RTP in Madhyamavati

I prostrate before the Goddesses, that they may bless us all with food for the body and for the soul, with courage to face all that life throws at us, with the wellbeing of our children and those of the future generations to come, with victory in setting uplifting goals as well as in achieving them, with prosperity in all its forms and with physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wealth for all. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wish a very Happy Navaratri to all my readers !! May the Goddesses cast their eyes on all of you!

I had planned for some very interesting posts for this period but unfortunately my computer became sick and was hospitalised for the last ten days. As I am going to be away for the next two and a half months, my household responsibilities also reached mammoth proportions this week. Therefore I have chosen a very simple post for this occasion, a post I hope you will enjoy nonetheless.

I present to you a Ragam Tanam Pallavi by Aruna Sairam which celebrates the eight forms of Lakshmi. I have heard it innumerable times since I bought the CD a number of years ago; each time I find the same sense of prayer and fulfilment.  The main raga is Madhyamavati, a very auspicious raga. Aruna Sairam goes on to garland each of the eight forms of Lakshmi with a different Raga, each elegant, each beautiful. The ragas of the ragamalika are

Kamboji – Aadi Lakshmi आदि लक्ष्मी The Primeval Goddess, the foundation

Kurinji – Dhaanya Lakshmi धान्य लक्ष्मी The Goddess of Grain, of food

Atana – Dhairya Lakshmi धैर्य लक्ष्मी The Goddess of Courage

Mohanam – Gaja Lakshmi गज लक्ष्मी The Goddess of Elephants, of livestock

Sahana – Santaana Lakshmi संतान लक्ष्मी  The Goddess of the Progeny

Ranjani – Vijaya Lakshmi विजय लक्ष्मी The Goddess of Victory

Bhairavi – Aishwarya Lakshmi ऐश्वर्य लक्ष्मी The Goddess of Prosperity

Lalita – Dhana Lakshmi धन लक्ष्मी The Goddess of Wealth

This version is from the CD – I strongly recommend it as a buy, it is excellent.

Ragam :

Tanam :

Pallavi :

For those who cannot link with the music server I use, you can download a slightly different version from Sangeethapriya here (free membership needed). It is Item 10 in this album. This version is not as good as the one in the CD but still beautiful.

My prayers to the Goddesses for all!

Ya Kundendu

Celebrating the seventh day of Navaratri, I at last turn to the third of the trinity of Goddesses I worship during these nine days.  Saraswati, She, who blesses us with knowledge, music and the arts, is especially dear to me. My respect for knowledge and my love for the arts is what defines me as a person. Everyday I thank Her for the gift of appreciation when my eyes melt at a beautiful piece of music, the resonance of one colour against another in a painting or the perfection of a word when it is placed just so in prose, poetry or song. My everyday prayer to her is one which is repeated in many homes in India :

या कुन्देन्दु तुषारहार धवला या शुभ्र वस्त्रावृता |
या वीणा वरदण्ड मन्डित करा या श्वेत पद्मासना |
या ब्रह्माच्युत शंकर प्रभृतिभिर्देवैः सदा  वन्दिता  |
सा मां पातु सरस्वती भगवती निःशेष जाड्यापहा ||

yA kundEndu tushArahAra DHavalA yA shuBHra vastAvritA
ya veeNA varadanDa maNDita karA yA shwEta padmAsanA
yA brahmAchyuta shankara praBHRitibhir dEvai sadA vanditA
sA mAm pAtu saraswatI bhagavatI nihshEsha jAdyapahA

She (या) who is as dazzlingly white or fair (धवल) as a jasmine flower (कुन्द), the moon (इंदु) or a garland (हार ) of snow flakes (तुषार), She who wears white (शुभ्र) clothes (वस्त्र ), She whose hands (कर) are adorned (मण्डित) by Veena and a boon-giving (वर) staff (दण्ड), She whose seat (आसन) is a white lotus (श्वेत पद्म), She  to whom Brahma, Achyuta (name for Krishna, form of Vishnu), Maheshwara (name of Shiva) always (सदा) worship/adore (वन्दित) from the beginning (प्रभृति), That (सा) Saraswati please protect (पातु) me (मां) and remove (अपह ) my endless (निःशेष)  ignorance/apathy (जाड्य ).

