Durga Pancha Ratnam

Durga Pancha Ratnam was composed by Kanchi Kamakoti Sri Chandrasekhara Swamikal.

Again, I learned a lot from other blog posts and translations by distinguished and knowledgeable scholar. English Translation is by Sri P. R. Ramachander and K. Vaidyanathan.

To write any translation, one has to understand these slokas ina deeper level.

http://www.hindudharamaforums.com/showthread.php?t=966 relates a very interesting incident in composition of this great stotra. “An ArAdhanam (homage) day in Tenambakkam -- two o' clock in the afternoon. PeriyavaaL was sitting on the bank of a pond, keeping one leg in the waters. It was time for me as ArAdhana brAhmaNAL to get inside for the ArAdhanam, wearing the vastram (cloth). PeriyavaaL's AGYA (order) for me, calling me by his clap of hands, to sit near him with a piece of paper and pen. The pen and paper were brought at once! PeriyavaaL started uttering Sanskrit words one by one. At some points, just telling me the meaning and asking me to produce the Sanskrit padam (word), when the words formed a line, a beautiful stuti called 'Durga Pancharatnam' came up. [Svetasvara Upanishad sAram (essence)]. Each shloka (verse) ends with 'mAM pAhi vi Sarveshvari mokSadAtrI'. (This shloka is written on a marble stone on the left side when one goes to Kamakshi temple).
In the middle of the above stotram (hymn) when the word 'You are the one who taught
the Gita' (upadiSTa-gItA) came up, looking at my considering it for a kSaNam (moment), he asked, "Why, does it seem incorrect to you to say that Kamakshi did
gItopadesham?" I kept quiet with a smile. Forthwith an AGYA clapping hands to bring the Gita bhASyam (commentary) book. The next moment came the bhASya book in eight volumes! PeriyavaaL turned the page once, and showed me the first page that came up and said, "Read this shloka and its bhASyam." This is that shlokam: 'braHmaNOhi pratiSTAhaM' "For the changeless, eternal Brahmam, the Maya which is Shakti is the
pratiSTA (that through which Brahmam spreads as the many worlds is called pratiSTA).
I am That. I am the Brahmam; and I am its pratiSTA will be appropriate; because, there is a bhASyam that 'shakti shaktimatoH abhedAt' [both the Shakti and the One who has it are not of different tatvam (nature)]."
This incident clearly shows the back ground in which this prayer was composed.)




Here is the Itrans version and in Devanagiri for the readers to follow the beautiful rendering of MS.

Itrans version:
. shrii chandrashekhare.andra saraswatii mahaaswaamibhiranugR^ihiitaM .

te dhyaanayogaanugataa apashyan tvaameva deviiM swaguNairniguuDhaam .
tvameva shaktiH parameshwarasya maaM paahi sarveshwari mokShadaatri ..1 ..

devaatmashaktiH shrutivaakyagiitaa . maharShilokasya puraH prasannaa .
guhaa paramvyoma sataH pratiShThaa maaM paahi sarveshwari mokShadaatri.. 2 ..

paraasyashaktiH vividhaiva shruuyase shwetaashwavaakyodita devi durge.
swaabhaavikii j~naanabalakriyaa te maaM paahi sarveshwari mokShadaatri .. 3 ..

devaatmashabdena shivaatmabhuutaa yatkuurmavaayavyavacho vivR^ityaa .
tvaM paashavicChedakarii prasiddhaa maaM paahi sarveshwari mokShadaatri .. 4 ..

tvaM brahmapucChaa vividhaa mayuurii brahmapratiShThaasyupadiShTagiitaa .
j~naanaswaruupaatmatayaa.akhilaanaam maaM paahi sarveshwari mokShadaatri .. 5 ..

