Shantadurga Aarti – Jai Devi Jai Devi: Lyrics, Meaning & Goa Devi Significance
Shantadurga Aarti Lyrics (हिंदी में)
जय देवी जय देवी जय शांते जननी।
दुर्गे बहुदु:खदमने रतलो तव भजनी॥
भूकैलासा ऐसी ही कवला नगरी।
शांतादुर्गा तेथे भक्तभवहारी।
असुराते मर्दुनिया सुरवरकैवारी।
स्मरती विधीहरीशंकर सुरगण अंतरी॥
जय देवी जय देवी जय शांते जननी।
दुर्गे बहुदु:खदमने रतलो तव भजनी॥
प्रबोध तुझा नव्हे विश्वाभीतरी।
नेति नेति शब्दे गर्जती पै चारी।
साही शास्त्रे मथिता न कळीसी निर्धारी।
अष्टादश गर्जती परी नेणती तव थोरी॥
जय देवी जय देवी जय शांते जननी।
दुर्गे बहुदु:खदमने रतलो तव भजनी॥
कोटी मदन रूपा ऐसी मुखशोभा।
सर्वांगी भूषणे जांबूनदगाभा।
नासाग्री मुक्ताफळ दिनमणीची प्रभा।
भक्तजनाते अभय देसी तू अंबा॥
जय देवी जय देवी जय शांते जननी।
दुर्गे बहुदु:खदमने रतलो तव भजनी॥
अंबे भक्तांसाठी होसी साकार।
नातरी जगजीवन तू नव्हसी गोचर।
विराटरूपा धरूनी करीसी व्यापार।
त्रिगुणी विरहीत सहीत तुज कैचा पार॥
जय देवी जय देवी जय शांते जननी।
दुर्गे बहुदु:खदमने रतलो तव भजनी॥
त्रितापतापे श्रमलो निजवी निजसदनी।
अंबे सकळारंभे राका शशीवदनी।
अगमे निगमे दुर्गे भक्तांचे जननी।
पद्माजी बाबाजी रमला तव भजनी॥
जय देवी जय देवी जय शांते जननी।
दुर्गे बहुदु:खदमने रतलो तव भजनी॥
Shantadurga Aarti – Transliteration (English)
Jai Devi Jai Devi Jai Shaante Janani
Durge Bahu-dukhadamane Ratalo Tav Bhajani
Bhukaailasa aisi hi kavala nagari
Shaantadurga tethe bhaktabhavahari
Asuraate mardunia suravarkaivari
Smarati Vidhi-Hari-Shankar suragana antari
Jai Devi Jai Devi Jai Shaante Janani
Durge Bahu-dukhadamane Ratalo Tav Bhajani
Prabodh tuzha navhe vishvabhi-tari
Neti neti shabde garjati pai chari
Sahi shaastre mathita na kalisi nirdhari
Ashtaadash garjati pari nenati tav thori
Jai Devi Jai Devi Jai Shaante Janani
Durge Bahu-dukhadamane Ratalo Tav Bhajani
Koti madan rupa aisi mukhashoabha
Sarvangi bhushane jambunada-gabha
Nasagri muktaphal dinamaniachi prabha
Bhakta-janate abhaya desi tu Amba
Jai Devi Jai Devi Jai Shaante Janani
Durge Bahu-dukhadamane Ratalo Tav Bhajani
Ambe bhaktansathi hosi saakaar
Natari jagajivana tu navhasi gochar
Virata-rupa dharuni karisi vyapar
Triguny virahit sahit tuja kaicha par
Jai Devi Jai Devi Jai Shaante Janani
Durge Bahu-dukhadamane Ratalo Tav Bhajani
Tritapatape shramalo nijavi nijasadani
Ambe sakalarambhe raka shashi-vadani
Agame nigame Durge bhaktanche janani
Padmaji Babaji ramala tav bhajani
Jai Devi Jai Devi Jai Shaante Janani
Durge Bahu-dukhadamane Ratalo Tav Bhajani
Meaning & Significance
The Shantadurga Aarti, sung in Marathi, is the primary devotional hymn of one of India's most beloved regional goddess traditions - Shantadurga, the peace-bestowing form of the Divine Mother venerated especially by the Goud Saraswat Brahmin community of Goa. The opening refrain is immediately distinctive: "Jai Devi Jai Devi Jai Shaante Janani / Durge Bahu-dukhadamane Ratalo Tav Bhajani" - Glory to the Divine Mother, the peaceful one, destroyer of the many sorrows of suffering souls; the devotee is absorbed in her praise. The first verse locates the goddess at her sacred seat: Bhukailasa (the mountain considered the earthly reflection of Kailash), specifically the region of Kavala in Goa, where she removes the worldly bondage of her devotees. It proclaims her the one who crushed the demons, won over the celestial beings, and is contemplated by Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva together. The second verse is a testament to her supreme, ineffable