स्तोत्र · Durga

Mahishasura Mardini Stotram

महिषासुरमर्दिनी स्तोत्रम्

The Mahishasura Mardini Stotram, popularly known by its opening words "Aigiri Nandini," is one of the most celebrated hymns in all of Sanskrit devotional literature — traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya (8th century CE). Composed in the Rati Lila meter (also called the Madhyama Shakti Chandas), a complex rhythmic pattern of sixteen syllables per quarter that creates an irresistibly energetic, wave-like momentum, the stotra celebrates Goddess Durga's cosmic battle with and destruction of Mahishasura, the buffalo-demon king. It is recited with great fervor during Navratri, the nine nights of the Goddess, when Durga's victory over the forces of darkness is commemorated across the Hindu world.

Sanskrit · By Adi Shankaracharya · 21 shlokas

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Shloka 1

अयि गिरिनन्दिनि नन्दितमेदिनि विश्वविनोदिनि नन्दनुते गिरिवरविन्ध्यशिरोऽधिनिवासिनि विष्णुविलासिनि जिष्णुनुते। भगवति हे शितिकण्ठकुटुम्बिनि भूरिकुटुम्बिनि भूरिकृते जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥

Shloka 2

सुरवरवर्षिणि दुर्धरधर्षिणि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते विभवलहरिणि विस्मितभूधरिणि भूभृतभार्यणि वन्दिनिते। जय जय जप्यजयेजयशब्दपरस्तुति तत्परविश्वनुते जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥

Shloka 3

कनकलसत्कलकुण्डलमण्डितशोणितवक्त्रसमन्विते नयनविभूषणभूषित भूरिविभूषणभूषणशोभिनि ते। कणपरिकीर्णमहाकवलस्मृतकालकरालभयंकरशासनते जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥

Shloka 4

रिपुगजगज्जितरंजितशोणित-बीजसमुद्भवशोणितबीजिनि शिवशिवशुम्भनिशुम्भमहाहवतर्पितभूतपिशाचरतिप्रिये। करालविकराललललन्महाकालकृतान्तकराल भयंकरि जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥

Shloka 5

धनुरनुसंगरणक्षणसंगपरिस्फुरदंगनटत्कटके कनकपिशंगपृषत्कनिषंगरसद्भटशृङ्गहतावनिके। कृतचतुरंगबलक्षितिरंगघटद्बहुरंगरटद्बटुके जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥

Shloka 6

सुरललना ततथेयितथाभिनताभिनयोद्भवमानभये त्रिभुवनमस्त समस्तसुरासुरसंस्तुतसम्पदि यान्ति सुखे। मधुमधुरे मधुकैटभगंजिनि कैटभभञ्जिनि रासरते जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥

Shloka 7

मधुकैटभविदारिणि विकटरणेषु विजेत्री कृते कृते महिषविदारिणि महिषपराक्रमशालिनि भद्रकृते। कृतकृतभद्रभद्र करणे बहु प्रति भद्रविधायिनि जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥

Shloka 8

करमुरलीरवरोषितमाधवरोषरतेषु रतिप्रिये करमुरलीरवविभ्रमविभ्रमविद्धविभ्रमकेलिकराः। कृतकतकातितकातितकाति नटत्नटनायककाति जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥

Shloka 9

जितकनकाचलमौलिमदोर्जितनिर्जितकुञ्जरकुम्भिनि निजगुणभूतमहाशबलेन्द्र विनिर्जित शुम्भनिशुम्भिनि। शरणसुरासुरवन्दितपादयुगे शरणागतवत्सले जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥

Shloka 10

रणभवनोदितरक्तसरोरुहरूपमनोहरि शत्रुहिते ललितललामभकुटललाटजलालजलां जलधारिणि ते। कमलदलामललोचनविभ्रमरभसविलासविलोचनशोभिनि जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥

Shloka 11

सहितमहाविभवशालिनि दुर्गति दुर्गमनाशिनि दुर्गशते जितमनिमादिसमाधिसुखप्रद सद्गुणसम्भृत संगणिते। शिखरिनगस्थित शिखरनिवासिनि शिखिनि समूहनिवासिनि जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥

Shloka 12

दुरितदुरीहदुराशयदुर्मतिदुर्निरुहद्दुरितारिभिनन्दिनि दुरितदुरन्तदुरासहदुर्विध नाशिनि दुर्जनते। जयते जयते जयते जयमङ्गलमंगलिते जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥

Shloka 13

नमिते नमिते नमिते नमनायकसम्भृत नाम विनीतभवे रमिते रमिते रमिते रमणीयपदाम्बुजरागिणि ते। शमिते शमिते शमिते समनाशकशत्रुसमूहशमे जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥

