Shloka 11
Kurukṣetra-sainyadarśana and Arjuna-viṣāda (धर्मक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः — अर्जुनविषाद)
त्वं ब्रह्मविद्या विद्यानां महानिद्रा च देहिनाम् । स्कन्दमातर्भगवति दुर्गे कान्तारवासिनि,तुम समस्त विद्याओंमें ब्रह्मविद्या और देहधारियों-की महानिद्रा हो। भगवति! तुम कार्तिकेयकी माता हो, दुर्गम स्थानोंमें वास करनेवाली दुर्गा हो
arjuna uvāca | tvaṃ brahmavidyā vidyānāṃ mahānidrā ca dehinām | skandamātar bhagavati durge kāntāravāsini ||
ವಿದ್ಯೆಗಳಲ್ಲೆಲ್ಲ ನೀನೇ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮವಿದ್ಯೆ; ದೇಹಧಾರಿಗಳನ್ನು ಆವರಿಸುವ ಮಹಾನಿದ್ರೆಯೂ ನೀನೇ. ಭಗವತಿ! ನೀನು ಸ್ಕಂದನ ಮಾತೆ; ನೀನು ದುರ್ಗೆ, ದುರ್ಗಮ ಕಾನನಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ವಾಸಿಸುವವಳು—ನನ್ನನ್ನು ರಕ್ಷಿಸು, ಸನ್ನಿಧಾನವಾಗಿರು.
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames the Goddess as both the highest liberating wisdom (brahmavidyā) and the power that withdraws beings into sleep (mahānidrā), expressing her sovereignty over knowledge, consciousness, and protection—invoked by a warrior seeking righteous strength and auspiciousness.
On the eve of the Kurukṣetra conflict in Bhīṣma Parva, Arjuna offers a hymn of praise to the Goddess Durgā, addressing her by epithets such as Skanda’s mother and forest-dweller, to obtain divine support and success in the impending battle.