Aigiri Nandini refers to Goddess Durga, also called Shakti or Devi, who is the Divine Mother. She is a very popular deity in Hinduism who is fierce but protective. Seated on her mount, a lion or tiger, she wages battle against the forces of evil and destroys them mercilessly. She is also called Durgatinashini, meaning “the one who eliminates suffering.”
Durga has many forms like Kali, Bhagvati, Bhavani, Ambika, Lalita, Gauri, Kandalini, Java, and Rajeswari. When she appears as herself, she manifests in any one of 9 forms – Skandamata, Kushmanda, Shailaputri, Kaalratri, Brahmacharini, Maha Gauri, Katyayani, Chandraghanta, and Siddhidatri. These 9 forms are called Navadurga, collectively.
Iconography
She is depicted with many arms – between 8 and 18 – and has a symbolic object in each hand. She has 3 eyes, like her consort, Lord Shiva; hence people also call her Triyambake (the three-eyed goddess). Her left eye stands for desire, symbolized by the Moon. Her right eye stands for action, symbolized by the Sun. The middle eye represents knowledge, symbolized by fire.
Durga’s Weapons
Durga carries many weapons and other objects. Each has its own meaning and symbolism.
Durga’s Mount
Durga’s mount is a tiger or lion. They signify power, will, and determination. By riding it, Durga shows that has control over all these qualities.
Aigiri Nandini Stotra
Aigiri Nandini is a very well-known devotional hymn that honors Goddess Durga. It was written by Guru Adi Shankaracharya. It is also known as Mahishasura Mardini Stotram. Durga killed the buffalo-headed demon/Asura, Mahishasura. Hence, devotees refer to her as Mahishasura Mardini. This is a fierce form of Durga.
In Sanskrit, “Aigiri Nandini” means “daughter of the mountain.” “Aigiri” denotes “mountain,” and “Nandini” means “a daughter who brings joy.”
Reciting or listening to Aigiri Nandini Stotram fills the mind with peace and eliminates fear and sadness. It cleanses the mind of negative emotions including anger, doubt, ego and inertia. Chanting it helps get rid of obstacles in the devotee’s life.
Aigiri Nandini Lyrics in English
aigiri nandini nandita medini viśva-vinodini nandanute
girivara vindhya-śiroadhi-nivāsini viśhṇu-vilāsini jiśhṇunute |
bhagavati he śitikaṇṭha-kuṭumbiṇi bhūrikuṭumbiṇi bhūrikṛte
jaya jaya he mahiśhāsura-mardini ramyakapardini śailasute ‖ 1 ‖
suravara-harśhiṇi durdhara-dharśhiṇi durmukha-marśhiṇi harśharate
tribhuvana-pośhiṇi śaṅkara-tośhiṇi kalmaśha-mośhiṇi ghośharate |
danuja-nirośhiṇi ditisuta-rośhiṇi durmada-śośhiṇi sindhusute
jaya jaya he mahiśhāsura-mardini ramyakapardini śailasute ‖ 2 ‖
ayi jagadamba madamba kadambavana-priyavāsini hāsarate
śikhari-śiromaṇi tuṅa-himālaya-śṛṅganijālaya-madhyagate |
madhumadhure madhu-kaitabha-gañjini kaitabha-bhañjini rāsarate
jaya jaya he mahiśhāsura-mardini ramyakapardini śailasute ‖ 3 ‖
ayi śatakhaṇḍa-vikhaṇḍita-ruṇḍa-vituṇḍita-śuṇḍa-gajādhipate
ripu-gaja-gaṇḍa-vidāraṇa-chaṇḍaparākrama-śauṇḍa-mṛgādhipate |
nija-bhujadaṇḍa-nipāṭita-chaṇḍa-nipāṭita-muṇḍa-bhaṭādhipate
jaya jaya he mahiśhāsura-mardini ramyakapardini śailasute ‖ 4 ‖
ayi raṇadurmada-śatru-vadhodita-durdhara-nirjara-śakti-bhṛte
chatura-vichāra-dhurīṇa-mahāśaya-dūta-kṛta-pramathādhipate |
durita-durīha-durāśaya-durmati-dānava-dūta-kṛtāntamate
jaya jaya he mahiśhāsura-mardini ramyakapardini śailasute ‖ 5 ‖
ayi nija huṅkṛtimātra-nirākṛta-dhūmravilochana-dhūmraśate
samara-viśośhita-śoṇitabīja-samudbhavaśoṇita-bīja-late |
śiva-śiva-śumbhaniśumbha-mahāhava-tarpita-bhūtapiśācha-pate
jaya jaya he mahiśhāsura-mardini ramyakapardini śailasute ‖ 6 ‖
dhanuranusaṅgaraṇa-kśhaṇa-saṅga-parisphuradaṅga-naṭatkaṭake
