durgAstutiH Essence of devI mAhAtmya kathA: दुर्गास्तुती देवीमाहात्म्यकथसाररूपा कल्पान्ते मधुकैटभासुरपराभूतस्य धातुः स्तवैःप्रीता पङ्कजलोचनस्य नयनान्निर्गत्य निद्रामयी ।तौ युद्धे परिमोह्य घातितवती तेनैव विश्वेश्वरीरोद्धुं घोरकृतान्तसैन्यमिह मे दुर्गैव दुर्गायताम् ॥ १॥ Being pleased by the praises sung by Brahma who was troubledby the asuras Madhu and Kaitabha at the end of a kalpa, She,the supreme Devi, supporter of the worlds, emerged out ofMahaVishnu’s eyes, who was in mystic slumber. Deluded byMahamaya, the evil asuras, Madhu and Kaitabha, were then slayedby MahaVishnu. Let Goddess Durga become a fort for me to stopthe terrible army of kRitAnta, the god of death. त्रैलोक्ये महिषासुरप्रमथिते सम्भूय संचिन्ततांदेवानामपि सा विनिर्मितवपुस्तैर्दत्तभूषायुधा ।उच्चैर्नादयुतैर्महासुरबलैरारब्धयुद्धोत्सवारोद्धुं घोरकृतान्तसैन्यमिह मे दुर्गैव दुर्गायताम् ॥ २॥ When Mahishasura was creating havoc in all the three worlds,the devas got together and requested Brahma, Siva and Vishnufor help. Then Goddess Durga was created and weapons were givenby them. Let Goddess Durga, whose battle attire is accompaniedby the loud cries of the devas, become a fort for me to stopthe terrible army of kRitAnta, the god of death. निःश्वासप्रभवैश्च भूतनिवहैर्विध्वस्तदैत्योत्कराहत्वा चिक्षुरमुत्क्षपय्य समरे सिंहेन तं चामरम् ।आशूदग्रकरालबाष्कलबिडालादीनरीन् क्षिण्वतीरोद्धुं घोरकृतान्तसैन्यमिह मे दुर्गैव दुर्गायताम् ॥ ३॥ The sighs heaved by the Goddess turned into battallions andwith them she killed the army of asuras. Then She killedChikShura, the general of the asura army. Her lion jumped onChamara, another able member of the asuras and killed him in abattle. Within moments She also destroyed the enemies udagra,karAla, bAShkala, biDAla and others. Let Goddess Durga becomea fort for me to stop the terrible army of kRitAnta, the godof death. प्राप्तं क्षोभितविश्वमाशु महिषं संनाशयन्ती ततःसिंहीभूतमथो नराकृतिमिभाकारं लुलायाकृतिम् ।आक्राम्याङ्घ्रितलेन निर्गतममुं भूयोऽसिना छिन्दतीरोद्धुं घोरकृतान्तसैन्यमिह मे दुर्गैव दुर्गायताम् ॥ ४॥ When Mahisha who shook the entire world approached the Devi,She destroyed him. But, he then took the form of a lion, thencame in the form of man, elephant and back to his original form.She then attacked him with her foot and cut him up with Hersword. Let Goddess Durga become a fort for me to stop theterrible army of kRitAnta, the god of death. निःशेषामरशक्तिरूपिणि शिवे माये महाविक्रमेश्रीवागादिविभूतिरूपिणि रणे विद्युत्कृपानुग्रहे ।शूलाद्यैरपि पालयेति दिविजैर्नीतादिशन्ती वरंरोद्धुं घोरकृतान्तसैन्यमिह मे दुर्गैव दुर्गायताम् ॥ ५॥ ᳚You are the personification of the power of the entire host ofdevas, auspicious one, mAya – the consort of the parabrahman,brave one, in a battle You are the form of LakShmi, Sarasvati andother manifestations, yet, immediately like a lightning, You gracepeople due to compassion, protect us with trident and otherweapons᳚. Thus when the devas praised You, You gave them boons.Let that Goddess Durga become a fort for me to stop the terriblearmy of kRitAnta, the god of death. दृप्यच्छुम्भनिशुम्भविक्रमचिरक्लिष्टैः सुरेन्द्रैः स्तुतापार्वत्या वपुषोऽवतीर्य ललिताकारा हिमाद्रेस्तटे ।डोलाकेलिविमोहितत्रिभुवना सा चण्डमुण्डेक्षितारोद्धुं घोरकृतान्तसैन्यमिह मे दुर्गैव दुर्गायताम् ॥ ६॥ Praised by the devas who were suffering because of their defeatat the hands of the arrogant shumbha and nishumbha, a gentle formemerged out of pArvati at the slopes of Himalayas. Sportingly Sheattracted all the three worlds and was seen by chaNDa and muNDa.Let that Goddess Durga become a fort for me to stop the terriblearmy of kRitAnta, the god of death. चण्डावेदितरूपजातमदनस्तम्भेन शुम्भेन चद्राग् दूते प्रहिते नियुद्धविजयी भर्ता ममेत्यूचिषी ।