This beautiful prayer is written by Sage Agastya. Sage Agastya lived in the times of Lord Rama, in the Treta Yuga, about 5000 BCE. He was the author of the many hymns in the first mandala of the Rigveda, the most ancient and sacred of Hindu texts. The Aditya Hridayam, the prayer to the Sun God recited by Agastya to Lord Rama in the battlefield, is part of the Yuddha Kanda (Book 6) of Ramayana by Valmiki (500/400 BCE).  Agastya is a very interesting and colourful character who is said to have been the first Aryan to have lead a group of migrants over the Vindhya mountains to the Dravidian South. He is mentioned both in Aryan literature and ancient Tamil (Dravidian) literature; in fact the Tamils have adopted Agastya as their own. His stories are told as far as Indonesia. The star Canopus is named Agastya in India. There is an interesting paper linking legends of Agastya with astronomy in this paper.

Each time we recite Ya Kundendu, which was written about 7000 years back, we not only pray to Goddess Saraswati but are in direct communion with our history, our ancestors from milleniums past. In this knowledge and information driven world, this prayer should be in your daily recitation list as well. Listen below for the pronunciation.

Sumanasa Vandita

Today is sashti, the sixth day of Navaratri. Following my South Indian heritage I continue my homage to Goddess Lakshmi today.

We Hindus are so accepting of plurality in singularity and vice versa that I forget how alien the concept must seem to the rest of the world! We accept that the ultimate Brahman, has no form yet we are happy to worship God in innumerable forms. We invoke the same Gods by many names and sometimes in many forms. It is as if we can merge the many into one and see the one as many with no trouble at all!! How wonderful is that!!

Hinduism has succeeded in flourishing over the millenniums because of its ability to adapt and evolve, retaining the old yet adding facets and nuances which keep it alive. Lakshmi, Goddess of Wealth and Prosperity, has been worshipped for thousands of years but its only in recent times, the past 40 years or so, that we worship her in the eight forms called Ashtalakshmi अष्टलक्ष्मी. The eight forms seem to vary from region to region but the most accepted are the ones in the Ashtalakshmi Stotram, a prayer addressed to each of these forms written in the 1970’s by Mukkur Srinivasa Varadachariyar. For the lyrics, see footnote. The eight forms are :

• Aadi Lakshmi आदि लक्ष्मी The Primeval Lakshmi.
• Dhaanya Lakshmi धान्य लक्ष्मी The Lakshmi of Grain. Grain represents food here so it is She who is the provider of all sustenance.
• Dhairya Lakshmi धैर्य लक्ष्मी The Lakshmi of Courage. She who gives us the courage to succeed for such courage is worth its weight in gold.
• Gaja Lakshmi गज लक्ष्मी The Lakshmi of the Elephant. The elephant represents wealth in livestock.
• Santaana Lakshmi संतान लक्ष्मी  The Lakshmi of the Progeny. She who provides us with the incomparable wealth of children.
• Vijaya Lakshmi विजय लक्ष्मी The Lakshmi of Victory. She who blesses us to succeed.
• Vidyaa Lakshmi विद्या लक्ष्मी The Lakshmi of Knowledge. She who blesses us with the knowledge required to attain prosperity.
• Dhana Lakshmi धन लक्ष्मी The Lakshmi of Wealth. She who blesses us with wealth. A very popular form for worship.

Bombay Jayashri has sung the first verse of this stotram in her album Anubhavam. Listen below to Sumanasa Vandita in Raga Revati below. If you would like to know more about the raga, click here.

Allternate link : Click here.

To listen to the full stotram, click here.

