Devi Atharvashirsha

This sukta is considered to be very important in AtharvaVeda. In reality it is borrowed from Rig-Veda the mantras ! to " of !#$th sukta of !%th Adhyaya of the !%th &andala. Devi Atharvashirsha is a link between philosophy 'Darshana( and techni)ues 'Tantra(. It is a tradition to recite it before Durga *aptashati.

+r,devyatharva+,ram

- sarve vai dev. dev,mupatasthu k.si tva mah.dev,ti 1

All the Gods, going near the Goddess, asked "who are you, Oh mighty Goddess?"

s.brav,t- aha brahmasvar-pi, matta praktipuru.tmaka /agat +-nya c.+-nyam ca 2

She said: I am an aspect o !rahma" #rom me this $ni%erse, in

orm o &rakriti and &urusha, is generated' which is (oth %oid and non)%oid"

aham.nand.n.nandau aha %i*+.n.vi/0.ne aha (rahm.brahma, veditavye aha pa+ca(h-t.nyapa0cabh-t.ni ahamakhila *agat ,

I am (oth (liss and non)(liss" I am knowledge and non)knowledge" I am !rahma and non)!rahma -the non)mani est state called A(rahma." I am the i%e primordial principles and non)principles" I am the whole percei%ed $ni%erse"

%edo hama%edo ham %idy.hamavidy.ham a*.hamana/.ham adha+cordhva ca tiryakc.ham /

I am 0eda -knowledge a(out !rahma. and non)knowledge" I am learning and ignorance" I am un(orn and also (orn" I am up, down and in the middle"

aha rudre(hir%asu(hi+car.mi aham.dityairuta vi+vadevai

aha mitr.varu.vubhau bibharmi ahamindr.gn, ahama+vin.vubhau 1

I mo%e a(out in orm o 2udra and 0asu" I mo%e a(out as Aditya and all the Gods" I sustain 3itra, 0aruna, Indra, Agni and (oth the Ash%inas"

aha soma t%a.ra p-aa bhaga dadh.mi aha %iumurukrama (rahm.amuta pra/.pati dadh.mi 4

In me there are Soma, 5%asta, &usha and !haga" In me there are 0ishnu with wide ootsteps, !rahma and &ra*apati"

aha dadh.mi dravia havimate supr.vye u ya/am.n.ya sunvate aha r.r, sagaman, vas-n. cikitu, pratham. ya/0iy.n.m aha su%e pitaramasya m-rdhanmama yonirapsvanta samudre ya e%am %ed sa de%, sampadam.pnoti 6

I (ring 7ealth with 8a%i -o(lation. to that man who o ers the (est 8a%i to Gods and consecrates Soma" I am the 9mpress o this whole $ni%erse" I gi%e wealth to worshippers" I am the o(ser%er and the irst amongst those worth worshipping" I create on mysel -as (asis o all. the primordial elements" 3y a(ode is in the waters o Samudra -the ocean o consciousness." One who knows this o(tains di%ine wealth"

te de%. abruvannamo devyai mah.devyai +iv.yai satata nama nama praktyai (hadr.yai niyat. praat. sma t.m :

5hen the Gods said: Salutations to the Goddess, the Great Goddess" Salutations always to the goddess who is (ene icial to all" Salutations to the goddess who is the ;ature and is grace ul" 7e, ollowers o rules, pay our respects to 8er"

t.magnivar. tapas. /valant, vairocan, karmaphaleu /u.m durg. dev, +araa prapady.mahe sur.nn.+ayitryai te nama <

Salutations to =ou, with color o Agni, shining with knowledge, (right, (eing worshipped to o(tain ruits o actions, we are in her re uge" Oh >e%i, destroyer o e%il, salutations to =ou"

de%, v.cama/anayanta dev.st. vi+var-p. pa+avo vadanti s. no mandream-r/a duh.n. dhenurv.gasm.nupa suutaitu1?

