The Mahishasura Mardini Stotram - the thunderous "Aigiri Nandini" hymn glorifying Goddess Durga as the slayer of the demon Mahishasura.
अयि गिरिनन्दिनि नन्दितमेदिनि विश्वविनोदिनि नन्दनुते गिरिवरविन्ध्यशिरोधिनिवासिनि विष्णुविलासिनि जिष्णुनुते। भगवति हे शितिकण्ठकुटुम्बिनि भूरिकुटुम्बिनि भूरिकृते जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥१॥
सुरवरवर्षिणि दुर्धरधर्षिणि दुर्मुखमर्षिणि हर्षरते त्रिभुवनपोषिणि शङ्करतोषिणि किल्बिषमोषिणि घोषरते। दनुजनिरोषिणि दितिसुतरोषिणि दुर्मदशोषिणि सिन्धुसुते जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥२॥
अयि जगदम्ब मदम्ब कदम्बवनप्रियवासिनि हासरते शिखरिशिरोमणितुङ्गहिमालयशृङ्गनिजालयमध्यगते। मधुमधुरे मधुकैटभगञ्जिनि कैटभभञ्जिनि रासरते जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥३॥
अयि शतखण्डविखण्डितरुण्डवितुण्डितशुण्डगजाधिपते रिपुगजगण्डविदारणचण्डपराक्रमशुण्डमृगाधिपते। निजभुजदण्डनिपातितखण्डविपातितमुण्डभटाधिपते जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥४॥
अयि रणदुर्मदशत्रुवधोद्यतदुर्धरनिर्जरशक्तिभृते चतुरविचारधुरीणमहाशिवदूतकृतप्रमथाधिपते। दुरितदुरीहदुराशयदुर्मतिदानवदूतकृतान्तमते जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥५॥
अयि शरणागतवैरिवधूवरवीरवराभयदानकरे त्रिभुवनमस्तकशूलविरोधिशिरोधिकृतामलशूलकरे। दुमिदुमितामरदुन्दुभिनादमहोमुखरीकृततिग्मकरे जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥६॥
अयि निजहुङ्कृतिमात्रनिराकृतधूम्रविलोचनधूम्रशते समरविशोषितशोणितबीजसमुद्भवशोणितबीजलते। शिवशिवशुम्भनिशुम्भमहाहवतर्पितभूतपिशाचरते जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥७॥
धनुरनुसङ्गरणक्षणसङ्गपरिस्फुरदङ्गनटत्कटके कनकपिशङ्गपृषत्कनिषङ्गरसद्भटशृङ्गहताबटुके। कृतचतुरङ्गबलक्षितिरङ्गघटद्बहुरङ्गरटद्बटुके जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥८॥
सुरललनाततथेयितथेयिकृताभिनयोदरनृत्यरते कृतकुकुथः कुकुथो गडदादिकतालकुतूहलगानरते। धुधुकुटधुक्कुटधिंधिमितध्वनिधीरमृदङ्गनिनादरते जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥९॥
जयजयजप्यजयेजयशब्दपरस्तुतितत्परविश्वनुते झणझणझिञ्झिमिझिङ्कृतनूपुरसिञ्जितमोहितभूतपते। नटितनटार्धनटीनटनायकनाटितनाट्यसुगानरते जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥१०॥
अयि सुमनःसुमनःसुमनःसुमनःसुमनोहरकान्तियुते श्रितरजनीरजनीरजनीरजनीरजनीकरवक्त्रवृते। सुनयनविभ्रमरभ्रमरभ्रमरभ्रमरभ्रमराधिपते जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥११॥
सहितमहाहवमल्लमतल्लिकमल्लितरल्लकमल्लरते विरचितवल्लिकपल्लिकमल्लिकभिल्लिकभिल्लिकवर्गवृते। सितकृतपुल्लसमुल्लसितारुणतल्लजपल्लवसल्ललिते जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥१२॥
अविरलगण्डगलन्मदमेदुरमत्तमतङ्गजराजपते त्रिभुवनभूषणभूतकलानिधिरूपपयोनिधिराजसुते। अयि सुदतीजनलालसमानसमोहनमन्मथराजसुते जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥१३॥
कमलदलामलकोमलकान्तिकलाकलितामलभाललते सकलविलासकलानिलयक्रमकेलिचलत्कलहंसकुले। अलिकुलसङ्कुलकुवलयमण्डलमौलिमिलद्बकुलालिकुले जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥१४॥
करमुरलीरववीजितकूजितलज्जितकोकिलमञ्जुमते मिलितपुलिन्दमनोहरगुञ्जितरञ्जितशैलनिकुञ्जगते। निजगुणभूतमहाशबरीगणसद्गुणसम्भृतकेलितले जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥१५॥
कटितटपीतदुकूलविचित्रमयूखतिरस्कृतचन्द्ररुचे प्रणतसुरासुरमौलिमणिस्फुरदंशुलसन्नखचन्द्ररुचे। जितकनकाचलमौलिपदोर्जितनिर्भरकुञ्जरकुम्भकुचे जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥१६॥
