संजय उवाच धार्तराष्ट्रबलं दृष्ट्वा युद्धाय समुपस्थितम्। अर्जुनस्य हितार्थाय कृष्णो वचनमब्रवीत्॥
Sanjaya said Having seen the army of Dhritarashtra's son approach with the desire to fight, Krishna spoke these words to Arjuna for his benefit.
श्रीभगवानुवाच शुचिर्भूत्वा महाबाहो संग्रामाभिमुखे स्थितः। पराजयाय शत्रूणां दुर्गास्तोत्रमुदीरय॥
The Deity said “O mighty-armed hero, purifying yourself, utter, on the even of battle, the hymn to Durga, so that you may defeat the foe".
संजय उवाच एवमुक्तोऽर्जुन: संख्ये वासुदेवेन धीमता। अवतीर्य रथात् पार्थः स्तोत्रमाह कृताञ्जलिः॥
Sanjaya said Being thus addressed by the greatly wise Vasudeva, the son of Pritha, Arjuna alighted from his car and chanted the following hymn with joined hands.
अर्जुन उवाच नमस्ते सिद्धसेनानि आर्ये मन्दरवासिनि। कुमारि कालि कापालि कपिले कृष्णपिङ्गले॥
Arjuna said O lord of the Yogins, O dweller of Mandara forest, O identified Deity with Brahma, I bow to you. O Goddess free from decrepitude and decay, O Kali, O wife of Kapala, O Deity of black and brown colour,
भद्रकालि नमस्तुभ्यं महाकालि नमोऽस्तु ते। चण्डि चण्डे नमस्तुभ्यं तारिणि वरवर्णिनि॥
I bow to you. O giver of benefits to your devotecs, O Mahakali, I bow to you. O wife of the universal destroyer, I bow to you. O proud one, O rescuer from dangers, O possessor of every auspicious attribute, I bow to you.
कात्यायनि महाभागे करालि विजये जये। शिखिपिच्छध्वजधरे नानाभरणभूषिते॥
O goddess who has sprung from the Katar ace, O worshipped of all, O fearful one, O giver of victory, O victory itself, O bearer of the banner of peacocks plumes, O wearer of ornaments.
अट्टशूलप्रहरणे खगखेटकधारिणि। गोपेन्द्रस्यानुजे ज्येष्ठे नन्दगोपकुलोद्भवे॥
O wielder of fearful spear, O holder of sword and shield, O the younger sister of the cowherd chief, O eldest one, O goddess born in the race of Nandagopa,
महिषासक्प्रिये नित्यं कौशिकि पीतवासिनि। अट्टहासे कोकमुखे नमस्तेऽस्तु रणप्रिये॥
O lover of buffalo's blood, o deity born in the race of Kushika, O wearer of yellow robes, O devourer of Asuras, O lover of battle, I bow to you.
उमे शाकम्भरि श्वेते कृष्णे कैटभनाशिनि। हिरण्याक्षि विरूपाक्षि सुधूम्राक्षि नमोऽस्तु ते॥ वेदश्रुति महापुण्ये ब्रह्मण्ये जातवेदसि। जम्बूकटकचैत्येषु नित्य सन्निहितालये॥
O Uma, O Shakambhari, O white-coloured deity, O black-coloured goddess, O destroyer of Kaitabha Asura, O yellow-eyed one, O various eyed one, O smoke coloured eyed one, I bow to you. You are the Vedas, you are the Shrutis, you are the highest virtue. You are propitious to Brahmanas who are engaged in sacrifices, you posses the knowledge of the past, you are ever present in the sacred abodes erected in your honour in the Jambudvipa.
त्वं ब्रह्मविद्या विद्यानां महानिद्रा च देहिनाम्। स्कन्दमातर्भगवति दुर्गे कान्तारवासिनि॥
You are the science of Brahma among sciences, you are that sleep of creatures, which has no waking, C_mother of Skanda, O possessor of the six attributes, O Durga, O dweller of inaccessible regions,
भवतु मे नित्यं स्वाहाकारः स्वधा चैव कला काष्ठा सरस्वती। सावित्रि वेदमाता च तथा वेदान्त उच्यते॥
You are described as svaha, as svadha as Kala, as Kashta, as Sarasvati, as Savitri, the mother of the Vedas and as the science of the Vedanta.
स्तुताऽसि त्वं महादेवि विशुद्धनान्तरात्मना। जयो मे नित्यं त्वत्प्रसादाद रणाजिरे॥
O great goddess with my inner soul purified, I adore you. Let, through your grace, victory always attend me in the field of battle.
