Mahishaasura Mardini stotra

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This posting is intended to do justice to the Mahishasuramardini stotra which is popular allover India.(For those who wish to post in this group like me with images just type it from your email ID and send to rajarajeshwari_kalpataru . This way each posting will be entertaining and colourful to read with images than just drab lines on and on!)

 

 

 

 

 

MAHISHASURA MARDINI Although the Great Goddess Durga is honored elsewhere in these pages, Her most celebrated role -- as Mahishasura Mardini, the Slayer of Mahisha, the Buffalo Demon -- is so central to the Shakta religion that it merits separate consideration.

HER STORY

Her basic myth is simple, as the greatest stories tend to be: Mahisha, a great demon (asura), has undertaken extraordinary austerities, and thereby accrued such vast power that even the Gods can no longer defeat him. In successive battles, they lose the three worlds to Mahisha's superior might -- and the Cosmic Order in thrown into disarray.

Clearly, a hero and savior is needed -- but who can defeat an enemy that is mightier than the Gods? Answer: The Power (Shakti) that created both the Gods and the enemy in the first place. In order to access that Power, the Gods must reverse the downward unfolding of Divine manifestation, i.e. the cosmic tattvas. (Not coincidentally, this is also the goal of any sadhana undertaken by a human devotee. To help understand the lesson offered here, think of Mahisha as the individual human ego.)

Accordingly, all the Gods simultaneously offer Their own individual powers back to their common Source. And as They do so, They behold an extraordinary sight, as the Source begins to materialize before their eyes:

 

An exceedingly fiery mass like a flaming mountainDid the Gods see, filling the firmament with flames.That peerless splendor, born from the bodies of all the Gods,Unifying and pervading the triple world with its lustre, became a Woman.(Devi Mahatmyam, 2.11-12.<)

She is Maha Devi, the Great Goddess, the Mother of all beings, divine and mortal. Taking the warrior form of Her avatar, Goddess Durga, She departs on Her lion mount to meet the demon. A battle of nine days and nine nights ensues, during which Devi decimates Mahisha's armies using lesser Goddesses produced from Her own body.

At last, She and Mahisha alone remain standing on the corpse-strewn battlefield. Of course, Mahisha cannot win, but he takes the forms of many powerful beasts as he tries. While he is in mid-transformation from Buffalo back to Human form, Devi finally slays him, thus saving the Universe, restoring the Cosmic Order -- and earning the title, Mahishasura Mardini.

 

 

 

 

 

NAVRATRI, OR DURGA POOJA

Hindus commemorate this great battle each autumn during Durga Pooja, or Navratri -- the Festival of Nine Nights. This is the year's most important festival for Shaktas. Each night a different form of Goddess Durga is worshiped; collectively, these forms are known as the Nine Durgas, or Navdurga.

During Navratri, the story of the slaying of Mahisha is told and retold in many forms. The most famous version is undoubtedly the one that appears in Chapters 2 and 3 of the magnificent scripture known as the Devi Mahatmyam, or "Glorification of the Goddess."

Read onGirlhood Memories of Durga Puja in Kolkata Hymns to Sri Durga Devi THE DEVI MAHATMYAM

If there is a Shakta "Bible", then this is it. First set down in writing around 500 CE (as a part of the Markandeya Purana), it is the earliest scripture in Sanskrit to celebrate the Goddess -- in both story and song -- as the Supreme Divinity. However, its composition and mythology are so complex and fully realized that a prior oral tradition in the vernacular languages doubtless reaches back into India's prehistory.

M The entire scripture is usually chanted repeatedly by Devi devotees during Durga Pooja. One recitation scheme can be found in the introduction to this online version of the Devi Mahatmyam. The best English translation in print is probably the one contained in Thomas Coburn's Encountering the Goddess. Coburn's book does not contain the original Sanskrit text; but this India-made version, inexpensive and reliably designed for use in the pooja room, offers parallel English and Sanskrit text.

