Narayani Stuti

Meaning:

Sarvasya buddhi rūpeṇa janasya hṛdi saṁsthite .
Svargāpavargade devi nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..1..

Salutations to you, O Narayani, who is present in the heart of all people as intelligence, and grants heaven and liberation.

Kalākāṣṭādi rūpeṇa pariṇāma pradāyini . 
Viśvasyoparatau śakte nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..2..

Salutations to you, O Narayani, who causes change in the form of time periods such as kala and kashtha (~1.6 min and ~3.2s respectively), and has the power to withdraw the universe. 

Sarva maṅgala māṅgalye śive sarvārtha sādhike .
Śaraṇye tryambake gaur nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..3..
O Narayani, who is the most auspicious among the auspicious, who is peaceful, who grants all boons, who gives refuge to all, who has three eyes, and who has a fair complexion! Salutations to you.

Sṛṣṭisthitivināśānāṁ śaktibhūte sanātani .
Guṇāśraye guṇamaye nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..4..

Salutations to you, O Narayani, who has become the power of creation, sustenance, and destruction, who is eternal, who is the creator of all qualities and who possesses them.

Śaraṇāgata-dīnārta-paritrāṇa-parāyaṇe .
Sarvasyārthihare devi nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..5..


Salutations to you, O Goddess Narayani, who is engaged in saving the poor and distressed who take refuge in her, and who removes the sorrows of all people

Haṁsayukta-vimānasthe brahmāṇīrūpa-dhāriṇi .
Kauśāmbhaḥ-kṣarike devi nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..6..

Salutations to you, O Narayani, who is seated in a vehicle drawn by swans, and who, taking the form of Brahmani, sprinkles water with kusha grass.

Triśūla-candrāhi-dhare mahāvṛṣabhavāhini .
Māheśvarī-swarūpeṇa nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..7..

Salutations to you, O Narayani, who, in the form of Maheswari, bears the moon, the snake, and the trident and rides on a great bull .

Mayūra-kukkuṭavṛte mahāśaktidhare'naghe .
Kaumārīrūpa-saṁsthāne nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..8..

Salutations to you, O Narayani, who has assumed the form of Kaumari, who is flanked by a peacock and a cock, who holds the great spear, and who is flawless.

Śaṅkhacakra-gadāśārṅa-gṛhīta-paramāyudhe .
Prasīda Vaiṣṇavīrūpe nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..9..

Salutations to you,O Narayani, who has assumed the form of Vaishnavi, who holds the conch, the disc, the mace and the bow;may you be pleased with us.

Gṛhītogra-mahācakre daṁṣṭoddhṛta-vasundhare .
Varāharūpiṇi śive nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..10..

Salutations to you, O Narayani, who, in the form of Varaha(wild pig), holds a terrible disc, and lifted the earth with her teeth, and who is Shiva.

Nṛsiṁharūpeṇogreṇa hantuṁ daityān kṛtodyame .

Trailokyatrāṇa-sahite nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..11..

Salutations to you, O Narayani, who, in the form of Narasimha, is ever ready to kill the demons, and who protects the three worlds.

Kirīṭini mahāvajre sahasranayanojjvale . 
Vṛtraprāṇahare caindri nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..12..

Salutations to you, O Narayani, who wears a crown, who holds the great thunderbolt, who has a thousand shining eyes, and who killed Vritra as Aindri.

Śivadūtīsvarūpeṇa hathadaitya-mahābale .
Ghorarūpe mahārāve nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..13..

Salutations to you, O Narayani, who, in the form of Shivaduti(one who has Shiva as her messenger), slaughtered the demons with her great strength, who has a terrible form, and a terrible cry.

Daṁṣṭrākarālavadane śiromālā-vibhūṣaṇe .
Chāmunde mundamathane nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..14..

Salutations to you, O Narayani, who are Chamunda, whose canines make her face dreadful, who is decorated with a necklace of severed heads, and who destroyed the demon Munda.

Lakshmi lajje mahāvidye sraddhe puṣṭi svadhe dhruve .
Mahāratri mahāvidye nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..15..

Salutation to you,O Narayani, who is Lakshmi, who is modesty, who is the great knowledge, who is faith, who is nourishment, who is oblation, who is eternal, who is the great night and who is the greatest knowledge.

Medhe sarasvati vare bhūti bābhravi tāmase .
Niyate tvaṁ prasīdeśe nārāyaṇi namo'stute ..16..

