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Mantra · The gods' Narayani Stuti after Shumbha falls; she foretells Shakambhari and Bhramari

Durga Saptashati Chapter 11

देव्या हते तत्र महासुरेन्द्रे सेन्द्राः सुरा वह्निपुरोगमास्ताम् । कात्यायनीं तुष्टुवुरिष्टलाभाद् विकाशिवक्त्राब्जविकाशिताशाः ॥

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 Durga Saptashati Chapter 11 is

Durga Saptashati Chapter 11, which the colophon of the standard printed edition calls Devi Stuti, the praise of the Goddess, is the chapter of the Narayani Stuti, the hymn the gods sing once Shumbha lies dead at the end of chapter 10. It belongs to the third episode, whose deity is Mahasaraswati, but its dhyana addresses Bhuvaneshvari: bright as the rising sun, the moon for a crown, three eyes, a smiling face, and in her hands the sign of granting boons, the goad, the noose and the sign that removes fear. In verse 2 the gods, with Indra among them and Agni at their head, praise her as Katyayani. Verses 3 to 7 call her the earth that holds up the world, the waters that feed it, the power of Vishnu and the supreme Maya. From verse 8 to verse 23 every couplet closes on the same refrain, 'Narayani namo'stu te', salutation to you, O Narayani; verse 10 is the line 'sarva mangala mangalye'. Verses 24 to 28 ask her face, trident, bell and sword to guard the gods, and verses 29 to 35 praise what she has just done. The gods ask one boon in verse 39, and in verses 41 to 55 the Goddess foretells her later births. The standard printed edition numbers 55 lines: speaker lines at 1, 36, 38 and 40, fifty full verses, and a half-verse at 55 that finishes the sentence begun in verse 54.

The gods' hymn, one boon and her later forms

Medhas sets the hymn at the moment of victory: the lord of the asuras has fallen, the gods have what they wanted, and their faces open like lotuses and light up the four quarters (verse 2). Their praise moves from the cosmic to the familiar. From verse 13 they greet, one by one, the Mothers who fought beside her against Raktabija in chapter 8, and in verse 21 Chamunda, named for crushing Munda. Verses 22 and 23 then string single names together: Lakshmi, Modesty, Faith, Svadha, the great Night, Sarasvati. In verse 29 the gods say that when she is pleased she takes away every illness and when angered every cherished wish, and that those who rely on her become a refuge for others. Verse 30 asks who else could have split herself into so many forms to make this slaughter. Pleased, she offers a boon (verse 37). The gods ask nothing new for themselves, only that she go on calming the troubles of the three worlds and destroying their enemies in the same way (verse 39). Her reply looks ahead to the twenty-eighth cycle of ages under Manu Vaivasvata, when Shumbha and Nishumbha will be born again, and names the forms she will take. The last is Bhramari: in verse 53 she becomes a swarm of 'six-footed' creatures, the Sanskrit word for bees, to kill the asura Aruna. The Devi Bhagavata Purana tells this at length, explaining that Aruna's boon guarded him from every creature with two or four feet. Verses 54 and 55 close her answer with a promise: whenever trouble rises from the danavas, she will come down and destroy the enemies.

The mantra, in six scripts

DevanagariSanskrit & Hindiदेव्या हते तत्र महासुरेन्द्रे सेन्द्राः सुरा वह्निपुरोगमास्ताम् । कात्यायनीं तुष्टुवुरिष्टलाभाद् विकाशिवक्त्राब्जविकाशिताशाः ॥

Tamilதேவ்யா ஹதே தத்ர மஹாஸுரேந்த்ரே ஸேந்த்ராஃ ஸுரா வஹ்நிபுரோகமாஸ்தாம் । காத்யாயநீம் துஷ்டுவுரிஷ்டலாபாத் விகாஶிவக்த்ராப்ஜவிகாஶிதாஶாஃ ॥

Teluguదేవ్యా హతే తత్ర మహాసురేన్ద్రే సేన్ద్రాః సురా వహ్నిపురోగమాస్తామ్ । కాత్యాయనీం తుష్టువురిష్టలాభాద్ వికాశివక్త్రాబ్జవికాశితాశాః ॥

Kannadaದೇವ್ಯಾ ಹತೇ ತತ್ರ ಮಹಾಸುರೇನ್ದ್ರೇ ಸೇನ್ದ್ರಾಃ ಸುರಾ ವಹ್ನಿಪುರೋಗಮಾಸ್ತಾಮ್ । ಕಾತ್ಯಾಯನೀಂ ತುಷ್ಟುವುರಿಷ್ಟಲಾಭಾದ್ ವಿಕಾಶಿವಕ್ತ್ರಾಬ್ಜವಿಕಾಶಿತಾಶಾಃ ॥

