Navadurga Stotram (Vande Vanchhita Labhaya): The Nine Forms of Durga for the Nine Nights, Sanskrit with Meaning

The nine nights of Navratri belong to nine forms of the Goddess, and the Navadurga Stotram gives each of them a verse of meditation. It opens with the words everyone who has kept Navratri knows, vande vanchhita labhaya chandrardha krita shekharam, "for the gain of what I desire I bow to her who wears the half-moon on her crest", the verse of Shailaputri, and goes on through Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri.

The nine names come from the Devi Kavach (verses 3 to 5), where Markandeya lists them and says "these are the nine Durgas"; these are the dhyana verses the tradition attached to each. One is recited on each day of Navratri before the puja or the Saptashati paath. The full text is given below, each verse with its form named, its iconography and its meaning.

संक्षेप में: नवदुर्गा स्तोत्र नवरात्रि की नौ रातों में पूजे जाने वाले दुर्गा के नौ रूपों, शैलपुत्री से सिद्धिदात्री तक, में हर एक का एक ध्यान श्लोक है, जो 'वन्दे वाञ्छितलाभाय' से आरम्भ होता है। यहाँ नौ श्लोक (कालरात्रि के दो) संस्कृत में, हर रूप के नाम, स्वरूप और हिंदी अर्थ के साथ हैं। नौ नाम देवी कवच से आते हैं, और हर दिन उस दिन का श्लोक पूजा या पाठ से पहले पढ़ा जाता है। लेख में हर रूप का फल और नवरात्रि में पाठ की विधि भी है। पूरा लेख हिंदी में पढ़ें →

At a glance

• Text: Navadurga Stotram, nine dhyana verses (Kalaratri's runs to two), one per form
• The nine forms: Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri, Siddhidatri
• Use: The verse of the day is recited on each of the nine nights of Navratri before the day's puja or paath
• Source: The Devi Kavach names the nine forms (verses 3 to 5); these dhyana verses are the traditional meditations on each
• Traditional fruit: Each verse states its own: the fulfilment of desire, grace, good fortune, the destruction of enemies, siddhi

Navadurga Stotram: Sanskrit text with meaning

देवी शैलपुत्री ।
वन्दे वाञ्छितलाभाय चन्द्रार्धकृतशेखराम् ।
वृषारूढां शूलधरां शैलपुत्रीं यशस्विनीम् ॥

Meaning: Shailaputri, the first night. For the gain of what I desire, I bow to the renowned Shailaputri, who wears the half-moon on her crest, who is mounted on a bull and bears the trident.

देवी ब्रह्मचारिणी ।
दधाना करपद्माभ्यामक्षमालाकमण्डलू ।
देवी प्रसीदतु मयि ब्रह्मचारिण्यनुत्तमा ॥

Meaning: Brahmacharini, the second night. Holding in her two lotus hands the rosary and the water pot, may the Goddess Brahmacharini, the highest, be gracious to me.

देवी चन्द्रघण्टेति ।
पिण्डजप्रवरारूढा चण्डकोपास्त्रकैर्युता ।
प्रसादं तनुते मह्यं चन्द्रघण्टेति विश्रुता ॥

Meaning: Chandraghanta, the third night. Mounted on the finest of mounts and armed with the weapons of fierce wrath, she who is famed as Chandraghanta spreads her grace upon me.

देवी कूष्मांडा ।
सुरासम्पूर्णकलशं रुधिराप्लुतमेव च ।
दधाना हस्तपद्माभ्यां कूष्माण्डा शुभदास्तु मे ॥

Meaning: Kushmanda, the fourth night. Holding in her two lotus hands a pot full of wine and one steeped in blood, may Kushmanda be the giver of good to me.

देवीस्कन्दमाता ।
सिंहासनगता नित्यं पद्माश्रितकरद्वया ।
शुभदास्तु सदा देवी स्कन्दमाता यशस्विनी ॥

Meaning: Skandamata, the fifth night. Ever seated on the lion-throne, her two hands resting on lotuses, may the renowned Goddess Skandamata always be the giver of good.

देवीकात्यायनी ।
चन्द्रहासोज्ज्वलकरा शार्दूलवरवाहना ।
कात्यायनी शुभं दद्यादेवी दानवघातिनी ॥

Meaning: Katyayani, the sixth night. Her hand bright with the Chandrahasa sword, mounted on the finest of tigers, may Katyayani, the slayer of danavas, grant good.

