स्तोत्रमेकं महादेव्या जगन्मातुर्जगत्प्रभो । परं दुर्गतिनाशिन्या गोपनीयं सुदुर्लभम्
—grant me that one hymn to the great goddess, the mother of the world, O Lord of the universe, the supreme destroyer of misfortune, secret and very rare.
देहि मर्ह्य विनीताय भक्ताय भक्तवत्सल । वेदानां जनकस्त्वं च निर्गुणाश्च परात्परः
Give it to me, O worthy one, to your humble devotee, O lover of devotees; you are the origin of the Vedas, beyond qualities, supreme among the supreme.
श्रीभगवानुवाच श्रुणु वक्ष्यामि दैश्येन्द्र स्तोत्रं यत्परमाद्भुतम् । सर्वविघ्नविनाशार्थं मोहपाशनिकृन्तनम्
The Blessed Lord said: Listen, O chief of the Daityas, I shall declare a hymn that is supremely wondrous, which destroys all obstacles and severs the bonds of delusion.
रणत्रस्तेन विभुना शंकरेण पुरा कृतम् । नारायणोपदेशेन प्रेरितेन च ब्रह्मणा
Long ago, when Lord Śaṅkara was terrified in battle, he composed this hymn, prompted by Nārāyaṇa’s instruction and inspired by Brahmā.
शत्रुग्रस्तं शिवं दृष्ट्वा स ब्रह्माणमुवाच ह । उवाच शंकरं ब्रह्मा रथस्थं पतितं रणे
Seeing Śiva beset by enemies, Brahmā spoke to him—Brahmā addressed Śaṅkara, who had fallen on the battlefield, while he was still in his chariot.
सुरसंकटशान्त्यर्थं दुर्गा दुर्गतिनाशिनीम् । मूलप्रकृतिमाद्यां तां स्तौ(स्तु) हि ब्रह्मस्वरूपिणीम्
For the appeasement of the gods’ distress, praise Durgā, the destroyer of misfortune, the primal source of nature, the original one, who is the very form of Brahman.
हरिणा प्रेरितोऽहं च त्वां वदामि सुरेश्वर । विना शक्तिसहायेन को वा कं जेतुमीश्वरः
I, too, O Lord of the gods, speak to you at Viṣṇu’s urging; for without the aid of Śakti, who indeed can conquer whom, O Lord?
ब्रह्मणश्च वचः श्रुत्वा दुर्गां सस्मार शंकरः । पुटाञ्जलिपरो भूत्वा भक्तिनम्रत्मकंधरः
Hearing Brahmā’s words, Śaṅkara remembered Durgā, joined his hands in reverence, and bowed with devotion and humility.
स्नातःपादौ च प्रक्षाल्य धृत्वा धौते वाससी । आचान्तः कुशहस्तश्च शुचिर्विष्णुं च संस्मरन्
Having bathed, washed his feet, donned clean garments, rinsed his mouth, holding kuśa grass, purified, and remembering Viṣṇu—
महादेव उवाच रक्ष रक्ष महादेवि दुर्गे दुर्गतिनाशिनि । मां भक्तमनुरक्तं च शत्रुग्रस्ते कृपामयि
Mahādeva said: Protect, protect me, O great goddess! O Durgā, destroyer of misfortune, have mercy on me, your devoted and loving servant, beset by enemies.
विष्णुमाये महाभागे नारायणि सनातनि । ब्रह्मस्वरूपे परमे नित्यानन्दस्वरूपिणि
O enchantress of Viṣṇu, greatly fortunate one, O Nārāyaṇī, eternal one, embodiment of Brahman, supreme, whose nature is eternal bliss—
त्वं च ब्रह्मादिदेवानामम्बिके जगदम्बिके । त्वं संहारे च गुणतो निराकारे च निर्गुणात्
You are the mother of Brahmā and the other gods, O Mother of the world; in dissolution you are qualified by attributes, and in formlessness you are beyond all qualities.
मायया पुरुषस्त्वं च मायया प्रकृतिः स्वयम् । तयोः परं ब्रह्म परं त्वं बिभर्षि सनातनि
By your māyā you are the Puruṣa, and by your māyā you are also Prakṛti herself; you, O eternal one, bear the supreme Brahman that is beyond both.
वेदानां जननी त्वं च सावित्री च परात्परा । वैकुण्ठे च महालक्ष्मीः सर्वमंपत्स्वरूपिणी
You are the mother of the Vedas, and Sāvitrī, the most exalted; in Vaikuṇṭha you are Mahālakṣmī, the very form of all prosperity.
मर्त्यलक्ष्मीश्च क्षीरोदे कामिनी शेषशायिनः । स्वर्गेषु स्वर्गलक्ष्मीस्त्वं राजलक्ष्मीश्च भूतले
You are the Lakṣmī among mortals, the beloved of Śeṣa who reclines in the ocean of milk; in the heavens you are the celestial Lakṣmī, and on earth you are the royal Lakṣmī.