Malayalamദേവ്യാ ഹതേ തത്ര മഹാസുരേന്ദ്രേ സേന്ദ്രാഃ സുരാ വഹ്നിപുരോഗമാസ്താമ് । കാത്യായനീം തുഷ്ടുവുരിഷ്ടലാഭാദ് വികാശിവക്ത്രാബ്ജവികാശിതാശാഃ ॥

EnglishRoman transliterationdevyā hate tatra mahāsurendre sendrāḥ surā vahnipurogamāstām | kātyāyanīṃ tuṣṭuvuriṣṭalābhād vikāśivaktrābjavikāśitāśāḥ ||

“The sage said: When the great lord of the asuras had been slain there by the Goddess, the gods with Indra, led by Agni, praised Katyayani. Their wish fulfilled, their lotus faces bloomed and lit up the quarters.”

देव्या: devyā — by the Goddess
हते: hate — when slain
तत्र: tatra — there
महासुरेन्द्रे: mahāsurendre — the great lord of the asuras
सेन्द्राः: sendrāḥ — with Indra
सुरा: surā — the gods
वह्निपुरोगमास्ताम्: vahnipurogamāstām — led by Agni, her
कात्यायनीं: kātyāyanīṃ — Katyayani
तुष्टुवुरिष्टलाभाद्: tuṣṭuvuriṣṭalābhād — praised, their wish attained
विकाशिवक्त्राब्जविकाशिताशाः: vikāśivaktrābjavikāśitāśāḥ — their opened lotus faces lighting the quarters

Durga Saptashati Chapter 11 lyrics in full

The Bhuvaneshvari meditation verse and all 55 numbered lines of the chapter in the standard numbering; the speaker of each passage is named above it.

All 55 numbered lines, in Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English, each with its meaning. Choose a script:

Download the Durga Saptashati Chapter 11 PDFAll 55 numbered lines with their meanings, in Sanskrit. Free to print and keep.

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Dhyanam 1

ॐ बालरविद्युतिमिन्दुकिरीटां तुङ्गकुचां नयनत्रययुक्ताम् ।
स्मेरमुखीं वरदाङ्कुशपाशाभीतिकरां प्रभजे भुवनेशीम् ॥

Om. I worship Bhuvaneshvari, who shines like the rising sun, wears the moon as her crown, has full breasts and three eyes, a smiling face, and hands that show the boon-giving gesture, the goad, the noose and the gesture of fearlessness.

Verse 2

ऋषिरुवाच
देव्या हते तत्र महासुरेन्द्रे सेन्द्राः सुरा वह्निपुरोगमास्ताम् । कात्यायनीं तुष्टुवुरिष्टलाभाद् विकाशिवक्त्राब्जविकाशिताशाः ॥

The sage said: When the great lord of the asuras had been slain there by the Goddess, the gods with Indra, led by Agni, praised Katyayani. Their wish fulfilled, their lotus faces bloomed and lit up the quarters.

Verse 3

देवि प्रपन्नार्तिहरे प्रसीद प्रसीद मातर्जगतोऽखिलस्य ।
प्रसीद विश्वेश्वरि पाहि विश्वं त्वमीश्वरी देवि चराचरस्य ॥

O Goddess who removes the suffering of those who take refuge in you, be gracious. Be gracious, Mother of the whole world. Be gracious, Queen of the universe, and protect the universe; you, O Goddess, are the ruler of all that moves and does not move.

Verse 4

आधारभूता जगतस्त्वमेका महीस्वरूपेण यतः स्थितासि ।
अपां स्वरूपस्थितया त्वयैतदाप्यायते कृत्स्नमलङ्घ्यवीर्ये ॥

You alone are the support of the world, since you abide in the form of the earth. O you of unsurpassable power, abiding in the form of the waters, you nourish this whole world.

Verse 5

त्वं वैष्णवी शक्तिरनन्तवीर्या विश्वस्य बीजं परमासि माया ।
सम्मोहितं देवि समस्तमेतत् त्वं वै प्रसन्ना भुवि मुक्तिहेतुः ॥

You are the power of Vishnu, of endless strength, the seed of the universe, the supreme Maya. O Goddess, you have enchanted this whole world; when you are pleased, you are the cause of liberation on earth.

