अयि गिरिनन्दिनि नन्दितमेदिनि विश्वविनोदिनि नन्दनुते
गिरिवरविन्ध्यशिरोधिनिवासिनि विष्णुविलासिनि जिष्णुनुते ।
भगवति हे शितिकण्ठकुटुम्बिनि भूरिकुटुम्बिनि भूरिकृते
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥१॥
सुरवरवर्षिणि दुर्धरधर्षिणि दुर्मुखमर्षिणि हर्षरते
त्रिभुवनपोषिणि शङ्करतोषिणि किल्बिषमोषिणि घोषरते ।
दनुजनिरोषिणि दितिसुतरोषिणि दुर्मदशोषिणि सिन्धुसुते
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥२॥
अयि जगदम्ब मदम्ब कदम्बवनप्रियवासिनि हासरते
शिखरिशिरोमणितुङ्गहिमालयशृङ्गनिजालयमध्यगते ।
मधुमधुरे मधुकैटभगञ्जिनि कैटभभञ्जिनि रासरते
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥३॥
अयि शतखण्डविखण्डितरुण्डवितुण्डितशुण्डगजाधिपते
रिपुगजगण्डविदारणचण्डपराक्रमशुण्डमृगाधिपते ।
निजभुजदण्डनिपातितखण्डविपातितमुण्डभटाधिपते
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥४॥
अयि रणदुर्मदशत्रुवधोदितदुर्धरनिर्जरशक्तिभृते
चतुरविचारधुरीणमहाशिवदूतकृतप्रमथाधिपते ।
दुरितदुरीहदुराशयदुर्मतिदानवदूतकृतान्तमते
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥५॥
अयि शरणागतवैरिवधूवरवीरवराभयदायकरे
त्रिभुवनमस्तकशूलविरोधिशिरोधिकृतामलशूलकरे ।
दुमिदुमितामरदुन्दुभिनादमहोमुखरीकृततिग्मकरे
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥६॥
अयि निजहुङ्कृतिमात्रनिराकृतधूम्रविलोचनधूम्रशते
समरविशोषितशोणितबीजसमुद्भवशोणितबीजलते ।
शिवशिवशुम्भनिशुम्भमहाहवतर्पितभूतपिशाचरते
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥७॥
धनुरनुषङ्गरणक्षणसङ्गपरिस्फुरदङ्गनटत्कटके
कनकपिशङ्गपृषत्कनिषङ्गरसद्भटशृङ्गहतावटुके ।
कृतचतुरङ्गबलक्षितिरङ्गघटद्बहुरङ्गरटद्बटुके
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥८॥
सुरललनाततथेयितथेयिकृताभिनयोदरनृत्यरते
कृतकुकुथः कुकुथो गडदादिकतालकुतूहलगानरते ।
धुधुकुट धुक्कुट धिंधिमितध्वनिधीरमृदङ्गनिनादरते
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥९॥
जय जय जप्यजये जयशब्दपरस्तुतितत्परविश्वनुते
झणझणझिञ्झिमिझिङ्कृतनूपुरसिञ्जितमोहितभूतपते ।
नटितनटार्धनटीनटनायकनाटितनाट्यसुगानरते
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥१०॥
अयि सुमनःसुमनःसुमनःसुमनःसुमनोहरकान्तियुते
श्रितरजनीरजनीरजनीरजनीरजनीकरवक्त्रवृते ।
सुनयनविभ्रमरभ्रमरभ्रमरभ्रमरभ्रमराधिपते
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥११॥
सहितमहाहवमल्लमतल्लिकमल्लितरल्लकमल्लरते
विरचितवल्लिकपल्लिकमल्लिकझिल्लिकभिल्लिकवर्गवृते ।
सितकृतफुल्लसमुल्लसितारुणतल्लजपल्लवसल्ललिते
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥१२॥
अविरलगण्डगलन्मदमेदुरमत्तमतङ्गजराजपते
त्रिभुवनभूषणभूतकलानिधिरूपपयोनिधिराजसुते ।
अयि सुदतीजनलालसमानसमोहनमन्मथराजसुते
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥१३॥
कमलदलामलकोमलकान्तिकलाकलितामलभाललते
सकलविलासकलानिलयक्रमकेलिचलत्कलहंसकुले ।
अलिकुलसङ्कुलकुवलयमण्डलमौलिमिलद्बकुलालिकुले
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥१४॥
करमुरलीरववीजितकूजितलज्जितकोकिलमञ्जुमते
मिलितपुलिन्दमनोहरगुञ्जितरञ्जितशैलनिकुञ्जगते ।
निजगुणभूतमहाशबरीगणसद्गुणसम्भृतकेलितले
