Mahishasura Mardini Stotram — Lyrics with Meaning

Verse 1

Ayi girinandini nanditamedini vishvavinodini nandanute | girivaravindhyashirodhinivAsini vishnuvilasini jishnunute || bhagavati he shitikanthakutumbini bhurikutumbini bhurikrite | jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute ||1||

O daughter of the mountain king, you have filled the earth with joy; the whole world delights in your play. You dwell on the peak of the great Vindhya, beloved of Vishnu, honoured by Indra. O Goddess, consort of Shiva the blue-throated, of vast household — victory, victory to you, Mahishasura's slayer, lovely-tressed daughter of the mountain.

Verse 2

Suravara-varshini durdhara-dharshini durmukha-marshini harsha-rate | tribhuvana-poshini shankara-toshini kilbisha-moshini ghosharate || danuja-niroshini diti-suta-roshini durmada-shoshini sindhu-sute | jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute ||2||

She who showers blessings on the best of gods, who crushes the fierce enemies, who endures the fury of the wicked, delighting in joy; who nurtures the three worlds, pleases Shankara, robs away sins, rejoicing in sound; who rages against the demons, against sons of Diti, who dries up the arrogant, daughter of the ocean — victory, victory.

Verse 3

Ayi jagadamba madamba kadambavana-priyavasini hasa-rate | shikhari-shiromani-tunga-himalaya-shrunga-nijalaya-madhyagate || madhu-madhure madhu-kaitabha-ganjini kaitabha-bhanjini rasa-rate | jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute ||3||

O mother of the world, my own mother, who loves to dwell in the kadamba forest and delights in joyful play; who abides in your own home at the high peak of Himalaya, crest-jewel of mountains. Sweetly sweet one, destroyer of Madhu and Kaitabha, crusher of Kaitabha, who rejoices in the rasa-dance — victory, victory.

Verse 4

Ayi shata-khanda vikhandita-runda vitundita-shunda gajadhipate | ripu-gaja-ganda vidairana-chanda parakrama-shunda mrigadhipate || nija-bhuja-danda nipatita-khanda vipatita-munda bhatadhipate | jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute ||4||

O you who cut the trunks of enemy elephants into hundreds of pieces, who tear apart the cheeks of enemy war-elephants, who possess the prowess of the lord of beasts; who with your own arm-staff strikes down enemy fragments and hurls down their heads — victory, victory.

Verse 5

Ayi rana-durmada shatru-vadhoudita durdhara-nirjara shakti-bhrite | catura-vichara-dhurina maha-shiva-duta-krita pramathadhipate || durita-durashaya durvinivirana durmada-shatru-nishudanate | jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute ||5||

O you whose glory rises from slaying enemies arrogant in battle, who bears the power of the unconquerable gods; chief among the astute in counsel, lady of the Pramathas who served as Mahashiva's messenger; who wards off sin and evil intent, who destroys the arrogant enemies — victory, victory.

Verse 6

Ayi sharanagata vairi-vadhu-vara vira-vara-abhaya-dayakare | tribhuvana-mastaka shula-virodhi-shiro-dhikritamala shula-kare || dumidumitamara dundubhi-nada mahomukhrikrita tigmakare | jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute ||6||

O you who grant fearlessness to the brave who seek your refuge, who hold the trident over the heads of enemies across all three worlds. Who fill the heavens with the resonant sound of dundubhi drums, who possess piercing radiance — victory, victory.

Verse 7

Ayi nija-humkrit-matra-nirakrita dhumra-vilochana dhumra-sate | samara-vishoshita shonita-bija samudbhava-shonita bija-late || shiva-shiva-shumbha nishumbha-mahahava tarpita-bhuta pishacharate | jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute ||7||

O you who with a mere shout dispersed the smoke-eyed Dhumralochana and his horde. Who in battle dried up the blood-born demons (Raktabija's progeny), who in the great war with Shumbha and Nishumbha satisfied the spirits and phantoms — victory, victory.

Verse 8

Dhanur-anusanga rana-kshana-sanga parisphuradanga natat-katake | kanaka-pishanga prishat-kanishanga rasad-bhata-shrunga hata-batuke || krita-chaturanga bala-kshiti-ranga ghatad-bahuaranga ratad-batuke | jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute ||8||

With bow in hand, joined to the moment of battle, her limbs trembling, dancing with anklets ringing; with golden quiver full of spotted arrows, destroying enemy warriors with horn-calls; creating the fourfold battlefield of forces, the many-coloured tumult resounding — victory, victory.

Verse 9

Jaya jaya japya-jaye jaya-shabda-parastuti tatpara-vishvanute | zhana-jhana-jhinjhimi-zhinkruta-nupura-shinjita-mohita bhuta-pate || natita natardha nati nata nayaka natita-natya sugana-rate | jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute ||9||

Victory, victory — praised by the chant of victory, intent on praise, honoured by the whole world. Whose anklets ring with the enchanting jingling of jhana-jhana-jhinjhimi, captivating the lord of spirits (Shiva); who dances the role of the dancer, of the Lord of Dance, rejoicing in supreme music — victory, victory.

Verse 10

Ayi sumanah-sumanah-sumanah sumanah-sumanohara-kanti-yute | shrita-rajani rajani-rajani rajani-rajani-kara-vaktra-vrite || sunayanaviibhrama bhramara-bhramara bhramara-bhramaradhipate | jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute ||10||

O you adorned with the enchanting lustre of lovely flowers, surrounded by the light of the night-moon; with beautiful eyes that move like wandering bees, mistress of the bees — victory, victory.

