Sri Mahalasa Argala Stotra (From the Skanda Purāṇa – the dialogue of the Devas, Skanda, and Mohinī)

The Devas said:
जय मडगलरूपे त्वं जय त्वं भक्तवत्सले ।जय सौन्दर्यनिलये जय कारुण्यवारिधे ॥ १ ॥jaya maḍgalarūpe tvaṃ jaya tvaṃ bhaktavatsalejaya saundaryanilaye jaya kāruṇyavāridheVictory to You, O auspicious One, embodiment of all grace!Victory to You, tender-hearted friend of devotees!Abode of beauty, boundless ocean of compassion—all glory to You!
महालये भोः करुणालये त्वं मां त्राहि दीनार्तिहरे प्रपन्नम् ।त्वत्पादपद्मावनतोत्तमाङ्गं प्रसीद च त्वं वरदे शरण्ये ॥ २ ॥mahālaye bhoḥ karuṇālaye tvaṃ māṃ trāhi dīnārtihare prapannamtvatpādapadmāvanatottamāṅgaṃ prasīda ca tvaṃ varade śaraṇyeO Mahālaya! O refuge of mercy! Save me, O reliever of sorrow, for I have surrendered to You.With head bowed at Your lotus feet, O bestower of boons, be gracious to me, O protectress of all!
त्वं विष्णुरूपिणी देवी त्वं च रुद्रस्वरूपिणी ।त्वं ब्राह्मी त्वं च शर्वाणी त्वं रुद्राणीति गीयसे ॥ ३ ॥tvaṃ viṣṇurūpiṇī devī tvaṃ ca rudrasvarūpiṇītvaṃ brāhmī tvaṃ ca śarvāṇī tvaṃ rudrāṇīti gīyaseYou are Viṣṇu in divine form, and Rudra as well.You are Brahmī, You are Śarvāṇī, You are Rudrāṇī—so sung and praised are You by the wise.
त्वं कल्याणी च श्रीर्वाणी सैंहिकेयविदारिणी ।
त्वमिन्द्राणी च सौपर्णी काद्रवेयविदारिणी ॥ ४॥
tvaṃ kalyāṇī ca śrīrvāṇī saiṁhikeyavidāriṇītvam indrāṇī ca sauparṇī kādraveyavidāriṇīYou are Kalyāṇī—the Auspicious One—also Lakṣmī and Sarasvatī.You are Indrāṇī, and Garuḍa’s sister Sauparṇī, the destroyer of the sons of Siṁhikā and Kādrū.
वैकुण्ठपदविश्रेणी निर्जराणां तरङ्गिणी ।गङ्गाधरस्य रमणी निधिवासप्रवासिनी ॥ ५ ॥vaikuṇṭhapadaviśreṇī nirjarāṇāṃ taraṅgiṇīgaṅgādharasya ramaṇī nidhivāsapravāsinīYou are the sacred stream leading to Vaikuṇṭha, the celestial river of the immortals.You are the beloved of Gaṅgādhara (Śiva), who abides amidst treasures and sanctuaries.
संहारिणी च विपदां संपत्संततिकारिणी ।भवपाशमहापाशगेहपाशविदारिणी ॥ ६ ॥saṃhāriṇī ca vipadāṃ sampatsaṃtatikāriṇībhavapāśamahāpāśagehapāśavidāriṇīDestroyer of calamities, giver of prosperity and good fortune,You cut the bonds of worldly snares—the knots of fate, of attachment, of household ties.
इति ते त्रिदशाः स्तुत्वा जनार्दनमर्दनम् ।स्त्रीरूपणातिशोभाढ्यं मोहिनीरूपकं जगुः ॥ ७ ॥iti te tridaśāḥ stutvā janārdanamardanamstrīrūpaṇātiśobhāḍhyaṃ mohinīrūpakaṃ jaguḥThus the gods praised the Slayer of Madhu—He who appeared in the most beautiful form of a woman, as Mohinī, the Enchantress divine.
