श्रीदेवी वनदुर्गा अष्टोत्तरशतनामावली
This Nāmāvalī, containing the one hundred and eight divine names of Mā Vanadurgā, is traditionally revered as the Śrīdevī Aṣṭottaraśatanāmāvalī (श्रीदेवी अष्टोत्तरशतनामावली).
oṃ mahiṣamardinyai namaḥ
oṃ śrīdevyai namaḥ
oṃ jagadātmaśaktyai namaḥ
oṃ devagaṇaśaktyai namaḥ
oṃ samūhamūrtyai namaḥ
oṃ ambikāyai namaḥ
oṃ akhilajanaparipālakāyai namaḥ
oṃ mahiṣapūjitāyai namaḥ
oṃ bhaktigamyāyai namaḥ
oṃ viśvāyai namaḥ
oṃ prabhāsinyai namah
oṃ bhagavatyai namaḥ
oṃ anantamūrtyai namaḥ
oṃ caṇḍikāyai namaḥ
oṃ jagatparipālikāyai namaḥ
oṃ aśubhanāśinyai namaḥ
oṃ śubhamatāyai namaḥ
oṃ śriyai namaḥ
oṃ sukṛtyai namaḥ
oṃ lakṣmyai namaḥ
oṃ pāpanāśinyai namaḥ
oṃ buddhirūpiṇyai namaḥ
oṃ śraddhārūpiṇyai namaḥ
oṃ kālarūpiṇyai namaḥ
oṃ lajjārūpiṇyai namaḥ
oṃ acintyarūpiṇyai namaḥ
oṃ ativīrāyai namaḥ
oṃ asurakṣayakāriṇyai namaḥ
oṃ bhūmirakṣiṇyai namaḥ
oṃ aparicitāyai namaḥ
oṃ adbhutarūpiṇyai namaḥ
oṃ sarvadevatāsvarūpiṇyai namaḥ
oṃ jagadaṃśodbhūtāyai namaḥ
oṃ asatkṛtāyai namaḥ
oṃ paramaprakṛtyai namaḥ
oṃ samastasumatasvarūpāyai namaḥ
oṃ tṛptyai namaḥ
oṃ sakalamukhasvarūpiṇyai namaḥ
oṃ śabdakriyāyai namaḥ
oṃ ānandasandohāyai namaḥ
oṃ vipulāyai namaḥ
oṃ ṛjyajussāmātharvarūpiṇyai namaḥ
oṃ udgītāyai namaḥ
oṃ ramyāyai namaḥ
oṃ padasvarūpiṇyai namaḥ
oṃ pāṭhasvarūpiṇyai namaḥ
oṃ medhādevyai namaḥ
oṃ viditāyai namaḥ
oṃ akhilaśāstrasārāyai namaḥ
oṃ durgāyai namaḥ
oṃ durgāśrayāyai namaḥ
oṃ bhavasāgaranāśinyai namaḥ
oṃ kaiṭabhahāriṇyai namaḥ
oṃ hṛdayavāsinyai namaḥ
oṃ gauryai namaḥ
oṃ śaśimaulikṛtapratiṣṭhāyai namaḥ
oṃ īśatsuhāsāyai namaḥ
oṃ amalāyai namaḥ
oṃ pūrṇacandramukhyai namaḥ
oṃ kanakottamakāntyai namaḥ
oṃ kāntāyai namaḥ
oṃ atyadbhutāyai namaḥ
oṃ praṇatāyai namaḥ
oṃ atiraudrāyai namaḥ
oṃ mahiṣāsuranāśinyai namaḥ
oṃ dṛṣṭāyai namaḥ
oṃ bhrukuṭīkarālāyai namaḥ
oṃ śaśāṅkadharāyai namaḥ
oṃ mahiṣaprāṇavimocanāyai namaḥ
oṃ kupitāyai namaḥ
oṃ antakasvarūpiṇyai namaḥ
oṃ sadyovināśikāyai namaḥ
oṃ kopavatyai namaḥ
oṃ dāridryanāśinyai namaḥ
oṃ pāpanāśinyai namaḥ
oṃ sahasrabhujāyai namaḥ
oṃ sahasrākṣyai namaḥ
