AiGiri Nandini

AiGiri Nandini- Mahishasur Mardini

The Mahishasur Mardini Stotram, composed by Adi Shankaracharya, is a powerful hymn dedicated to Goddess Durga, celebrating her victory over the buffalo demon Mahishasura. Each stanza of this hymn highlights different aspects of the goddess's divine attributes, her victories, and the protection she offers to her devotees.
In this hymn, Goddess Durga is depicted as:
● Daughter of the Mountain
● Daughter of the Sea
● The one with the beautiful, braided hair
● The bestower of boons to her devotees
● The nourisher of the three worlds
She fiercely battles demons to protect the universe, including:
● Demons with wicked intentions
● Demons with arrogance
● Demons with smoky eyes
● Mahishasura, the buffalo demon with horns
In her most fierce form, Kali, adorned with garlands of skulls, she annihilates Raktabija, a demon whose spilled blood multiplies into more demons. Kali prevents this by consuming the blood with her tongue before it touches the ground. Ultimately, she vanquishes Mahishasura by tearing apart his chest and drinking his blood.
This hymn also symbolizes the transformation that occurs when the grace of Divine Energy, Mother Durga, enters our lives. She eradicates wickedness, lust, greed, hatred, and selfish desires within our hearts. Raktabija represents endless selfish desires, proliferating as one desire gives rise to many more. Mahishasura symbolizes our ego, taking various forms. In the end, the Divine Mother grants us freedom and protection by destroying our most formidable enemy, our ego- Mahishasura.