Suktam · Durga

Durga Suktam दुर्गा सूक्त

The Vedic hymn to Durga as the fire-coloured goddess who carries her devotees across every difficulty, built around Rigvedic verses to Agni Jatavedas.

Deity Durga
Type Suktam
Language Sanskrit
Tradition Vedic
Source Sanskrit Wikisource (sa.wikisource.org) — महानारायणोपनिषत्, revision 400459, anuvaka 2

Canonical / scriptural text Editorially checked

PDF

Text

Mantra 1

जातवेदसे सुनवाम सोममरातीयतो निदहाति वेदः ।jātavedase sunavāma somamarātīyato nidahāti vedaḥ |ଜାତବେଦସେ ସୁନବାମ ସୋମମରାତୀଯତୋ ନିଦହାତି ବେଦଃ ।

स नः पर्षदति दुर्गाणि विश्वा नावेव सिन्धुं दुरितात्यग्निः ॥ १॥sa naḥ parṣadati durgāṇi viśvā nāveva sindhuṃ duritātyagniḥ || 1||ସ ନଃ ପର୍ଷଦତି ଦୁର୍ଗାଣି ବିଶ୍ବା ନାବେବ ସିନ୍ଧୁଂ ଦୁରିତାତ୍ଯଗ୍ନିଃ ॥ 1॥

Mantra 2

तामग्निवर्णां तपसा ज्वलन्तीं वैरोचनीं कर्मफलेषु जुष्टाम् ।tāmagnivarṇāṃ tapasā jvalantīṃ vairocanīṃ karmaphaleṣu juṣṭām |ତାମଗ୍ନିବର୍ଣାଂ ତପସା ଜ୍ବଲନ୍ତୀଂ ବୈରୋଚନୀଂ କର୍ମଫଲେଷୁ ଜୁଷ୍ଟାମ୍ ।

दुर्गां देवीꣳ शरणमहं प्रपद्ये सुतरसि तरसे नमः ॥ २॥durgāṃ devīꣳ śaraṇamahaṃ prapadye sutarasi tarase namaḥ || 2||ଦୁର୍ଗାଂ ଦେବୀꣳ ଶରଣମହଂ ପ୍ରପଦ୍ଯେ ସୁତରସି ତରସେ ନମଃ ॥ 2॥

Mantra 3

अग्ने त्वं पारया नव्यो अस्मान् स्वस्तिभिरति दुर्गाणि विश्वा ।agne tvaṃ pārayā navyo asmān svastibhirati durgāṇi viśvā |ଅଗ୍ନେ ତ୍ବଂ ପାରଯା ନବ୍ଯୋ ଅସ୍ମାନ୍ ସ୍ବସ୍ତିଭିରତି ଦୁର୍ଗାଣି ବିଶ୍ବା ।

पूश्च पृथ्वी बहुला न उर्वी भवा तोकाय तनयाय शंयोः ॥ ३॥pūśca pṛthvī bahulā na urvī bhavā tokāya tanayāya śaṃyoḥ || 3||ପୂଶ୍ଚ ପୃଥ୍ବୀ ବହୁଲା ନ ଉର୍ବୀ ଭବା ତୋକାଯ ତନଯାଯ ଶଂଯୋଃ ॥ 3॥

Mantra 4

विश्वानि नो दुर्गहा जातवेदः सिन्धुं न नावा दुरितातिपर्षि ।viśvāni no durgahā jātavedaḥ sindhuṃ na nāvā duritātiparṣi |ବିଶ୍ବାନି ନୋ ଦୁର୍ଗହା ଜାତବେଦଃ ସିନ୍ଧୁଂ ନ ନାବା ଦୁରିତାତିପର୍ଷି ।

अग्ने अत्रिवन्मनसा गृणानोऽस्माकं बोध्यविता तनूनाम् ॥ ४॥agne atrivanmanasā gṛṇāno'smākaṃ bodhyavitā tanūnām || 4||ଅଗ୍ନେ ଅତ୍ରିବନ୍ମନସା ଗୃଣାନୋଽସ୍ମାକଂ ବୋଧ୍ଯବିତା ତନୂନାମ୍ ॥ 4॥

