Durga Saptashati Chapter 3 (Tritiya Adhyay): Mahishasura Vadha, Sanskrit Path with Meaning

Durga Saptashati Chapter 3, the Tritiya Adhyay, is the chapter from which the Goddess takes the name Mahishasura Mardini. It belongs to the Madhyama Charitra, presided over by Mahalakshmi, and has 44 verses in the standard numbering. The chapter is given here in full, with the dhyana and every verse in Sanskrit followed by its meaning.

The remaining generals of the asura army fall first: Chikshura, Chamara, Udagra, Karala, Uddhata, Bashkala, Tamra, Andhaka, Ugrasya, Ugravirya, Mahahanu, Bidala, Durdhara and Durmukha. Then Mahishasura himself fights, shifting shape from buffalo to lion to man to elephant and back to buffalo, until the Goddess, having drunk the "supreme drink", speaks the famous line "Roar, roar for a moment, you fool", pins him under her foot and beheads him as he half emerges from the buffalo's mouth. This is the scene carved in the Durga images of Navratri and Durga Puja.

संक्षेप में: दुर्गा सप्तशती का तीसरा अध्याय (महिषासुर वध) यहाँ पूरा दिया गया है: ध्यान और सभी 44 श्लोक संस्कृत में, हर श्लोक के हिंदी अर्थ के साथ। यह मध्यम चरित्र का अध्याय है, जिसकी अधिष्ठात्री महालक्ष्मी हैं। चिक्षुर, चामर आदि सेनापति मारे जाते हैं, और फिर भैंसे, सिंह, पुरुष और हाथी का रूप बदलता महिषासुर देवी के पैर से दबकर मारा जाता है; इसी से देवी महिषासुरमर्दिनी कहलाईं। परंपरा में यह अध्याय शत्रुओं से छुटकारे के लिए पढ़ा जाता है। लेख में पाठ-विधि और ज्योतिषीय संदर्भ भी हैं। पूरा लेख हिंदी में पढ़ें →

This chapter is part of the complete Durga Saptashati path, with all 13 chapters and the angas in reading order.

Chapter 3 at a glance

• Chapter: Third of 13, "Mahishasura Vadha" (महिषासुर वध)
• Charitra: Madhyama Charitra (the middle episode)
• Presiding deity: Mahalakshmi
• Rishi: Vishnu
• Chhanda: Ushnik
• Shakti · Bija · Tattva · Veda: Shakambhari · Durga · Vayu (air) · Yajurveda
• Verses: 44 in the standard numbering (uvacha lines counted)
• Traditional fruit of reading: Tradition reads the third chapter for release from enemies and from those who harass, and for the end of a long-running trouble.

The story of Chapter 3 in brief

With his army being cut down, the general Chikshura attacks the Goddess with a rain of arrows; she breaks his bow, kills his horses and charioteer, shatters the sword he strikes her with, and finally splits both him and his trident with her own. Chamara comes on an elephant; her lion leaps onto the elephant's head, wrestles him to the ground and tears off his head with a paw. The other generals fall to rocks and trees, to her teeth and fists, to mace, iron club, arrows, trident and sword. Then Mahishasura himself, in buffalo form, scatters her ganas with muzzle, hooves, tail and horns, splits the earth, floods the ocean with his tail and flings mountains from his horns. She binds him with her noose; he becomes a lion, then a man with a sword, then an elephant whose trunk she cuts, then a buffalo again. Chandika drinks the supreme drink, laughs with reddened eyes and tells him to roar while he can. She leaps onto him, pins his neck under her foot, strikes him with the trident, and as the asura struggles half out of the buffalo's mouth she cuts off his head with her sword. The daitya army flees wailing, the gods rejoice, the gandharvas sing and the apsaras dance.

Durga Saptashati Chapter 3: Sanskrit text with meaning

The Sanskrit follows the standard text of the Devi Mahatmya; the numbering is the common 700-verse numbering, in which the uvacha lines are counted. Each verse is followed by its meaning in plain English.

