Mahishäsuramardini-Stotram

Mahiñäsuramardiné-Stotram

Composer – Sri Rämakrshna Kavi

Popularised by Sri Anantaräma Dikshitar

ayi! girinandini! nanditamedini! visvavinodini! nandinute!

girivara-vindhya-sirodhi-niväsini! vishnu-viläsini! jishnunute!|
bhagavati! he! sitikantha-kutumbini! bhüri-kutumbini! bhurikrte!
jaya jaya he! mahishäsuramardini! ramyakapardini! sailasute !||1||

Oh! (ayi!) Daughter of the mountain! (girinandini!), delighter of the earth (nanditamedini), the enlivener of all (visvavinodini), O thou! The daughter of Nanda (nandinute! She was born as Mahämäyä to Nanda, who vanished when Kamsa wanted to kill her.), Who dwells on the peak of the great Vindhyas (girivara-vindhya-sirodhi-niväsini), the delighter of Vishnu (vishnu-viläsini! Her brother, since she was born as Mahämäyä to Nanda. Again in Minäkshi-Kalyänam, her brother Vishnu gives her away in marriage to Siva), the adored of Indra (jishnunute). Oh! Who possesses all the six Bhagas (bhagavati!), Who is the consort of the Lord with the blue neck (sitakantha-kutumbini), Who has several families (bhüri-kutumbini, since all the families in the world are Hers), Who does good to her family (bhurikrte). All glory to Thee (jaya jaya he!), the repressor of the demon Mahisha (mahishäsuramardini), Who is decked with beautifully braided hair (ramyakapardini), Who is the daughter of the mountain (sailasute). (1)

suravara-varshini! durdhara-dharshini! durmukha-marshini! harsharate !
tribhuvana-poshini! sankara-toshini! kilbisha-moshini! ghosharate !|
danuja-niroshini! ditisuta-roshini! durmada-soshini! sindhu-sute !
jaya jaya he! mahishäsuramardini! ramyakapardini! sailasute !||2||

(Oh! Goddess!), Who showers boons on the Devas (suravara-varshini), Who punishes those who are indisciplined (durdhara-dharshini), Who tolerates ugly-faced ogres (durmukha-marshini), Who rejoices in Herself (harsharate – knowing herself to be everything), Who nourishes the three worlds (tribhuvana-poshini), Who pleases Lord Siva (sankara-toshini), Who removes effect of wrong-doings (kilbisha-moshini), Who rejoices with the holy sound (ghosharate – with the sound of Om and/or the Vedas), Who is angry on the progenies of demon Danu (danuja-niroshini), Who is angry with the sons of Diti (ditisuta-roshini – the sons of Diti are the Daityas, hence), Who destroys those intoxicated with pride (durmada-soshini), Who is the daughter of the Ocean (sindhusute). All glory to Thee (jaya jaya he!), the repressor of the demon Mahisha (mahishäsuramardini), Who is decked with beautifully braided hair (ramyakapardini), Who is the daughter of the mountain (sailasute). (2)

ayi! jagadamba! madamba! kadamba-vanapriya-väsini! häsarate!

sikhari-siromani-tunga-himälaya-srnga-nijälaya-madhyagate! |(one word)

madhu-madhure! madhu-kaitabha-ganjini! kaitabha-bhanjini! räsarate!
jaya jaya he! mahishäsuramardini! ramyakapardini! sailasute !||3||