Shloka 14

विजितसहस्रकरैकसहस्रकरेकशतेकशतेकशते कृतसुतलेखनसंगतलक्षणलक्षितसाक्षिसमक्षिणि ते। श्रुतिविमलांगुलि भूषणकारिणि वेदविधाने विधाने कृते जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥

Shloka 15

सरसिजनीलसरोरुहरंजितनीलनिभे नितिनीलभवे तव पदपल्लवकेलितले परिकेलितले परिकेलिशते। भजति स भक्तिमुखेन च दीनमुखेन च दीनमुखे जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥

Shloka 16

कनकलसत्कलकुण्डलमण्डितशोणितवक्त्र-समन्विते नयनविभूषणभूषित भूरिविभूषण-भूषणशोभिनि ते। कणपरिकीर्णमहाकवलस्मृतकालकरालभयंकरशासनते जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥

Shloka 17

भ्रमरविलासितकुन्तलजालपताकितमस्तकशोभिनि ते ललितविलासपराकृतकालिकलापकलानिलये। सकलसुरासुरसंस्तुतशक्ति रणोत्सवचण्डि जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥

Shloka 18

प्रणतसुरासुर मौलिमणिस्फुरदंशुलसन्नखचन्द्ररुचे खलु खलु भल्लुक चर्मविहारिणि सिंहविहारिणि ते। शशिनि निशाचरसंहर सुव्रत भैरव भारव दारव दे जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥

Shloka 19

जय जय जप्य जयेजय शब्दपरस्तुति तत्परविश्वनुते झणझणझिञ्झिमि झिञ्झिमि झिंकृत नूपुरशिञ्जितमोहिते। शितकृत फुल्लसमुल्लसितारुण तल्लजपल्लवपादरुचे जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥

Shloka 20

इति दधतामनुसंततमर्तिमताम्बिकया अभिलाषितमर्थमभीष्टफलं लभते। तव चरणाम्बुजयोर्निहितं मनसा जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥

Shloka 21

तव विमलेन्दुकुलं वदनेन्दुमलं सकलं ननु कूलयते किमु पुरुहूतपुरीन्दु मुखी सुमुखीभिरसौ विमुखीक्रियते। मम तु मतं शिवनामधने भवती कृपया किमुते जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते॥

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Frequently Asked Questions about Mahishasura Mardini Stotram

What does "Mahishasura Mardini" mean?

"Mahishasura" is a compound word: "Mahisha" means buffalo, and "asura" means demon — so Mahishasura is the buffalo-demon, a powerful demon king who oppressed the gods and could not be defeated by any male being. "Mardini" means the one who grinds down, crushes, or destroys. Together, "Mahishasura Mardini" means "the destroyer of the buffalo-demon" — one of the principal epithets of Goddess Durga, referring to her greatest mythological victory celebrated in the Devi Mahatmyam (Durga Saptashati).

Who composed the Mahishasura Mardini Stotram?

The Mahishasura Mardini Stotram is traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, the great philosopher-saint and founder of Advaita Vedanta who lived in the 8th century CE. Shankaracharya composed numerous devotional stotras in praise of various deities — including the Soundarya Lahari, Kanakadhara Stotram, and Sivananda Lahari — and the Mahishasura Mardini Stotram is among his most beloved compositions. The attribution of authorship to Shankaracharya is traditional and universally accepted in the devotional literature.

What is the meaning of "Aigiri Nandini" with which the Stotram begins?

"Aigiri" means "O Mountain" (a vocative call to the mountain); "Nandini" means "daughter" or "she who gives joy." Together, "Aigiri Nandini" is an address to Goddess Durga as the "Daughter of the Mountain" — referring to her birth as Parvati, daughter of Himavan (the king of the Himalayas). This opening address immediately establishes the goddess's identity as both the daughter of nature's greatest mountain and the supreme cosmic power who defeats the mightiest of demons.

What is the significance of reciting this Stotram during Navratri?

During Navratri — the nine sacred nights when the Goddess is worshipped in her nine forms — the Mahishasura Mardini Stotram is recited as a central part of the devotional practice. The Stotram celebrates the Goddess's victory over Mahishasura, which is the mythological event that Navratri commemorates. Many temple traditions in South India play recordings of the Stotram at dawn during Navratri. Its powerful meter and vivid battle imagery create an atmosphere of fierce devotion that matches the energy of the festival perfectly.

What is the Rati Lila meter used in this Stotram?

The Rati Lila meter (also known as Madhyama Shakti Chandas) is a complex Sanskrit meter with 16 syllables per quarter-verse, arranged in a specific light-heavy pattern that creates a rapid, wave-like, irresistibly forward-moving rhythm. When recited correctly, the meter itself seems to pulse with the energy of the Goddess's divine dance and battle. The famous "tatha-theyita-tha" syllables in the Stotram are actually representations of the rhythmic syllables (bols) of classical Indian percussion, highlighting how deeply this Stotram is connected to the tradition of devotional music and dance.