Translated by
P.R.Ramachander
1. Devya hathe thathra mahasurendra,
Sendra suravahni
purogamastham,
Kathyayanim
thushtuvarishta laabha,
Vikasi vakthrabja
vikasithasa.
When Shumbha, the chief of all great asuras was killed, The
devas including Indra were lead by the fire god, and with very happy faces
resembling fully opened lotus flowers, prayed Goddess Kathyayani (Goddess
Chandika) as follows.
(Parvathy was born as a daughter to Sage Kathyayana and was
hence known as Kathyayani.)
2. Devi prapannarthi hare praseeda,
Praseedha mathar
jagatha akhilasya,
Praseedha visweswari,
pahi viswam,
Thwam eswari devi chara
charasya.
Be pleased, Hey Goddess who ends the sorrow of those who
pray to you, Be pleased, hey Goddess who created all the universe and Be
pleased, hey Goddess who looks after the entire universe, for you are queen of
all this world.
3. Adharabhootha jagath swam eka,
Mahee swaroopena yatha
Sdhithasi,
Apam swaroopa sdithaya
thwaithat,
Apyaiyathe
kruthsnamalamghya veerye.
Hey goddess who has undefeatable valour, You exist in the
form of the world, you are the real basis of the world and you improve
(increase) the entire world in the form of water.
4. Twam vaishnavi sakthiranantha veerya,
Viswasya bheejam
paramasi maya.
Sammohitham devi,
samastha metha,
Twam vai prasanna bhuvi
mukthi hethu.
Hey goddess, you are that power of Lord Vishnu, that never
has any end. You are the elementary basis of the entire universe in the form of
Maya Devi (illusion). Hey goddess, you enchant this entire world and it is well
known that if you are pleased, the entire world attains salvation. (By her form
of Maya she makes us live the ordinary life and her form of wisdom she leads to
salvation. )
5. Vidhya samasthasthava devi, bhedha,
Sthreeya samastha
sakala jagathsu,
Twayaikaya
poorithamambayaithath,
Kaa they sthuthi
sthavyapara aparokthi.
Hey goddess, In all the worlds, all women well learned in
the 64 arts are thine part and this world has been filled by you in the form of
mother and because of that all these praise about thee are really very
inadequate.
6. Sarva bhootha yada devi swarga mukthi
pradhayani,
Thwam sthutha sthuthaye
ka va bhavanthu paramokthaya.
What more can be added to your prayers, when you are being
praised like, you are of the form of universe and you are the giver of heaven
and salvation?
7. Sarvasya budhi roopena, janasya hrudhi
samsththe,
Swargapavargadhe devi,
narayani namosthuthe.
Hey Goddess, who lives in everybody’s mind as intelligence
and who grants heaven and salvation to people, Our salutations to you,
Narayani.
(Starting from this sloka, the next sixteen slokas are
called Narayani Stuthi. Narayani denotes “the innate power behind ultimate
god”. It also means “she who provides the basis for all living things. ” Or
“She who is the power behind Lord Narayana. ” Or the power of illusion behind
Lord Narayana or she is who is personification of salvation or She who is fit
to be worshipped by Devas. )
8. Kalakashtadhi roopena parinama
pradhayini,
Visvasyoparathou
shakthe, narayani namosthuthe.
Hey powerful one, who leads to evolution of earth from the
micro time and who is the main force in the destruction of the world, Our
salutations to you, Narayani
(Kashta is the time when eyes blink and open naturally for
18 times and kala is 30 kashtas. These are small measurements of time. )
9. Sarva mangala mangalye, Shive,
sarvartha sadhake,
Saranye triambike Gowri
narayani namosthuthe.
Oh Goddess who is a giver of all good things, who is
peaceful, who is a giver of all wealth, who can be relied upon, who has three
eyes and who is golden in colour, Our salutations to you, Narayani
10. Srushti sthithi vinasanam sakthi bhoothe,
sanathani,
Gunasraye, gunamaye,
narayani namosthuthe.
Hey goddess who is the power behind creation, upkeep and
destruction. Hey goddess who is for ever, who is depended upon by three
characters of sathva, Rajas and Thamas and who is filled with all good
characteristics, Our salutations to you, Narayani
11. Saranagatha deenaartha, parithrana parayane,
Sarvsyarthi hare devi,
narayani namosthuthe.
