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Home › Mantras › Mangala Chandika Stotram
Chandi (Durga) Mangala Chandika Stotram: the Goddess appearing as youthful, smiling Mangala Chandika before Shiva, whose chariot lies fallen on the clouds
When Shiva's chariot falls in battle, the Goddess appears before him as Mangala Chandika, gracious and smiling
Mantra · Shiva's hymn to Durga as Mangala Chandika, from the Tripura battle

Mangala Chandika Stotram

देवीं षोडशवर्षीयां रम्यां सुस्थिरयौवनाम् । सर्वरूपगुणाढ्यां च कोमलाङ्गीं मनोहराम् ॥

Also known as Raksha Raksha 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 Mangala Chandika Stotram is

The Mangala Chandika Stotram is the hymn Shiva addresses to Mangala Chandika, the form of Durga whom the Brahmavaivarta Purana calls skilled in every kind of mangala, or well-being. It stands in the Prakriti Khanda, chapter 44, where Narayana tells the sage Narada about the goddesses who are portions of Prakriti, directly after the account of Shashthi in the chapter before. As chanted, it has three parts. Six lines of dhyanam picture her as a girl of sixteen, pale as the white champak flower, with jasmine in her braid and eyes like blue lotuses, a boat across the ocean of worldly life. Shiva's own hymn of six verses opens with the double cry raksha raksha and then turns the single word mangala over and over, until nearly every phrase holds it. Seven closing verses name the five who first worshipped her, from Shiva and the planet Mars to King Mangala and women on a Tuesday, and end with the phala shruti for those who listen.

Shiva's Prayer in the War with Tripura

According to the Brahmavaivarta Purana, the first to worship Mangala Chandika was Shiva himself, at the worst moment of his war on the demon Tripura. Narayana tells Narada that the demon, in anger, threw down Shiva's vehicle so that it fell from the sky, and Shiva was left in danger. Urged on by Vishnu and taught by Brahma, he praised Durga, and she appeared before him in a changed form as Mangala Chandika. She told him there was nothing to fear: Vishnu would take the form of a bull to carry him, and she would become the very power of his fighting. Saying this she vanished and became his shakti, and Shiva killed the demon with the weapon Vishnu had given him, while flowers rained on his head. Afterwards, bathed and pure, he worshipped her with water for her feet, flowers, sandal paste, food, cloth, music and dance, meditating on her with the dhyanam the text calls taught in the Veda and accepted by all. The same chapter explains her name. She is Chandi, wakeful and fierce among enemies, and Mangala, skilled in what is auspicious; she is the chosen deity of Mangala, son of the Earth, and of King Mangala of Manu's line, ruler of the seven continents. The Purana also calls her the deity especially dear to women.

The mantra, in six scripts

DevanagariSanskrit & Hindiदेवीं षोडशवर्षीयां रम्यां सुस्थिरयौवनाम् । सर्वरूपगुणाढ्यां च कोमलाङ्गीं मनोहराम् ॥
Tamilதேவீம் ஷோடஶவர்ஷீயாம் ரம்யாம் ஸுஸ்திரயௌவநாம் । ஸர்வரூபகுணாட்யாம் ச கோமலாங்கீம் மநோஹராம் ॥
Teluguదేవీం షోడశవర్షీయాం రమ్యాం సుస్థిరయౌవనామ్ । సర్వరూపగుణాఢ్యాం చ కోమలాఙ్గీం మనోహరామ్ ॥
Kannadaದೇವೀಂ ಷೋಡಶವರ್ಷೀಯಾಂ ರಮ್ಯಾಂ ಸುಸ್ಥಿರಯೌವನಾಮ್ । ಸರ್ವರೂಪಗುಣಾಢ್ಯಾಂ ಚ ಕೋಮಲಾಙ್ಗೀಂ ಮನೋಹರಾಮ್ ॥
Malayalamദേവീം ഷോഡശവര്ഷീയാം രമ്യാം സുസ്ഥിരയൌവനാമ് । സര്വരൂപഗുണാഢ്യാം ച കോമലാങ്ഗീം മനോഹരാമ് ॥
EnglishRoman transliterationdevīṃ ṣoḍaśavarṣīyāṃ ramyāṃ susthirayauvanām | sarvarūpaguṇāḍhyāṃ ca komalāṅgīṃ manoharām ||
“I meditate on the Goddess who appears as a girl of sixteen, lovely, with youth that never fades. She is rich in every beauty and virtue, soft of limb and enchanting.”
देवीं
devīṃ — the Goddess
षोडशवर्षीयां
ṣoḍaśavarṣīyāṃ — sixteen years old
रम्यां
ramyāṃ — lovely
सुस्थिरयौवनाम्
susthirayauvanām — whose youth stays firm
सर्वरूपगुणाढ्यां
sarvarūpaguṇāḍhyāṃ — rich in every beauty and virtue
च
ca — and
कोमलाङ्गीं
komalāṅgīṃ — soft of limb
मनोहराम्
manoharām — enchanting

Mangala Chandika Stotram lyrics in full

Six lines of meditation, Shiva's six verses of praise and seven closing verses, as they stand in the Brahmavaivarta Purana.

