Durga Bhajan

I have been listening to a lot of music - thanks to the Music season in Chennai and a rough semester being over. Bhajans have been a part of music concerts for a long time now. In this blog we will talk about one bhajan about Durga. Swami Brahmananda's Durga bhajan has been popularized by many musicians. A fine rendition of this bhajan (in Durga) is given by Nithyasree (broadcast in Podhigai). Here is the embedded video .
Pandit Bhimsen Joshi has also given a fine rendition of this bhajan (It is a 30 seconds clip). My wife Dr. Janaki Krishnamoorthy has helped me with the edit of the translation of the whole song and my good friend (from IIT Kanpur graduate student days) Dr. Kattamuri Ekanadham provided detailed translations.

in ITRANS:

jaya durge durgati parihaariNi, shumbha vidaariNi maataa bhavaani ||
aadishakti para brahma svarupiNi, jaga janani caturveda bakhaani ||
brahmaa shiva hari arcana kiinho dhyaana dharata suranara muni j~naanii ||
aShTabhujaa kara khaDga viraaje si.mhasavaara sakalavaradaani ||
brahmaananda caraNa me.m aaye bhavabhaya naasha karo mahaaraaNi ||

in Devanagiri:

जय दुर्गे दुर्गति परिहारिणि शुम्भ विदारिणि माता भवानि॥
आदिशक्ति पर ब्रह्म स्वरुपिणि जग जननि चतुर्वेद बखानि॥
ब्रह्मा शिव हरि अर्चन कीन्हो ध्यान धरत सुरनर मुनि ज्ञानी॥
अष्टभुजा कर खड्ग विराजे सिंहसवार सकलवरदानि॥
ब्रह्मानन्द चरण में आये भवभय नाश करो महाराणि॥

Translation in English:

Victory to Durga, who removes troubles, the destroyer of the demon Shumba, mother and the consort of Lord Siva
She is the primordial energy, the embodiment of the absolute, source of the all creation (or the universe), the one praised by four vedas.

She is worshiped by Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu and meditated upon by ordinary people and by sages

She has eight arms, carrier of the sword (to destroy evil forces) and is seated on a lion
Salutations at the blissful feet of the empress who removes the fear of rebirth.

prati-pada-artham (Thanks to Dr. Kattamuri Ekanadham) - Detailed Meaning:

जय दुर्गे = Victory to Durga

दुर्गति परिहारिणि = who removes troubles

शुम्भ विदारिणि = who destroyed the demon Shumba

माता भवानि = mother Bhavaani (consort of Lord Siva)

आदिशक्ति = the primordial force

पर ब्रह्म स्वरुपिणि = manifestation of "para-brahma", the ultimate reality

जग जननि = mother of the whole world

चतुर्वेद बखानि = praised in the four vedas

ब्रह्मा शिव हरि अर्चन कीन्हो = worshiped by Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu

ध्यान धरत सुरनर मुनि ज्ञानी = meditated upon by gods ("sura"), and on earth by humans, sages and the enlightened ("jnaani")

अष्टभुजा कर खड्ग विराजे = adorned by swords in the hands from all the eight arms

सिंहसवार = riding on a lion

सकलवरदानि = grants boons ("vara") to all

ब्रह्मानन्द चरण में आये = Brahmananda (the author of this poem) comes to (or salutes) your feet

भवभय नाश करो = remove the fear of this "samsaara" (cycle of life and death)

महाराणि = (Oh ) empress!