Durga Suktam

दुर्गासूक्तम्
॥ अथ दुर्गा सूक्तम् ॥ओम् ॥ जा॒तवे॑दसे सुनवाम॒ सोम॑ मरातीय॒तो निद॑हाति॒ वेदः॑ ।
स नः॑ पर्-ष॒दति॑ दु॒र्गाणि॒ विश्वा॑ ना॒वेव॒ सिन्धु॑-न्दुरि॒ता-ऽत्य॒ग्निः ॥

durgāsūktam
.. atha durgā sūktam ..ōm ॥ jā̠tavē̍dasē sunavāma̠ sōma̍ marātīya̠tō nida̍hāti̠ vēda̍ḥ ।
sa na̍ḥ par-ṣa̠dati̍ du̠rgāṇi̠ viśvā̍ nā̠vēva̠ sindhu̍-nduri̠tā-‘tya̠gniḥ ॥

We offer oblations of Soma unto Agni. May he burn those who are against us. May that Agni lead us beyond all difficulties, like a boatman takes his boat across a river.

ताम॒ग्निव॑र्णा॒-न्तप॑सा ज्वल॒न्तीं-वैँ॑रोच॒नी-ङ्क॑र्मफ॒लेषु॒ जुष्टा᳚म् ।
दु॒र्गा-न्दे॒वीग्ं शर॑णम॒ह-म्प्रप॑द्ये सु॒तर॑सि तरसे॒ नमः॑ ॥

tāma̠gniva̍rṇā̠-ntapa̍sā jvala̠ntīṃ vai̍rōcha̠nī-ṅka̍rmapha̠lēṣu̠ juṣṭā̎m ।
du̠rgā-ndē̠vīgṃ śara̍ṇama̠ha-mprapa̍dyē su̠tara̍si tarasē̠ nama̍ḥ ॥

I take refuge in that Goddess, who has the lusture of fire, who is radiant due to her penance, who gives the fruits of all actions, and who is difficult to obtain. O Durga, we bow to you who are skilled in making us cross all difficulties.

अग्ने॒ त्व-म्पा॑रया॒ नव्यो॑ अ॒स्मान्​थ्स्व॒स्तिभि॒रति॑ दु॒र्गाणि॒ विश्वा᳚ ।
पूश्च॑ पृ॒थ्वी ब॑हु॒ला न॑ उ॒र्वी भवा॑ तो॒काय॒ तन॑याय॒ शं​योँः ॥

agnē̠ tva-mpā̍rayā̠ navyō̍ a̠smān​thsva̠stibhi̠rati̍ du̠rgāṇi̠ viśvā̎ ।
pūścha̍ pṛ̠thvī ba̍hu̠lā na̍ u̠rvī bhavā̍ tō̠kāya̠ tana̍yāya̠ śaṃyōḥ ॥

Oh Agni! You are worthy of all praise. Lead us safely beyond all difficulties. May our land and our earth be abundant. Bless our children and their children with happiness.

विश्वा॑नि नो दु॒र्गहा॑ जातवेद॒-स्सिन्धु॒न्न ना॒वा दु॑रि॒ता-ऽति॑पर्-षि ।
अग्ने॑ अत्रि॒वन्मन॑सा गृणा॒नो᳚-ऽस्माक॑-म्बोध्यवि॒ता त॒नूना᳚म् ॥

viśvā̍ni nō du̠rgahā̍ jātavēda̠-ssindhu̠nna nā̠vā du̍ri̠tā-‘ti̍par-ṣi ।
agnē̍ atri̠vanmana̍sā gṛṇā̠nō̎-‘smāka̍-mbōdhyavi̠tā ta̠nūnā̎m ॥

O destroyer of all difficulties! Rescue us from difficulties, just as one crosses a river by means of a boat. O Agni! Protect our bodies vigilantly like Atri (who is concerned with the welfare of all beings).

पृ॒त॒ना॒ जित॒ग्ं॒ सह॑मानमु॒ग्रम॒ग्निग्ं हु॑वेम पर॒माथ्स॒धस्था᳚त् ।
स नः॑ पर्-ष॒दति॑ दु॒र्गाणि॒ विश्वा॒ क्षाम॑द्दे॒वो अति॑ दुरि॒ता-ऽत्य॒ग्निः ॥

pṛ̠ta̠nā̠ jita̠gṃ̠ saha̍mānamu̠grama̠gnigṃ hu̍vēma para̠māthsa̠dhasthā̎t ।
sa na̍ḥ par-ṣa̠dati̍ du̠rgāṇi̠ viśvā̠ kṣāma̍ddē̠vō ati̍ duri̠tā-‘tya̠gniḥ ॥

We invoke Agni from the highest assembly, who charges and vanquishes his enemies and is fearsome. May that Agni protect us and lead us beyond all that is transient, all difficulties, and all sins.