विजितसहस्रकरैकसहस्रकरैकसहस्रकरैकनुते कृतसुरतारकसङ्गरतारकसङ्गरतारकसूनुसुते। सुरथसमाधिसमानसमाधिसमाधिसमाधिसुजातरते जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥१७॥
पदकमलं करुणानिलये वरिवस्यति योऽनुदिनं स शिवे अयि कमले कमलानिलये कमलानिलयः स कथं न भवेत्। तव पदमेव परम्पदमित्यनुशीलयतो मम किं न शिवे जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥१८॥
कनकलसत्कलसिन्धुजलैरनुसिञ्चिनुते गुणरङ्गभुवं भजति स किं न शचीकुचकुम्भतटीपरिरम्भसुखानुभवम्। तव चरणं शरणं करवाणि नतामरवाणिनिवासि शिवं जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥१९॥
तव विमलेन्दुकुलं वदनेन्दुमलं सकलं ननु कूलयते किमु पुरुहूतपुरीन्दुमुखी सुमुखीभिरसौ विमुखीक्रियते। मम तु मतं शिवनामधने भवती कृपया किमुत क्रियते जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥२०॥
अयि मयि दीन दयालुतया कृपयैव त्वया भवितव्यमुमे अयि जगतो जननी कृपयासि यथासि तथानुमितासि रते। यदुचितमत्र भवत्युररीकुरुतादुरुतापमपाकुरुते जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥२१॥
स्तुतिमिमां स्तिमितः सुसमाधिना नियमतो यमतोऽनुदिनं पठेत्। परमया रमया स निषेव्यते परिजनोऽरिजनोऽपि च तं भजेत्॥
ayi girinandini nanditamedini vishvavinodini nandanute girivaravindhyashirodhinivasini vishnuvilasini jishnunute। bhagavati he shitikanthakutumbini bhurikutumbini bhurikrite jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute॥1॥
jayajayajapyajayejayashabdaparastutitatparavishvanute jhanajhanajhinjhimijhinkritanupurasinjitamohitabhutapate। natitanatardhanatinatanayakanatitanatyasuganarate jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute॥10॥
ayi sumanahsumanahsumanahsumanahsumanoharakantiyute shritarajanirajanirajanirajanirajanikaravaktravrite। sunayanavibhramarabhramarabhramarabhramarabhramaradhipate jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute॥11॥
sahitamahahavamallamatallikamallitarallakamallarate virachitavallikapallikamallikabhillikabhillikavargavrite। sitakritapullasamullasitarunatallajapallavasallalite jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute॥12॥
aviralagandagalanmadameduramattamatangajarajapate tribhuvanabhushanabhutakalanidhirupapayonidhirajasute। ayi sudatijanalalasamanasamohanamanmatharajasute jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute॥13॥
kamaladalamalakomalakantikalakalitamalabhalalate sakalavilasakalanilayakramakelichalatkalahamsakule। alikulasankulakuvalayamandalamaulimiladbakulalikule jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute॥14॥
karamuraliravavijitakujitalajjitakokilamanjumate militapulindamanoharagunjitaranjitashailanikunjagate। nijagunabhutamahashabariganasadgunasambhritakelitale jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute॥15॥
katitatapitadukulavichitramayukhatiraskritachandraruche pranatasurasuramaulimanisphuradamshulasannakhachandraruche। jitakanakachalamaulipadorjitanirbharakunjarakumbhakuche jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute॥16॥
vijitasahasrakaraikasahasrakaraikasahasrakaraikanute kritasuratarakasangaratarakasangaratarakasunusute। surathasamadhisamanasamadhisamadhisamadhisujatarate jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute॥17॥
