Bhavani Tvam Dase Mayi

Bhavani tvam dase mayi.... Durgā-saptaśati in praise of the exploits of the Mother embodies the navākṣarī mantra and also depicts spiritual wisdom in a symbolic, cryptic language. Chapter IV begins with the song that Gods sung in Her praise after the defeat of the buffalo-demon.

näù´ªÉÉ ªÉªÉÉ iÉiÉʨÉnÆù VÉMÉnùÉi¨É¶ÉCiªÉÉ Êxɶ¶Éä¹Énäù´ÉMÉhɶÉÊHòºÉ¨ÉÚ½þ¨ÉÚkªÉÉÇ iÉɨÉΨ¤ÉEòɨÉÊJɱÉnäù´É¨É½þ̹É{ÉÚVªÉÉÆ ¦ÉCiªÉÉ xÉiÉÉ& º¨É Ê´ÉnùvÉÉiÉÖ ¶ÉÖ¦ÉÉÊxÉ ºÉÉ xÉ&

(4.2)

ËEò ´ÉhÉǪÉÉ¨É iÉ´É°ü{ɨÉÊSÉxiªÉ¨ÉäiÉiÉ ËEò SÉ +ÊiÉ´ÉÒªÉǨɺÉÖ®úIɪÉEòÉÊ®ú ¦ÉÚÊ®ú ËEò SÉ +ɽþ´Éä¹ÉÖ SÉÊ®úiÉÉÊxÉ iÉ´ÉÉÊiÉ ªÉÉÊxÉ ºÉ´Éæ¹ÉÖnäù´ªÉºÉÖ®únäù´ÉMÉhÉÉÊnùEäò¹ÉÖ How can your incomprehensible formMeet with sufficient expression in words The might that crushed the devilish clans And your valiant deeds in the great war O’ Mother! it is rare indeed and unheard of

O’ Great Mother, we prostrate before you Unified prowess of all Gods in splendor Ambika bowed by the Gods and Sages Bestow upon us your infinite Grace

½äþiÉÖ& ºÉ¨ÉºiÉVÉMÉiÉÉÆ ÊjÉMÉÖhÉÉÊ{Énùɹä Éè®úxÉ YÉɪɺÉä ½þÊ®ú½þ®úÉÊnùʦɮú{ªÉ{ÉÉ®úÉ ºÉ´ÉÉǸɪÉÉÊJɱÉʨÉnÆù VÉMÉnÆù¶É¦ÉÚiÉÆ +´ªÉÉEÞòiÉÉ Ê½þ {É®ú¨ÉÉ |ÉEÞòÊiɺi´É¨ÉÉtÉ

ªÉºªÉÉ& |ɦÉɴɨÉiÉÖ±ÉÆ ¦ÉMÉ´ÉÉxÉxÉxiÉÉä ¥ÉÀɽþ®ú¶SÉ xÉʽþ ´ÉHÖò¨É±ÉÆ ¤É±ÉÆ SÉ ºÉÉ SÉÎhb÷EòÉÊJɱÉVÉMɱ{ÉÊ®ú{ÉɱÉxÉÉªÉ xÉɶÉÉªÉ SÉ +¶É֦ɦɴɺªÉ ¨ÉËiÉ Eò®úÉiä ÉÖ

You are the incomprehensible cause And the beginning beyond the trinity Despite your three-fold evolution You are the essence of everything And the primordial Mother of time

(4.3)

ªÉºªÉÉ& ºÉ¨ÉºiɺÉÖ®úiÉÉ ºÉ¨ÉÖnùÒ®úhÉäxÉ iÉÞÏ{iÉ |ɪÉÉÊiÉ ºÉEò±Éä¹ÉÖ ¨ÉJÉä¹ÉÖ näùÊ´É! º´ÉɽþÉ漃 ´Éè Ê{ÉiÉÞMÉhɺªÉ SÉ iÉÞÎ{iɽäþiÉÖ ¯ûSSÉɪÉǺÉäi´É¨ÉiÉ B´É VÉxÉè& º´ÉvÉÉ SÉ