Mantra 5

पृतनाजितꣳ सहमानमुग्रमग्निꣳ हुवेम परमात्सधस्थात् ।pṛtanājitaꣳ sahamānamugramagniꣳ huvema paramātsadhasthāt |ପୃତନାଜିତꣳ ସହମାନମୁଗ୍ରମଗ୍ନିꣳ ହୁବେମ ପରମାତ୍ସଧସ୍ଥାତ୍ ।

स नः पर्षदति दुर्गाणि विश्वा क्षामद्देवो अति दुरितात्यग्निः ॥ ५॥sa naḥ parṣadati durgāṇi viśvā kṣāmaddevo ati duritātyagniḥ || 5||ସ ନଃ ପର୍ଷଦତି ଦୁର୍ଗାଣି ବିଶ୍ବା କ୍ଷାମଦ୍ଦେବୋ ଅତି ଦୁରିତାତ୍ଯଗ୍ନିଃ ॥ 5॥

Mantra 6

प्रत्नोषि कमीड्यो अध्वरेषु सनाच्च होता नव्यश्च सत्सि ।pratnoṣi kamīḍyo adhvareṣu sanācca hotā navyaśca satsi |ପ୍ରତ୍ନୋଷି କମୀଡ୍ଯୋ ଅଧ୍ବରେଷୁ ସନାଚ୍ଚ ହୋତା ନବ୍ଯଶ୍ଚ ସତ୍ସି ।

स्वां चाग्ने तनुवं पिप्रयस्वास्मभ्यं च सौभगमायजस्व ॥ ६॥svāṃ cāgne tanuvaṃ piprayasvāsmabhyaṃ ca saubhagamāyajasva || 6||ସ୍ବାଂ ଚାଗ୍ନେ ତନୁବଂ ପିପ୍ରଯସ୍ବାସ୍ମଭ୍ଯଂ ଚ ସୌଭଗମାଯଜସ୍ବ ॥ 6॥

Mantra 7

गोभिर्जुष्टमयुजो निषिक्तं तवेन्द्र विष्णोरनुसञ्चरेम ।gobhirjuṣṭamayujo niṣiktaṃ tavendra viṣṇoranusañcarema |ଗୋଭିର୍ଜୁଷ୍ଟମଯୁଜୋ ନିଷିକ୍ତଂ ତବେନ୍ଦ୍ର ବିଷ୍ଣୋରନୁସଞ୍ଚରେମ ।

नाकस्य पृष्ठमभि संवसानो वैष्णवीं लोक इह मादयन्ताम् ॥ ७॥nākasya pṛṣṭhamabhi saṃvasāno vaiṣṇavīṃ loka iha mādayantām || 7||ନାକସ୍ଯ ପୃଷ୍ଠମଭି ସଂବସାନୋ ବୈଷ୍ଣବୀଂ ଲୋକ ଇହ ମାଦଯନ୍ତାମ୍ ॥ 7॥

Read in another script: ગુજરાતી বাংলা தமிழ் తెలుగు ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ਪੰਜਾਬੀ · letter-for-letter from the Devanagari text, approximate

