Argala Stotram: Sanskrit Text, Meaning & Benefits (Durga Saptashati)
Argala Stotram - Sanskrit Text
॥ अथार्गलास्तोत्रम् ॥
ॐ अस्य श्रीअर्गलास्तोत्रमन्त्रस्य विष्णुर्ऋषिः, अनुष्टुप् छन्दः,
श्रीमहालक्ष्मीर्देवता, श्रीजगदम्बाप्रीत्यर्थं सप्तशतीपाठाङ्गत्वेन जपे विनियोगः ॥
ॐ नमश्चण्डिकायै ॥
मार्कण्डेय उवाच ।
ॐ जयन्ती मङ्गला काली भद्रकाली कपालिनी ।
दुर्गा क्षमा शिवा धात्री स्वाहा स्वधा नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ १॥
जय त्वं देवि चामुण्डे जय भूतार्तिहारिणि ।
जय सर्वगते देवि कालरात्रि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ २॥
मधुकैटभविद्राविविधातृवरदे नमः ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥ ३॥
महिषासुरनिर्णाशि भक्तानां सुखदे नमः ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥ ४॥
रक्तबीजवधे देवि चण्डमुण्डविनाशिनि ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥ ५॥
शुम्भस्यैव निशुम्भस्य धूम्राक्षस्य च मर्दिनि ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥ ६॥
वन्दिताङ्घ्रियुगे देवि सर्वसौभाग्यदायिनि ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥ ७॥
अचिन्त्यरूपचरिते सर्वशत्रुविनाशिनि ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥ ८॥
नतेभ्यः सर्वदा भक्त्या चण्डिके दुरितापहे ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥ ९॥
स्तुवद्भ्यो भक्तिपूर्वं त्वां चण्डिके व्याधिनाशिनि ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥ १०॥
चण्डिके सततं ये त्वामर्चयन्तीह भक्तितः ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥ ११॥
देहि सौभाग्यमारोग्यं देहि मे परमं सुखम् ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥ १२॥
विधेहि द्विषतां नाशं विधेहि बलमुच्चकैः ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥ १३॥
विधेहि देवि कल्याणं विधेहि परमां श्रियम् ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥ १४॥
सुरासुरशिरोरत्ननिघृष्टचरणेऽम्बिके ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥ १५॥
विद्यावन्तं यशस्वन्तं लक्ष्मीवन्तं जनं कुरु ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥ १६॥
प्रचण्डदैत्यदर्पघ्ने चण्डिके प्रणताय मे ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥ १७॥
चतुर्भुजे चतुर्वक्त्रसंस्तुते परमेश्वरि ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥ १८॥
कृष्णेन संस्तुते देवि शश्वद्भक्त्या सदाम्बिके ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥ १९॥
हिमाचलसुतानाथसंस्तुते परमेश्वरि ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥ २०॥
इन्द्राणीपतिसद्भावपूजिते परमेश्वरि ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥ २१॥
देवि प्रचण्डदोर्दण्डदैत्यदर्पविनाशिनि ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥ २२॥
देवि भक्तजनोद्दामदत्तानन्दोदयेऽम्बिके ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥ २३॥
पत्नीं मनोरमां देहि मनोवृत्तानुसारिणीम् ।
तारिणीं दुर्गसंसारसागरस्य कुलोद्भवाम् ॥ २४॥
इदं स्तोत्रं पठित्वा तु महास्तोत्रं पठेन्नरः ।
स तु सप्तशतीसंख्यावरमाप्नोति सम्पदाम् ॥ २५॥
॥ इति देव्या अर्गलास्तोत्रं सम्पूर्णम् ॥
Transliteration (Roman/IAST)
oṃ asya śrī-argalāstotramantrasya viṣṇur-ṛṣiḥ, anuṣṭup chandaḥ, śrī-mahālakṣmīr-devatā, śrī-jagadambā-prītyarthaṃ saptaśatī-pāṭhāṅgatvena jape viniyogaḥ |
oṃ jayantī maṅgalā kālī bhadrakālī kapālinī |
durgā kṣamā śivā dhātrī svāhā svadhā namo'stu te || 1||
jaya tvaṃ devi cāmuṇḍe jaya bhūtārtihāriṇi |
jaya sarvagate devi kālarātri namo'stu te || 2||
madhukaiṭabhavidrāvi-vidhātṛvarade namaḥ |
rūpaṃ dehi jayaṃ dehi yaśo dehi dviṣo jahi || 3||
(the refrain "rūpaṃ dehi jayaṃ dehi yaśo dehi dviṣo jahi" - "grant me beauty, grant victory, grant glory, slay my enemies" - repeats through verses 3 to 23) …
patnīṃ manoramāṃ dehi manovṛttānusāriṇīm |
tāriṇīṃ durgasaṃsārasāgarasya kulodbhavām || 24||
idaṃ stotraṃ paṭhitvā tu mahāstotraṃ paṭhennaraḥ |
sa tu saptaśatī-saṃkhyā-varam-āpnoti sampadām || 25||
Meaning
The stotra opens by naming the Goddess in her many forms - Jayanti, Mangala, Kali, Bhadrakali, Kapalini, Durga, Kshama (forgiveness), Shiva, Dhatri, Svaha and Svadha - and bowing to her (verse 1). She is hailed as Chamunda who removes the affliction of all beings and as Kalaratri, the dark night of dissolution (verse 2). From the third verse the famous refrain begins and is repeated through most of the hymn: "rupam dehi, jayam dehi, yasho dehi, dvisho jahi" - "Grant me beauty, grant me victory, grant me glory, destroy my enemies." Each verse first praises a great deed of the Goddess - the routing of Madhu and Kaitabha, the slaying of Mahishasura, Raktabija, Chanda, Munda, Shumbha, Nishumbha and Dhumralochana - and then repeats this fourfold plea. Later verses ask her to make the devotee learned, famous and prosperous (verse 16), to grant well-being and supreme fortune (verse 14), and finally a worthy and devoted spouse who is herself a means of crossing the difficult ocean of worldly existence (verse 24). The closing verse promises that one who recites this Argala Stotram before reading the great Devi-Mahatmya (Saptashati) gains the full fruit of that recitation.