Salutations to you,O Narayani, who is intelligence, who is Saraswati, who is prosperity, who is reddish-brown in colour, who is dark, who is the mistress of all, and who is fate;be pleased with us.

This hymn is found in the 11th chapter of the Devimahatmya .

Notes:

  The Devimahatmya is a  portion of the Markandeya Purana which describes the glories of the Mother Goddess. The gods praise the Goddess with this hymn after she killed the demons Shumbha and Nishumbha. The demons Shumbha and Nishumbha obtained a boon from Lord Brahma that only the most powerful woman in the world can kill them. Armed with this boon they created havoc in the three worlds. The troubled gods and sages requested the Mother Goddess Durga to save them from the demons and she obliged. 

  Taking the form of Kaushiki, Durga descended to the Earth. This was when Chanda and Munda, two demons in the service of Shumbha, saw her and reported the news to him. Shumbha sent a group of demons, led by Dhumralochana, to persuade Kaushiki to come with them and marry their masters. Kaushiki flatly refused, and said that she would only marry the person who defeats her in war. This made Dhumralochana angry and he tried to molest her. The enraged Kaushiki uttered the syllable "hmm", causing Dhumralochana to explode. 

  The news reached Shumbha and he decided to take her by force. He sent Chanda and Munda with a small army to bring Kaushiki by force. On seeing herself outnumbered, Kaushiki created a black goddess from her mind. This goddess was dreadful to look at, had sharp teeth, and a dark complexion. She slaughtered the demons, including Chanda and Munda. Kaushiki named her Kalika, as she was black in colour. She was also called Chamunda as she killed Chanda and Munda.

  Shumbha and Nishumbha now decided to launch a full-fledged attack against Kaushiki. Kaushiki decided to send Shiva as a messenger of peace, but the mission failed. The demon launched their attack on Kaushiki. On seeing this, the gods pooled their energies to help Kaushiki in the form of eight goddesses. Brahmani sprinkled water with kusha grass on the demon forces, making them senseless. Vaishnavi, Maheshwari, Kaumari, Varahi, Narasimhi, and Aindri then killed the demons. These seven goddesses were later known as the seven Matrikas. Other goddesses also joined the war.

  One of the major problems the army of Kaushiki faced was Raktabeeja, Shumbha's general. Every drop of his blood that touched the ground would form a new Raktabeeja. The goddesses then invoked Chamunda to help them. Chamunda assumedas man forms as there were Raktabeejas, killed each one and then drank their blood, preventing newones from being formed. The goddesses then killed Nishumbha. An enraged Shumbha taunted Kaushiki saying that it was the other goddesses who helped her defeat his brother. On hearing this, Kaushiki absorbed all the other goddesses into her body and killed Shumbha in single combat. The delighted gods then praised her for restoring order to the three worlds.

Mrityunjaya Stotram

Meaning:

Rudraṁ paśupatiṁ sthānuṁ nīlakaṇṭham umāpatiṁ .
Namāmi śirasā devaṁ kiṁ no mṛtyuḥ kariṣyati ..1..

I bow down to Shiva, who is Rudra, who is the lord of all beasts, who has a blue neck, and who is the husband of Parvati; what can death do to me?

Nīlakaṇṭhaṁ kālamūrtiṁ kālajñaṁ kālanāśanaṁ .
Namāmi śirasā devaṁ kiṁ no mṛtyuḥ kariṣyati ..2..

I bow down to Shiva, who is blue-necked, who takes the form of time, who knows past present and future, and who destroys death; what can death do to me?

Nīlakaṇṭhaṁ virūpakṣam nirmalaṁ nilayaprabhaṁ .
Namāmi śirasā devaṁ kiṁ no mṛtyuḥ kariṣyati ..3..

I bow down to Shiva, who is blue-necked, who has three eyes , and who is the abode of light; what can death do to me?

Vāmadevaṁ mahādevaṁ lokanāthaṁ jagatguruṁ .
Namāmi śirasā devaṁ kiṁ no mṛtyuḥ kariṣyati ..4..

I bow down to Shiva, who is benevolent, who is the greatest god, who is the master of the universe, and who is the teacher of the world; what can death do to me?

Devadevaṁ jagannāthaṁ deveśaṁ vṛṣabhadhvajaṁ.
Namāmi śirasā devaṁ kiṁ no mṛtyuḥ kariṣyati ..5..

I bow down to Shiva, who is the god of gods, who is the lord of the universe, who is the ruler of gods, and whose flag bears the insignia of a bull; what can death do to me?