श्रृङ्गारलावण्यसमुद्ररूपिणी स्वरूपशोभारतिकोटिजित्वरि ।त्वमेव कामीप्सितदात्रिदानदा देवी मुदा रक्षतु दैत्यमोहिनी ॥ ८ ॥śṛṅgāralāvaṇyasamudrarūpiṇī svarūpaśobhāraticoṭijitvarītvameva kāmīpsitadātridānadā devī mudā rakṣatu daityamohinīO Goddess, ocean of beauty and charm, whose radiance surpasses millions of Cupids,You alone grant the desires of the heart—may You protect us, O Mohinī who bewilders the demons!
प्रतारणाभिज्ञतमासुरारिणां तमःशिरश्छेदनकारिविक्रमा ।स्वरूपसंमोहितदानवव्रजा देवी मुदा रक्षतु दैत्यमोहिनी ॥ ९ ॥pratāraṇābhijñatamāsurāriṇāṃ tamaḥśiraśchedanakārivikramāsvarūpasaṃmohitadānavavrajā devī mudā rakṣatu daityamohinīO destroyer of darkness and deceit, whose valor cut off the heads of the demons,whose beauty bewitched the hosts of Dānavas—may Mohinī, the Enchantress, guard us with joy.
ददाति दोर्भ्यामपि या चतुर्भुजा श्रियं हितं चेति विभूषणाङ्कनैः ।आपत्यदारिद्र्यविनाशकारिणी देवी मुदा रक्षतु दैत्यमोहिनी ॥ १० ॥dadāti dorbhyām api yā caturbhujā śriyaṃ hitaṃ ceti vibhūṣaṇāṅkanaiḥāpatyadāridryavināśakāriṇī devī mudā rakṣatu daityamohinīWith four arms adorned with ornaments divine, You grant both prosperity and well-being,removing the miseries of poverty and childlessness—may Mohinī protect us joyfully.
पीयुषदात्री सुतनुर्दिवौकसां दितेः सुतानां च सुराप्रदात्री ।गृहीतमायामयकामिनीवपुर्देवी मुदा रक्षतु दैत्यमोहिनी ॥ ११ ॥pīyuṣadātrī sutanur divaukasāṃ diteḥ sutānāṃ ca surāpradātrīgṛhītamāyāmayakāminīvapur devī mudā rakṣatu daityamohinīGiver of nectar to the gods and intoxication to the sons of Diti,You took the illusory form of a lovely maiden—O Goddess Mohinī, may You joyfully protect us!
सुवर्णपङ्खेरुहकेतकीश्रियां शरीरवर्णेन च जित्वरि प्रसुः ।स्वकण्ठधिक्कारितवल्लकीगुणा देवी मुदा रक्षतु दैत्यमोहिनी ॥ १२ ॥suvarṇapaṅkheruhaketakīśriyaṃ śarīravarṇena ca jitvarī prasuḥsvakaṇṭhadhikkāritavallakīguṇā devī mudā rakṣatu daityamohinīYour golden hue outshines the lotus and the ketakī flower,Your sweet voice shames even the notes of the lute—may Mohinī Devī, radiant and melodious, protect us in joy.
सुदीप्तकोटीन्दुकृतप्रभाश्रया प्रभाविणी दैवताकामरूपिणी ।अखण्डमाखण्डलनिर्जरस्तुता देवी मुदा रक्षतु दैत्यमोहिनी ॥ १३ ॥sudīptakoṭīndukṛtaprabhāśrayā prabhāviṇī daivatākāmarūpiṇīakhaṇḍamākhaṇḍalanirjarastutā devī mudā rakṣatu daityamohinīBrighter than millions of moons, full of divine brilliance,You take the form desired by the gods; praised by Indra and the immortals—may Mohinī Devī, ever radiant, shield us with grace.
यस्या प्रभावं द्विसहस्रजिह्वः सहस्रवक्त्राप्युरगाधिराजः ।वक्तुं प्रभुर्न क्व तदेतरे जना देवी मुदा रक्षतु दैत्यमोहिनी ॥ १४ ॥yasyā prabhāvaṃ dvisahasrajihvaḥ sahasravaktrāpyuragādhirājaḥvaktuṃ prabhurna kva tadetare janā devī mudā rakṣatu daityamohinīEven the thousand-tongued serpent, and beings with countless mouths, cannot speak Your full glory—O Mohinī, supreme beyond words, may You protect us with delight.