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥१५॥
कटितटपीतदुकूलविचित्रमयूखतिरस्कृतचन्द्ररुचे
प्रणतसुरासुरमौलिमणिस्फुरदंशुलसन्नखचन्द्ररुचे ।
जितकनकाचलमौलिपदोर्जितनिर्भरकुञ्जरकुम्भकुचे
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥१६॥
विजितसहस्रकरैकसहस्रकरैकसहस्रकरैकनुते
कृतसुरतारकसङ्गरतारकसङ्गरतारकसूनुसुते ।
सुरथसमाधिसमानसमाधिसमाधिसमाधिसुजातरते
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥१७॥
पदकमलं करुणानिलये वरिवस्यति योऽनुदिनं सुशिवे
अयि कमले कमलानिलये कमलानिलयः स कथं न भवेत् ।
तव पदमेव परम्पदमित्यनुशीलयतो मम किं न शिवे
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥१८॥
कनकलसत्कलसिन्धुजलैरनुषिञ्चति ते गुणरङ्गभुवं
भजति स किं न शचीकुचकुम्भतटीपरिरम्भसुखानुभवम् ।
तव चरणं शरणं करवाणि नतामरवाणिनिवासि शिवं
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥१९॥
तव विमलेन्दुकुलं वदनेन्दुमलं सकलं ननु कूलयते
किमु पुरुहूतपुरीन्दुमुखीसुमुखीभिरसौ विमुखीक्रियते ।
मम तु मतं शिवनामधने भवती कृपया किमुत क्रियते
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥२०॥
अयि मयि दीनदयालुतया कृपयैव त्वया भवितव्यमुमे
अयि जगतो जननी कृपयासि यथासि तथानुमितासि रते ।
यदुचितमत्र भवत्युररीकुरुतादुरुतापमपाकुरुते
जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥२१॥
स्तुतिमिमां स्तिमितः सुसमाधिना नियमतो यमतोऽनुदिनं पठेत् ।
परमया रमया स निषेव्यते परिजनोऽरिजनोऽपि च तं भजेत् ॥
ayi girinandini nanditamedini viśvavinodini nandanute
girivaravindhyaśirodhinivāsini viṣṇuvilāsini jiṣṇunute |
bhagavati he śitikaṇṭhakuṭumbini bhūrikuṭumbini bhūrikṛte
jaya jaya he mahiṣāsuramardini ramyakapardini śailasute ||1||
suravaravarṣiṇi durdharadharṣiṇi durmukhamarṣiṇi harṣarate
tribhuvanapoṣiṇi śaṅkaratoṣiṇi kilbiṣamoṣiṇi ghoṣarate |
danujaniroṣiṇi ditisutaroṣiṇi durmadaśoṣiṇi sindhusute
jaya jaya he mahiṣāsuramardini ramyakapardini śailasute ||2||
ayi jagadamba madamba kadambavanapriyavāsini hāsarate
śikhariśiromaṇituṅgahimālayaśṛṅganijālayamadhyagate |
madhumadhure madhukaiṭabhagañjini kaiṭabhabhañjini rāsarate
jaya jaya he mahiṣāsuramardini ramyakapardini śailasute ||3||
ayi śatakhaṇḍavikhaṇḍitaruṇḍavituṇḍitaśuṇḍagajādhipate
ripugajagaṇḍavidāraṇacaṇḍaparākramaśuṇḍamṛgādhipate |
nijabhujadaṇḍanipātitakhaṇḍavipātitamuṇḍabhaṭādhipate
jaya jaya he mahiṣāsuramardini ramyakapardini śailasute ||4||
ayi raṇadurmadaśatruvadhoditadurdharanirjaraśaktibhṛte
caturavicāradhurīṇamahāśivadūtakṛtapramathādhipate |
duritadurīhadurāśayadurmatidānavadūtakṛtāntamate
jaya jaya he mahiṣāsuramardini ramyakapardini śailasute ||5||
ayi śaraṇāgatavairivadhūvaravīravarābhayadāyakare
tribhuvanamastakaśūlavirodhiśirodhikṛtāmalaśūlakare |
dumidumitāmaradundubhinādamahomukharīkṛtatigmakare
jaya jaya he mahiṣāsuramardini ramyakapardini śailasute ||6||
ayi nijahuṅkṛtimātranirākṛtadhūmravilocanadhūmraśate
samaraviśoṣitaśoṇitabījasamudbhavaśoṇitabījalate |
