📖 Markandeya Purana — Durga Saptashati
Verse 1
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु विष्णुमायेति शब्दिता ।
नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः ॥
Ya devi sarvabhuteshu Vishnumayeti shabdita |
Namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namah ||
विष्णुमाया इति
by the name Vishnumaya
नमस्तस्यै
salutation to her
नमो नमः
again and again we bow
Chapter Four opens with the most recognized refrain of the entire Durga Saptashati. The Devi who dwells in all beings as Vishnumaya — to her, salutation, salutation, salutation, we bow again and again.
Verse 2
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु चेतनेत्यभिधीयते ।
नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः ॥
Ya devi sarvabhuteshu chetaneti abhidhiyate |
Namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namah ||
चेतना इति
as consciousness
सर्वभूतेषु
in all living beings
The Devi who dwells in all living beings as pure consciousness (chetana) — to her, salutation, salutation, salutation, we bow again and again.
Verse 3
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु बुद्धिरूपेण संस्थिता ।
नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः ॥
Ya devi sarvabhuteshu buddhirupena samsthita |
Namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namah ||
बुद्धिरूपेण
in the form of intelligence and discernment
संस्थिता
present, dwelling
The Devi who dwells in all beings as intelligence and discernment (buddhi) — to her, salutation, salutation, salutation, we bow again and again.
Verse 4
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु निद्रारूपेण संस्थिता ।
नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः ॥
Ya devi sarvabhuteshu nidrarupena samsthita |
Namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namah ||
निद्रारूपेण
in the form of sleep
The Devi who dwells in all beings as sleep (nidra) — the restoring, renewing gift of rest itself — to her, salutation, salutation, salutation, we bow again and again.
Verse 5
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु क्षुधारूपेण संस्थिता ।
नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः ॥
Ya devi sarvabhuteshu kshudhArupena samsthita |
Namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namah ||
क्षुधारूपेण
in the form of hunger
The Devi who dwells in all beings as hunger (kshudha) — even the most basic bodily urge is her presence — to her, salutation, salutation, salutation, we bow again and again.
Verse 6
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु शक्तिरूपेण संस्थिता ।
नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः ॥
Ya devi sarvabhuteshu shaktirupena samsthita |
Namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namah ||
शक्तिरूपेण
in the form of power and energy
The Devi who dwells in all beings as shakti (power and energy) — to her, salutation, salutation, salutation, we bow again and again.
Verse 7
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु तृष्णारूपेण संस्थिता ।
नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः ॥
Ya devi sarvabhuteshu trishnarupena samsthita |
Namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namah ||
तृष्णारूपेण
in the form of thirst and longing
The Devi who dwells in all beings as thirst and longing (trishna) — to her, salutation, salutation, salutation, we bow again and again.
Verse 8
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु मातृरूपेण संस्थिता ।
नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः ॥
Ya devi sarvabhuteshu maтrirupena samsthita |
Namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namah ||
मातृरूपेण
in the form of the mother
The Devi who dwells in all beings as the mother — to her, salutation, salutation, salutation, we bow again and again.
Verse 9
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु लक्ष्मीरूपेण संस्थिता ।
नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः ॥
Ya devi sarvabhuteshu Lakshmimrupena samsthita |
Namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namah ||
लक्ष्मीरूपेण
in the form of Lakshmi — grace and abundance
The Devi who dwells in all beings as Lakshmi — grace, abundance, auspiciousness — to her, salutation, salutation, salutation, we bow again and again.
Verse 10
सर्वमंगलमांगल्ये शिवे सर्वार्थसाधिके ।
शरण्ये त्र्यम्बके गौरी नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥
Sarva mangala mangalye Shive sarvarthasadhike |
Sharannye tryambake Gauri Narayani namostu te ||
सर्वमंगलमांगल्ये
auspicious among all auspicious things
सर्वार्थसाधिके
she who fulfills all purposes
त्र्यम्बके
the three-eyed one
नमोऽस्तु ते
salutation to you
This closing shloka is among the most widely recited in all of Devi tradition. O auspicious one, benevolent one, fulfiller of all purposes, refuge of all, three-eyed Gauri, Narayani — we bow to you.
References
According to the Markandeya Purana, the fourth chapter contains the praise offered by Indra and the devas after Mahishasura's defeat. The 'Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu' hymn — the heart of the Durga Saptashati — appears here. The Devi is invoked in every form of life: consciousness, intelligence, sleep, hunger, power, thirst, mother, Lakshmi.
This hymn makes a radical and beautiful claim: the Devi is not confined to the temple. She is present in every living being, in every experience of life. The closing shloka — 'Sarva mangala mangalye' — is traditionally recited as an auspicious invocation dedicated to the Devi.
Durga Saptashati · 4 / 13