All 20 verses, in Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English, each with its meaning. Choose a script:

Download the Mangala Chandika Stotram PDFAll 20 verses with their meanings, in Sanskrit. Free to print and keep.

Dhyanam 1

देवीं षोडशवर्षीयां रम्यां सुस्थिरयौवनाम् ।
सर्वरूपगुणाढ्यां च कोमलाङ्गीं मनोहराम् ॥

I meditate on the Goddess who appears as a girl of sixteen, lovely, with youth that never fades. She is rich in every beauty and virtue, soft of limb and enchanting.

Dhyanam 2

श्वेतचम्पकवर्णाभां चन्द्रकोटिसमप्रभाम् ।
वह्निशुद्धांशुकाधानां रत्नभूषणभूषिताम् ॥

Her complexion glows like the white champak flower and her radiance equals ten million moons. She wears garments purified by fire and is adorned with jewelled ornaments.

Dhyanam 3

बिभ्रतीं कबरीभारं मल्लिकामाल्यभूषितम् ।
बिम्बोष्ठीं सुदतीं शुद्धां शरत्पद्मनिभाननाम् ॥

She bears a heavy braid of hair decked with garlands of jasmine. Her lips are red as the bimba fruit, her teeth are fine, she is pure, and her face is like an autumn lotus.

Dhyanam 4

ईषद्धास्यप्रसन्नास्यां सुनीलोत्पललोचनाम् ।
जगद्धात्रीं च दात्रीं च सर्वेभ्यः सर्वसम्पदाम् ॥

Her face is serene with a gentle smile and her eyes are like deep blue lotuses. She sustains the world and gives every kind of wealth to all beings.

Dhyanam 5

संसारसागरे घोरे पोतरूपां वरां भजे ॥

I worship the excellent Goddess, who is a boat in the terrible ocean of worldly existence.

Dhyanam 6

देव्याश्च ध्यानमित्येवं स्तवनं श्रूयतां मुने ।
प्रयतः सङ्कटग्रस्तो येन तुष्टाव शङ्करः ॥

Such is the meditation on the Goddess. Now hear, O sage, the hymn with which Shankara, caught in danger, praised her with a disciplined mind.

Verse 1

रक्ष रक्ष जगन्मातर्देवि मङ्गलचण्डिके ।
संहर्त्रि विपदां राशेर्हर्षमङ्गलकारिके ॥

Protect me, protect me, Mother of the world, Goddess Mangala Chandika. You destroy heaps of misfortune and bring joy and auspiciousness.

Verse 2

हर्षमङ्गलदक्षे च हर्षमङ्गलचण्डिके ।
शुभे मङ्गलदक्षे च शुभमङ्गलचण्डिके ॥

You are skilled in giving joy and good fortune, O Chandika of joy and good fortune. O auspicious one, skilled in bestowing blessings, O Chandika of auspicious good fortune.

Verse 3

मङ्गले मङ्गलार्हे च सर्वमङ्गलमङ्गले ।
सतां मङ्गलदे देवि सर्वेषां मङ्गलालये ॥

O auspicious one, worthy of all auspiciousness, the blessing within every blessing. O Goddess, you give good fortune to the virtuous and are the home of auspiciousness for all.

Verse 4

पूज्या मङ्गलवारे च मङ्गलाभीष्टदैवते ।
पूज्ये मङ्गलभूपस्य मनुवंशस्य सन्ततम् ॥

You are to be worshipped on Tuesday, the chosen deity of Mangala. You were worshipped constantly by King Mangala of the line of Manu.

Verse 5

मङ्गलाधिष्ठातृदेवि मङ्गलानां च मङ्गले ।
संसारमङ्गलाधारे मोक्षमङ्गलदायिनि ॥

O presiding Goddess of auspiciousness, the good fortune of all good fortunes. You are the support of well-being in worldly life and the giver of the blessing of liberation.

Verse 6

सारे च मङ्गलाधारे पारे त्वं सर्वकर्मणाम् ।
प्रतिमङ्गलवारे च पूज्ये त्वं मङ्गलप्रदे ॥

You are the essence, the support of auspiciousness, and you stand beyond all actions. O giver of good fortune, you are to be worshipped every Tuesday.

Phala Shruti 1

स्तोत्रेणानेन शम्भुश्च स्तुत्वा मङ्गलचण्डिकाम् ।
प्रतिमङ्गलवारे च पूजां कृत्वा गतः शिवः ॥

Having praised Mangala Chandika with this hymn, Shambhu worshipped her every Tuesday, and then Shiva departed.