Besides the DM, the tales appears in many other Hindu sources, most notably the tenth-century Devi Bhagavata Purana (DBP), which builds and expands upon the DM's core to create a complete and comprehensive Shakta theology. Where the brief DM simply assumes the Supremacy of the Goddess, the vast DBP goes to great lengths to prove it. Finally, another notable source is the great hymn known as the Mahishasura Mardini Stotram, here set out in its entirety. Suggested recordings of the hymn are noted at the bottom of the page:

 

MAHISHASURA MARDINI STOTRAM

 

ayi giri nandini, nandita medini, visva vinodini, nandinute || giri vara vindhya shirodhini vasini vishnuvilaasini jisnunute ||bhagavati he shitikaNthakutumbini bhoorikutumbini bhoorikrute || jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||

Oh, Daughter of the Mountain, Who makes the whole World happy, Who makes all the Universe rejoice, Who is praised by Nandin,Who dwells on the peaks of the great Vindhya Mountains, with radiance reaching far and wide, Who is praised by those desirous of victory,Oh Goddess, Wife to blue-necked Shiva, Mother to many families, Doer of many deeds,Victory, victory to You, Oh Slayer of the Buffalo Demon!Victory, Daughter of the Himalayas, with beautifully braided hair!

 

suravaravarshiNi durdharadharshiNi durmukhamarshiNi harsharate ||tribhuvanaposhiNi shankaratoshiNi kilbishamoshiNi ghosharate ||danujaniroshiNi ditisutaroshiNi durmadashoshiNi sindhusute ||jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||

Who bestows boons upon the Gods, Who defeats the undisciplined, Who tolerates the ignorant, Who is ever rejoicing,Who nourishes the three worlds, Who pleases Shankara, Who removes sins, Who inhabits the sound of AUM,Whose wrath befalls the progeny of the demons Danu and Diti, Who destroys those drunk on the evil intoxicant of pride, Who is Daughter of the Ocean!Victory, victory to You, Oh Slayer of the Buffalo Demon!Victory, Daughter of the Himalayas, with beautifully braided hair!

 

ayi jagadamba madamba kadambavanapriyavaasini haasarate ||shikharishiromaNi tungahimaalaya shringanijaalaya madhyagate ||madhumadhure madhukaitabhaganjini kaitabhabhanjini raasarate ||jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||

Oh, Mother of the World, my Mother, Who loves Her Kadamba tree forest, Who is always smiling,Whose dwelling is in the tallest peaks of the Himalayas, the greatest of all mountain chains,Who is so very sweet, Who keeps the treasures of Madhu and Kaitabha, Who slayed Kaitabha, Who is ever dancing,Victory, victory to You, Oh Slayer of the Buffalo Demon!Victory, Daughter of the Himalayas, with beautifully braided hair!

 

ayi shatakhaNda vikhaNditaruNda vituNditashuNda gajaadhipate ||ripugajagaNda vidaaraNachaNda paraakramashuNda mrigaadhipate ||nijabhujadaNda nipaatitakhaNda vipatitamuNda bhataadhipate ||jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||

Who splinters demons' heads into hundreds of shards, Who severs the trunks of their great battle elephants, Whose great Lion mount exhibits terrifying valor, as he tears apart the temples of the enemy's elephantsWho shatters the skulls of enemy chieftains with the strength of her own arms, Victory, victory to You, Oh Slayer of the Buffalo Demon!Victory, Daughter of the Himalayas, with beautifully braided hair!

 

ayi raNadurmadashatruvadhodita durdharanirjara shaktibhrute ||chaturavicharadhuriiNamahasiva dutakrita pramathaadhipate ||duritaduriihaduraashayadurmati daanavaduta krutaantamate ||jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||

Oh, it is You Who possesses the invinceable force that vanquishes hard-to-subdue enemies in battleWho promoted Pramatha, the great attendant of Shiva, a master of subtle thinking, to be Her general in battle,Who destroyed the messengers of the demons, who were sinful, with evil intention in their thoughts and minds, Victory, victory to You, Oh Slayer of the Buffalo Demon!Victory, Daughter of the Himalayas, with beautifully braided hair!

 

ayi sharaNaagata vairivadhoovara viiravaraabhayadaayakare ||tribhuvanamastaka shoolavirodhishiirodhikritaamala shoolakare ||dumidumitaamara dundubhinaada mahomukhariikrita tigmakare ||jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||

Oh, it is You Who gives protection to the wives of heroic enemy warriors when they seek refuge;Who aims a flawless spear at the head of the demon who causes great pain in all the three worlds,Who burns like a blazing hot sun, inflamed by the resounding din of the war-drums of the Gods, Victory, victory to You, Oh Slayer of the Buffalo Demon!Victory, Daughter of the Himalayas, with beautifully braided hair!

