Shri Navadurga Stavah: Nine Verses to the Nine Durgas, Karyena Yanekavidham Shrayanti, with Meaning
The Shri Navadurga Stavah is the thinking person's hymn to the nine Durgas. The better-known Navadurga Stotram tells you what each form looks like; the Stavah tells you what each form is. Shailaputri is the Mother whose heart is wet with compassion. Brahmacharini is she in whom heaven, liberation and hell are all seen by a fraction of her sight. Chandraghanta has the earth for feet and the sky for a head. Kushmanda holds the whole cosmic egg. Skandamata is the one Mother of Ganesha and Kartikeya alike. Katyayani destroys the sense of "mine". In Kalaratri even Time comes to rest. Gauri is endless knowledge. Siddhidatri is praised by the Vedas and the sages.
Ten verses in the Upajati metre, each ending with a blessing from that form, and a closing verse, ya chandi madhukaitabha pramathini, that gathers the whole Saptashati into four lines: the Goddess who crushed Madhu and Kaitabha, Mahisha, Dhumralochana, Chanda, Munda, Raktabija, Shumbha and Nishumbha. The full text with meaning is given below, as part of the complete Durga Saptashati path.
संक्षेप में: श्री नवदुर्गा स्तवः उपजाति छन्द के दस श्लोकों में नौ दुर्गाओं की स्तुति उनके स्वरूप से नहीं, आन्तरिक अर्थ से करता है: करुणामयी शैलपुत्री, 'मेरा' का नाश करने वाली कात्यायनी, जिनमें काल विश्राम पाता है वे कालरात्रि। यह 'कार्येण याऽनेकविधां श्रयन्ती' से आरम्भ होता है और 'या चण्डी मधुकैटभ' के समापन श्लोक पर पूरा होता है, जो पूरी सप्तशती का सार है। यहाँ पूरा पाठ संस्कृत में हिंदी अर्थ सहित है, नवदुर्गा स्तोत्र से इसके अन्तर और नवरात्रि में पाठ की विधि के साथ। पूरा लेख हिंदी में पढ़ें →
At a glance
- Text: Shri Navadurga Stavah, ten verses: one for each of the nine Durgas and a closing verse to Durga of the nine crore forms
- Metre: Upajati, which gives each verse its four even lines
- Approach: Each Durga praised by her inner meaning rather than her iconography: compassion, vision, cosmic extent, motherhood, the destruction of "mine", the rest of Time, knowledge, attainment
- Use: Read through Navratri alongside the Navadurga Stotram, or on Ashtami and Navami
- Closing verse: Ya Chandi Madhukaitabha, the same verse that opens many editions of the Saptashati as the Chandika dhyana
Shri Navadurga Stavah: Sanskrit text with meaning
कार्येण याऽनेकविधां श्रयन्ती, निवारयन्ती स्मरतां विपत्तीः ।
अपूर्वकारुण्य रसार्द्र चित्ता, सा शैलपुत्री भवतु प्रसन्ना ॥ १॥
Meaning: She who in her works takes refuge in many forms, who wards off the calamities of those who remember her, whose heart is wet with the essence of a compassion never seen before: may that Shailaputri be pleased.
स्वर्गोऽपवर्गो नरकोऽपि यत्र, विभाव्यते दृक्कलया विविक्तम् ।
या चाऽद्वितीयाऽपि शिवद्वितीया, सा ब्रह्मचारिण्यवताद् भवेभ्यः ॥ २॥
Meaning: She in whom heaven, liberation and hell too are seen distinctly by a fraction of her sight; who, though without a second, is yet the second of Shiva: may that Brahmacharini protect from the rounds of birth.
पादौ धरित्री कटिरन्तरिक्षं, यस्याः शिरो द्यौरुदिताऽऽगमेषु ।
अन्यद्यथा योगमयोग दूरा, सा चन्द्रघण्टा घटयत्वभीष्टम् ॥ ३॥
Meaning: Whose feet are the earth, whose waist is the sky between, whose head is heaven, as the agamas declare; who otherwise is far beyond both union and separation: may that Chandraghanta bring about what is desired.
स्वराड् विराड् संसृतिराड् अखण्डब्रह्माण्डभाण्डाकलनैकवीरा ।
सा पापविध्वंसनसद्म कूष्माण्डाऽव्याद् अपायादयदानशौण्डा ॥ ४॥
Meaning: Svarat, Virat, the sovereign of the whole stream of existence, the one heroine who holds the entire vessel of the cosmic egg; the abode of the destruction of sin, skilled in the gift of safety from disaster: may that Kushmanda protect.
द्वैमातुरत्वे द्विरदाननस्य, षाण्मातुरत्वे च कुमारकस्य ।
एकैव माता परमा मता या, सा स्कन्दमाता मुदमादधातु ॥ ५॥
Meaning: She who alone is held to be the supreme Mother, in the two-mothered state of the elephant-faced one and the six-mothered state of Kumara: may that Skandamata bestow joy.