Phala Shruti 2

देव्याश्च मङ्गलस्तोत्रं यः शृणोति समाहितः ।
तन्मङ्गलं भवेच्छश्वन्न भवेत्तदमङ्गलम् ॥

The verse says that whoever listens with a collected mind to this auspicious hymn of the Goddess will always have good fortune, and misfortune will not come to them.

Phala Shruti 3

प्रथमे पूजिता देवी शम्भुना सर्वमङ्गला ।
द्वितीये पूजिता देवी मङ्गलेन ग्रहेण च ॥

First the Goddess Sarvamangala was worshipped by Shambhu. Second, the Goddess was worshipped by Mangala, the planet Mars.

Phala Shruti 4

तृतीये पूजिता भद्रा मङ्गलेन नृपेण च ।
चतुर्थे मङ्गले वारे सुन्दरीभिश्च पूजिता ।
पञ्चमे मङ्गलाकाङ्क्षैर्नरैर्मङ्गलचण्डिका ॥

Third, the gracious Goddess was worshipped by King Mangala. Fourth, on a Tuesday, she was worshipped by beautiful women; and fifth, Mangala Chandika was worshipped by people who longed for good fortune.

Phala Shruti 5

पूजिता प्रतिविश्वेषु विश्वेशैः पूजिता सदा ।
ततः सर्वत्र सम्पूज्य सा बभूव सुरेश्वरी ॥

She was worshipped in every universe, ever honoured by the lords of the universes. Then, worshipped everywhere, she became the sovereign Goddess of the gods.

Phala Shruti 6

देवादिभिश्च मुनिभिर्मनुभिर्मानवैर्मुने ।
देव्याश्च मङ्गलस्तोत्रं यः शृणोति समाहितः ॥

O sage, she was worshipped by the gods and others, by sages, by the Manus and by human beings. Whoever listens with a collected mind to this auspicious hymn of the Goddess...

Phala Shruti 7

तन्मङ्गलं भवेच्छश्वन्न भवेत्तदमङ्गलम् ।
वर्द्धन्ते तत्पुत्रपौत्रा मङ्गलं च दिने दिने ॥

...the verse says, will always have good fortune and no misfortune. Their sons and grandsons flourish, and their well-being grows day by day.

Closing

इति श्रीब्रह्मवैवर्ते महापुराणे द्वितीये प्रकृतिखण्डे नारदनारायणसंवादे मङ्गलोपाख्याने तत्स्तोत्रादिकथनं नाम चतुश्चत्वारिंशत्तमोऽध्यायः ॥

Thus ends the forty-fourth chapter, telling the hymn of Mangala Chandika, in the story of Mangala in the dialogue between Narada and Narayana, in the second book, the Prakriti Khanda, of the Brahmavaivarta Purana.

The syllable people get wrong

In maṅgalacaṇḍike the ṇḍ is retroflex, said with the tongue curled back to the roof of the mouth, as in caṇḍī; many readers soften it to the dental n-d of candra, the moon, which makes a different word. Say mun-ga-la-CHUN-di-kay, with the curled ṇḍ and a long final e.

When the Mangala Chandika Stotram is chanted

Weekday. Friday

Festival. Tuesday (Mangalavara) worship of Mangala Chandika

Questions

It comes from the Brahmavaivarta Purana, Prakriti Khanda, chapter 44, in the section on Mangala Chandika told by Narayana to Narada. The six verses of praise are Shiva's, introduced by the words Shankara uvacha, Shankara said; the dhyanam before them and the closing verses after them are Narayana's narration. The closing verses, also in Narayana's voice, name those who first worshipped her and end with the phala shruti for those who listen.
Tuesday is Mangalavara, the day of Mangala, the planet Mars, and the Purana links the Goddess to that name in several ways. Verse 4 calls her the one to be worshipped on Tuesday and the chosen deity of Mangala; verse 6 says she is worshipped every Tuesday. The closing verses add that Shiva worshipped her each Tuesday after the hymn, that the planet Mangala worshipped her second, and that women worshipped her fourth, on a Tuesday.
They are not the same tradition, though some printings title this hymn with both names. Mangala Chandika is the Puranic form of Durga in this chapter, named for her fierceness against enemies and her skill in well-being, and praised by Shiva in the Tripura war. Mangala Gauri is Parvati as honoured in the Shravana Tuesday vow kept by married women, a household observance whose story comes from regional tradition, not from this chapter.
Yes. Just before the dhyanam, the chapter gives a root mantra of twenty-one syllables, made of seed syllables followed by her name, with which Shiva made his offerings. It is a japa mantra received in worship rather than a verse of the hymn, so the stotram as chanted begins with the dhyanam, devim shodashavarshiyam, and the root mantra is not printed here.
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