Often, we go to a specific market in the evenings. There is a temple there and at the time of evening aarati, one often hears the following bein chanted.
सर्वमङ्गलमाङ्गल्ये शिवे सर्वार्थसाधिके।
शरण्ये त्र्यम्बके गौरि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते॥
Once, I asked the priest, do you know where this is from? He said “Chandi” and then added “Devi Mahatmya”. That’s true. But he didn’t know the complete answer. “Chandi” and “Devi Mahatmya” are from Markandeya Purana, one of the shorter Puranas. This Purana was actually recited by four wise birds. I am not going to get into that story. However, there was a fierce battle going on between Arjuna and King Bhagadatta in Kurukshetra. The four birds (in the form of eggs) were trapped there and would have been destroyed. King Bhagadatta’s elephant was named Supratika. One of Arjuna’s arrows severed the bell that was hung around Supratika’s neck. The severed bell fell down on the eggs, covered them and protected them from the carnage that was going on. A large part (not all of it) of Markandeya Purana is “Devi Mahatmya”, glorification of the goddess. There are two excellent chants to the goddess there. In somewhat abbreviated form, all of us are probably familiar with both. I will talk about the first one today. The second one will be saved for next week. In the present one, the goddess has just killed the demon Shumbha and the gods are praising the goddess and are praying to her. Here we go.
(1) देवि प्रपन्नार्तिहरे प्रसीद प्रसीद मातर्जगतोऽखिलस्य ।
प्रसीद विश्वेश्वरि पाहि विश्वं त्वमीश्वरी देवि चराचरस्य ॥
देवि प्रपन्न-आर्ति-हरे प्रसीद प्रसीद मातः-जगत:-अखिलस्य ।
प्रसीद विश्व-ईश्वरि पाहि विश्वं त्वम ईश्वरी देवि चर-अचरस्य ॥
As I keep saying, for stuff like this, once you break it up successfully, understanding is no big deal. Notice that the goddess is being addressed. Everything is in “sambodhana”. There are those who have sought refuge (प्रपन्न) and they are distressed (आर्ति). She is being addressed as one who removes this (हरे). She is being asked to be pleased with us and show us her favours (प्रसीद). She is the mother of the entire universe (मातः-जगत:-अखिलस्य). She is the goddess of the universe (विश्व-ईश्वरि) and of everything that is mobile and immobile (चर-अचरस्य). She is being asked to save the universe (पाहि विश्वं).
(2) आधारभूता जगतस्त्वमेका महीस्वरूपेण यतः स्थितासि ।
अपां स्वरूपस्थितया त्वयैतदाप्यायते कृत्स्नमलङ्घ्यवीर्ये ॥
आधार-भूता जगतः-त्वम-एका मही-स्वरूपेण यतः स्थिता-असि ।
अपां स्वरूप-स्थितया त्वया-एतद-आप्यायते कृत्स्नम्-अलङ्घ्यवीर्ये ॥
Since you alone (त्वम-एका) are established (स्थिता-असि) in the form of the earth (मही-स्वरूपेण), you are the refuge of the universe (आधार-भूता जगतः). You are one whose valour cannot be surpassed (अलङ्घ्यवीर्ये). You are established in the form of water (अपां स्वरूप-स्थितया). All this is extended by you (त्वया-एतद-आप्यायते कृत्स्नम्).
(3) त्वं वैष्णवीशक्तिरनन्तवीर्याविश्वस्
सम्मोहितं देवि समस्तमेतत्त्वं वै प्रसन्ना भुवि मुक्तिहेतुः ॥
त्वं वैष्णवी-शक्तिः-अनन्तवीर्या विश्वस्य बीजं परम-असि माया ।
सम्मोहितं देवि समस्तम् एतत् त्वं वै प्रसन्ना भुवि मुक्तिः-हेतुः ॥
You are infinitely valorous (अनन्तवीर्या). You are Vishnu’s power (त्वं वैष्णवी-शक्तिः). You are the seed of the universe (विश्वस्य बीजं). You are the supreme maayaa (परम-असि माया). Everything is confounded by you (सम्मोहितं समस्तम् एतत्). If you are indeed pleased (त्वं वै प्रसन्ना), you are the cause of the salvation of the earth (भुवि मुक्तिः-हेतुः).