Verse 6

विद्या समस्तास्तव देवि भेदाः स्त्रियः समस्ताः सकला जगत्सु ।
त्वयैकया पूरितमम्बयैतत् का ते स्तुतिः स्तव्यपरा परोक्तिः ॥

O Goddess, all forms of knowledge are aspects of you, and so are all women in the worlds. By you alone, the Mother, this world is filled. What praise can there be for you, who are beyond all that can be praised, the supreme word?

Verse 7

सर्वभूता यदा देवी स्वर्गमुक्तिप्रदायिनी ।
त्वं स्तुता स्तुतये का वा भवन्तु परमोक्तयः ॥

When you are praised as the Goddess who is all beings and who grants heaven and liberation, what finer words could there be to praise you?

Verse 8

सर्वस्य बुद्धिरूपेण जनस्य हृदि संस्थिते ।
स्वर्गापवर्गदे देवि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

O Goddess who dwells in the heart of every person as intelligence, who grants heaven and final release, O Narayani, salutation to you.

Verse 9

कलाकाष्ठादिरूपेण परिणामप्रदायिनि ।
विश्वस्योपरतौ शक्ते नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

O you who bring about change in the form of moments, instants and the other units of time, and who have the power to bring the universe to its end, O Narayani, salutation to you.

Verse 10

सर्वमङ्गलमाङ्गल्ये शिवे सर्वार्थसाधिके ।
शरण्ये त्र्यम्बके गौरि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

O auspiciousness of all that is auspicious, O kind one who accomplishes every aim, O refuge, three-eyed Gauri, O Narayani, salutation to you.

Verse 11

सृष्टिस्थितिविनाशानां शक्तिभूते सनातनि ।
गुणाश्रये गुणमये नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

O eternal one, the power behind creation, preservation and destruction, the support of the gunas and made of the gunas, O Narayani, salutation to you.

Verse 12

शरणागतदीनार्तपरित्राणपरायणे ।
सर्वस्यार्त्तिहरे देवि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

O you who are devoted to rescuing the lowly and the afflicted who come to you for refuge, O Goddess who removes the suffering of all, O Narayani, salutation to you.

Verse 13

हंसयुक्तविमानस्थे ब्रह्माणीरूपधारिणि ।
कौशाम्भःक्षरिके देवि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

O you who ride the swan-drawn chariot in the form of Brahmani, O Goddess who sprinkles water with kusha grass, O Narayani, salutation to you.

Verse 14

त्रिशूलचन्द्राहिधरे महावृषभवाहिनि ।
माहेश्वरीस्वरूपेण नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

O you who, in the form of Maheshvari, hold the trident, the moon and the serpent and ride the great bull, O Narayani, salutation to you.

Verse 15

मयूरकुक्कुटवृते महाशक्तिधरेऽनघे ।
कौमारीरूपसंस्थाने नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

O sinless one, surrounded by peacocks and cocks and holding the great spear, appearing in the form of Kaumari, O Narayani, salutation to you.

Verse 16

शङ्खचक्रगदाशार्ङ्गगृहीतपरमायुधे ।
प्रसीद वैष्णवीरूपे नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

O you who hold the supreme weapons, the conch, discus, mace and the bow Sharnga, be gracious, you who have the form of Vaishnavi. O Narayani, salutation to you.

Verse 17

गृहीतोग्रमहाचक्रे दंष्ट्रोद्धृतवसुन्धरे ।
वराहरूपिणि शिवे नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

O kind one in the form of the Boar, holding the fierce great discus and lifting the earth on your tusk, O Narayani, salutation to you.

Verse 18

नृसिंहरूपेणोग्रेण हन्तुं दैत्यान् कृतोद्यमे ।
त्रैलोक्यत्राणसहिते नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

O you who, in the fierce form of the Man-Lion, set out to slay the daityas and are intent on protecting the three worlds, O Narayani, salutation to you.

Verse 19

किरीटिनि महावज्रे सहस्रनयनोज्ज्वले ।
वृत्रप्राणहरे चैन्द्रि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

O Aindri, crowned, holding the great thunderbolt, shining with a thousand eyes, who took the life of Vritra, O Narayani, salutation to you.

Verse 20

शिवदूतीस्वरूपेण हतदैत्यमहाबले ।
घोररूपे महारावे नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

O you who, in the form of Shivaduti, destroyed the great army of the daityas, O you of terrible form and mighty roar, O Narayani, salutation to you.