5he Gods created the shining 0ak -Goddess o speech., which is spoken (y animals o all types" She gi%es ood, all kinds o perceptions, intelligence, pleasure, (liss and strength" @et 0ak (e satis ied (y our prayers and come near us"

k.lar.tr, brahmastut. vaiav, skandam.taram saras%at,maditi dakaduhitara nam.ma p.van. +iv.m 11

5o Aalaratri -the >ark ;ight., to the power o 0ishnu, prayed (y 0edas, to the mother o Skanda -&ar%ati., to Saras%ati -power o !rahma., to the mother o gods Aditi, to the daughter o >aksha

-Sati., to the destroyer o sins, to the (ene icial !hag%ati, we con%ey our salutations"

mah.lakmyai ca vidmahe sarva+aktyai ca dh,mahi tanno de%, pracoday.t 12

7e know the 3ahalakshmi and meditate on 8er, the all)power ul one" 3ay that Goddess direct us in correct direction"

aditirhya*ania daka y. duhit. tava t. dev. anva/.yanta bhadr. amtabandhava 1,

Oh >aksha, your daughter Aditi ga%e (irth to immortal Gods, worth praying"

k.mo yoni kamal. va/rap.irguh. has. m.tari+v.bhramindra punarguh. sakal. m.yay. ca pur-cyai. vi+vam.t.dividyom 1/

;ow is illustrated the highly secreti%e Shri%idya &anchadashi 3ahamantra, a 11 lettered mantra" 5he mantra gi%es the ollowing letters or meditation: ka)e),-la-hr, ha-sa-ka-ha-la-hr, saka-la-hr,. These are the root knowledge about the &other of the universe. This is a very important mantra for Tantra but has to be learnt from a guru.

e.tma+akti e. vi+vamohin, p.+.ku+adhanurb.adhar. e. +r,mah.vidy. ya e%a %eda sa +oka tarati 11

She is the power o &aramatma" She is the one to (ewitch all" She shines with noose, goad, (ow and arrows in her hands" She is Shri 3aha0idya" One who knows this well o%ercomes sadness"

namaste astu (haga%ati m.tarasm.n p.hi sarvata 14

Oh !haga%ati, salutations to =ou" Oh 3other, protect us in all ways"

sai.au vasava saiaik.da+arudr. sai. dv.da+.dity. sai. vi+vedev. somap. asomap.+ca sai. y.tudh.n. asur. rak.si pi+.c. yak. siddh. sai. sattvara/astam.si sai. brahmaviurudrar-pi, sai. pra/.pat,ndramanava sai. grahanakatra/yot,i kal. k.h.dik.lar-pi, t.maha praaumi nityam p.pah.ri, dev, bhuktimuktiprad.yin,m anant. vi/ay. +uddh. +aray. +ivad. +iv.m16

She is the eight 0asus" She is the ele%en 2udras" She is the twel%e Adityas" She is the all the Gods, drinking Soma or non)drinking" She is =atudhan, 2akshashas, Asuras, &ishachas, =akshas and Siddhas -kinds o demonic or malicious (eings." She is Sat%a, 2a*as and 5amas" She is !rahma, 0ishnu and 2udra" She is &ra*apati, Indra and 3anu" She is the planets, stars and constellations" She is %arious measures o 5ime" She is destroyer o sins, gi%er o (oth en*oyment and 3oksha, without end, gi%ing %ictory o%er distractions o Samsara, pure, worth taking re uge, gi%er o peace, peace personi ied, we pray to 8er"

%iyad,k.rasayukta v,tihotrasamanvitam ardhendulasita de%y. b,/a sarv.rthas.dhakam 1:

e%amek.kara brahma yataya +uddhacetasa dhy.yanti param.nandamay. /0.n.mbur.+aya 1<

Akash means ha, with , syllable Agni ra a is the 1i/amantra for the 2oddess 'so hr, is formed(. This mantra is able to satisfy all desires. Those 3ogis whose mind is pure meditate on this one syllable 1rahma they are having e4treme happiness and like an ocean of knowledge.

v.m.y. brahmas-stasm.t aha vaktrasamanvitam suryo v.ma+rotrabindusa yukta.ttt,yaka n.r.yaena sami+ro v.yu+c.dharayuk tata vicce nav.rako r a sy.nmahad.nandad.yaka 2?

0ak ai, 3aya hr, 1rahma or 5ama kl, the si4th consonant ca with Vaktra . *urya ma the right ear u and 1indu a the third from '( with 6arayana . Vayu ya with lips ai and at the end vicce 'so ai hr, kl, chamun.ye vicce is formed(. This navarna 'nine-lettered(

mantra gives pleasure bliss and nearness the meditator to 1rahman. om - The 7ranava &antra represents the 6irguna 1rahman the infinite beyond conception. aim - The Vak bee/a the seed sound of &ahasarasvati. The knowledge that is consciousness. 8reation ra/o guna the energy of desire. hrim - The &aya bee/a the sound of &ahalakshmi. The all pervasive e4istence. 7reservation sattva guna energy of action. klim - The 5ama bee/a the seed sound of &ahakali. The all consuming delight. Destruction tamo guna energy of wisdom. camunda - The slayer of the demons 8handa and &unda of passion and anger. yai - the grantor of boons. vicce - in the body of knowledge in the perception of consciousness.