padakamalam karunanilaye varivasyati yo'nudinam sa shive ayi kamale kamalanilaye kamalanilayah sa katham na bhavet। tava padameva parampadamityanushilayato mama kim na shive jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute॥18॥
kanakalasatkalasindhujalairanusinchinute gunarangabhuvam bhajati sa kim na shachikuchakumbhatatiparirambhasukhanubhavam। tava charanam sharanam karavani natamaravaninivasi shivam jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute॥19॥
tava vimalendukulam vadanendumalam sakalam nanu kulayate kimu puruhutapurindumukhi sumukhibhirasau vimukhikriyate। mama tu matam shivanamadhane bhavati kripaya kimuta kriyate jaya jaya he mahishasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute॥20॥
stutimimam stimitah susamadhina niyamato yamato'nudinam pathet। paramaya ramaya sa nishevyate parijano'rijano'pi cha tam bhajet॥
Frequently asked questions about Mahishasura Mardini Stotram
What is this hymn?
The Aigiri Nandini - the great Navratri hymn to the Devi who slew Mahishasura, in a galloping metre with a refrain that returns at every verse: jaya jaya he Mahishasura mardini, ramya kapardini shaila sute.
Why is it so exhilarating to recite?
Because the metre is relentless and heavily rhymed, so the hymn gathers speed as it goes. It is meant to be sung loudly by a group, and that is how it is heard through the nine nights.
When is it recited?
Through Navratri, twice a year, on Ashtami and Navami particularly, and at Durga Puja. It is also sung on Tuesdays and Fridays in Devi households.
What does the Mahishasura story mean?
The buffalo demon is read as inertia and brute self-will - a force no god could break singly, which is why the Devi is formed from all their energies together. The hymn is celebrating that combination as much as the victory.
Is it difficult for a beginner?
The words are demanding but the refrain arrives every few lines, which carries you. Learn the refrain first and fill in the verses - that is how most people come to know it. This page is the stotra; the forty-verse hymn is the Durga Chalisa, and the lamp-song is the Chandi aarti.
About the Mahishasura Mardini Stotram
The Mahishasura Mardini Stotram - the thunderous "Aigiri Nandini" hymn glorifying Goddess Durga as the slayer of the demon Mahishasura.
Meaning
In a powerful, rolling rhythm the hymn praises the Mother as daughter of the mountain, joy of the gods and fierce destroyer of Mahishasura and all demons.
Benefits
Recited for strength, victory over enemies and evil, courage and the Mother's protection; its energetic rhythm is said to fill the devotee with shakti.
The Mahishasura Mardini Stotram above is given in both Devanagari (Sanskrit) and Roman transliteration so you can read it in whichever script you are comfortable with - switch between the two using the buttons above, share the link, or download a PDF.
A stotram is a longer Sanskrit hymn of praise, not a forty-verse chalisa and not the lamp-song of an aarti. Browse every stotra on the Stotram index. For japa of a short formula use a mantra. The steps of worship around the recitation are in Puja Vidhi.
