Goddess Durga: Who She Is, With Her Mantras and Prayers

Who is Goddess Durga?

Goddess Durga is revered as an embodiment of Shakti, the divine feminine power. Some traditions honor nine forms of Durga during Navaratri. She is depicted seated on a lion and carrying weapons. Durga Puja is especially significant in Bengal and Nepal.

Durga mantras with meaning

Below are the 14 mantras and verses to Goddess Durga in Diya's prayer library, in Sanskrit and in English letters, each with its meaning in plain English. Diya groups them under the Goddess, so some honor her other forms; each row is named.

Mantra (Sanskrit and transliteration)	Meaning in English
Invocation to Durga ॐ श्री दुर्गायै नमः । oṃ śrī durgāyai namaḥ |	Om. I bow to revered Durga.
Invocation to Kali ॐ श्री काल्यै नमः । oṃ śrī kālyai namaḥ |	Om. I bow to revered Kali.
Invocation to Ambika ॐ श्री अम्बिकायै नमः । oṃ śrī ambikāyai namaḥ |	Om. I bow to revered Ambika, the divine Mother.
Sarva Maṅgala Māṅgalye सर्वमङ्गलमाङ्गल्ये शिवे सर्वार्थसाधिके । शरण्ये त्र्यम्बके गौरि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ १०॥ sarvamaṅgalamāṅgalye śive sarvārthasādhike | śaraṇye tryambake gauri nārāyaṇi namo’stu te || 10||	Narayani, you are the blessing within every blessing, the auspicious one who brings every aim to fulfillment. Gauri, three-eyed Goddess and refuge for those who turn to you, I bow to you.
Yā Devī Sarvabhūteṣu या देवी सर्वभूतेषु बुद्धिरूपेण संस्थिता । नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः ॥ या देवी सर्वभूतेषु शक्तिरूपेण संस्थिता । नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः ॥ या देवी सर्वभूतेषु मातृरूपेण संस्थिता । नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः ॥ yā devī sarvabhūteṣu buddhirūpeṇa saṃsthitā | namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namaḥ || yā devī sarvabhūteṣu śaktirūpeṇa saṃsthitā | namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namaḥ || yā devī sarvabhūteṣu mātṛrūpeṇa saṃsthitā | namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namaḥ ||	To the Goddess who dwells in all beings as understanding, I bow again and again. To the Goddess who dwells in all beings as power, I bow again and again. To the Goddess who dwells in all beings as Mother, I bow again and again.
Devī Māhātmya 11.8 सर्वस्य बुद्धिरूपेण जनस्य हृदि संस्थिते । स्वर्गापवर्गदे देवि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ ८॥ sarvasya buddhirūpeṇa janasya hṛdi saṃsthite | svargāpavargade devi nārāyaṇi namo’stu te || 8||	Narayani, Goddess who dwells as understanding in every person's heart, giver of heaven and liberation, I bow to you.
Devī Māhātmya 11.9 कलाकाष्ठादिरूपेण परिणामप्रदायिनि । विश्वस्योपरतौ शक्ते नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ ९॥ kalākāṣṭhādirūpeṇa pariṇāmapradāyini | viśvasyoparatau śakte nārāyaṇi namo’stu te || 9||	Narayani, you are time in its divisions, such as kala and kashtha, bringing about change and holding the power to bring the universe to its end. I bow to you.
Devī Māhātmya 11.11 सृष्टिस्थितिविनाशानां शक्तिभूते सनातनि । गुणाश्रये गुणमये नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ ११॥ sṛṣṭisthitivināśānāṃ śaktibhūte sanātani | guṇāśraye guṇamaye nārāyaṇi namo’stu te || 11||	Narayani, eternal Goddess, you are the power of creation, preservation and destruction, the foundation of nature's qualities and their very embodiment. I bow to you.
Devī Māhātmya 11.12 शरणागतदीनार्तपरित्राणपरायणे । सर्वस्यार्तिहरे देवि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ १२॥ śaraṇāgatadīnārtaparitrāṇaparāyaṇe | sarvasyārtihare devi nārāyaṇi namo’stu te || 12||	Narayani, Goddess wholly devoted to rescuing the helpless and distressed who seek refuge in you, remover of everyone's suffering, I bow to you.