htpuar,kamadhyasth. pr.ta s-ryasamaprabh. p.+.ku+adhar. saumy. varad.bhayahastak.m trinetr. raktavasan. bhaktak.madugh. bha/e 21

I worship the Goddess staying in the middle o my Sel -or mind., (right as the morning Sun, who is holding &asha and Ankusha in her hands, with (eauti ul looks, with the hand in 0arad -(lessing. and A(haya -protecting. mudra, with three eyes, with red cloths and who satis ies the desires o her worshippers"

nam.mi tv. mah.dev, mah.bhayavin.+in,m mah.durgapra+aman, mah.k.ruyar-pi,m 22

I o er salutations to the Goddess who destroys earsome trou(les, who eliminates o(stacles and who is the personi ication o compassion"

yasy. svar-pa brahm.dayo na /.nanti tasm.ducyate a/0ey.

yasy. anto na labhyate tasm.ducyate anant. yasy. lakya nopalakyate tasm.ducyate alaky. yasy. /anana nopalabhyate tasm.ducyate a/. ekai%a sar%atra %artate tasm.ducyate ek. ekai%a %i+var-pi, tasm.ducyate naik. ata e%ocyate a*+ey.nant.laky./aik. naiketi 2,

9%en !rahma and the other >e%as do not know her real orm, so she is called A*+eya" 7e do not ind its limit, so she is called Ananta" 7e can not ind the meaning, so she is called Alakshya" 8er (irth is not known, so she is called A*a" She is ound e%erywhere, so she is called 9ka, the One" She has taken up all the %arious orms, so she is called ;aika" !ecause o this she is called these %arious names"

mantr.. m.tk. dev, +abd.n. /0.nar-pi, *+.n.n. cinmay.t,t. +-ny.n. +-nyas.ki, yasy. paratara n.sti sai. durg. prak,rtit. 2/

Amongst the mantras She is the original sounds, in the words She is the essence o knowledge" Amongst the knowledge She is (eyond what is comprehensi(le (y analysis and (y deep meditation, She is the witness to that state" She is well known as

>urga, there is nothing (etter than her"

t. durg. durgam. dev, dur.c.ravigh.tin,m nam.mi bhavabh,to ha sas.r.ravat.ri,m 21

I, a raid o the Samsara, o er my salutations to >urga, di icult to know, destroyer o sins and pilot while crossing this sea o Samsara"

idamathar%a+,ra yo dh,te sa pa0c.tharva+,ra/apaphalam.pnoti idamathar%a+,rama/0.tv. yo rc. sth.payati +atalaka pra/aptv. pi so rc.siddhi na vindati +atamaottara c.sya pura+cary.vidhi smta da+av.ra pahedyastu sadya p.pai pramucyate mah.durg.i tarati mah.devy. pras.data 24

One who studies this Athar%ashirsha gets credit or reciting it i%e times" One who esta(lishes and worships an image without knowing this Athar%ashirsha will not get any (ene it, e%en i does

1??,??? recitations" 2epeat this 1?: times, that is the method o &urascharana" 9%en repeating ten times makes him ree o sins due to the grace o 3ahade%i"

s.yamadh,y.no divasakta p.pa n.+ayati pr.taradh,y.no r.trikta p.pa n.+ayati s.ya pr.ta prayu0/.no ap.po bhavatini+,the tur,yasandhy.y. /aptv. v.ksiddhirbhavati n-tan.y. pratim.y. /aptv. devat.s.nnidhya bhavati pr.apratih.y. /aptv. pr..n. pratih. bhavati (haum.+viny. mah.dev,sannidhau /aptv. mah.mtyu tarati sa mah.mtyu tarati ya eva ved ityupaniat 26

!y Shri >e%iBs grace, one escapes rom the greatest o di iculties" !y chanting this hymn in the e%ening, one gets rid o the sins committed during the day" !y chanting this hymn in the morning, one gets rid o the sins committed during the pre%ious night" !y using this hymn in the morning and e%ening -e%eryday. one (ecomes ree rom all sins" !y chanting this during the 5uriya Sandhya -midnight when 5uriya meets 5uriyatita., one gets 0ak Siddhi -power o speech." !y chanting this hymn, >e%ata Sannidhya -presence o di%inity. is accomplished in a new idol" !y

chanting this mantra during yoga one escapes rom the great death" In this way this $panishad is the dead o ignorance"