Mantras

Devyaparadha Kshamapana Stotram: Durga Forgiveness Prayer

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Astro Logics Admin

21 August 2026 · 6 min read

Devyaparadha Kshamapana Stotram: Durga Forgiveness Prayer

Seeking the Mother's forgiveness with an open heart

Among the stotras attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, the Devyaparadha Kshamapana Stotram holds a unique emotional register; it is not a hymn of triumph or even of petition, but of contrition. Its central acknowledgement is disarmingly simple: the worshipper has failed, in body, speech, or mind, to offer worship as it ought to be offered, and there is nowhere else to turn but toward the Mother herself. The text is built on the logic of unconditional love: a child may err in a thousand ways, the tradition teaches, but the mother's compassion does not depend on the child's perfection. This makes the stotram as much a meditation on the nature of divine grace as it is an act of apology.

Devotees recite this hymn at the close of Durga Puja and Navratri, as a way of releasing any anxiety about ritual imperfection - the wrong number of repetitions, a missing ingredient, a distracted mind - and placing the whole of one's effort in the Mother's hands. It is also recited during Fridays associated with Devi worship and on the Ashtami and Navami tithis. In the Jyotish tradition, Devi in her compassionate aspect is often connected to Venus and the Moon, and this stotram is considered particularly resonant for those whose charts indicate challenges to emotional peace or who carry a sense of unworthiness in their spiritual practice. Its deepest teaching is that acknowledging one's limitations before the Divine is not defeat but devotion of the highest order.

Devyaparadha Kshamapana Stotram (देव्यपराध क्षमापन स्तोत्रम्) - Sanskrit Text

न मन्त्रं नो यन्त्रं तदपि च न जाने स्तुतिमहो
न चाह्वानं ध्यानं तदपि च न जाने स्तुतिकथाः ।
न जाने मुद्रास्ते तदपि च न जाने विलपनं
परं जाने मातस्त्वदनुसरणं क्लेशहरणम् ॥ १ ॥

विधेरज्ञानेन द्रविणविरहेणालसतया
विधेयाशक्यत्वात्तव चरणयोर्या च्युतिरभूत् ।
तदेतत्क्षन्तव्यं जननि सकलोद्धारिणि शिवे
कुपुत्रो जायेत क्वचिदपि कुमाता न भवति ॥ २ ॥

पृथिव्यां पुत्रास्ते जननि बहवः सन्ति सरलाः
परं तेषां मध्ये विरलतरलोऽहं तव सुतः ।
मदीयोऽयं त्यागः समुचितमिदं नो तव शिवे
कुपुत्रो जायेत क्वचिदपि कुमाता न भवति ॥ ३ ॥

जगन्मातर्मातस्तव चरणसेवा न रचिता
न वा दत्तं देवि द्रविणमपि भूयस्तव मया ।
तथापि त्वं स्नेहं मयि निरुपमं यत्प्रकुरुषे
कुपुत्रो जायेत क्वचिदपि कुमाता न भवति ॥ ४ ॥

परित्यक्ता देवा विविधविधिसेवाकुलतया
मया पञ्चाशीतेरधिकमपनीते तु वयसि ।
इदानीं चेन्मातस्तव यदि कृपा नापि भविता
निरालम्बो लम्बोदरजननि कं यामि शरणम् ॥ ५ ॥

श्वपाको जल्पाको भवति मधुपाकोपमगिरा
निरातङ्को रङ्को विहरति चिरं कोटिकनकैः ।
तवापर्णे कर्णे विशति मनुवर्णे फलमिदं
जनः को जानीते जननि जपनीयं जपविधौ ॥ ६ ॥

चिताभस्मालेपो गरलमशनं दिक्पटधरो
जटाधारी कण्ठे भुजगपतिहारी पशुपतिः ।
कपाली भूतेशो भजति जगदीशैकपदवीं
भवानि त्वत्पाणिग्रहणपरिपाटीफलमिदम् ॥ ७ ॥

न मोक्षस्याकाङ्क्षा भवविभववाञ्छापि च न मे
न विज्ञानापेक्षा शशिमुखि सुखेच्छापि न पुनः ।
अतस्त्वां संयाचे जननि जननं यातु मम वै
मृडानी रुद्राणी शिव शिव भवानीति जपतः ॥ ८ ॥

