The slaying of Demon Mahisha by Goddess Durga in The Devi Mahatmyam, the sacred text also known as The Sri Durga Saptashati (700 hundred verses in praise of Goddess Durga) and also as The Chandi Path.
The song which tells of Goddess Durga’s victory, The Mahishasura Mardini Stotram, has a mesmerizing melody and rhythm. It is always sung during Navaratri, The Nine Nights of the Divine Mother Goddess which are going on right now.
The Bombay Sisters’ recording is a good learning tool, as their pronunciation is distinct, their voices carry the divine energy, the instrumentation is a perfect match, and they are using the traditional intonations. I think it’s always good to learn the traditional melody first before approaching other arrangements.
Below is the transliterated form of the song and links to the videos on youtube. The song is in two parts. I apologize that the lyrics are in the ITRANS format, I don’t have the means to get it down with diacritical marks the way I prefer it. However, if you listen as you read, you can make notes and eventually you’ll get the hang of it. If you want to approach it academically, here’s a site where you can read all about transliteration in ITRANS: http://www.sanskrit-sanscrito.com.ar/en/sanskrit_sanskrit3/transliterating2.shtml
mahiShAsuramardinistotram
Part One sung by the Bombay Sisters
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiWetv8TOwg
ayi girinandini nanditamedini vishvavinodini nandanute
girivara vindhya shirodhinivAsini viShNuvilAsini jiShNunute |
bhagavati heshitikaNThakuTuMbini bhUri kuTuMbini bhUri k.rte
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute || 1 ||
suravaravarShiNi durdharadharShiNi durmukhamarShiNi harSharate
tribhuvanapoShiNi shaN^karatoShiNi kilbiShamoShiNi ghoSharate |
danuja niroShiNi ditisuta roShiNi durmada shoShiNi sindhusute
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute || 2 ||
ayi jagadaMba madaMba kadaMba vanapriya vAsini hAsarate
shikhari shiromaNi tuN^ga himAlaya sh.rN^ga nijAlaya madhyagate |
madhu madhure madhu kaiTabha ga~njini kaiTabha bha~njini rAsarate
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute || 3 ||
ayi shatakhaNDa vikhaNDita ruNDa vituNDita shuNDa gajAdhipate
ripu gaja gaNDa vidAraNa caNDa parAkrama shuNDa m.rgAdhipate |
nija bhuja daNDa nipAtita khaNDa vipAtita muNDa bhaTAdhipate
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute || 4 ||
ayi raNa durmada shatru vadhodita durdhara nirjara shaktibh.rte
catura vicAra dhurINa mahAshiva dUtak.rta pramathAdhipate |
durita durItha durAshaya durmati dAnavadUta k.rtAntamate
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute || 5 ||
ayi sharaNAgata vairi vadhUvara vIra varAbhaya dAyakare
tribhuvana mastaka shUla virodhi shirodhi k.rtAmala shUlakare |
dumidumi tAmara dundubhinAda maho mukharIk.rta tigmakare
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute || 6 ||
ayi nija huN^k.rti mAtra nirAk.rta dhUmra vilocana dhUmra shate
samara vishoShita shoNita bIja samudbhava shoNita bIja late |
shiva shiva shuMbha nishuMbha mahAhava tarpita bhUta pishAcarate
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute || 7 ||
dhanuranu saN^ga raNakShaNasaN^ga parisphura daN^ga naTatkaTake
kanaka pishaN^ga p.rShatka niShaN^ga rasadbhaTa sh.rN^ga hatAvaTuke |
k.rta caturaN^ga balakShiti raN^ga ghaTadbahuraN^ga raTadbaTuke
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute || 8 ||
jaya jaya japya jayejaya shabda parastuti tatpara vishvanute
bhaNa bhaNa bhi~njimi bhiN^k.rta nUpura si~njita mohita bhUtapate |
naTita naTArdha naTInaTa nAyaka nATita nATya sugAnarate
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute || 9 ||
ayi sumanaH sumanaH sumanaH sumanaH sumanohara kAntiyute
shrita rajanI rajanI rajanI rajanI rajanIkara vaktrav.rte |
sunayana vibhramara bhramara bhramara bhramara bhramarAdhipate
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute || 10 ||
sahita mahAhava mallama tallika mallita rallaka mallarate
viracita vallika pallika mallika bhillika bhillika varga v.rte |
sitak.rta pullisamulla sitAruNa tallaja pallava sallalite
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute || 11 ||
Part Two sung by the Bombay Sisters
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwwDL1XirQw&feature=related