oṃ sahasrapādāyai namaḥ
oṃ śrutyai namaḥ
oṃ ratyai namaḥ
oṃ ramaṇyai namaḥ
oṃ bhaktyai namaḥ
oṃ bhavasāgaratārikāyai namaḥ
oṃ puruṣottamavallabhāyai namaḥ
oṃ bhṛgunandinyai namaḥ
oṃ sthūlajaṅghāyai namaḥ
oṃ raktapādāyai namaḥ
oṃ nāgakuṇḍaladhāriṇyai namaḥ
oṃ sarvabhūṣaṇāyai namaḥ
oṃ kāmeśvaryai namaḥ
oṃ kalpavṛkṣāyai namaḥ
oṃ kastūridhāriṇyai namaḥ
oṃ mandasmitāyai namaḥ
oṃ madodayāyai namaḥ
oṃ sadānandasvarūpiṇyai namaḥ
oṃ viriñcipūjitāyai namaḥ
oṃ govindapūjitāyai namaḥ
oṃ purandarapūjitāyai namaḥ
oṃ maheśvarapūjitāyai namaḥ
oṃ kirīṭadhāriṇyai namaḥ
oṃ maṇinūpuraśobhitāyai namaḥ
oṃ pāśāṅkuśadharāyai namaḥ
oṃ kamaladhāriṇyai namaḥ
oṃ haricandanāyai namaḥ
oṃ kastūrīkuṅkumāyai namaḥ
oṃ aśokabhūṣaṇāyai namaḥ
oṃ śṛṅgāralāsyāyai namaḥ
oṃ vanadurgāyai namaḥ
श्रीदेव्यष्टोत्तरशतनामावली
श्रीवनदुर्गाष्टोत्तरशतनामावली
॥अथ श्री देव्याः नामावलिः॥
ॐ महिषमर्दिन्यै नमः ।
ॐ श्रीदेव्यै नमः ।
ॐ जगदात्मशक्त्यै नमः ।
ॐ देवगणशक्त्यै नमः ।
ॐ समूहमूर्त्यै नमः ।
ॐ अम्बिकायै नमः ।
ॐ अखिलजनपरिपालकायै नमः ।
ॐ महिषपूजितायै नमः ।
ॐ भक्तिगम्यायै नमः ।
ॐ विश्वायै नमः ।
ॐ प्रभासिन्यै नमः ।
ॐ भगवत्यै नमः ।
ॐ अनन्तमूर्त्यै नमः ।
ॐ चण्डिकायै नमः ।
ॐ जगत्परिपालिकायै नमः ।
ॐ अशुभनाशिन्यै नमः ।
ॐ शुभमतायै नमः ।
ॐ श्रियै नमः ।
ॐ सुकृत्यै नमः ।
ॐ लक्ष्म्यै नमः ।
ॐ पापनाशिन्यै नमः ।
ॐ बुद्धिरूपिण्यै नमः ।
ॐ श्रद्धारूपिण्यै नमः ।
ॐ कालरूपिण्यै नमः ।
ॐ लज्जारूपिण्यै नमः ।
ॐ अचिन्त्यरूपिण्यै नमः ।
ॐ अतिवीरायै नमः ।
ॐ असुरक्षयकारिण्यै नमः ।
ॐ भूमिरक्षिण्यै नमः ।
ॐ अपरिचितायै नमः ।
ॐ अद्भुतरूपिण्यै नमः ।
ॐ सर्वदेवतास्वरूपिण्यै नमः ।
ॐ जगदंशोद्भूतायै नमः ।
ॐ असत्कृतायै नमः ।
ॐ परमप्रकृत्यै नमः ।
ॐ समस्तसुमतस्वरूपायै नमः ।
ॐ तृप्त्यै नमः ।
ॐ सकलमुखस्वरूपिण्यै नमः ।
ॐ शब्दक्रियायै नमः ।
ॐ आनन्दसन्दोहायै नमः ।
ॐ विपुलायै नमः ।
ॐ ऋज्यजुस्सामाथर्वरूपिण्यै नमः ।
ॐ उद्गीतायै नमः ।
ॐ रम्यायै नमः ।
ॐ पदस्वरूपिण्यै नमः ।
ॐ पाठस्वरूपिण्यै नमः ।
ॐ मेधादेव्यै नमः ।
ॐ विदितायै नमः ।
ॐ अखिलशास्त्रसारायै नमः ।
ॐ दुर्गायै नमः ।
ॐ दुर्गाश्रयायै नमः ।
ॐ भवसागरनाशिन्यै नमः ।
ॐ कैटभहारिण्यै नमः ।
ॐ हृदयवासिन्यै नमः ।
ॐ गौर्यै नमः ।
ॐ शशिमौलिकृतप्रतिष्ठायै नमः ।
ॐ ईशत्सुहासायै नमः ।