 

ayi nijahunkriti maatraniraakrita dhoomravilochana dhoomrashate ||samravishoshita shoNitabeeja samudbhavashoNita biijalate ||shivashivashumbhani shumbhamahaahavatarpita bhutapishaacharate ||jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||

Oh, it is You Who, with a single roar, disperses the streams of smoke flowing from the eyes of advancing demons,Who thrives like a vine on the blood that falls on the battleground,Who delights alike in the company of the auspicious Shiva, inauspicious Shumbha and Nishumbha, and the ghoulish spirits who feed on the battle carnage, Victory, victory to You, Oh Slayer of the Buffalo Demon!Victory, Daughter of the Himalayas, with beautifully braided hair!

 

dhanuranusangaraNakshaNasanga parishphuradanga naTatkaTake ||kanakapishanga prishatkanishanga rasadbhatasringa hataabaTuke ||krutachaturanga balakshitiranga ghatadbahuranga raTadbaTuke ||jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||

Who decks Her tender limbs with fine dancing ornaments at the moment of battle, as She readies Her bow,Who slays huge enemy soldiers with Her shining sword and arrows from Her golden-brown quiver,Who plays with the vast enemy forces arrayed on the battlefield as if they were screaming toy soldiers, Victory, victory to You, Oh Slayer of the Buffalo Demon!Victory, Daughter of the Himalayas, with beautifully braided hair!

 

jaya jaya japyajaye jayashabda parastutitatatpara vishvanute ||jhaNa jhaNa jhinjhimijhinkritanoopura sinjitamohita bhootapate ||natita nataardhanatiinatanaayaka naatitanaatyasugaanarate ||jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||

Victory to You! Victory to You! Whose victory need be sung and praised by all the Universe,Who attracts Shiva's attention with the tinkling of Her bells and ornaments as She dancesWho delights in Her own beautiful singing, and Her dance in the form of Ardhanari, Victory, victory to You, Oh Slayer of the Buffalo Demon!Victory, Daughter of the Himalayas, with beautifully braided hair!

 

ayi sumanah sumanah sumanah sumanoharakaantiyute ||shrita rajanii rajanii rajanii rajanii rajaniikaravakravrute ||sunayanavibhra marabhra marabhra marabhra marabhra maraadhipate||jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||

Oh, it is You Whose flowerlike complexion attracts all good-hearted souls,[The meaning of the middle two lines is unclear],Victory, victory to You, Oh Slayer of the Buffalo Demon!Victory, Daughter of the Himalayas, with beautifully braided hair!

 

sahitamahaahava mallamatallika mallitarallaka mallarate ||virachitavallika pallikamallika shrillikabhillika vargavrute ||sita kruta phullisamullasitaakruNtallaja pallavasallalite ||jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||

[The meaning of this verse is unclear.] Victory, victory to You, Oh Slayer of the Buffalo Demon!Victory, Daughter of the Himalayas, with beautifully braided hair!

 

aviralagaNda galanmadamedura mattamatangajaraajapate ||tribhuvana bhooshaNa bhootakalaanidhi roopapayonidhiraajasute ||ayi sudatiijanalaalasamaanasa mohanamanmatharaajasute ||jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||

Who effortlessly steers huge royal elephants in their fury, musk streaming in rivers down their temples,Oh Great Princess, Daughter of the Ocean, Who has the beauty of the Moon, Who is Ornament of the triple world,Princess of Love, whose beautiful smile enchants the minds of those entrapped by desire,Victory, victory to You, Oh Slayer of the Buffalo Demon!Victory, Daughter of the Himalayas, with beautifully braided hair!

 

kamaladalaamalakomala kaantikalaakalitaamala bhaalatale ||sakalavilaasakalaanilayakrama kelichalatkala hamsakule ||alikulasankula kuvalayamaNdala maulimiladbakulaalikule ||jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||

Whose flawless forehead displays Her beautiful complexion, pure and delicate like lotus petals,Whose flocks of swans follow Her with the fluid grace that is the mark of all beautiful arts,Whose swarms of bees sail down from the bakula trees to light with other bees atop the lotus flowers, Victory, victory to You, Oh Slayer of the Buffalo Demon!Victory, Daughter of the Himalayas, with beautifully braided hair!

