Sri Durga Stuti: The Mantra Krishna Advised Arjuna to Chant
When Arjuna's anxiety about the impending Kurukshetra war in the Mahabharata intensified, Krishna advised him to worship Goddess Durga by chanting this mantra twenty-one times.
This highly powerful hymn to Durga is found in the Mahabharata. It was Krishna himself who instructed Arjuna to recite this mantra and pray to Goddess Durga.
This took place before the beginning of the Mahabharata war. As Arjuna's worries about the war grew, Krishna advised him to chant this mantra twenty-one times and worship Goddess Durga.
Following Krishna's guidance, Arjuna prayed to Goddess Durga. Pleased with his devotion, the Goddess appeared before him and blessed him with victory in the war. However, once victory seemed assured, Arjuna became deeply troubled by the thought that he would have to kill his own relatives and loved ones in battle.
According to traditional belief, it was later to free Arjuna from this grief and confusion, and to help him remain steadfast in performing his duty regardless of the challenges he faced, that Lord Krishna delivered the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita.
In other words, it is believed that the power of this hymn was, in a sense, one of the factors that led to the very origin of the Bhagavad Gita itself.
Benefits Of Chanting The Mantra
"If this mantra is chanted twenty-one times and Goddess Durga is worshipped with white flowers, one attains complete prosperity, abundance, and all forms of wealth and well-being. If she is worshipped with red flowers, victory over enemies and success in overcoming opposition are attained."
Note: In traditional devotional literature, "victory over enemies" is often interpreted not only as triumph over external adversaries but also over internal obstacles such as fear, ignorance, anger, and negativity.
The Mantra English Transliteration
Namaste Siddhasenāni Ārye Mandaravāsini
Kumāri Kāli Kāpāli Kapile Kṛṣṇapiṅgale
Bhadrakāli Namastubhyam Mahākāli Namostute
Caṇḍi Caṇḍe Namastubhyam Tāriṇi Varavarṇini
Kātyāyani Mahābhāge Karāli Vijaye Jaye
Śikhipiccha Dhvajadhare Nānābharaṇa Bhūṣite
Aṭṭaśūla Praharaṇe Khaḍga Kheṭaka Dhāriṇi
Gopendrasyānuje Jyeṣṭhe Nandagopa Kulodbhave
Mahiṣāsṛk Priye Nityam Kauśiki Pītavāsini
Aṭṭahāse Kokamukhe Namastestu Raṇapriye
Ume Śākambhari Śvete Kṛṣṇe Kaiṭabhanāśini
Hiraṇyākṣi Virūpākṣi Sudhūmrākṣi Namostute
Vedaśruti Mahāpuṇye Brahmaṇye Jātavedasi
Jambūkaṭaka Caityeṣu Nityam Sannihitālaye
Tvam Brahmavidyā Vidyānām Mahānidrā Ca Dehinām
Skanda Mātar Bhagavati Durge Kāntāravāsini
Svāhākāra Svadhā Caiva Kalā Kāṣṭhā Sarasvatī
Sāvitrī Veda Mātā Ca Tathā Vedānta Ucyate
Stutāsi Tvam Mahādevi Viśuddhenāntarātmanā
Jayo Bhavatu Me Nityam Tvatprasād Raṇājire
Kāntāra Bhaya Durgeṣu Bhaktānām Ālayeṣu Ca
Nityam Vasati Pātāle Yuddhe Jayasi Dānavān
Tvam Jṛmbhiṇī Mohinī Ca Māyā Hrī Śrīs Tathaiva Ca
Sandhyā Prabhāvatī Caiva Sāvitrī Jananī Tathā
Tuṣṭiḥ Puṣṭir Dhṛtir Dīptiś Caṇḍāditya Vivardhinī
Bhūtir Bhūtimatām Saṅkhye Vīkṣyase Siddhacāraṇaiḥ