नाराधितासि विधिना विविधोपचारैः
किं रुक्षचिन्तनपरैर्न कृतं वचोभिः ।
श्यामे त्वमेव यदि किञ्चन मय्यनाथे
धत्से कृपामुचितमम्ब परं तवैव ॥ ९ ॥

आपत्सु मग्नः स्मरणं त्वदीयं
करोमि दुर्गे करुणार्णवेशि ।
नैतच्छठत्वं मम भावयेथाः
क्षुधातृषार्ता जननीं स्मरन्ति ॥ १० ॥

जगदम्ब विचित्रमत्र किं
परिपूर्णा करुणास्ति चेन्मयि ।
अपराधपरम्परावृतं
न हि माता समुपेक्षते सुतम् ॥ ११ ॥

मत्समः पातकी नास्ति
पापघ्नी त्वत्समा न हि ।
एवं ज्ञात्वा महादेवि
यथा योग्यं तथा कुरु ॥ १२ ॥

॥ इति श्रीमच्छङ्कराचार्यकृतं देव्यपराधक्षमापनस्तोत्रम् सम्पूर्णम् ॥

Transliteration (Roman/IAST)

na mantraṁ no yantraṁ tadapi ca na jāne stutim aho, na cāhvānaṁ dhyānaṁ tadapi ca na jāne stuti-kathāḥ, na jāne mudrās te tadapi ca na jāne vilapanaṁ, paraṁ jāne mātas tvad-anusaraṇaṁ kleśa-haraṇam ॥1॥

(Verses 2–4 close with the famous refrain: kuputro jāyeta kvacid api kumātā na bhavati - "A bad son may be born, but a mother is never bad.")

Meaning

This is a prayer for forgiveness, sung by a devotee who confesses he knows neither mantra, yantra, invocation, meditation, mudra nor proper praise - "but this much I know, Mother: that following you removes all sorrow." He begs pardon for every lapse in worship caused by ignorance, poverty, laziness or incapacity, taking refuge in the eternal truth that "a son may be wayward, but a mother is never unkind." Even though he has never truly served her feet nor given anything, the Mother still pours boundless love upon him. The hymn ends in utter surrender: "There is no sinner like me and no remover of sin like you; knowing this, O Great Goddess, do as you see fit."

About this Stotra

The Devyaparadha Kshamapana Stotram ("Hymn Begging Forgiveness for Offences to the Goddess") is a celebrated twelve-verse prayer attributed to Adi Shankaracharya. It is traditionally recited at the conclusion of Durga or Devi worship to seek pardon for any mistakes, omissions or imperfections committed during the ritual. Its most quoted line - "kuputro jayeta kvachidapi kumata na bhavati" - has become a proverb across India: a child may fail, but a mother's love never does.

Significance & Spiritual Benefits

Reciting this stotra after any puja cleanses the worship of its flaws and assures the devotee of the Mother's unconditional grace. It cultivates humility, surrender (sharanagati) and the sweet confidence of a child resting in a mother's love. It dissolves guilt and fear of having "done it wrong," replacing them with trust. Recited regularly, it deepens the bond of vatsalya between devotee and the Divine Mother.

Astrological Relevance

As a Devi stotra of surrender, it invokes the grace of the Moon (Chandra) - the cosmic Mother principle and karaka of the emotional mind - and soothes its afflictions, bringing peace to a troubled heart. Worship of the Divine Mother is the principal remedy for those whose charts show a weak or afflicted Moon, and for relief from guilt, anxiety and self-reproach (often linked to a difficult Moon–Saturn or Moon–Ketu combination). Recited at the close of Navaratri and Durga puja, it secures the Mother's protective grace through every planetary trial.

How to Chant (Vidhi)

Recite this stotra at the end of Durga or Devi puja, with folded hands before the Goddess, asking pardon for any errors in the worship. It may also be chanted on its own as a daily prayer of surrender. Sit calmly, let the meaning move the heart, and end resting in the Mother's love.

Best Day & Time

It is recited at the conclusion of any Devi worship, and especially during and at the close of Navaratri. Fridays, Tuesdays and Ashtami are particularly suitable; the evening lamp hour is traditional.