Hymn to Mahishasuramardini (The Slayer of the Buffalo Demon)

This is the hymn to the Slayer of the Buffalo Demon, contained within the Bhagavati Padya Pushpanjali Stotra.

O Daughter of the Mountain, who brings joy to the earth, who delights the entire universe, who is praised by Nanda (or by the devoted), who dwells atop the great Vindhya mountain, who revels in the glory of Vishnu, and who is extolled by Arjuna!

O Goddess, O Consort of the blue-throated Lord Shiva, who possesses a vast family and who accomplishes immense deeds, victory, victory to You, O Slayer of the Buffalo Demon, O beautiful One with matted hair, O Daughter of the Mountain! (Verse 1 of the hymn)

O You who shower blessings upon the gods, who subdues the unassailable, who tolerates the wicked-faced, who delights in joy, who nourishes the three worlds, who pleases Lord Shiva, who removes all sins, and who revels in divine sound.

O You who enrages the demons, who brings fury to the sons of Diti, who dries up the arrogance of the wicked, O Daughter of the Ocean, victory, victory to You, O Slayer of the Buffalo Demon, O beautiful One with matted hair, O Daughter of the Mountain! (Verse 2)

With her sword, she indeed struck down the head of Bidalasya from his body, and she sent the ferocious Durdhara and Durmukha to the abode of Yama with her arrows.

O Mother of the universe, O my mother, who delights in dwelling in the kadamba forest and who rejoices in laughter, who dwells in the midst of your own abode on the lofty peak of the Himalayas, the crest-jewel of mountains.

O sweet One like honey, O Destroyer of Madhu and Kaitabha, O Destroyer of Kaitabha, who revels in the dance of love, victory, victory to You, O Slayer of the Buffalo Demon, O beautiful One with matted hair, O Daughter of the Mountain! (Verse 3)

At the end of a kalpa, the Lord who is the Supreme Being spread out the serpent Shesha and rested. Then two terrible demons, renowned as Madhu and Kaitabha, appeared. Those who will glorify the destruction of Madhu and Kaitabha, the slaying of Mahishasura, and likewise the slaying of Shumbha and Nishumbha, will attain liberation.

O You who shatter into a hundred fragments the trunks of the mighty elephants that are your enemies, tearing apart their cheeks, O fierce one, who has the power to cleave the temples of enemy elephants, O Lord of the lion (or O lord of beasts)!

O sovereign who strikes down with the rod of your own arm the heads of warriors, cutting them into pieces and felling them, victory, victory to You, O Slayer of the Buffalo Demon, O beautiful One with matted hair, O Daughter of the Mountain! (Verse 4)

Rising up, the Goddess swiftly approached Chanda on her great lion. Seizing him by the hair, she severed his head with her sword. Then Munda rushed at her, seeing Chanda slain; she felled him too to the ground, struck down in anger by her sword.

O You who bear the irresistible power of the gods that arises in battle against the arrogant enemies, O you who are the foremost in discerning counsel, O Lord of the hosts of Shiva's attendants who are made into great messengers.

O You who have the mind that brings an end to the messengers of the demons who are wicked in action, with evil desires, evil-minded, and sinful, victory, victory to You, O Slayer of the Buffalo Demon, O beautiful One with matted hair, O Daughter of the Mountain! (Verse 5)

Hearing these words, Shumbha then, on account of Chanda and Munda, sent the great demon Sugriva as a messenger to the Goddess.

O You whose hand grants fearlessness to the heroic and excellent husbands of the wives of the enemies who have come for refuge, O You who hold a trident that clears away the heads of those who oppose the trident placed atop the three worlds.

O You whose fierce splendor is proclaimed by the great sound of the celestial drums beaten in celebration, with the booming "dumidumi" and "dhimidhimi" sounds filling all directions, victory, victory to You, O Slayer of the Buffalo Demon, O beautiful One with matted hair, O Daughter of the Mountain! (Verse 6)

O You who by the mere power of your "Hum" sound instantly reduced the demon Dhumralochana to a hundred heaps of ash, O You who are the tendril of the Shonitabija that arose from the shonitabija seeds dried up in the heat of battle!

O Shiva! O You who delight in the great sacrifice of Shumbha and Nishumbha, delighting the ghosts and ghouls, victory, victory to You, O Slayer of the Buffalo Demon, O beautiful One with matted hair, O Daughter of the Mountain! (Verse 7)

Thus addressed, that demon Dhumralochana rushed at her; by her mere "Hum" sound, Ambika instantly turned him to ashes.

O You whose limbs tremble and whose bracelets jingle as you string your bow and prepare for battle in an instant, O You whose arrows of golden hue and brilliant shafts strike down the great enemy chiefs in the midst of the clash.

O You who, having set the entire fourfold army of the battlefield in motion, cause the many warriors to roar and the brave ones to cry out, victory, victory to You, O Slayer of the Buffalo Demon, O beautiful One with matted hair, O Daughter of the Mountain! (Verse 8)

O You who delight in dance, as the celestial maidens enact the gestures "tatha-ithi tatha-ithi" with their graceful movements, O you who are filled with laughter, charm, and an infinite ocean of love for the afflicted devotees who bow to you.

In the rhythmic sounds "kukuthah kukuthah" and the diverse talas of the gada, with songs of joyous wonder, and in the deep, steady beating of the mridanga drums with the sounds "dhimikata dhikkata dhikatadhimi" — in these you rejoice, victory, victory to You, O Slayer of the Buffalo Demon, O beautiful One with matted hair, O Daughter of the Mountain! (Verse 9)

Victory, victory to You who are ever triumphant in the chant of "Jaya," who are praised by the entire world intent on uttering your victory, O Lord of beings who are enchanted by the jingling of your anklets, sounding "jhanajhana jhinjhimijhankrita."

