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Durga Suktam in Grantha Ā· ššš°šØšš„
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Origin & Story
Rigveda & Taittiriya Aranyaka (Yajurveda) Ā· Vedic Rishis Ā· 1500-1000 BCE
The Durga Suktam is among the oldest hymns to the divine feminine in human civilization. It appears in both the Rigveda and the Taittiriya Aranyaka. The hymn invokes Durga through Agni (fire), the Vedic intermediary between humans and gods. The very concept of 'Durga' as the goddess who carries us across impossible dangers originates from this suktam ā making it the foundational text of all Durga worship.
⦠As told in scripture
This suktam contains the verse 'Sa Nah Parshad Ati Durgani Vishva Naveva Sindhum' ā 'May she carry us across ALL dangers like a boat across the ocean.' The metaphor is powerful: no matter how vast the ocean of troubles, the goddess IS the boat. Vedic priests have chanted this suktam during fire rituals for over 3000 years ā the unbroken chain of recitation from the Rigvedic period to today makes it one of the oldest continuously performed religious practices in human history.
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Complete Text with Meaning
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š šš¾š¤šµšš¦šøš šøššØšµš¾š® šøšš®š®š°š¾š¤ššÆš¤š šØšæš¦š¹š¾š¤šæ šµšš¦š ą„¤ šø šØš šŖš°šš·š¦š¤šæ š¦šš°ššš¾š£šæ šµšæš¶ššµš¾ šØš¾šµššµ šøšæšØšš§šš š¦šš°šæš¤š¾š¤ššÆšššØšæš ą„„
Om jatavedase sunavama somamaratiyato nidahati vedah Sa nah parshadati durgani vishva naveva sindhum duritatyagnih
Meaning:Let us press the Soma for Jatavedas (Agni, knower of all beings); may he burn away the wealth of those who are hostile to us. May that Agni carry us safely across all perils, as a boat carries one across a river, beyond every difficulty.
š¤š¾š®šššØšæšµš°šš£š¾š š¤šŖšøš¾ šššµš²šØšš¤šš šµšš°šššØšš šš°šš®š«š²šš·š ššš·ššš¾š®š ą„¤ š¦šš°ššš¾š š¦ššµšš š¶š°š£š®š¹š šŖšš°šŖš¦ššÆš šøšš¤š°šøšæ š¤š°šøš šØš®š ą„„
Tamagnivarnam tapasa jvalantim vairochanim karmaphaleshu jushtam Durgam devim sharanamaham prapadye sutarasi tarase namah
Meaning:To that Goddess Durga ā fire-hued, blazing with austerity, the radiant power of the Sun, worshipped for the fruits of action ā I surrender myself for refuge. O you who ferry us safely across, salutations to you who help us cross.
š šššØš š¤ššµš šŖš¾š°šÆš¾ šØšµššÆš š šøšš®š¾šØš šøššµšøšš¤šæššæš°š¤šæ š¦šš°ššš¾š£šæ šµšæš¶ššµš¾ ą„¤ šŖšš¶šš šŖšš„ššµš š¬š¹šš²š¾ šØ šš°ššµš ššµš¾ š¤ššš¾šÆ š¤šØšÆš¾šÆ š¶ššÆšš ą„„
Agne tvam paraya navyo asman svastibhirati durgani vishva Pushcha prithvi bahula na urvi bhava tokaya tanayaya shamyoh
Meaning:O Agni, worthy of praise, carry us across all perils by auspicious paths; and may the broad earth and the wide expanse be ample for us ā grant well-being to our children and our descendants.
šµšæš¶ššµš¾šØšæ šØš š¦šš°ššš¹š¾ šš¾š¤šµšš¦š šøšæšØšš§šš šØ šØš¾šµš¾ š¦šš°šæš¤š¾š¤šæšŖš°šš·šæ ą„¤ š šššØš š š¤šš°šæšµšØšš®šØšøš¾ ššš£š¾šØšš½šøšš®š¾šš š¬šš§ššÆšµšæš¤š¾ š¤šØššØš¾š®š ą„„
Vishvani no durgaha jatavedah sindhum na nava duritatiparshi Agne atrivanmanasa grinanosmakam bodhyavita tanunam
Meaning:O Jatavedas, destroyer of all perils, carry us beyond every difficulty as a boat across a river. O Agni, praised by our minds like the sage Atri, become the protector of our very selves.
šŖšš¤šØš¾ššæš¤š šøš¹š®š¾šØš®šššš°š®šššØšæš š¹ššµšš® šŖš°š®š¾š¤ššøš§šøšš„š¾š¤š ą„¤ šø šØš šŖš°šš·š¦š¤šæ š¦šš°ššš¾š£šæ šµšæš¶ššµš¾ ššš·š¾š®š¦šš¦ššµš š š¤šæ š¦šš°šæš¤š¾š¤ššÆšššØšæš ą„„
Pritanajitam sahamanamugramagnim huvema paramatsadhasthat Sa nah parshadati durgani vishva kshamaddevo ati duritatyagnih
Meaning:We invoke from the highest abode that fierce Agni who conquers armies and overpowers the foe. May that scorching god carry us safely across all perils, beyond every difficulty.
šŖšš°š¤ššØšš·šæ šš®šš”ššÆš š š§ššµš°šš·š šøšØš¾ššš š¹šš¤š¾ šØšµššÆš¶šš šøš¤ššøšæ ą„¤ šøššµš¾š šš¾šššØš š¤šØššµš šŖšæšŖšš°šÆšøššµš¾šøšš®šššÆš š šøšššš®š¾šÆššøššµ ą„„
Pratnoshi kamidyo adhvareshu sanachcha hota navyashcha satsi Svam chagne tanuvam piprayasvasmabhyam cha saubhagamayajasva
Meaning:O adorable Agni, you kindle the worship-rites; you abide as the priest (hota), both the ancient and the ever-new. Gladden your own form, and win for us auspicious fortune.
ššššæš°šššš·ššš®šÆššš šØšæš·šæššš¤š š¤šµššØšš¦šš° šµšæš·šš£šš°šØššøššš°šš® ą„¤ šØš¾ššøššÆ šŖšš·šš š®ššæ šøššµšøš¾šØš šµšš·šš£šµšš š²šš šš¹ š®š¾š¦šÆšØšš¤š¾š®š ą„„
Gobhirjushtamayujo nishiktam tavendra vishnoranusamcharema Nakasya prishthamabhi samvasano vaishnavim loka iha madayantam
Meaning:United with the rays of light, the unequalled, the all-pervading ā may we ever follow after that (supreme step) of Vishnu. Abiding upon the summit of heaven, may the gods rejoice here in the realm of Vishnu.
Word-by-Word Meaning
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Benefits of Chanting Durga Suktam
One of the most ancient prayers to Durga ā from the Rigveda itself
'Durgam Devim Sharanam Aham Prapadye' ā ultimate surrender to Durga
Vedic fire ritual prayer ā invokes Durga through the sacred fire (Agni)
Carries the devotee across ALL difficulties like a boat across the ocean
The very NAME 'Durga' comes from this suktam ā 'she who takes us across dangers'
Used in Vedic fire rituals (homas) for protection and obstacle removal
How to Chant Durga Suktam
This is a Vedic suktam traditionally chanted during fire offerings (homa/havan). For personal practice, sit facing east, light a diya or small fire. Chant 11 times with Vedic pronunciation. The key verse is 'Durgam Devim Sharanam Aham Prapadye' ā feel complete surrender to the goddess as you chant it.
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