durgadeviarjunamahabharata

𑌅𑌰𑍍𑌜𑍁𑌨𑌕𑍃𑌤 𑌦𑍁𑌰𑍍𑌗𑌾 𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍋𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌮𑍍

Arjuna Krita Durga Stotram in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

🕉️ hindu·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 Early morning at dawn (brahma-muhurta); before any important undertaking, journey or contest; during Navaratri·📜 Mahabharata, Bhishma Parva, Chapter 23 (Bhagavad-Gita Parva, the chapter preceding the Gita)

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

Origin & Story

Mahabharata, Bhishma Parva, Chapter 23 (Bhagavad-Gita Parva, the chapter preceding the Gita) · Veda Vyasa (the hymn spoken by Arjuna at Krishna's bidding) · Itihasa (Epic) period

On the field of Kurukshetra, as the great armies of the Pandavas and Kauravas stood arrayed for war, Lord Krishna turned to Arjuna and said, 'For the destruction of your enemies, invoke the Goddess Durga.' Arjuna at once stepped down from the chariot and, with folded hands, praised the Goddess by her many names — Siddha-senani, Kali, Bhadrakali, Mahakali, Chandi, Katyayani, Vijaya, Kaushiki, and the slayer of Mahishasura. Pleased by his devotion, the Goddess appeared before him in the heavens, granted him the boon of certain victory, and vanished. Reassured of triumph, Arjuna took up his bow — and it was then that the immortal teaching of the Bhagavad Gita began.

✦ As told in scripture

The Mahabharata records that the Goddess, manifesting in the sky, told Arjuna, 'In a short time you shall conquer your foes, O Pandava; you have Narayana himself as your aid, and you are invincible even to the gods.' Tradition holds that any sincere devotee who recites this hymn at dawn gains the same shelter of the Goddess — freedom from fear, and victory in every righteous endeavour.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

𑌨𑌮𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍇 𑌸𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌸𑍇𑌨𑌾𑌨𑌿 𑌆𑌰𑍍𑌯𑍇 𑌮𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌰𑌵𑌾𑌸𑌿𑌨𑌿। 𑌕𑍁𑌮𑌾𑌰𑌿 𑌕𑌾𑌲𑌿 𑌕𑌾𑌪𑌾𑌲𑌿 𑌕𑌪𑌿𑌲𑍇 𑌕𑍃𑌷𑍍𑌣𑌪𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌲𑍇॥

namaste siddha-senāni ārye mandara-vāsini | kumāri kāli kāpāli kapile kṛṣṇa-piṅgale ||

Meaning:Salutations to You, commander of the host of the Siddhas, O noble one who dwells on Mount Mandara — O Kumari, O Kali, O Kapali, O tawny one, O dark-and-reddish-hued goddess.

Verse 2

𑌭𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌕𑌾𑌲𑌿 𑌨𑌮𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍁𑌭𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌮𑌹𑌾𑌕𑌾𑌲𑌿 𑌨𑌮𑍋𑌽𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍁 𑌤𑍇। 𑌚𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌿 𑌚𑌣𑍍𑌡𑍇 𑌨𑌮𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍁𑌭𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌤𑌾𑌰𑌿𑌣𑌿 𑌵𑌰𑌵𑌰𑍍𑌣𑌿𑌨𑌿॥

bhadrakāli namas-tubhyaṃ mahākāli namo'stu te | caṇḍi caṇḍe namas-tubhyaṃ tāriṇi vara-varṇini ||

Meaning:Obeisance to You, O auspicious Bhadrakali; salutations to You, O great Mahakali; obeisance to You, O fierce Chandi, O wrathful one, O deliverer of the fairest form.

Verse 3

𑌕𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌯𑌨𑌿 𑌮𑌹𑌾𑌭𑌾𑌗𑍇 𑌕𑌰𑌾𑌲𑌿 𑌵𑌿𑌜𑌯𑍇 𑌜𑌯𑍇। 𑌶𑌿𑌖𑌿𑌪𑌿𑌚𑍍𑌛𑌧𑍍𑌵𑌜𑌧𑌰𑍇 𑌨𑌾𑌨𑌾𑌭𑌰𑌣𑌭𑍂𑌷𑌿𑌤𑍇॥

kātyāyani mahā-bhāge karāli vijaye jaye | śikhi-piccha-dhvaja-dhare nānā-bharaṇa-bhūṣite ||

Meaning:O Katyayani, greatly blessed, O fearsome one, O Vijaya, O Jaya; O bearer of the peacock-feather banner, adorned with every kind of ornament.

