Shloka 6

Mahākauśika Mantra, Nirṛti Bali, and Mahānavamī Victory-Rites

Devanagari script

दुर्गा क्षमा शिवा धात्री स्वाहा स्वधा नमो ऽस्तु ते / क्षीराद्यैः स्नापयेद्देवीं कन्यकाः प्रमदास्तथा

Transliteration

durgā kṣamā śivā dhātrī svāhā svadhā namo 'stu te / kṣīrādyaiḥ snāpayeddevīṃ kanyakāḥ pramadāstathā

Translation

يا أيتها الإلهة—دورغا، وكشما (الصبر)، وشيفا (الميمونة)، ودهاتري (الحافظة)—لكِ السلام والسجود؛ ولكِ أيضًا «سفاهَا» و«سفدها». وتُغسَّل الإلهة باللبن وما شابهه، وكذلك تقوم العذارى والنساء بهذا الغُسل التعبّدي.

Word by Word

• दुर्गा: Durgā
• दुर्गा: Sambodhana (Address/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; देवीनाम्-नाम

• क्षमा: Kṣamā
• क्षमा: Sambodhana (Address/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; देवीनाम्-नाम

• शिवा: Śivā
• शिवा: Sambodhana (Address/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; देवीनाम्-नाम

• धात्री: Dhātrī
• धात्री: Sambodhana (Address/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धात्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; देवीनाम्-नाम

• स्वाहा: svāhā (ritual utterance)
• स्वाहा: Sambandha (Discourse/Mantra particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वाहा (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: निपातवत् प्रयोगः; मन्त्र-उच्चारण-शब्दः (ritual exclamation)

• स्वधा: svadhā (ritual utterance)
• स्वधा: Sambandha (Discourse/Mantra particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वधा (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: निपातवत् प्रयोगः; पितृ-यज्ञादि-उच्चारण-शब्दः

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha (Salutation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् निपातः; नमस्कारार्थक (salutatory particle)

• अस्तु: let it be
• अस्तु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (Genitive/Dative), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम् (to you/for you/of you)

• क्षीराद्यैः: with milk etc.
• क्षीराद्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीर + आदि (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (आदि-समास/‘and the like’); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचनम्

• स्नापयेत्: should bathe (her)/cause to be bathed
• स्नापयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु; णिच् causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्; णिच्-प्रयोगः (causative: cause to bathe)

• देवीम्: the goddess
• देवीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचनम्

• कन्यकाः: maidens
• कन्यकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्यका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्

• प्रमदाः: young women
• प्रमदाः: Karta (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयार्थक/प्रकारवाचक

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa, Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Devotion through nāma-salutation and nurturing offerings (snāpana/abhiṣeka), recognizing the Goddess as protector and sustainer (Dhātrī).

Vedantic Theme: The divine as both transcendent and immanent—approached through name, form, and loving service (upacāra).

Application: Perform abhiṣeka with clean, ethically sourced offerings; cultivate forbearance (kṣamā) and auspicious conduct (śivā-bhāva) as lived worship.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: temple sanctum / household shrine (abhiṣeka setting)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.134.4-5 (lists of goddesses); Garuda Purana 1.134.7 (Mahānavamī worship and benefits)

Characters & Entities

• Durgā (Devī)
• Svāhā
• Svadhā

FAQs

What is the importance of bathing (snāpana) the Goddess with milk in the Garuda Purana?

This verse prescribes a devotional snāpana using milk and related auspicious liquids as a formal act of reverence and purification in Devī worship.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s broader teaching on dharma and ritual conduct?

Placed in the Ācāra (conduct/ritual) section, it emphasizes correct worship-vidhi—invocation by names and respectful offerings—as part of dhārmic practice.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

In modern practice, one may chant these epithets of Devī with sincerity and perform a simple abhiṣeka (milk/water) as per one’s tradition, focusing on humility and disciplined observance.