Oh! (ayi!) Mother of the entire world! (jagadamba), my Mother! (madamba), Who loves to dwell in the forest of Kadamba trees (kadambavana-priya-väsini), Who is always smiling (häsarate), Who lives in her own dwelling (nijälaya) amidst (madhyagate!) the top peak of the great Himalayas (sikhari-siromani-tunga-himälaya-srnga), Who is sweet like honey (madhu-madhure), Who keeps the treasures of Madhu and Kaitabha (madhu-kaitabha-ganjini), Who is the killer of Kaitabha (kaitabha-bhanjini), Who revels in räsa-dance (räsarate). All glory to Thee (jaya jaya he!), the repressor of the demon Mahisha (mahishäsuramardini), Who is decked with beautifully braided hair (ramyakapardini), Who is the daughter of the mountain (sailasute). (3)

ayi! sata-khanda-vikhandita-runda-vitundita-sunda-gajädhipate!
ripugajaganda-vidärana-canda-paräkrama-sunda-mrgädhipate!|(one word)
nijabhuja-danda-nipätita-khanda-vipätita-munda-bhatädhipate!(one word)
jaya jaya he! mahishäsuramardini! ramyakapardini! sailasute !||4||

Oh! (ayi!) (Goddess!), Who splits the heads of ogres into hundreds of pieces (sata-khanda-vikhandita-runda), Who cuts off the trunks of great battle-elephants (vitundita-sunda-gajädhipate), Who (Devi or the lion) tears the heads of elephants (of the enemy) to pieces (ripugajaganda-vidärana-canda-paräkrama-sunda),Who rides on the valorous lion (mrgädhipate), Who severs the heads of the generals of the enemy (vipätita-munda-bhatädhipate) with her own arms (nijabhuja-danda-nipätita-khanda). All glory to Thee (jaya jaya he!), the repressor of the demon Mahisha (mahishäsuramardini), Who is decked with beautifully braided hair (ramyakapardini), Who is the daughter of the mountain (sailasute). (4)

ayi! rana-durmada-satru-vadhodita-durdhara-nirjara-shaktibhrte!
catura-vicära-dhurina-mahäsivadüta-krta-pramathädhipate! |(one word)
durita-duriha-duräsaya-durmati-dänava-düta-krtäntamate! (one word)
jaya jaya he! mahishäsuramardini! ramyakapardini! sailasute !||5||

Oh! (ayi!) (Goddess!), Who has invincible and un-diminishing strength (nirjara-saktibhrte) to gain victory over the hard to defeat enemies in the battle field (rana-durmada-satru-vadhodita-durdhara), Who made Pramatha, the famous attendant of Lord Siva (sivaduta), known for his subtle intelligence (mahä-catura-vicära), as her assistant (krta-pramathädhipate), Who took the decision to destroy the evil-minded (durita-duriha-duräsaya-durmati) Dänavas and their batallion (dänava-duta-krtäntamate), who are dangerous people, with destructive mind (durmati-dänava). All glory to Thee (jaya jaya he!), the repressor of the demon Mahisha (mahishäsuramardini), Who is decked with beautifully braided hair (ramyakapardini), Who is the daughter of the mountain (sailasute). (5)

ayi! saranägata-vairivadhüvara-viravaräbhayadäyakare !

tribhuvana-mastaka-süla-virodhi-siro’dhi-krtämala-sülakare!|(one word)
dumidumitämara-dundubhinäda-mahomukharikrta-tigmakare!(one word)
jaya jaya he! mahishäsura-mardini! ramyakapardini! sailasute !||6||

Reply

Oh! (ayi!) (Goddess!) Who gives refuge, to the brave soldiers of the enemy rank (viravaräbhayadäyakare!), whose wives (vairivadhüvara) come seeking refuge (saranägata) for them, Oh Goddess who holds the trident aimed at the head of the enemy (sulakare), ready to throw on the heads of those (siro’dhikrtämala), who cause great pain to the three worlds (tribhuvana-mastaka-süla-virodhi), Who shines likes the hot sun, Who is aroused by sound of ‘dumi-dumi’ produced by the beating of drums by the Devas (dumi-dumitämara-dundubhinäda-mahomukhatikrta-tigmakare). All glory to Thee (jaya jaya he!), the repressor of the demon Mahisha (mahishäsuramardini), Who is decked with beautifully braided hair (ramyakapardini), Who is the daughter of the mountain (sailasute). (6)

ayi! nija-hunkrti-mätra-niräkrta-dhümra-vilocana-dhumra-sate!
samara-visoshita-sonita-bija-samudbhava-sonita-bijalate!|(one word)
siva! siva! sumbha-nisumbha-mahähava-tarpita-bhüta-pisäcarate!
jaya jaya he! mahishäsura-mardini! ramya-kapardini! sailasute !||7||