Verse 21

दंष्ट्राकरालवदने शिरोमालाविभूषणे ।
चामुण्डे मुण्डमथने नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

O Chamunda, your face dreadful with tusks, adorned with a garland of heads, crusher of Munda, O Narayani, salutation to you.

Verse 22

लक्ष्मि लज्जे महाविद्ये श्रद्धे पुष्टिस्वधे ध्रुवे ।
महारात्रि महाविद्ये नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

O Lakshmi, Modesty, great Knowledge, Faith, Nourishment, Svadha, the Constant one; O great Night, great Ignorance, O Narayani, salutation to you.

Verse 23

मेधे सरस्वति वरे भूति बाभ्रवि तामसि ।
नियते त्वं प्रसीदेशे नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

O Wisdom, Sarasvati, best one, Prosperity, tawny Parvati, dark Kali, the Restrained one, the Ruler, be gracious. O Narayani, salutation to you.

Verse 24

सर्वस्वरूपे सर्वेशे सर्वशक्तिसमन्विते ।
भयेभ्यस्त्राहि नो देवि दुर्गे देवि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

O you whose form is everything, ruler of all, endowed with every power, protect us from fears, O Goddess. O Goddess Durga, salutation to you.

Verse 25

एतत्ते वदनं सौम्यं लोचनत्रयभूषितम् ।
पातु नः सर्वभीतिभ्यः कात्यायनि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

May this gentle face of yours, adorned with three eyes, protect us from every fear. O Katyayani, salutation to you.

Verse 26

ज्वालाकरालमत्युग्रमशेषासुरसूदनम् ।
त्रिशूलं पातु नो भीतेर्भद्रकालि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

May your trident, terrible with flames, exceedingly fierce, the slayer of all the asuras, protect us from fear. O Bhadrakali, salutation to you.

Verse 27

हिनस्ति दैत्यतेजांसि स्वनेनापूर्य या जगत् ।
सा घण्टा पातु नो देवि पापेभ्यो नः सुतानिव ॥

O Goddess, may your bell, which fills the world with its sound and destroys the might of the daityas, protect us from evils as a mother protects her children.

Verse 28

असुरासृग्वसापङ्कचर्चितस्ते करोज्ज्वलः ।
शुभाय खड्गो भवतु चण्डिके त्वां नता वयम् ॥

May your sword, smeared with the blood and fat of the asuras and shining in your hand, be for our good. O Chandika, we bow to you.

Verse 29

रोगानशेषानपहंसि तुष्टा रुष्टा तु कामान् सकलानभीष्टान् ।
त्वामाश्रितानां न विपन्नराणां त्वामाश्रिता ह्याश्रयतां प्रयान्ति ॥

When pleased you destroy all illnesses, but when angered you destroy all cherished desires. Those who rely on you meet no misfortune; those who take refuge in you become a refuge for others.

Verse 30

एतत्कृतं यत्कदनं त्वयाद्य धर्मद्विषां देवि महासुराणाम् ।
रूपैरनेकैर्बहुधाऽऽत्ममूर्तिं कृत्वाम्बिके तत्प्रकरोति कान्या ॥

O Goddess, this slaughter you have made today of the great asuras who hate dharma, O Ambika, by dividing your own form into many forms: what other could do it?

Verse 31

विद्यासु शास्त्रेषु विवेकदीपेष्वाद्येषु वाक्येषु च का त्वदन्या ।
ममत्वगर्तेऽतिमहान्धकारे विभ्रामयत्येतदतीव विश्वम् ॥

In the branches of knowledge, in the scriptures that are lamps of discernment, and in the primal words of the Veda, who but you is spoken of? And who but you makes this world whirl about in the deep, dark pit of attachment?

Verse 32

रक्षांसि यत्रोग्रविषाश्च नागा यत्रारयो दस्युबलानि यत्र ।
दावानलो यत्र तथाब्धिमध्ये तत्र स्थिता त्वं परिपासि विश्वम् ॥

Where there are rakshasas, where there are serpents of deadly poison, where there are enemies and bands of robbers, where there is forest fire, and in the midst of the ocean, there you stand and protect the world.

Verse 33

विश्वेश्वरि त्वं परिपासि विश्वं विश्वात्मिका धारयसीति विश्वम् ।
विश्वेशवन्द्या भवती भवन्ति विश्वाश्रया ये त्वयि भक्तिनम्राः ॥

O Queen of the universe, you protect the universe; being the soul of the universe, you uphold it. You are worthy of worship even by the lord of the universe; those who bow to you in devotion become a refuge for the universe.