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Footnote (Lyrics) :

अष्टलक्ष्मी स्तोत्रं

आदि लक्ष्मी
सुमनस वन्दित सुन्दरि माधवी चन्द्र सहोदरी हेममये |
मुनिगण वन्दित मोक्ष प्रदायिनी मंजुल भाषिणि वेदनुते ||
पङ्कज वासिनि देव सुपूजित सद्गुण वर्षिणी शांतियुते |
जय जय हे मधुसूदन कामिनि आदिलक्ष्मी सदा पालय माम्||१||

धान्य लक्ष्मी
अयिकलि कल्मष नाशिनि कामिनी वैदिक रूपिणि वेदमये |
क्षीर समुद्भव मङ्गल रूपिणि मन्त्र निवासिनि मन्त्रनुते | |
मङ्गल दायिनि अम्बुज वासिनि देवगणाश्रित पादयुते |
जय जय हे मधुसूदन कामिनि धान्यलक्ष्मी सदा पालय माम् || २||

धैर्य लक्ष्मी
जय वर वर्णिनी वैष्णवि भार्गवि मन्त्र स्वरूपिणि मन्त्र मये |
सुरगण पूजित शीघ्र फलप्रद ज्ञान विकासिनि शास्त्रनुते ||
भवभय हारिणि पाप विमोचनि साधुजनाश्रित पादयुते |
जय जय हे मधुसूदन कामिनि धैर्यलक्ष्मी सदा पालय माम् ||३||

गज लक्ष्मी
जय जय दुर्गति नाशिनि कामिनि सर्व फलप्रद शास्त्रमये |
रथ गज तुरगपदादि समावृत परिजन मण्डित लोकनुते ||
हरिहर ब्रह्म सुपूजित सेवित ताप निवारिणि पादयुते |
जय जय हे मधुसूदन कामिनि गजलक्ष्मी सदा पालय माम् ||४||

संतान लक्ष्मी
अयि खग वाहिनि मोहिनि चक्रिणि राग विवर्धनि ज्ञानमये |
गुणगण वारिधि लोक हितेषिनि स्वर सप्त भूषित गाननुते |
सकल सूरासुर देव मुनीश्वर मानव वन्दित पादयुते |
जय जय हे मधुसूदन कामिनि संतान लक्ष्मी सदा पालय माम् || ५ ||

विजय लक्ष्मी
जय कमलासनि सत्गति दायिनि ज्ञान विकासिनि गानमये |
अनुदिनमर्चित कुङ्कुम धूसर भूषित वासित वाद्यनुते ||
कनक धरास्तुते वैभव वन्दित शंकर देशिक मान्य पदे |
जय जय हे मधुसूदन कामिनि विजय लक्ष्मी सदा पालय माम् ||६ ||

विद्या लक्ष्मी
प्रणत सुरेश्वरी भारति भार्गवि शोक विनाशिनि रत्नमये |
मणिमय भूषित कर्ण विभूषण शान्ति समावृत हास्यमुखे ||
नवनिधि दायिनि कलिमल हारिणि कामित फलप्रद हस्तयुते |
जय जय हे मधुसूदन कामिनि विद्या लक्ष्मी सदा पालय माम् ||७||

धन लक्ष्मी
धिमिधिमि धिम्धिमि धिम्धिमि धिम्धिमि दुन्धुभि नाद सुपूर्णमये |
घुमघुम घुङ्घुम घुङ्घुम घुङ्घुम शङ्ख निनाद सुवाद्यनुते ||
वेदपूराणेतिहास सुपूजित वैदिकमार्ग प्रदर्शयुते |
जय जय हे मधुसूदन कामिनि धन लक्ष्मी सदा पालय माम् || ८||

For transliterated lyrics and translation, click here.

Hiranmayim Lakshmim

On this fifth day of Navaratri (Panchami), I continue to pay homage to Goddess Lakshmi. Those who pray to Goddess Lakshmi hope to be blessed with material wealth and prosperity. Even her image is shown as pouring gold from her hands. Here the poet-composer Muthuswami Dikshithar (1775-1835) describes Lakshmi herself as being golden (Hiranmayeeem); she is the gold that he aspires for. There is an interesting story behind this song.

One day, it is said, Dikshithar’s wife longingly asked for some golden jewellery. Dikshithar was not in the financial situation to provide these for his wife. One of his disciples suggested to Dikshithar that if he were to go to the court and sing in praise of the king, the king would give him enough to buy some jewellery for his wife. Dikshithar refused and said that he would sing only in praise of his Goddess, never for a man! Then he created this beautiful composition, calling his Goddess the Golden One. That night, Diskhithar’s wife dreamt of the Goddess who came and poured gold on her and said, ‘there, are you satisfied?’. On waking up she apologized to Diskshithar for ever wanting any material wealth  when they were so blessed with Divine wealth.