śivaśivaśumbhaniśumbhamahāhavatarpitabhūtapiśācarate
jaya jaya he mahiṣāsuramardini ramyakapardini śailasute ||7||
dhanuranuṣaṅgaraṇakṣaṇasaṅgaparisphuradaṅganaṭatkaṭake
kanakapiśaṅgapṛṣatkaniṣaṅgarasadbhaṭaśṛṅgahatāvaṭuke |
kṛtacaturaṅgabalakṣitiraṅgaghaṭadbahuraṅgaraṭadbaṭuke
jaya jaya he mahiṣāsuramardini ramyakapardini śailasute ||8||
suralalanātatatheyitatheyikṛtābhinayodaranṛtyarate
kṛtakukuthaḥ kukutho gaḍadādikatālakutūhalagānarate |
dhudhukuṭa dhukkuṭa dhiṃdhimitadhvanidhīramṛdaṅganinādarate
jaya jaya he mahiṣāsuramardini ramyakapardini śailasute ||9||
jaya jaya japyajaye jayaśabdaparastutitatparaviśvanute
jhaṇajhaṇajhiñjhimijhiṅkṛtanūpurasiñjitamohitabhūtapate |
naṭitanaṭārdhanaṭīnaṭanāyakanāṭitanāṭyasugānarate
jaya jaya he mahiṣāsuramardini ramyakapardini śailasute ||10||
ayi sumanaḥsumanaḥsumanaḥsumanaḥsumanoharakāntiyute
śritarajanīrajanīrajanīrajanīrajanīkaravaktravṛte |
sunayanavibhramarabhramarabhramarabhramarabhramarādhipate
jaya jaya he mahiṣāsuramardini ramyakapardini śailasute ||11||
sahitamahāhavamallamatallikamallitarallakamallarate
viracitavallikapallikamallikajhillikabhillikavargavṛte |
sitakṛtaphullasamullasitāruṇatallajapallavasallalite
jaya jaya he mahiṣāsuramardini ramyakapardini śailasute ||12||
aviralagaṇḍagalanmadameduramattamataṅgajarājapate
tribhuvanabhūṣaṇabhūtakalānidhirūpapayonidhirājasute |
ayi sudatījanalālasamānasamohanamanmatharājasute
jaya jaya he mahiṣāsuramardini ramyakapardini śailasute ||13||
kamaladalāmalakomalakāntikalākalitāmalabhālalate
sakalavilāsakalānilayakramakelicalatkalahaṃsakule |
alikulasaṅkulakuvalayamaṇḍalamaulimiladbakulālikule
jaya jaya he mahiṣāsuramardini ramyakapardini śailasute ||14||
karamuralīravavījitakūjitalajjitakokilamañjumate
militapulindamanoharaguñjitarañjitaśailanikuñjagate |
nijaguṇabhūtamahāśabarīgaṇasadguṇasambhṛtakelitale
jaya jaya he mahiṣāsuramardini ramyakapardini śailasute ||15||
kaṭitaṭapītadukūlavicitramayūkhatiraskṛtacandraruce
praṇatasurāsuramaulimaṇisphuradaṃśulasannakhacandraruce |
jitakanakācalamaulipadorjitanirbharakuñjarakumbhakuce
jaya jaya he mahiṣāsuramardini ramyakapardini śailasute ||16||
vijitasahasrakaraikasahasrakaraikasahasrakaraikanute
kṛtasuratārakasaṅgaratārakasaṅgaratārakasūnusute |
surathasamādhisamānasamādhisamādhisamādhisujātarate
jaya jaya he mahiṣāsuramardini ramyakapardini śailasute ||17||
padakamalaṃ karuṇānilaye varivasyati yo'nudinaṃ suśive
ayi kamale kamalānilaye kamalānilayaḥ sa kathaṃ na bhavet |
tava padameva parampadamityanuśīlayato mama kiṃ na śive
jaya jaya he mahiṣāsuramardini ramyakapardini śailasute ||18||
kanakalasatkalasindhujalairanuṣiñcati te guṇaraṅgabhuvaṃ
bhajati sa kiṃ na śacīkucakumbhataṭīparirambhasukhānubhavam |
tava caraṇaṃ śaraṇaṃ karavāṇi natāmaravāṇinivāsi śivaṃ
