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.
तावेव सूर्यतां तद्वदधिकारं तथैन्दवम् । कौबेरमथ याम्यं च चक्राते वरुणस्य च
They themselves assumed the positions of the sun, the moon, Kubera, Yama, and Varuna, just as those deities had held.
तावेव पवनर्धि च चक्रतुर्वह्निकर्म च । अन्येषाञ्चाधिकारान् स स्वयमेवाधितिष्ठति । ततो देवा विनिर्धूता भ्रष्टराज्याः पराजिताः
They themselves took over the roles of the wind and the ocean, as well as the duties of fire; and all other positions, he himself occupied. Then the gods were cast out, deprived of their kingdoms, and defeated.
हृताधिकारास्त्रिदशास्ताभ्यां सर्वे निराकृताः । महासुराभ्यां तां देवीं संस्मरन्त्यपराजिताम्
All the gods, stripped of their authority by those two great demons, remembered that unconquered Goddess.
तयास्माकं वरो दत्तो यथाऽपत्सु स्मृताखिलाः । भवतां नाशयिष्यामि तत्क्षणात् परमापदः
She had granted us a boon: 'Whenever you remember me in times of distress, I will instantly destroy your utmost calamities.'
इति कृत्वा मतिं देवा हिमवन्तं नगेश्वरम् । जग्मुस्तत्र ततो देवीं विष्णुमायां प्रतुष्टुवुः
Having thus resolved, the gods went to Himavat, the lord of mountains; there they praised the Goddess, the power of Vishnu.
नमो देव्यै महादेव्यै शिवायै सततं नमः । नमः प्रकृत्यै भद्रायै नियताः प्रणताः स्म ताम्
Salutations to the Goddess, to the Great Goddess, to Shiva’s consort—unceasing salutations; salutations to Prakriti, to the auspicious one; we, ever devoted, bow to her.
रौद्रायै नमो नित्यायौ गौर्यै धात्र्यै नमो नमः । नमो जगत्प्रतिष्ठायै देव्यै कृत्यै नमो नमः
Salutations to the fierce one, to the eternal one, to the fair one, to the supporter—again and again salutations; salutations to the foundation of the world, to the Goddess, to the doer—again and again salutations.
द्योत्स्त्रायै चेन्दुरूपिण्यै सुखायै सततं नमः । कल्याण्यै प्रणतां वृद्ध्यै सिद्ध्यै कुर्मो नमो नमः
Salutations always to her who is radiant, who has the form of the moon, who is blissful; to the auspicious one, to the increaser of those who bow, to the accomplisher—we offer repeated salutations.
नैरृत्यै भूभृतां लक्ष्म्यै शर्वाण्यै ते नमो नमः । दुर्गायै दुर्गपारायै सारायै सर्वकारिण्यै । ख्यात्यै तथैव कृष्णायै धूम्रायै सततं नमः
Salutations to Nairriti, to the fortune of the lords of earth, to Sharvani; to Durga, who carries across difficulties, to the essence, to the doer of all; to Khyati, likewise to Krishna, to Dhumra—unceasing salutations.
अतिसौम्यातिरौद्रायै नतास्तस्यै नमो नमः । मनो जगत्प्रतिष्ठायै देव्यै कृत्यै नमो नमः
To her who is exceedingly gentle and exceedingly fierce, to her who is bowed to, salutations again and again; to the mind, to the foundation of the world, to the Goddess, to the doer—salutations again and again.