For lyrics of this beautiful song, see footnote below. The song is set to Raga Lalita (see footnote).

To enjoy this beautiful song, here’s a performance by the young vocalist Sikkil Gurucharan.

For an instrumental version, listen to this beautiful performance on the Sax by the incomparable Kadri Gopalnath.

Edit : A few years have passed since I wrote this post. There is a version which I admire tremendously and hear often. It is T.M.Krishna’s version which you can listen here. His pace is leisurely and deeply meditative. I love Lalita in all forms but like this she is just exquisite. Lalita is also lovely in the mellifluous voices of Ranjani and Gayatri which I also urge you to listen here.

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Footnote (Lyrics):

पल्लवि

हिरण्मयीं लक्ष्मीं सदा भजामि |
हीन मानव आश्रयं त्यजामि ||

अनुपल्लवि

चिरतर संपत् प्रदां क्षीरंबुधि तनयां |
हरि वक्षथलालयं हरिणीं चरण किसलयां |
कर कमल धृत कुवलयां |
मरकतमनि मय वलयां ||

चरणं

श्वेत दीप वासिनीं श्री कमलंबिकां परां |
भूत भव्य विलासिनीं भूसुर पूजितां वरां |
मातरं अब्ज मालिनीं माणिक्य आभरण धरां |
गीत वाद्य विनोदिनीं गिरिजाम्तां इन्दिरां ||
सीता किरण निभ वदनां श्रिता चिन्तामणि सदनां |
पीत वसनां गुरु गुह मातुल कान्तां ललितां ||

For transliterated lyrics, translation and notation click here.

 

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Footnote (Raga) :

The scales of Raga Lalita are as follows :

Aarohanam (Ascending) : S R1 G3 M1 D1 N3 S’
Avarohanam (Descending) : S’ N3 D1 M1 G3 R1 S

Lalita is a janya raga, derived from Mayamalavagowla (see below), 15th on the Melakarta scale. This is not related to the Hindustani Lalit. Nannu Brovu Lalita by Shyama Shastri  is another composition in Lalita which I enjoy very much.

Note : The 12 notes in the octave are named as below. Please note that C is used as Sa for the sake of simplicity as the scale is relative in Carnatic Music. Also note that the scales paint only a superficial picture of the raga as the gamakas(ornamentations) are a very important part of a raga.

Mahalakshmi Ashtakam

On this fourth day of Navaratri, chaturthi, I pay homage to Goddess Mahalakshmi, the Goddess of wealth and prosperity. To honour her, I offer the same prayer that I have recited every morning and evening for countless years, the Mahalakshmi Ashtakam. This prayer is from Padma Purana पद्म पुराण, a religious text dating roughly between the 8th and 11th centuries where this prayer is written as being chanted by Lord Indra.

I am happy to have found this exquisite dance set to this prayer. The lovely dancers  perform a Mohinattam, the classical dance form from Kerala. If you would like to learn to chant this sloka, click here.

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Lyrics :

