Devi Upanishad: Verse 15
एषात्मशक्तिः । एषा विश्वमोहिनी पाशाङ्कुशधनुर्बाणधरा । एषा श्रीमहाविद्या । य एवं वेद स शोकं तरति । नमस्ते अस्तु भगवति भवति मातरः अस्मान्पातु 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 । मातरः । अस्मान् । पातु । सर्वतः ॥
eṣātmāśaktiḥ | eṣā viśvamohinī pāśāṅkuśadhanurbāṇadharā | eṣā śrīmahāvidyā | ya evaṃ veda sa śokaṃ tarati | namas te astu bhagavati bhavati mātaraḥ asmān pātu sarvataḥ ||15–17||
Inilah Śakti dari Ātman. Inilah pemikat semesta, yang memegang pāśa (tali jerat), aṅkuśa (cambuk/penggiring), dhanus (busur), dan bāṇa (anak panah). Inilah Śrī Mahāvidyā yang suci. Siapa yang mengenalnya demikian, menyeberangi duka. Salam hormat kepada-Mu, wahai Bhagavatī; wahai Bhavatī (Yang Ada); wahai Ibu—semoga Engkau melindungi kami dari segala arah.
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. Whoever thus knows (her) crosses beyond sorrow. Salutation to you, O Blessed Lady, O Existent One, O Mother; may she protect us on all sides.
- eṣātmāśaktiḥ = eṣā + ātmaśaktiḥ
- pāśāṅkuśadhanurbāṇadharā = pāśa + aṅkuśa + dhanuḥ + bāṇa + dharā (compound, internal sandhi)
- namas te = namaḥ te (visarga sandhi)
- namaste astu = namaḥ te astu (often written together)
About this Verse
- Central concept
- Ātma-śakti; vidyā leading to mokṣa (śoka-taraṇa); Devī as both māyā’s binding and liberating wisdom
- The mahavakyas
- Supports ‘ahaṃ brahmāsmi’/‘tat tvam asi’ in Śākta idiom: Devī is declared ‘ātma-śakti’, implying the divine power is not other than the innermost Self; knowledge (veda) removes sorrow, consistent with Upaniṣadic jñāna-mokṣa.
- Veda
- Atharva Veda
- Chandas
- Prose (Upaniṣadic).
Yoga and practice
Dhyāna on Devī in the heart as ātma-śakti; use of iconographic supports (pāśa/aṅkuśa/dhanu/bāṇa) to contemplate restraint of distraction (pāśa), directing attention (aṅkuśa), one-pointed aim (bow), and penetrating insight (arrows); japa and self-inquiry culminating in śoka-nivṛtti through recognition of the witness-consciousness.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Upanishads in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
