Bagalamukhi Stotram (Brahmastra Mahavidya Bagalamukhi Stotram)
बगलामुखी स्तोत्रम् (श्रीब्रह्मास्त्रमहाविद्याबगलामुखीस्तोत्रम्) in English · English
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✦ Meaning
The Bagalamukhi Stotram, here in its celebrated form as the Brahmastra Mahavidya Bagalamukhi Stotram from the Rudrayamala Tantra, is the foremost hymn to Bagalamukhi (Pitambara Devi), the eighth of the ten Mahavidyas. Golden-hued and clad in yellow, she is the goddess of stambhana — the power to stun, silence and paralyse hostile forces — famously depicted seizing the enemy's tongue with one hand and a mace with the other. The hymn's most loved verse declares how, bound by her power, 'the arguer becomes mute, the king a beggar, fire turns cold, the proud are humbled', and prays to her as the supreme, irresistible Brahmastra-vidya for victory, protection and the removal of every obstacle.
Origin & Story
Rudrayamala Tantra, Uttara Khanda (Shri Brahmastra Mahavidya Bagalamukhi Stotram) · Traditional (anonymous); attributed in the viniyoga to the sage Narada as the seer (rishi) · Medieval Tantric period
Bagalamukhi, the eighth Mahavidya, is said to have arisen to still a great storm threatening creation, manifesting from the golden waters of the 'Haridra' (turmeric) lake to paralyse the demonic forces of chaos. As the goddess of stambhana she stuns and silences all that is hostile. This Brahmastra hymn, preserved in the Rudrayamala Tantra and opening with the renowned 'Madhye sudhabdhi' dhyana, is the most widely recited stotra in her worship, prized for victory, protection and the subduing of enemies.
✦ As told in scripture
It is traditionally held that a sincere devotee of Bagalamukhi, reciting this Brahmastra stotra, becomes invulnerable to enemies and false accusation — for, as the hymn declares, by her power the arguing opponent is struck dumb, the proud humbled and the wicked turned good, so that hostile plans against the devotee simply fail.
Complete Text with Meaning
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Atha dhyānam — Sauvarṇāsanasaṁsthitāṁ trinayanāṁ pītāṁśukollāsinīṁ hemābhāṅgaruciṁ śaśāṅkamukuṭāṁ saccampakasragyutām। hastair mudgarapāśavajrarasanāḥ sambibhratīṁ bhūṣaṇaiḥ vyāptāṅgīṁ bagalāmukhīṁ trijagatāṁ saṁstambhinīṁ cintayet॥
Meaning:Meditation: Let one contemplate Bagalamukhi, seated on a golden throne, three-eyed, radiant in yellow silk, her limbs glowing like gold, crowned with the crescent moon, garlanded with champaka flowers, bearing in her hands the mace, noose, thunderbolt and the enemy's tongue, adorned with ornaments — the paralyser of the three worlds.
Atha stotram — Madhyesudhābdhi maṇimaṇḍaparatnavedyāṁ siṁhāsanoparigatāṁ paripītavarṇām। pītāmbarābharaṇamālyavibhūṣitāṅgīṁ devīṁ namāmi dhṛtamudgaravairijihvām॥1॥
Meaning:Hymn: I bow to the Goddess in the midst of the ocean of nectar, upon a jewelled altar in a gem pavilion, seated on a lion-throne, golden-yellow in colour, her body adorned with yellow garments, ornaments and garlands, holding the mace and the tongue of her foe.
Jihvāgram ādāya kareṇa devīṁ vāmena śatrūn paripīḍayantīm। gadābhighātena ca dakṣiṇena pītāmbarāḍhyāṁ dvibhujāṁ namāmi॥2॥
Meaning:I bow to the two-armed Goddess, resplendent in yellow, who with her left hand seizes the tip of the enemy's tongue and torments the foes, and with her right strikes them with the mace.
Ānandakāriṇī devī ripustambhanakāriṇī। madanonmādinī caiva prītistambhanakāriṇī॥3॥
Meaning:The Goddess is the giver of bliss and the paralyser of enemies; she maddens with passion and arrests (the unfaithful) in love. The great wisdom-goddess, the great Maya, bestower of fruit on the seeker, by whose mere remembrance one can paralyse the three worlds in an instant.