kanaka-piśaṅga-pṛśhatka-niśhaṅga-rasadbhaṭa-śṛṅga-hatāvaṭuke |
kṛta-chaturaṅga-balakśhiti-raṅga-ghaṭad-bahuraṅga-raṭad-baṭuke
jaya jaya he mahiśhāsura-mardini ramyakapardini śailasute ‖ 7 ‖
ayi śaraṇāgata-vairivadhū-varavīravarābhaya-dāyikare
tribhuvanamastaka-śūla-virodhi-śirodhi-kṛtā’mala-śūlakare |
dumi-dumi-tāmara-dundubhi-nāda-maho-mukharīkṛta-diṅnikare
jaya jaya he mahiśhāsura-mardini ramyakapardini śailasute ‖ 8 ‖
suralalanā-tatatheyi-tatheyi-tathābhinayodara-nṛtya-rate
hāsavilāsa-hulāsa-mayipraṇa-tārtajanemita-premabhare |
dhimikiṭa-dhikkaṭa-dhikkaṭa-dhimidhvani-ghoramṛdaṅga-ninādarate
jaya jaya he mahiśhāsura-mardini ramyakapardini śailasute ‖ 9 ‖
jaya-jaya-japya-jaye-jaya-śabda-parastuti-tatpara-viśvanute
bhaṇa-bhaṇa-jhiñjhimi-jhiṅkṛta-nūpura-śiñjita-mohitabhūtapate |
naṭita-naṭārdha-naṭīnaṭa-nāyaka-nāṭakanāṭita-nāṭyarate
jaya jaya he mahiśhāsura-mardini ramyakapardini śailasute ‖ 10 ‖
ayi sumanaḥ sumanaḥ sumanaḥ sumanaḥ sumanohara kāntiyute
śritarajanīraja-nīraja-nīrajanī-rajanīkara-vaktravṛte |
sunayanavibhrama-rabhra-mara-bhramara-bhrama-rabhramarādhipate
jaya jaya he mahiśhāsura-mardini ramyakapardini śailasute ‖ 11 ‖
mahita-mahāhava-mallamatallika-mallita-rallaka-malla-rate
virachitavallika-pallika-mallika-jhillika-bhillika-vargavṛte |
sita-kṛtaphulla-samullasitā’ruṇa-tallaja-pallava-sallalite
jaya jaya he mahiśhāsura-mardini ramyakapardini śailasute ‖ 12 ‖
aviraḻa-gaṇḍagaḻan-mada-medura-matta-mataṅgajarāja-pate
tribhuvana-bhūśhaṇabhūta-kaḻānidhirūpa-payonidhirājasute |
ayi sudatījana-lālasa-mānasa-mohana-manmadharāja-sute
jaya jaya he mahiśhāsura-mardini ramyakapardini śailasute ‖ 13 ‖
kamaladaḻāmala-komala-kānti-kalākalitā’mala-bhālatale
sakala-vilāsakaḻā-nilayakrama-keḻikalat-kalahaṃsakule |
alikula-saṅkula-kuvalayamaṇḍala-mauḻimilad-vakulālikule
jaya jaya he mahiśhāsura-mardini ramyakapardini śailasute ‖ 14 ‖
kara-muraḻī-rava-vījita-kūjita-lajjita-kokila-mañjurute
milita-milinda-manohara-guñjita-rañjita-śailanikuñja-gate |
nijagaṇabhūta-mahāśabarīgaṇa-raṅgaṇa-sambhṛta-keḻitate
jaya jaya he mahiśhāsura-mardini ramyakapardini śailasute ‖ 15 ‖
kaṭitaṭa-pīta-dukūla-vichitra-mayūkha-tiraskṛta-chandraruche
praṇatasurāsura-mauḻimaṇisphurad-aṃśulasan-nakhasāndraruche |
jita-kanakāchalamauḻi-madorjita-nirjarakuñjara-kumbha-kuche
jaya jaya he mahiśhāsura-mardini ramyakapardini śailasute ‖ 16 ‖
vijita-sahasrakaraika-sahasrakaraika-sahasrakaraikanute
kṛta-suratāraka-saṅgara-tāraka saṅgara-tārakasūnu-sute |
suratha-samādhi-samāna-samādhi-samādhisamādhi-sujāta-rate
jaya jaya he mahiśhāsura-mardini ramyakapardini śailasute ‖ 17 ‖
padakamalaṃ karuṇānilaye varivasyati yoanudinaṃ na śive
ayi kamale kamalānilaye kamalānilayaḥ sa kathaṃ na bhavet |
tava padameva parampada-mityanuśīlayato mama kiṃ na śive
jaya jaya he mahiśhāsura-mardini ramyakapardini śailasute ‖ 18 ‖
kanakalasatkala-sindhujalairanuśhiñjati te guṇaraṅgabhuvaṃ
bhajati sa kiṃ nu śachīkuchakumbhata-taṭīpari-rambha-sukhānubhavaṃ |
tava charaṇaṃ śaraṇaṃ karavāṇi natāmaravāṇi nivāśi śivaṃ
jaya jaya he mahiśhāsura-mardini ramyakapardini śailasute ‖ 19 ‖
tava vimaleandukalaṃ vadanendumalaṃ sakalaṃ nanu kūlayate
kimu puruhūta-purīndumukhī-sumukhībhirasau-vimukhī-kriyate |
mama tu mataṃ śivanāma-dhane bhavatī-kṛpayā kimuta kriyate
jaya jaya he mahiśhāsura-mardini ramyakapardini śailasute ‖ 20 ‖
ayi mayi dīnadayāḻutayā karuṇāparayā bhavitavyamume
ayi jagato jananī kṛpayāsi yathāsi tathānumitāsi rame |
yaduchitamatra bhavatyurarī kurutā-durutāpamapā-kurute
jaya jaya he mahiśhāsura-mardini ramyakapardini śailasute ‖ 21 ‖
Ithi Sri Mahishasura mardini stotram ||3