महालक्ष्म्यष्टकं

नमस्तेऽस्तु महामाये श्रीपीठे सुरपूजिते शङ्खचक्रगदाहस्ते महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते (१)	Salutations to Mahalakshmi, who is the illusory power of the universe, who lives in riches and is worshipped by the divine beings, who holds a conch, discus and mace in her hands.
नमस्ते गरुडारूढे कोलासुरभयङ्करि सर्वपापहरे देवि महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते (२)	Salutations to Mahalakshmi, who rides an eagle, who frightened the demon Kolasura, who can remove all sin.
सर्वज्ञे सर्ववरदे सर्वदुष्टभयङ्करि सर्वदुःखहरे देवि महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते (३)	Salutations to Mahalakshmi, who knows everything, who can grant any boon, who is fearsome to the wicked, who removes all sorrow.
सिद्धिबुद्धिप्रदे देवि भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायिनि मन्त्रमूर्ते सदा देवि महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते (४)	Salutations to Mahalakshmi, who grants intelligence and success, who gives enjoyment and salvation, whose very form is a mantra.
आद्यन्तरहिते देवि आद्यशक्तिमहेश्वरि योगजे योगसम्भूते महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते (५)	Salutations to Mahalakshmi, who neither has a beginning nor end, who is the primeval power, who is the greatest Goddess, who is Yoga and born of Yoga.
स्थूलसूक्ष्ममहारौद्रे महाशक्ति महोदरे महापापहरे देवि महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते (६)	Salutations to Mahalakshmi, Goddess of the macro and the micro world, who is supreme power and holds all within her, remover of the greatest sings.
पद्मासनस्थिते देवि परब्रह्मस्वरूपिणि परमेशि जगन्माता महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते (७)	Salutations to Mahalakshmi, who is seated on a lotus, who is the personification of the Supreme Spirit, who is the supreme ruler, who is the mother of the world.
श्वेताम्बरधरे देवि नानालङ्कारभूषिते जगत्स्थिते जगन्मातर्महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते (८)	Salutations to Mahalakshmi, who is clad in white, who is adorned with various ornaments, who is the mother of the world and resides in it.
फलश्रुति महालक्ष्म्यष्टकस्तोत्रं यः पठेद्भक्तिमान्नरः सर्वसिद्धिमवाप्नोति राज्यं प्राप्नोति सर्वदा || एककाले पठेन्नित्यं महापापविनाशनम् द्विकालं यः पठेन्नित्यं धनधान्यसमन्वितः || त्रिकालं यः पठेन्नित्यं महाशत्रुविनाशनम् महालक्ष्मीर्भवेन्नित्यं प्रसन्न वरदा शुभा ||	Benefits Those believers who chant this prayer of eight verses will gain all success and sovereignty at all times. Those who recite it once a day will have their greatest sins removed. Those who recite it twice a day will be endowed with food and wealth (prosperity). Those who recite it thrice daily will have their greatest enemy (ego) destroyed and Mahalakshmi will always be with you, happily, and grace you with blessings .

Nannu Brovu Lalita

On this third day of Navaratri, I pay homage to Goddess Lalita, Tripura Sundari, a form of Goddess Shakti. What better way than to sing her praise? For today’s prayer, I have chosen one of Shyama Shastri’s (1762-1827) songs from Navaratnamalika, his nine gems in praise of Goddess Meenakshi in her many forms.  This song is most appropriate not only because it sings Her praise but even the name of the Raga is Her name. Lalita – what a lovely name! As an adjective, it can mean any or all of innocent, charming, lovely, gentle, pleasing, desired, elegant etc.  A Goddess who is all that and more, who can resist Her? The Raga Lalita is equally pleasing, as feminine as the Goddess.

To present this song, here is a clip by Nithyasree Mahadevan.

I must also urge you to listen to a beautiful rendition by T.N.Seshagopalan which you can listen here. 

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Footnote (lyrics) :

This is a Telugu song but as I don’t know the language, I give below the song in Devanagari script.

पल्लवि
नन्नु ब्रोवु ललिता वेगमे
चाल निन्नु नॆर नम्मियुन्न वाडु गदा
भक्त कल्पकलता

अनुपल्लवि
निन्नु विना एवरुन्नारु गति जननी
अति वेगमे वच्चि (नन्नु)

चरणम् 1
पराकु सेयकने वच्चि  कृप सलुप रादा मॊर विनवा (or विनदा)
पराशक्ति गीर्वाणि वन्दित पदा
नी भक्तुडनम्मा सन्ततमु (नन्नु)

चरणम् 2
सरोज भव कमल नाभ शङ्कर सुरेन्द्रनुत चरिता
पुराणी वाणी इन्द्राणी वन्दित
राणी अहिभूषणुनि राणी (नन्नु)

चरणम् 3
मदात्मुलैन दुरात्म जनुलनु कथलनु पॊगडि
सदा ने वारल चुट्टि तिरिगिति
वॆतल नॆल्ल दीर्चि वरमॊसगि (नन्नु)

चरणम् 4
सुमेरु मध्य निलये श्याम कृष्णुनि सोदरी कौमारी
उमा श्री मीनाक्षम्मा शङ्करी
ओ महा राज्ञी रक्षिम्प समयमिदे (नन्नु)

For transliteration and translation click here.

