Devi Upanishad: Verse 17
एषात्मशक्तिः। एषा विश्वमोहिनी पाशाङ्कुशधनुर्बाणधरा। एषा श्रीमहाविद्या। य एवं वेद स शोकं तरति। नमस्ते अस्तु भगवति भवति मातः अस्मान् पातु सर्वतः॥१५–१७॥
एषा । आत्म-शक्तिः । एषा । विश्व-मोहिनी । पाश-अङ्कुश-धनुः-बाण-धरा । एषा । श्री-महा-विद्या । यः । एवम् । वेद । सः । शोकम् । तरति । नमः । ते । अस्तु । भगवति । भवति । मातः । अस्मान् । पातु । सर्वतः ॥
eṣātmāśaktiḥ | eṣā viśvamohinī pāśāṅkuśadhanurbāṇadharā | eṣā śrīmahāvidyā | ya evaṃ veda sa śokaṃ tarati | namas te astu bhagavati bhavati mātaḥ asmān pātu sarvataḥ ||15–17||
Dies ist die Śakti des Ātman, die Kraft des Selbst. Sie ist die Weltenbetörerin, die Schlinge, den Treibhaken, Bogen und Pfeile tragend. Sie ist die glückverheißende Mahāvidyā, das Große Wissen. Wer dies so erkennt, überschreitet den Kummer. Verehrung sei Dir, o selige Göttin, o Seiende; o Mutter, möge Sie uns von allen Seiten schützen.
This is the power of the Self. This is the Enchantress of the universe, bearing the noose, goad, bow, and arrows. This is the auspicious Great Knowledge. He who knows thus crosses beyond sorrow. Salutation to you, O Blessed Lady, O Existent One; O Mother, may she protect us on every side.
- Same text as Devi.16: eṣā+ātmāśaktiḥ→eṣātmāśaktiḥ
- pāśa+aṅkuśa+dhanuḥ+bāṇa+dharā→pāśāṅkuśadhanurbāṇadharā
- namaḥ+te→namas te
About this Verse
- Central concept
- Non-dual Shakti-Brahman identity; liberation through knowledge
- The mahavakyas
- Indirectly harmonizes with mahāvākya purport by treating Devī as the inner Self-power; emphasizes jñāna as the means to transcend sorrow.
- Veda
- Atharva Veda
- Chandas
- Prose (mixed, Upaniṣadic)
Yoga and practice
Repetition as a contemplative refrain (anuvāda) for mantra-japa; internalize ‘eṣātmāśaktiḥ’ as self-inquiry with devotional support; visualize the implements as yogic tools for pratyāhāra (withdrawal) and dhāraṇā (one-pointedness).
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