इति स्तुता तैस्त्रिदशैः सुभावैः सामोहिनी रूपमधोक्षजस्य ।उवाच वाक्यं विनयप्रसन्ना श्लक्ष्णं तदा तान्प्रणतानुदारान् ॥ १५ ॥iti stutā tais tridaśaiḥ subhāvaiḥ sā mohinī rūpam adhokṣajasyauvāca vākyaṃ vinayaprasannā ślakṣṇaṃ tadā tān praṇatān udārānThus praised by the Devas with pure hearts,She who was the Mohinī form of the Lord spoke gently—Her words were sweet, her face serene, and her eyes shone with compassion.
Devi said:
अदौ पुरुषरूपेण संस्तुतोहं जनार्दनः ।ततः सीमन्तिनीरूपा भवद्भिर्मोहिनी स्तुता ॥ १६ ॥adau puruṣarūpeṇa saṃstutoham janārdanaḥtataḥ sīmantinīrūpā bhavadbhir mohinī stutāAt first, I was praised as Janārdana, the Divine in masculine form; now you honor Me as Mohinī, the enchantress, the feminine energy of the same Lord.
अथ चैष महापुण्यं पुरुषप्रकृतिस्तवः ।य एनं पठते नित्यं प्रातरुत्थाय मानवः ॥ १७ ॥atha caiṣa mahāpuṇyaṃ puruṣaprakṛtistavaḥya enaṃ paṭhate nityaṃ prātar utthāya mānavaḥThis, indeed, is the great and holy hymn to the union of the Divine Masculine and Feminine.Whoever recites it daily upon waking in the morning—
मत्समीपे विशेषेण शुचिर्भूत्वा धृतव्रतः ।न दारिद्र्यं भवेत्तस्य न संकटमवाप्नुयात् ॥ १८ ॥matsamīpe viśeṣeṇa śucir bhūtvā dhṛtavrataḥna dāridryaṃ bhavettasya na saṃkaṭam avāpnuyātPurified in body and firm in vow near My sacred abode, he will never know poverty or distress.
आरोग्यं सततं गच्छेन्न स रोगैः प्रबाध्यते ।भूतप्रेतपिशाचानां न बाधाभिः स भूयते ॥ १९ ॥ārogyaṃ satataṃ gacchen na sa rogaiḥ prabādhyatebhūtapretapiśācānāṃ na bādhābhiḥ sa bhūyateHealth shall be his constant companion; no spirit, ghost, or dark force shall trouble him.
मरणेऽपि शुभान् लोकान् प्राप्नोतीति विनिश्चितम् ।इदं क्षेत्रं महापुण्यं वृद्धातीरमिति श्रुतम् ॥ २० ॥maraṇe’pi śubhān lokān prāpnotīti viniścitamidaṃ kṣetramahāpuṇyaṃ vṛddhātīram iti śrutamEven in death, such a one attains the blessed worlds.This land is most sacred, known as Vṛddhātīra.
विशेषेणाधुना जातं युष्मत्पक्तिनिषेवणात् ।महालयेति विख्यातिं याताहं मोहिनी स्वयम् ॥ २१ ॥viśeṣeṇādhunā jātaṃ yuṣmatpaktiniṣevaṇātmahālayeti vikhyātiṃ yātāhaṃ mohinī svayamBy your devoted service, this place is now famed as Mahālaya—My very own abode, says Mohinī Herself.
वसाम्यत्र सुराः सर्वे भवंतोपि वसिष्यथ ।त्रिरात्रं मत्समीपे यः पुरुषप्रकृतिस्त्वम् ॥ २२ ॥vasāmy atra surāḥ sarve bhavanto’pi vasiṣyathatrirātraṃ matsamīpe yaḥ puruṣaprakṛtistvamHere all the gods dwell, and you too shall reside.Whoever remains near Me for three nights and embodies the union of Purusha and Prakṛti—
इमं पठति संयत्तस्तस्याहं वांछितप्रदा ।मद्दर्शनकृतां पुंसां मुक्तिरेव न संशयः ॥ २३ ॥imaṃ paṭhati saṃyattas tasyāhaṃ vāñchitapradāmaddarśanakṛtāṃ puṃsāṃ muktir eva na saṃśayaḥWhoever recites this with devotion, I grant them whatever they desire.And to those who behold Me, liberation is certain—without any doubt.

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