॥ Ya Devi Sarva Bhuteshu ॥
From the Durga Saptashati (Devi Mahatmya), Chapter 5 — The Nine-fold Hymn to the Goddess
The Refrain
Yā Devī sarvabhūteṣu ______________ rūpeṇa saṃsthitā
Namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namaḥ
Meaning of the refrain: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings as [NAME] — salutations, salutations, salutations, bow, bow!
The same refrain is repeated nine times, each time naming a different form of the Goddess within all beings. This is one of the most sublime expressions of non-dual devotion in all of Hindu scripture.
The Nine Manifestations
1. As Consciousness (Chiti)
Yā Devī sarvabhūteṣu cetanetyabhidhīyate
Namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namaḥ
Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings as pure Consciousness — salutations again and again!
The Goddess is the very awareness within every being. Every act of knowing, every moment of being present — this is the Goddess.
2. As Intelligence (Buddhi)
Yā Devī sarvabhūteṣu buddhirūpeṇa saṃsthitā
Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings as Intelligence — salutations!
The discernment between truth and falsehood, between the wise and unwise path — this is the Goddess as Buddhi.
3. As Sleep (Nidra)
Yā Devī sarvabhūteṣu nidrārūpeṇa saṃsthitā
Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings as Sleep — salutations!
Even rest is her gift. The deep sleep that restores the body and mind is Yoga Nidra — the divine sleep of the Goddess.
4. As Hunger (Kshudha)
Yā Devī sarvabhūteṣu kṣudhārūpeṇa saṃsthitā
Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings as Hunger — salutations!
Even hunger is the Goddess — the living force that drives beings to nourish themselves and sustain life.
5. As Shadow (Chhaya)
Yā Devī sarvabhūteṣu chāyārūpeṇa saṃsthitā
Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings as Shadow — salutations!
Even the shadow — the coolness, the shelter, the refuge — is her presence. The divine shelters creation within itself.
6. As Power (Shakti)
Yā Devī sarvabhūteṣu śaktirūpeṇa saṃsthitā
Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings as Power — salutations!
The force that moves muscles, drives thought, compels action — this is the primordial Shakti, the Goddess herself.
7. As Thirst (Trishna)
Yā Devī sarvabhūteṣu tṛṣṇārūpeṇa saṃsthitā
Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings as Thirst — salutations!
Even desire — the reaching toward what sustains life — is her form. The great thirst for liberation is also her gift.
8. As Forgiveness (Kshama)
Yā Devī sarvabhūteṣu kṣamārūpeṇa saṃsthitā
Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings as Forgiveness — salutations!
The capacity to forgive — the willingness to release resentment and begin again — this is among the Goddess’s highest gifts.
9. As Beauty (Jati) / Peace (Shanti)
Yā Devī sarvabhūteṣu śāntirūpeṇa saṃsthitā
Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings as Peace — salutations!
The deepest peace — the peace that passes understanding — this is the Goddess in her highest form, dwelling within the heart of every being.
The Spiritual Vision
This shlok represents one of the most advanced forms of devotion: seeing the Divine everywhere.
Most devotees see God in a temple, in an image, in a holy place. The Devi Stuti teaches something more challenging and more liberating: the Goddess is present in every being, in every moment, in every experience — even in sleep, even in hunger, even in the shadow.
When this vision becomes real — not merely intellectual but experiential — the world is transformed. The devotee who truly sees the Goddess in all cannot harm anything, cannot treat any being with contempt, cannot see themselves as separate from the rest of creation.
This is the practical fruit of this prayer: a radical expansion of awareness beyond the boundaries of the personal self.
When to Recite
- Navratri — recite all nine verses on each of the nine nights
- Any Tuesday or Friday — auspicious for Devi worship
- Before any creative or difficult work — invoking the Goddess in all her forms
- In times of suffering — recognizing even your pain as the Goddess’s presence transforms the relationship to difficulty
Phala Shruti
From the Durga Saptashati:
Yā devī sarvabhūteṣu śāntirūpeṇa saṃsthitā
Namastasyai — the triple bow carries the devotee across the ocean of all difficulty.
“Whoever recites these nine verses of the Devi Stuti with sincere devotion — for them, the Goddess herself becomes the boat that carries them across all suffering to the other shore of liberation.”