nature - even the Upanishadic formula "neti neti" (not this, not this) cannot fully define her; the six philosophical schools and eighteen Puranas can only gesture toward her greatness. The third verse honours her physical beauty - a face lovelier than a million Kamadevas, ornaments of the finest gold, a pearl at the tip of her nose gleaming like the sun. The fourth verse addresses the paradox of the formless taking form: she assumes a physical body only for the sake of her devotees; without devotees' need, the universal life-force she embodies would remain invisible. The final verse is the composer's plea: exhausted by life's threefold heat (physical, mental, and cosmic suffering), the devotee begs Amba to receive them into her own home - their liberation.
About Shantadurga
Shantadurga is a unique and historically significant form of the Divine Mother, worshipped primarily in Goa and among Goud Saraswat Brahmin communities across Maharashtra, Karnataka, and the Konkan coast. Her most famous temple is the Shree Shantadurga Mandir at Kavlem (Cavelossim) in the Ponda taluka of Goa - one of the richest and most visited temples in India. The theology of Shantadurga is rooted in a Puranic narrative: when a great conflict arose between Vishnu and Shiva, neither could be defeated, and the universe trembled. Brahma appealed to the Primordial Shakti, who took the form of Shantadurga - the peaceful Durga - appearing as a mediator between the two gods, holding Vishnu's serpent in one hand and Shiva's snake in the other, and restoring cosmic peace. She thus embodies the transcendent function of the Goddess - not as destroyer alone but as the supreme harmoniser, the one who resolves even divine conflict and establishes peace (shanti) as the highest state. Her energy is simultaneously fierce and serene, a paradox expressed beautifully in her very name.
Benefits of Reciting the Shantadurga Aarti
- Devotees of Shantadurga believe that regular recitation of her aarti brings profound peace of mind, dissolving anxiety, conflict, and mental agitation.
- The aarti is said to bestow the goddess's special protection over the family, particularly in times of legal disputes, professional conflicts, or family discord; she who resolved the conflict of gods attends to the conflicts of her devotees too.
- Worshipping Shantadurga is linked in tradition with the removal of accumulated family karma across generations, restoring prosperity and harmony to lineages that have fallen into difficulty.
- Recitation of this aarti cultivates the rare spiritual quality of equanimity - the capacity to remain centred amid chaos - which is the goddess's own gift to those who meditate on her.
- Regular worship at Navratri with this aarti is believed to grant the specific blessings of Durga as both the fierce destroyer of obstacles and the peaceful bestower of abundance.
How to Perform the Aarti (Pooja Vidhi)
- Set up a clean puja space with an image or yantra of Shantadurga; she is typically depicted with four arms, holding a serpent and a trident, with a serene expression.
- Offer red flowers, especially hibiscus or rose, along with kumkum, turmeric, and sandalwood paste - these are the Devi's preferred offerings.
- Light a camphor lamp or a ghee diya; camphor is particularly associated with the dissolution of ego, which is the Goddess's deepest gift.