Oh, Goddess! (ayi) who blew away (niräkrta) hundreds of ogres (dhümra-sate), Who had smoking eyes (dhümra-vilocana), With her mere sound of hum (nija-hunkrtimätra), Who is the blood red creeper (sonita-bija-late), emanating from the seeds of blood (sonita-bija), which fell in the battle field (samara-visoshita-sonita-bija-samudbhava) (remember Raktabija episode in Durga Saptasati), Oh! Auspicious Goddess! (siva! siva!), Who sacrificed (tarpita) the ogres  Sumbha and Nisumbha (sumbha-nisumbha) and the spirits and the imps (bhüta-pisäca-rate) in the great battle field (mahähava). All glory to Thee (jaya jaya he!), the repressor of the demon Mahisha (mahishäsuramardini), Who is decked with beautifully braided hair (ramyakapardini), Who is the daughter of the mountain (sailasute). (7)

dhanuranusanga-ranakshanasanga-parisphurad-anga-natatkatake! (one word)
kanaka-pisanga-prshatkanishanga-rasadbhata-srnga-hatäbatuke!|(one word)
krta-caturanga-balakshiti-ranga-ghatad-bahuranga-ratadbatuke! (one word)
jaya jaya he! mahishäsuramardini! ramyakapardini! sailasute ! ||8||

Oh Goddess! Who decks herself with dancing-jewellery on her throbbing limbs  (parisphurad-anga) in the field of battle-field, when she gets her bow ready to fight (dhanuranusanga), Oh, Who killed her enemies in the battle-field with a shining sword, and with arrows from a quiver which has golden brown spots, Oh Goddess! Who made the battleground of the four-fold army (krta-caturanga-balakshiti-ranga), into a stage of drama (ghatad-bahuranga) with screaming little soldiers (ratadbatuke). All glory to Thee (jaya jaya he!), the repressor of the demon Mahisha (mahishäsuramardini), Who is decked with beautifully braided hair (ramyakapardini), Who is the daughter of the mountain (sailasute). (8)

jaya jaya japyajaye! jayasabda-parastuti-tatpara-visvanute!
bhanabhana-bhinjimibhinkrta-nupura-sinjita-mohita-bhütapate!|(one word)
natita-natärdha-natinatanäyaka-nätita-nätya-sugänarate! (one word)
jaya jaya he! mahishäsura-mardini! ramyakapardini! sailasute !||9||

Oh Victory to You! Whose victory is sung (jaya jaya japyajaye) by the whole universe (jayasabda-parastuti-tatpara-visvanute), which is eager to sing her praise extolling her victory, Oh! Who attracts the attention of Lord Siva (mohita-bhütapate), By the twinkling sound made by her anklets (bhanabhana-bhinjimibhinkrta-nupura-sinjita), Oh! Who is half of Lord Siva's body (natärdha), Who is engaged in dancing (natita), Who is delighted by melodious singing, dancing, and drama by versatile actors (nati-nata-näyaka-nätita-nätya-sugänarate),All glory to Thee (jaya jaya he!), the repressor of the demon Mahisha (mahishäsuramardini), Who is decked with beautifully braided hair (ramyakapardini), Who is the daughter of the mountain (sailasute). (9)

ayi! sumanas-sumanas-sumanas-sumanas-sumanohara-käntiyute!
srita-rajani-rajani-rajani-rajani-rajanikara-vakravrte !| (one word)
sunayana-vibhramara-bhramara-bhramara-bhramara-bhramarädhipate! (one word)
jaya jaya he! mahishäsura-mardini! ramyakapardini! sailasute !||10||

