📖 Markandeya Purana — Durga Saptashati
Verse 1
विद्याः समस्तास्तव देवि भेदाः स्त्रियः समस्ताः सकला जगत्सु ।
त्वयैकया पूरितमम्बयैतत् का ते स्तुतिः स्तव्यपरा परोक्तिः ॥
Vidyah samastastava devi bhedah striyah samastah sakala jagatshu |
Tvayaikaya puritamambayaitat ka te stutih stavyapara paroktih ||
विद्याः समस्ताः
all forms of knowledge
तव भेदाः
are your own aspects
स्त्रियः समस्ताः
all women
त्वयैकया पूरितम्
you alone have filled
का ते स्तुतिः
what praise can we offer
स्तव्यपरा
you are beyond all praise
O Devi, all forms of knowledge are your aspects. Every woman in this world is your manifestation. You alone have filled this entire universe. What praise could we possibly offer — you are beyond all praise.
Verse 2
सर्वभूता यदा देवी स्वर्गमुक्तिप्रदायिनी ।
त्वं स्तुता स्तुतये का वा भवन्तु परमेश्वरि ॥
Sarvabhuta yada devi svargamuktipradayini |
Tvam stuta stutaye ka va bhavantu parameshvari ||
सर्वभूता
present in all beings
स्वर्गमुक्तिप्रदायिनी
traditionally described as the giver of liberation — Purana's own words
त्वं स्तुता
you are worthy of praise
The Purana describes the Devi as present in all beings. O Parameshvari, we offer you our praise — knowing all along that you are beyond what any words can hold.
Verse 3
शरणागतदीनार्तपरित्राणपरायणे ।
सर्वस्यार्तिहरे देवि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥
Sharanagata dinaarta paritranapara yane |
Sarvasyartiharе devi Narayani namostu te ||
शरणागत
those who have sought refuge
दीनार्त
the destitute and suffering
परित्राण परायणे
ever devoted to their protection
सर्वस्यार्तिहरे
remover of all sorrow
नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते
O Narayani, salutation to you
This is the most beloved verse of the entire chapter. Ever devoted to protecting those who seek refuge — the destitute, the suffering — remover of all sorrow, O Narayani, salutation to you.
Verse 4
सृष्टिस्थितिविनाशानां शक्तिभूते सनातनि ।
गुणाश्रये गुणमये नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥
Srishtisthitivinashanam shaktibhute sanatani |
Gunashtraye gunamaye Narayani namostu te ||
सृष्टिस्थितिविनाशानां
of creation, sustenance, and dissolution
शक्तिभूते
the power that underlies all three
गुणाश्रये
the refuge of all qualities
गुणमये
the essence of all qualities
The power behind all three — creation, sustenance, and dissolution — eternal, the refuge and essence of all qualities, O Narayani, salutation to you.
Verse 5
शरणे ऽहं प्रपन्नोऽस्मि सर्वभूतभयंकरि ।
नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते नारायणि प्रसीद मे ॥
Sharane aham prapannosmi sarvabhutabhayankari |
Narayani namostu te Narayani prasida me ||
शरणे प्रपन्नः अस्मि
I have taken refuge
सर्वभूतभयंकरि
the awesome power in all beings
प्रसीद मे
be gracious to me
I have taken refuge in you, O awesome power that pervades all beings. O Narayani, salutation to you — be gracious to me.
Verse 6
एभिः स्तवैश्च मां देवि स्तुतां वन्दितुमर्हसि ।
रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि ॥
Ebhih stavaischa mam devi stutam vanditumarhasi |
Rupam dehi jayam dehi yasho dehi dvishо jahi ||
एभिः स्तवैः
with these hymns
वन्दितुम् अर्हसि
worthy of being worshipped
द्विषो जहि
traditional prayer for removal of obstacles
O Devi, praised with these hymns, you are worthy of all reverence. Strength, victory, renown — these are the traditional things devotees ask of you through this prayer.
Verse 7
देव्युवाच ।
वरदाहं सुरश्रेष्ठा वरं वृणुत सुव्रताः ।
त्रैलोक्यस्य हितार्थाय किं करोमि ब्रवीत मे ॥
Devyuvacha |
Varadaham surashreshtha varam vrinuta suvratah |
Trailokyasya hitarthaya kim karomi bravita me ||
वरदा अहम्
I am the giver of boons
सुरश्रेष्ठाः
O foremost of the devas
त्रैलोक्यस्य हितार्थाय
for the good of all three worlds
The Devi spoke: I am ready to grant boons. O devoted devas, ask — what can I do for the good of all three worlds?
Verse 8
देवा ऊचुः ।
सर्वाबाधाप्रशमनं त्रैलोक्यस्याखिलेश्वरि ।
एवमेव त्वया कार्यम् अस्माकं हितकाम्यया ॥
Deva uchuh |
Sarvabadha prashamanam trailokyasyakhileshvari |
Evameva tvaya karyam asmakam hitakamyaya ||
सर्वाबाधाप्रशमनम्
the removal of all obstacles
त्रैलोक्यस्य
of all three worlds
अखिलेश्वरि
O sovereign of all
हितकाम्यया
out of care for our welfare
The devas replied: O sovereign of all — remove the obstacles that threaten all three worlds. That is what we ask for, out of care for all beings.
Verse 9
देव्युवाच ।
वैवस्वतेऽन्तरे प्राप्ते अष्टाविंशतिमे युगे ।
शुम्भो निशुम्भश्चैवान्यौ जन्मनः प्राप्स्यतो ऽसुरौ ॥
Devyuvacha |
Vaivasvate antare prapte ashtavinshatime yuge |
Shumbho nishumbhashchaivanyau janmanah prapsyato asurau ||
वैवस्वतेऽन्तरे
in the Vaivasvata Manvantara
अष्टाविंशतिमे युगे
in the twenty-eighth cycle
शुम्भः निशुम्भः
Shumbha and Nishumbha
जन्मनः प्राप्स्यतः
will take birth again
The Devi gave a prophecy: in the future — in the twenty-eighth cycle of the Vaivasvata age — Shumbha and Nishumbha will be born again. And when they are, I will appear again.
Verse 10
नन्दगोपगृहे जाता यशोदागर्भसम्भवा ।
तत्र त्वामर्चयिष्यन्ति मनुजाः पुण्यकर्मिणः ॥
Nandagopa grihe jata yashodagarbhasambhava |
Tatra tvamarchayishyanti manujah punyakarminah ||
नन्दगोपगृहे जाता
born in the home of Nandagopa
यशोदागर्भसम्भवा
from the womb of Yashoda
तत्र अर्चयिष्यन्ति
there will they worship me
पुण्यकर्मिणः
those of righteous deeds
The Devi said: I will be born in Nandagopa's household, from Yashoda's womb — and the righteous will worship me there. This prophecy in the Markandeya Purana points toward a future avatar of Yogamaya.
References
According to the Markandeya Purana, the eleventh chapter is the Narayani Stuti — the most tender and exalted chapter of the Durga Saptashati. Here the devas praise the Devi with the famous verse: 'Sharanagata dinaarta paritranapara yane' — ever devoted to protecting those who seek refuge, the destitute, the suffering. It is the finest expression of the Devi's compassion in the entire text.
In this chapter the Devi also gives a prophecy: she will be born in Nandagopa's household from Yashoda's womb. This is understood as a reference to a future descent of Yogamaya.
The Narayani Stuti is traditionally recited by devotees during Navaratri. Here the Devi is described as the source of all knowledge, the power behind all of creation and dissolution, and the ground of being for every woman in the world.
Durga Saptashati · 11 / 13