About this Stotra
Argala Stotram is one of the three short "anga" (limb) hymns - along with the Kavacha and the Kilaka - recited before the Durga Saptashati (Devi-Mahatmya, also called Chandi Path) from the Markandeya Purana. The word argala means "bolt" or "latch": just as a bolt secures a door, this stotra is said to remove the obstructions that would otherwise "lock" the fruits of the Saptashati recitation, opening the way for the Goddess's blessings to reach the devotee. Its sage (rishi) is Vishnu, its metre is anushtup, and its presiding deity is Mahalakshmi. Compact and intensely rhythmic because of its repeated refrain, it is among the most-recited Devi hymns in daily and Navaratri worship.
Significance & Spiritual Benefits
The Argala Stotram is essentially a prayer for the four great worldly and spiritual gifts named in its refrain - beauty and good form (rupa), victory (jaya), fame and glory (yasha), and the destruction of enemies (dvisho jahi) - set against the backdrop of the Goddess's victories over the demons of ego, greed and delusion. Recited as a prelude to the Saptashati, it ensures that the larger recitation bears full fruit; recited on its own it is valued for success in undertakings, removal of obstacles and adversaries, courage, prosperity and protection. Because the demons slain in each verse symbolise inner vices, the hymn also works inwardly, invoking the Goddess's power to conquer the negativities of one's own mind.
Astrological Relevance
As a hymn to the Divine Mother in her fierce, victory-granting forms, the Argala Stotram is a powerful remedy for afflictions of Mangala (Mars) - the planet of courage, conflict, enemies and competition - and for strengthening a weak or troubled Chandra (Moon), since Devi is the supreme Shakti behind the lunar, nurturing principle. Its presiding deity Mahalakshmi links it to Shukra (Venus) and the second and eleventh houses of wealth and gains, which the verses explicitly invoke ("Lakshmivantam janam kuru"). Devotees facing litigation, rivalry, or hostile circumstances (often read through an afflicted sixth house or a malefic Mars/Rahu) recite it for victory and protection, especially during Navaratri, when Shakti worship is most potent.
How to Chant (Vidhi)
Bathe and sit facing east or north before an image of Durga or the Devi yantra. Light a lamp, offer red flowers, kumkum and akshata, and first recite the viniyoga and the salutation "Om namaschandikayai." When the stotra is part of the full Chandi Path, it is recited after the Kavacha and before the Kilaka and the main text. On its own, recite it once, thrice, nine or eleven times with a steady, devoted mind, sustaining the rhythm of the refrain. Conclude by offering the lamp (aarti) and praying for the fourfold blessing the hymn describes.
Best Day & Time
It is most powerful during the nine nights of Navaratri (both Chaitra and Sharadiya), on Tuesdays and Fridays (the days of Mars-energy and of the Goddess), and on Ashtami and Navami. The Brahma-muhurta and the early morning are ideal, though it may be recited at any time as a prelude to the Durga Saptashati.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "Argala" mean and why is the stotra so named?
Argala means a bolt or latch. The hymn is said to remove the "bolts" that obstruct the fruits of Devi worship, so that the blessings of the Durga Saptashati flow unhindered to the devotee. It is one of the three anga-stotras recited before the main Chandi Path.
Can the Argala Stotram be recited on its own?
Yes. While it is traditionally recited before the Durga Saptashati along with the Kavacha and Kilaka, it is also chanted independently for victory, prosperity, protection from enemies and the four blessings of its refrain - beauty, victory, glory and the destruction of foes.
What is the meaning of the repeated refrain?
"Rupam dehi, jayam dehi, yasho dehi, dvisho jahi" means "Grant me beauty (good form), grant me victory, grant me glory, and destroy my enemies." It is the devotee's fourfold petition to the Goddess, repeated through most verses of the hymn.
The gateway hymn that opens the Chandi Path
The Argala Stotram occupies a unique and indispensable place in the Durga Saptashati tradition. Recited as one of the three preparatory anga hymns before the main Chandi Path begins, it functions as a devotional key that opens the heart before the deeper power of the Saptashati unfolds. Its repeated invocation to the Divine Mother - asking for beauty, victory, fame, and the removal of obstacles - reflects the vira rasa, the mood of spirited devotion combined with confident supplication. Devotees believe that chanting the Argala Stotram with sincerity establishes the proper inner attitude of surrender and alertness that the Saptashati requires.
This stotra is traditionally recited during Navaratri, on Fridays dedicated to the Devi, and whenever one undertakes a formal Chandi Homa or Saptashati patha. In the Jyotish tradition, the Divine Mother in her victorious forms is associated with the protective power that can pacify afflicted Rahu and Ketu, and devotees who perform a complete Chandi patha during Shani or Rahu dashas often include the Argala as a foundational anchor. What makes this hymn particularly beloved is its accessibility - its confident, almost martial energy encourages the chanter to approach the Mother not just in helplessness but in joyful aspiration, trusting her grace to remove every inner and outer impediment.