Oh Goddess! Who has flower-like complexion, Who attracts people with clean mind (sumanas-sumanas-sumanas-sumanas), Who appears very pretty to the good-minded (sumanohara-käntiyute), Who has a moon-like face, Who is as cool as the moon, to those in the dark, Oh Goddess! Whose face shines in the moon light (srita-rajani-rajani-rajani-rajani-rajanikara-vakravrte), Whose pretty flower-like eyes attracts the bees, Who attracts devotees like the flower attracting the bees (sunayana-vibhramara-bhramara-bhramara-bhramara-bhramarädhipate), All glory to Thee (jaya jaya he!), the repressor of the demon Mahisha (mahishäsuramardini), Who is decked with beautifully braided hair (ramyakapardini), Who is the daughter of the mountain (sailasute). (10)

sahita-mahähava-mallamatallika-mallitarallaka-mallarate! (one word)

viracita-vallika-pallika-mallika-jhillika-bhillaka-vargavrute! |(one word)
sitakrta-phulla-samullasitäruna-tallaja-pallava-sallalite! (one word)
jaya jaya he! mahishäsura-mardini! ramyakapardini! sailasute !’||11||

Oh Goddess! Who becomes happy, in the sport of battle, assisted by warriors (sahita-mahähava), Who is surrounded by hunters, Whose hut is surrounded by creepers, And the tribes of Vallikas, Pallikas, Mallikas, Jhillakas, and Bhillakas (viracita-vallika-pallika-mallika-jhillika-bhillaka-vargavrute), Who is as pretty as the famous fully-opened flower (sitakrta-phulla-samullasita), Oh Goddess , who is as pretty as the creeper full of red tender leaves (aruna-tallaja-pallava-sallalite). All glory to Thee (jaya jaya he!), the repressor of the demon Mahisha (mahishäsuramardini), Who is decked with beautifully braided hair (ramyakapardini), Who is the daughter of the mountain (sailasute). (11)

avirala-ganda-galan-madamedura-matta-madangaja-räjapate! (one word)
tribhuvana-bhüshana-bhüta-kalänidhi-rupa-payonidhi-räjasute! | (one word)
ayi! sudatijana-lälasa-mänasa-mohana-manmatha-räjasute!
jaya jaya he! mahishäsura-mardini! ramyakapardini! sailasute !||12||

Oh Goddess! Who walks like a royal elephant in rut (avirala-ganda-galan-madamedura-matta-madangaja-räjapate), Who is the ornament of the three worlds (tribhuvana-bhüshana), Who is the princess of the Ocean of Milk (payonidhi-räjasute), Who is beautiful like the full-moon (bhüta-kalänidhi-rüpa), Oh Princess! (ayi) Who is worshipped by the God of love (mohana-manmatha-räjasute), who (Manmatha) fills the minds of pretty ladies with desire (sudatijana-lälasa-mänasa). All glory to Thee (jaya jaya he!), the repressor of the demon Mahisha (mahishäsuramardini), Who is decked with beautifully braided hair (ramyakapardini), Who is the daughter of the mountain (sailasute). (12)

kamala-dalämala-komalakänti-kalä-kalitämala-bhälalate! (one word)
sakala-viläsa-kalänilayakrama-kelicalat-kalahamsakule!| (one word)
alikula-sankula-kuvalaya-mandala-maulimilad-bakulälikule! (one word)
jaya jaya he! mahishäsura-mardini! ramyakapardini! sailasute !||13||

Oh Goddess! Whose spotless forehead (amala-bhälalate), is enhanced by the flawless complexion of delicate prettiness (komalakänti-kalä-kalita) pure and delicate like the lotus petals (kamala-dalämala), Who moves with delicate steps like the spotlessly pretty swans (kelicalat-kalahamsakule), Who is the epitome of all beautiful art-forms (sakala-viläsa-kalänilayakrama), Whose tress is surrounded by bees from Bakula trees (alikula-sankula-kuvalaya-mandala-maulimilad-bakulälikule), who (the bees) normally crowd the tops of lotus flowers. All glory to Thee (jaya jaya he!), the repressor of the demon Mahisha (mahishäsuramardini), Who is decked with beautifully braided hair (ramyakapardini), Who is the daughter of the mountain (sailasute). (13)

kara-muralirava-vijita-küjita-lanjita-kokila-manjumate!
milita-pulinda-manohara-gunjita-ranjita-sailanikunjagate!|(one word)
nijaguna-bhüta-mahäsabarigana-sadguna-sambhrta-kelirate!
jaya jaya he! mahishäsura-mardini! ramyakapardini! sailasute !||14||