कतस्य गोत्रादथवाऽपरस्मात्, किं वेतरस्मात् कथमेकिकैव ।
जातेति माताह्वयतां इता या, कात्यायनी सा ममतां हिनस्तु ॥ ६॥
Meaning: From the gotra of Kata, or from another, or how from one alone? She who is called "Mother" because she was "born" (jata): may that Katyayani destroy my sense of "mine".
कालोऽपि विश्रान्तिमुपैति यस्यां, काऽन्या कथा भौतिकविग्रहाणाम् ।
प्रपञ्च पञ्चीकरणैकधात्री, सा कालरात्री निहताद् भयानि ॥ ७॥
Meaning: In whom even Time comes to rest, what then of beings with material bodies; the one Mother of the fivefold making of the world: may that Kalaratri destroy all fears.
कालीकुलं श्रीकुलमप्यपारं, कृष्णाद्युपासा प्रवणं यतश्च ।
साऽनन्तविद्या विततावदाना, गौरी विदध्यादखिलान् पुमर्थान् ॥ ८॥
Meaning: Because the Kali family and the boundless Shri family, and the worship of Krishna and the rest, all incline towards her, she of endless knowledge and vast gifts: may that Gauri grant all the aims of human life.
गृणन्ति यां वेदपुराणसाङ्ख्य, योगागमादेव महर्षयश्च ।
पुत्रान् प्रपौत्रान् सुधियः श्रियश्च, सा सिद्धिदा सिद्धिकरी ददातु ॥ ९॥
Meaning: Whom the Vedas, the Puranas, Sankhya, Yoga and the Agamas, and the great sages too, all praise: may that Siddhida, the maker of attainments, give sons, grandsons, wise men and prosperity.
या चण्डी मधुकैटभप्रमथिनी या माहिषोन्मूलिनी,
या धूम्रेक्षेणचण्डमुण्ड दलिनी या रक्तबीजाशिनी ।
शक्तिः शुम्भनिशुम्भदैत्यदलिनी या सिद्धि लक्ष्मीः परा
सा दुर्गा नवकोटि मूर्तिसहिताऽस्मान् पातु सर्वेश्वरी ॥ १०॥
Meaning: She who is Chandi, the crusher of Madhu and Kaitabha, who uprooted Mahisha, who crushed Dhumralochana, Chanda and Munda, who devoured Raktabija, the Shakti who crushed the daityas Shumbha and Nishumbha, who is Siddhi and the supreme Lakshmi: may that Durga, together with her nine crore forms, the sovereign of all, protect us.
Significance and benefits
The Stavah reads the nine Durgas as nine aspects of one reality, and in doing so it quietly teaches the whole Shakta philosophy. Brahmacharini "without a second yet the second of Shiva" is the non-dual Shakti; Chandraghanta with the three worlds for her body is the Virat; Kushmanda holding the brahmanda is the cosmic egg she is named for; Katyayani destroying "mine" is the end of attachment, the question with which the Saptashati itself begins in Chapter 1; Kalaratri in whom Time rests is Mahakali of the first chapter.
The closing verse, ya chandi madhukaitabha pramathini, is the four-line summary of the Saptashati that many editions print as the dhyana before the Argala, and it is recited alone as a complete remembrance of the Goddess's deeds. Together the ten verses are read through Navratri beside the Navadurga Stotram, and on Ashtami and Navami with the nine kumaris.
How to recite (vidhi)
Read it after the Navadurga Stotram on each Navratri day, or all ten verses on Ashtami and Navami; the closing verse may be said alone at any time as the remembrance of the whole Saptashati. 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
Verse 7, to Kalaratri "in whom even Time comes to rest", is the verse of this hymn read for Shani and for the fear of death and delay; verse 9 is read for progeny. 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 Stavah?
A hymn of ten verses in the Upajati metre, one to each of the nine Durgas and a closing verse to Durga of the nine crore forms. It begins "karyena yanekavidham shrayanti" and praises each form by her inner meaning rather than her appearance.
How is the Navadurga Stavah different from the Navadurga Stotram?
The Stotram ("vande vanchhita labhaya") gives the iconography of each form: her mount, weapons and dress. The Stavah gives her meaning: Shailaputri as compassion, Katyayani as the destroyer of "mine", Kalaratri as the one in whom Time rests. The two are read together in Navratri.
What is the closing verse "ya chandi madhukaitabha"?
A four-line summary of the whole Durga Saptashati: the Goddess who crushed Madhu and Kaitabha, uprooted Mahisha, crushed Dhumralochana, Chanda and Munda, devoured Raktabija and destroyed Shumbha and Nishumbha, with her nine crore forms. Many editions print it as the opening dhyana of the Saptashati.
When is the Navadurga Stavah read?
Through Navratri, each day's verse after the Navadurga Stotram, and in full on Ashtami and Navami with kanya puja. Its closing verse is also said alone as a short remembrance of the Saptashati.