Dhyanam

ॐ उद्यद्भानुसहस्रकान्तिमरुणक्षौमां शिरोमालिकां
रक्तालिप्तपयोधरां जपवटीं विद्यामभीतिं वरम् ।
हस्ताब्जैर्दधतीं त्रिनेत्रविलसद्वक्त्रारविन्दश्रियं
देवीं बद्धहिमांशुरत्नमुकुटां वन्देऽरविन्दस्थिताम् ।

Meaning: Om. I bow to the Goddess seated on a lotus, radiant like a thousand rising suns, clad in red silk, wearing a garland of heads, her breasts smeared with blood, holding in her lotus hands the rosary, the book, and the gestures of fearlessness and boon-giving; whose lotus face shines with three eyes, and whose crown is set with a jewel of the crescent moon.

Verses 1 to 44

ॐ ऋषिरुवाच ॥१॥

Meaning: Om. The sage said:

निहन्यमानं तत्सैन्यमवलोक्य महासुरः ।
सेनानीश्चिक्षुरः कोपाद्ययौ योद्धुमथाम्बिकाम् ॥२॥

Meaning: Seeing that army being slaughtered, the great asura Chikshura, the general, went in anger to fight Ambika.

स देवीं शरवर्षेण ववर्ष समरेऽसुरः ।
यथा मेरुगिरेः श‍ृङ्गं तोयवर्षेण तोयदः ॥३॥

Meaning: In the battle that asura rained a shower of arrows on the Goddess, as a cloud rains water on the peak of Mount Meru.

तस्य छित्वा ततो देवी लीलयैव शरोत्करान् ।
जघान तुरगान्बाणैर्यन्तारं चैव वाजिनाम् ॥४॥

Meaning: The Goddess cut his showers of arrows as if in play, then killed his horses with her arrows, and their driver too.

चिच्छेद च धनुः सद्यो ध्वजं चातिसमुच्छृतम् ।
विव्याध चैव गात्रेषु छिन्नधन्वानमाशुगैः ॥५॥

Meaning: She at once cut his bow and his towering banner, and with swift arrows pierced the limbs of him whose bow was broken.

सच्छिन्नधन्वा विरथो हताश्वो हतसारथिः ।
अभ्यधावत तां देवीं खड्गचर्मधरोऽसुरः ॥६॥

Meaning: His bow broken, his chariot gone, his horses and charioteer slain, the asura rushed at the Goddess with sword and shield.

सिंहमाहत्य खड्गेन तीक्ष्णधारेण मूर्धनि ।
आजघान भुजे सव्ये देवीमप्यतिवेगवान् ॥७॥

Meaning: Striking the lion on the head with his sharp-edged sword, he struck the Goddess too, with great speed, on her left arm.

तस्याः खड्गो भुजं प्राप्य पफाल नृपनन्दन ।
ततो जग्राह शूलं स कोपादरुणलोचनः ॥८॥

Meaning: O prince, his sword shattered on touching her arm. Then, his eyes red with rage, he seized a trident.

चिक्षेप च ततस्तत्तु भद्रकाल्यां महासुरः ।
जाज्वल्यमानं तेजोभी रविबिम्बमिवाम्बरात् ॥९॥

Meaning: The great asura hurled it at Bhadrakali, blazing with light like the disc of the sun from the sky.

दृष्ट्वा तदापतच्छूलं देवी शूलममुञ्चत ।
तेन तच्छतधा नीतं शूलं स च महासुरः ॥१०॥

Meaning: Seeing that trident coming, the Goddess let fly her own trident, which shattered it into a hundred pieces, and the great asura with it.

हते तस्मिन्महावीर्ये महिषस्य चमूपतौ ।
आजगाम गजारूढश्चामरस्त्रिदशार्दनः ॥११॥

Meaning: When that mighty general of Mahisha was slain, Chamara, tormentor of the gods, came mounted on an elephant.

सोऽपि शक्तिं मुमोचाथ देव्यास्तामम्बिका द्रुतम् ।
हुङ्काराभिहतां भूमौ पातयामास निष्प्रभाम् ॥१२॥

Meaning: He too hurled a spear at the Goddess, but Ambika struck it swiftly with a cry of "hum" and brought it down to the ground, its lustre gone.

भग्नां शक्तिं निपतितां दृष्ट्वा क्रोधसमन्वितः ।
चिक्षेप चामरः शूलं बाणैस्तदपि साच्छिनत् ॥१३॥

Meaning: Seeing his spear broken and fallen, Chamara in fury threw a trident, and she cut that too with her arrows.