Gaṅgādharaṁ mahādevaṁ sarvābharaṇa-bhūṣitaṁ .
Namāmi śirasā devaṁ kiṁ no mṛtyuḥ kariṣyati ..6..

I bow down to Shiva, who bears the Ganga, who is the great god, and who is bedecked with a variety of ornaments; what can death do to me?

Anāthaṁ paramānandaṁ kaivalyapada-gāminam .
Namāmi śirasā devaṁ kiṁ no mṛtyuḥ kariṣyati ..7..

I bow down to Shiva, who has no master, who is the supreme bliss, and who shows the path to salvation; what can death do to me?

Svargāpavarga-dātāraṁ sṛṣṭisthiti-vināśanaṁ .
Namāmi śirasā devaṁ kiṁ no mṛtyuḥ kariṣyati ..8..

I bow down to Shiva, who gives heaven and salvation, and who creates, sustains, and destroys; what can death do to me?

Utpatti-sthitisaṁhāra-kartāram-īśvaraṁ gurum .
Namāmi śirasā devaṁ kiṁ no mṛtyuḥ kariṣyati ..9..

I bow down to Shiva, who  creates, sustains, and destroys, who is the lord and who is the teacher; what can death do to me?

Mārkaṇḍeyakṛtaṁ stotraṁ yaḥ paṭhet śivasannidhau .
Tasya mṛtyubhayaṁ nāsti nāgneścorabhayaṁ kvacit ..10..

Whoever reads this hymn composed by Markandeya in the presence of Shiva will not fear death, fie, and thieves.

Śatāvṛttaṁ prakartavyaṁ saṅkate kaṣṭanaśanam .
Śucirbhūtvā paṭhet stotraṁ sarvasiddhi-pradāyakam ..11..

This hymn should be repeated a hundred times, as it removes difficulty during the time of distress. After becoming clean, one must read this hymn which gives all types of attainments.

Mṛtyuñjaya mahādeva trāhi māṁ śaraṇāgatam .
Janma-mṛtyu-jarārogaiḥ pīḍitaṁ karmabandhanaiḥ ..12..

O Slayer of death! O greatest among gods! Save me,who am tortured by the bonds of karma, from birth,death, old age and disease, as I have taken refuge in you.

Namaḥ śivāya sāmbāya haraye paramātmane .
Praṇataḥ-kleśa-nāśāya yogīnāṁ pataye namaḥ ..13..

Salutations to Shiva, who is accompanied by Shakti, who is Vishnu, who is the supreme Soul, who destroys the pain of his devotees, and who is the master of all Yogis.

 This hymn was composed by Sage Markandeya.

Notes

  Markandeya was a great devotee of Lord Shiva. Before his birth, Shiva asked his father Mrikandu if he wanted hundred long-lived sons who would be stupid, or one son who would earn a lot of fame and glory, but die at the age of sixteen. Mrikandu asked Shiva for the short-lived son.

 The child was called Markandeya as he was the son of Mrikandu. He grew up to be a staunch devotee of Shiva.When he reached the age of sixteen, he noticed that his parents grew sadder day by day. After queries, his father reluctantly told him that he was fated to die at the age of sixteen. Markandeya was undaunted. He went to the seashore, built a Shivalinga out of the sand, and started worshipping it.

  Yama, the god of death, noticed that the boy's time was up and sent his servants to fetch Markandeya. When the servants went to fetch him, he refused to go with them. After failing to take him, the servants told their master to look into the matter. Yama went to the spot and tried to drag Markandeya along with him. At once, Shiva, to protect his devotee, jumped out of the Linga and kicked Yama so hard that he fainted.

  Shiva blessed Markandeya with immortality and told him that he need not have any fear of death, old age, and disease. He also instructed Yama not to come anywhere near his devotees. This episode earned Shiva the epithet 'The destroyer of death'.

Purusha Suktam

Meaning:

Oṁ tacchaṁyorāvṛṇīmahe . Gātuṁ yajñāya . Gātuṁ yajñapataye . Daivī svastirastu naḥ . Svastir mānuṣebhyaḥ . Ūrdhvaṁ jigātu bheṣajam . Śanno astu dvipade . Śaṁ catuṣpade ..
Oṁ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ..

We request the Supreme Lord to protect the yajna and the one who performs it. May the divine grace be upon us. May all men be blessed. May the medicinal plants grow tall. May there be peace for the two-legged and four-legged animals. Om peace, peace, peace.

