॥ Mahishasura Mardini Stotram ॥
A magnificent hymn praising the glory of Goddess Durga who destroyed the great demon Mahishasura
Verse 1
Ayi girinandini nanditamedini
Viśvavinodini nandanute
Girivaravindhyaśiro’dhivāsini
Viṣṇuvilāsini jiṣṇunute
Bhagavati he śitikaṇṭhakuṭumbini
Bhūrikuṭumbini bhūrikṛte
Jaya jaya he mahiṣāsuramardini
Ramyakapardini śailasute
Meaning: O daughter of the mountains, who brings joy to the earth! O you who delight the universe, who are praised by Nanda! O you who dwell on the peaks of the great Vindhya mountains! O you who enchant Vishnu, praised by Jishnu (Arjuna)! O Goddess, consort of the blue-throated Shiva, mother of the vast family of the cosmos — Victory, victory to you, O Mahishasura Mardini, with beautiful matted locks, daughter of the mountain!
Verse 2
Suravara varṣiṇi durdharadharṣiṇi
Durmukhamarṣiṇi harṣarate
Tribhuvanapośiṇi śaṃkaratośiṇi
Kilbiṣamośiṇi ghośarate
Danujaniróṣiṇi ditisutaróṣiṇi
Durmadaśośiṇi sindhusute
Jaya jaya he mahiṣāsuramardini…
Meaning: O you who shower blessings upon the greatest of gods; who subdues the indomitable and chastises the wicked; who delights in joy; who nourishes the three worlds; who pleases Lord Shiva; who steals away all sins; who delights in divine roar; who destroys the wrath of the demons; who dries up the pride of the evil — Victory to you, O Mahishasura Mardini!
Verse 3
Ayi jagadamba madamba kadamba
Vanapriyavāsini hāsarate
Śikhari śiromani tuṃga himālaya
Śṛṃga nijālaya madhyagate
Madhumadhure madhukaīṭabhagañjini
Kaīṭabhabhañjini rāsarate
Jaya jaya he mahiṣāsuramardini…
Meaning: O Mother of the Universe, my very own mother! You who love to dwell in the kadamba forest, you who delight in laughter; who resides on the high peak of the Himalayas, the crown jewel of mountains; who sweetly destroyed the demons Madhu and Kaitabha; who delights in the cosmic dance — Victory, victory, O Mahishasura Mardini!
Verses 4–21 (Summary of Key Themes)
The remaining verses of this 21-verse stotram elaborate on:
- The Goddess’s weapons and form: Her trident, sword, discus, bow, arrows, and lion vehicle
- The battle with Mahishasura: The buffalo demon’s army falling before her divine wrath
- Her compassionate nature: Even as destroyer, she is mother to all devotees
- Her cosmic significance: She is the power behind Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva
- Her blessings: Victory, prosperity, protection, wisdom, and liberation for devotees
Each verse ends with the triumphant refrain: “Jaya jaya he Mahishasura Mardini, Ramyakapardini, Shailasute” — “Victory, victory to you, O slayer of Mahishasura, with beautiful locks, daughter of the mountain!”
The Story of Mahishasura Mardini
The demon king Mahishasura (Mahisha = buffalo + Asura = demon) performed tremendous austerities and received a boon from Brahma: that no man or god could kill him. Emboldened, he conquered the three worlds and drove the gods from heaven.
In desperation, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva pooled their divine energies, which combined into a blazing feminine form — Goddess Durga, the Mahishasura Mardini (slayer of Mahishasura). Each god gave her their most powerful weapon:
- Shiva’s trident
- Vishnu’s discus (Sudarshana)
- Indra’s thunderbolt
- Agni’s fire weapons
- Varuna’s noose
- Brahma’s water pot
After a tremendous battle lasting nine days and nights (commemorated as Navratri), the Goddess slew Mahishasura on the tenth day — celebrated as Vijayadashami (Dussehra).
Significance of the Nine-Day Victory
The nine-day battle represents the soul’s nine-stage journey from ignorance to liberation:
- Mahishasura = the ego masquerading as divine (the buffalo is a symbol of inertia and self-deception)
- Navratri = nine days of worship and self-purification
- Vijayadashami = the final victory of truth over falsehood within oneself
Phala Shruti
Sarvamaṅgala māṅgalye śive sarvārtha sādhike
Śaraṇye tryambake gauri nārāyaṇi namo’stute
“Whoever recites the Mahishasura Mardini Stotram in the morning shall be freed of all sins. Whoever reads it in the evening shall be freed from the fear of death. Whoever reads it at both times shall be blessed with all prosperity, health, and ultimately liberation.”