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Mantra · The gods' first hymn to Lalita as she rose from their sacrifice fire

Lalitha Stavaraja

जय देवि जगन्मातर्जय देवि परात्परे । जय कल्याणनिलये जय कामकलात्मिके ॥

Also known as Jaya Devi Jaganmatar

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 Lalitha Stavaraja is

The Lalitha Stavaraja, printed in Sanskrit as the Lalita Stavaraja, the 'king of hymns' to Lalita, is the praise the gods offer the Goddess in the thirteenth chapter of the Lalitopakhyana, in the Uttarabhaga of the Brahmanda Purana. Hayagriva recounts it to the sage Agastya, and the chapter's own closing line gives it this name. The gods sing verses 1 to 28. Verses 1 to 4 hail her with 'jaya', victory, as Kamakshi, consort of Kameshvara and Shri Lalita. Verses 5 to 16 picture the universe as her body: Atala is her feet, the clouds her hair, the stars her flowers, and seven of the eight limbs of yoga, from the yamas to samadhi, become her nails, nose, senses, mind and heart; only posture is left out. Verses 20 to 23 each end 'tasyai devyai namonamah', and 24 to 28 widen into longer metres, closing on 'prasida', be gracious. Verses 29 to 36 return to the story.

The gods' sacrifice on the Ganga bank

The hymn answers an episode told in the chapter before it, which the Purana names the appearance of Lalita. Bhanda, the demon king, held the three worlds until an enchantment sent by Vishnu drew him into years of pleasure. In that respite the sage Narada came to Indra and warned that no austerity could break Bhanda's strength without worship of the supreme Shakti. Indra led the gods to the Himalaya, to the flowering bank of the Bhagirathi, a place the Purana says was afterwards called Indraprastha, and there they worshipped her for ten thousand years and ten days. Bhanda's priest, the son of Bhrigu, roused him, and the demon marched on them, but a shining wall rose in his way; each time he broke it, it stood again, and he turned home. Still afraid, the gods prepared a fire-pit a yojana wide and began to offer their own flesh into it. As they were about to give their whole bodies, a mass of light appeared, a wheel took shape inside it, and at its centre stood the Goddess, red as the hibiscus, holding the noose, goad, sugarcane bow and five arrows. Her glance made their bodies whole and hard as diamond, and they praised her with these verses. The next chapter brings Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva before her, and Shiva, in a new form, is named Kameshvara as her consort.

The mantra, in six scripts

DevanagariSanskrit & Hindiजय देवि जगन्मातर्जय देवि परात्परे । जय कल्याणनिलये जय कामकलात्मिके ॥

Tamilஜய தேவி ஜகந்மாதர்ஜய தேவி பராத்பரே । ஜய கல்யாணநிலயே ஜய காமகலாத்மிகே ॥

Teluguజయ దేవి జగన్మాతర్జయ దేవి పరాత్పరే । జయ కల్యాణనిలయే జయ కామకలాత్మికే ॥

Kannadaಜಯ ದೇವಿ ಜಗನ್ಮಾತರ್ಜಯ ದೇವಿ ಪರಾತ್ಪರೇ । ಜಯ ಕಲ್ಯಾಣನಿಲಯೇ ಜಯ ಕಾಮಕಲಾತ್ಮಿಕೇ ॥

Malayalamജയ ദേവി ജഗന്മാതര്ജയ ദേവി പരാത്പരേ । ജയ കല്യാണനിലയേ ജയ കാമകലാത്മികേ ॥

EnglishRoman transliterationjaya devi jaganmātarjaya devi parātpare | jaya kalyāṇanilaye jaya kāmakalātmike ||

“Victory to you, Goddess, mother of the world; victory to you, Goddess beyond the highest. Victory to you, home of all that is auspicious; victory to you whose very self is the art of desire (Kamakala).”

जय: jaya — victory
देवि: devi — O Goddess
जगन्मातर्जय: jaganmātarjaya — O mother of the world; victory
देवि: devi — O Goddess
परात्परे: parātpare — beyond the highest
जय: jaya — victory
कल्याणनिलये: kalyāṇanilaye — home of all that is auspicious
जय: jaya — victory
कामकलात्मिके: kāmakalātmike — whose self is Kamakala

Lalitha Stavaraja lyrics in full

The whole thirteenth chapter of the Lalitopakhyana: the gods' hymn in verses 1 to 28, then Indra's request and the Goddess's reply. The printed closing line is given at the end.

All 37 verses, in Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English, each with its meaning. Choose a script:

Download the Lalitha Stavaraja PDFAll 37 verses with their meanings, in Sanskrit. Free to print and keep.

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Verse 1

जय देवि जगन्मातर्जय देवि परात्परे ।
जय कल्याणनिलये जय कामकलात्मिके ॥

Victory to you, Goddess, mother of the world; victory to you, Goddess beyond the highest. Victory to you, home of all that is auspicious; victory to you whose very self is the art of desire (Kamakala).

