durgadevimahishasura-mardinishakti

Suravara Varshini

सुरवरवर्षिणि in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 During Navaratri and Durga Puja, on Fridays and Ashtami, at dawn or dusk·📜 Mahishasura Mardini Stotra, verse 2

Read in your language / script

हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

This is the second stanza of the Mahishasura Mardini Stotra, attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, and one of its most thrilling verses. Built almost entirely from cascading epithets, it praises the Goddess as the showerer of grace on the gods, the destroyer of irresistible demons and arrogance, the nourisher of the three worlds and the delight of Shiva. Like every stanza, it closes with the triumphant refrain 'Jaya Jaya He Mahishasura Mardini'.

Origin & Story

Mahishasura Mardini Stotra, verse 2 · Traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya (also ascribed to Ramakrishna Kavi) · Classical (medieval Stotra literature)

Following the invocation of the Goddess as daughter of the Himalaya in the first stanza, this second verse plunges into her power and grace. Through a torrent of epithets it portrays her as the boon-giver to the gods and the annihilator of the demon hordes and their arrogance — echoing the Devi Mahatmya's account of her battle against Mahishasura and his commanders.

✦ As told in scripture

The Devi Mahatmya recounts that the Goddess slew Mahishasura's mighty generals one after another before destroying the buffalo-demon himself; devotees hold that chanting these epithets invokes her power to overcome even seemingly irresistible difficulties and to dry up the arrogance of one's foes.

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The Mantra

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Suravaravarshini durdharadharshini durmukhamarshini harsharate Tribhuvanaposhini shankaratoshini kilbishamoshini ghosharate Danujaniroshini ditisutaroshini durmadashoshini sindhusute Jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute

Meaning:O you who shower blessings on the great gods, vanquisher of the irresistible, slayer of the demon Durmukha, ever delighting in joy; O nourisher of the three worlds, who pleases Shankara, remover of sins, who revels in the battle-roar; O you wrathful toward the Danavas and the sons of Diti, who dries up wicked pride, O daughter of the ocean — victory, victory to you, O slayer of Mahishasura, with lovely braided locks, O Daughter of the Mountain!

Word-by-Word Meaning

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suravara-varshini🔊O you who shower blessings upon the foremost of the gods

durdhara-dharshini🔊O conqueror of the unassailable, vanquisher of the irresistible

durmukha-marshini🔊O destroyer of the demon Durmukha (and of the foul-mouthed/wicked)

harsharate🔊O you who delight in joy / are ever joyful

tribhuvana-poshini🔊O nourisher and sustainer of the three worlds

shankara-toshini🔊O you who delight (please) Lord Shankara (Shiva)

kilbisha-moshini🔊O remover of sins and impurities

ghosharate🔊O you who delight in the roar of battle (and joyous clamour)

danuja-niroshini🔊O you who are wrathful toward the Danavas (demons)

ditisuta-roshini🔊O you who rage against the sons of Diti (the Daityas / demons)

durmada-shoshini🔊O you who dry up (destroy) wicked pride and arrogance

sindhusute🔊O daughter of the ocean (born with the ocean's treasures, like Lakshmi)

jaya jaya he🔊Victory, victory to you!

mahishasuramardini🔊O slayer of the buffalo-demon Mahishasura

ramyakapardini🔊O you with beautiful braided locks of hair

shailasute🔊O Daughter of the Mountain (Shaila-suta)

Benefits of Chanting सुरवरवर्षिणि

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Invokes the Goddess as the protector of the gods and destroyer of demonic pride

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Believed to remove sins and impurities (kilbisha-moshini) and inner negativity

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Cultivates fearlessness and victory over one's adversaries and inner 'demons'

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Especially uplifting when sung during Navaratri with its rolling rhythmic epithets

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Pleases both Devi and Shiva (Shankara-toshini), strengthening devotion

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Its sound-rich Sanskrit sharpens focus and energises the mind when chanted aloud

How to Chant सुरवरवर्षिणि

Repetitions1times

Best TimeDuring Navaratri and Durga Puja, on Fridays and Ashtami, at dawn or dusk

Chant this stanza in its swift, cascading rhythm, letting the chain of epithets flow and culminate in the refrain 'Jaya Jaya He Mahishasura Mardini Ramyakapardini Shailasute'. It may be recited on its own or as the second verse of the full Mahishasura Mardini Stotra. Sing before an image of Durga with a lit lamp, in a clean and reverent space.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete सुरवरवर्षिणि written in the English 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 means 'O showerer of blessings upon the foremost gods'. It opens the second verse of the Mahishasura Mardini Stotra, which praises Goddess Durga through a stream of epithets as the protector of the gods and the destroyer of demons and arrogance.

Durmukha was one of the demons in the army of Mahishasura. 'Durmukha-marshini' celebrates the Goddess as the one who destroyed him; the word also carries the sense of vanquishing all the foul-mouthed and wicked.

'Sindhusute' links the Goddess with the auspicious treasures that arose from the churning of the ocean, identifying her with the all-bestowing, Lakshmi-like aspect of the Divine Mother who showers prosperity along with protection.

Yes. Each stanza of the Mahishasura Mardini Stotra is self-contained and may be chanted individually. This verse is often sung on its own for its powerful rhythm, though reciting the full hymn brings its complete blessing.