ॐ अमलायै नमः ।
ॐ पूर्णचन्द्रमुख्यै नमः ।
ॐ कनकोत्तमकान्त्यै नमः ।
ॐ कान्तायै नमः ।
ॐ अत्यद्भुतायै नमः ।
ॐ प्रणतायै नमः ।
ॐ अतिरौद्रायै नमः ।
ॐ महिषासुरनाशिन्यै नमः ।
ॐ दृष्टायै नमः ।
ॐ भ्रुकुटीकरालायै नमः ।
ॐ शशाङ्कधरायै नमः ।
ॐ महिषप्राणविमोचनायै नमः ।
ॐ कुपितायै नमः ।
ॐ अन्तकस्वरूपिण्यै नमः ।
ॐ सद्योविनाशिकायै नमः ।
ॐ कोपवत्यै नमः ।
ॐ दारिद्र्यनाशिन्यै नमः ।
ॐ पापनाशिन्यै नमः ।
ॐ सहस्रभुजायै नमः ।
ॐ सहस्राक्ष्यै नमः ।
ॐ सहस्रपादायै नमः ।
ॐ श्रुत्यै नमः ।
ॐ रत्यै नमः ।
ॐ रमण्यै नमः ।
ॐ भक्त्यै नमः ।
ॐ भवसागरतारिकायै नमः ।
ॐ पुरुषोत्तमवल्लभायै नमः ।
ॐ भृगुनन्दिन्यै नमः ।
ॐ स्थूलजङ्घायै नमः ।
ॐ रक्तपादायै नमः ।
ॐ नागकुण्डलधारिण्यै नमः ।
ॐ सर्वभूषणायै नमः ।
ॐ कामेश्वर्यै नमः ।
ॐ कल्पवृक्षायै नमः ।
ॐ कस्तूरिधारिण्यै नमः ।
ॐ मन्दस्मितायै नमः ।
ॐ मदोदयायै नमः ।
ॐ सदानन्दस्वरूपिण्यै नमः ।
ॐ विरिञ्चिपूजितायै नमः ।
ॐ गोविन्दपूजितायै नमः ।
ॐ पुरन्दरपूजितायै नमः ।
ॐ महेश्वरपूजितायै नमः ।
ॐ किरीटधारिण्यै नमः ।
ॐ मणिनूपुरशोभितायै नमः ।
ॐ पाशाङ्कुशधरायै नमः ।
ॐ कमलधारिण्यै नमः ।
ॐ हरिचन्दनायै नमः ।
ॐ कस्तूरीकुङ्कुमायै नमः ।
ॐ अशोकभूषणायै नमः ।
ॐ शृङ्गारलास्यायै नमः ।
ॐ वनदुर्गायै नमः ।
Āraṇyā Devī Nāmāvalī
oṃ āraṇyānyai namaḥ
oṃ kātyāyanyai namaḥ
oṃ gauryai namaḥ
oṃ kumāryai namaḥ
oṃ vindhyavāsinyai namaḥ
oṃ vāgīśvaryai namaḥ
oṃ mahādevyai namaḥ
oṃ kālyai namaḥ
oṃ kaṅkāladhāriṇyai namaḥ
oṃ ghoṇasābharaṇāyai namaḥ
oṃ ugrāyai namaḥ
oṃ sthūlajaṅghāyai namaḥ
oṃ maheśvaryai namaḥ
oṃ khaṭvāṅgadhāriṇyai namaḥ
oṃ caṇḍyai namaḥ
oṃ bhīṣaṇāyai namaḥ
oṃ mahiṣāntakāyai namaḥ
oṃ rakṣiṇyai namaḥ
oṃ ramaṇyai namaḥ
oṃ rājñyai namaḥ
oṃ rajanyai namaḥ
oṃ śoṣiṇyai namaḥ
oṃ ratyai namaḥ
oṃ gabhastinyai namaḥ
oṃ gandhinyai namaḥ
oṃ durgāyai namaḥ
oṃ gāndhāryai namaḥ
oṃ kalahapriyāyai namaḥ
oṃ vikarālyai namaḥ
oṃ mahākālyai namaḥ
oṃ bhadrakālyai namaḥ
oṃ taraṅgiṇyai namaḥ
oṃ mālinyai namaḥ
oṃ dāhinyai namaḥ
oṃ kṛṣṇāyai namaḥ
oṃ chedinyai namaḥ
oṃ bhedinyai namaḥ
oṃ agraṇyai namaḥ
oṃ grāmaṇyai namaḥ
oṃ nidrāyai namaḥ
oṃ vimāninyai namaḥ
oṃ śīghragāminyai namaḥ
oṃ caṇḍavegāyai namaḥ
oṃ mahānādāyai namaḥ
oṃ vajriṇyai namaḥ
oṃ bhadrāyai namaḥ