Sahasraśīrṣā puruṣaḥ . Sahasrākṣas-sahasrapāt .
Sa bhūmiṁ viśvato vṛtvā . Atyatiṣṭhad-daśāṅgulam ..1..

The Purusha (Supreme Being) has a thousand heads, a thousand eyes and a thousand feet. Even after enveloping the universe from all sides, he transcends it by 10 fingers. 

Puruṣa evedam̐̐ sarvam . Yadbhūtaṁ yacca bhavyam .
Utāmṛtatvasyeśānaḥ . Yadannenātirohati ..2..

All this is Purusha. All that has been and will be is Purusha. He is also the Lord of immortality, who grows without bounds through food.

Etāvānasya mahimā . Ato jyāyām̐śca pūruṣaḥ .
Pādo'sya viśvā bhūtāni . Tripādasyāmṛtaṁ divi .. 3..

This is his greatness. Therefore he is the foremost. A quarter of him formed all the living beings, and the remaining three quarters are immortal in  heaven.

Tripādūrdhva udait puruṣaḥ . Pādo'syehābhavātpunaḥ .
Tato viśvaṅ vyakrāmat . Sāśanānaśane abhi ..4..

Three quarters of the Purusha have risen above. A quarter of him keeps on manifesting here. From that the universe was formed, along with the living and non-living .

Tasmād virāḍajāyata . Virājo adhi pūruṣaḥ .
Sa jāto atyaricyata . Paścāt bhūmimatho puraḥ ..5...

From him Virat arose. And from Virat rose Brahma. After his birth, he grew immensely, behind and in front of the earth.

Yatpuruṣeṇa haviṣā . Devā yajñamatanvata .
Vasanto asyāsīdājyam .Grīṣma idhmaḥ śaraddhaviḥ ..6..

Using Purusha as a sacrifice, the gods performed a fire sacrifice. Spring was its ghee, summer was its fuel and autumn was its oblation.

Saptāsyāsan paridhayaḥ . Trissapta samidhaḥ kṛtāḥ .
Devā yadyajñaṁ tanvānāḥ . Abadhnan puruṣaṁ paśum ..7..

The sacrificial altar had seven enclosing sticks and twenty-one fuel-sticks. The devas then performed the sacrifice by tying up Purusha, the sacrificial animal.

Taṁ yajñaṁ barhiṣi praukṣan . Puruṣaṁ jātamagrataḥ
Tena devā ayajanta . Sādhyā ṛṣayaśca ye ..8..

The Purusha, who was born before all, was placed on Kusha grass and sanctified. The gods then sacrificed him along with the Sadhyas and the sages.

Tasmādyajñāt sarvahutaḥ . Sambhṛtaṁ pṛṣadājyam .
Paśūm̐stām̐ścakre vāyavyān . Āraṇyān grāmyāśca ye ..9..

From that sacrifice, everything was consumed. Then ghee and curds, birds, wild animals and domestic animals were created.

Tasmādyajñāt sarvahutaḥ . Ṛcassāmāni jajñire .
Chandam̐si jajñire tasmāt . Yajus tasmādajāyata ..10..

From that sacrifice, everything was consumed. Then the Rigveda, Samaveda, various prosodical meters and Yajurveda were formed.

Tasmādaśvā ajāyatna . Ye ke cobhayādataḥ .
Gāvo ha jajñire tasmāt . Tāsmajjātā ajāvayaḥ ..11..

From that sacrifice were born horses, animals with two rows of teeth, cows, sheep and goats.

Yatpuruṣaṁ vyadadhuḥ. Katidhā vyakalpayan.
Mukhaṁ kimasya kau bāhū. Kāvūrū pādāvucyete..12..

In how many ways did the gods divide Purusha? What were his head, hands, thighs and feet called?

Brāhmaṇo'sya mukhamāsīt . Bāhū rājanyaḥ kṛtaḥ .
Ūrū tadasya yad vaiśyaḥ . Padbhyam̐ śūdro ajāyata ..13..

His face became the Brahmins. His arms became the kings. His thighs became the merchants and his feet became the labourers.

Candramā manaso jātaḥ . Cakṣoḥ sūryo ajāyata .
Mukhādindraścāgniśca . Prānādvayurajāyata ..14..

The moon was born from his mind and the sun from his eyes. Indra and Agni were born from his mouth. Vayu was born from his breath.