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Footnote (Raga) :

The scales of Raga Lalita are as follows :

Aarohanam (Ascending) : S R1 G3 M1 D1 N3 S’
Avarohanam (Descending) : S’ N3 D1 M1 G3 R1 S

Lalita is a janya raga, derived from Mayamalavagowla (see below), 15th on the Melakarta scale. This is not related to the Hindustani Lalit. Hiranmayim by Muthuswami Dikshithar is another composition in Lalitawhich I enjoy very much.

Note : The 12 notes in the octave are named as below. Please note that C is used as Sa for the sake of simplicity as the scale is relative in Carnatic Music. Also note that the scales paint only a superficial picture of the raga as the gamakas(ornamentations) are a very important part of a raga.

Omkarakarini

Today, on the second day of Navaratri, I pay homage to Bhuvaneshvari, Supreme Goddess of the universe. I invoke the mystical mantra ह्रीं  (Hreem) which is her Bija Mantra.

How can a music blogger not acknowledge the power of sounds? Vedic thinking says that sounds have inherent strength and meaning, irrespective of the person who utters them. Mantras are such sacred sounds, with the power to transform, to shape, to influence. Mantras can be long or short, a detailed recital of qualities, a prayer, a plea, or a simple syllable. The most important are called Bija Mantras (Seed Mantras) which are just single-syllable immensely powerful sounds which exert their influence through sound vibrations.  This idea is not limited to Hindu thought. The Christians believe that ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God’. That Word, that sound, we Hindus call Om. Who doesn’t know the power of the Bija Mantra ॐ (Om), also called the Pranava, which is the Bija Mantra for the supreme Brahman, the formless Supreme Being.

The other important Bija Mantras are those of Shakti, whom we worship during these days of Navaratri.  Dr. David Frawley says ‘Shakti Bija Mantras carry the great forces of Nature such as the energies of the Sun and Moon, electricity and magnetism, not simply as outer factors but as inner potentials of Divine light, love and wisdom. Shakti mantras hold, resonate, and propel the Kundalini force, the higher evolutionary power of consciousness, to flow within us’. For further information, read this.

The Mantra ह्रीं (Hreem) is the prime mantra of the Great Goddess and invokes all her powers.  This is associated with Solar energy and the power of illumination (real and metaphoric). It awakens our soul and connects us with the Divine. It has the power of removing mental illusions and makes us open to wisdom and truth.

To invoke this Mantra, I present a song written by the Maestro Balamurali Krishna in a raga of his making, Lavangi. This raga is especially interesting because there are only four notes used (see footnote). The composition is small but powerful, just like a Bija Mantra. In the anupallavi, he refers to the Goddess as the form of Hreem(हृन्कार रूपिणी).

ओमकार आकारिणी मदहंकार वारिणी अवतुमां
हुंकार मात्र शत्रु दमनी हृन्कार रूपिणी रुद्राणी
मुरली सुधा लहरि विहारी
पुररिपु प्रेमित त्रिपुर सुन्दरी
करुणा रस भरित ललित लवङ्गी
वरदा अभयदा सकल शुभाङ्गी

For transliterated lyrics, see here.

Listen to the Maestro singing his own composition below. It is amazing what he can do with only four notes!

For those who have fallen in love with this song, here is a finer recording by the Maestro himself :

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Footnote (Raga) :

The scales of Raga Lavangi are as follows :

Aarohanam: S R1 M1 D1 S’
Avarohanam: S’ D1 M1 R1 S

Lavangi is a janya raga, derived from Kanakangi (see below), 1st on the Melakarta scale.

There is an interesting lecture-demo in English on this song by Prince Rama Varma. He also sings the chittaswarams which I had not heard before.

Note : The 12 notes in the octave are named as below. Please note that C is used as Sa for the sake of simplicity as the scale is relative in Carnatic Music. Also note that the scales paint only a superficial picture of the raga as the gamakas(ornamentations) are a very important part of a raga.