Ayi Girinandini — Mahiṣāsuramardinī Stotram, Verse 1 अयि गिरिनन्दिनि नन्दितमेदिनि विश्वविनोदिनि नन्दनुते गिरिवरविन्ध्यशिरोधिनिवासिनि विष्णुविलासिनि जिष्णुनुते । भगवति हे शितिकण्ठकुटुम्बिनि भूरिकुटुम्बिनि भूरिकृते जय जय हे महिषासुरमर्दिनि रम्यकपर्दिनि शैलसुते ॥ १॥ ayi girinandini nanditamedini viśvavinodini nandanute girivaravindhyaśirodhinivāsini viṣṇuvilāsini jiṣṇunute | bhagavati he śitikaṇṭhakuṭumbini bhūrikuṭumbini bhūrikṛte jaya jaya he mahiṣāsuramardini ramyakapardini śailasute || 1||	Daughter of the mountain, you gladden the earth and delight the universe, praised by Nanda. Dwelling on the great Vindhya's summit, delighting Vishnu as his consort and praised by Indra, the victorious one, you are the blessed wife of blue-throated Shiva, mother of a vast family and doer of great deeds. Victory to you, Mahishasura's slayer, with beautiful braided hair, daughter of the mountain!
Jayantī Maṅgalā Kālī जयन्ती मङ्गला काली भद्रकाली कपालिनी । दुर्गा शिवा क्षमा धात्री स्वाहा स्वधा नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ २॥ jayantī maṅgalā kālī bhadrakālī kapālinī | durgā śivā kṣamā dhātrī svāhā svadhā namo’stu te || 2||	I bow to you as Jayanti, the victorious; Mangala, the auspicious; Kali and auspicious Bhadrakali; Kapalini, bearer of skulls; Durga; Shiva, the beneficent Goddess; Kshama, forgiveness; Dhatri, the sustainer; and Svaha and Svadha, the sacred calls accompanying offerings to gods and ancestors.
Annapūrṇe Sadāpūrṇe अन्नपूर्णे सदापूर्णे शङ्करप्राणवल्लभे । ज्ञानवैराग्यसिद्ध्यर्थं भिक्षां देहि च पार्वति ॥ annapūrṇe sadāpūrṇe śaṅkaraprāṇavallabhe | jñānavairāgyasiddhyarthaṃ bhikṣāṃ dehi ca pārvati ||	Annapurna, ever full, beloved as life itself to Shiva, called Shankara, I ask you: O Parvati, give me alms so that I may attain wisdom and freedom from attachment.
Annapūrṇā Stotra 1 नित्यानन्दकरी वराभयकरी सौन्दर्यरत्नाकरी निर्धूताखिलघोरपावनकरी प्रत्यक्षमाहेश्वरी । प्रालेयाचलवंशपावनकरी काशीपुराधीश्वरी भिक्षां देहि कृपावलम्बनकरी माताऽन्नपूर्णेश्वरी ॥ १॥ nityānandakarī varābhayakarī saundaryaratnākarī nirdhūtākhilaghorapāvanakarī pratyakṣamāheśvarī | prāleyācalavaṃśapāvanakarī kāśīpurādhīśvarī bhikṣāṃ dehi kṛpāvalambanakarī mātā’nnapūrṇeśvarī || 1||	Mother Annapurna, give me alms. You grant eternal bliss, blessings and freedom from fear; you are a treasury of beauty, purifying and sweeping away all that is terrible, Maheshwari made visible. You sanctify the Himalayan king's lineage, reign over Kashi and sustain us through compassion.
Devī Aparādha Kṣamāpaṇa 1 न मन्त्रं नो यन्त्रं तदपि च न जाने स्तुतिमहो न चाह्वानं ध्यानं तदपि च न जाने स्तुतिकथाः । न जाने मुद्रास्ते तदपि च न जाने विलपनं परं जाने मातस्त्वदनुसरणं क्लेशहरणम् ॥ १॥ na mantraṃ no yantraṃ tadapi ca na jāne stutimaho na cāhvānaṃ dhyānaṃ tadapi ca na jāne stutikathāḥ | na jāne mudrāste tadapi ca na jāne vilapanaṃ paraṃ jāne mātastvadanusaraṇaṃ kleśaharaṇam || 1||	I know no mantra or sacred diagram, nor how to praise you. I do not know invocation, meditation, stories of praise, your ritual gestures, or even how to lament. Mother, I know only that following you takes suffering away.

Diya's English gives the meaning of each verse in plain language; it is not a word-for-word translation.

Prayers to Goddess Durga

• Aigiri Nandini Lyrics in English (Mahishasura Mardini Stotram)
• Jai Ambe Gauri Aarti Lyrics: Maa Ambe Aarti With Meaning
• Durga Chalisa Lyrics in English, With Meaning
• Ya Devi Sarva Bhuteshu Lyrics in English, With Meaning

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Related reading

• Hindu Gods and Goddesses: Who They Are and Their Prayers
• Navaratri and Dussehra: A Beginner’s Guide
• About the Diya app