Devi Upanishad: Verse 24
हृत्पुण्डरीकमध्यस्थां प्रातःसूर्यसमप्रभाम् ।
पाशाङ्कुशधरां सौम्यां वरदाभयहस्तकाम् ।
त्रिनेत्रां रक्तवसनां भक्तकामदुघां भजे ॥
नमामि त्वामहं देवीं महाभयविनाशिनीम् ।
महादुर्गप्रशमनीं महाकारुण्यरूपिणीम् ॥२४–२५॥
हृत्-पुण्डरीक-मध्य-स्थाम् । प्रातः-सूर्य-सम-प्रभाम् ।
पाश-अङ्कुश-धराम् । सौम्याम् । वरद-अभय-हस्त-काम् ।
त्रि-नेत्राम् । रक्त-वसनाम् । भक्त-काम-दुघाम् । भजे ।
नमामि । त्वाम् । अहम् । देवीम् । महा-भय-विनाशिनीम् ।
महा-दुर्ग-प्रशमनीम् । महा-कारुण्य-रूपिणीम् ।
hṛtpuṇḍarīkamadhyasthāṃ prātaḥsūryasamaprabhām |
pāśāṅkuśadharāṃ saumyāṃ varadābhayahastakām |
trinetrāṃ raktavasanāṃ bhaktakāmadughāṃ bhaje ||
namāmi tvāmahaṃ devīṃ mahābhayavināśinīm |
mahādurgaśamanīṃ mahākāruṇyarūpiṇīm ||24–25||
मैं उस देवी का भजन करता हूँ जो हृदय-कमल के मध्य में विराजती हैं, जिनकी प्रभा प्रातःकालीन सूर्य के समान है; जो पाश और अंकुश धारण करती हैं, सौम्य हैं, जिनके हाथ वर और अभय देते हैं; जो त्रिनेत्री हैं, लाल वस्त्र धारण करती हैं और भक्तों की कामनाएँ पूर्ण करती हैं। हे देवी! मैं आपको नमस्कार करता हूँ—आप महान् भय का नाश करने वाली, महान् दुर्गति/दुर्ग (दुर्गा) को शांत करने वाली, और महाकरुणा-स्वरूपिणी हैं।
I worship her who abides in the middle of the lotus of the heart, whose radiance is like the morning sun; who bears the noose and the goad, gentle, with hands granting boon and fearlessness; three-eyed, clad in red garments, milking forth the desires of devotees. I bow to you, O Goddess, destroyer of great fear, pacifier of great difficulties (Durgā), whose form is great compassion.
- hṛtpuṇḍarīkamadhyasthām → hṛt + puṇḍarīka + madhya + sthām (tatpuruṣa chain)
- prātaḥsūryasamaprabhām → prātaḥ + sūrya + sama + prabhām
- pāśāṅkuśadharām → pāśa + aṅkuśa + dharām (dvandva within tatpuruṣa)
- varadābhayahastakām → varada + abhaya + hasta + kām (compound; kām from ka- with possessive sense)
- trinetrām → tri + netrām (dvigu)
- raktavasanām → rakta + vasanām
- bhaktakāmadughām → bhakta + kāma + dughām.
About this Verse
- Central concept
- Upāsanā leading to mokṣa; Devī as inner Antaryāmin and compassionate Brahman-power
- The mahavakyas
- Indirect: heart-centered contemplation supports realization implied by ‘ayam ātmā brahma’ (inner Self as Brahman) through Devī as indwelling reality
- Veda
- Atharva Veda
- Shakha
- Atharvaśiras / Atharvaṇa tradition (Śākta Upaniṣad corpus)
- Chandas
- Mixed śloka style (largely Anuṣṭubh/Upajāti-like cadence; post-Vedic devotional meter)
Yoga and practice
Hṛdaya-padma dhyāna (heart-lotus meditation); visualization of prātaḥ-sūrya tejas; cultivating abhaya (fearlessness) and śaraṇāgati; mantra-japa synchronized with breath while holding Devī’s form in the heart
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