- Ring a bell clearly at the start of the aarti; the sound sanctifies the space and focuses the mind.
- Wave the lamp in clockwise circles before the deity's image while singing all five verses, pausing at the refrain to allow the assembly to join in.
- Conclude by distributing prasad of coconut, bananas, or sweets; in the Goan tradition, modak and fried sweet puri are traditional prasad items.
Best Day & Time to Recite
Navratri - particularly the Sharad Navratri observed in September or October - is the most auspicious period for Shantadurga aarti, with devotees sometimes performing the aarti twice daily for all nine days. Fridays are especially associated with the goddess, and this aarti may be sung every Friday as a regular act of worship. The annual Zatrotsav (temple festival) at the Kavlem Shantadurga Mandir draws tens of thousands of devotees for whom this aarti is the central act of congregational worship. Evening dusk is the most serene time for daily recitation, as twilight - the meeting of light and dark - corresponds to Shantadurga's role as the harmoniser of opposing forces. Diwali and the associated Narak Chaturdashi also hold special significance in the goddess's worship calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Shantadurga especially revered in Goa?
Shantadurga is the most prominent goddess of the Goud Saraswat Brahmin community, who are the ancient residents of the Konkan coast, particularly Goa. Following their displacement during the Portuguese Inquisition (16th–18th centuries), many Saraswat families carried their deity's idols to safety and re-established the temples at locations like Kavlem. The Shantadurga Mandir at Kavlem thus represents both devotional fidelity and cultural resilience - the goddess who brought peace to the gods protected her devotees through centuries of displacement and preserved their sacred traditions intact.
What is the relationship between Shantadurga and Vishnu-Shiva?
The foundational narrative of Shantadurga worship describes her appearing as the mediator when Vishnu and Shiva entered into irreconcilable conflict. She took the hand of each deity - Vishnu's serpent Ananta in one hand, Shiva's snake Vasuki in the other - and through her presence, the quarrel dissolved into peace. This mythology makes Shantadurga uniquely positioned as the bridge between Vaishnavism and Shaivism, and devotees from both traditions worship her with equal reverence. Theologically, she represents the Shakti that transcends all divine differentiation and reveals the unity underlying apparent cosmic conflict.
Can the Shantadurga Aarti be sung by non-Goan devotees?
Absolutely. While Shantadurga is most closely associated with Goa and the Saraswat community, the goddess's grace extends to all sincere devotees regardless of region, caste, or tradition. Many temples dedicated to Shantadurga exist outside Goa - in Mumbai, Pune, Mangalore, and across the Konkan - and the aarti is sung in all of them. Any devotee drawn to the energy of the peaceful divine mother may recite this aarti and receive her blessings. The goddess's own mythology of making peace between opposing parties reflects her inclusive, all-embracing nature.
The goddess who made peace between Shiva and Vishnu
Shantadurga - whose name means Durga who bestows peace - is among the most beloved presiding deities of Goa and the Konkan coast, and her aarti, sung in Marathi, carries the regional devotional soul of that landscape into every gathering of her worshippers. The sacred Shantadurga temple at Kavlem (Ponda taluka) draws pilgrims throughout the year, but her aarti is also a living presence in household shrines, especially among Gaud Saraswat Brahmin families for whom she is the kuldevi - the clan goddess who watches over the lineage. Devotional tradition holds that she mediated between Shiva and Vishnu, a narrative that gives her the unique quality of holding opposites in harmony, which is itself the mood the aarti evokes.
Reciting or listening to the Shantadurga aarti is believed by devotees to invoke her grace of inner and outer peace - the resolution of conflict, the easing of family tensions, and the restoration of harmony in situations that have felt intractable. The aarti is sung at the daily puja in her main temple, during family rituals, and on Navratri. There is something distinctly grounding about this composition: its regional linguistic roots, its connection to a specific landscape and community, and its invocation of a goddess who herself models reconciliation make it more than a hymn of praise; it is a reminder that peace is itself a form of the divine.