Devi Upanishad: Verse 16
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||
यह आत्मा की शक्ति है। यह पूरी दुनिया को अपनी तरफ खींच लेती है। हाथ में फांसी, अंकुश, धनुष और तीर है। यह बड़ी ज्ञान वाली देवी है। जो यह बात समझता है वो दुख से पार हो जाता है। देवी माँ, तुझे प्रणाम। तू है, तू माँ है। हमें हर तरफ से बचा।
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.
- eṣā+ātmāśaktiḥ→eṣātmāśaktiḥ
- pāśa+aṅkuśa+dhanuḥ+bāṇa+dharā→pāśāṅkuśadhanurbāṇadharā (aṅkuśa initial a with preceding pāśa a; dhanuḥ→dhanur before bāṇa)
- namaḥ+te→namas te (visarga before dental)
- astu retained
- no further external sandhi
About this Verse
- Central concept
- Shakti as Atman/Brahman; Maya and Moksha
- The mahavakyas
- Supports the purport of ‘ahaṃ brahmāsmi’/‘tat tvam asi’ by identifying the ultimate power (Śakti) with the Self; not a direct mahāvākya citation.
- Veda
- Atharva
- Chandas
- Prose (mixed, Upaniṣadic)
Yoga and practice
Devī-upāsanā as non-dual contemplation: meditate on Śakti as one’s own inner consciousness; japa of the salutation; visualization of pāśa/aṅkuśa as restraint and guidance of mind; grief-transcendence via knowledge (jñāna) rather than mere petition.
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