Shree mahaakaal'ee stotram'
Dhyaanam |
Shavaarood'haam' mahaabheemaam' ghoradam'sht'raam' varapradaam'
Haasyayuktaam' trinetraancha kapaala kartrikaa karaam |
Muktakesheem' lalajjihvaam' pibanteem' rudhiram' muhuh'
Chaturbaahuyutaam' deveem' varaabhayakaraam' smaret ||
Shavaarood'haam' mahaabheemaam' ghoradam'sht'raam' hasanmukheem'
Chaturbhujaam' khad'gamund'avaraabhayakaraam' shivaam |
Mund'amaalaadharaam' deveem' lalajjihvaam' digambaraam'
Evam' sanchintayetkaal'eem' shmashanaalayavaasineem ||
Atha stotram |
Vishveshvareem' jagaddhaatreem' sthitisam'haarakaarineem |
Nidraam' bhagavateem' vishnoratulaam' tejasah' prabhaam || 1 ||
Tvam' svaahaa tvam' svadhaa tvam' hi vashat'kaarah' svaraatmikaa |
Sudhaa tvamakshare nitye tridhaa maatraatmikaa sthitaa || 2 ||
Ardhamaatraasthitaa nityaa yaanuchchaaryaa visheshatah' |
Tvameva sandhyaa saavitree tvam' devee jananee paraa || 3 ||
Tvayaitaddhaaryate vishvam' tvayaitadsri'jyate jagat |
Tvayaitatpaalyate devi tvamatsyante cha sarvadaa || 4 ||
Visri'sht'au sri'sht'iroopaa tvam' sthitiroopaa cha paalane |
Tathaa sam'hri'tiroopaante jagato'sya jaganmaye || 5 ||
Mahaavidyaa mahaamaayaa mahaamedhaa mahaasmri'tih' |
Mahaamohaa cha bhavatee mahaadevee maheshvaree || 6 ||
Prakri'tistvam' cha sarvasya gunatrayavibhaavinee |
Kaalaraatrirmahaaraatrirmoharaatrishcha daarunaa || 7 ||
Tvam' shreestvameeshvaree tvam' hreestvam' buddhirbodhalakshanaa |
Lajjaa pusht'istathaa tusht'istvam' shaantih' kshaantireva cha || 8 ||
Khad'ginee shoolinee ghoraa gadinee chakrinee tathaa |
Shankhinee chaapinee baanabhushund'eeparighaayudhaa || 9 ||
Saumyaa saumyataraasheshaa saumyebhyastvatisundaree |
Paraaparaanaam' paramaa tvameva parameshvaree || 10 ||
Yachcha kinchit kvachidvastu sadasadvaakhilaatmike |
Tasya sarvasya yaa shaktih' saa tvam' kim' stooyase tadaa || 11 ||
Yayaa tvayaa jagatsrasht'aa jagatpaatyatti yo jagat |
So'pi nidraavasham' neetah' kastvaam' stotumiheshvarah' || 12 ||
Vishnuh' shareeragrahanamahameeshaana eva cha |
Kaaritaaste yato'tastvaam' kah' stotum' shaktimaan bhavet || 13 ||
Saa tvamittham' prabhaavaih' svairudaarairdevi sam'stutaa |
Mohayaitau duraadharshaavasurau madhukait'abhau || 14 ||
Prabodham' cha jagatsvaamee neeyataamachyuto laghu |
Bodhashcha kriyataamasya hantumetau mahaasurau || 15 ||
Iti shree mahaakaal'ee stotram |
Meaning
Sri Mahakali Stotram presents the Divine Mother in her fierce transformative power. The dhyana describes Kali seated upon a corpse, naked, with loose hair, protruding tongue, fierce teeth, drinking blood, holding a skull-bowl, sword, boon, and fearlessness—symbolizing the destruction of ignorance, ego, and karmic impurities. She is the liberator who dwells in the cremation ground, teaching renunciation and fearlessness.
The stotram praises her as the creatrix, sustainer, and dissolver of the universe—Vishveshwari, Jagaddhatri, Nidra of Vishnu, the supreme brilliance of all existence. She is Svaha, Svadha, the sacred Vedic sounds, the essence of Om, the mother of the three worlds, the Sandhya and Savitri of time.
She is Mahavidya, Mahamaya, Mahamedha, Mahasmriti, Mahamoha, Maheshwari — the supreme energy behind every aspect of the cosmos. She is Nature itself, working through the three gunas, the great Night of dissolution, and the terrifying force that dissolves ignorance. She is beauty, peace, nourishment, purity, courage, and wisdom.
Kali is depicted as holding all divine weapons—trident, sword, mace, discus, bow, arrows, and more—symbolizing the removal of obstacles. Her form is both gentle and terrifying, transcending duality. The hymn acknowledges that even Vishnu and Shiva function through her power, proving that she is the supreme Adi-Shakti.
The stotram ends with a prayer requesting her to delude (moha) the demons Madhu and Kaitabha and awaken Vishnu so that he may slay them. This symbolizes the victory of consciousness over ignorance.
Benefits:
• Protection from dangers, diseases, enemies, and negative forces
• Removal of fear, anxiety, confusion, and karmic obstacles
• Enhancement of wisdom, courage, clarity, and spiritual strength
• Awakening of inner power, devotion, and transformation
• Cleansing of past karmas and strengthening of intuition
• Blessings of Divine Mother Kali in both fierce and gentle forms
Frequently asked questions
Where do the verses of Sri Maha Kali Stotram come from?
What does Brahma ask for at the end of the Maha Kali Stotram?
How do the dhyana verses of Sri Maha Kali Stotram describe the Goddess?
Which names in the Maha Kali Stotram describe the Goddess as night?
When during Navaratri is Sri Maha Kali Stotram usually read?
Comments
Please login to leave a comment
Loading comments...