Hey Goddess, who takes care of those who surrender to you
and those who are suffering, Hey Goddess who removes all sufferings from the
entire world, Our salutations to you, Narayani
12. Hamsa yuktha vimanasthe, brahmani roopa dharini,
Kaushambha ksharike
devi, Narayani namoshthuthe.
Oh goddess who travels in the air plane with swans, who is
having the form of Lord Brahma and who sprinkles water mixed with Dhurbha
grass, Our salutations to you, Narayani
13. Trishula chandrahi dhare, maha vrushabha vahini,
Maheswari swaroopena
narayani namosththe.
Oh Goddess who has the form of Lord Shiva, who holds a
trident, who adorns herself with the crescent and snake and who rides on the
great bull, Our salutations to you, Narayani
14. Mayura kukkuda vruthe, maha shakthi dhare anaghe,
Kaumari roopa
samsthane, Narayani namosththe.
Of Goddess who is with cock and peacock, who holds a great
spear, who is without sin, who is of the form of Lord Subrahmanya, Our
salutations to you, Narayani.
15. Samkha chakra gadha sarnkhya graheetha
paramayudhe,
Praseedha Vaishnavi
roope, Narayani namoshthuthe.
Oh Goddess who holds mace, wheel, conch and bow in your
hands, and who is the form of Lord Vishnu, be pleased with us, Our salutations
to you, Narayani
16. Graheethogra maha chakre, damshtro dhyutha
vasundhare,
Varaha roopini, shive,
narayani namosthuthe.
Oh Goddess who holds aloft the great holy wheel, who holds
the earth in her frontal teeth, who has the form of Lord Varaha and who does
only good, Our salutations to you, Narayani
17. Nrusimha roopenogrena hanthum daithyan
kruthodhyame,
Trilokya trana sahithe,
Narayani namosthuthe.
Oh Goddess who has the form of the Lord Narasimha, who has a
horrifying look and who is ready to kill asuras and who takes care of the three
worlds, Our salutations to you, Narayani
18. Kiritini, maha vajre, sahasra nayanojwale,
Vruthra prana hare,
narayani namoshthe.
Oh Goddess with the holy crown, who holds aloft the great
Vajrayudha, who shines with thousand eyes, who killed the Vruthra asura and who
has the form of Indra, Our salutations to you, Narayani
19. Shivadhoothi swaroopena hatha daithya maha bale,
Ghora roope, maharave,
Narayani namosthuthe.
Oh Goddess who has the form of Shiva Dhoothi, who killed the
great army of asuras, who has a horriying look and who has a great sound, Our
salutations to you, Narayani
20. Damshtra karala vadane, siro mala vibhooshane,
Chamunde, munda
madhane, narayani namosthuthe.
Oh Goddess who has a fearful face because of her teeth, who
adorns herself with the garland of skulls, who killed the giant called Munda
and who is goddess Kali, Our salutations to you, Narayani
21. Lakshmi lajje mahavidhye, sradhe, pushti swadhe,
druve,
Maha rathri maha maye,
Narayani namosthuthe.
Hey Goddess Lakshmi, who is the personification of shyness,
who is of the form of upanishads, who has a religious temper, who looks very
strong, who has the form of the manes, who is permanent, who is the night of
deluge and who is the cause of all the worlds, Our salutations to you, Narayani
22. Medhe, saraswathi, vare, bhoothi bhabravi,
thamasi,
Niyathe, thwam,
praseedhesa, narayani namosthuthe.
Oh Goddess who is wisdom of intelligence, who is the goddess
of words, who is greatest, who is the goddess of the properties of Sathva, Rajo
and Thamas, and who is our Goddess, please be kind on us, Our salutations to
you, Narayani
23. Sarva swaroope sarveshe, sarva shakthi samanvithe,
Bhayebhya sthrahino
devi, durga devi namosthuthe.
Oh goddess who takes all forms, who is the goddess of every
thing and who is having all types of strengths, please save us from fears, Our
salutations to you, Goddess Durga.
24. Ethathe vadanam soumyam, lochana thraya
bhooshitham,
Pathu na sarva bhoothebhya,
kathyayani namosthuthe.