युद्धेच्छुं किल धूम्रलोचनमथो सैन्यान्वितं धून्वतीरोद्धुं घोरकृतान्तसैन्यमिह मे दुर्गैव दुर्गायताम् ॥ ७॥ Being informed by chaNDa of the Devi’s beautiful form, shumbhabecame desirous of attaining her and immediately sent a messenger.She sent him back with the message that only the one who defeatsher in a battle can become her husband. Enraged by her answer,shumbha sent dhUmralochana, who wanted to fight. Devi destroyeddhUmralochana along with his army. Let that Goddess Durga becomea fort for me to stop the terrible army of kRitAnta, the god ofdeath. चण्डे मुण्डयते समेयुषि बलैः कालीमलीकान्तरात्सृष्ट्वा भक्षितसैन्यशस्त्रकुलया तौ घातयन्ती तया ।प्राप्ते शुम्भबले च केसरितुनः काली रवोद्धोषिनीरोद्धुं घोरकृतान्तसैन्यमिह मे दुर्गैव दुर्गायताम् ॥ ८॥ When chaNDa and muNDa came with their forces, She created kAlifrom her forehead. kAli then destroyed the army and its weaponsand then killed chaNDa and muNDa. Later when Shumba’s armyapproached, kAli expressed her anger by roaring aloud. Let thatGoddess Durga become a fort for me to stop the terrible army ofkRitAnta, the god of death. ब्रह्माण्डादिषु संगतासु शिवदूतीं च स्वशक्तिं तदासृष्ट्वा तत्प्रहितेन्दुमौलिवचसा दैत्यैः प्रवृत्ते रणे ।क्रुध्यन्मातृअणार्दितं रिपुबलं दृष्ट्वा प्रहृष्टाशयारोद्धुं घोरकृतान्तसैन्यमिह मे दुर्गैव दुर्गायताम् ॥ ९॥ Then shivadUtI (one who sent Siva as messenger) – her own powerwas created from combining the powers of all the devas of thebrahmANDa. Then She was called to battle by the asuras who wereincited by the words of shiva (lord with the moon on his head)who was sent by Her. She became delighted on seeing the armybeing attacked by the angry mothers – the manifestations ofthe devas’ powers. Let that Goddess Durga become a fort for meto stop the terrible army of kRitAnta, the god of death. प्राप्तं संयति रक्तबीजमसुरं मातृप्रहारोद्गल-द्रक्तोद्भूतभटौघपूर्णभुवनं भीतिप्रदं पश्यताम् ।काल्या तत्क्षणपीतनष्टरुधिरं शस्त्रोत्करौर्निघ्नतीरोद्धुं घोरकृतान्तसैन्यमिह मे दुर्गैव दुर्गायताम् ॥ १०॥ The devas next saw the asura raktabIja, who came to thebattlefield and who created fear by filling earth with warriors(of his kind) who sprung from his blood that oozed out of himwhen he was struck by the shaktis. Then as and when Devi attackedraktabIja, kAli drank his blood and ultimately he perished. Letthat Goddess Durga become a fort for me to stop the terriblearmy of kRitAnta, the god of death. घोरे शुम्भनिशुम्भयोरथ रणारम्भे निशुम्भासुरंखड्गाद्यैः कृतयुद्धमात्तपरशुं सम्मोह्य बाणोत्करैः ।शुम्भं शक्तिशरौघभीषणरणं शूलार्दितं तन्वतीरोद्धुं घोरकृतान्तसैन्यमिह मे दुर्गैव दुर्गायताम् ॥ ११॥ Next was the terrible battle with shumbha and nishumbha. nishumbawho fought with an axe and arrows was struck unconscious by Deviwith a sword. Then with the trident She struck shumbha who wasfighting ferociously with ‘shakti’ – indra’s weapon and witharrows. Let that Goddess Durga become a fort for me to stop theterrible army of kRitAnta, the god of death. भूयः प्राप्तनिशुम्भमुक्तमभितश्चक्रायुधं छिन्दतीखड्गच्छिन्नगदं सशूलमथ तं शूलेन भित्त्वोरसि ।वक्षोनिर्गतमन्यदस्य च वपुः खड्गेन निष्कृन्ततीरोद्धुं घोरकृतान्तसैन्यमिह मे दुर्गैव दुर्गायताम् ॥ १२॥ Again, nishumbha sent forth many chakras at the Devi which Shebroke. She broke his gada with Her sword and then tore his chestwith Her trident. Another form of his came from his chest andwas immediately killed by Devi with her sword. Let that
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