Devīsūkta

• This article is about the Devīsūktam in the Ṛgveda. This is different from Devisuktam/ Chandipath) in Durgāsaptaśatī of Mārkaṃḍeyapurāṇa.

The , also called the , is the 125th (hymn) occurring in the 10th mandala of the Rigveda. In the present day, the ’ is popularly chanted during the worship of the ‘ (Universal Goddess in any form), in the daily rituals of temples, and also in various Vedic sacrificial ceremonies like ‘, etc. It is also chanted at the end of ‘.

Text’s Sequential Index

The proper sequential occurrence of , in the Rigveda text is:

(Indices of the seer, deity number of verses & metre)

Since tradition mandates that all the ’s in the Vedas must specify the ’ (m.) or ’ (fe.) (the sage who envisioned the ‘), the ’ (deity being invoked), number of verses in it, and the ’ (metre of the verses), the same follows below:

Devi Mookambika for wiki.jpg in Karnataka, as the synchronized form of.

This is one of the very few ’s in the Rigveda for which the ’ and are one and the same.

Text and meaning

The ’, in its apparent, general sense, is the proclamation by the ‘ of her own power, glory, pervasiveness, and actions.

, in his commentary, states that, (, the daughter of ) – a ’ (one who has realized ) – has eulogized herself in this ‘. , having dissolved her individuality – the ego – has hence identified herself with the ’ (Brahman who is none other than the ‘), the all pervasive (the indivisible Existence-Knowledge-Bliss-Absolute), and thus with all the forms in the universe and the functionaries thereof, has praised herself.

Hence, she is the ’ of this ‘ and also the .

The ‘I’ refers to, in the , is no more the narrow, limited ego which identifies itself with the microcosmic body-mind complex. It is the illimitable, eternal, residual Pure Consciousness – the Substratum of both the ego (subject) and the universe (object).

Her words, perhaps, remain the boldest, uncompromising proclamations of the realisation of Advaitic (non-dualistic) Truth by any seer in the entire realm of the Vedas.

The :

!Devisukta prathama shloka

1. I proceed with the Rudras*, with the* Vasus, with the **’s and the ‘**s; I support both Mitra and, Agni and , and the two .

‘2. I* support the foe-destroying and Bhaga; I bestow wealth upon the institutor of the rite offering the oblation (*havis) - (who is) pouring forth the libation and deserving of careful protection.’

‘3. I am the sovereign queen (of all Existence), the collectress of treasures, cognizant of (the Supreme Being), the chief object of worship; as such, the gods have put me in many places, abiding in manifold conditions, entering into numerous (forms).’

‘4. He who eats food (eats) through me; he who sees, who breathes, who hears what is spoken, does so through me; those who are ignorant of me, perish; hearken who is capable of hearing, I tell you that which is deserving of belief.’

5. I verily myself declare this which is approved of by both gods and men; whomsoever I choose, I render him an exalted one, make him a, make him* Brahman *or make him highly intelligent.

‘6. I bend the bow (to fasten the bow string at its ends) for* Rudra, to slay the tormenting, Brahman*-hating enemy. I wage war against (hostile) men (to protect the praying ones); I have pervaded the Heaven and earth.’

‘7. I bring forth the paternal (heaven - abode of the manes) upon the crown (brows) of (this Supreme Being); my genesis is from the waters (cosmic - the all pervading Entity); from thence, I pervade through all beings and reach this heaven with my body.’

‘8. I verily myself breathe forth like the wind, issuing out form to all the created worlds; beyond the heaven, beyond the world (I Exist eternally - beyond space & time) - so vast am I in my greatness.’

Recitation

!04-DEVI SUKTHAM-MANTRA MANJUSHA.ogg|||Devīsūkta An audio recording of the recitation of the Devīsūkta:

References

• Online