This is the second post on Devi Mahatmyam. These were short summaries given at our UAE Satsangh.

Thanks to Chitraji for providing the material for sharing with all of us.

Chapters 2,3 & 4 – The Slaying of Mahishasura

In olden times there was a war that raged between the Devas led by Indra and the asuras led by Mahishasura. The devas were unfortunately routed by the asuras and Mahishasura became the lord of heaven. The hosts of devas, having been thrown out by Mahisha took refuge in Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu and pleaded them to destroy Mahishasura.
Having thus heard the words of the devas, Vishnu and Shiva were angry and their faces were fierce with anger.
Then issued forth a great light from the face of Vishnu who was full of intense anger, and from that of Brahma and Shiva too. From the bodies of indra and other devas also, sprang forth a very great light and all this light united together.
The devas saw there, a concentration of light like a mountain blazing excessively, pervading all the quarters with its flames. Then that unique light produced from the bodies of all the devas, pervading the three worlds with its lustre combined in to one and became a female form. Shiva gave forth a trident, Vishnu his discuss and all the devas gave the power thru their weapons. The Lord of wealth, Kubera, gave her a drinking cup ever full of wine. Honoured like wise by other Devas with ornaments and weapons, the Devi gave out a loud roar with a defying laugh again and again. With her laughter unending, all the worlds shook, the seas trembled.
Mahishasura, hearing this roar rushed towards that roar surrounded by innumerable asuras. Then he saw the Devi making the earth bend with her foot steps, scraping the sky with her diadem, shaking the nether worlds with the twang of her bow string, and standing there pervading all the quarters around with her thousand arms. Then began a battle between the Devi and the enemies of the Devas. Showering her own weapons and arms, Devi Chandika very easily cut in to pieces all the weapons and arms of the asuras without any strain on her face.
Then chiksura, the great asura general, seeing their army being slain by the Devi, advanced in anger to fight with Ambika. The great asura flung at Badrakaali the pike and seeing that pike coming upon her, the Devi hurled her pike that shattered his pike in to hundred fragments and the great asura himself. Then, the Devi sitting on the lion, killed Chaamara, Udagra, Bhaskara, Ugraveerya, Mahaahanu, Dhurdhara and Dhurmukha, who were great asuras.
Mahishaasura, seeing his army thus destroyed by Devi, rushed towards Ambika with his own buffalo form. There was a great fight between Devi and Mahisha. Mahisha changed his forms from buffalo to lion and then to a big elephant. When his trunk was cut, the great asura resumed his buffalo shape roaring at Devi, fought with more strength and valour.
The Devi said, “Roar, Roar, O fool for a moment while I drink this wine. When you will slain by me the Devas will soon roar in this very place.” Having exclaimed thus she jumped and landed herself on the great asura, pressed him on the neck with her foot and struck him with her spear. And thereupon, caught up under her foot, Mahishasura half issued forth from his own buffalo mouth being completely overcome by the valour of Devi. Devi struck off his head with her great sword.
Then Shaakra and other Devas uttered their words of praise, their necks and shoulders reverently bent, and bodies rendered beautiful with horripulation and exultation.
These praises are very important in Devi mahaatmyam and the Devas say, “whoever praises you with these hymns, may You, who have become gracious towards us, be also for his increase in his wealth, wife and other fortunes together with riches, prosperity and life.”

HERE ENDS THE SLAYING OF MAHISHASURA OF DEVI MAHATMYAM.

Click here to Learn to Chant – Mahishasura Mardhini Stotram

Here is the text and audio for Lalita Pancharatnam or Lalita Panchakam as part of the ‘Learn to Chant’ series.

This is the first of a series of posts on Devi Mahatmyam. These were short summaries given at our UAE Satsangh.

Thanks to Chitraji for providing the material for sharing with all of us.

1st chapter – THE SLAYING OF MADHU AND KHAITABHA

The whole story of Devi Mahatmyam was narrated by Sage Markandeya to his disciple Krasustukhi Bhaguri, explaining how Saavarni, the son of Surya became the Lord of the 8th Manvantara by Mahamaya.

