Friday, November 03, 2006

Ayi Giri Nandini

We have all heard and sung the famous bhajan "Ayi Giri Nandini". The seemingly complex Sanskrit lyrics are explained and elaborated below, in addition to listing the correct lyrics for the song.

Lyrics detailing and meanings provided by Mandakini Ramji - Sahaja yogini @ Connecticut, USA.
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ayi girinandini nanditamEdini visvavinodini nandinutE girivaravindhya shirodhinivasini vishnuvilAsini jisnunutE bhagavati hE shitikaNthakutumbini bhoorikutumbini bhoorikrutE jaya jaya hE mahishAsuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasutE

Giri - Mountains Nandini - Daughter
Daughter of the Himalaya Mountains
Nandita - Happiness Medini - To Make
One makes the whole earth happy
Viswa - Universe Vinodini - To Rejoice
One who makes the entire universe rejoice
Nandi - One of the main attendants of Lord Siva, Nuta - To Worship
Therefore, this means One who is worshipped by Nandi
Giri - Mountains, Vara - a suffix to denote greatnessVindhya - Name of a Range of Mountains in Central India
Shira literally means Head. Here it stands for the Peak of the Vindhyas.
Nivasini - To Dwell
One who dwells on the peak of the great Vindhya Mountains
Vishnu literally means One who pervades everything - mobile and immobile including time and space.
Vilasini literally means Playful. But in this context, the meaning is deeper. The Goddess indulges in Divine Play with the entire universe as Her Cosmic Playground.
Jishnu - Victorious (Desirous of), Nuta - To Worship
One who is worshipped by the victorious
Bhagavati - Goddess
Shiti - Blue, Kantha - Throat
Lord Siva is known as ShitiKantha on account of His blue throat.
Kutumbini - consort (One Literal meaning being 'Woman of the Family' - Kutumb in Sanskrit means Family)
O Goddess who is the consort of Lord Siva
Bhoori - Large, Kutumbini - Part of the Family
One who belongs to a very large family constituting of the entire Universe.
Bhoori - Many, Krita - To Do
One who Does (Creates) a Lot.
Jaya - Be Victorious, Mahishasura Mardini - One who destroyed the Demon Mahisha.
Ramya - Beautiful One
Kapardi - One with Matted HairLord Siva is also known as Kapardi on account of His Matted Hair.
Kapardini - Consort of Kapardi
Shaila - Mountain, Suta - Daughter
Daughter of the Himalaya Mountains
O Daughter of the Himalaya Mountains, One who makes the whole earth happy, One who makes the whole universe rejoice, One who is praised by Nandi, One who dwells on the peak of the great Vindhya Mountains, One who is All Pervading, One who indulges in Cosmic play, One who is praised by the Victorious and those desirous of Victory.O goddess, wife of the Blue-throated Siva, One who has a large family - the entire Universe, one who creates a lot Be victorious, O destroyer of the demon Mahisa, consort of the One with Matted hair - Lord Siva, daughter of the Himalaya Mountains.

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suravaravarshiNi durdharadharshiNi durmukhamarshiNi harsharatE tribhuvanaposhiNi sha.nkaratoshiNi kilbishamoshiNi ghosharatE danujaniroshiNi ditisutaroshiNi durmadashoshiNi sindhusutE jaya jaya hE ...

Sura - Gods, Vara - Boons, Varshini - To Shower
One who showers boons on Gods
Durdhara - Hard to Withstand, Dharshini - To Assail
One who assailed those Hard to Withstand
Durmukha - One with Terribles Faces. In this context - Rakshasas and Demons, Marshini - To Deal With

