दुर्गासप्तशती
Durgā Saptaśatī · Devī Māhātmya · Sanskrit with IAST, English and Hindi
The “seven hundred” verses in praise of the Goddess, chapters 81 to 93 of the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa, told in three episodes. Choose an adhyāya; each opens as its own page with the Sanskrit mantras, a transliteration and fresh English and Hindi renderings. 700 mantras in 13 adhyāyas.
प्रथमचरित्रम् Prathama caritra
The first episode: Mahākālī, Viṣṇu’s sleep, and the slaying of Madhu and Kaiṭabha.
मध्यमचरित्रम् Madhyama caritra
The middle episode: Mahālakṣmī and the slaying of Mahiṣāsura.
- 2The destruction of Mahiṣa’s army महिषासुरसैन्यवधःMahiṣa, lord of the buffalo-demons, drives the gods from heaven. Their combined fury takes shape as a radiant Goddess, each god gives her a weapon, and she meets the demon armies and their generals in battle.69 mantras
- 3The slaying of Mahiṣāsura महिषासुरवधःThe commanders Cikṣura and Cāmara fall, and Mahiṣa himself changes shape again and again in the fight. The Goddess drinks the cup of wine and finally slays him, and the gods rejoice.44 mantras
- 4The praise by Śakra and the gods शक्रादिस्तुतिःThe gods, led by Indra, sing the Goddess’s greatness, her many forms and the way she dwells in all things, and ask for her help whenever they are in danger. She grants it.42 mantras
उत्तमचरित्रम् Uttama caritra
The highest episode: Mahāsarasvatī, Śumbha and Niśumbha, and the closing teaching.
- 5The Goddess and the messenger देवीदूतसंवादःŚumbha and Niśumbha seize the three worlds. The gods go to the Himalaya and praise the Goddess, who appears as Ambikā from Pārvatī’s body. Śumbha sends a messenger to woo her, and she answers that she will marry only the one who defeats her.129 mantras
- 6The slaying of Dhūmralocana धूम्रलोचनवधःFurious, Śumbha sends the demon Dhūmralocana with sixty thousand soldiers to bring the Goddess by force. A single sound from her reduces him to ashes, and her lion destroys the army.24 mantras
- 7The slaying of Caṇḍa and Muṇḍa चण्डमुण्डवधःCaṇḍa and Muṇḍa lead the next attack. From the Goddess’s angry brow springs Kālī, who destroys the host, kills the two generals and brings their heads to Caṇḍikā, who names her Cāmuṇḍā.27 mantras
- 8The slaying of Raktabīja रक्तबीजवधःŚumbha marshals every demon army. The powers of the gods take form as the Mothers and join the Goddess. Every drop of Raktabīja’s blood becomes another Raktabīja, until Kālī drinks the blood before it can fall.63 mantras
- 9The slaying of Niśumbha निशुम्भवधःNiśumbha and Śumbha come together against the Goddess in a battle of arrows and weapons. Niśumbha falls, and another demon steps out of his body only to be struck down.41 mantras
- 10The slaying of Śumbha शुम्भवधःŚumbha taunts the Goddess for relying on others’ strength, and she draws all her powers back into herself. In the last duel she cuts down his weapons and kills him, and the world grows calm.32 mantras
- 11The hymn to Nārāyaṇī नारायणीस्तुतिःThe gods praise the Goddess for all she has done. She promises to come again whenever the world is troubled, and names the forms she will take: Śākambharī, Durgā, Bhīmā, Bhrāmarī and others.55 mantras
- 12The fruits of hearing फलस्तुतिःThe Goddess describes the blessings that come to those who recite or hear this account, and the troubles it removes. She then vanishes, and the gods take up their offices again.41 mantras
- 13The boons to Suratha and the merchant सुरथवैश्ययोर्वरप्रदानम्Medhas ends his teaching. Suratha and the merchant worship the Goddess on a river bank for three years. She appears and grants the king his kingdom and a future as Manu, and the merchant the knowledge that frees him.29 mantras