durgadevimahakalibrahma-stuti

Mahavidya Mahamaya Stuti

महाविद्या महामाया स्तुति

🕉️ hindu·📿 11× repetitions·🕐 Early morning (Brahma Muhurta), on Ashtami, or during Navaratri·📜 Durga Saptashati Chapter 1

Also known as: mahavidya mahamaya mahamedha mahasmriti · mahavidya mahamaya stuti · brahma stuti durga saptashati · mahamoha mahadevi maheshwari

📜 Complete Lyrics 📖 Word-by-Word Meaning ✨ Benefits & How to Chant ⬇️ PDF Download

Read in your language / script

हिन्दी / देवनागरीతెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

These two verses come from the Brahma Stuti (the Tantric Ratri Sukta) in Chapter 1 of the Durga Saptashati, where Brahma awakens Yoganidra to rouse Vishnu against the demons Madhu and Kaitabha. They unfold a string of the Goddess's grandest names — Mahavidya, Mahamaya, Mahamedha, Mahasmriti, Mahamoha, Mahadevi, Maheshwari — proclaiming her as both the liberating wisdom and the veiling illusion, the supreme Prakriti who manifests the three gunas and becomes the very dissolution of the world.

Origin & Story

Durga Saptashati Chapter 1 · Sage Markandeya (Rishi Markandeya) · Ancient (c. 400–600 CE, Markandeya Purana)

At the opening of the Devi Mahatmya, while Vishnu lies in the yogic sleep of Yoganidra upon the cosmic waters, the demons Madhu and Kaitabha threaten Brahma seated on the lotus from Vishnu's navel. Brahma sings the Brahma Stuti to the Goddess of that sleep, extolling her by these supreme names so that she may withdraw from Vishnu and let him awaken to destroy the demons.

✦ As told in scripture

Tradition holds that this Brahma Stuti pleased the Goddess so greatly that she released her hold on Vishnu, who awoke and slew Madhu and Kaitabha — showing that her grace, invoked by these great names, can dispel even the mightiest obstacles.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

तथा संहृतिरूपान्ते जगतोऽस्य जगन्मये । महाविद्या महामाया महामेधा महास्मृतिः ॥

tathā saṃhṛtirūpānte jagato'sya jaganmaye mahāvidyā mahāmāyā mahāmedhā mahāsmṛtiḥ

Meaning:And at the world's end you take the form of dissolution, O you who are the very substance of the world. You are the Mahavidya (great Knowledge), Mahamaya (great Illusion), Mahamedha (great Intellect) and Mahasmriti (great Memory); you are also Mahamoha (great Delusion), the Mahadevi (great Goddess) and Maheshwari (supreme Sovereign). You are the Prakriti of all, the one who evolves and manifests the three gunas.

Verse 2

महामोहा च भवती महादेवी महेश्वरी । प्रकृतिस्त्वं च सर्वस्य गुणत्रयविभाविनी ॥

mahāmohā ca bhavatī mahādevī maheśvarī prakṛtistvaṃ ca sarvasya guṇatrayavibhāvinī

Word-by-Word Meaning

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संहृतिरूपा🔊saṃhṛtirūpāin the form of dissolution / withdrawal

अन्ते🔊anteat the end (of the world)

जगतः अस्य🔊jagataḥ asyaof this world

जगन्मये🔊jaganmayeO you who are the world itself, who pervade all

महाविद्या🔊mahāvidyāthe great Knowledge (supreme liberating wisdom)

महामाया🔊mahāmāyāthe great cosmic illusion / creative power

महामेधा🔊mahāmedhāthe great intellect

महास्मृतिः🔊mahāsmṛtiḥthe great memory / recollection

महामोहा🔊mahāmohāthe great delusion (that veils beings)

भवती🔊bhavatīyou are (respectful 'you')

महादेवी🔊mahādevīthe great Goddess

महेश्वरी🔊maheśvarīthe supreme Sovereign Goddess

प्रकृतिः त्वम् च सर्वस्य🔊prakṛtiḥ tvam ca sarvasyaand you are the Prakriti (Nature) of all

गुणत्रयविभाविनी🔊guṇatrayavibhāvinīthe one who evolves and manifests the three gunas

Benefits of Chanting Mahavidya Mahamaya Stuti

✦

Invokes the Goddess as Mahavidya — the supreme liberating wisdom that frees from ignorance

✦

Reveals her dual play as both Mahamaya (illusion) and the knowledge that transcends it

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Strengthens medha (intellect) and smriti (memory) through her names Mahamedha and Mahasmriti

✦

A profound contemplation on the Devi as Prakriti, the source of the three gunas

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Chanted within the Brahma Stuti of Durga Saptashati Chapter 1 for grace and protection

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Deepens devotion by uniting metaphysical insight with the worship of the great Goddess

How to Chant Mahavidya Mahamaya Stuti

Repetitions11times

Best TimeEarly morning (Brahma Muhurta), on Ashtami, or during Navaratri

After bathing, sit before an image of Durga or Mahakali and recite these verses with a calm, attentive mind, reflecting on each great name as a facet of the one Goddess. Recite 11 or 108 times, or chant them within the Brahma Stuti of Durga Saptashati Chapter 1. They are well suited to study before learning or meditation, invoking Mahavidya and Mahamedha.

Frequently Asked Questions

It is from the Brahma Stuti (also called the Tantric Ratri Sukta) in Chapter 1 of the Durga Saptashati, sung by Brahma to the Goddess Yoganidra so that she would release Vishnu to slay the demons Madhu and Kaitabha.

They mean the great Knowledge, the great Illusion, the great Intellect and the great Memory. Together they show the Goddess as the power that both veils the world as Maya and liberates it as Vidya, while sustaining intellect and memory in all beings.

The verse names her the Prakriti of all and 'guna-traya-vibhavini' — the one who evolves the three gunas (sattva, rajas, tamas). She is thus the primordial Nature from whom the entire manifest world unfolds.