One who dealt with Demons

Harsha - To Rejoice,
One who is engrossed in rejoicing
Tri - Three, Bhuvana - World, Poshini - To Nourish
One who nourishes all the three worlds
Shankara - Lord SivaToshini - To please
One who pleases Lord Siva
Kilbisha - Sins, Moshini - To Remove
One who removes sins
Ghosha - Sound. In this context - the sound of Om (or Aum).This is the supreme and most sacred syllable, consisting in Sanskrit of the three sounds A, U and M, representing the fundamental trinity of Lord Brahma, lord Vishnu and Lord Siva, and believed to be the spoken essence of the universe. This is the reason why this syllable is uttered as a mantra and in affirmations and blessings.One who is engrossed in the sound of Om.
Danuja - Sons of Danu - Demons, Ditisuta - Sons of Diti - Also Demons

Reference: According to mythology, the great celestial sage Kashyapa had three wives - Aditi, Diti and Danu. The offsprings of Aditi were very good and virtuous and became Suras or Gods, whereas the offsprings of Diti and Danu grew up to be evil and sinful and became Asuras and Rakshasas or Demons - in Sanskrit Daitya and Danuja respectively.
Roshini and Niroshini - To be Furious with

One who is furious with Demons (Danujas and Daityas)
Durmada - Evil Intoxication, Shoshini - To Destroy

One who destroys those intoxicated (obsessed) with evil.

Sindhu - Ocean, Suta - Daughter
Daughter of the Ocean
O One who showers boons on Gods, One who assails those hard to withstand, One who deals with demons, One who is engrossed in rejoicing, One who nourishes the three worlds, One who pleases Lord Shankara, One who removes sins, One who is engrossed in the sound of Om, One who is furious with the progeny of Danu and Diti (demons), One who destroys those obsessed with evil. O daughter of the ocean.

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ayi shatakhaNda vikhaNditaruNda vituNditashuNda gajAdhipatE ripugajagaNda vidAraNachaNda parAkramashuNda mrigAdhipatE nijabhujadaNda nipAtitakhaNda vipatitamuNda bhatAdhipatE jaya jaya hE ...

Shata - hundred, Khanda - pieces, Vikhanda - To Split, Runda - Skull (or Head)
One who split the heads (of demons) into hundres of pieces
Vitunda - To de-trunk (or cut the trunk), Shunda - Trunk (of elephant), Gajadhipa - mighty elephants

One who cut the trunks of mighty elephants
Ripu - Enemy, Gaja - Elephant, Ganda - Face (or Head), Vidarana - To shatter, Chanda - With Terrifying Intensity, Parakrama - Valor, Shunda - Skull, Mrigadhipa - Lion

One whose great lion is skilled in terrifying valor in shattering the skulls of enemy elephants.

Nija - One's Own, Bhuja - Arms, Danda - Strength, Nipatita - Cut Down, Khanda - pieces, Vipatita - To Separate, Munda - Head, Bhatadhipa - chieftains

One who cut down and separated the heads of chieftains with the strength of one's own arms.
O One who split the heads (of demons) into hundres of pieces, One who cut the trunks of mighty elephants, One whose great lion is skilled in terrifying valor in shattering the skulls of enemy elephants, One who cut down and separated the heads of chieftains with the strength of one's own arms.

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dhanuranusangaraNakshaNasanga parisphuradanga naTatkaTake kanakapishanga prishatkanishanga rasadbhatasringa hatAbaTuke krutachaturanga balakshitiranga ghatadbahuranga raTadbaTuke jaya jaya he ...

Dhanura - Bow, Anusanga - Attached To, Associated With, Rana - Battle, Kshana - Moment, Sphura - To Vibrate (or Quiver, or Throb), Anga - Limbs, Nata - To Dance, Kataka - Ornament

One who is bedecked with dancing ornaments on vibrating limbs at the moment of the mattle, with her bow ready.

Kanaka - Gold, Pishanga - Brown or Tawny, Prishatka - Arrow, Nishanga - Quiver (of Arrows)Rasad - Huge, Bhata - Soldier, Sringa - Literally means Mountains. Here, massive
Hata - To Destroy, Batuka - A name for the Goddess

One who destroyed the huge (enemy) soldiers with arrows from a golden quiver with brown spots.

