Maa Kali dressed with lights, flowers, and the scythe of the shrine.

Sacred Learning

Sarva-maṅgala-māṅgalye

Devī Māhātmya (Durgā Saptaśatī) 11.10 (vulgate numbering of the Caṇḍī).

Devī Māhātmya (Durgā Saptaśatī) 11.10 (vulgate numbering of the Caṇḍī).

Canonical source text

सर्वमङ्गलमाङ्गल्ये शिवे सर्वार्थसाधिके । शरण्ये त्र्यम्बके गौरि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

IAST transliteration

sarvamaṅgalamāṅgalye śive sarvārthasādhike | śaraṇye tryambake gauri nārāyaṇi namo'stu te ||

Close translation

O auspiciousness of all that is auspicious, O Śivā who accomplishes every aim, O refuge, three-eyed Gaurī, Nārāyaṇī — salutation to you.

Reader-friendly meaning

A bow to the Goddess as the luck of luck, the refuge, the three-eyed Gaurī who is also Nārāyaṇī.

Meenananda editorial explanation

In this Śākta house the Caṇḍī is living liturgy. This one verse is public; the full recitation of the Saptaśatī follows the Ashram’s paddhati and the calendar.

Practice context

May be sung in Durgā days and in ordinary pranām. Full Caṇḍī pāṭha is a longer rite.

Word meanings

  • शरण्ये — O refuge
  • नारायणि — O Nārāyaṇī

Devī Māhātmya vulgate 11.10; Sanskrit public domain. Foundation translation original. Sanskrit: public domain. Foundation translations: CC BY-SA 4.0.