MAHISHASURA MARDHINI STOTRAM

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Mahishasura was an asura.
Mahishasura's father Rambha was king of the asuras,and he once fell in love with a water buffalo (Princess Shyamala, cursed to be a buffalo); Mahishasura was born out of this union. He is therefore able to change between human and buffalo form at will (mahisha is Sanskrit word for buffalo).
After this, he started terrorising Heaven (Swarga Loka) and earth (Prithvi). He invaded heaven, defeating the king of gods Indra, and drove all the gods (devas) out of heaven.
The gods then went into conclave to decide what could be done with this invincible asura. Since he was invincible to all men, they created his nemesis in the form of a young woman, Durga (a form of Shakti or Parvati). She combined the powers of all the devas in a beautiful form. According to one legend, the goddess Durga created an army to fight against the forces of the demon-king Mahishasura, who was terrorizing Heaven and Earth. After nine days of fighting, during which Mahishasura's army was decimated, she finally killed him on the tenth day of the waxing moon.

                            Durga is therefore called Mahishasuramardini (literally the slayer of the buffalo demon), the destroyer of Mahishasura. During several battles, she appears in her incarnation of Kali; particularly while fighting Raktabija, who has the magic boon that every drop of blood falling from him to the ground will become another Raktabija (literally the blood borne). Here Kali spreads her giant tongue and drinks up all the blood before it falls to the earth.
The event is celebrated in various versions as Durga Puja in Bengal and Orissa, and as Dussehra and navaratri in other parts of India, celebrating this victory of good over evil.

MAHISHASURA MARDHINI STOTRAM

ayi giri nandini, nandita medini, visva vinodini, nandinute ||
giri vara vindhya shirodhini vasini vishnuvilaasini jisnunute ||
bhagavati he shitikaNthakutumbini bhoorikutumbini bhoorikrute ||
jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||
suravaravarshiNi durdharadharshiNi durmukhamarshiNi harsharate ||
tribhuvanaposhiNi shankaratoshiNi kilbishamoshiNi ghosharate ||
danujaniroshiNi ditisutaroshiNi durmadashoshiNi sindhusute ||
jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||
ayi jagadamba madamba kadambavanapriyavaasini haasarate ||
shikharishiromaNi tungahimaalaya shringanijaalaya madhyagate ||
madhumadhure madhukaitabhaganjini kaitabhabhanjini raasarate ||
jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||
ayi shatakhaNda vikhaNditaruNda vituNditashuNda gajaadhipate ||
ripugajagaNda vidaaraNachaNda paraakramashuNda mrigaadhipate ||
nijabhujadaNda nipaatitakhaNda vipatitamuNda bhataadhipate ||
jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||
ayi raNadurmadashatruvadhodita durdharanirjara shaktibhrute ||
chaturavicharadhuriiNamahasiva dutakrita pramathaadhipate ||
duritaduriihaduraashayadurmati daanavaduta krutaantamate ||
jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute
ayi sharaNaagata vairivadhoovara viiravaraabhayadaayakare ||
tribhuvanamastaka shoolavirodhishiirodhikritaamala shoolakare ||
dumidumitaamara dundubhinaada mahomukhariikrita tigmakare ||
jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||
ayi nijahunkriti maatraniraakrita dhoomravilochana dhoomrashate ||
samravishoshita shoNitabeeja samudbhavashoNita biijalate ||
shivashivashumbhani shumbhamahaahavatarpita bhutapishaacharate ||
jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||
dhanuranusangaraNakshaNasanga parishphuradanga naTatkaTake ||
kanakapishanga prishatkanishanga rasadbhatasringa hataabaTuke ||
krutachaturanga balakshitiranga ghatadbahuranga raTadbaTuke ||
jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute
jaya jaya japyajaye jayashabda parastutitatatpara vishvanute ||
jhaNa jhaNa jhinjhimijhinkritanoopura sinjitamohita bhootapate ||
natita nataardhanatiinatanaayaka naatitanaatyasugaanarate ||
jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||
ayi sumanah sumanah sumanah sumanoharakaantiyute ||
shrita rajanii rajanii rajanii rajanii rajaniikaravakravrute ||
sunayanavibhra marabhra marabhra marabhra marabhra maraadhipate||
jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||
sahitamahaahava mallamatallika mallitarallaka mallarate ||
virachitavallika pallikamallika shrillikabhillika vargavrute ||
sita kruta phullisamullasitaakruNtallaja pallavasallalite ||
jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||
aviralagaNda galanmadamedura mattamatangajaraajapate ||
tribhuvana bhooshaNa bhootakalaanidhi roopapayonidhiraajasute ||
ayi sudatiijanalaalasamaanasa mohanamanmatharaajasute ||
jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||
kamaladalaamalakomala kaantikalaakalitaamala bhaalatale ||
sakalavilaasakalaanilayakrama kelichalatkala hamsakule ||
alikulasankula kuvalayamaNdala maulimiladbakulaalikule ||
jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||
karamuraliirava viijita koojita lajjita kokila manjumate ||
militapulinda manoharagunjita ranjitashailanikunjagate ||
nijaguNabhoota mahaashabariigaNa sadguNasambhruta kelitale ||
jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||
katitatapiitadukoolavichitra mayookhatiraskrita chandraruche||
praNatasuraasura maulimaNisphuradamshulasannakha chandraruche||
jitakanakaachala maulipadorjita nirbharakunjara kumbhakuche ||
jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||
vijitasahasra karaikasahasra karaikasahasra karaikanute ||
krutasurataaraka sangarataaraka sangarataaraka soonusute ||
surathasamaadhi samaanasamaadhi samaadhi samaadhi sujaatarate ||
jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||
padakamalam karuNaanilaye varivasyati yonudinam sashive ||
ayi kamale kamalaanilaye kamalaanilayah sakatham na bhavet ||
tava padameva param padamityanushiilayato mama kim na shive ||
jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||
kanakalasatkala sindhujalairanusinchinute guNarangabhuvam ||
bhajati sa kim na sachikuchakumbha tatiiparirambha sukhaanubhavam ||
tava charaNam sharaNam karavaaNi nataamaravaaNi nivaasisivam ||
jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||
tava vimalendukulam vadanendum alam sakalam nanu koolayate ||
kimu puruhoota puriindumukhiisumukhiibhirasau vimukhiikriyate ||
mama tu matam sivanaamadhane bhavatii kripayaa kimuta kriyate ||
jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute
ayi mayi diinadayaalutayaa krupayaiva tvayaa bhavitavyamume ||
ayi jagato jananii krupayaasi yathaasi tathanumitaasitare ||
yaduchitamatra bhavatyurariikrutaadurutaapa mapaakrurute ||
jaya jaya he mahishaasuramardhini ramyakapardini shailasute ||