ततः सिंहः समुत्पत्य गजकुम्भान्तरे स्थितः ।
बाहुयुद्धेन युयुधे तेनोच्चैस्त्रिदशारिणा ॥१४॥

Meaning: Then the lion leapt up, landed between the elephant's temples, and fought that enemy of the gods hand to hand, roaring.

युध्यमानौ ततस्तौ तु तस्मान्नागान्महीं गतौ ।
युयुधातेऽतिसंरब्धौ प्रहारैरतिदारुणैः ॥१५॥

Meaning: Fighting, the two fell from the elephant to the ground and went on fighting in great fury with terrible blows.

ततो वेगात् खमुत्पत्य निपत्य च मृगारिणा ।
करप्रहारेण शिरश्चामरस्य पृथक् कृतम् ॥१६॥

Meaning: Then the lion leapt swiftly into the sky, came down, and with a blow of its paw severed Chamara's head from his body.

उदग्रश्च रणे देव्या शिलावृक्षादिभिर्हतः ।
दन्तमुष्टितलैश्चैव करालश्च निपातितः ॥१७॥

Meaning: Udagra was slain in the battle by the Goddess with rocks, trees and the like; and Karala was felled by her teeth, fists and palms.

देवी क्रुद्धा गदापातैश्चूर्णयामास चोद्धतम् ।
बाष्कलं भिन्दिपालेन बाणैस्ताम्रं तथान्धकम् ॥१८॥

Meaning: The angry Goddess crushed Uddhata to powder with blows of her mace, Bashkala with her iron club, and Tamra and Andhaka with arrows.

उग्रास्यमुग्रवीर्यं च तथैव च महाहनुम् ।
त्रिनेत्रा च त्रिशूलेन जघान परमेश्वरी ॥१९॥

Meaning: The three-eyed supreme Goddess slew Ugrasya, Ugravirya and Mahahanu likewise with her trident.

बिडालस्यासिना कायात् पातयामास वै शिरः ।
दुर्धरं दुर्मुखं चोभौ शरैर्निन्ये यमक्षयम् ॥२०॥

Meaning: With her sword she struck Bidala's head from his body, and sent both Durdhara and Durmukha to the abode of Yama with her arrows.

एवं सङ्क्षीयमाणे तु स्वसैन्ये महिषासुरः ।
माहिषेण स्वरूपेण त्रासयामास तान् गणान् ॥२१॥

Meaning: As his army was thus being destroyed, Mahishasura, in his own buffalo form, terrified those ganas.

कांश्चित्तुण्डप्रहारेण खुरक्षेपैस्तथापरान् ।
लाङ्गूलताडितांश्चान्यान् श‍ृङ्गाभ्यां च विदारितान् ॥२२॥

Meaning: Some he struck with his muzzle, others with kicks of his hooves, others he lashed with his tail or tore with his horns.

वेगेन कांश्चिदपरान्नादेन भ्रमणेन च ।
निःश्वासपवनेनान्यान्पातयामास भूतले ॥२३॥

Meaning: Others he threw to the ground by his speed, his bellowing, his whirling, and the wind of his breath.

निपात्य प्रमथानीकमभ्यधावत सोऽसुरः ।
सिंहं हन्तुं महादेव्याः कोपं चक्रे ततोऽम्बिका ॥२४॥

Meaning: Having laid low the host of ganas, that asura rushed to kill the lion of the great Goddess; at that Ambika grew angry.

सोऽपि कोपान्महावीर्यः खुरक्षुण्णमहीतलः ।
श‍ृङ्गाभ्यां पर्वतानुच्चांश्चिक्षेप च ननाद च ॥२५॥

Meaning: He too, of great valour, in his rage pounded the earth with his hooves, tossed up high mountains with his horns, and bellowed.

वेगभ्रमणविक्षुण्णा मही तस्य व्यशीर्यत ।
लाङ्गूलेनाहतश्चाब्धिः प्लावयामास सर्वतः ॥२६॥

Meaning: Crushed by his furious whirling, the earth broke apart; lashed by his tail, the ocean flooded in every direction.

धुतश‍ृङ्गविभिन्नाश्च खण्डं खण्डं ययुर्घनाः ।
श्वासानिलास्ताः शतशो निपेतुर्नभसोऽचलाः ॥२७॥

Meaning: Pierced by his tossing horns, the clouds went to pieces; and mountains, flung up by the wind of his breath, fell from the sky by the hundreds.