oṃ prajeśvaryai namaḥ
oṃ karālyai namaḥ
oṃ bhairavyai namaḥ
oṃ raudryai namaḥ
oṃ aṭṭahāsinyai namaḥ
oṃ kapālinyai cāmuṇḍāyai namaḥ
oṃ raktacāmuṇḍāyai namaḥ
oṃ aghorāyai namaḥ
oṃ ghorarūpiṇyai namaḥ
oṃ virūpāyai namaḥ
oṃ mahārūpāyai namaḥ
oṃ svarūpāyai namaḥ
oṃ supratejasvinyai namaḥ
oṃ ajāyai namaḥ
oṃ vijayāyai namaḥ
oṃ citrāyai namaḥ
oṃ ajitāyai namaḥ
oṃ aparājitāyai namaḥ
oṃ dharaṇyai namaḥ
oṃ dhātryai namaḥ
oṃ pavamānyai namaḥ
oṃ vasundharāyai namaḥ
oṃ suvarṇāyai namaḥ
oṃ raktākṣyai namaḥ
oṃ kapardinyai namaḥ
oṃ siṃhavāhinyai namaḥ
oṃ kadrave namaḥ
oṃ vijitāyai namaḥ
oṃ satyavāṇyai namaḥ
oṃ arundhatyai namaḥ
oṃ kauśikyai namaḥ
oṃ mahālakṣmyai namaḥ
oṃ vidyāyai namaḥ
oṃ medhāyai namaḥ
oṃ sarasvatyai namaḥ
oṃ tryambakāyai namaḥ
oṃ trisankhyāyai namaḥ
oṃ trimūrtyai namaḥ
oṃ tripurāntakāyai namaḥ
oṃ brāhmyai namaḥ
oṃ nārasiṃhyai namaḥ
oṃ vārāhyai namaḥ
oṃ indrāṇyai namaḥ
oṃ vedamātṛkāyai namaḥ
oṃ pārvatyai namaḥ
oṃ tāmasyai namaḥ
oṃ siddhāyai namaḥ
oṃ guhyāyai namaḥ
oṃ ijyāyai namaḥ
oṃ uṣāyai namaḥ
oṃ umāyai namaḥ
oṃ ambikāyai namaḥ
oṃ bhrāmaryai namaḥ
oṃ vīrāyai namaḥ
oṃ hāhāhuṅkāranādinyai namaḥ
oṃ nārāyaṇyai namaḥ
oṃ viśvarūpāyai namaḥ
oṃ merumandiravāsinyai namaḥ
oṃ śaraṇāgatadīnārtaparitrāṇaparāyaṇāyai namaḥ
oṃ trinetrāyai namaḥ
oṃ śaśidharāyai namaḥ
oṃ āryāyai namaḥ
oṃ āraṇyāyai namaḥ
oṃ āraṇyakanāyikāyai namaḥ
oṃ āraṇyāraṇye namaḥ
आरण्या देवी नामावली
ॐ आरण्यान्यै नमः ।
ॐ कात्यायन्यै नमः ।
ॐ गौर्यै नमः ।
ॐ कुमार्यै नमः ।
ॐ विन्ध्यवासिन्यै नमः ।
ॐ वागीश्वर्यै नमः ।
ॐ महादेव्यै नमः ।
ॐ काल्यै नमः ।
ॐ कङ्कालधारिण्यै नमः ।
ॐ घोणसाभरणायै नमः ।
ॐ उग्रायै नमः ।
ॐ स्थूलजङ्घायै नमः ।
ॐ महेश्वर्यै नमः ।
ॐ खट्वाङ्गधारिण्यै नमः ।
ॐ चण्ड्यै नमः ।
ॐ भीषणायै नमः ।
ॐ महिषान्तकायै नमः ।
ॐ रक्षिण्यै नमः ।
ॐ रमण्यै नमः ।
ॐ राज्ञ्यै नमः ।
ॐ रजन्यै नमः ।
ॐ शोषिण्यै नमः ।
ॐ रत्यै नमः ।
ॐ गभस्तिन्यै नमः ।
ॐ गन्धिन्यै नमः ।
ॐ दुर्गायै नमः ।
ॐ गान्धार्यै नमः ।
ॐ कलहप्रियायै नमः ।
ॐ विकराल्यै नमः ।
ॐ महाकाल्यै नमः ।
ॐ भद्रकाल्यै नमः ।
ॐ तरङ्गिण्यै नमः ।
ॐ मालिन्यै नमः ।
ॐ दाहिन्यै नमः ।
ॐ कृष्णायै नमः ।
ॐ छेदिन्यै नमः ।
