Pranamami Sri Durge…

Vijaya Dasami, the final day of Navaratri celebrations, denotes victory over evil. When curtain rings down on the Dasara celebrations, it is time to reminisce the beauty and grandeur of the festival of timeless appeal, invoking Him beseeching His supreme benevolence, for His Divine Darshan… a poetic piece from Sri Jullie Chaudhuri.

Oh! Divine Mother Goddess,
We seek Thy Everlasting Compassion,
We implore Thee…do us perennially bless,
Indeed delight us with Thy Sublime Mercy,
Thy Wondrous Grace,
It is Thy Effulgence alone that sets the Universe ablaze…

Oh! Supremely effulgent Mother,
Our hearts overflow with great love,
For Thee, Who is also referred to as Mahishasura Mardhini,
The slayer of the mighty demon – Mahishasura,
Indeed Your Form took shape,
Crystallised Itself out,
Beyond doubt,
From the most blazing and vivid combined radiance,
That did emit from the beings of all the Gods,
While enveloping Thy Essence -
As Mother Parvati,
Touching Thy Presence,
At sage Katyayan’s hermitage…

That hitherto unknown luster and luminosity,
Truly beyond anyone’s gauge,
Thus acquired the name ‘Katyayani’,
Going on to assume the contour,
The fiery brilliance of Maa Durga…as per Divine Decree…

Oh! Mother, the glowing beauty,
Of Thy lotus-like face,
Is indeed beyond description,
Sages reflect upon Thee with absolute absorption,
Your Presence is the sole cause for celebration,
You…are the resting place for Infinity,
It is Thy Lila, Thy play,
That, from the synthesized energy of all the gods,
Including the Trinity,
Thy Magnificent Splendour,
Did emerge as the resplendent Durga Devi,
So empowered by weapons from each of the Gods,
Gave the demons a battle they just couldn’t afford…

Hey Pinakdharini,
You are the One who holds the Trishul of Lord Shiva,
Lord Vishnu presented You,
With a Disc that represented the Sudarshan Chakra,
Hey Bhavani, You are indeed the Harmonious Abode of the Universe,
You…are the Mother of the Cosmos,
As well as the Mother,
That each one of us does personally hold close and adore…
You are known as Shiv Ramana,
You are indeed the Manamohini of Shiva,
Who delightfully enchants and resides in the heart of Mahadeva…
The captivatingly exclusive Shakti of Manohara…

Hey Simhavahini, Sarvaasuravinashini,
Riding astride a lion,
You came to destroy all the demons,
And especially so…to end the reign of ‘tsunami like’ terror,
Of the ‘buffalo demon’ Mahisha-asura,
Who thought himself to be immortal,
Conceitedly assuming he was now invincible,
For none could ever point an error,
In the boon granted by Lord Brahma…

“Roar with delight while you still can,
O illiterate demon,
Because when I will kill you,
The gods themselves will roar with delight”…
With these very words,
Hey! Ameya Vikrama – One Who is Immeasurable…
…possessing Valour Supreme,
With the form of Eternal Bliss…Magnificence and Unsurpassable Beauty,
Sathyanandaswarupini…Bhavya…Bhavini…
Vanquishing the demon king…
You ultimately gained joyful victory…

Hey Bhavani…giver of life,
We entreat Thee…
Gently end all inner conflicts…struggle and strife,
Annihilate the asuras within,
That raise their tamasic demonic heads,
Goading us towards marshy quick sands,
And the dark unyielding clutches,
Of the mire of sin…
Without Thy support, we confess,
We will remain helpless,
This battle we simply cannot win…

Come, Oh! Consort of Maheshvara…Oh! Maheshvari…
…The invincible Vaishnavi,
Oh! Most Benevolent Benefactress of the Cosmos,
Jagat Janani,
Come and set us free…
Help us cross the ocean of inner and outer chaos,
Come, we beseech Thee,
Show us how to overthrow -
Lust, greed, excessive attachments, arrogance and ego,
Grievance, vengeance, imbalances of trivial preference,
The blunders of reckless ignorance,
Pomp and show,
Extreme indulgences and foolish pretense…
As did Mahishasur…these negative traits too,
In the hope of misleading,
Keep changing their appearance,
Proving to be a quagmire…a deterrent, a hindrance,
Leading to a life enveloped in nescience…
Completely isolated and segregated from substance…

Oh! Mother Divine…You are Adya – the beginning of Reality,
You are the Eternal One – Nitya,
Oh! Supreme Bestower of Wisdom – Buddhida,
You are generously benevolent – Bahulaprema,
Outer power and control makes us inflexibly feel –
‘I am the Lord of all I survey…’
Sweeping the intellect remorselessly away…
At Thy Lotus Feet we place,
Adorations in a fragrant array,
Our sincere wish we do convey,
Embrace us in Thy shimmering light…our fears forcibly allay…
Oh! Mother Durge…let there not be even the slightest of delay,
Illumine our intellect,
In all humility and reverence we pray,
Even as we, with great love do collectively say,
Naman, Namami, Namostute…
Pranamami Sri Durge…Sri Durge…Sri Durge…

Achintya Rupa Charite Sarva Shatru Vinaashini
Rupam Dehi Jayam Dehi Yasho Dehi Dvisho Jahi

Oh! Mother…
You, Who possesses an unimaginably Beautiful Form and Energy,
Destroyer of all obstacles,
Grant us Your Form, Grant us Victory,
Grant us Welfare, remove all Hostility…
Oh! Durge Devi…Durge Devi…Durge Devi…
Hey! Sai Narayani…
Come…
We desire naught else but Thy proximity,
We seek naught else but Thee…
Oh! Granter of Auspiciousness – Shubha Pradayini,
Grant us That which is most auspicious,
Grant us Thee…

II Samasta Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II