शब्दात्मिका सुविमलर्ग्यजुषां निधानम् उद्गीथरम्यपदपाठवतां च साम्नाम् । देवी त्रयी भगवती भवभावनाय वार्ता च सर्वजगतां परमार्तिहन्त्री
You are the essence of sound, the pure repository for those who perform sacred offerings, the delight of those who recite the melodious Sāman hymns; O Goddess, you are the threefold Veda, the blessed one who brings forth the world, and the supreme destroyer of all suffering.
मेधासि देवि विदिताखिलशास्त्रसारा दुर्गासि दुर्गभवसागरनौरसङ्गा । श्रीः कैटभारिहृदयैककृताधिवासा गौरी त्वमेव शशिमौलिकृतप्रतिष्ठा
You are wisdom, O Goddess, known as the essence of all scriptures; you are Durgā, the boat that carries across the difficult ocean of existence; you are Śrī, dwelling solely in the heart of the slayer of Kaitabha; you are Gaurī, established by the moon-crested one.
ईषत्सहासममलं परिपूर्णचन्द्र- बिम्बानुकारि कनकोत्तमकान्तिकान्तम् । अत्यद्भुतं प्रहृतमात्तरुषा तथापि वक्त्रं विलोक्य सहसा महिषासुरेण
When Mahiṣāsura suddenly beheld your face—slightly smiling, spotless, resembling the full orb of the moon, radiant with the finest golden brilliance, wondrous and fierce in its wrath—
दृष्ट्वा तु देवि कुपितं भ्रुकुटीकरालम् उद्यच्छशाङ्कसदृशच्छवि यन्न सद्यः । प्राणान्मुमोच महीषस्तदतीव चित्रं कैर्जोव्यते हि कुपितान्तकदर्शनेन
O Goddess, seeing your angry face, terrible with furrowed brows and yet shining like the rising moon, it is truly astonishing that Mahiṣa did not at once give up his life; for who can endure the sight of death itself enraged?
देवि प्रसीद परमा भवती भवाय सद्यो विनाशयसि कोपवती कुलानि । विज्ञातमेतदधुनैव यदस्तमेतन् नीतं बलं सुविपुलं महिषासुरस्य
O supreme Goddess, be gracious! For the sake of the world, you instantly destroy entire lineages in your wrath. It is now clearly known that the immense power of Mahishasura has been brought to its end.
ते संमता जनपदेषु धनानि तेषां तेषां यशांसि न च सीदति धर्मवर्गः । धन्यास्त एव निभृतात्मजभृत्यदारा येषां सदाभ्युदयदा भवती प्रसन्ना
Those in whose lands you are honored possess wealth and fame, and their paths of righteousness never falter. Truly blessed are those whose children, servants, and spouses are secure, for you, when pleased, always grant them prosperity.
धर्म्याणि देवि सकलानि सदैव कर्माण्य् अत्यादृतः प्रतिदिनं सुकृती करोति । स्वर्गं प्रयाति च ततो भवतीप्रसादाल् लोकत्रये ऽपि फलदा ननु देवि तेन
O Goddess, the virtuous person, ever devoted, performs all righteous deeds daily; by your grace, he attains heaven, and you indeed bestow rewards in all three worlds.
दुर्गे स्मृता हरसि भीतिमशेषजन्तोः स्वस्थैः स्मृता मतिमतीव शुभां ददासि । दारिद्रयदुः खभयहारिणि का त्वदन्या सर्वोपकारकरणाय सदार्ऽऽद्रचित्ता
O Durga, when remembered, you remove the fear of all beings; when remembered by the healthy, you grant supreme auspiciousness. Who but you, destroyer of poverty, sorrow, and fear, is ever compassionate, intent on helping all?
एभिर्हतैर्जगदुपैति सुखं तथैते कुर्वन्तु नाम नरकाय चिराय पापम् । संग्राममृत्युमधिगम्य दिवं प्रयान्तु मत्वेति नूनमहितान् विनिहंसि देवि
With these slain, the world attains happiness; let these others commit evil and go to hell for a long time. Thinking thus, you surely destroy the wicked, O Goddess, sending them to death in battle so they may ascend to heaven.
दृष्ट्वैव किं न भवती प्रकरोति भस्म सर्वासुरानरिषु यत्प्रहिणोषि शस्त्रम् । लोकान् प्रयान्तु रिपवो ऽपि हि शस्त्रपूता इत्थं मतिर्भवति तेष्वपि ते ऽतिसाध्वी
Why do you not reduce all demons to ashes just by your sight? Yet, you send forth weapons against your foes so that, purified by arms, even enemies may reach the worlds; such is your exceedingly noble intention toward them.
खड्गप्रभानिकरविस्फुरणैस्तथोग्रैः शूलाग्रकान्तिनिवहेन दृशो ऽसुराणाम् । यन्नागता विलयमंशुमदिन्दुखण्ड- योग्याननं तव विलोकयतां तदेतत्
With the dazzling flashes of your sword’s radiance, and the fierce brilliance of your spear’s tip, the eyes of the asuras, gazing upon your face—fit to be adorned with the crescent moon—could not bear it and were brought to dissolution.
दुर्वृत्तवृत्तशमनं तव देवि शीलं रूपं तथैतदविचिन्त्यमतुल्यमन्यैः । वीर्यं च हन्तृ हृतदेवपराक्रमाणां वैरिष्वपि प्रकटितैव दया त्वयेत्थम्
O Goddess, your nature is to subdue the wicked; your form is wondrous, beyond thought and unequalled by any other. Your valor, O Slayer, who has destroyed the might of the gods’ enemies, is unmatched, and even towards your foes, your compassion is clearly manifest.
