Atulam Tatra Tat-Tejah (Birth of the Goddess from Divine Radiance) — Word-by-Word Meaning
अतुलं तत्र तत्तेजः (देवी का तेज से प्रादुर्भाव)
Every Sanskrit word explained in English
Word-by-Word Breakdown
अतुलम्
atulam
Peerless, incomparable, beyond measure
तत्र
tatra
There (in that place)
तत् तेजः
tat tejaḥ
That radiance, fiery splendour
सर्वदेवशरीरजम्
sarva-deva-śarīra-jam
Born of the bodies of all the gods
एकस्थम्
eka-stham
Gathered together into one place
तत् अभूत् नारी
tat abhūt nārī
That became a Woman (the Goddess)
व्याप्तलोकत्रयम्
vyāpta-loka-trayam
Pervading the three worlds
त्विषा
tviṣā
By her lustre, brilliance
यत् अभूत् शाम्भवम् तेजः
yat abhūt śāmbhavam tejaḥ
That which was Shiva's (Shambhu's) radiance
तेन अजायत तत् मुखम्
tena ajāyata tat mukham
From that her face came to be
याम्येन
yāmyena
By the radiance of Yama (god of death)
अभवन् केशाः
abhavan keśāḥ
Her hair came into being
बाहवः
bāhavaḥ
Her arms
विष्णुतेजसा
viṣṇu-tejasā
By the radiance of Vishnu
Complete Translation
That peerless radiance, born of the bodies of all the gods, gathering into one place became a Woman, pervading the three worlds by her lustre. From what was Shiva's radiance her face came to be; from Yama's radiance, her hair; and from Vishnu's radiance, her arms.
Origin & History
Source: Durga Saptashati Chapter 2
Author: Sage Markandeya (Markandeya Purana)
Period: c. 400–600 CE (Markandeya Purana)
When Mahishasura conquered heaven and drove out the gods, they approached Vishnu and Shiva and recounted the buffalo-demon's tyranny. Hearing this, an intense radiance burst forth from the faces of Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva, joined by the energies of Indra and all the gods. This boundless light merged into one and took form as the Goddess, each part of her body shaped from a particular deity's splendour.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do these verses from the Durga Saptashati describe?▼
They describe the manifestation of Goddess Durga from the combined radiance (tejas) of all the gods. Unable to defeat Mahishasura, the gods' fury blazed forth as light, fused into one mass, and became the all-powerful Goddess who pervaded the three worlds.
Why is the Goddess formed from the energies of many gods?▼
This symbolises that Shakti is the underlying power of every deity. Her face from Shiva, hair from Yama, arms from Vishnu and so on show that she is not separate from the gods but is their concentrated, active power (tejas) gathered into a single divine form.
Which chapter of the Durga Saptashati is this from?▼
These are verses 12 and 13 of the second chapter (Mahishasura-Sainya-Vadha) of the Durga Saptashati, part of the Madhyama Charita presided over by the Goddess Mahalakshmi.
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