Stavaraj ( स्तवराज: = स्तव + राज:= praises + king) means the king of all stavanas (praises). Mahalasa in her form as Mohini appeared to help the Devas during the churning of the oceans. She ensured that the Devas received the nectar which made them immortal. In this composition, the Devas extol her in her various forms recurringly describing her as the supporter of the Devas and annihilator of their enemies, the Asuras. It is followed by a section where Skanda (Kartikeya, Shiva’s son) praises her. For some time, I was not sure why the composition had Kartikeya’s verses. Then it struck me that according to one legend, Kartikeya was born out of the union of Shiva and Mohini. In that sense, he is closely associated with the story. In the final section, Devi Mahalasa pleased with her stavana, decides to stay on this earth as Kuldevata and details the blessings she will confer on her devotees.
My sense is this composition was made in reference to the Mahalasa temple in Nevase. It is an indication of how this place of pilgrimage came to be. There is a mention of river Pravara near Nevase, a tributary of river Godavari. According to the Brahma Purana, when Rahu deceptively drank the Amrit, Mohini cutoff his head here. But the nectar had already entered his body. So she then detroyed his body by squeezing out the nectar (the best) into the river Pravara (Pravara translates into ‘the best’) and so this river is also called Amritavahini (Carrier of Amrit)
।।देवा ऊचुः ।।
विरूपाण्यपि यो धत्ते संकटे संकटे हि नः।
देवानां हितकामाय नमस्तस्मै परमात्मने ।।१।।
virūpāṇyapi yo dhatte saṃkaṭe saṃkaṭe hi naḥ।
devānāṃ hitakāmāya namastasmai paramātmane ।।1।।
We salute the Supreme who manifested in various forms for our benefit whenever we were in danger.
देवेषु ह्रियमाणेषु शंखेन त्रिदशारिणा ।
तेषामुद्धरणार्थाय नमो मत्स्यस्वरूपिणे ।।२।।
deveṣu hriyamāṇeṣu śaṃkhena tridaśāriṇā ।
teṣāmuddharaṇārthāya namo matsyasvarūpiṇe ।।2।।
We salute to the one who manifested in the form of a fish to save us Devas from destruction by our enemy Shankhasura.
निमग्ने मंदराद्रौ च समुद्रांत: सुधाकृते ।
तस्योद्धाराय देवाय नमः कमठरूपिणे ।।३।।
nimagne maṃdarādrau ca samudrāṃta: sudhākṛte ।
tasyoddhārāya devāya namaḥ kamaṭharūpiṇe ।।3।।
We salute to the one who appeared as a turtle to support the mountain Mandar so that we Devas were blessed with nectar from the ocean
सुधाघटे सुरद्विड्भिः संहृते कृपया ततः।
पीयूषपानसंदात्रे मोहिनीरूपिणे नमः ।।४।।
sudhāghaṭe suradviḍbhiḥ saṃhṛte kṛpayā tataḥ।
pīyūṣapānasaṃdātre mohinīrūpiṇe namaḥ ।।4।।
We salute the one who appeared as Mohini to bless us with the nectar when the asuras snatched it away.
न पुमान् प्रिया नैव षंढो यश्च भवत्यपि ।
तस्मै नमो निराकारस्वरूपाकाररूपिणे ।।५।।
na pumān priyā naiva ṣaṃḍho yaśca bhavatyapi ।
tasmai namo nirākārasvarūpākārarūpiṇe ।।5।।
We bow to the formless one who is beyond he, she or they.
येनेदं सततं व्याप्तं यश्चेदं य इदं स्वयम् ।
यद्द्योतकमिदं सर्वं तस्मै सर्वात्मने नमः ।।६।।
yenedaṃ satataṃ vyāptaṃ yaścedaṃ ya idaṃ svayam ।
yaddyotakamidaṃ sarvaṃ tasmai sarvātmane namaḥ ।।6।।
We bow to the one who encompasses the world, the one who is this world herself and the one who shows us the world.
।।स्कंद उवाच ।।
त्वं देवि देवजननी मधुकैठभनाशिनी ।
सर्वसंपत्प्रदात्री च सर्व सर्व सौभाग्यदायिनी ।।७।।
tvaṃ devi devajananī madhukaiṭhabhanāśinī ।
sarvasaṃpatpradātrī ca Sarva saubhāgyadāyinī ।।7।।
O Devi, you are the mother of gods, destroyer of Madhu and Kaitabh, bestower of prosperity and good luck
शांतिनी रिपुवृन्दस्य मकरध्वजहारिणी ।
मोहिनी पूर्वदेवानां शांतिनी पापसंतते: ।।८।।
śāṃtinī ripuvṛndasya makaradhvajahāriṇī ।
mohinī pūrvadevānāṃ śāṃtinī pāpasaṃtate: ।।8।।
The destructor of enemies, the defeater of Makardhwaja, the one who illudes the demons and calms sinful attitude.