In Devanagiri:

। श्री चन्द्रशेखरेऽन्द्र सरस्वती महास्वामिभिरनुगृहीतं।

ते ध्यानयोगानुगता अपश्यन् त्वामेव देवीं स्वगुणैर्निगूढाम्।
त्वमेव शक्तिः परमेश्वरस्य मां पाहि सर्वेश्वरि मोक्षदात्रि॥१॥

देवात्मशक्तिः श्रुतिवाक्यगीता। महर्षिलोकस्य पुरः प्रसन्ना।
गुहा परम्व्योम सतः प्रतिष्ठा मां पाहि सर्वेश्वरि मोक्षदात्रि॥ २॥

परास्यशक्तिः विविधैव श्रूयसे श्वेताश्ववाक्योदित देवि दुर्गे।
स्वाभाविकी ज्ञानबलक्रिया ते मां पाहि सर्वेश्वरि मोक्षदात्रि॥

देवात्मशब्देन शिवात्मभूता यत्कूर्मवायव्यवचो विवृत्या।
त्वं पाशविच्छेदकरी प्रसिद्धा मां पाहि सर्वेश्वरि मोक्षदात्रि॥ ४॥

त्वं ब्रह्मपुच्छा विविधा मयूरी ब्रह्मप्रतिष्ठास्युपदिष्टगीता।
ज्ञानस्वरूपात्मतयाऽखिलानाम् मां पाहि सर्वेश्वरि मोक्षदात्रि॥ ५॥

Stanza 1:

In Itrans:

te dhyaanayogaanugataa apashyan tvaameva deviiM swaguNairniguuDhaam .
tvameva shaktiH parameshwarasya maaM paahi sarveshwari mokShadaatri ..1 ..

In Devanagiri:

ते ध्यानयोगानुगता अपश्यन् त्वामेव देवीं स्वगुणैर्निगूढाम्।
त्वमेव शक्तिः परमेश्वरस्य मां पाहि सर्वेश्वरि मोक्षदात्रि॥१॥

English Translation:

Those adopting meditation (Dhyana) and contemplation (yoga) saw,
You as the only divine Goddess hidden in her own qualities
And you are the only power behind the great God of universe,
And so please protect me, oh goddess of all and oh giver of salvation.

Tamil Translation:

நீ தான் ஓரே கடவுள் என்று ஆழ்ந்து சிந்தனை செய்பவர்களுக்கு தெரிகிறது. நீ தான் இந்த உலகத்திற்கே காரணம்,
பக்தர்களுக்கு மோக்ஷம் தருகின்ற நீ தான் என்னை காப்பற்ற வேண்டும்.
Stanza 2:

In Itrans:

devaatmashaktiH shrutivaakyagiitaa . maharShilokasya puraH prasannaa .
guhaa paramvyoma sataH pratiShThaa maaM paahi sarveshwari mokShadaatri.. 2 ..

in Devanagiri:

देवात्मशक्तिः श्रुतिवाक्यगीता। महर्षिलोकस्य पुरः प्रसन्ना।
गुहा परम्व्योम सतः प्रतिष्ठा मां पाहि सर्वेश्वरि मोक्षदात्रि॥ २॥

English Translation:

You are the self power of the divine , sung about by the Vedas,
Delighted in front of great saints propitiating you ,
Who have established yourselves in their hearts as Truth,
And so please protect me, oh goddess of all and oh giver of salvation.

Tamil Translation:

நீ தான் உலகத்திற்கே சக்தி என்று வேதங்கள் பாடுகிண்றன.
ரிஷிகள் நமஸ்கரிக்கம்பொழுது, நீ மிகவும் பிரகசாமாக ஜொலிக்கிறாய்.
நீ தான் உண்மை என்று நிலை நாட்டுகிறாய்
பக்தர்களுக்கு மோக்ஷம் தருகின்ற நீ தான் என்னை காப்பற்ற வேண்டும்.

Stanza 3:

In Itrans:

paraasyashaktiH vividhaiva shruuyase shwetaashwavaakyodita devi durge.
swaabhaavikii j~naanabalakriyaa te maaM paahi sarveshwari mokShadaatri .. 3 ..

