse 7 goes on to praise. Lambodara janani in verse 5 means 'mother of the big-bellied one', Ganesha. Shyama in verse 9 is 'the dark one'. Verse 8 adds Mridani, Rudrani and Bhavani as names for the speaker's chant, and verse 10 calls her Durga, ocean of compassion.
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