ॐ भेदिन्यै नमः ।
ॐ अग्रण्यै नमः ।
ॐ ग्रामण्यै नमः ।
ॐ निद्रायै नमः ।
ॐ विमानिन्यै नमः ।
ॐ शीघ्रगामिन्यै नमः ।
ॐ चण्डवेगायै नमः ।
ॐ महानादायै नमः ।
ॐ वज्रिण्यै नमः ।
ॐ भद्रायै नमः ।
ॐ प्रजेश्वर्यै नमः ।
ॐ कराल्यै नमः ।
ॐ भैरव्यै नमः ।
ॐ रौद्र्यै नमः ।
ॐ अट्टहासिन्यै नमः ।
ॐ कपालिन्यै चामुण्डायै नमः ।
ॐ रक्तचामुण्डायै नमः ।
ॐ अघोरायै नमः ।
ॐ घोररूपिण्यै नमः ।
ॐ विरूपायै नमः ।
ॐ महारूपायै नमः ।
ॐ स्वरूपायै नमः ।
ॐ सुप्रतेजस्विन्यै नमः ।
ॐ अजायै नमः ।
ॐ विजयायै नमः ।
ॐ चित्रायै नमः ।
ॐ अजितायै नमः ।
ॐ अपराजितायै नमः ।
ॐ धरण्यै नमः ।
ॐ धात्र्यै नमः ।
ॐ पवमान्यै नमः ।
ॐ वसुन्धरायै नमः ।
ॐ सुवर्णायै नमः ।
ॐ रक्ताक्ष्यै नमः ।
ॐ कपर्दिन्यै नमः ।
ॐ सिंहवाहिन्यै नमः ।
ॐ कद्रवे नमः ।
ॐ विजितायै नमः ।
ॐ सत्यवाण्यै नमः ।
ॐ अरुन्धत्यै नमः ।
ॐ कौशिक्यै नमः ।
ॐ महालक्ष्म्यै नमः ।
ॐ विद्यायै नमः ।
ॐ मेधायै नमः ।
ॐ सरस्वत्यै नमः ।
ॐ त्र्यम्बकायै नमः ।
ॐ त्रिसन्ख्यायै नमः ।
ॐ त्रिमूर्त्यै नमः ।
ॐ त्रिपुरान्तकायै नमः ।
ॐ ब्राह्म्यै नमः ।
ॐ नारसिंह्यै नमः ।
ॐ वाराह्यै नमः ।
ॐ इन्द्राण्यै नमः ।
ॐ वेदमातृकायै नमः ।
ॐ पार्वत्यै नमः ।
ॐ तामस्यै नमः ।
ॐ सिद्धायै नमः ।
ॐ गुह्यायै नमः ।
ॐ इज्यायै नमः ।
ॐ उषायै नमः ।
ॐ उमायै नमः ।
ॐ अम्बिकायै नमः ।
ॐ भ्रामर्यै नमः ।
ॐ वीरायै नमः ।
ॐ हाहाहुङ्कारनादिन्यै नमः ।
ॐ नारायण्यै नमः ।
ॐ विश्वरूपायै नमः ।
ॐ मेरुमन्दिरवासिन्यै नमः ।
ॐ शरणागतदीनार्तपरित्राणपरायणायै नमः ।
ॐ त्रिनेत्रायै नमः ।
ॐ शशिधरायै नमः ।
ॐ आर्यायै नमः ।
ॐ आरण्यायै नमः ।
ॐ आरण्यकनायिकायै नमः ।
ॐ आरण्यारण्ये नमः
Śrī Āraṇyā Devī, also known as Āraṇyikā, is the Śakti of Śrī Āraṇyaka Īśvara.
Śrī Āraṇyaka Īśvara is none other than Kirāta Nārāyaṇa himself.
Āraṇyā Devī is non-different from the primordial Śakti known and revered as Lakṣmī. She is Lakṣmī herself—manifest as Saubhāgya Lakṣmī, the bestower of divine fortune, inner strength, and righteous continuity. This Saubhāgya Lakṣmī is the very Aṣṭa-Lakṣmī whom we traditionally worship, revealed here in her forest-sovereign, protective, and guiding form.