O You who delight in the song and drama performed by the master dancers — the half-male, half-female Nataraja and the celestial dancers — in the graceful art of dance, victory, victory to You, O Slayer of the Buffalo Demon, O beautiful One with matted hair, O Daughter of the Mountain! (Verse 10)

O You who are adorned with lovely, calm, and beautiful flowers, possessing a captivating radiance, O You who are surrounded by the faces of the moon (the night-blooming lotus) that are resplendent like the night.

O You whose beautiful eyes are like the wandering bees, O Lord of the bees that roam among the lotuses, victory, victory to You, O Slayer of the Buffalo Demon, O beautiful One with matted hair, O Daughter of the Mountain! (Verse 11)

O You who delight in the great battle, amidst the wrestlers who are the most skilled athletes, who are adorned with garlands and whose bodies are beautiful, and who are surrounded by hosts of tribal women of the forest — the Vaallika, Pallika, Mallika, Jhillika, and Bhillika.

O You who are adorned with white flowers and newly blossoming red shoots that are bright and beautiful, O You who are graceful and lovely, victory, victory to You, O Slayer of the Buffalo Demon, O beautiful One with matted hair, O Daughter of the Mountain! (Verse 12)

O Lord of the mighty rutting elephants whose temples continuously ooze with abundant ichor, O Daughter of the King of the Ocean, who is the very form of the treasure of arts that adorn the three worlds.

O You who are born of the King of the God of Love, who enchants the hearts of beautiful women with your yearning and attraction, victory, victory to You, O Slayer of the Buffalo Demon, O beautiful One with matted hair, O Daughter of the Mountain! (Verse 13)

O You whose beautiful forehead is adorned with the exquisite, delicate, and spotless beauty of the lotus petal, O You whose playful movements in the arts of grace and charm are like a flock of graceful swans.

O You who are surrounded by a swarm of bees that assemble around the circle of your blue lotus-like eyes and cling to your dark tresses, the cluster of your flowing hair, victory, victory to You, O Slayer of the Buffalo Demon, O beautiful One with matted hair, O Daughter of the Mountain! (Verse 14)

O You of gentle mind, whose sweet voice from the flute in your hand surpasses the cooing of the cuckoo and puts it to shame, O You who walk in the mountain groves that are charmingly filled with the buzzing of joyous bees.

O You who sport on the ground prepared by the virtues of the great Shabari women who embody your own divine qualities, victory, victory to You, O Slayer of the Buffalo Demon, O beautiful One with matted hair, O Daughter of the Mountain! (Verse 15)

O You whose waist is adorned with a yellow silk garment, whose brilliant luster eclipses the splendor of the moon (or the fierce sun), O You whose toenails, shining with the shimmering light from the gems in the crowns of bowing gods and demons, resemble the crescent moon.

O You whose firm, lofty breasts eclipse the peaks of the golden Mount Meru and the foreheads of the proud celestial elephants, victory, victory to You, O Slayer of the Buffalo Demon, O beautiful One with matted hair, O Daughter of the Mountain! (Verse 16)

O You who are praised by the thousand-rayed sun, and again by a thousand suns, and yet again by a thousand suns, O Daughter of the one who created Taraka (the demon) and the son of Taraka (the redeemer), the one who fought the battle of Taraka.

O You who delight in the supreme equanimity that is like the deep meditation of King Suratha, who attained perfect concentration, victory, victory to You, O Slayer of the Buffalo Demon, O beautiful One with matted hair, O Daughter of the Mountain! (Verse 17)

"O best among merchants, the boon you have desired from me, I grant for your fulfillment; knowledge will arise in you." Thus receiving the boon from the Goddess, Suratha, the foremost of kshatriyas, will take birth from Surya and become Savarni Manu.

O abode of compassion, O supremely auspicious One, whoever daily serves your lotus feet — O Kamala (Lakshmi), who dwells in the lotus — how can that person not become one who dwells in the lotus (i.e., attain the supreme state)?

For me, who constantly practice devotion to your feet alone, which are indeed the highest abode, what is lacking, O Auspicious One? Victory, victory to You, O Slayer of the Buffalo Demon, O beautiful One with matted hair, O Daughter of the Mountain! (Verse 18)

The one who sprinkles the arena of your virtues with the water of the golden, resplendent celestial river, does he not then experience the joy of embracing the full, pot-like breasts of Shachi (Indrani)?

I seek refuge in your feet, which are the abode of the gods who bow to you, O Auspicious One. O Merciful One, ever grant me peace. Victory, victory to You, O Slayer of the Buffalo Demon, O beautiful One with matted hair, O Daughter of the Mountain! (Verse 19)

Your pure face, like the moon, outshines all the moons in the sky — how then could he be turned away by the moon-faced beauties of Indra's city?

My firm conviction is this: by your grace, O Lord Shiva's wealth, what is not achieved? Victory, victory to You, O Slayer of the Buffalo Demon, O beautiful One with matted hair, O Daughter of the Mountain! (Verse 20)

O Umā, O Mother of the universe, it is through your compassion alone that you must have mercy on me, who am humble and distressed, for you are known as the embodiment of grace and delight.

Whatever is appropriate here, may you accept it and remove my great affliction. Victory, victory to You, O Slayer of the Buffalo Demon, O beautiful One with matted hair, O Daughter of the Mountain! (Verse 21)

Thus ends the hymn to Mahishasura Mardini.