Verse 2

जयकारि च वामाक्षि जय कामाक्षि सुन्दरि ।
जयाखिलसुराराध्ये जय कामेशि मानदे ॥

Victory to you who bring victory, lovely-eyed one; victory to you, beautiful Kamakshi. Victory to you who are worshipped by all the gods; victory to you, consort of Kameshvara, giver of honour.

Verse 3

जय ब्रह्ममये देवि ब्रह्मात्मकरसात्मिके ।
जय नारायणि परे नन्दिताशेषविष्टपे ॥

Victory to you, Goddess made of Brahman, whose essence is the bliss of the Self. Victory to you, supreme Narayani, who gladden every world.

Verse 4

जय श्रीकण्ठदयिते जय श्रीललितेऽम्बिके ।
जय श्रीविजये देवि विजयश्रीसमृद्धिदे ॥

Victory to you, beloved of Shiva (Shrikantha); victory to you, Mother Shri Lalita. Victory to you, Goddess Shri Vijaya, who give victory and abundant prosperity.

Verse 5

जातस्य जायमानस्य इष्टापूर्तस्य हेतवे ।
नमस्तस्यै त्रिजगतां पालयित्र्यै परात्परे ॥

Salutation to her who is the cause of all that is born and is being born, and of sacrifice and pious works; salutation to her, higher than the highest, who protects the three worlds.

Verse 6

कलामुहूर्तकाष्ठाहर्मासर्तुशरदात्मने ।
नमः सहस्रशीर्षायै सहस्रमुखलोचने ॥

Salutation to her who is the moments, the hours, the days, the months, the seasons and the years; salutation to her of a thousand heads, with a thousand faces and eyes.

Verse 7

नमः सहस्रहस्ताब्जपादपङ्कजशोभिते ।
अणोरणुतरे देवि महतोऽपि महीयसि ॥

Salutation to you, radiant with a thousand lotus hands and lotus feet. O Goddess, you are subtler than the subtlest and greater than the great.

Verse 8

परात्परतरे मातस्तेजस्तेजीयसामपि ।
अतलं तु भवेत्पादौ वितलं जानुनी तव ॥

Mother, you are higher than the highest and the brightest of all that shines. The nether world Atala is your feet, and Vitala is your knees.

Verse 9

रसातलं कटीदेशः कुक्षिस्ते धरणी भवेत् ।
हृदयं तु भुवर्लोकः स्वस्ते मुखमुदाहृतम् ॥

Rasatala is your waist and the earth is your belly. The middle world is your heart, and heaven is said to be your face.

Verse 10

दृशश्चन्द्रार्कदहना दिशस्ते बाहवोऽम्बिके ।
मरुतस्तु तवोच्छ्वासा वाचस्ते श्रुतयोऽखिलाः ॥

Your eyes are the moon, the sun and fire; the directions are your arms, O Mother. The winds are your breath, and all the Vedas are your speech.

Verse 11

क्रीडा ते लोकरचना सखा ते चिन्मयः शिवः ।
आहारस्ते सदानन्दो वासस्ते हृदये सताम् ॥

Your play is the making of the worlds, and your companion is Shiva, who is pure consciousness. Your food is everlasting bliss, and your dwelling is the heart of the good.

Verse 12

दृश्यादृश्यस्वरूपाणि रूपाणि भुवनानि ते ।
शिरोरुहा घनास्ते तु तारकाः कुसुमानि ते ॥

All forms, seen and unseen, and all the worlds are your forms. The clouds are your hair, and the stars are your flowers.

Verse 13

धर्माद्या बाहवस्ते स्युरधर्माद्यायुधानि ते ।
यमाश्च नियमाश्चैव करपादरुहास्तथा ॥

Dharma and the virtues are your arms, and adharma and the like are your weapons. The yamas and niyamas (the moral restraints and observances) are the nails of your hands and feet.

Verse 14

स्तनौ स्वाहास्वधाकरौ लोकोज्जीवनकारकौ ।
प्राणायामस्तु ते नासा रसना ते सरस्वती ॥

Your breasts are Svaha and Svadha, the source and giver of life to the worlds. Breath-control (pranayama) is your nose, and Sarasvati is your tongue.

Verse 15

प्रत्याहारस्त्विन्द्रियाणि ध्यानं ते धीस्तु सत्तमा ।
मनस्ते धारणाशक्तिर्हृदयं ते समाधिकः ॥

Withdrawal of the senses (pratyahara) is your senses, and meditation is your noble intellect. Concentration (dharana) is your mind, and absorption (samadhi) is your heart.