She is not merely Parama Vaiṣṇavī Śakti in identity alone; rather, her worship is rooted entirely in a Parā Bhakti–based approach. In her sva-kṣetra, the inherent mode of worship is sāttvika, arising naturally from devotion, surrender, and inner alignment rather than external compulsion or ritual excess.
The widely venerated image of Vaiṣṇo Devī — Śerāvalī is, in truth, her iconography. She is primarily worshipped in association with Mahābala Vyāghra, her vāhana.
Among her rūpa-alaṅkāras, she is especially adored as Vīra Lakṣmī—not merely as a giver of boons, but as the embodiment of inner courage, empowering the sādhaka to walk their own destined path toward Her, with clarity, strength, and unwavering devotion.
Āraṇyānī, also known as Āraṇyā Devī, is revered as a primordial manifestation of Ādi Durgā—the original form of the Divine Mother—within the Vedic tradition. She is worshipped as the eternal protective and liberating power who guides beings safely across dangers, obstacles, and limitations. In this tradition, she is known as Vanadurgā, the Goddess who dwells beyond settled structures, presiding over both the outer forest and the inner wilderness of the heart.
The earliest and most authoritative invocation of this Śakti is found in the Durgā Sūktam of the Ṛgveda, also known as the Agni–Durgā Sūktam. This hymn begins with the salutation to Jātavedas (Agni) and invokes Durgā as the divine power who enables the seeker to cross all difficulties, just as a boat carries one safely across a river.
In Bhārata, the worship of Āraṇyā Devī continues in living tradition; a well-known temple dedicated to her is located at Ārā in Bihar, India. The town of Ārā, the headquarters of Bhojpur district, is traditionally associated with this ancient Goddess.
In the Vedic vision, Durgā is described as agnivarṇā—resplendent like fire—burning ignorance, karmic bondage, and fear. She is not merely a deity of external protection, but the inner guiding flame (antar-agni) that leads the aspirant beyond suffering and limitation.
This Ādidurgā or Ādilakṣmī is also revered as Āryā Durgā or Āraṇyā Durgā (Vanadurgā)—the primordial Śakti, the Ādi or Mūla Bhagavatī.