Brahma, Hari and Sambhu fall short of words To offer praise of your grace and glory O’ Chandika, make all the space auspicious And let all miseries perish by your boons

ªÉÉ ¸ÉÒ º´ÉªÉÆ ºÉÖEÞòÊiÉxÉÉÆ, ¦É´ÉxÉ乴ɱÉÎI¨É – {ÉÉ{ÉÉi¨ÉxÉÉÆ, EÞòiÉÊvɪÉÉÆ ¿nùªÉä¹ÉÖ ¤ÉÖÊrù& ¸ÉrùÉ ºÉiÉÉÆ EÖò±ÉVÉxÉ|ɴɺªÉ ±ÉVVÉÉ i´ÉÉÆ i´ÉÉÆ xÉiÉÉ& º¨É {ÉÊ®ú{ÉÉ±ÉªÉ näùÊ´É Ê´É·ÉÆ

(4.5)

(4.6)

(4.7)

It is you who make the Gods happy Svāhā the syllable offering of the sacrifice And for those who have ascended to moon As Svadhā you carry the rice and water

(4.4)

O’ Srī! synonym of good luck to all devotees And perpetual misery to all the wicked ones Modesty of the women of dignified lineage Luminous intellect and discipline of the wise We have sought refuge at your lotus feet $½þÊ®ú&¸ÉÒMÉhÉ{ÉiɪÉä xɨÉ&

1

$½þÊ®ú&¸ÉÒMÉhÉ{ÉiɪÉä xɨÉ&

2

ªÉÉ ¨ÉÖÊHò½äþiÉÖ®úÊ´ÉÊSÉxiªÉ ¨É½þÉ´ÉÞiÉÉi´É¨É¦ªÉºªÉºÉä ºÉÖÊxɪÉiÉäÎxpùªÉ iÉk´ÉºÉÉ®èú& ¨ÉÉäIÉÉÌlÉʦɨÉÖÊÇ xÉʦɮúºiɺɨɺiÉnùɹä Éè®Âú Ê´ÉtÉ漃 ºÉÉ ¦ÉMÉ´ÉiÉÒ {É®ú¨ÉÉ Ê½þ näùÊ´É

<Ç¹É±É ºÉ½þɺɨɨɱÉÆ {ÉÊ®ú{ÉÚhÉÇSÉxpùˤɤÉÉxÉÖEòÉÊ®ú EòxÉEòÉäkɨÉEòÉÎxiÉEòÉxiÉÆ +iªÉi¦ÉÖiÉÆ |ɾþiɨÉÉkɯû¹ÉÉ iÉlÉÉÊ{É ´ÉCjÉÆ Ê´É±ÉÉäCªÉ ºÉ½þºÉÉ ¨Éʽþ¹ÉɺÉÖ®äúhÉ (4.8)

Your smiling face that defeats the full moon Golden hue that captivates the whole world O’ Gauri, it is indeed a great surprise to us How the Buffalo-demon could strike upon you?

Sages of vows beyond our comprehension Find their ultimate refuge in your name To transcend the senses and all blemishes Your spell Sri Vidya is the last resort

¶É¤nùÉÎi¨ÉEòÉ ºÉÖʴɨɱÉMªÉÇVÉÚ¹ÉÉÆ ÊxÉvÉÉxɨÉÖnÂùMÉÒlÉ®ú¨ªÉ{Énù{ÉÉ`ö´ÉiÉÉÆ SÉ ºÉɨxÉÉÆ näù´ÉÒ jɪÉÒ ¦ÉMÉ´ÉiÉÒ ¦É´É¦ÉÉ´ÉxÉÉªÉ ´ÉÉkÉÉÇ SÉ ºÉ´ÉÇVÉMÉiÉÉÆ {É®ú¨ÉÉÌkɽþxjÉÒ