केनोपमा भवतु ते ऽस्य पराक्रमस्य रूपं च शत्रुभयकार्यतिहारि कुत्र । चित्ते कृपा समरनिष्ठुरता च दृष्टा त्वय्येव देवि वरदे भुवनत्रये ऽपि
By what comparison can your valor be measured? Where can one find a form that dispels the fear of enemies as yours does? Only in you, O Goddess, Bestower of Boons, is both compassion in the heart and fierceness in battle seen, even among all three worlds.
त्रैलोक्यमेतदखिलं रिपुनाशनेन त्रातं त्वया समरमूर्धनि ते ऽपि हत्वा । नीता दिवं रिपुगणा भयमप्यपास्तम् अस्माकमुन्मदसुरारिभवं नमस्ते
This entire threefold world has been protected by you through the destruction of enemies, as you struck them down in the midst of battle. The hosts of foes have been sent to the heavens, and our fear—born of the arrogance of the asura enemies—has been dispelled. We bow to you.
शूलेन पाहि नो देवि पाहि खड्गेन चाम्बिके । घण्टास्वनेन नः पाहि चापज्यानिः स्वनेन च
Protect us, O Goddess, with your spear; protect us, O Ambika, with your sword. Guard us with the ringing of your bell, and with the twang of your bowstring.
प्राच्यां रक्ष प्रतीच्यां च चण्डिके रक्ष दक्षिणे । भ्रामणेनात्मशूलस्य उत्तरस्यां तथेश्वरि
Guard us in the east, and in the west, O Chandika; protect us in the south. By the whirling of your own spear, O Sovereign, protect us likewise in the north.
सौम्यानि यानि रूपाणि त्रैलोक्ये विचरन्ति ते । यानि चात्यर्थघोराणि तै रक्षास्मांस्तथा भुवम्
With those gentle forms of yours that move throughout the three worlds, and with those exceedingly terrifying ones as well, protect us and the earth.
खड्गशूलगदादीनि यानि चास्त्राणि ते ऽम्बिके । करपल्लवसङ्गीनि तैरस्मान् रक्ष सर्वतः
O Mother, with those weapons—sword, spear, mace, and others—that are held in your tender hands, protect us on all sides.
एवं स्तुता सुरैर्दिव्यैः कुसुमैर्नन्दनोद्भवैः । अर्चिता जगतां धात्री तथा गन्धानुलेपनैः
Thus praised by the gods with divine flowers from Nandana, and worshipped by the Sustainer of the worlds with fragrant ointments,
भक्त्या समस्तैस्त्रिदशार्दिव्यैर्धूपैस्तु धूपिता । प्राह प्रसादसुमुखी समस्तान् प्रणतान् सुरान्
And with devotion by all the immortals, perfumed with divine incense, she, the gracious-faced, addressed all the gods who had bowed to her.
व्रियतां त्रिदशाः सर्वे यदस्मत्तो ऽभिवाञ्छितम् । ददाम्यहमतिप्रीत्या स्तवैरेभिः सुपूजिता
Let all the gods declare whatever boon they desire from me; I, being greatly pleased and well-honored by these hymns, will grant it.
कर्तव्यमपरं यच्च दुष्करं तन्न विद्महे । इत्याकर्ण्ये वचो देव्याः प्रत्यूचुस्ते दिवौकसः
We do not know if there is anything else to be done, or anything difficult to accomplish; thus, hearing the words of the Goddess, the dwellers of heaven replied.
भगवत्या कृतं सर्वं न किञ्चिदवशिष्यते । यदयं निहतः शत्रुरस्माकं महिषासुरः
By the Goddess, everything has been accomplished; nothing remains undone, for this enemy of ours, Mahishasura, has been slain.
यदि चापि वरो देयस्त्वयास्माकं महेश्वरि । संस्मृता संस्मृता त्वं नो हिंसेथाः परमापदः
And if you would grant us a boon, O Great Goddess, let it be that, whenever we remember you, you will protect us from the greatest dangers.
यश्च मर्त्यः स्तवैरेभिस्त्वां स्तोष्यत्यमलानने । तस्य वित्तर्धिविभवैर्धनदारादिसम्पदाम् । वृद्धये ऽस्मात्प्रसन्ना त्वं भवेथाः सर्वदाम्बिके
And whoever among mortals praises you with these hymns, O stainless-faced one, may you, O Mother, always be pleased to grant him increase in wealth, prosperity, riches, wives, and all kinds of blessings.
इति प्रसादिता देवैर्जगतोर्ऽथे तथाऽत्मनः । तथेत्युक्त्वा भद्रकाली बभूवान्तर्हिता नृप
Thus, having been propitiated by the gods for the sake of the world and themselves, Bhadrakali replied, 'So be it,' and vanished, O King.
इत्येतत्कथितं भूप सम्भूता सा यथा पुरा । देवी देवशरीरेभ्यो जगत्त्रयहितैषिणी
Thus has it been told, O King, how the Goddess arose long ago from the bodies of the gods, desiring the welfare of the three worlds.
पुनश्च गौरीदेहात् सा समुद्भूता यथाभवत् । वधाय दुष्टदैत्यानां तथा शुम्भनिशुम्भयोः
And again, how she emerged from the body of Gauri for the destruction of wicked demons, and of Shumbha and Nishumbha.
रक्षणाय च लोकानां देवानामुपकारिणी । तच्छृणुष्व मयाऽख्यातं यथावत्कथयामि ते
For the protection of the worlds and as a benefactor of the gods, listen now as I recount to you, just as it happened.
पुरा शुम्भनिशुम्भाभ्यामसुराभ्यां शचीपतेः । त्रैलोक्यं यज्ञभागाश्च हृता मदबलाश्रयात्
Long ago, by the power of my strength, the two demons Shumbha and Nishumbha took away the three worlds and the shares of sacrifices from Indra, lord of Shachi.