The curtain rasier for the first chapter has two individuals who meet at the hermitage of sage Medhas. One is a king named Suratha. The other is the merchant named Samadhi. Both were afflicted with pain, the king being relieved of his treasury and army by his own powerful evil disposed ministers and the merchant, even though born in a wealthy family had been cast out by his sons and wife who were wicked thru greed of wealth. Both of them took refuge in hermitage in the forest.

Even though they were in the forest they could not leave the thoughts of their respective losses. The king was constantly remembering about the kingdom up to the finest details. The merchant too was always engrossed in thinking about his sons’ lives. “ How is it that the mind despite knowing the attachment towards the object whose defects we do know is still prone to love even towards worthless kinsmen? How are we getting deluded even though we are aware of it?” they asked the rishi with due respects.

The rishi said, “Sir, every being has the knowledge of objects perceivable by the senses. An object of sense reaches it in various ways. Some beings are blind by day, and others are blind by night; some beings have equal sight both by day and night. Human beings are certainly endowed with knowledge but they are not the only beings for other creatures also can cognize the objects of senses.

The knowledge that men have, birds and bees too have; and what they have, men also possess. And the rest like eating and sleeping is common to both of them. Look at these birds, which though they possess knowledge and are themselves distressed by hunger are yet, because of the delusion engaged in dropping grains in to the beaks of their young ones. Human beings are attached to their children because of greed for return help.

Even so men are hurled in to the whirlpool of attachment, the pit of delusion thru the power of Mahaa maaya who makes the existence of the world possible. This mahaa maya is the yoga nidhra of Vishnu, the Lord of the world. It is by her the world is deluded. This mahaa maya forcibly drawing the minds of even the wise, throws them in to delusion. She is the supreme knowledge, the cause of final liberation and eternal. She is the cause of bondage of transmigration and the sovereign over all Lords.”

Now the king wanted to know more about that mahaamaya. The sage continued to narrate the story of madhu and khaitabha. At the end of a kalpa, when the universe was one ocean and the Lord Vishnu took to mystic slumber on Sesha, two terrible asuras, the well known Madhu and Khaitabha sprung in to being from the dirt of Vishnu’s ears. They wanted to slay Brahma. Brahma ji, seeing these two fierce asuras and Vishnu asleep and with a view to awaken Vishnu, with concentrated mind extolled Yoganidhra dwelling in Hari’s eyes. Brahma praised Yoganidhra to the extent that mother Maha maaya drew herself out from Vishnu’s eyes, mouth, nostrils, arms, heart and breast. Lord Vishnu quitted by her, rose up from his couch, saw those two evil asuras with eyes red in anger. Vishnu fought with those asuras using his own arms as weapons. The asuras proud of their exceeding power, and deluded by mahaamaya exclaimed to Vishnu, “Ask boon from us”. Bhagwan said, “If you are satisfied with me you must both be slain by me now. There is no need for any other boon here. This is my choice.” The two asuras bewitched by mahaa maya gazing then at the entire world turned in to water told Bhagwan to slay at a spot where the earth is not flooded with water. Bhagwan saying, “Be it so”, took them on his loins and severed their heads with his discus.

Here ends the story of the destruction of Madhu and Kaitabha of Devi Mahatmyam.

The following is a hymn in praise of Goddess Mahalakshmi, who is the Goddess of wealth and all auspiciousness.

The stotras are sung by my mother Mrs. K.V.Lalitha and Shree has compiled the slides with the Sanskrit transliteration.

Please wait for the video to load – the first time load may take a few minutes due to the high video quality.

Devi Puja – Roman Transliteration

Devi Puja

“Mahishaasura Mardhini” means one who killed the Asura called Mahishaasura and refers to the Goddess Durga. The demon was in the form of a buffalo and hence the name Mahishaasura.

The author of these verses is not clearly known but according to some sources it is said to be Ramakrishna Kavi. The verses have great poetry and use various alliterations to describe the divine nature of the Goddess Durga.

Easily classifiable as a tongue twister, these verses are traditionally chanted in South Indian homes during the Navarathri and have been made rendered impressively in the melodious voice of M.S.Subbalakshmi as well as the Bombay sisters. More recent versions include various contemporary artistes including Sudha Raghunathan and S.Sowmya.

Click here for the Devi Puja in tamil