Mahishasura Mardini

Long long ago, there was a terrible and powerful demon called Mahishasura (Buffalo Demon). He was able to transform his form, being sometimes a human, sometimes a water buffalo. By performing extraordinary austerities, he accrued great power, so great that even the Gods could not defeat him. He was invincible to all males. He drove all the Gods out of heaven and terrorised the three worlds, those of the Gods, the demons and the men.  The Gods consulted with each other and decided to offer all their individual powers, their energies, back to the one Source. As they did that, the Source materialized in front of their eyes into Maha Devi, the Great Goddess, the Mother of all beings divine and mortal.  She took the form of Durga, seated on Her lion mount. The Gods gave Her their own weapons such as Shiva his trident, Vishnu his mace, and Kartikeya his sword. She battled Mahishasura for nine days and nine nights, finally killing him and restoring order in the three worlds. So She was given the name Mahishasura Mardini (The Slayer of Mahishasura).

This story is from देवीमाहात्म्यम् (Devi Mahatmyam), written in the 4th or 5th century by sage Markandeya. Written in Sanskrit the text attempts to bring together the Mother Goddess cult from pre-Aryan and Aryan times. This is the most important text for the Shaktas, the followers of Shakti, the divine Mother.

Today is first day of Navaratri, the festival of nine days and nine nights when we celebrate the Great Goddess. To celebrate, I will dedicate the first three days to the forms of Shakti, the Goddess of Power, the next three days to Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth and the last three days to Saraswati, the Goddess of Knowledge. This is how Navaratri is celebrated in my part of India.

To celebrate Shakti, what better way than to listen to Adi Shankaracharya’s (780-820 CE) incomparable sloka on Mahishasura Mardini (see footnote for lyrics). I learnt to read and recite it as a child and even now the cadence, the rhythm and the flow of the words give me great pleasure.  To present this, here is a dance performance of some of the verses. To listen to the complete slokam to sing along with on this auspicious day, click here.

 

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Lyrics

अयि गिरिनंदिनि नंदितमेदिनि विश्वविनोदिनि नंदनुते
गिरिवर विंध्य शिरोधिनिवासिनि विष्णुविलासिनि जिष्णुनुते ।
भगवति हे शितिकण्ठकुटुंबिनि भूरि कुटुंबिनि भूरि कृते
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥ १॥

सुरवरवर्षिणि दुर्धरधर्षिणि दुर्मुखमर्षिणि हर्षरते
त्रिभुवनपोषिणि शंकरतोषिणि किल्बिषमोषिणि घोषरते ।
दनुज निरोषिणि दितिसुत रोषिणि दुर्मद शोषिणि सिन्धुसुते
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥ २॥

अयि जगदंब मदंब कदंब वनप्रिय वासिनि हासरते
शिखरि शिरोमणि तुङ्ग हिमालय शृंग निजालय मध्यगते ।
मधु मधुरे मधु कैटभ गंजिनि कैटभ भंजिनि रासरते
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥ ३॥

अयि शतखण्ड विखण्डित रुण्ड वितुण्डित शुण्ड गजाधिपते
रिपु गज गण्ड विदारण चण्ड पराक्रम शुण्ड मृगाधिपते ।
निज भुज दण्ड निपातित खण्ड विपातित मुण्ड भटाधिपते
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥ ४॥

अयि रण दुर्मद शत्रु वधोदित दुर्धर निर्जर शक्तिभृते
चतुर विचार धुरीण महाशिव दूतकृत प्रमथाधिपते ।
दुरित दुरीह दुराशय दुर्मति दानवदूत कृतांतमते
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥ ५॥

अयि शरणागत वैरि वधूवर वीर वराभय दायकरे
त्रिभुवन मस्तक शूल विरोधि शिरोधि कृतामल शूलकरे ।
दुमिदुमि तामर दुंदुभिनाद महो मुखरीकृत तिग्मकरे
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥ ६॥

अयि निज हुंकृति मात्र निराकृत धूम्र विलोचन धूम्र शते
समर विशोषित शोणित बीज समुद्भव शोणित बीज लते ।
शिव शिव शुंभ निशुंभ महाहव तर्पित भूत पिशाचरते
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥ ७॥

