Shloka 6

Mahākauśika Mantra, Nirṛti Bali, and Mahānavamī Victory-Rites

Devanagari script

दुर्गा क्षमा शिवा धात्री स्वाहा स्वधा नमो ऽस्तु ते / क्षीराद्यैः स्नापयेद्देवीं कन्यकाः प्रमदास्तथा

Transliteration

durgā kṣamā śivā dhātrī svāhā svadhā namo 'stu te / kṣīrādyaiḥ snāpayeddevīṃ kanyakāḥ pramadāstathā

Translation

ข้าแต่เทวี—ทุรคา กษมา ศิวา ธาตรี—ขอนอบน้อมแด่พระองค์; ขอถวาย “สวาหา” และ “สวธา” แด่พระองค์ด้วย ควรสรงเทวีด้วยน้ำนมเป็นต้น และให้หญิงสาวกับสตรีทำเช่นเดียวกัน

Word by Word

• दुर्गा: Durgā
• दुर्गा: Sambodhana (Address/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; देवीनाम्-नाम

• क्षमा: Kṣamā
• क्षमा: Sambodhana (Address/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; देवीनाम्-नाम

• शिवा: Śivā
• शिवा: Sambodhana (Address/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; देवीनाम्-नाम

• धात्री: Dhātrī
• धात्री: Sambodhana (Address/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धात्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; देवीनाम्-नाम

• स्वाहा: svāhā (ritual utterance)
• स्वाहा: Sambandha (Discourse/Mantra particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वाहा (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: निपातवत् प्रयोगः; मन्त्र-उच्चारण-शब्दः (ritual exclamation)

• स्वधा: svadhā (ritual utterance)
• स्वधा: Sambandha (Discourse/Mantra particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वधा (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: निपातवत् प्रयोगः; पितृ-यज्ञादि-उच्चारण-शब्दः

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha (Salutation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् निपातः; नमस्कारार्थक (salutatory particle)

• अस्तु: let it be
• अस्तु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (Genitive/Dative), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम् (to you/for you/of you)

• क्षीराद्यैः: with milk etc.
• क्षीराद्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीर + आदि (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (आदि-समास/‘and the like’); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचनम्

• स्नापयेत्: should bathe (her)/cause to be bathed
• स्नापयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु; णिच् causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्; णिच्-प्रयोगः (causative: cause to bathe)

• देवीम्: the goddess
• देवीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचनम्

• कन्यकाः: maidens
• कन्यकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्यका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्

• प्रमदाः: young women
• प्रमदाः: Karta (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयार्थक/प्रकारवाचक

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa, Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Devotion through nāma-salutation and nurturing offerings (snāpana/abhiṣeka), recognizing the Goddess as protector and sustainer (Dhātrī).

Vedantic Theme: The divine as both transcendent and immanent—approached through name, form, and loving service (upacāra).

Application: Perform abhiṣeka with clean, ethically sourced offerings; cultivate forbearance (kṣamā) and auspicious conduct (śivā-bhāva) as lived worship.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: temple sanctum / household shrine (abhiṣeka setting)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.134.4-5 (lists of goddesses); Garuda Purana 1.134.7 (Mahānavamī worship and benefits)

Characters & Entities

• Durgā (Devī)
• Svāhā
• Svadhā

FAQs

What is the importance of bathing (snāpana) the Goddess with milk in the Garuda Purana?

This verse prescribes a devotional snāpana using milk and related auspicious liquids as a formal act of reverence and purification in Devī worship.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s broader teaching on dharma and ritual conduct?

Placed in the Ācāra (conduct/ritual) section, it emphasizes correct worship-vidhi—invocation by names and respectful offerings—as part of dhārmic practice.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

In modern practice, one may chant these epithets of Devī with sincerity and perform a simple abhiṣeka (milk/water) as per one’s tradition, focusing on humility and disciplined observance.