Oh! Whose sweet enchanting music, made by the flute in her hands (kara-muralirava), has put the sweet voiced Cuckoo to shame (vijita-küjita-lanjita-kokila),  Who has beautiful thoughts (manjumate), Who dwells in the pleasant mountain groves (sailanikunjagate) , that pleasantly resound with the voice of tribal folks (gunjita-ranjita), Whose playground is filled with good qualities of the tribal women who are manifestation of her own qualities flocks of tribal women (nijaguna-bhüta-mahäsabarigana-sadguna-sambhrta-kelirate). All glory to Thee (jaya jaya he!), the repressor of the demon Mahisha (mahishäsuramardini), Who is decked with beautifully braided hair (ramyakapardini), Who is the daughter of the mountain (sailasute). (14)

katitata-pita-dukula-vicitra-mayukha-tiraskrta-candraruce! (one word)
pranata-suräsura-mauli-mani-sphuradamsula-sannakha-candraruce!|(one word)

jita-kanakäcala-maulipadorjita-nirbhara-kunjara-kumbhakuce ! (one word)
jaya jaya he! mahishäsura-mardini! ramyakapardini! sailasute ! ||15||

Oh Goddess! Who wears yellow silks on her waist (katitata-pita-dukula), Which has peculiar brilliance that puts the brilliance of the moon to shame (vicitra-mayukha-tiraskrta-candraruce), Oh goddess, whose toe nails shine like the moon (sannakha-candraruce), because of the reflection of the light from the crowns of Gods and Demons who bow at her feet (pranata-suräsura), Whose hips challenge the forehead of elephants (nirbhara-kunjara-kumbhakuce) and the peaks of golden mountains (jita-kanakäcala-maulipadorjita). All glory to Thee (jaya jaya he!), the repressor of the demon Mahisha (mahishäsuramardini), Who is decked with beautifully braided hair (ramyakapardini), Who is the daughter of the mountain (sailasute). (15)

vijita-sahasra-karaika-sahasra-karaika-sahasra-karaika-nute! (one word)
krtasura-täraka-sangara-täraka-sangara-täraka-sununute!|(one word)
suratha-samädhi-samäna-samädhi-samädhi-samädhi-sujätarate! (one word)
jaya jaya he! mahishäsura-mardini! ramyakapardini! sailasute !||16||

Oh Goddess! Whose splendour defeats (vijita) the Sun with his thousand rays, Who is saluted by the thousand-rayed Sun (vijita-sahasra-karaika-sahasra-karaika-sahasra-karaika-nute!), Who was praised, by Tärkäsura after his defeat, in the war between him and You (krtasura-täraka-sangara-täraka-sangara-täraka-sununute!), Who was pleased with king Suratha and the rich merchant called Samädhi, Who entered in to Samädhi, And who prayed for endless Samädhi (suratha-samädhi-samäna-samädhi-samädhi-samädhi-sujätarate! as described in Durgä-Saptasati). All glory to Thee (jaya jaya he!), the repressor of the demon Mahisha (mahishäsuramardini), Who is decked with beautifully braided hair (ramyakapardini), Who is the daughter of the mountain (sailasute). (16)

pada-kamalam karunänilaye! varivasyati yo’nudinam sa sive!
ayi! kamale! kamalänilaye! kamalä-nilayah sa katham na bhavet|
tava padam-eva param-padam-ityanusilayato mama kim na sive!
jaya jaya he! mahishäsura-mardini! ramyakapardini! sailasute !||17|| 