धनुरनु संग रणक्षणसंग परिस्फुर दंग नटत्कटके
कनक पिशंग पृषत्क निषंग रसद्भट शृंग हतावटुके ।
कृत चतुरङ्ग बलक्षिति रङ्ग घटद्बहुरङ्ग रटद्बटुके
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥ ८॥

जय जय जप्य जयेजय शब्द परस्तुति तत्पर विश्वनुते
झण झण झिञ्जिमि झिंकृत नूपुर सिंजित मोहित भूतपते ।
नटित नटार्ध नटीनट नायक नाटित नाट्य सुगानरते
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥ ९॥

अयि सुमनः सुमनः सुमनः सुमनः सुमनोहर कांतियुते
श्रित रजनी रजनी रजनी रजनी रजनीकर वक्त्रवृते ।
सुनयन विभ्रमर भ्रमर भ्रमर भ्रमर भ्रमराधिपते
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥ १०॥

सहित महाहव मल्लम तल्लिक मल्लित रल्लक मल्लरते
विरचित वल्लिक पल्लिक मल्लिक झिल्लिक भिल्लिक वर्ग वृते ।
सितकृत पुल्लिसमुल्ल सितारुण तल्लज पल्लव सल्ललिते
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥ ११॥

अविरल गण्ड गलन्मद मेदुर मत्त मतङ्गज राजपते
त्रिभुवन भूषण भूत कलानिधि रूप पयोनिधि राजसुते ।
अयि सुद तीजन लालसमानस मोहन मन्मथ राजसुते
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥ १२॥

कमल दलामल कोमल कांति कलाकलितामल भाललते
सकल विलास कलानिलयक्रम केलि चलत्कल हंस कुले ।
अलिकुल सङ्कुल कुवलय मण्डल मौलिमिलद्भकुलालि कुले
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥ १३॥

कर मुरली रव वीजित कूजित लज्जित कोकिल मञ्जुमते
मिलित पुलिन्द मनोहर गुञ्जित रंजितशैल निकुञ्जगते ।
निजगुण भूत महाशबरीगण सद्गुण संभृत केलितले
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥ १४॥

कटितट पीत दुकूल विचित्र मयूखतिरस्कृत चंद्र रुचे
प्रणत सुरासुर मौलिमणिस्फुर दंशुल सन्नख चंद्र रुचे ।
जित कनकाचल मौलिपदोर्जित निर्भर कुंजर कुंभकुचे
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥ १५॥

विजित सहस्रकरैक सहस्रकरैक सहस्रकरैकनुते
कृत सुरतारक सङ्गरतारक सङ्गरतारक सूनुसुते ।
सुरथ समाधि समानसमाधि समाधिसमाधि सुजातरते
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥ १६॥

पदकमलं करुणानिलये वरिवस्यति योऽनुदिनं स शिवे
अयि कमले कमलानिलये कमलानिलयः स कथं न भवेत् ।
तव पदमेव परंपदमित्यनुशीलयतो मम किं न शिवे
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥ १७॥

कनकलसत्कल सिन्धु जलैरनु सिञ्चिनुते गुण रङ्गभुवं
भजति स किं न शचीकुच कुंभ तटी परिरंभ सुखानुभवम् ।
तव चरणं शरणं करवाणि नतामरवाणि निवासि शिवं
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥ १८॥

तव विमलेन्दुकुलं वदनेन्दुमलं सकलं ननु कूलयते
किमु पुरुहूत पुरीन्दुमुखी सुमुखीभिरसौ विमुखीक्रियते ।
मम तु मतं शिवनामधने भवती कृपया किमुत क्रियते
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥ १९॥

अयि मयि दीनदयालुतया कृपयैव त्वया भवितव्यमुमे
अयि जगतो जननी कृपयासि यथासि तथाऽनुमितासिरते ।
यदुचितमत्र भवत्युररि कुरुतादुरुतापमपाकुरुते
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥ २०॥

॥ इति श्रीमहिषासुरमर्दिनि स्तोत्रं संपूर्णम् ॥

Transliteration and translation is available here.