Kruta - To Make, Chatura - Four, Anga - Fold, Balakshitiranga - Battlefield, Ghata - Performing Stage, Bahu - Many, Ranga - Color, Rata - Drama/Play

One who made the battlefield of fourfold army into a stage with a colorful drama.
One who is bedecked with dancing ornaments on vibrating limbs at the moment of the mattle, with her bow ready, One who destroyed the huge (enemy) soldiers with arrows from a golden quiver with brown spots and One who made the battlefield of fourfold army into a stage with a colorful drama.

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jaya jaya japyajaye jayashabda parastutitatatpara vishvanute jhaNa jhaNa jhinjhimijhinkritanoopura sinjitamohita bhootapate natita natArdhanatInatanAyaka nAtitanAtyasugAnarate jaya jaya he ...

Jaya - VictoryJapya - To be sung
Shabda - Word/Sound
Para - Your
Stuti - Song of Praise, Tatpara - Engrossed in/Absorbed inViswa - World, Nuta - To Worship

Victory to Thee! One whose victory out to be sung in words, and One who has the whole world engrossed in songs of Your praise.

Jhana, Jhinjhimi, Jhinkrita - Twinkling Sounds of Anklets, Nupura - Anklets, Sinjita - Adorable Sound, Mohita - To Attract, Bhootapati - Name of Lord Siva

One who attracts Lord Siva by the adorable sounds of the twinkling of anklets.
Nata - Dance, Ardha - Half, Natya - Dance Performance, Su - Prefix for anything good or beautiful, Gana - Song, Rata - To Delight In

One who delights in beautiful singing and dancing, and One who dances as Ardhanari. Ardhanari or Ardhanariswara is an androgynous deity composed of Lord Siva and his consort Shakti (or Parvati), representing the synthesis of masculine and feminine energies. The term 'Ardhanariswara' is a combination of three words- 'ardha', 'nari' and 'Eeswara', meaning respectively, 'half', 'woman' and 'Lord' or 'God', that is, Ardhanariswara is the Lord whose half is woman, or who is half-woman.
Victory to Thee! One whose victory out to be sung in words, and One who has the whole world engrossed in songs of Your praise, One who attracts Lord Siva by the adorable sounds of the twinkling of anklets, One who delights in beautiful singing and dancing and One who dances as Ardhanari.
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ayi sumanah sumanah sumanah sumanoharakAntiyute shrita rajanI rajanI rajanI rajanI rajanIkaravaktravrute sunayana vibhramara bhramara bhramara bhramara bhramarAdhipate jaya jaya he ...

Sumana - Flower, Su - Prefix for anything good or beautiful, Manhohara - Attractive, Kanti - Complexion
One who has a flower-like and attractive complexion.
Srita - Like, Rajani - Night, Rajanikara - Moon,Vaktra - Face, Vrita - To Shine
One whose face shines like that of the moon at night.

Su - Beautiful, Nayana - Eyes, Bhramara - Bee, Adhipatya - To Command

One who has eyes as beautiful and commanding like a swarm of bees.
O One who has a flower-like and attractive complexion, One whose face shines like that of the moon at night and One who has eyes as beautiful and commanding like a swarm of bees.

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sahitamahAhava mallamatallika mallitarallaka mallarate virachitavallika pallikamallika jhillikabhillika vargavrute sita kruta phullisamullasitAruNatallaja pallavasallalite jaya jaya he ...

Sahita - Surrounding, Maha - Great, Ahava - War, Malla - Wrestler, Matallika - Proficient, Mallita - To shake up, Rallaka - Kind of Deer, Rata - To Delight In

One who, in the great war, delights in shaking up proficient wrestlers surrounding her, who then become as helpess as deer.

Virachita - To Resemble, Valla - Wavy, Palli - Creeper, Mallika - Jasmine Flower, Jhillika, Bhillika - To Fight, Vargavrita - Army

One whose body resembles a wavy creeper while fighting with the army.