Text: Sanskrit Wikisource "महानारायणोपनिषत्", revision 400459 (https://sa.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=महानारायणोपनिषत्&oldid=400459), the Andhra recension of the Mahanarayana Upanishad (Taittiriya Aranyaka, tenth prapathaka) in 80 anuvakas; anuvaka 2 (द्वितीयोऽनुवाकः), the Durga Suktam, seven mantras; the label दुर्गा सूक्तम् ।, which the edition prints between mantras 1 and 2, and the anuvaka heading (misspelt द्वितीयोऽवानुकः in the running text) are not reproduced as verse text. The page gives the text twice (a running text by anuvaka and a line-broken copy of the same transcription); the running text was used and the line-broken copy checked against it. The edition has no udatta/anudatta marks; it writes the Vedic anusvara sign ꣳ (U+A8F3), which is kept exactly as printed (NFC); nothing was added. Verified on 11 November 2026 against two independent witnesses of the same recension, one of the Atharva recension, and the Rigveda for the four mantras it contains. Witness 2: Mantrapushpam, 4th ed. (Ramakrishna Math; archive.org OCR, https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.467663), which prints the Durga Suktam twice (p. 37 within the Upanishad, accented, and p. 201 as a separate sukta, Taittiriya Aranyaka 10.2); aligned to the edition lines: copy A 1 identical, 13 differing, 0 only in edition, 0 only in witness; letter agreement 93.9%; copy B 2 identical, 12 differing, 0 only in edition, 0 only in witness; letter agreement 95.1% (OCR noise; every reading below was checked in both). Witness 3: Sanskrit Wikisource "ईशादिविंशोत्तरशतोपनिषदः/उपनिषद-११-२०", revision 142388 (https://sa.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=%E0%A4%88%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%89%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%A6%E2%80%8C-%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%A7-%E0%A5%A8%E0%A5%A6&oldid=142388), Atharva recension (khanda 6, verses 2–7): 6 identical, 6 differing, 2 only in edition, 0 only in witness; letter agreement 83.9%; it lacks mantra 7 (गोभिर्जुष्टम्). Witness 4: GRETIL Rigveda (http://gretil.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gretil/1_sanskr/1_veda/1_sam/1_rv/rv_hn01u.htm, http://gretil.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gretil/1_sanskr/1_veda/1_sam/1_rv/rv_hn05u.htm, http://gretil.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gretil/1_sanskr/1_veda/1_sam/1_rv/rv_hn08u.htm) for mantra 1 = RV 1.99.1, mantra 3 = RV 1.189.2, mantra 4 = RV 5.4.9 and mantra 6 = RV 8.11.10, converted to Devanagari: 5 identical, 3 differing, 6 only in edition, 0 only in witness; letter agreement 45.7% (mantra 1, 3 identical with the Rigveda; the Aranyaka readings of 4 and 6 are kept, see below). Corrections (3), each a transcription slip in the edition: mantra 4 वावा → नावा (नावा in both Mantrapushpam copies, witness 3 and RV 5.4.9); mantra 5 मुग्नमग्निꣳ → मुग्रमग्निꣳ (Mantrapushpam copy A मुग्रम्; witness 3 अग्निमुग्रं); mantra 5 सधस्तात् → सधस्थात् (both Mantrapushpam copies and witness 3). Edition readings kept where a witness differs: सिन्धुं न नावा (witness 3 सिन्धुर्न; Mantrapushpam and RV agree with the edition); अत्रिवन्मनसा (RV 5.4.9 and witness 3 नमसा; the Aranyaka reading मनसा is in both Mantrapushpam copies); प्रत्नोषि (RV 8.11.10 and witness 3 प्रत्नो हि; Mantrapushpam प्रत्नोषि); तनुवं (RV, witness 3 तन्वं; Mantrapushpam तनुवं); सौभगम् (witness 3 सोभगम्, a slip there); ꣳ in देवीꣳ, पृतनाजितꣳ, अग्निꣳ (witness 3 ं). Rejected change: none other. Verse numbers are the edition's (॥ १॥–॥ ७॥). The Durga Gayatri (कात्यायनाय विद्महे) that recitation books add after mantra 7 is not part of the anuvaka and is not included.

The Roman line is IAST transliteration derived from the Devanagari (ā = long a, ṃ = anusvara, ḥ = visarga, ś/ṣ = sh sounds, c = ch as in “church”). In Hindi, Awadhi and Braj texts the silent final “a” is dropped. Transliteration does not show Vedic accents.

English meaning

A short paraphrase, not a translation. We press soma for Jatavedas; may he burn away the hostile and carry us across all difficulties as a boat crosses a river. I take refuge in the goddess Durga, fire-coloured, blazing with austerity, daughter of the sun, sought for the fruits of action: carry us well across, salutations. Agni, carry us with blessings beyond all difficulties; may our land be wide and spacious, for the good of our children. Destroyer of distress, carry us past all troubles like a boat across a river; like Atri, Agni, be the protector of our bodies. We call the conquering, overpowering Agni from the highest seat; may he carry us past all dangers. Ancient and praiseworthy Agni, sit as hotar at the rites, gladden yourself and win good fortune for us. May we follow the path of Indra and Vishnu, and dwell together on the heights of heaven in the Vaishnava world.

