Devi
Ya Devi Sarva Bhuteshu
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु शक्तिरूपेण संस्थिता । नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः ॥
Yā devī sarva-bhūteṣu śakti-rūpeṇa saṁsthitā, namas tasyai namas tasyai namas tasyai namo namaḥ
Simple reading: Yaa de-vee sar-va bhoo-te-shu shak-ti roo-pe-na san-sthi-taa, na-mas tas-yai na-mas tas-yai na-mas tas-yai na-mo na-mah
About this mantra
From the Devi Mahatmya's great litany — the Goddess recognised as the power present in every living being, saluted again and again.
Meaning
To the Goddess who abides in all beings in the form of power — salutations to her, salutations to her, salutations to her, again and again. The litany's grammar is its teaching: she is not summoned from elsewhere — she is found already standing (samsthita) in every being, as power itself. The triple salute is for a presence discovered in creatures one had merely looked at until now.
When to recite it
Recited through Navratri and Durga Puja, and whenever reverence for the life in all beings needs renewing — before service work, in nature, among others.
Word by word
- या देवीyā devī
- the Goddess who
- सर्वभूतेषुsarva-bhūteṣu
- in all beings
- शक्तिरूपेणśakti-rūpeṇa
- in the form of power
- संस्थिताsaṁsthitā
- abides, is established
- नमस्तस्यैnamas tasyai
- salutations to her
- नमो नमःnamo namaḥ
- salutations, again and again
Source: Durgā Saptaśatī, chapter 5 (Devī Māhātmya)