Sita - White, Krita - Made Of, Phulli - To Shine, Samullasita - Great Splendor, Aruna - Red, Tallaja - Tender, Pallava - Leaf, Lalita - Another name for the Goddess - literally meaning Beautiful
O Beautiful Lalita, you are the one whose splendorous complexion is made of white mixed with red, and one who is as tender as a leaf.

One who, in the great war, delights in shaking up proficient wrestlers surrounding her, who then become as helpess as deer, One whose body resembles a wavy creeper while fighting with the army. O Beautiful Lalita, you are the one whose splendorous complexion is made of white mixed with red, and one who is as tender as a leaf.

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kamaladalAmalakomala kAntikalAkalitAmala bhAlatale sakalavilAsakalAnilayakrama kelichalatkala hamsakule alikulasankula kuvalayamaNdala maulimiladbakulAlikule jaya jaya he ...

Kamala - Lotus, Dala - Petals, Amala - immaculate, Komala - Delicate, Kanti - Beauty, Kala - Soft, Kalita - To be Formed, Bhala - Forehead
One whose forehead is formed as soft, immaculate, delicate and beautiful like lotus petals.
Sakala - All, Vilasa Keli - Sportingly / Gracefully, Kala - Arts, Nilayakrama - Follow in Line, Chalat - To Walk or Move, Hamsa - Swan, Kula - Flock
One whose flock of swans follow her in line moving gracefully bearing the marks of all beautiful arts.
Ali - Bees, Kula, Sankula - Swarm, Kuvalaya - Lotus, Mandala - To Group, Mauli - On Top, Milad - To Meet, Bakula - Name of a Tree
One whose swarm of bees from the Bakula trees meet on top of the crowded lotus flowers.
One whose forehead is formed as soft, immaculate, delicate and beautiful like lotus petals, One whose flock of swans follow her in line moving gracefully bearing the marks of all beautiful arts and One whose swarm of bees from the Bakula trees meet on top of the crowded (with other bees) lotus flowers.

Jai Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi!!

27 comments:

Mystic Rose said...

beautiful translation!

Kuldhir said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kuldhir said...

thank you so much for translation but this is not complete strota.. can you please provide word by word translation of all the slokas ..

thanks and with regards. May Ma durga bless you.

kuldhir

J Kannan said...

Hi, this is good

It will be better if you provide the the meaning for all 20 stotra...

Viveka63 said...

Thank you. Jai Ma.

Viveka63 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Subhashini Rajendran said...

wonderful explanation... besutiful!!! thank u so much..its helping me a lot to read...

Subhashini Rajendran said...

wonderful explanation!! beautiful!!!
It is helping me a lot to learn !!!

Subhashini Rajendran said...

wonderful explanation... besutiful!!! thank u so much..its helping me a lot to read...

Unknown said...

Thank You. Learnt lot from your translation.

shastri said...

Ok , I googled up meaning of this bhajan!
JaiShree Mataji!!
Please post meaning of complete verse

P.Kalyan said...

continue na...

Anonymous said...

10 years since you posted ... it is still such a relevant page. Thank you ! Beautifully translated!

Harini said...

Hi, the third paragraph meaning is missing. Please add

rkrish said...

Does anybody know for sure who is the author of this stotra ? I mean authentically..

Unknown said...

Adi Shankaracharya

Unknown said...

nice thank you for the explanation...can you complete the rest of Slokas..or any one aware where we will get the full translation ??

Unknown said...

Thank you for the transalation. Request you to complete the rest.

Adam said...

Namaste. I was just reading the comments and also memorizing the stotram, and I thought to translate the rest of the verses with my dictionary. This is what I got to...

3rd verse


ayi Jagad(t)amba madamba kadamba vanapriyavAsini haasarate

shikharishirOmaNi tungga himAlaya shrngga nijAlaya madhyagate
madhu madhure –madhukaiTabha Gan.jini kaiTabha bhan.jini rAsarate
jaya jaya he....