इति क्रोधसमाध्मातमापतन्तं महासुरम् ।
दृष्ट्वा सा चण्डिका कोपं तद्वधाय तदाकरोत् ॥२८॥

Meaning: Seeing the great asura rushing at her, swollen with rage, Chandika then roused her anger to slay him.

सा क्षिप्त्वा तस्य वै पाशं तं बबन्ध महासुरम् ।
तत्याज माहिषं रूपं सोऽपि बद्धो महामृधे ॥२९॥

Meaning: She flung her noose and bound that great asura; bound in that great battle, he abandoned his buffalo form.

ततः सिंहोऽभवत्सद्यो यावत्तस्याम्बिका शिरः ।
छिनत्ति तावत् पुरुषः खड्गपाणिरदृश्यत ॥३०॥

Meaning: Then he at once became a lion; and even as Ambika was cutting off its head, a man with a sword in his hand appeared.

तत एवाशु पुरुषं देवी चिच्छेद सायकैः ।
तं खड्गचर्मणा सार्धं ततः सोऽभून्महागजः ॥३१॥

Meaning: At once the Goddess cut that man down with her arrows, together with his sword and shield; then he became a huge elephant.

करेण च महासिंहं तं चकर्ष जगर्ज च ।
कर्षतस्तु करं देवी खड्गेन निरकृन्तत ॥३२॥

Meaning: With his trunk he dragged the great lion and trumpeted; as he dragged, the Goddess cut off his trunk with her sword.

ततो महासुरो भूयो माहिषं वपुरास्थितः ।
तथैव क्षोभयामास त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम् ॥३३॥

Meaning: Then the great asura took his buffalo body again, and as before shook the three worlds with all that moves and does not move.

ततः क्रुद्धा जगन्माता चण्डिका पानमुत्तमम् ।
पपौ पुनः पुनश्चैव जहासारुणलोचना ॥३४॥

Meaning: Then Chandika, Mother of the world, enraged, drank the supreme drink again and again, and laughed, her eyes turning red.

ननर्द चासुरः सोऽपि बलवीर्यमदोद्धतः ।
विषाणाभ्यां च चिक्षेप चण्डिकां प्रति भूधरान् ॥३५॥

Meaning: The asura too roared, drunk with his strength and valour, and with his horns hurled mountains at Chandika.

सा च तान्प्रहितांस्तेन चूर्णयन्ती शरोत्करैः ।
उवाच तं मदोद्धूतमुखरागाकुलाक्षरम् ॥३६॥

Meaning: Pulverising with torrents of arrows the mountains he threw, she spoke to him, her words thick with the excitement of the drink and the flush on her face.

देव्युवाच ॥३७॥

Meaning: The Goddess said:

गर्ज गर्ज क्षणं मूढ मधु यावत्पिबाम्यहम् ।
मया त्वयि हतेऽत्रैव गर्जिष्यन्त्याशु देवताः ॥३८॥

Meaning: "Roar, roar for a moment, you fool, while I drink this wine. When you are slain by me here, the gods will soon be the ones roaring."

ऋषिरुवाच ॥३९॥

Meaning: The sage said:

एवमुक्त्वा समुत्पत्य सारूढा तं महासुरम् ।
पादेनाक्रम्य कण्ठे च शूलेनैनमताडयत् ॥४०॥

Meaning: So saying, she leapt up and landed on that great asura, pressed down his neck with her foot and struck him with her trident.

ततः सोऽपि पदाक्रान्तस्तया निजमुखात्तदा ।
अर्धनिष्क्रान्त एवासीद्देव्या वीर्येण संवृतः ॥४१॥

Meaning: Then, trodden under her foot, he came half out of his own mouth, held fast by the Goddess's valour.

अर्धनिष्क्रान्त एवासौ युध्यमानो महासुरः ।
तया महासिना देव्या शिरश्छित्त्वा निपातितः ॥४२॥

Meaning: Still fighting while half emerged, the great asura was felled by the Goddess, who cut off his head with her great sword.

ततो हाहाकृतं सर्वं दैत्यसैन्यं ननाश तत् ।
प्रहर्षं च परं जग्मुः सकला देवतागणाः ॥४३॥

Meaning: Then the whole army of the daityas perished, crying out in despair, and all the hosts of gods were filled with supreme joy.