où¹]Âõ´ÉÉ iÉÖ näùÊ´É EÖòÊ{ÉiÉÆ §ÉÖEÖò]õÒEò®úɳý¨ÉÖtSUô¶ÉÉRÂóEòºÉoù¶ÉSUôÊ´É ªÉzÉ ºÉt& |ÉÉhÉÉxÉ ¨ÉÖ¨ÉÉäSÉ ¨Éʽþ¹ÉºiÉnùiÉÒ´É ÊSÉjÉÆ EèòVÉÔ´ªÉiÉä ʽþ EÖòÊ{ÉiÉÉxiÉEònù®ú¶ÉxÉäxÉ (4.9)

näùÊ´É! |ɺÉÒnù {É®ú¨ÉÉ ¦É´ÉiÉÒ ¦É´ÉÉªÉ ºÉtÉä Ê´ÉxÉɶɪÉ漃 EòÉä{É´ÉiÉÒ EÖò±ÉÉÊxÉ Ê´ÉYÉÉiɨÉäiÉnùvÉÖxÉè´É ªÉnùºiɨÉäiÉzÉÒiÉÆ ¤É±ÉÆ ºÉÖÊ´É{ÉÖ±ÉÆ ¨Éʽþ¹ÉɺÉÖ®úºªÉ

(4.10)

(4.13)

Be Gracious, O’ Mother to enhance our fortune Your anger destroys even the kith and kin We are witness to your destructive prowess In the doom of the lineage of the Buffalo demon

Intelligence that beholds the infinite wisdom And the sail to go beyond the sea of existence You have seated yourself in the heart of Hari O’ Gauri I am finding you beside Hara too

$½þÊ®ú&¸ÉÒMÉhÉ{ÉiɪÉä xɨÉ&

(4.12)

O’ Mother, we wonder how the demon survived Despite seeing the tumultous anger on your face Turned blood red like the rising moon of dark night And the twitched eyebrows giving the sight of death

Primordial whole of the divine spells And the best of all musical hymns Embodiment of the three fold wisdom Mother, all the miseries perish at your glance

¨ÉävÉÉ漃 näùÊ´É! Ê´ÉÊnùiÉÉÊJɱɶÉɺjɺÉÉ®úÉ nÖùMÉÉÇ漃 nÖùMÉǦɴɺÉÉMÉ®úxÉÉè®úºÉÆMÉÉ ¸ÉÒ Eèò]õ¦ÉÉÊ®ú ¿nùªÉèEòEÞòiÉÉÊvÉ´ÉɺÉÉ MÉÉè®úÒ i´É¨Éä´É ¶ÉʶɨÉÉèʱÉEÞòiÉ |ÉÊiɹ`öÉ

(4.11)

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$½þÊ®ú&¸ÉÒMÉhÉ{ÉiɪÉä xɨÉ&

4

iÉä ºÉ¨¨ÉiÉÉ VÉxÉ{Énäù¹ÉÖ vÉxÉÉÊxÉ iÉä¹ÉÉÆ iÉä¹ÉÉÆ ªÉ¶ÉÉÆ漃 xÉ SÉ ºÉÒnùÊiÉ vɨÉÇ´ÉMÉÇ& vÉxªÉɺiÉ B´É ÊxɦÉÞiÉÉi¨ÉVÉ ¦ÉÞiªÉnùÉ®úÉ& ªÉä¹ÉÉÆ ºÉnùɦªÉÖnùªÉnùÉ ¦É´ÉiÉÒ |ɺÉzÉÉ

où¹]èõ´É ËEò xÉ ¦É´ÉiÉÒ |ÉEò®úÉÊä iÉ ¦Éº¨É ºÉ´ÉÉǺÉÖ®úÉxÉÊ®ú¹ÉÖ ªÉ±|ÉʽþhÉÉäÊ¹É ¶ÉºjÉÆ ±ÉÉäEòÉxÉ |ɪÉÉxiÉÖÊ®ú{É´ÉÉäƒÊ{É Ê½þ ¶ÉºjÉ{ÉÚiÉÉ
(4.14)