नागादिलक्ष्मीः पाताले गृहेषु गृहदेवता । सर्वसस्यस्वरूपा त्वं सर्वैश्वर्यविधायिनी
You are the Nāga-Lakṣmī in the netherworld, the household goddess in homes; you are the essence of all crops, the bestower of all wealth.
रागाधिष्ठातृदेवी त्वं ब्रह्मणश्च सरस्वती । प्राणानामधिदेपी त्वं कृष्णस्य परमात्मनः
You are the goddess presiding over passion, and Sarasvatī of Brahmā; you are the ruler of the life-forces, and of Kṛṣṇa, the supreme soul.
गोलोके च स्वयं राधा श्रीकृष्णस्यैव वक्षसि । गोलोकाधिष्ठिता देवी दृन्दा दृन्दावने वने
In Goloka you are Rādhā herself, upon the chest of Śrī Kṛṣṇa; you are the goddess established in Goloka, Vṛndā in the forest of Vṛndāvana.
श्रीरासमण्डले रम्या वृन्दावनविनोदिनी । शतशृङ्गाधिदेवी त्वं नाम्ना चित्रावलीति च
You are the beautiful one in the circle of the rāsa dance, delighting in Vṛndāvana; you are the presiding goddess of Śataśṛṅga, known also as Citrāvalī.
दक्षकन्या कुत्रकल्पे कुत्रकल्पे च शैलजा । देवमाताऽदितिस्त्वं च सर्वाधारा वसुंधरा
You are Dakṣa’s daughter in one age, in another age the daughter of the mountain; you are Aditi, mother of the gods, and Vasuṃdharā, the support of all.
त्वमेव गङ्गा तुलसी त्वं च स्वाहा सती । त्वदंशांशांशकलया सर्वदेवादियोषितः
You alone are Ganga, Tulasi, and also Svaha and Sati; by a mere fraction of your portion, all the goddesses, beginning with the deities, are manifested.
स्त्रीरूपं चातिपुंरूपं देवि त्वं च नपुंसकम् । वृक्षाणां वृङरूपा त्वं सृष्टा चाङ्कुररूपिणी
O Goddess, you are the form of woman, the supreme form of man, and also the neuter; among trees, you are the form of the banyan, and you are created as the sprouting shoot.
वह्नौ च दाहिका शक्तिर्जले शैत्यस्वरूपिणी । सूर्ये तेजः स्वरूपा च प्रभारूपा च संततम्
In fire, you are the power of burning; in water, you are the form of coolness; in the sun, you are the very form of brilliance and ever the form of light.
गन्धरूपा च भूमौ च आकाशे शब्दरूपिणी । शोभास्वरूपा चन्द्रे च पद्मसंघे च निश्चितम्
On earth, you are the form of fragrance; in space, you are the form of sound; you are the very form of beauty in the moon and certainly in the assembly of lotuses.
सृष्टौ सृष्टिस्वरूपा च पालने परिपालिका । महामारी च संहारे जले च जलरूपिणी
In creation, you are the very form of creation; in preservation, the preserver; at dissolution, you are the great destroyer, and in water, you are the very form of water.
क्षुत्तवं दया त्वं निद्रा त्वं तृष्णा त्वं बुद्धिरूपिणी । तुष्टिस्त्वं चापि पुष्टिस्त्वं श्रद्धास्त्वं च क्षमा स्वयम्
You are hunger, you are compassion, you are sleep, you are thirst, and you are the form of intelligence; you are satisfaction, nourishment, faith, and you yourself are forgiveness.
शान्तिस्त्वं च स्वयं भ्रान्तिः कान्तिस्तवं कीर्तिरेव च । लज्जा त्वं च तथा माया भुक्ति-
You yourself are peace, delusion, beauty, and indeed fame; you are modesty, and likewise illusion, enjoyment—
सर्वशक्तिस्वरूपा त्वं सर्वसंबत्प्रदायिनी । वेदेऽनिर्वचनीया त्वं त्वां न जानाति कश्चन
You are the embodiment of all powers, the bestower of all prosperity; in the Vedas, you are indescribable—no one knows you.
सहस्र वक्त्रस्त्वां स्तोतुं न च शक्तः सुरेश्वरि । वेदा न शक्ताः को विद्वान्न च शक्ता सरस्वती
O Queen of the gods, even one with a thousand mouths is not able to praise you; the Vedas are not able, nor is any learned one, nor even Sarasvati herself.
स्वयं विधाता शक्तो न न च विष्णुः मनातनः । किं स्तौमि पञ्चवक्त्रैस्तु रणत्रस्तो महेश्वरि
Even the Creator himself is not able, nor is the eternal Vishnu; so how can I, terrified in battle, praise you with my five mouths, O Great Goddess?