Verse 34

देवि प्रसीद परिपालय नोऽरिभीतेर्नित्यं यथासुरवधादधुनैव सद्यः ।
पापानि सर्वजगतां प्रशमं नयाशु उत्पातपाकजनितांश्च महोपसर्गान् ॥

O Goddess, be gracious and protect us always from the fear of enemies, just as you have just now done by slaying the asuras. Swiftly quell the sins of all the worlds and the great calamities born of the ripening of evil omens.

Verse 35

प्रणतानां प्रसीद त्वं देवि विश्वार्तिहारिणि ।
त्रैलोक्यवासिनामीड्ये लोकानां वरदा भव ॥

O Goddess who removes the suffering of the universe, be gracious to us who bow to you. O you who are worshipped by the dwellers of the three worlds, be the giver of boons to the worlds.

Verse 37

देव्युवाच
वरदाहं सुरगणा वरं यन्मनसेच्छथ । तं वृणुध्वं प्रयच्छामि जगतामुपकारकम् ॥

The Goddess said: I am ready to grant a boon, O hosts of gods. Choose whatever boon you wish in your minds that will benefit the worlds, and I will give it.

Verse 39

देवा ऊचुः
सर्वाबाधाप्रशमनं त्रैलोक्यस्याखिलेश्वरि । एवमेव त्वया कार्यमस्मद्वैरिविनाशनम् ॥

The gods said: O Queen of all, in just this way you should calm every affliction of the three worlds and destroy our enemies.

Verse 41

देव्युवाच
वैवस्वतेऽन्तरे प्राप्ते अष्टाविंशतिमे युगे । शुम्भो निशुम्भश्चैवान्यावुत्पत्स्येते महासुरौ ॥

The Goddess said: When the age of Manu Vaivasvata has come, in the twenty-eighth cycle of yugas, two other great asuras, Shumbha and Nishumbha, will be born.

Verse 42

नन्दगोपगृहे जाता यशोदागर्भसम्भवा ।
ततस्तौ नाशयिष्यामि विन्ध्याचलनिवासिनी ॥

Then, born in the house of the cowherd Nanda from the womb of Yashoda, and dwelling on the Vindhya mountain, I will destroy the two of them.

Verse 43

पुनरप्यतिरौद्रेण रूपेण पृथिवीतले ।
अवतीर्य हनिष्यामि वैप्रचित्तांस्तु दानवान् ॥

Again, descending to the earth in an exceedingly fierce form, I will slay the danavas descended from Viprachitti.

Verse 44

भक्षयन्त्याश्च तानुग्रान् वैप्रचित्तान्महासुरान् ।
रक्ता दन्ता भविष्यन्ति दाडिमीकुसुमोपमाः ॥

As I devour those fierce great asuras of Viprachitti's line, my teeth will become red like pomegranate flowers.

Verse 45

ततो मां देवताः स्वर्गे मर्त्यलोके च मानवाः ।
स्तुवन्तो व्याहरिष्यन्ति सततं रक्तदन्तिकाम् ॥

Then the gods in heaven and men in the mortal world, praising me, will always call me Raktadantika, the red-toothed one.

Verse 46

भूयश्च शतवार्षिक्यामनावृष्ट्यामनम्भसि ।
मुनिभिः संस्तुता भूमौ संभविष्याम्ययोनिजा ॥

And again, when there is a drought of a hundred years with no water, I, praised by the sages, will appear on earth, not born of any womb.

Verse 47

ततः शतेन नेत्राणां निरीक्षिष्यामि यन्मुनीन् ।
कीर्तयिष्यन्ति मनुजाः शताक्षीमिति मां ततः ॥

Because I will then look upon the sages with a hundred eyes, people will therefore celebrate me as Shatakshi, the hundred-eyed one.

Verse 48

ततोऽहमखिलं लोकमात्मदेहसमुद्भवैः ।
भरिष्यामि सुराः शाकैरावृष्टेः प्राणधारकैः ॥

Then, O gods, until the rains return, I will sustain the whole world with life-giving vegetables grown from my own body.

Verse 49

शाकम्भरीति विख्यातिं तदा यास्याम्यहं भुवि ।
तत्रैव च वधिष्यामि दुर्गमाख्यं महासुरम् ॥

Then I will become famous on earth as Shakambhari, and at that very time I will slay the great asura named Durgama.