Oh Goddess Kathyayani, our salutations to you, let your
pretty face adorned with the three eyes protect us from all beings.
25. Jwala karala mathyugra maseshasura soodhanam,
Trishoolam padu no
bheeder bhadrakali, namosthuthe.
Oh Goddess Bhadrakali, salutations to you, let your
horrifying trident surrounded by flames, which is very angry and is being kept
to trouble all asuras, protect us from fear.
26. Hinasthi diarrhea thejammsi, swanena poorya saa
jagath,
Saa ganda pathu no
devipapebhyena suthaniva.
Hey Goddess, let that bell in your hand which fills all the
three worlds with sound and which destroys the power of asuras protect us from
sins, like a mother protecting her sons.
27. Asurasrugwasa panga charchithasthe karojjwala,
Shubhaya gadgo bhavathu
chandike, thwam natha vayam.
Hey goddess Chandike let that shining sword in your hands,
which has become dirty because of the flesh and blood of asuras do good to us.
We salute you.
28. Roganseshanapahamsi thushta,
Rushta thu kaman
sakalan abheeshtaan,
Twamasreethanaam na
vipannaranam,
Twamasritha
hyasrayatham prayanthi.
If you are happy you destroy all sort of problems and if you
are angry you destroy all desirable happenings. For any one surrendering to you
there are no dangers and they are only depended by others and not vice versa.
29. Ethath krutham yath kadanam twayadyai,
Dharmadwisham devi,
mahasuranam,
Roopairanekair bahudathma
murthim.
Kruthwambike thath
prakarothi kaanya?
Hey goddess, this action of splitting your real form in to
several and the act of destruction of the great asuras who hate just action can
not be done by anybody else, Is it not?
30. Vidhyasu sasthreshu viveka dheepa,
Shadyeshu vakyeshu cha
kaa twadhanya,
Mamathwa garthe athi
maha andhakare,
Bhibramayathye
thadheeva viswam.
Even with existence of knowledge of manthra (sacred chants)
and magic, laws dictated by religion, great books teaching philosophy and
saying of the Vedas, you manage to keep the entire world, in the dark and in
the ignorant well of egoism and bewilder them. Who else can do it except
you?(This praises the form of Devi called Vishnu maya (power of illusion of
Lord Vishnu), which veils the vision of people. )
31. Rakshamsi yathrogra vishamscha naga,
Yathrarayo dasyu balani
yathra,
Dhavanalo yathra
thadabdhi madhye,
Thathra sthitha thwam
paripasi viswam.
You save and look after this entire world from Rakshasas,
great poisons, enemies, and crowds of thieves and dangers of the sea by being
present in the concerned spots.
32. Visweswari thwam paripasi viswam,
Viswathmika
dharayaseethi viswam,
Viswesa vandhya
bhavathi bhavanthi,
Viwasraya ye thwayi
bhakthi namra.
Hey Goddess, you are the goddess to this entire universe,
because of that you protect the universe. You are the soul of the universe and
so you upkeep it. You are venerable to the greatest lords of this world and so
all those whom, who venerate you with humility, becomes the people on whom the
universe depends.
33. Devi praseedha paripalaya no ari bheether,
Nithyam yadha asura
vadha dhu naiva sadhya,
Paapani sarva jagatham
prasamam nayasu,
Uthpathapaka
janithamscha mahopa sargaan.
Oh Goddess, take mercy on us. Similar to how you have saved
us from the fear of enemies by killing those asuras in an instant please save
us for all time. Bring to an end the sins being committed in this world and the
great problems brought about by people themselves by not following Dharma (Just
action).
34. Pranatham praseedha thwam devi viswarthi haarini,
Trilokya vasinaameedye
lokaanaam varada bhava.
Hey Goddess who destroys all pain from this world, become
pleased with all those who salute you. Hey Goddess, who is fit to be worshipped
by all beings of all the three worlds, grants them boons.
35. Devyuvacha:-
Varadaham suragana,
varama yanmasechadha,
Tham vrunudhwam
jagatham upakarakam.
The goddess told:-
Hey devas who have assembled here, I am the giver of boons.
I would give you any boon that you desire which would be helpful to this
universe.
36. Deva ouchu:-
Sarva Badha prasamanam
trilokyasya akhileswari,
Evameva thwaya
karyamasmad vairi vinasanam.
