SRI MYSORE CHAMUNDESWARI RATHA
The Story of Mahisasura Mardini
The story element is captivating. It speaks of the increasing cruelty of the demon king Mahisasura against the gods. Unable to tolerate his tyranny the gods plead with Vishnu to annihilate the demon. The Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara (Shiva) come together to create a powerful female form with ten arms - Goddess Durga or 'Mahamaya', the Mother of the Universe who embodies the primeval source of all power.
The gods then bestow upon this Supreme creation their individual blessings and weapons. Armed like a warrior, the goddess rides a lion to battle with the Mahisasura. After a fierce combat the 'Durgatinashini' is able to slay the 'Asura' king with her trident. Heaven and earth rejoice at her victory. Finally, the mantra narration ends with the refrain of mankind's supplication before this Supreme Power:
"Ya devi sarbabhuteshshu, sakti rupena sanksthita Namasteshwai Namasteshwai Namasteshwai namo namaha."
Mahishasura Mardini Stotram or Mahishasur Maridhini Sloka is a very popular devotional stotra of Goddess Durga written by Guru Adi Sankaracharya (Sri Sri Sri Shankara Bhagavatpadacharya). This devotional verse is addressed to Goddess Mahisasura Mardini, the Goddess who killed Demon Mahishasura. Mahisasura Mardini is the fierce form of Goddess Durga Maa (an incarnation of Goddess Parvathi), where Durga Maa is depicted with 10 arms who rides in a lion or tiger and carrying weapons and assumes symbolic hand gestures or mudras.
Mahishasura Mardini by Adi Shankaracharya
ayi girinandini nanditamedini vishvavinodini nandanute girivara vindhya shirodhinivAsini viShNuvilAsini jiShNunute bhagavati heshitikaNThakuTuMbini bhUri kuTuMbini bhUri k.rte jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 1
suravaravarShiNi durdharadharShiNi durmukhamarShiNi harSharate tribhuvanapoShiNi shaN^karatoShiNi kilbiShamoShiNi ghoSharate danuja niroShiNi ditisuta roShiNi durmada shoShiNi sindhusute jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 2
ayi jagadaMba madaMba kadaMba vanapriya vAsini hAsarate shikhari shiromaNi tuN^ga himAlaya sh.rN^ga nijAlaya madhyagate madhu madhure madhu kaiTabha ga~njini kaiTabha bha~njini rAsarate jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 3
ayi shatakhaNDa vikhaNDita ruNDa vituNDita huNDa gajAdhipate ripu gaja gaNDa vidAraNa caNDa parAkrama shuNDa m.rgAdhipate nija bhuja daNDa nipAtita khaNDa vipAtita muNDa bhaTAdhipate jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 4
ayi raNa durmada shatru vadhodita durdhara nirjara shaktibh.rte catura vicAra dhurINa mahAshiva dUtak.rta pramathAdhipate durita durIha durAshaya durmati dAnavadUta k.rtAntamate jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 5
ayi sharaNAgata vairi vadhUvara vIra varAbhaya dAyakare tribhuvana mastaka shUla virodhi shirodhi k.rtAmala shUlakare dumidumi tAmara dundubhinAda maho mukharIk.rta tigmakare jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 6
ayi nija huN^k.rti mAtra nirAk.rta dhUmra vilocana dhUmra shate samara vishoShita shoNita bIja samudbhava shoNita bIja late shiva shiva shuMbha nishuMbha mahAhava tarpita bhUta pishAcarate jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 7
dhanuranu saN^ga raNakShaNasaN^ga parisphura daN^ga naTatkaTake kanaka pishaN^ga p.rShatka niShaN^ga rasadbhaTa sh.rN^ga hatAvaTuke k.rta caturaN^ga balakShiti raN^ga ghaTadbahuraN^ga raTadbaTuke jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 8
jaya jaya japya jayejaya shabda parastuti tatpara vishvanute bhaNa bhaNa bhi~njimi bhiN^k.rta nUpura si~njita mohita bhUtapate naTita naTArdha naTInaTa nAyaka nATita nATya sugAnarate jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 9
ayi sumanaH sumanaH sumanaH sumanaH sumanohara kAntiyute shrita rajanI rajanI rajanI rajanI rajanIkara vaktrav.rte sunayana vibhramara bhramara bhramara bhramara bhramarAdhipate jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 10
sahita mahAhava mallama tallika mallita rallaka mallarate viracita vallika pallika mallika bhillika bhillika varga v.rte sitak.rta pullisamulla sitAruNa tallaja pallava sallalite jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 11
avirala gaNDa galanmada medura matta mataN^gaja rAjapate tribhuvana bhUShaNa bhUta kalAnidhi rUpa payonidhi rAjasute ayi suda tIjana lAlasamAnasa mohana manmatha rAjasute jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 12
kamala dalAmala komala kAnti kalAkalitAmala bhAlalate sakala vilAsa kalAnilayakrama keli calatkala haMsa kule alikula saN^kula kuvalaya maNDala maulimiladbhakulAli kule jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 13
kara muralI rava vIjita kUjita lajjita kokila ma~njumate milita pulinda manohara gu~njita ra~njitashaila niku~njagate nijaguNa bhUta mahAshabarIgaNa sadguNa saMbh.rta kelitale jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 14
kaTitaTa pIta dukUla vicitra mayUkhatirask.rta candra ruce praNata surAsura maulimaNisphura daMshula sannakha candra ruce jita kanakAcala maulipadorjita nirbhara ku~njara kuMbhakuce jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 15
vijita sahasrakaraika sahasrakaraika sahasrakaraikanute k.rta suratAraka saN^garatAraka saN^garatAraka sUnusute suratha samAdhi samAnasamAdhi samAdhisamAdhi sujAtarate jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 16
padakamalaM karuNAnilaye varivasyati yo.anudinan sa shive ayi kamale kamalAnilaye kamalAnilayaH sa kathaM na bhavet tava padameva paraMpadamityanushIlayato mama kiM na shive jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 17
kanakalasatkala sindhu jalairanu si~ncinute guNa raN^gabhuvaM bhajati sa kiM na shacIkuca kuMbha taTI pariraMbha sukhAnubhavam tava caraNaM sharaNaM karavANi natAmaravANi nivAsi shivaM jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 18
tava vimalendukulaM vadanendumalaM sakalaM nanu kUlayate kimu puruhUta purIndumukhI sumukhIbhirasau vimukhIkriyate mama tu mataM shivanAmadhane bhavatI k.rpayA kimuta kriyate jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 19
ayi mayi dInadayAlutayA k.rpayaiva tvayA bhavitavyamume ayi jagato jananI k.rpayAsi yathAsi tathA.anumitAsirate yaducitamatra bhavatyurari kurutAdurutApamapAkurute jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 20
iti shrI mahiShAsuramardini stotraM saMpUrNam