avirala gaNDa galanmada medura matta mataN^gaja rAjapate
tribhuvana bhUShaNa bhUta kalAnidhi rUpa payonidhi rAjasute |
ayi suda tIjana lAlasamAnasa mohana manmatha rAjasute
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute || 12 ||
kamala dalAmala komala kAnti kalAkalitAmala bhAlalate
sakala vilAsa kalAnilayakrama keli calatkala haMsa kule |
alikula saN^kula kuvalaya maNDala maulimiladbhakulAli kule
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute || 13 ||
kara muralI rava vIjita kUjita lajjita kokila ma~njumate
milita pulinda manohara gu~njita ra~njitashaila niku~njagate |
nijaguNa bhUta mahAshabarIgaNa sadguNa saMbh.rta kelitale
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute || 14 ||
kaTitaTa pIta dukUla vicitra mayUkhatirask.rta candra ruce
praNata surAsura maulimaNisphura daMshula sannakha candra ruce |
jita kanakAcala maulipadorjita nirbhara ku~njara kuMbhakuce
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute || 15 ||
vijita sahasrakaraika sahasrakaraika sahasrakaraikanute
k.rta suratAraka saN^garatAraka saN^garatAraka sUnusute |
suratha samAdhi samAnasamAdhi samAdhisamAdhi sujAtarate
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute || 16 ||
padakamalaM karuNAnilaye varivasyati yo.anudinan sa shive
ayi kamale kamalAnilaye kamalAnilayaH sa kathaM na bhavet |
tava padameva paraMpadamityanushIlayato mama kiM na shive
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute || 17 ||
kanakalasatkala sindhu jalairanu si~ncinute guNa raN^gabhuvaM
bhajati sa kiM na shacIkuca kuMbha taTI pariraMbha sukhAnubhavam |
tava caraNaM sharaNaM karavANi natAmaravANi nivAsi shivaM
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute || 18 ||
tava vimalendukulaM vadanendumalaM sakalaM nanu kUlayate
kimu puruhUta purIndumukhI sumukhIbhirasau vimukhIkriyate |
mama tu mataM shivanAmadhane bhavatI k.rpayA kimuta kriyate
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute || 19 ||
ayi mayi dInadayAlutayA k.rpayaiva tvayA bhavitavyamume
ayi jagato jananI k.rpayAsi yathAsi tathA.anumitAsirate |
yaducitamatra bhavatyurari kurutAdurutApamapAkurute
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute || 20 ||
|| iti shrImahiShAsuramardinistotraM saMpUrNam ||
Nice blog on Mahishasura Mardini: http://shaktisadhana.50megs.com/Newhomepage/shakti/mahishasuramardini.html
A favorite article about THE DEVI MAHATMYAM: http://www.dlshq.org/religions/devi_mahatmya.htm
My favorite version of the book, The Devi Mahatmyam is written by Swami Satyananda Saraswati. It is translated in a beautiful metaphoric manner and has Devanagari characters and transliterated English with diacritical marks in addition to the meaning in English. It contains all of the “appendages” which are necessary for ritual chanting. Truly an excellent version as it is one that may be used for chanting during Chandi Homa (the fire ceremony) or for following along in English.
You may order it from Devi Mandir: http://www.shreemaa.org/drupal/node/404
Description from Devi Mandir: The Chandi Path is the story of how She manifests in the lives of devotees to facilitate the recapture of divine authority from the demonic forces, to fill our lives with love, respect, devotion and a sense of meaningful purpose. In studying the Chandi Path we learn how to create a balance between Two Little and Too Much, how to surrender the arrogance of the Great Ego, and how to cut through the selfishness of Self Conceit and Self Deprecation. Also included are the Prayoga and Upasamhara Pujas.
How I came to The Devi Mahatmyam: In the Spring of 2003 I had a very curious event occur. I was doing a book search for a computer-illiterate friend named Faith, when a miracle appeared. Faith needed a monologue for an audition. The title of the play was The Autograph Hound, which I entered on the opening search page at the Studio City branch of the LA County Library. These words came up on the screen:
THE DEVI MAHATMYAM and underneath them, a translation of those words in many languages. This happened four times, until I gave up. The book is NOT in The Los Angeles County Library Catalog. This mystical experience is one of many related to the Goddess tradition rooted in India. The experience along the path is ongoing…