Verse 16

महीरुहास्तेऽङ्गरुहाः प्रभातं वसनं तव ।
भूतं भव्यं भविष्यच्च नित्यं च तव विग्रहः ॥

The trees are the hair of your body, and the dawn is your garment. The past, the present and the future are your eternal form.

Verse 17

यज्ञरूपा जगद्धात्री विश्वरूपा च पावनी ।
आदौ या तु दयाभूता ससर्ज निखिलाः प्रजाः ॥

She is the form of sacrifice, the support of the world, the form of the universe and the purifier. In the beginning, as compassion itself, she brought forth all beings.

Verse 18

हृदयस्थापि लोकानामदृश्या मोहनात्मिका ॥

Though she dwells in the hearts of all beings, she is unseen, and she is the power that enchants them.

Verse 19

नामरूपविभागं च या करोति स्वलीलया ।
तान्यधिष्ठाय तिष्ठन्ती तेष्वसक्तार्थकामदा ।
नमस्तस्यै महादेव्यै सर्वशक्त्यै नमोनमः ॥

Salutation again and again to that great Goddess, the power of all, who in her own play divides the world into names and forms, and who presides over them while remaining unattached, granting wealth and desires.

Verse 20

यदाज्ञया प्रवर्तन्ते वह्निसूर्येन्दुमारुताः ।
पृथिव्यादीनि भूतानि तस्यै देव्यै नमोनमः ॥

Salutation again and again to that Goddess at whose command fire, sun, moon and wind move, and the earth and the other elements act.

Verse 21

या ससर्जादिधातारं सर्गादावादिभूरिदम् ।
दधार स्वयमेवैका तस्यै देव्यै नमोनमः ॥

Salutation again and again to that Goddess who created the first creator at the start of creation, and who alone, by herself, upheld this whole world.

Verse 22

यथा धृता तु धरिणी ययाकाशममेयया ।
यस्यामुदेति सविता तस्यै देव्यै नमोनमः ॥

Salutation again and again to that Goddess by whom the earth is held and by whom, the immeasurable one, the sky is held, and in whom the sun rises.

Verse 23

यत्रोदेति जगत्कृत्स्नं यत्र तिष्ठति निर्भरम् ।
यत्रान्तमेति काले तु तस्यै देव्यै नमोनमः ॥

Salutation again and again to that Goddess from whom the whole world arises, in whom it fully abides, and into whom it goes to its end in time.

Verse 24

नमोनमस्ते रजसे भवायै नमोनमः सात्त्विकसंस्थितायै ।
नमोनमस्ते तमसे हरायै नमोनमो निर्गुणतः शिवायै ॥

Salutation again and again to you as rajas, as Bhava the creator; salutation again and again to you established in sattva. Salutation again and again to you as tamas, as Hara; salutation again and again to you as Shiva, beyond all qualities.

Verse 25

नमोनमस्ते जगदेकमात्रे नमोनमस्ते जगदेकपित्रे ।
नमोनमस्तेऽखिलरूपतन्त्रे नमोनमस्तेऽखिलयन्त्ररूपे ॥

Salutation again and again to you, the one mother of the world; salutation again and again to you, the one father of the world. Salutation again and again to you, the framework of every form; salutation again and again to you whose form is every yantra.

Verse 26

नमोनमो लोकगुरुप्रधाने नमोनमस्तेऽखिलवाग्विभूत्यै ।
नमोऽस्तु लक्ष्म्यै जगदेकतुष्ट्यै नमोनमः शाम्भवि सर्वशक्त्यै ॥

Salutation again and again to you, chief of the teachers of the world; salutation again and again to you, the glory of all speech. Salutation to Lakshmi, the one contentment of the world; salutation again and again to you, Shambhavi, power of all.

Verse 27

अनादिमध्यान्तमपाञ्चभौतिकं ह्यवाङ्मनोगम्यमतर्क्यवैभवम् ।
अरूपमद्वन्द्वमदृष्टगोचरं प्रभावमग्र्यं कथमम्ब वर्णये ॥

Without beginning, middle or end, not made of the five elements, beyond the reach of speech and mind, of glory past reasoning, formless, beyond all pairs of opposites and outside what can be seen: O Mother, how can I describe your supreme greatness?

Verse 28

प्रसीद विश्वेश्वरि विश्ववन्दिते प्रसीद विद्येश्वरि वेदरूपिणि ।
प्रसीद मायामयि मन्त्रविग्रहे प्रसीद सर्वेश्वरि सर्वरूपिणि ॥

Be gracious, Queen of the universe, worshipped by the universe; be gracious, Queen of knowledge, whose form is the Veda. Be gracious, you who are made of Maya, whose body is the mantra; be gracious, Queen of all, who take every form.

Verse 29

इति स्तुत्वा महादेवीं देवाः सर्वे सवासवाः ।
भूयो भूयो नमस्कृत्य शरणं जग्मुरञ्जसा ॥

Having praised the great Goddess in this way, all the gods together with Indra bowed to her again and again and at once took refuge in her.