In Devanagiri:

परास्यशक्तिः विविधैव श्रूयसे श्वेताश्ववाक्योदित देवि दुर्गे।
स्वाभाविकी ज्ञानबलक्रिया ते मां पाहि सर्वेश्वरि मोक्षदात्रि॥ ३॥


English Translation:

You are His Shakthi called Para, which is spoken in different ways,
You are the one who is being celebrated by Swethavatara* Upanishad,
You are by your nature , the power force in all actions and wisdom,
And so please protect me , oh goddess of all and oh giver of salvation.

* This major Upanishad gives the basic teachings and concepts of Bhagwad Gita.

Tamil Translation:


நீ தான் பராசக்தி என்றும் சக்தி என்றும் பலவிதமாக சொல்லப்படுகிறாய்
நீ முக்கியமான உபனிஷத்தில் (ஸ்வேதவதர) போற்றப்படுகிறாய்
நீ தான் எல்லா காரியங்களுக்கும், புத்திமதிக்கும் காரணம்.

Stanza 4:

In Itrans:

devaatmashabdena shivaatmabhuutaa yatkuurmavaayavyavacho vivR^ityaa .
tvaM paashavicChedakarii prasiddhaa maaM paahi sarveshwari mokShadaatri .. 4 ..

In Devanagiri:

देवात्मशब्देन शिवात्मभूता यत्कूर्मवायव्यवचो विवृत्या।
त्वं पाशविच्छेदकरी प्रसिद्धा मां पाहि सर्वेश्वरि मोक्षदात्रि॥ ४॥

In English:

Formed by Self-power of sound of Siva’s aatma
You are declared by sacred texts as the sound of Anahatha**,
Which exists in Kurma and Vayavya*** as Shakthi
You are known as one cutting off worldly attachments (or the rope that drags you to
death), And so please protect me, oh goddess of all and oh giver of salvation.

* OM

**Anahata sabda – just before one enter Samadhi in yoga one can clearly hear Om inside
which is not heard outside the physical body after this the person goes into Samadhi.

* **Vayavya Dharana
From the heart to the middle of the eyebrows is said to be the region of Vayu. It is black
in colour and shines with the letter ‘Ya’. Carrying the breath along the region of Vayu,
one should contemplate on Isvara, the omniscient. The Yogi does not meet his death
through Vayu.) ( Naga, Kurma, Krikara, Devadatta and Dhananjaya are the five sub-
Pranas; Kurma performs the function of opening the eyes

Tamil Translation:

நீ சிவனின் ஆத்மாவின் நாத ஒலியாக இருக்கிறாய்.
நீ வேதங்களால் ஸமாதிக்கு முன்னால் (கூர்மா மற்றும் வயவாவின்) வரும்
ஒலியாக போற்றப் படுகிராய்.
நீ தான் உலக பந்தங்கலிரிந்து விடுதலை தருகிராய்.

Stanza 5:

In Itrans:

tvaM brahmapucChaa vividhaa mayuurii brahmapratiShThaasyupadiShTagiitaa .
j~naanaswaruupaatmatayaa.akhilaanaam maaM paahi sarveshwari mokShadaatri .. 5 ..

In Devanagri:

त्वं ब्रह्मपुच्छा विविधा मयूरी ब्रह्मप्रतिष्ठास्युपदिष्टगीता।
ज्ञानस्वरूपात्मतयाऽखिलानाम् मां पाहि सर्वेश्वरि मोक्षदात्रि॥ ५॥

English Translation:

Hey Mayuri*, you are praised as the route to Brahmam,
You are the form of Brahamam established by the Bhagwad Gita too,
You are the wisdom personified, enact the sport of creation
And so please protect me, oh goddess of all and oh giver of salvation.

* Durga worshipped Lord Shiva in the form of a pea cock. And hence she is addressed
as Mayuri

Tamil Translation:

நீ, சிவனால் மையிலாக பொற்றப்பட்டவளே, மோக்ஷ்த்திற்கு வழி காட்டுகிறாய்
நீ பகவத் கீதையால் பிருஹ்மா என்று நிலை நாட்டுப் படுகிராய்.
நீ தான் புத்திக்கு பார்வை, உயிர் உண்டாகுவதற்கு காரணம்.