कान्तारभयदुर्गेषु भक्तानां चालयेषु च। नित्यं वससि पाताले युद्धे जयसि दानवान्॥
You always live in inaccessible regions where there is fear, in places of difficulty, in the abodes of your worshippers and in the nether region. You always anguish the Asuras.
त्वं जम्भनी मोहिनी च माया ह्रीः श्रीस्तथैव च। संध्या प्रभावती चैव सावित्री जननी तथा॥
You are consciousness, you are sleep, you are illusion, you are modesty, you are beauty. You are the twilight's, you are the day, you are Savitri, you are the mother.
तुष्टिः पुष्टिकृतिर्दीप्तिश्चन्द्रादित्यविवर्धिनी। भूतिभूतिमतां सङ्घये वीक्ष्यसे सिद्धचारणैः।।
You are contentment, you are growth you are light, you support the sun and the moon, you make them shine. You are the prosperity of those that are prosperous. The Siddhas and the Charanas see you in the Samadhi.
संजय उवाच ततः पार्थस्य विज्ञाय भक्ति मानववत्सला। अन्तरिक्षगतोवाच गोविन्दस्याग्रतः स्थिता॥
Sanjaya said Knowing Partha's (Arjuna's) great devotion, Durga, who is always graciously inclined towards mankind, appeared in the sky. In the presence of Govinda (Krishna) she thus spoke to Arjuna.
देव्युवाच स्वल्पेनैव तु कालेन शत्रूञ्जेष्यसि पाण्डव। नरस्त्वमसि दुर्धर्ष नारायणसहायवान्॥
The goddess said O son of Pandu, you will vanquish your enemy in no time. O invincible one. You have Narayana himself to help you.
अजेयस्त्वं रणेऽरीणामपि वज्रभृतः स्वयम्। इत्येवमुक्त्वा वरदा क्षणेनान्तरधीयत॥
You are incapable of being defeated by any foe, not even by the wielder of thunder-bolt (Indra). Having said this, that boon-giving goddess disappeared.
लब्ध्वा वरं तु कौन्तेयो मेने विजयमात्मनः। आरुरोह ततः पार्थो रथं परमसम्मतम्॥
The son of Kunti (Arjuna), considered himself blessed by obtaining that boon. Partha then mounted his excellent chariot.
कृष्णार्जुनावेकरथौ दिव्यौ शङ्खौ प्रदध्मतुः। य इदं पठते स्तोत्र कल्य उत्थाय मानवः॥
Then Krishna and Arjuna, both seated in one car, blew their celestial conchs. The man, who chants this hymn in the morning.
यक्षरक्ष:पिशाचेभ्यो न भयं विद्यते सदा। न चापि रिपवस्तेभ्यः सर्पाद्या ये च दंष्ट्रिणः॥ न भयं विद्यते तस्य सदा राजकुलादपि। विवादे जयमाप्नोति बद्धो मुच्यति बन्धनात्॥
Has nothing to fear from the Yakshas, the Rakshasas and Pishachas,. He will have no enemies. He will have no fear from snakes and all animals that have poisonous stings and teeth, and also from kings. He is certain to win victory in all disputes. If bound, he will be freed from the bonds.
दुर्गं तरति चावश्यं तथा चौरैर्विमुच्यते। संग्रामे विजयेन्नित्यं लक्ष्मी प्राप्नोति केवलाम्॥
He is certain to get over all difficulties, be is certain to be freed from thieves. He will ever win victory, and the goddess of prosperity.
आरोग्यबलसम्पन्नो जीवेद् वर्षशतं तथा। एतद् दृष्टं प्रसादात् तु मया व्यासस्य धीमतः॥ द्वैपायनो नारदश्च
He will live with health and strength for one hundred years. I have known all this through the grace of the greatly wise Vyasa.
मोहादेतौ न जानन्ति नरनारायणवृषी। तव पुत्रा दुरात्मानः सर्वे मन्युवशानुगाः॥
Your wicked sons, however, having been entangled in the meshes of death do not, out of ignorance, know them to be Nara and Narayana.
प्राप्तकालमिदं वाक्यं कालपाशेन गुण्ठिताः। कण्वो रामस्तथाऽनघः। अवारयंस्तवं सुतं न चासौ तद् गृहीतवान्।॥ यत्र धर्मो द्युतिः कान्तिर्यत्र ह्रीः श्रीस्तथा मतिः। यतो धर्मस्ततः कृष्णो यतः कृष्णस्ततो जयः॥
Entangled in the net and death, they do not know that the last hour of their kingdom has come. Dvaipayana (Vyasa) Narada, Kanva, the sinless Rama had dissuaded your son. But he did not accept their words. Where there is piety there are glory and beauty. Where there is modesty there are intelligence and prosperity. Where there is righteousness, there is Krishna, and where there is Krishna, there is victory.