Verse 11

Sahita-mahahava malla-matallika mallita-rallaka malla-rate | virachita-vallika pallika-mallika jhillika-bhillika varga-vrite || shita-krita-phulla samullasitaruna tallaja-pallava sallalite | jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute ||11||

Accompanied by great warrior-wrestlers in the grand battle, delighting in the wrestling match; surrounded by garlands and clusters of flowers, groups of forest-dwellers; resplendent with fresh red shoots and blossoms — victory, victory.

Verse 12

Avirala-ganda galat-mada-medura matta-matanga jarajapate | tribhuvana-bhushana bhuta-kalanidhi rupa-payonidhi raja-sute || ayi sudati-jana lalasa-manasa mohana manmatha raja-sute | jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute ||12||

O mistress of the aged kings among intoxicated elephants whose cheeks drip with rut; ornament of the three worlds, treasury of arts, ocean of beauty, daughter of the king; who entices the minds of fair-toothed people, enchanting, surpassing even Kamadeva, royal daughter — victory, victory.

Verse 13

Kamala-dalamala komala-kanti kala-kalitamala bhala-late | sakala-vilasa kala-nilaya-krama keli-chalat-kala hamsa-kule || ali-kula-sankula kuvalaya-mandala mauli-milad-bakula-ali-kule | jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute ||13||

With beauty soft and pure as lotus petals, with forehead-vine adorned by all fine arts; home of every artistic grace in sequence, playing among the family of swans; among bees swarming around circles of blue lotuses, with clusters of bakula flowers woven at the crown — victory, victory.

Verse 14

Kara-murali-rava vijnita-koojita lajjita-kokila manjumate | milita-pulinda manohara-gunjita ranjita-shaila nikunjagante || nija-gana-bhuta maha-shabari-gana sad-guna-sambhrita keli-tale | jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute ||14||

Whose hand flute-music charms and shames the cuckoo into silence, of beautiful understanding; who, joined by the Pulinda forest-folk, fills the mountain groves with enchanting humming; who makes the great Shabari women her own companions, full of virtues, at the sport-ground — victory, victory.

Verse 15

Katitata-pita dukoola-vichitra mayukha-tiraskrita chandra-ruche | pranata-surasura mauli-mani-sphura-danshulasannakha chandra-ruche || jita-kanakachala mauli-padojita nirbhara-kuntala vari-ruche | jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute ||15||

With yellow silk adorning her hip, whose radiance outshines the moon; whose toenails gleam with the light of the crown-jewels of bowing gods and demons; whose feet excel the golden mountain-peak, with abundant flowing hair — victory, victory.

Verse 16

Vijita-sahasra-karaika sahasra-kara eka-sahasra-karabharane | krita-surataraka sangara-taraka sangara-taraka sunusute || suratha-samadhi samana-samadhi samadhi-samadhi sujata-rate | jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute ||16||

One who with a thousand arms defeats the thousand-armed one, adorned with thousands of arms; mother of the one (Skanda) who fought the battle to deliver the gods from Taraka; who gave Suratha and Samadhi their equal state of meditation, delighting in noble birth — victory, victory.

Verse 17

Pada-kamalam karunanalaye varivasyati yo'nudinam sushive | ayi kamale kamalanilaye kamalanilayah sa katham na bhavet || tava padameva parama-padamityanu-shilayato mama kim na shive | jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute ||17||

O gracious one, abode of compassion, whoever daily serves your lotus feet; O lotus one, home of Kamala — will not she too make her home in that one? Your feet alone are the supreme state — thus I ever contemplate; will not this be auspicious for me, O Shive — victory, victory.

Verse 18

Kanaka-lasat-kala-sindhu-jalair anusinchinute guna-ranga-bhuvam | bhajati sa kim na shachi-kucha-kumbha-tati-parirambha sukhAnubhavam || tava charanam sharanam karavani natamara-vani nivasishivam | jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute ||18||

Who sprinkles the arena of virtues with golden river-waters; will not that one experience the joy of embracing the breasts of Shachi? I take shelter at your feet, auspicious one who dwells in the speech of bowing gods — victory, victory.

Verse 19

Tava vimala-indu-kulam vadana-indu-malam sakalam nanu kulayate | kimu puruhuta-puri-indu-mukhi sumukhi bhavati sukhitenu bhavet || mamatu matam shiva-namadhane bhavati kripaya kimuta kriyate | jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute ||19||

Your pure moon-clan and moon-face cool all completely; will not the fair-faced one in Indra's city, the one with a lovely face, find happiness? In my view, O treasury of Shiva's name, will this not be accomplished through your grace? — victory, victory.

Verse 20

Ayi mayi dina-dayalutaya kripayaiva tvaya bhavitavyamume | ayi jagato janani kripayasi yathasi tathanumitasirathe || yad-uchitam-atra bhavatyurari-kurutaduru-tapam-apakurute | jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute ||20||

O Uma, upon me the wretched, it is fitting that you show mercy and grace. O mother of the world, as you are, so I infer; whatever is appropriate here, please do it, and remove my great suffering — victory, victory.

Verse 21

Ayi mayi dina-dayalutaya kripaya nayi tvat-pada-patheyam | bahulabhavanti vichintimahm tava bhavya-kamana-yakrite || jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute | iti mahishasuramardini stutih pathanat phalam labhate ||21||

O compassionate to the wretched, by your grace I shall gain the provision of your holy feet; meditating on your glorious desired work, one obtains much. Victory, victory O Mahishasura-Mardini — reciting this Mahishasura Mardini praise brings its reward.