The Devas told:-
Hey Goddess of the entire world, please keep on doing the
destruction of our enemies, which would destroy the sorrow of all the three
worlds.
37. Devyuvacha:-
Vaivasthenthare prapthe
ashta vimsathi me yuge,
Shumbho
Nishumbhschaivanya vath pathsyathe maha surou,
In the Vaiwaswatha Manwanthara (During the rule of
Vaiwaswatha manu), in the twenty eighth Yuga (portion) two other asuras called
Shumbha and Nishumbha would be born.
38. Nanda gopa gruhe jatha yasodha garbha sambhava,
Thathsthou nasayishyami
Vindhya chala vasini.
Then I would be born in the house of Nanda gopa to Yasodha
and shall live in Vindhya mountains and kill them.
39. Punarapyathi roudhrena roopena pruthwithale,
Avatheerya hanishyami
vaiprachithamscha danavan.
Again I would be born in this world with a terrorizing form
and kill the asuras who are the sons of VaipraChithi.
40. Bakshyanthyascha thanugran Vaiprachithan
mahasuran,
Raktha dantha
bavishyanthi dhadimi kusumopama.
Eating those two terrible Rakshasas who are the sons of
Vaiprachithi, my teeth would become red like the pomegranate flowers. (This
form of Devi who is red all over is known as Raktha Chamunda)
41. Thatha maam devatha swarge marthya loke cha
manava,
Sthuvantho
vyaharishyanthi sathatham raktha dandhikaam.
Because of that all the devas in heaven and human beings on
earth will always pray me and refer to me as Raktha Dandhika. (Goddess with red
teeth)
42. Bhooyascha satha varshikyam ana vrushtiyanambhasi,
Munibhi samsmrutha
bhoomou sambavishyamiayonija.
Then afterwards when the world does not receive any rain for
one hundred years, I would be remembered by the sages and would be born without
the assistance of a woman. (Similar to Chamundi coming from Parvathy)
43. Thatha sathena nethranam nirekshishyami yanmunin,
Keerthiyishyanthi
manuja sathaksheem ithi maam thatha.
Then I would see the sages with my hundred eyes and then
people will praise me as Sathakshi (Hundred eyed Goddess)
44. Tathoham akhilam lokamathma deha samudbhavai,
Barishyami sura, sakair
avrushte prana dharakai.
Then oh devas, I would protect the entire world till it
rains, by production of life saving crops from my body. (Commentators mention
Amaranths as the crop that she will produce)
45. Sakambhareethi vikhyatam thadha yaasyamaham bhuvi,
Thathraiva cha
vadishyami durgama akhyaam maha suram.
46. Durga devithi vikyatham thanme nama bhavishyathi.
Then I would become famous in the world as Shakambharee(She
who gave plants like amaranths from her body and filled up the belly), At that
time I would kill an Asura called Durgama and would become famous by the name
Durga.
47. Rakshamsi bakshayishyami muneenaam thrana
karanath,
Thadha mam munaya sarve
sthoshyanthya namra moorthaya.
48. Bheema devithi vikhyatham thanme nama
bhavishyathi.
Then when I take a huge form and live on Himalaya Mountains
and eat all rakshasas for protecting the sages there, they will salute me with
devotion and I would become famous by the name of Bheema devi (Goddess with
very huge form)
49. Thadaham bramaram roopam kruthwa asankhyayashad
padam,
Trilokyasya hitharthaya
vadishyami mahasuram.
50. Bramareethi cha maam lokasthadha sthoshyanthi
sarvadha.
At the time when a great Asura called Aruna who will trouble
all the three worlds, I would be born with a form which is the form of endless
black bees, for protecting the three worlds Then I would kill that great Asura.
Then people of all the world would praise me as Bramari.
51. Itham yadha yadha badha dhanavotha bhavishyathi,
Thada thada
vatheeryaham karishyamari samkshyam.
Like this whenever problems arise from asuras, I would take
an incarnation and destroy your enemies.
Ithi Markandeya purane
savarnike manwanthare,
Devi Mahatmye,
Narayani sthuthir Nama,
Ekadaso adhyaya,
This is the eleventh chapter in Devi Mahatmya dealing with
the prayer to Narayani Occurring in the Savarnika period of Markandeya Purana