jaya jaya he mahiṣāsuramardini ramyakapardini śailasute ||19||
tava vimalendukulaṃ vadanendumalaṃ sakalaṃ nanu kūlayate
kimu puruhūtapurīndumukhīsumukhībhirasau vimukhīkriyate |
mama tu mataṃ śivanāmadhane bhavatī kṛpayā kimuta kriyate
jaya jaya he mahiṣāsuramardini ramyakapardini śailasute ||20||
ayi mayi dīnadayālutayā kṛpayaiva tvayā bhavitavyamume
ayi jagato jananī kṛpayāsi yathāsi tathānumitāsi rate |
yaducitamatra bhavatyurarīkurutādurutāpamapākurute
jaya jaya he mahiṣāsuramardini ramyakapardini śailasute ||21||
stutimimāṃ stimitaḥ susamādhinā niyamato yamato'nudinaṃ paṭhet |
paramayā ramayā sa niṣevyate parijano'rijano'pi ca taṃ bhajet ||
Meaning
Refrain: Victory, victory to you, slayer of Mahishasura, lovely one with braided hair, daughter of the mountain.
1. O daughter of the mountain, who gladdens the earth, who delights the universe, praised by Nandi; who dwells on the peak of the great Vindhya, who shines with Vishnu, praised by Indra; O Bhagavati, wife of the blue-throated Shiva, mother of a vast family, doer of great deeds.
2. You who shower boons on the devas, who overpower the unconquerable, who bear with the harsh-tongued, who delight in joy; who nourish the three worlds, who please Shankara, who remove sin, who delight in the sound of praise; who are angry with the danavas and the sons of Diti, who dry up the arrogance of the proud, daughter of the ocean.
3. O Mother of the world, my mother, who loves to dwell in the kadamba forest, who delights in laughter; who lives in your own home on the high peaks of the Himalaya, crown jewel of mountains; sweeter than honey, who humbled Madhu and Kaitabha, who delights in the rasa dance.
4. You who cut into a hundred pieces the trunks and heads of the lordly elephants (of the asura army), whose lion, fierce in valour, tears open the temples of the enemy's elephants; who with the rod of your own arms struck down the heads of the asura generals Chanda and Munda.
5. You who bear the irresistible power of the devas, risen to slay enemies mad for battle; who made Mahadev, wise and foremost in counsel, your messenger; whose mind brought an end to the wicked, evil-intentioned danavas and their envoy.
6. Your hand grants fearlessness to the heroes among the enemy who come to you for refuge, and to their wives; your hand holds the spotless trident that struck the heads of those who opposed the lord of the three worlds; you make the sun himself resound with the "dumi dumi" of the devas' drums.
7. You who with a mere "hum" turned Dhumralochana and his hundreds to smoke; who dried up in battle Raktabija and all the Raktabijas born from his blood; who gratified the bhutas and pishachas with the great battle against Shumbha and Nishumba.