Verse 4

𑌅𑌟𑍍𑌟𑌶𑍂𑌲𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌹𑌰𑌣𑍇 𑌖𑌡𑍍𑌗𑌖𑍇𑌟𑌕𑌧𑌾𑌰𑌿𑌣𑌿। 𑌗𑍋𑌪𑍇𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌸𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌨𑍁𑌜𑍇 𑌜𑍍𑌯𑍇𑌷𑍍𑌠𑍇 𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌗𑍋𑌪𑌕𑍁𑌲𑍋𑌦𑍍𑌭𑌵𑍇॥

aṭṭa-śūla-praharaṇe khaḍga-kheṭaka-dhāriṇi | gopendrasyānuje jyeṣṭhe nanda-gopa-kulodbhave ||

Meaning:O wielder of the dreadful spear, O bearer of sword and shield, O younger sister of Krishna the lord of cowherds, O eldest one, born in the family of the cowherd Nanda.

Verse 5

𑌮𑌹𑌿𑌷𑌾𑌸𑍃𑌕𑍍𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑍇 𑌨𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌕𑍗𑌶𑌿𑌕𑌿 𑌪𑍀𑌤𑌵𑌾𑌸𑌿𑌨𑌿। 𑌅𑌟𑍍𑌟𑌹𑌾𑌸𑍇 𑌕𑍋𑌕𑌮𑍁𑌖𑍇 𑌨𑌮𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍇𑌽𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍁 𑌰𑌣𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑍇॥

mahiṣāsṛk-priye nityaṃ kauśiki pīta-vāsini | aṭṭa-hāse koka-mukhe namas-te'stu raṇa-priye ||

Meaning:O You who ever delight in the blood of the buffalo-demon, O Kaushiki clad in yellow, O You of loud laughter and fierce wolf-like face — salutations to You, O lover of battle!

Word-by-Word Meaning

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𑌨𑌮𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍇 𑌸𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌸𑍇𑌨𑌾𑌨𑌿🔊namaste siddha-senānisalutations to You, the commander of the army of the Siddhas (perfected ones)

𑌆𑌰𑍍𑌯𑍇 𑌮𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌰𑌵𑌾𑌸𑌿𑌨𑌿🔊ārye mandara-vāsiniO noble one, who dwells upon the Mandara mountain

𑌕𑍁𑌮𑌾𑌰𑌿🔊kumāriO ever-youthful virgin (Kumari)

𑌕𑌾𑌲𑌿 𑌕𑌾𑌪𑌾𑌲𑌿🔊kāli kāpāliO dark one (Kali), bearer of skulls (Kapali)

𑌕𑌪𑌿𑌲𑍇 𑌕𑍃𑌷𑍍𑌣𑌪𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌲𑍇🔊kapile kṛṣṇa-piṅgaleO tawny-hued one, dark and reddish-brown in form

𑌭𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌕𑌾𑌲𑌿 𑌨𑌮𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍁𑌭𑍍𑌯𑌂🔊bhadrakāli namas-tubhyaṃO auspicious Bhadrakali, salutations to You

𑌮𑌹𑌾𑌕𑌾𑌲𑌿 𑌨𑌮𑍋𑌽𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍁 𑌤𑍇🔊mahākāli namo'stu teO great Mahakali, may my obeisance be unto You

𑌚𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌿 𑌚𑌣𑍍𑌡𑍇🔊caṇḍi caṇḍeO fierce Chandi, O wrathful one

𑌤𑌾𑌰𑌿𑌣𑌿 𑌵𑌰𑌵𑌰𑍍𑌣𑌿𑌨𑌿🔊tāriṇi vara-varṇiniO deliverer (who carries beings across), of most excellent complexion

𑌕𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌯𑌨𑌿 𑌮𑌹𑌾𑌭𑌾𑌗𑍇🔊kātyāyani mahā-bhāgeO Katyayani, the greatly fortunate and glorious one

𑌕𑌰𑌾𑌲𑌿 𑌵𑌿𑌜𑌯𑍇 𑌜𑌯𑍇🔊karāli vijaye jayeO fearsome one, O Vijaya (victory) and Jaya (triumph)

𑌶𑌿𑌖𑌿𑌪𑌿𑌚𑍍𑌛𑌧𑍍𑌵𑌜𑌧𑌰𑍇🔊śikhi-piccha-dhvaja-dhareO bearer of the banner adorned with peacock feathers