 

karamuraliirava viijita koojita lajjita kokila manjumate ||militapulinda manoharagunjita ranjitashailanikunjagate ||nijaguNabhoota mahaashabariigaNa sadguNasambhruta kelitale ||jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||

Who so sweetly plays Her flute that its music puts the Kokila bird to shame, Who always has sweet thoughts,Who dwells in colorful mountain groves that echo pleasantly with the bustle of mountain folk,Whose playground is filled with breathtaking tribal women, who are manifestations of Her own great qualities, Victory, victory to You, Oh Slayer of the Buffalo Demon!Victory, Daughter of the Himalayas, with beautifully braided hair!

 

katitatapiitadukoolavichitra mayookhatiraskrita chandraruche||praNatasuraasura maulimaNisphuradamshulasannakha chandraruche||jitakanakaachala maulipadorjita nirbharakunjara kumbhakuche ||jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||

Who outshines the brilliance of the moon with the colorful rays flashing from the yellow silks around Her waist,Whose toenails shine like the moon as well, reflecting the crest jewels of the gods and demons who bow at Her feet,Whose breasts outshine the temples of wild elephants and the high peaks of golden mountains, Victory, victory to You, Oh Slayer of the Buffalo Demon!Victory, Daughter of the Himalayas, with beautifully braided hair!

 

vijitasahasra karaikasahasra karaikasahasra karaikanute ||krutasurataaraka sangarataaraka sangarataaraka soonusute ||surathasamaadhi samaanasamaadhi samaadhi samaadhi sujaatarate ||jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||

Who surpasses the thousand-rayed sun with the brilliance of Her own thousand hands, and Who is in turn praised by a thousand suns,Who does battle to save the Gods, and Whose sons fought the demon Taraka and are Saviors,[Meaning unclear], Victory, victory to You, Oh Slayer of the Buffalo Demon!Victory, Daughter of the Himalayas, with beautifully braided hair!

 

padakamalam karuNaanilaye varivasyati yonudinam sashive ||ayi kamale kamalaanilaye kamalaanilayah sakatham na bhavet ||tava padameva param padamityanushiilayato mama kim na shive ||jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||

Oh Benevolent Goddess, accompanied by Shiva, when one daily cherishes Your lotuslike feet,Then, Oh lotus-dwelling Lakshmi, how will one not become wealthy?Oh Auspicious Goddess, what riches will not be mine, if I earnestly believe that Your feet are the highest goal to be achieved? Victory, victory to You, Oh Slayer of the Buffalo Demon!Victory, Daughter of the Himalayas, with beautifully braided hair!

 

kanakalasatkala sindhujalairanusinchinute guNarangabhuvam ||bhajati sa kim na sachikuchakumbha tatiiparirambha sukhaanubhavam ||tava charaNam sharaNam karavaaNi nataamaravaaNi nivaasisivam ||jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||

If one bathes You, the playground of virtues, in the shining golden waters of the ocean,Will one not experience in Heaven the joy, equal to that of Indra, of embracing the full bosom of Sachi?Oh Goddess worshipped by the Gods Themselves, I take refuge at Your feet, which are also the abode of Shiva. Victory, victory to You, Oh Slayer of the Buffalo Demon!Victory, Daughter of the Himalayas, with beautifully braided hair!

 

tava vimalendukulam vadanendum alam sakalam nanu koolayate ||kimu puruhoota puriindumukhiisumukhiibhirasau vimukhiikriyate ||mama tu matam sivanaamadhane bhavatii kripayaa kimuta kriyate ||jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||

When one sufficiently dedicates oneself to Your entire moonlike visage, brighter than a host of perfect moons,How will one be turned away in heaven by the moon-visaged beauties of the city of Indra?[Meaning unclear], Victory, victory to You, Oh Slayer of the Buffalo Demon!Victory, Daughter of the Himalayas, with beautifully braided hair!

 

ayi mayi diinadayaalutayaa krupayaiva tvayaa bhavitavyamume ||ayi jagato jananii krupayaasi yathaasi tathanumitaasitare ||yaduchitamatra bhavatyurariikrutaadurutaapa mapaakrurute ||jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||

Oh Uma, please look kindly upon me, because of your virtue of compassion toward the meek,[Meaning unclear],But you may do as You wish with me, Oh You who removes the pain of Her devotees. Victory, victory to You, Oh Slayer of the Buffalo Demon!Victory, Daughter of the Himalayas, with beautifully braided hair!

 

 

 

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Jaya ambe maa......Subodha

 

 

 

Purity, Powers, Parabrahmam...

 

 

 

 

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