Reply

Oh! Auspicious Goddess! (sive!) Oh! Compassionate Goddess! (karunänilaye!), Who is the embodiment of compassion, Oh Kamale! Who resides amongst Lotuses (kamalanilaye), one who worships (varivasyati yo’nudinam) Your lotus feet (pada-kamalam) daily without fail, (sah) would for sure be endowed with wealth (kamalä-nilayah sa katham na bhavet). Oh! Auspicious Goddess! (sive!) If I consider Your feet as only refuge (tava padam-eva param-padam-ityanusilayato), is there anything that I will not get (mama kim na). All glory to Thee (jaya jaya he!), the repressor of the demon Mahisha (mahishäsuramardini!), Who is decked with beautifully braided hair (ramyakapardini!), Who is the daughter of the mountain (sailasute!). (17)

kanaka-lasatkala-sindhujalair-anusincinute! guna-ranga-bhuvam
bhajati sa kim na saci-kuca-kumbha-tati-parirambha-sukhänubhavam|
tava caranam saranam karaväni natämaraväni niväsi sivam,
jaya jaya he! mahishäsura-mardini! ramyakapardini! sailasute !||18||

S/he who sprinkles (anusincinute!) the water of the ocean (sindhujalair), taken in a golden pot (kanaka-lasatkala), on You, the playground of virtues (guna-ranga-bhuvam), Oh Goddess will get the same pleasure, like the Indra, when he fondles, the pot-like hips of his wife Sachi.  (Some Freudian problem). I take refuge in Your feet Oh Goddess (tava caranam saranam karaväni), Which is also Siva’s abode (natämaraväni niväsi sivam). All glory to Thee (jaya jaya he!), the repressor of the demon Mahisha (mahishäsuramardini), Who is decked with beautifully braided hair (ramyakapardini), Who is the daughter of the mountain (sailasute). (18)

tava vimalendu-kulam vadanendu-malam sakalam nanu kulayate
kim u puruhüta-purindumukhi sumukhibhir-asau vimukhi kriyate|
mama tu matam sivanäma-dhane bhavati krpayä kim-uta kriyate
jaya jaya he! mahishäsura-mardini! ramyakapardini! sailasute !||19||

S/he who meditates on Your moon-like face, in his/her thoughts would never face rejection (tava vimalendu-kulam vadanendu-malam sakalam nanu kulayate), by the pretty beauties with moon-like face in Indra’s celestial court (kim u puruhüta-purindumukhi sumukhibhir-asau vimukhi kriyate), and so, Oh Goddess! Who is held in esteem by Siva (sivanäma-dhane), I am sure (mama tu matam) you would not reject my wishes (bhavati krpayä kim-uta kriyate). All glory to Thee (jaya jaya he!), the repressor of the demon Mahisha (mahishäsuramardini), Who is decked with beautifully braided hair (ramyakapardini), Who is the daughter of the mountain (sailasute). (19)

ayi! mayi dina-dayälutayä krupayäiva tvayä bhavitavyam-ume ,
ayi! jagato janani krpayäsi yathäsi tathä’numitäsirate|
yad-ucitam-atra bhavatyurari-kurutädurutäpamapäkurute
jaya jaya he! mahishäsura-mardini! ramyakapardini! sailasute !||20||

Oh! Uma! (ayi! ume!) Please shower some mercy on me, since you are most merciful on the oppressed (mayi dina-dayälutayä krupayäiva tvayä bhavitavyam). Oh Mother of the universe (ayi! jagato janani!), be pleased (krpayäsi) to give me the independence, to consider you as my mother, and do not reject my prayer even if it is improper (yathäsi tathä’numitäsirate yad-ucitam-atra), rather be pleased to drive away all my sorrows (bhavatyurari-kurutädurutäpamapäkurute). All glory to Thee (jaya jaya he!), the repressor of the demon Mahisha (mahishäsuramardini), Who is decked with beautifully braided hair (ramyakapardini), Who is the daughter of the mountain (sailasute). (20)

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