Durga Saptashati Chapter 5: Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu, the Hymn of the Gods and Shumbha's Message

The final charitra begins with chapter 5; its goddess is Mahasaraswati. It is the largest part of the Saptashati (chapters 5 to 13). Chapter 5 contains the hymn heard in almost every Hindu home: "Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu...".

Shumbha and Nishumbha

Long ago two asura brothers, Shumbha and Nishumbha, proud of their strength, seized Indra's kingdom and his share of sacrifices, and the powers of the sun, moon, Kubera, Yama, Varuna and Agni too. The humiliated gods remembered the Goddess's promise, "I will come when remembered in danger", went to the Himalaya and began to praise her.

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu (the Aparajita Stuti)

The gods first said: Salutations to the Goddess, ever salutations to the great Goddess Shiva, to Prakriti and to the auspicious one. Then they bowed three times to the Goddess in each of her forms:

Ya devi sarva bhuteshu vishnu mayeti shabdita
namas tasyai namas tasyai namas tasyai namo namah

Meaning: To the Goddess who in all beings is called Vishnumaya, salutation to her, salutation to her, salutation to her again and again.

In the same way the gods bowed to the Goddess as she dwells in all beings in these forms:

• Consciousness, intelligence, sleep, hunger, shadow.
• Power, thirst, forbearance, kind, modesty.
• Peace, faith, beauty, fortune, livelihood.
• Memory, compassion, contentment, mother, and illusion.

Finally: salutation to the Goddess who presides over the senses, pervades all beings, and fills the whole world as consciousness.

The spirit of the hymn is that the Goddess is not only in the temple but in every experience: in hunger, in sleep, in compassion, and in the form of a mother.

Kaushiki appears

Just then Parvati came to bathe in the Ganga and asked whom they were praising. From the sheath (kosha) of her body Shiva (Ambika) appeared and said: "The gods tormented by Shumbha are praising me." Because she came from Parvati's bodily sheath she is called Kaushiki. After she emerged Parvati turned dark and became known as Kalika, dwelling in the Himalaya.

Chanda, Munda and Shumbha's messenger

Shumbha's servants Chanda and Munda saw the beautiful Ambika and told Shumbha: "All the jewels of the three worlds are yours; this jewel of a woman should be yours too." Shumbha sent a messenger, Sugriva, with a proposal of marriage. The messenger described Shumbha's splendour in sweet words and said: "Accept Shumbha or his brother Nishumbha as your husband."

The Goddess's vow

The Goddess smiled and said: "What you say is true; Shumbha rules the three worlds. But out of little understanding I made a vow long ago:"

"Yo mam jayati sangrame yo me darpam vyapohati, yo me pratibalo loke sa me bharta bhavishyati": "Whoever conquers me in battle, removes my pride, and is my equal in strength in the world, he shall be my husband."

"So let Shumbha or Nishumbha come here, conquer me and then marry me." The messenger said: "You speak in pride; how will you, a lone woman, stand before those whom even Indra and the gods could not face?" The Goddess said: "So it is, but a vow is a vow; go and tell your master everything."

What this chapter teaches

• The Goddess is in every feeling within us; seeing hunger, sleep, compassion and forgiveness as sacred is this hymn.
• The Goddess is even in illusion: maya is hers, and freedom from it too.
• The pride that treats a woman as an object or "jewel" brought about Shumbha's ruin.
• Standing firm on self-respect and principle is strength; the Goddess answered the proposal with her vow.