मर्दिनी कलिकालस्य महासुकृतदायिनी ।
स्वर्भानुमथिनी देवी प्रवरामृतवाहिनी ।।९।।
mardinī kalikālasya mahāsukṛtadāyinī ।
svarbhānumathinī devī pravarāmṛtavāhinī ।।9।।
The destroyer of Kalikal, giver of great punyas (merits), destroyer of Rahu, the one who dispersed the nectar in the river Pravara.
कामिनी देवदेवस्य भुक्तिमुक्ति प्रदायिनी ।
भञ्जनी भवबन्धस्य निधिवासिनी ।।१०।।
kāminī devadevasya bhuktimukti pradāyinī ।
bhanjanī bhavabandhasya nidhivāsinī ।।10।।
You are the one who fulfils the desires of the Devas, one who provides liberation from material desires, breaker of worldly attachements and resides in the Navnidhis (9 Nidhis)
धात्री त्वं सर्वलोकानां कर्त्री विश्वसृजामपि ।
पालयित्री च देवानां संहर्त्री सुरविद्विषाम् ।।११।।
dhātrī tvaṃ sarvalokānāṃ kartrī viśvasṛjāmapi ।
pālayitrī ca devānāṃ saṃhartrī suravidviṣām ।।11।।
You are the mother of all the lokas (worlds), the one who helped Brahma create this universe. You are the carer of the devas and destroyer of their enemies
प्रहर्त्री सर्वदुःखानां दात्री निखिलसंपदां ।
भेत्त्री दारिद्दयशैलस्य विहर्त्री भक्तमानसे ।।१२।।
prahartrī sarvaduḥkhānāṃ dātrī nikhilasaṃpadāṃ ।
bhettrī dāriddayaśailasya vihartrī bhaktamānase ।।12।।
You are the destroyer of all sorrows, provider of all wealth, destroyer of the mountain of poverty and the one who strolls through the mind of her devotees
छेत्री स्वाश्रितदुःखानां नेत्री च परमां पदाम् ।
पूरयित्री च कामानां गोप्त्री स्वभक्तसंततेः ।।१३।।
chetrī svāśritaduḥkhānāṃ netrī ca paramāṃ padām ।
pūrayitrī ca kāmānāṃ goptrī svabhaktasaṃtateḥ ।।13।।
The one who destroys the sorrows of those who surrender to her, the one who takes them to the final stage (moksha), fulfils their desires and protects their children
कांते कामिनी कालरात्रि कमले कारुण्यपूर्णातकले
मायामोहिनी मंगले मधुहरे महालये मातृके
भर्गे वाणि भवानि भक्तिसुलभे भाग्यैकलभ्येऽभये
विद्ये विश्वसृजे विधुंतुदहरे वंदे सदा वैष्णवीं ।।१४।।
kāṃte kāminī kālarātri kamale kāruṇyapūrṇātakale
māyāmohinī maṃgale madhuhare mahālaye mātṛke
bharge vāṇi bhavāni bhaktisulabhe bhāgyaikalabhye’bhaye
vidye viśvasṛje vidhuṃtudahare vaṃde sadā vaiṣṇavīṃ ।।14।।
You are Kanta, Kamini, Kalratri, Kamale, Karunyapurna, Maya, Mohini, Mangale, Madhuhare, Mahalaya, Matrike, Bharge, Vaani, Bhavani, Bhaktisulabhe, Vidye, Vishvasruje, Destroyer of Rahu and Vaishnavi. I bow to you forever.
निरीक्ष्य दृष्ट्या प्रवराकबन्धं
स्थिता समाक्रम्य रिपोः कबन्धम् ।।
वराणि रूपाणि दधाति बन्धं
निरन्तर पापांतकबंधनानि ।।१५।।
nirīkṣya dṛṣṭyā pravarākabandhaṃ
sthitā samākramya ripoḥ kabandham ।।
varāṇi rūpāṇi dadhāti bandhaṃ
nirantara pāpāṃtakabaṃdhanāni ।।15।।
You carefully observed and captured the headless Rahu who was stationed near river Pravara. We worship the one who continuously takes various forms to relieve us from the bondage of sins.
सुमनोभिर्वृता नित्यं सुमनोभिर्महालये ।
पूजाविधानसुकरः सन्निधिः संन्निधिस्तव ।।१६।।
sumanobhirvṛtā nityaṃ sumanobhirmahālaye ।
pūjāvidhānasukaraḥ sannidhiḥ saṃnnidhistava ।।16।।
You are enamored by the flower worship performed by the Devas. The proximity to you achieved through these worship and rituals is true closeness
निवासं कुरू मे देवि हृदि स्तुतिस्मृतिस्तुते ।
महालयेति नाम्ना च प्रवरायास्तटे शुभे ।।१७।।
nivāsaṃ kurū me devi hṛdi stutismṛtistute ।
mahālayeti nāmnā ca pravarāyāstaṭe śubhe ।।17।।
O Devi who is present in Stuti and Smruti and who is established as Devi Mahalasa on the banks of the auspicious river Pravara, you reside in my heart.