(4.18)

Upon whom you are pleased to grant boons They have become the abodes of all happiness The rich and famous, the holy and the graceful And the families which abound in joys

Your concern for the demons is evident O’ Gauri you have not reduced them to ashes You have wielded weapons to engage them in war To kill them gracefully with the sword in your hand

vɨ¨ªÉÉÇÊhÉ näùÊ´É ºÉEò±ÉÉÊxɺÉnèù´É Eò¨¨ÉÉÇhªÉiªÉÉoùiÉ& |ÉÊiÉÊnùxÉÆ ºÉÖEÞòiÉÒ Eò®úÉÊä iÉ º´ÉMÉÈ |ɪÉÉÊiÉ SÉ iÉiÉÉä ¦É´ÉiÉÒ |ɺÉÉnùɱÉ ±ÉÉäEòjɪÉäƒÊ{É ¡ò±ÉnùÉ xÉxÉÖ näùÊ´É iÉäxÉ-

JÉbÂ÷MÉ|ɦÉÉ ÊxÉEò®úʴɺ¡Öò®úhÉèºiÉlÉÉäOÉè& ¶ÉÚ±ÉÉOÉEòÉÎxiÉ ÊxɴɽäþxÉ où¶ÉÉ䃺ÉÖ®úÉhÉÉÆ ªÉzÉÉMÉiÉÉ Ê´É±ÉªÉ¨ÉƶÉÖʨÉxnÖùJÉhb÷ªÉÉäMªÉÉxÉxÉÆ iÉ´É Ê´É±ÉÉäEòªÉiÉÉÆ iÉnäùiɱÉÂ

(4.15)

(4.19)

O’ Gauri, your blessings lead the world Along good and holy deeds every moment Your devotees ascend to heavens and beyond In all the three worlds you are the only refuge

Lustrous hue of the edges of your swords And the silver shine of the tips of spears O’ Gauri, fell short to blind the fiery demons As their eyes were stuck on your golden face

nÖùMÉæ º¨ÉÞiÉÉ ½þ®ú漃 ¦ÉÒÊiɨɶÉä¹ÉVÉxiÉÉä& º´ÉºlÉè& º¨ÉÞiÉɨÉÊiɨÉiÉÒ´É ¶ÉÖ¦ÉÉ nùnùÉ漃 nùÉÊ®úpù¬nÖù&JɦɪɽþÉÊ®úÊhÉ EòÉ i´ÉnùxªÉÉ ºÉ´ÉÉæ{ÉEòÉ®úEò®úhÉÉªÉ ºÉnùÉpÇùÊSÉkÉÉ

nÖù´ÉÞkÇ É´ÉÞkɶɨÉxÉÃÆ iÉ´É näùÊ´É ¶ÉÒ±ÉÆ °ü{ÉÆ iÉnèù´É¨ÉÊSÉxiªÉ¨ÉiÉÖ±ªÉ¨ÉxªÉè& ´ÉÒªÉÈ SÉ ½þxiÉÞ¿iÉnäù´É {É®úÉGò¨ÉÉhÉÉÆ ´ÉèÊ®ú¹´ÉÊ{É |ÉEòÊ]õiÉè´É nùªÉÉ i´ÉªÉäilÉÆ

(4.16)

Beings in anguish find their deliverance And mind turns gracious for the devoted O’ Durgā, your name plays such miracles Who else to save us from the perils of life

Your grace dispells the vice of the wicked Unthinkable and unmatched is your form Your prowess drive to doom of all the evils Yet you are kind even to those demons