In Śākta and Tantric traditions, this same Ādi Durgā is contemplated through meditative dhyānas and nāmāvalīs that reveal her many functions and aspects. She is fierce and protective, yet also benevolent and gracious. She destroys obstacles and hostile forces, while simultaneously bestowing knowledge, fearlessness, protection, and liberation. The diversity of her names does not indicate different deities, but rather the many dimensions of one indivisible Supreme Mother.
Within this tradition, Ādi Durgā is worshipped as Kanaka Vanadurgā—the golden, radiant Goddess who dwells in the sacred inner forest of the heart and protects the seeker at every stage of the spiritual journey. The epithet Kanaka signifies her luminous and auspicious nature, while Vanadurgā points to her transcendent presence beyond worldly enclosures, guiding the aspirant through both outer and inner wilderness.
Recitation of this Nāmāvalī is intended not merely as praise, but as a contemplative practice. Each name functions as a mantra-seed, invoking a specific power, quality, or protective force of the Divine Mother. Through sustained remembrance (smaraṇa) and devotion (bhakti), the sādhaka gradually aligns with the grace, courage, and wisdom embodied by Ādi Durgā.
May this Nāmāvalī serve as a means of protection, inner purification, and spiritual illumination, leading the seeker safely across all difficulties and toward the realization of the Mother’s ever-present compassion and power.
Dhyāna of Ādi Durgā
This Nāmāvalī is accompanied by a traditional dhyāna describing the Goddess as follows:
vidyuddāmasamaprabhāṃ mṛgapatiskandhasthitāṃ bhīṣaṇām |
kanyābhiḥ karavālakheṭavilasat-hastābhir āsevitām |
hastaiś cakragadā’siśaṅkha-viśikhāṃś cāpaṃ guṇaṃ tarjanīm
bibhrāṇām analātmikāṃ śaśidharāṃ durgāṃ trinetrāṃ bhaje ||
Meaning:
“I adore Durgā, the three-eyed Goddess, radiant like a garland of lightning, fearsome in form, seated upon the shoulders of the lion-king. She is attended by maiden-energies whose hands gleam with swords and shields. She herself bears the discus, mace, sword, conch, arrows, bow, bow-string, and the commanding, threatening gesture. Fiery in essence and crowned with the crescent moon, that Durgā I worship.”
In Śrī Vidyārṇava Tantra, a complementary meditative visualization (dhyāna) presents the Goddess as radiant like a mass of lightning, seated upon a golden lotus, serene and adorned with a crescent moon, bearing the gestures of protection, boon-giving, and fearlessness. She is visualized with the great lion beside her and is said to dwell “in the forest of the heart” (hṛdi vana-vasati).
The Dhyāna Śloka in Śrī Vidyārṇava Tantra
vidyuddhāmaprabhābhāṃ kanaka-sarasije saṃsthitāṃ ṣaṭ-trinetrām
hastāmbhojair vahantīm aridara-varadābhīti-saṃjñāḥ krameṇa |
svarṇodyat-kānti-vastrāṃ śaśi-kalita-lasad-ratna-cūḍāṃ prasannāṃ
pārśvodyat-san-mṛgendrāṃ hṛdi vana-vasatiṃ dāva-durgāṃ smareham ||
In the contemplative tradition of Tantra, such descriptions are not intended to introduce a separate deity, but to guide the sādhaka toward an inner realization of the same Supreme Śakti. The imagery of the “forest-fire” (dāva) is traditionally understood as a metaphor for the inner fire that burns ignorance, fear, and karmic bondage. Accordingly, this dhyāna may be contemplated as an inner aspect of Ādi Durgā, harmonizing with her Vedic description as agnivarṇā in the Durgā Sūktam.
This Nāmāvalī may be used by seekers of Mā Vanadurgā with eyes closed and with utmost faith, as it contains all that is necessary to invoke her grace (kṛpā). Seekers may freely employ any authentic textual material related to Āryā Durgā or Āraṇyā Durgā within their own sādhanā directed toward Mā Vanadurgā. Such remembrance and recitation should be integrated as an essential part of one’s nitya-upāsanā.