हिंदी अर्थ

संक्षिप्त भावार्थ, अनुवाद नहीं। जातवेदा अग्नि के लिए हम सोम निचोड़ते हैं; वे शत्रुओं को जला दें और नाव से नदी पार करने की तरह हमें सब दुर्गतियों से पार करें। अग्निवर्णा, तप से ज्वलन्त, सूर्यपुत्री, कर्मफल में पूजित देवी दुर्गा की मैं शरण लेता हूँ; हमें सुतर करने वाली देवी को नमस्कार। हे अग्नि, कल्याण के साथ हमें सब संकटों के पार ले जाओ; पुर और पृथ्वी हमारे लिए विस्तीर्ण हों, सन्तान के सुख के लिए। हे दुर्गति-नाशक जातवेदा, नाव की तरह हमें दुरित से पार करो; अत्रि की भाँति हमारे शरीरों के रक्षक बनो। सेना-विजयी, सहनशील, उग्र अग्नि का हम परम स्थान से आवाहन करते हैं; वे हमें सब दुर्गतियों से पार करें। हे पुरातन, स्तुत्य अग्नि, यज्ञ में होता बनकर बैठो, स्वयं प्रसन्न हो और हमें सौभाग्य दो। हम इन्द्र-विष्णु के मार्ग पर चलें और स्वर्ग के शिखर पर वैष्णव लोक में सुख से रहें।

A short explanation in our own words, not a scholarly translation.

Source, tradition and version

Source: Mahanarayana Upanishad (Taittiriya Aranyaka, tenth prapathaka)
Reference: Anuvaka 2 of the Andhra recension (Taittiriya Aranyaka 10.2); mantra 1 = Rigveda 1.99.1
Edition used: Sanskrit Wikisource (sa.wikisource.org)
Place in edition: महानारायणोपनिषत्, revision 400459, anuvaka 2
Composer / attribution: Vedic (Krishna Yajurveda, Taittiriya Aranyaka, Mahanarayana Upanishad); mantra 1 is Rigveda 1.99.1 of the seer Kashyapa Maricha, mantras 3, 4 and 6 are also Rigvedic
Version: Verified text (Canonical / scriptural text)
Tradition: Vedic
Region: Across India
Copyright: Public domain · Text in the public domain (Vedic). Transcription from Sanskrit Wikisource, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Transcription: Adapted from the Sanskrit Wikisource transcription, revision 400459 · CC BY-SA 4.0. Compared line by line with other sources; any corrections are listed in the version notes.
Credits: Text: Sanskrit Wikisource contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0), page "महानारायणोपनिषत्" (revision 400459). Verification, summary and meaning: Udyog Jyotish editorial team.
Review: Editorially checked

Mantras 1, 3, 4 and 6 are Rigvedic (1.99.1, 1.189.2, 5.4.9, 8.11.10); the Taittiriya Aranyaka reads मनसा, प्रत्नोषि and तनुवं where the Rigveda has नमसा, प्रत्नो हि and तन्वम्, and this version keeps the Aranyaka readings. The Atharva recension printed in the 108-Upanishad collections has six mantras (without गोभिर्जुष्टम्) and reads सिन्धुर्न नावा. Recitation books add the Durga Gayatri (कात्यायनाय विद्महे) after the sukta; it is not part of the anuvaka. This version follows the edition named in the notes.

Report a correction (with the source you follow)

When it is traditionally recited

These are traditional associations, not rules; no text is mandatory on a particular day.

More for Durga

For the same occasions

Questions

What is Durga Suktam?

The Vedic hymn to Durga as the fire-coloured goddess who carries her devotees across every difficulty, built around Rigvedic verses to Agni Jatavedas.

Who is Durga Suktam associated with?

Durga Suktam is associated with Durga. The invincible Goddess who defeats Mahishasura; worshipped especially during the two Navratris. The Devi Mahatmya (Durga Saptashati) is her principal text.

What does Durga Suktam mean?

What is the source of Durga Suktam?

Mahanarayana Upanishad (Taittiriya Aranyaka, tenth prapathaka) — Anuvaka 2 of the Andhra recension (Taittiriya Aranyaka 10.2); mantra 1 = Rigveda 1.99.1. Tradition: Vedic.

Are there different versions of Durga Suktam?