देवीकालरात्रि ।
एकवेणी जपाकर्णपूरा नग्ना खरास्थिता ।
लम्बोष्ठी कर्णिकाकर्णी तैलाभ्यक्तशरीरिणी ॥

Meaning: Kalaratri, the seventh night. With a single braid, hibiscus flowers at her ears, unclothed, standing on a donkey, long-lipped, her ears like the lotus pericarp, her body anointed with oil...

वामपादोल्लसल्लोहलताकण्टकभूषणा ।
वर्धन्मूर्धध्वजा कृष्णा कालरात्रिर्भयङ्करी ॥

Meaning: ...adorned on her left foot with a shining iron thorn, her crest rising high like a banner, dark: she is Kalaratri, the terrible.

देवीमहागौरी ।
श्वेते वृषे समारूढा श्वेताम्बरधरा शुचिः ।
महागौरी शुभं दद्यान्महादेवप्रमोददा ॥

Meaning: Mahagauri, the eighth night. Mounted on a white bull, clad in white, pure, may Mahagauri, who gives delight to Mahadeva, grant good.

देवीसिद्धिदात्रि ।
सिद्धगन्धर्वयक्षाद्यैरसुरैरमरैरपि ।
सेव्यमाना सदा भूयात् सिद्धिदा सिद्धिदायिनी ॥

Meaning: Siddhidatri, the ninth night. Ever served by siddhas, gandharvas, yakshas and the rest, by asuras and by the gods as well, may Siddhida, the giver of attainments, be the bestower of siddhi.

Significance and benefits

The nine verses are the shortest complete account of the Navadurga iconography: Shailaputri's bull and trident, Brahmacharini's rosary and water pot, Kushmanda's pots, Skandamata's lion-throne, Katyayani's sword and tiger, Kalaratri's donkey and iron thorn, Mahagauri's white bull, Siddhidatri's circle of siddhas and gods. They are the verses behind the day-wise colours, offerings and mantras that Navratri observance has grown around them.

Each verse also carries its own fruit, which the tradition reads as the gift of that night: desire fulfilled (Shailaputri), grace (Brahmacharini and Chandraghanta), good fortune (Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Mahagauri), the end of fear through facing it (Kalaratri) and siddhi (Siddhidatri). Reading all nine at once is a complete Navratri in miniature, which is why the stotra is also said on Ashtami and Navami when the nine kumaris are worshipped.

How to recite (vidhi)

On each day of Navratri recite that day's verse three times, or the whole stotra once, after lighting the lamp and before the paath; on Ashtami and Navami read all nine before kanya puja. Sit facing east or north on a clean asana, light a lamp, and read from the printed text with clear pronunciation. The order of the full paath is on the complete Durga Saptashati path page.

Astrological relevance

The nine forms are mapped in the tradition to the nine grahas, Shailaputri to the Moon through Siddhidatri to Ketu, so the verse of the form matching a troubled graha is read in its dasha; the mapping differs between texts, so follow the one your tradition uses. Nothing here replaces reading your own chart; it is the devotional side of the same picture. To see which dasha is running, start with a free kundli or talk to an astrologer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Navadurga Stotram?
Nine dhyana verses, one for each of the nine forms of Durga worshipped on the nine nights of Navratri, from Shailaputri to Siddhidatri. It begins "vande vanchhita labhaya chandrardha krita shekharam" and is recited day by day through Navratri.

Which verse is read on which day of Navratri?
Day 1 Shailaputri, day 2 Brahmacharini, day 3 Chandraghanta, day 4 Kushmanda, day 5 Skandamata, day 6 Katyayani, day 7 Kalaratri, day 8 Mahagauri and day 9 Siddhidatri, in the order of the stotra.

Where do the names of the nine Durgas come from?
From the Devi Kavach, the first anga of the Durga Saptashati, verses 3 to 5, where Markandeya lists the nine and says "these are called the nine Durgas". The Navadurga Stotram supplies a meditation verse for each.

Why does Kalaratri have two verses?
Her description is the longest: a single braid, hibiscus at the ears, standing on a donkey, oil-anointed, an iron thorn on her left foot, a crest like a banner. The two verses are read together as the seventh night's meditation.