8. Your bracelets dance on your shining limbs as you draw the bow in the moment of battle; your golden quiver of arrows struck down the leaders of the roaring warriors; you made the battlefield of the fourfold army ring with many cries.
9. You who delight in the dance of the women of the devas, rich in gesture, to "ta-theyi ta-theyi"; who love the music of the talas, "kukutha kukutha gadada"; who delight in the deep beat of the mridanga, "dhudhukuta dhukkuta dhimdhimita".
10. Victory, victory to you, victory worth chanting, praised by the whole world devoted to calls of victory; whose anklets ringing "jhana jhana jhinjhimi" enchant the Lord of beings; who delights in the song and drama danced by the Lord of dancers, half of whose body is the dancing Devi.
11. O you endowed with a lovely radiance, gracious as the flowers to the good-minded; whose face is the moon, the maker of night; whose lovely eyes dart like bees, O queen of bees (Bhramaramba).
12. You who delight in the great battle with the foremost of warriors, in the play of fighters; who are surrounded by the tribal maidens of the forest; lovely as fresh red shoots unfolding into white blossom.
13. Mighty as the king of elephants in rut, O princess, ornament of the three worlds, born of the ocean of beauty, the moon; daughter of the king of love who enchants the hearts of the fair.
14. Your shining brow is lovely as a spotless lotus petal; you move with the grace of swans, home of all graceful arts; bakula flowers and bees cluster on your hair crowned with blue lilies.
15. The cuckoos fall silent, ashamed, before the sweet sound of the flute in your hand; you roam the mountain groves made lovely by the humming of bees and the songs of hill-folk; you play among the great hosts of Shabari women, rich in virtues.
16. The many-coloured gleam of the yellow silk at your waist outshines the moon; your toenails shine like moons with the light of the jewels on the crowns of the devas and asuras who bow there; your form is majestic as the golden mountain and the great elephant.
17. You are praised by the thousand-rayed Sun, whom you surpass; you are the mother of Kartikeya, who saved the devas in the battle with Taraka; you were pleased with the deep samadhi of King Suratha and the merchant Samadhi (to whom the Devi Mahatmya was told).
18. O abode of compassion, O auspicious one, whoever worships your lotus feet daily, how could he not become the abode of Lakshmi? O Shiva (auspicious Devi), as I hold that your feet alone are the highest state, what could I lack?
19. Whoever bathes your sanctum with the shining waters of the sacred rivers in golden pitchers, does he not gain the joys of heaven, like Indra? Let me take refuge in your feet, the auspicious one in whom Sarasvati and the bowing devas dwell.
20. Your spotless moon-like face outshines the moon itself; how could one who has seen it be turned away even by the moon-faced women of Indra's city? My mind holds that you are the treasure of Shiva's name; what will you not do, out of grace?
21. O Uma, be compassionate to me, kind to the helpless as you are. O Mother of the world, as you are full of grace, so you are known. Do what is fitting here; take away my great suffering.
Phala: Whoever with a steady mind, in deep concentration and with discipline, reads this hymn daily, is served by the highest Lakshmi, and his own people and even his enemies honour him.
About this bhajan
"Ayi giri nandini" is sung in every Durga pandal at Navratri, and in Bengal it rings out at dawn on Mahalaya. Its twenty-one verses run on wordplay and drumbeat syllables, "dhudhukuta dhukkuta", "jhana jhana", while telling the battles of the Devi Mahatmya: Dhumralochana turned to smoke by her "hum", Raktabija drained, Shumbha and Nishumbha, and King Suratha with the merchant Samadhi. Popular books print it as a work of Adi Shankaracharya. That attribution is debated: the longer "Bhagavati Padya Pushpanjali", in which these same verses sit, names its poet as Ramakrishna Kavi, son of Shripati. Either way, it has been sung for centuries as a stotra of the Mother.
Mahiṣāsuramardinīstotram, Sanskrit Wikisource (महिषासुरमर्दिनी स्तोत्रम्), checked against sanskritdocuments.org mahisha.itx (Bhagavatīpadyapuṣpāñjali, verses 7–27 = these 21, proofread by Sunder Hattangadi)