(4) विद्याः समस्तास्तव देवि भेदाः स्त्रियः समस्ताः सकला जगत्सु ।
त्वयैकया पूरितमम्बयैतत्का ते स्तुतिः स्तव्यपरापरोक्तिः ॥
विद्याः समस्ताः तव देवि भेदाः स्त्रियः समस्ताः सकला जगत्सु ।
त्वया-एकया पूरितम् अम्बया एतत् का ते स्तुतिः स्तव्य-परा-अपरा-उक्तिः ॥
Yours is all the learning (विद्याः समस्ताः तव). All the different forms of women (भेदाः स्त्रियः समस्ताः) in the entire universe (सकला जगत्सु) are you. Everything is pervaded by you alone (त्वया-एकया पूरितम्) in the form of the mother (अम्बया). What can be your praise (का ते स्तुतिः)? I am glossing over परा-अपरा a bit, because these are different forms of knowledge. Let’s just say, direct and indirect. The sense is that all the different words that are used to praise (स्तव्य-परा-अपरा-उक्तिः) are also you.
(5) सर्वभूता यदा देवी भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायिनी ।
त्वं स्तुता स्तुतये का वा भवन्तु परमोक्तयः ॥
सर्वभूता यदा देवी भुक्ति-मुक्ति-प्रदायिनी ।
त्वं स्तुता स्तुतये का वा भवन्तु परम-उक्तयः ॥
When you are praised (त्वं स्तुता) as someone who exists in everything (सर्वभूता यदा) and as the one who grants enjoyment and freedom (भुक्ति-मुक्ति-प्रदायिनी), what other supreme words (परम-उक्तयः) can be used for your praise (स्तुतये)?
(6) सर्वस्य बुद्धिरूपेण जनस्य हृदि संस्थिते ।
स्वर्गापवर्गदे देवि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥
सर्वस्य बुद्धिरूपेण जनस्य हृदि संस्थिते ।
स्वर्ग-अपवर्गदे देवि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥
You are in the hearts (हृदि संस्थिते) of all beings (सर्वस्य जनस्य) in the form of intelligence (बुद्धिरूपेण). You are the one who grants heaven and the fulfillment of action (स्वर्ग-अपवर्गदे).
(7) कलाकाष्ठादिरूपेण परिणामप्रदायिनि ।
विश्वस्योपरतौ शक्ते नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥
कला-काष्ठा-आदि-रूपेण परिणाम-प्रदायिनि ।
विश्वस्य-उपरतौ शक्ते नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥
Without getting into details, कला and काष्ठा are measures of time and you are the one who makes them manifest (परिणाम-प्रदायिनि). You are the power (शक्ते) behind the destruction of the universe (विश्वस्य-उपरतौ).
(8) सर्वमङ्गलमाङ्गल्ये शिवे सर्वार्थसाधिके ।
शरण्ये त्र्यम्बके गौरि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥
सर्व-मङ्गल-माङ्गल्ये शिवे सर्वार्थ-साधिके ।
शरण्ये त्र्यम्बके गौरि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥
You are the one who makes everything that is auspicious – auspicious (सर्व-मङ्गल-माङ्गल्ये). You are the benign one (शिवे). You are the one who brings success to everything (सर्वार्थ-साधिके). You are the refuge (शरण्ये). You are the three-eyed one (त्र्यम्बके). You are Gauri and Narayani.
(9) सृष्टिस्थितिविनाशानां शक्तिभूते सनातनि ।
गुणाश्रये गुणमये नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥
सृष्टि-स्थिति-विनाशानां शक्तिभूते सनातनि ।
गुण-आश्रये गुणमये नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥
You are the eternal power (शक्तिभूते सनातनि) behind creation, preservation and destruction (सृष्टि-स्थिति-विनाशानां). You are the refuge of all the qualities (गुण-आश्रये) and you are full of qualities (गुणमये).
(10) शरणागतदीनार्तपरित्राणपरायणे ।
सर्वस्यार्तिहरे देवि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥
शरण-आगत-दीन-आर्त-परित्राण-परा
सर्वस्य-आर्ति-हरे देवि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥
There are those who are distressed and suffering (दीन-आर्त) and have come for refuge (शरण-आगत). You are intent on saving them (परित्राण-परायणे). You are the one who destroys (हरे) every kind of misery (सर्वस्य-आर्ति).
The next time you hear parts of this chanted, you should now be able to recognize it, understand it and place it. Sometimes, there are very minor variations in सर्व-मङ्गल-माङ्गल्ये and भुक्ति-मुक्ति-प्रदायिनी. But nothing substantial is changed because of that.
