Mahishasura Mardini - 2¶

The Shloka¶

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सुरवरवर्षिणि दुर्धरधर्षिणि दुर्मुखमर्षिणि हर्षरते

त्रिभुवनपोषिणि शङ्करतोषिणि किल्बिषमोषिणि घोषरते

दनुजनिरोषिणि दितिसुतशोषिणि दुर्मतिपोषिणि दोषरते

जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥

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suravaravarṣiṇi durdharadharṣiṇi durmukhamarṣiṇi harṣarate

tribhuvanapoṣiṇi śaṅkaratoṣiṇi kilbiṣamoṣiṇi ghoṣarate

danujaniroṣiṇi ditisutaśoṣiṇi durmatipoṣiṇi doṣarate

jaya jaya he mahiṣāsuramardini ramyakapardini śailasute ॥

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Meaning / Summary¶

The shloka is a powerful invocation of Goddess Durga, seeking her blessings and protection. It acknowledges her role in defeating evil forces and upholding dharma (righteousness). Chanting or listening to this shloka is believed to bestow courage, strength, and spiritual upliftment.

Victory to you, O slayer of Mahishasura! O daughter of the mountain, with beautiful braided hair! You shower grace like the gods, are difficult to defeat, and quell the wicked. You revel in joy, nourish the three worlds, please Shiva, and eradicate sins. You delight in auspicious sounds, suppress the descendants of Danu, dry up the lineage of Diti, nurture the foolish, and find joy in virtue. Victory, victory to you, O slayer of Mahishasura, with beautiful braided hair, O daughter of the mountain!

This shloka praises Goddess Durga, highlighting her divine qualities as a source of grace, vanquisher of evil, sustainer of the universe, and dispeller of sins. It celebrates her power, beauty, and compassion, emphasizing her role in upholding righteousness. It concludes with a resounding “Victory to you!”

This shloka is a hymn praising Goddess Durga, the slayer of the demon Mahishasura. It describes her multifaceted nature and her divine attributes. She is the source of grace, the vanquisher of evil, the sustainer of the universe, and the dispeller of sins. The shloka celebrates her power, beauty, and compassion, acknowledging her role in upholding righteousness and protecting devotees. The repetition of “Victory, victory to you” emphasizes the profound reverence and devotion towards the Goddess.

Sentence - 1¶

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सुरवरवर्षिणि दुर्धरधर्षिणि दुर्मुखमर्षिणि हर्षरते

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Meaning¶

You shower grace like the gods, are difficult to defeat, quell the wicked, and revel in joy.

Meaning of Words¶

सुरवरवर्षिणि	suravaravarṣiṇi
One who showers blessings like the gods सुर (sura) means gods, वर (vara) means boon or blessing, वर्षिणि (varshini) means one who showers or rains. Thus, it means the one who showers blessings and grace like the gods.
दुर्धरधर्षिणि	durdharadharṣiṇi
Difficult to defeat दुर्धर (durdhara) means difficult to hold or defeat, धर्षिणि (dharṣiṇi) means one who overcomes or subdues. Refers to the Goddess being unconquerable or insurmountable.
दुर्मुखमर्षिणि	durmukhamarṣiṇi
One who quells the wicked/evil-faced दुर्मुख (durmukha) means having a wicked or ugly face (referring to evil), मर्षिणि (marṣiṇi) means one who tolerates or quells. The Goddess destroys the wicked.
हर्षरते	harṣarate
One who revels in joy हर्ष (harṣa) means joy or delight, रते (rate) means one who delights or revels in. Indicates the Goddess’s inherent joyful and blissful nature.

Sentence - 2¶

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त्रिभुवनपोषिणि शङ्करतोषिणि किल्बिषमोषिणि घोषरते

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Meaning¶

You nourish the three worlds, please Shiva, eradicate sins, and delight in auspicious sounds.

Meaning of Words¶

त्रिभुवनपोषिणि	tribhuvanapoṣiṇi
Nourisher of the three worlds त्रिभुवन (tribhuvana) means the three worlds (heaven, earth, and the netherworld), पोषिणि (poṣiṇi) means one who nourishes or sustains. Signifies the Goddess as the sustainer of the entire universe.
शङ्करतोषिणि	śaṅkaratoṣiṇi
One who pleases Shiva शङ्कर (śaṅkara) is another name for Lord Shiva, तोषिणि (toṣiṇi) means one who pleases or satisfies. She is the consort and one who pleases Lord Shiva.
किल्बिषमोषिणि	kilbiṣamoṣiṇi
Eradicator of sins किल्बिष (kilbiṣa) means sins or wrongdoings, मोषिणि (moṣiṇi) means one who removes or destroys. Implies the Goddess’s power to cleanse away sins and impurities.
घोषरते	ghoṣarate
One who delights in auspicious sounds घोष (ghoṣa) means sound or vibration, specifically auspicious sounds like chanting or music, रते (rate) means one who delights in. Signifies the Goddess’s affinity for sacred and harmonious sounds.

Sentence - 3¶

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दनुजनिरोषिणि दितिसुतशोषिणि दुर्मतिपोषिणि दोषरते

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Meaning¶

You suppress the descendants of Danu, dry up the lineage of Diti, nurture the foolish, and find joy in virtue.

Meaning of Words¶

दनुजनिरोषिणि	danujaniroṣiṇi
One who suppresses the descendants of Danu दनुज (danuja) means demon, specifically the descendants of Danu, निरोषिणि (niroṣiṇi) means one who suppresses or subdues. Refers to the Goddess’s power over the demonic forces.
दितिसुतशोषिणि	ditisutaśoṣiṇi
One who dries up the lineage of Diti दितिसुत (ditisuta) means the sons of Diti (another group of demons), शोषिणि (śoṣiṇi) means one who dries up or destroys. The Goddess destroys the lineage of evil.
दुर्मतिपोषिणि	durmatipoṣiṇi
One who nurtures bad intentions दुर् + मति (durmati) means bad intention or evil thought, पोषिणि (poṣiṇi) means one who cherishes/nurtures
दोषरते	doṣarate
One who delights in virtue दोष (doṣa) means fault. दोषरते should actually be धर्मरते (dharmarate), where धर्म (dharma) means righteousness or virtue, रते (rate) means one who delights in. The Goddess is fond of justice and fairness.

Sentence - 4¶

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जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥

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Meaning¶

Victory, victory to you, O slayer of Mahishasura, with beautiful braided hair, O daughter of the mountain!

Meaning of Words¶

जय	jaya	Victory
हे	he	O An exclamation or address
महिषासुरमर्दिनि	mahiṣāsuramardini
Slayer of Mahishasura महिषासुर (mahiṣāsura) is the name of the buffalo demon, मर्दिनी (mardini) means one who crushes or destroys. Refers to Goddess Durga’s victory over the demon Mahishasura.
रमय्कपर्दिनि	ramyakapardini
With beautiful braided hair रम्य (ramya) means beautiful or pleasing, कपर्दिनी (kapardini) means one with braided hair. Describes the Goddess’s beautiful and elegant appearance.
शैलसुते	śailasute
Daughter of the mountain शैल (śaila) means mountain (referring to the Himalayas), सुते (sute) means daughter. Refers to Goddess Durga being the daughter of the Himalayas (Parvati).