Mahishasuramardini Stotram

Durga is the great goddess of the universe. She is worshipped as supreme power, who protects her devotees from the evils of the world and removes their miseries. Goddess Durga is believed to be emerged when all the gods lost their power to fight against the demon – Mahishasur. She was created by the unified power of all the gods to kill the demon. In Karnataka, Durga is worshipped as Goddess Chamundeshwari.

Here is Mahishasuramardini stotra that describes how goddess Durga killed the demon. This devotional stotra is written by Adi Sankaracharya.

ayi girinandini nanditamedini vishvavinodini nandanute
girivara vindhya shirodhinivAsini viShNuvilAsini jiShNunute
bhagavati heshitikaNThakuTuMbini bhUri kuTuMbini bhUri k.rte
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 1


suravaravarShiNi durdharadharShiNi durmukhamarShiNi harSharate
tribhuvanapoShiNi shaN^karatoShiNi kilbiShamoShiNi ghoSharate
danuja niroShiNi ditisuta roShiNi durmada shoShiNi sindhusute
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 2

ayi jagadaMba madaMba kadaMba vanapriya vAsini hAsarate
shikhari shiromaNi tuN^ga himAlaya sh.rN^ga nijAlaya madhyagate
madhu madhure madhu kaiTabha ga~njini kaiTabha bha~njini rAsarate
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 3

ayi shatakhaNDa vikhaNDita ruNDa vituNDita huNDa gajAdhipate
ripu gaja gaNDa vidAraNa caNDa parAkrama shuNDa m.rgAdhipate
nija bhuja daNDa nipAtita khaNDa vipAtita muNDa bhaTAdhipate
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 4

ayi raNa durmada shatru vadhodita durdhara nirjara shaktibh.rte
catura vicAra dhurINa mahAshiva dUtak.rta pramathAdhipate
durita durIha durAshaya durmati dAnavadUta k.rtAntamate
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 5

ayi sharaNAgata vairi vadhUvara vIra varAbhaya dAyakare
tribhuvana mastaka shUla virodhi shirodhi k.rtAmala shUlakare
dumidumi tAmara dundubhinAda maho mukharIk.rta tigmakare
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 6

ayi nija huN^k.rti mAtra nirAk.rta dhUmra vilocana dhUmra shate
samara vishoShita shoNita bIja samudbhava shoNita bIja late
shiva shiva shuMbha nishuMbha mahAhava tarpita bhUta pishAcarate
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 7

dhanuranu saN^ga raNakShaNasaN^ga parisphura daN^ga naTatkaTake
kanaka pishaN^ga p.rShatka niShaN^ga rasadbhaTa sh.rN^ga hatAvaTuke
k.rta caturaN^ga balakShiti raN^ga ghaTadbahuraN^ga raTadbaTuke
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 8

jaya jaya japya jayejaya shabda parastuti tatpara vishvanute
bhaNa bhaNa bhi~njimi bhiN^k.rta nUpura si~njita mohita bhUtapate
naTita naTArdha naTInaTa nAyaka nATita nATya sugAnarate
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 9

ayi sumanaH sumanaH sumanaH sumanaH sumanohara kAntiyute
shrita rajanI rajanI rajanI rajanI rajanIkara vaktrav.rte
sunayana vibhramara bhramara bhramara bhramara bhramarAdhipate
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 10

sahita mahAhava mallama tallika mallita rallaka mallarate
viracita vallika pallika mallika bhillika bhillika varga v.rte
sitak.rta pullisamulla sitAruNa tallaja pallava sallalite
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 11

avirala gaNDa galanmada medura matta mataN^gaja rAjapate
tribhuvana bhUShaNa bhUta kalAnidhi rUpa payonidhi rAjasute
ayi suda tIjana lAlasamAnasa mohana manmatha rAjasute
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 12

kamala dalAmala komala kAnti kalAkalitAmala bhAlalate
sakala vilAsa kalAnilayakrama keli calatkala haMsa kule
alikula saN^kula kuvalaya maNDala maulimiladbhakulAli kule
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 13

kara muralI rava vIjita kUjita lajjita kokila ma~njumate
milita pulinda manohara gu~njita ra~njitashaila niku~njagate
nijaguNa bhUta mahAshabarIgaNa sadguNa saMbh.rta kelitale
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 14

kaTitaTa pIta dukUla vicitra mayUkhatirask.rta candra ruce
praNata surAsura maulimaNisphura daMshula sannakha candra ruce
jita kanakAcala maulipadorjita nirbhara ku~njara kuMbhakuce
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 15

vijita sahasrakaraika sahasrakaraika sahasrakaraikanute
k.rta suratAraka saN^garatAraka saN^garatAraka sUnusute
suratha samAdhi samAnasamAdhi samAdhisamAdhi sujAtarate
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 16

padakamalaM karuNAnilaye varivasyati yo.anudinan sa shive
ayi kamale kamalAnilaye kamalAnilayaH sa kathaM na bhavet
tava padameva paraMpadamityanushIlayato mama kiM na shive
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 17

kanakalasatkala sindhu jalairanu si~ncinute guNa raN^gabhuvaM
bhajati sa kiM na shacIkuca kuMbha taTI pariraMbha sukhAnubhavam
tava caraNaM sharaNaM karavANi natAmaravANi nivAsi shivaM
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 18

tava vimalendukulaM vadanendumalaM sakalaM nanu kUlayate
kimu puruhUta purIndumukhI sumukhIbhirasau vimukhIkriyate
mama tu mataM shivanAmadhane bhavatI k.rpayA kimuta kriyate
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 19

ayi mayi dInadayAlutayA k.rpayaiva tvayA bhavitavyamume
ayi jagato jananI k.rpayAsi yathAsi tathA.anumitAsirate
yaducitamatra bhavatyurari kurutAdurutApamapAkurute
jaya jaya he mahiShAsuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute 20