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||
वो देवी हमारे दिल के अंदर रहती है, जैसे कमल के फूल के बीच में। सुबह की धूप जैसी चमक है उनमें। हाथ में रस्सी और अंकुश है। वो हमें डर दूर करती हैं और आशीर्वाद देती हैं। तीनों आँखें हैं, लाल कपड़े पहने हैं। भक्त लोगों की हर इच्छा पूरी करती हैं। मैं देवी को नमन करती हूँ जो बड़े डर को खत्म करती हैं। बड़ी मुसीबतों को शांत करती हैं, और बड़ा प्यार देती 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
- 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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