भक्तानां कामदुग्धेनो निधिभिः संहिता शुभे।
तिष्ठ त्वं सर्वकालं हि निर्दहस्वाघसंततीः ।।१८।।
bhaktānāṃ kāmadugdheno nidhibhiḥ saṃhitā śubhe।
tiṣṭha tvaṃ sarvakālaṃ hi nirdahasvāghasaṃtatīḥ ।।18।।
O auspicious one, you are Kamdhenu for your devotees. Stay here always with treasures and destroy our sins
याह्मस्मकृतया स्तुत्या त्वां स्तौतिमनुजः शुचिः।
तस्य सर्वान्कुरुष्व त्वं कामान् पूर्णान् महालये ।।१९।।
yāhmasmakṛtayā stutyā tvāṃ stautimanujaḥ śuciḥ।
tasya sarvānkuruṣva tvaṃ kāmān pūrṇān mahālaye ।।19।।
O Mahalaya, any human who hears this praise we have created will have his desires fulfilled.
प्रत्युवाचाथ तान्सर्वान् वैष्णवी प्रणतान्सुरान् ।।२०।।
pratyuvācātha tānsarvān vaiṣṇavī praṇatānsurān ।।20।।
।।श्री देव्युवाच ।।
शृणुध्वं सर्वलोकेशाः स्तवेनानेन तोषिता ।
तिष्ठाम्यस्मिञजये क्षेत्रे भवद्भिः सहिता सदा ।। २१।।
śṛṇudhvaṃ sarvalokeśāḥ stavenānena toṣitā ।
tiṣṭhāmyasmiṃjaye kṣetre bhavadbhiḥ sahitā sadā ।। 21।।
I am pleased hearing these praises from the lords of all the worlds and I will forever reside in this sacred place
महालयेति विख्याता भक्तानां कामदा सदा
कल्पितार्थप्रदा नित्यं भवामि कुलदेवता ।।२२।।
mahālayeti vikhyātā bhaktānāṃ kāmadā sadā
kalpitārthapradā nityaṃ bhavāmi kuladevatā ।।22।।
Renowned as Mahalaya, as your Kuldevata, I will forever give you the wealth you imagine.
यः प्रातः प्रयतः स्वान्तः श्रद्धाभक्तिसमन्वित:
प्रत्यहं जपति स्तोत्रं भवत्कृतमिदं सुधीः ।।२३।।
yaḥ prātaḥ prayataḥ svāntaḥ śraddhābhaktisamanvita:
pratyahaṃ japati stotraṃ bhavatkṛtamidaṃ sudhīḥ ।।23।।
Whosoever recites this stotra composed by you every morning with all their devotion and focussed inner mind….
तस्य देहं च गेहं च वसाम्यहमखण्डिता
कमलारूपिणी नित्यं भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदा सदा ।।२४।।
tasya dehaṃ ca gehaṃ ca vasāmyahamakhaṇḍitā
kamalārūpiṇī nityaṃ bhuktimuktipradā sadā ।।24।।
in such a person’s body and home, I will reside forever. As Kamalarupini (Lakshmi) I will always provide bhukti (worldly fulfillment) and mukti (spiritual liberation).
सिद्ध्यष्टकेन संयुक्ता वाचकस्य निवेशने ।
वसामि त्रिदशा नित्यं त्रिसत्यं वचनं मम ।।२५।।
siddhyaṣṭakena saṃyuktā vācakasya niveśane ।
vasāmi tridaśā nityaṃ trisatyaṃ vacanaṃ mama ।।25।।
As provider of ashtasiddhi I will stay with the reader forever. O Devas (Tridasha) my words are true three times over.
पुत्रपौत्रानहं तस्य समृद्धिमतुलामपि ।
आयुरारोग्यमैश्वर्यं ददामि स्तवतोषिता ।।२६।।
putrapautrānahaṃ tasya samṛddhimatulāmapi ।
āyurārogyamaiśvaryaṃ dadāmi stavatoṣitā ।।26।।
I will bless the reader with children, grandchildren, lots of prosperity. I will also bless them with long life, good health and wealth.
इत्युक्त्वा भक्तियुक्तास्तु श्रद्धधानः परस्परम् ।
तेपि देवा दिवं जग्मुर्वर्णयन्तो महालयाम् ।।२७।।
ityuktvā bhaktiyuktāstu śraddhadhānaḥ parasparam ।
tepi devā divaṃ jagmurvarṇayanto mahālayām ।।27।।
Thus assured by the Devi Mahalaya, the Devas full with faithful devotion returned back to Swargloka
तदाप्रभृत्यदः क्षेत्रं प्रतिथं जगतीतले ।
भक्तानां कामदं नित्यं दर्शनात्पातकापहम् ।।२८।।
tadāprabhṛtyadaḥ kṣetraṃ pratithaṃ jagatītale ।
bhaktānāṃ kāmadaṃ nityaṃ darśanātpātakāpaham ।।28।।
Since then, this place became renowned on this Bhulok as one which fulfills the wishes of devotees and whose sight is enough to wash away sins
।।इति श्री महालसा स्तवराजः संपूर्ण: ।।