Jagadamba – Mother of the universe, madamba – My own mother, Kadamba vana – Forest of Kadamba trees, priyavaasini – who loves to live in, haasarate – Delight in laughter and mirth, Shakari – peaked mountains, Shiromani – crest-Jewell of peaks, Shrngga- mountain, Nijaalaya – her own dwelling place, Madhyagate- In the middle, Madhu madhure- sweeter than the sweet, MadhukaiTabha Gan.jini- to condemn or cast shame upon Madhu and KaiTabha, KaiTabha Bhan.jini - Destroy the demons of M. and Kaitabha, raasarate – who is delighted in the uproar and din of the battle.

I invoke the mother of the universe, who is my own mother, who loves to reside in the forests of the Kadamba trees, Who delights in laughter and mirth. (I Invoke You) Who’s own abidance is in the Middle of the Crest-Jewel of the high Himalayas, who is sweeter than honey, who caste shame upon and destroyed the two demons, Madhu and Kaitabha, who sports in these pastimes

5th verse

Ayi raNa durmada shatru vadhOdita durdhara nirjara shakti bhrte
caturavicAra dhurINa mahAshiva dUtakrta pramathAdhipate

duritadurIha durAshaya-dUrmati dAnavadUta krtaantamate

Jaya jaya he...

raNa-battle, durmada- evil intoxication, shatru vadha udita- has been manifested to slay enemies, durdhara- unassailable, Nirjara- imperishable, in other words, who never ages, shakti bhrte-harnessed power, catura – clever, ingenious, vicaara –deliberation, reflection, act of proceeding, dhurina-fit to be harnessed, dUtakrta- made into messenger, pramatha- Ghost and Goblims, that follow Shiva, adhipate- Lord, durita- wicked, sinful, durIha- illmeant, duraashaya- malacious, evil-minded, durmati-weak-minded, dAnavadUta- messenger of dAnava (Shumba), Krtaanta- bring the end to something, mata- to be honoured, to think of, to believe of

Salutations to You O Divine Mother; I Invoke You; Who Manifested to Destroy the Battle-Intoxicated Arrogant Demons and Who is the possessor of Unrestrainable and Imperishable Power, (I Invoke You) Who made Lord Shiva Her Messenger, that Shiva Who is Distinguished by Cleverness in Deliberation and is the Lord of the Ghosts and Goblins, who is Honoured for Bringing an End (i.e. Rejecting) to the Proposal of the Evil-Minded and Ignorant Messenger of the Demon (Shumbha) (and hence bringing an end to the demons themselves), victory to You, Victory to You, (I take Refuge in Your Auspicious Feet) O the Destroyer of Demon Mahishasura; (Victory to You) Who Shine with Beautiful Locks of Hair and Who is the Daughter of the Mountain.

This is actually how much I did translating the stotram (exept the last paragraph), then I found this awesome website, that has all the different 20 stotrams, with it’s word to word meaning. I find it most accurate and helpful. For anyone who wants to understand and perhaps memorise the 20 verses, here is the following link.

https://www.greenmesg.org/stotras/durga/mahishasura_mardini_stotram.php

And if you don’t like clicking on unknown links, just go to www.greenmesg.org, and write in to the search: Mahishasura mardini stotram. Jai Ma!

Adam said...

There is some typos when I was doing the word to word translation.

Adam said...

I posted a comment for where to find the complete translation. See below.

Adam said...

See the comment below for the complete translation

Adam said...

Find the complete translation below

Adam said...

Find the complete translaton below

Adam said...

Find the 3rd paragraph below.

Adam said...

You may find the complete translation below the comments. Jai maa

Adam said...

Actually in the third verse the meaning Raasarata means: Raasa: uproar, din; and Rata means "delighting in", so she who delughts in the uproar abd din(of the battle).