Mahāvidyā mahāmāyā sādhakasya phalapradā। yasyāḥ smaraṇamātreṇa trailokyaṁ stambhayet kṣaṇāt॥4॥
Meaning:O Mother, crush the mouth of my adversary and pin down his tongue; swiftly arrest his speech and his fierce, agitated movement with your seal; grind, O grind my enemies quickly with your mace, O fair-limbed one clad in yellow; take away, O Bagala, the host of obstacles of those who bow to you, O Goddess whose glance is full of compassion.
Mātar bhañjaya madvipakṣavadanaṁ jihvāṁ ca saṅkīlaya brāhmīṁ yantraya mudrayāśu dhiṣaṇām ugrāṁ gatiṁ stambhaya। śatrūṁś cūrṇaya cūrṇayāśu gadayā gaurāṅgi pītāmbare vighnaughaṁ bagale hara praṇamatāṁ kāruṇyapūrṇekṣaṇe॥5॥
Meaning:O Mother Bhairavi, Bhadrakali, Vijaya, Varahi, refuge of the universe, O Shri Vidya, Samaya, Maheshi, Bagala, Kameshi, Vama, Rama, Matangi, Tripura, higher than the highest, giver of heaven and liberation — I am your servant, I have come to your refuge; by your grace, O Empress of the universe, save me.
Mātar bhairavi bhadrakāli vijaye vārāhi viśvāśraye śrīvidye samaye maheśi bagale kāmeśi vāme rame। mātaṅgi tripure parātparatare svargāpavargaprade dāso'haṁ śaraṇāgato'smi kṛpayā viśveśvari trāhi mām॥6॥
Meaning:Bound by your discipline, O Goddess, the arguer becomes mute, the king becomes a beggar, blazing fire turns cold, the angry man grows calm, the wicked become good, the swift are made lame, the proud are humbled, and even the all-knowing becomes dull — O ever-auspicious Bagalamukhi, day after day I bow to you.
Vādī mūkati raṅkati kṣitipatir vaiśvānaraḥ śītati krodhī śāmyati durjanaḥ sujanati kṣiprānugaḥ khañjati। garvī kharbati sarvavic ca jaḍati tvadyantraṇāyantritaḥ śrīnitye bagalāmukhi pratidinaṁ kalyāṇi tubhyaṁ namaḥ॥7॥
Meaning:You are the supreme knowledge, mother of the three worlds, destroyer of the host of obstacles, the one who attracts, who increases the bliss of the three worlds, who roots out the wicked and bewilders the minds of the beast-like — O Bhairavi who pins down the tongue, you are ever victorious, the supreme Brahmastra-knowledge. This Brahmastra is renowned and rare in the three worlds; it is to be given only to one devoted to the guru, and not to anyone whosoever.
Tvaṁ vidyā paramā trilokajananī vighnaughavidhvaṁsinī yoṣākarṣaṇakāriṇī trijagatām ānandasaṁvardhinī। duṣṭoccāṭanakāriṇī paśumanaḥsammohasandāyinī jihvākīlanabhairavī vijayase brahmāstravidyā parā॥8॥
Brahmāstram etad vikhyātaṁ triṣu lokeṣu durlabham। gurubhaktāya dātavyaṁ na deyaṁ yasya kasyacit॥9॥
Word-by-Word Meaning
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Benefits of Chanting बगलामुखी स्तोत्रम् (श्रीब्रह्मास्त्रमहाविद्याबगलामुखीस्तोत्रम्)
Invokes Bagalamukhi's power of stambhana — stunning, silencing and immobilising enemies, opponents and hostile forces
Grants victory in disputes, litigation, debates, competition and conflict, as the famous 'vadi mukati' verse declares
Protects the devotee from enemies, slander, black magic and malevolent intentions
Pacifies anger and quells negativity — turning the wicked good and the proud humble
Removes obstacles and bestows courage, confidence and steadiness in the face of adversity
Regarded as the supreme Brahmastra-vidya, granting the seeker mastery, and ultimately heaven and liberation
How to Chant बगलामुखी स्तोत्रम् (श्रीब्रह्मास्त्रमहाविद्याबगलामुखीस्तोत्रम्)
Bagalamukhi is associated with the colour yellow: devotees traditionally wear yellow, use a yellow seat and yellow flowers (such as turmeric or champaka), and may use a turmeric (haldi) mala. Bathe, sit facing east or north, light a lamp, and recite the dhyana followed by the stotra with steady concentration, holding the intention of protection and the stilling of hostility (never to harm the innocent). Her formal mantra-sadhana is powerful and is undertaken under the guidance of a qualified guru; the stotram may be recited devotionally for protection, victory and removal of obstacles. The text notes this Brahmastra hymn should be received with reverence for the guru.
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