Verse 50

दुर्गा देवीति विख्यातं तन्मे नाम भविष्यति ।
पुनश्चाहं यदा भीमं रूपं कृत्वा हिमाचले ॥

Then my name will become famous as Durga Devi. And again, when I take a terrible form on the Himalaya,

Verse 51

रक्षांसि भक्षयिष्यामि मुनीनां त्राणकारणात् ।
तदा मां मुनयः सर्वे स्तोष्यन्त्यानम्रमूर्तयः ॥

and devour the rakshasas to protect the sages, then all the sages will praise me with bowed bodies.

Verse 52

भीमा देवीति विख्यातं तन्मे नाम भविष्यति ।
यदारुणाख्यस्त्रैलोक्ये महाबाधां करिष्यति ॥

Then my name will become famous as Bhima Devi. When the asura named Aruna causes great harm in the three worlds,

Verse 53

तदाहं भ्रामरं रूपं कृत्वाऽसंख्येयषट्पदम् ।
त्रैलोक्यस्य हितार्थाय वधिष्यामि महासुरम् ॥

then, taking the form of a swarm of countless bees, I will slay that great asura for the good of the three worlds.

Verse 54

भ्रामरीति च मां लोकास्तदा स्तोष्यन्ति सर्वतः ।
इत्थं यदा यदा बाधा दानवोत्था भविष्यति ॥

Then people everywhere will praise me as Bhramari. Thus, whenever trouble arises from the danavas,

Verse 55

तदा तदावतीर्याहं करिष्याम्यरिसंक्षयम् ॥

then each time I will descend and bring about the destruction of the enemies.

The syllable people get wrong

In verses 2 and 25, kātyāyani (कात्यायनि) has two long ā sounds side by side and, in verse 25, a short final i because she is being called by name: say kaat-yaa-ya-ni, holding both long vowels, not 'ka-tya-ya-nee'.

When the Durga Saptashati Chapter 11 is chanted

Weekday. Friday

Festival. Navaratri, as the sixth day's reading

Questions

It is verse 10 in the standard numbering, the third couplet of the run that ends 'Narayani namo'stu te'. Word by word it calls her the auspiciousness of all that is auspicious, Shiva, the kind one, the one who brings every aim to completion, the refuge, the three-eyed one and Gauri, before naming her Narayani. Its neighbours give it a setting that is lost when it is recited alone: verse 9 calls her the power that turns time and ends the universe, and verse 11 the power behind creation, preservation and dissolution. Between those two large claims, verse 10 names her by what is good and kindly in her.

They are the Mothers, the powers of the gods who came out of their bodies to fight beside her against Raktabija in chapter 8, and the hymn names each by the marks chapter 8 gave her. Brahmani rides a swan-drawn chariot and sprinkles water with kusha grass (verse 13). Maheshvari holds the trident, moon and serpent and rides the bull (14). Kaumari carries the spear among peacocks and cocks (15). Vaishnavi holds conch, discus, mace and the Sharnga bow (16). The Boar lifts the earth on her tusk (17), the Man-Lion sets out against the daityas (18), Aindri bears the thunderbolt and a thousand eyes (19), Shivaduti roars (20), and Chamunda wears a garland of heads (21).

Verse 41 dates the prophecy to the twenty-eighth cycle of ages in the period of Manu Vaivasvata, when Shumbha and Nishumbha will be born again, and verse 42 says she will then be born in the house of the cowherd Nanda, from Yashoda's womb, and will kill them while living on the Vindhya mountain. This is the infant girl of the Krishna story: the Bhagavata Purana tells how she was exchanged for the newborn Krishna, slipped out of Kamsa's hands when he tried to kill her, and rose into the sky as the Goddess. Tradition knows her as Vindhyavasini, the one who dwells in the Vindhyas, and her best-known temple stands at Vindhyachal near Mirzapur.

Verses 46 to 50 give the name its own story. In a drought lasting a hundred years she appears, not born of any womb, and looks on the sages with a hundred eyes, so people call her Shatakshi, the hundred-eyed. Until the rains return she feeds the world with vegetables grown from her own body and becomes known as Shakambhari, she who sustains with greens. At that same time she kills an asura named Durgama, and verse 50 says her name will then become famous as Durga Devi. The Devi Bhagavata Purana adds that Durgama had taken the Vedas by a boon from Brahma, so that offerings ceased and the rain failed.

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Durga Saptashati Chapter 11

What the Durga Saptashati Chapter 11 is

The gods' hymn, one boon and her later forms

The mantra, in six scripts

Durga Saptashati Chapter 11 lyrics in full

The syllable people get wrong

When the Durga Saptashati Chapter 11 is chanted

Questions

Have your chart read before you decide

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