Shloka 7

Adhyaya 85 — The Gods’ Hymn to the Goddess and the Emergence of Kaushiki; Shumbha Sends His Envoy

Sanskrit

देवा ऊचुः

नमो देव्यै महादेव्यै शिवायै सततं नमः ।

नमः प्रकृत्यै भद्रायै नियताः प्रणताः स्म ताम् ॥

Transliteration

devā ūcuḥ namo devyai mahādevyai śivāyai satataṃ namaḥ / namaḥ prakṛtyai bhadrāyai niyatāḥ praṇatāḥ sma tām

Translation

Chư thiên thưa rằng: “Kính lễ Nữ Thần, kính lễ Đại Nữ Thần; kính lễ thường hằng đến Śivā. Kính lễ Prakṛti, kính lễ Đấng Cát Tường (Bhadrā). Với tâm điều phục và cúi đầu, chúng con phủ phục đảnh lễ Ngài.”

Word by Word

• devāḥ: the gods
• devāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (1st/Nom), बहुवचन (pl)

• ūcuḥ: said
• ūcuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (pl), परस्मैपद

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namaḥ (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: निपात (particle of salutation), अव्यय; दत्तिवाचक-योगे चतुर्थी (with dative)

• devyai: to the Goddess
• devyai: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (fem), चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (sg)

• mahā-devyai: to the Great Goddess
• mahā-devyai: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मधारय ‘महती देवī’, स्त्रीलिङ्ग (fem), चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (sg)

• śivāyai: to Śivā (auspicious goddess)
• śivāyai: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śivā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (fem), चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (sg)

• satatam: always
• satatam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satatam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (adverb of time/continuity)

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namaḥ (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: निपात (salutation particle), अव्यय

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namaḥ (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: निपात (salutation particle), अव्यय

• prakṛtyai: to Prakṛti (Nature)
• prakṛtyai: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (fem), चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (sg)

• bhadrāyai: to the Auspicious One
• bhadrāyai: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (fem), चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (sg)

• niyatāḥ: disciplined/controlled
• niyatāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni-√yam (यम् धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त: क्त (past passive participle) / विशेषणरूपेण ‘नियत’ (disciplined), पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (1st/Nom), बहुवचन (pl)

• praṇatāḥ: bowed down
• praṇatāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√nam (नम् धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (1st/Nom), बहुवचन (pl)

• sma: indeed/just (particle)
• sma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sma (अव्यय)
• Form: स्म-निपात (particle, often with past sense/emphasis)

• tām: her
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (fem), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (sg)

Speakers

• Devas (collective hymn)

Primary Deities

• Devi

Shakti Aspects

• ['Mahadevi'
• 'Shiva (Shivaa)'
• 'Prakriti'
• 'Bhadra']

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Devi as ultimate reality
• Prakriti doctrine
• Stuti/namaskara

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The hymn frames Devi as both immanent (auspicious presence) and metaphysical principle (Prakṛti). Ethical posture: niyama (discipline) and praṇipāta (humble surrender) precede divine aid.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

A stotra embedded in itihāsa-like narrative; it serves the Purāṇic pedagogical function—teaching names, contemplation, and devotion—rather than enumerating sarga/manvantara.

What is the esoteric significance?

Calling her Prakṛti signals Śakti as the matrix of manifestation; ‘Śivā’ indicates auspiciousness and the power that makes even transcendence (Śiva) effective in the world.