प्र॒त्नोषि॑ क॒मीड्यो॑ अध्व॒रेषु॑ स॒नाच्च॒ होता॒ नव्य॑श्च॒ सत्सि॑ ।
स्वाञ्चा᳚-ऽग्ने त॒नुव॑-म्पि॒प्रय॑स्वा॒स्मभ्य॑-ञ्च॒ सौभ॑ग॒माय॑जस्व ॥

pra̠tnōṣi̍ ka̠mīḍyō̍ adhva̠rēṣu̍ sa̠nāchcha̠ hōtā̠ navya̍ścha̠ satsi̍ ।
svāñchā̎-‘gnē ta̠nuva̍-mpi̠praya̍svā̠smabhya̍-ñcha̠ saubha̍ga̠māya̍jasva ॥

O Agni! You who are adored in sacrifices multiply our joy. You are present in the sacrifices and are always laudable. Grant us happiness thinking of us as your own body. Bring us good fortune from all corners.

गोभि॒र्जुष्ट॑मयुजो॒ निषि॑क्त॒-न्तवे᳚न्द्र विष्णो॒रनु॒सञ्च॑रेम ।
नाक॑स्य पृ॒ष्ठम॒भि सं॒​वँसा॑नो॒ वैष्ण॑वीं-लोँ॒क इ॒ह मा॑दयन्ताम् ॥

gōbhi̠rjuṣṭa̍mayujō̠ niṣi̍kta̠-ntavē̎mdra viṣṇō̠ranu̠sañcha̍rēma ।
nāka̍sya pṛ̠ṣṭhama̠bhi sa̠ṃvasā̍nō̠ vaiṣṇa̍vīṃ lō̠ka i̠ha mā̍dayantām ॥

O all-pervading Indra who is unattached ! We shall follow you blessed with cattle and happiness. May those who live in the upper reach of the heavens bless me with the world of Vishnu in this life.

ओ-ङ्का॒त्या॒य॒नाय॑ वि॒द्महे॑ कन्यकु॒मारि॑ धीमहि ।
तन्नो॑ दुर्गिः प्रचो॒दया᳚त् ॥

ō-ṅkā̠tyā̠ya̠nāya̍ vi̠dmahē̍ kanyaku̠māri̍ dhīmahi ।
tannō̍ durgiḥ prachō̠dayā̎t ॥

We perceive the daughter of Katyayana; we meditate on that young virgin. May that Durga inspire us (to reach that goal).

इति दुर्गा सूक्तम् ॥
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

iti durgā sūktam ..
oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ..

Om peace peace peace.

Durga Suktam – Introduction

The Durga Suktam is a Vedic hymn found in the Maha Narayana Upanishad, primarily addressed to Agni (the god of fire) as a representation of the Divine Mother Durga’s fiery, active energy. Its meaning is a prayer for protection from life’s difficulties, with Agni being asked to “carry us across” all obstacles like a ferryman carries a boat across a river. Chanting the Suktam is believed to bestow inner strength, prosperity, and connection to the Supreme Shakti, leading to the removal of fears and negativity.

Key Aspects of the Durga Suktam:
Invocation of Agni: The hymns are directed towards Agni, who symbolizes purposeful action and the power to overcome adversity.

Durga’s Fiery Form: Agni is seen as a manifestation of Durga’s divine, fiery energy, a form that is both destructive to evil and protective to the righteous.

Symbolism of Durga: The word “Durga” itself means “difficult to cross” or “fort,” representing the difficult obstacles and shortcomings that imprison the mind.

A Prayer for Crossing Difficulties: The core message is a plea to be carried over the “ocean of worldly existence” by a divine force that obliterates obstacles.

Connection to Shakti: The Suktam seeks the grace of the Supreme Shakti (divine feminine power) to gain protection, inner strength, and spiritual progress.

Benefits of Chanting:
Protection from Obstacles: Chanting provides protection from the difficulties that beset the path of life.

Inner Strength and Clarity: It helps in gaining inner strength, mental clarity, and the ability to face challenging situations.

Prosperity and Well-being: The hymn aims to bless homes, lands, children, and future generations with peace and prosperity.

Spiritual Connection: It connects the chanter to the Divine Mother and allows for the experience of divine love.

---