Verse 30

ततः प्रसन्ना सा देवी प्रणतं वीक्ष्य वासवम् ।
वरेण च्छन्दयामास वरदाखिलदेहिनाम् ॥

Then the Goddess, pleased, seeing Indra bowed before her, she who grants boons to all embodied beings offered him a boon.

Verse 31

यदि तुष्टासि कल्याणि वरं दैत्येन्द्रपीडितः ।
दुर्धरं जीवितं देहि त्वां गताः शरणार्थिनः ॥

Indra said: If you are pleased, O auspicious one, then as one oppressed by the lord of the demons I ask this boon: give us a life that cannot be overcome, for we have come to you seeking refuge.

Verse 32

अहमेव विनिर्जित्य भण्डं दैत्यकुलोद्भवम् ।
अचिरात्तव दास्यामि त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम् ॥

The Goddess said: I myself will defeat Bhanda, born in the race of the demons, and soon I will give you back the three worlds with all that moves and does not move.

Verse 33

निर्भया मुदिताः सन्तु सर्वे देवगणास्तथा ।
ये स्तोष्यन्ति च मां भक्त्या स्तवेनानेन मानवाः ॥

Let all the hosts of the gods be free from fear and glad. The verse says that those people who praise me with devotion through this hymn...

Verse 34

भाजनं ते भविष्यन्ति धर्मश्रीयशसां सदा ।
विद्याविनयसम्पन्ना नीरोगा दीर्घजीविनः ॥

...will always be vessels of dharma, prosperity and fame; they will be rich in learning and humility, free of disease and long-lived.

Verse 35

पुत्रमित्रकलत्राढ्या भवन्तु मदनुग्रहात् ।
इति लब्धवरा देवा देवेन्द्रोऽपि महाबलः ॥

The verse says they will be blessed with sons, friends and spouse by her grace. Having received this boon, the gods and mighty Indra too...

Verse 36

आमोदं परमं जग्मुस्तां विलोक्य मुहुर्मुहुः ॥

...felt the highest joy, gazing at her again and again.

Closing

इति श्रीब्रह्माण्डमहापुराणे उत्तरभागे हयग्रीवागस्त्यसंवादे ललितोपाख्याने ललितास्तवराजो नाम त्रयोदशोऽध्यायः ॥

Thus ends the thirteenth chapter, named the Lalita Stavaraja, in the Lalitopakhyana, in the dialogue of Hayagriva and Agastya, in the latter part of the Shri Brahmanda Mahapurana.

The syllable people get wrong

In verse 5, iṣṭāpūrtasya ('of sacrifice and pious works') is often said 'ishtapoorthasya'; the ṣṭ is a retroflex cluster with the tongue curled back, the ā and ū are long, and the t after r is a plain unaspirated t: ish-TAA-poor-ta-sya.

When the Lalitha Stavaraja is chanted

Weekday. Friday

Questions

Stava means a hymn of praise and raja means king, so Stavaraja is the king of hymns. The name comes from the Purana itself: its closing line calls the thirteenth chapter of the Lalitopakhyana 'Lalitastavaraja'. Within the verses no title is used. When the Goddess speaks of the hymn in verse 33, she calls it simply 'this praise', stavena anena, the hymn the gods have just sung before her.

Both belong to the same Lalitopakhyana, told by Hayagriva to Agastya, but they stand at opposite ends of it. The Stavaraja is spoken by the gods at the very moment the Goddess appears, before her marriage, her city or her war. The Lalitha Sahasranamam comes as a teaching at the close of the account, and its opening names look back to this same rising from the fire-pit. The Stavaraja gives no list of names; it is an address in the second person.

Verses 33 to 35, spoken by the Goddess after Indra's plea in verse 31 and her promise in verse 32 to defeat Bhanda herself. The verses say that people who praise her with devotion through this hymn will always be vessels of dharma, prosperity and fame, rich in learning and humility, free of disease and long-lived, and blessed with children, friends and spouse by her grace. Verse 36 closes the chapter with the gods gazing at her in joy.

No, though the names are close. The Lalita Stavaratna, also called the Aryadvishati, is attributed to the sage Durvasas and runs to some two hundred verses in the arya metre. The Stavaraja has no named author: it is the gods' hymn within the Brahmanda Purana, 28 verses of praise inside a 36-verse chapter, mostly in the short anushtubh metre, opening with 'jaya devi jaganmatar'.

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Continue

Lalitha Stavaraja

What the Lalitha Stavaraja is

The gods' sacrifice on the Ganga bank

The mantra, in six scripts

Lalitha Stavaraja lyrics in full

The syllable people get wrong

When the Lalitha Stavaraja is chanted

Questions

Have your chart read before you decide

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