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Chandika Ashtakam

Text in Roman script

Devotional text

caṇḍikāṣṭakamṭakam
caṇḍikāṣṭakamṭakam
sahasracandranitdakātikāntata-candrikācayaikācayai-
diśo'bhipūrayadpūrayadvidūrayaddūrayaddurāgrahaṃhaṃkaleḥ|
kṛtāmalā'valākalevaraṃvaraṃbhajāmahe
maheśamānasāśrayanvahova
homahomahodayam||1||
viśālaśāla-śailakandarāntarālata
rāla-vāsaśālinīṃ
nīṃ
trilokapālinīṃnīṃkapālinī
nīmanoramāmimām
mām|
umāmupāsitāṃ
tāṃsurairūpāsmahema
hemaheśvarīṃvarīṃ
parāṃgaṇeśvaraprasūsūnageśvarasyaya
nandinīmnīm||2||
ayemaheśi
! temahendramukhyanirjarāḥrāḥsame
samānayanti
mūrddharāgatarāgataparāgamaṃghrijamjam|
mahāvirāgiśaṃkarā'nurāgiṇīṃ
ṇīṃnurāgiṇī
ṇī
smarāmicetasā'tasīmumāmavāsasaṃnutām||3||
bhaje'marāṃganākarocchalatsucāmasa
ucāmaroccalancalan
nicolacola-lolakuntalāṃta
lāṃsvalokavaloka-śoka-nāśinīm
nīm|
adabhra-sambhṛtātisambhrama-prabhūtabhūta-vibhrama-
pravṛtavṛta-tāṇḍava-prakāṇḍakāṇḍa-paṇḍitīkṛteśvarāmvarām||4||
apīhapāmaraṃvidhāyadhāyacāmaraṃtathā'maraṃ
nupāmaraṃpareśidṛg
dṛg-vibhāvitātā-vitatrikeke|
pravartatetepratoṣatoṣa-roṣa-khelanatavasvadoṣavadoṣa-
moṣahetavesamṛddhimelanaṃmelanaṃpadannumaḥnumaḥ||5||
bhabhūv-bhabhav-bhabhav-bhabhābhito
to-vibhāsibhāsvarava
ra-
prabhābharabhābhara-prabhāsitāgatāga-gahvarādhibhāsinīmnīm|
milattaratara-jvalattarodvalattaratara-kṣapākara
pramūtamūta-bhābhara-prabhāsi-bhālapaṭṭikāṃkāṃbhaje||6||
caṇḍikāṣṭakamṭakam
kapotakambuba
u-kāmyakaṇṭhaya
kaṇṭha-kaṇṭhayakaṃkaṇāṃgadā-
dikāntata-kāścikāścitāṃtāṃkapālikāminīmaham
nīmaham|
varāṃghrinūpuradhvani
-pravṛttisambhavadbhavadviśeṣaśeṣa-
kāvyakalpakauśalāṃpakauśalāṃkapālakuṇḍalāṃbhaje||7||
bhavābhaya-prabhāvitadbhavottaraprabhāvibhavyaya
bhūmibhūtibhāvanabhāvanaprabhūtibhāvukaṃbhāvukaṃbhave|
bhavāni
neti
tebhavāni
! pādapaṃkajaṃbhaje
bhavantitatraśatruvouvonayatratadvibhāvanambhāvanam||8||
durgāgrato'tigarimaprabhavāṃbhavāṃbhavānyāya
ā
bhavyāmimāṃmāṃstutimumāpatinānāpraṇītāmṇītām|
yaḥśrāvayetāvayetsapurūhūtapurādhipatyaya
bhāgyaṃlabhetaripavaścacatṛṇāni
tasyaya||9||
rāmāṣṭāṃkaṭāṃkaśaśāṃke'bde'ṣṭamyāṃya
āṃśuklāśvinenegurau|
śāktaśrījagadānandaśarmaṇyupahṛtāṇyupahṛtāstutiḥ||10||
||iti
kavipatyupanāmakayupanāmaka-śrīumāpatidvivedi
-viracitaṃtaṃcaṇḍikāṣṭakaṃṭakaṃ
sampūrṇamm||

About this ashtakam — Durga

Devotional recitation is one of the simplest and most powerful practices in the Hindu tradition. Regular chanting calms the mind, purifies the atmosphere of the home, and deepens one’s connection with the deity. These sacred compositions have been sung by devotees for generations and are suitable for daily practice, during morning or evening puja, or on special festival days.

How to chant

Sit comfortably facing your home altar or a clean, quiet space. Light a lamp or incense if you wish. Begin with a short prayer to Ganesha, then recite the text slowly and clearly, focusing on the meaning rather than speed. Consistency matters more than duration — even five minutes of daily chanting brings visible peace of mind.

navratridurga-pujashaktasanskritashtakamdevotional