Nābhyā āsīdantarikṣaṁ . Śīrṣṇoḥ dyauḥ samavartata .
Padbhyāṁ bhūmirdiśaḥ śrotrāt. Tathā lokām̐ akalpayan ..15..

His navel became outer space. His head became the heavens. From his feet emerged the Earth and the directions came from his ears. Thus the three worlds were created.

Vedāhametaṁ puruṣaṁ mahāntam . Ādityavarṇaṁ tamasastu pāre .
Sarvāṇi rūpāṇi vicitya dhīraḥ . Nāmāni kṛtvābhivadan yadāste ..16..

I have known that Supreme Being who has the brilliance of the sun, who is beyond ignorance,and who, after creating and naming all forms, enters them.

Dhātā purastādyamudājahāra . Śakra pravidvān pradiśaścatasraḥ .
Tamevaṁ vidvān amṛta iha bhavati . Nānyaḥ panthā ayanāya vidyate..17..

Knowing the one whom Brahma, Indra who is well- learned and the four quarters praised in the beginning, one becomes immortal in this world. There is no other path for liberation.

Yajñena yajñamayajanta devāḥ . Tāni dharmāṇi prathamānyāsan .
Te ha nākaṁ mahimānassacante . Yatra pūrve sādhyāḥ santi devāḥ ..18..

The gods worshipped Yajna through sacrifical ceremonies. Those were the first religious acts. They attained that heaven where the Sadhyas were before.

Adbhyaḥ sambhūtaḥ pṛthivyai rasācca . Viśvakarmaṇaḥ samavartatādhi .
Tasya tvaṣṭā vidadhadrūpameti . Tatpuruṣasya viśvamājānamagre ..19..

The universe emerged from water and the essence of the earth. From the creator, Brahma emerged. The Purusha then entered the forms which that Brahma created . Thus the entire creation of was formed in the beginning.

Vedāhametaṁ puruṣaṁ mahāntam . Ādityavarṇaṁ tamasaḥ parastāt .
Tamevam vidvān amṛta iha bhavati . Nānyaḥ panthā vidyate'yanāya ..20..

I have known that Supreme Being who has the brilliance of the sun and who is beyond ignorance. Knowing him thus, one becomes immortal in this world. There is no other path for liberation.

Prajāpatiścarati garbhe antaḥ . Ajāyamāno bahudhā vijāyate .
Tasya dhīrāḥ parijānanti yonim . Marīcīnāṁ padamicchanti vedhasaḥ ..21..

Prajapati  moves inside the  womb. Though unborn, he is born in different ways. The wise know him to be the origin of the universe. Even the creators desire  the positions of the Marichis.

Yo devebhya ātapati . Yo devānāṁ purohitaḥ .
Pūrvo yo devebhyo jātaḥ . Namo rucāya brāhmaye ..22..

Salutation to the effulgent Brahman, who shines for the gods, who is the greatest among the gods and who was born before the gods.

Rucaṁ brāhmaṁ janayantaḥ . Devā agre tadabruvan .
Yastvaivaṁ brāhmaṇo vidyāt . Tasya devā asan vaśe ..23..

In the beginning, the gods, creating the essence of Brahman, told it: "The gods will be under the control of the Brahman who knows you thus."

Hrīśca te lakṣmīśca patnyau . Ahorātre pārśve .
Nakṣatrāṇi rūpam . Aśvinau vyāttam .
Iṣṭaṁ maniṣāṇa . Amuṁ maniṣāṇa . Sarvaṁ maniṣāṇa ..24.. 

Modesty and wealth are your consorts. Day and night are your sides. The stars are your beauty. The Ashvins are your opened jaws. Grant us our desires. Grant us happiness. Grant us everything.

Oṁ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ..
Om peace, peace, peace.

This hymn is found in the Taittiriya Aranyakam. ie. Prapathakas 12 and 13 of Chapter 3. 

The Shanti Mantra is found in the  beginning of the Chapter.  

Notes:

The Purusha Suktam is a hymn unto the Cosmic Being, known as Purusha. The text is made up of two parts: Ch. 3 Pr. 12 of the Taittiriya Aranyakam called the Purva Narayana, and Ch. 3 Pr. 12 called the Uttara Narayana. The Purva Narayana gives a short introduction about the Purusha and describes the process of creation. The Uttara Narayana talks about the role of the Purusha in creation. The hymn ends with a prayer to the Purusha asking him to fulfill all desires and grant happiness.