BʦɽÇþiÉèVÉÇMÉnÖù{ÉèÊiÉ ºÉÖJÉÆ iÉlÉèiÉä EÖò´ÉÇxiÉÖ xÉÉ¨É xÉ®úEòÉªÉ ÊSÉ®úÉªÉ {ÉÉ{ÉÆ ºÉÆOÉɨɨÉÞiªÉÖ¨ÉÊvÉMɨªÉ Ênù´ÉÆ |ɪÉÉxiÉÖ ¨Éi´ÉäÊiÉ xÉÚxɨÉʽþiÉÉxÉ ʴÉÊxɽÆþ漃 näùÊ´É

EäòxÉÉä{ɨÉÉ ¦É´ÉiÉÖ iÉ䃺ªÉ {É®úÉGò¨ÉºªÉ °ü{ÉÆ SÉ ¶ÉjÉ֦ɪÉEòɪÉÇÊiɽþÉÊ®ú EÖòjÉ ÊSÉkÉä EÞò{ÉɺɨɮúÊxɹ`Öö®úiÉÉ SÉ où¹]õÉ i´ÉªªÉä´É näùÊ´É ´É®únäù ¦ÉÖ´ÉxÉjɪÉäƒÊ{É

(4.17)

Let the world free of demons enjoy peace And the beings desist from all evil deeds Let the demons who died in war rise to heaven O’ Mother, your kindness is beyond words $½þÊ®ú&¸ÉÒMÉhÉ{ÉiɪÉä xɨÉ&

5

(4.20)

(4.21)

What simile can be given for your valour And the enchanting form evoking fear in demons You are kind and brutal in competing spirits O’ Graceful, no equal in all the three worlds $½þÊ®ú&¸ÉÒMÉhÉ{ÉiɪÉä xɨÉ&

6

jÉè±ÉÉäCªÉ¨ÉäiÉnùÊJɱÉÆ Ê®ú{ÉÖxÉɶÉxÉäxÉ jÉÉiÉÆ i´ÉªÉÉ ºÉ¨É®ú¨ÉÚvÉÇÊxÉ iÉäƒÊ{É ½þi´ÉÉ xÉÒiÉÉ Ênù´ÉÆ Ê®ú{ÉÖMÉhÉɦɪɨÉ{ªÉ{Éɺiɨɺ¨ÉÉEò¨ÉÖx¨ÉnùºÉÖ®úÉÊ®ú¦É´ÉÆ xɨɺiÉä

(4.22)

You have freed the three worlds from evils Wicked who died too have taken refuge in you We have been rescued of the fear of the demons O’ Mother, we prostrate before you in delight

¶ÉÚ±ÉäxÉ {ÉÉʽþxÉÉä näùÊ´É! {ÉÉʽþ JÉbÂ÷MÉäxÉ SÉ +Ψ¤ÉEäò PÉhb÷ɺ´ÉxÉäxÉ xÉ& {ÉÉʽþ SÉÉ{ÉVªÉÉÊxɺ´ÉxÉäxÉ SÉ |ÉÉSªÉÉÆ ®úIÉ |ÉiÉÒSªÉÉÆ SÉ SÉÎhb÷Eäò! ®úIÉ nùÊIÉhÉä §ÉɨÉhÉäxÉÉi¨É¶ÉڱɺªÉ =kÉ®úºªÉÉÆ iÉlÉä·É®úÒ

(4.23)

O’ Isvarī, spin the spear and the sword all around To protect us from east and west and all sides Let the sound of your bell and that of the bow Serve us to be the guards in all directions Demons, wars and terror existed all the times. Men fought those evils with their spirits surrendered to Bhavani. Vande Mataram, the National Song of India had been the background music of Indian life and Bankim Chandra presented it against the right backdrop of sensitive times in which he lived. Great nationalist poet he was and had portrayed the Yogis as spearheading a revolution under the grace of Great Mother. Mother Earth is the most benign manifestation of the Great Mother Chandikā. These verses are in praise of all her boons and a tribute to Her blessings that we go on unearthing...

$½þÊ®ú&¸ÉÒMÉhÉ{ÉiɪÉä xɨÉ&

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