𑌨𑌾𑌨𑌾𑌭𑌰𑌣𑌭𑍂𑌷𑌿𑌤𑍇🔊nānā-bharaṇa-bhūṣiteO You who are adorned with manifold ornaments

𑌅𑌟𑍍𑌟𑌶𑍂𑌲𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌹𑌰𑌣𑍇🔊aṭṭa-śūla-praharaṇeO wielder of a great and terrible spear (trident)

𑌖𑌡𑍍𑌗𑌖𑍇𑌟𑌕𑌧𑌾𑌰𑌿𑌣𑌿🔊khaḍga-kheṭaka-dhāriṇiO bearer of the sword and shield

𑌗𑍋𑌪𑍇𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌅𑌨𑍁𑌜𑍇 𑌜𑍍𑌯𑍇𑌷𑍍𑌠𑍇🔊gopendrasyānuje jyeṣṭheO younger sister of the lord of cowherds (Krishna), O elder one

𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌗𑍋𑌪𑌕𑍁𑌲𑍋𑌦𑍍𑌭𑌵𑍇🔊nanda-gopa-kulodbhaveO You who took birth in the house of the cowherd Nanda

𑌮𑌹𑌿𑌷𑌾𑌸𑍃𑌕𑍍𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑍇 𑌨𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌂🔊mahiṣāsṛk-priye nityaṃO You ever pleased by the blood of the buffalo-demon (Mahishasura)

𑌕𑍗𑌶𑌿𑌕𑌿 𑌪𑍀𑌤𑌵𑌾𑌸𑌿𑌨𑌿🔊kauśiki pīta-vāsiniO Kaushiki, clad in yellow garments

𑌅𑌟𑍍𑌟𑌹𑌾𑌸𑍇 𑌕𑍋𑌕𑌮𑍁𑌖𑍇🔊aṭṭa-hāse koka-mukheO You of loud laughter, with a face (fierce) like a wolf

𑌨𑌮𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍇 𑌅𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍁 𑌰𑌣𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑍇🔊namas-te'stu raṇa-priyesalutations be unto You, O lover of battle

Benefits of Chanting Arjuna Krita Durga Stotram

✦

Recited before battles and great undertakings for assured victory, as granted to Arjuna

✦

Invokes the protection of Goddess Durga in her fierce, demon-slaying forms

✦

Bestows courage, fearlessness and strength to face every difficulty

✦

Said to free the devotee who rises at dawn and recites it from all fear and danger

✦

Removes obstacles and the influence of enemies and hostile forces

✦

A direct prayer from the Mahabharata, blessed by the very victory of the Pandavas

How to Chant Arjuna Krita Durga Stotram

Repetitions1times

Best TimeEarly morning at dawn (brahma-muhurta); before any important undertaking, journey or contest; during Navaratri

As Arjuna did, stand or sit facing the rising sun, fold your hands, and recite the verses with full faith and a warrior's resolve. According to the Mahabharata, one who rises at dawn and recites this hymn is freed from fear at all times and gains victory. It is especially powerful when chanted before a difficult task, examination, journey, or any contest, with the mind surrendered to the Goddess as the giver of victory.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Arjuna Krita Durga Stotram written in the Grantha script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

It is the prayer to Goddess Durga offered by Arjuna at the start of the Kurukshetra war, on the instruction of Lord Krishna. It is recorded in the Bhishma Parva of the Mahabharata (Chapter 23), in the section that comes just before the Bhagavad Gita, and is also known as the Durga Stava.

As the two armies stood ready, Krishna told Arjuna to invoke the Goddess Durga for victory over his foes. Arjuna alighted from the chariot and recited this hymn; pleased with his devotion, the Goddess appeared in the sky and assured him of triumph, after which the Bhagavad Gita was spoken.

The Mahabharata itself states that whoever rises early and recites this hymn to the Goddess is freed from all fear and gains victory, prosperity and protection. It is traditionally chanted before battles, journeys, examinations and any great undertaking to win success and overcome obstacles.

The hymn identifies the Goddess with Yoganidra, who took birth in the household of the cowherd Nanda as the daughter exchanged for the infant Krishna. This is why she is praised as the younger sister of Krishna (Gopendra) and as one 'born in the family of Nanda the cowherd' (Nandagopakulodbhava).