तुष्टुवुस्तां सुरा देवीं सहदिव्यैर्महर्षिभिः ।
जगुर्गन्धर्वपतयो ननृतुश्चाप्सरोगणाः ॥४४॥

Meaning: The gods, with the divine great sages, praised the Goddess; the lords of the gandharvas sang and the troops of apsaras danced.

॥ स्वस्ति श्रीमार्कण्डेयपुराणे सावर्णिके मन्वन्तरे देवीमाहात्म्ये
महिषासुरवधो नाम तृतीयोऽध्यायः ॥ ३॥
उवाच ३, अर्धश्लोकाः ४१, श्लोकाः ४४, एवमादितः ॥ २१७॥

Meaning: Thus ends the third chapter, named Mahishasura Vadha, of the Devi Mahatmya in the Markandeya Purana, in the Savarnika manvantara. Three uvacha lines, forty-one half-verses and forty-four full verses: two hundred and seventeen from the beginning.

Significance and benefits of reading Chapter 3

Tradition assigns a fruit to each chapter, and the third chapter is read for release from enemies and from a trouble that keeps changing shape and returning, exactly as Mahishasura does in the story. It is also the chapter devotees turn to on Mahanavami and Vijayadashami, since the slaying of Mahishasura is the victory those days celebrate.

Verse 38, garja garja kshanam mudha, "roar, roar for a moment, you fool", is among the most quoted lines of the Saptashati. The image of the Goddess drinking the uttama pana before the final blow (verse 34) is read in the tradition as the fierce Shakti taking in the intoxication of battle so that nothing is left to fear; it is not an invitation to imitate. The chapter closes with the gods, sages, gandharvas and apsaras in celebration, which leads straight into the great hymn of Chapter 4.

How to read Chapter 3 (vidhi)

In a complete Saptashati path the chapters are read in order after the three angas, Devi Kavach, Argala Stotram and Keelak Stotram, and the Ratri Suktam. Many traditions also do the Navarna mantra japa with nyasa before and after. If you are reading this chapter on its own, begin with its dhyana as given above, read the verses without hurry, and close with the Kshamapana or the Siddha Kunjika Stotram.

Sit facing east or north on a clean asana, light a ghee lamp, keep water in a kalash, and read from a printed or clearly displayed text rather than from memory. Do not break a chapter in the middle; if you must stop, finish the chapter first. A samput mantra can be added before and after each verse for a specific purpose, but a plain reading with attention is the foundation.

Astrological relevance

In the Jyotish tradition the Devi Mahatmya is read as a remedy of the widest kind: the Prathama Charitra is associated with Mahakali and with the pacification of Rahu, Ketu and Shani, the Madhyama Charitra with Mahalakshmi and the Sun and Jupiter, and the Uttara Charitra with Mahasaraswati and Mercury and Venus. Chapter 3 belongs to the Madhyama Charitra, so it is read with the rest of that episode when those grahas are difficult in a chart, and during their dashas. Nothing here replaces reading your own chart; it is the devotional side of the same picture. Start with a free kundli or talk to an astrologer to see which dasha is running.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens in Durga Saptashati Chapter 3?
The last generals of Mahishasura's army are killed, and then Mahishasura himself. He changes form from buffalo to lion to man to elephant and back; the Goddess binds him, pins him under her foot and beheads him as he emerges from the buffalo's mouth. The chapter has 44 verses.

Why is the Goddess called Mahishasura Mardini?
Because of this chapter. "Mardini" means the one who crushes; the Goddess who crushed Mahishasura, the buffalo demon, is Mahishasura Mardini, and the image of her with her foot on the buffalo and the demon emerging from it comes from verses 40 to 42.

What does "garja garja kshanam mudha" mean?
It is verse 38: "Roar, roar for a moment, you fool, while I drink this wine. When you are slain by me here, the gods will soon be the ones roaring." It is the Goddess's only speech in the chapter, spoken just before the final blow.

When is Chapter 3 read on its own?
Tradition reads it for release from enemies and from persistent trouble. Many devotees also read it on Mahanavami or Vijayadashami, the days that celebrate the victory over Mahishasura, and it is always part of the Madhyama Charitra when that episode is read alone.

Which chapters make up the Madhyama Charitra?
Chapters 2, 3 and 4. Chapter 2 is the origin of the Goddess and the destruction of the asura army, Chapter 3 the death of Mahishasura, and Chapter 4 the hymn of praise the gods offer afterwards. Mahalakshmi presides over all three.