To Understand Durga Saptashati, Know Every Word

Brahma continues to praise Devi.

खड्गिनी शूलिनी घोरा गदिनी चक्रिणी तथा
शङ्खिनी चापिनी बाणा भुशुण्डी परिघायुधा

Devi's weapons—what all she is holding in her hands—are being described. Khadga – sword. Shoola – spear, not trishoola, the regular spear. Ghora is not a weapon; ghora means you are holding the severed head of a demon and you are looking ferocious because of that. That’s why she is called ghora. Gadini – you are holding a gada, mace, Bheemasena’s weapon. Chakra – like the Sudarshana chakra of Mahavishnu. Shankha – conch shell.

When we do shankha puja it is said:
गर्भा देवारिनारीणां विशीर्यन्ते सहस्रधा।
तव नादेन पाताले पाञ्चजन्य नमोऽस्तुते।

When the sound of shankha is heard, the foetus of asura women who are in the Pathala, they fall in thousands. That is the power of shankha nada. It can destroy evil, even before it is born.

Chapini and Bana – these are all terms addressing Devi. Chapini means one who is holding chapa, bow. Bana means you are holding arrow or arrows.

There are two more weapons: Bhushundee and Parigha. Bhushundee means catapult—you know, you take Y-shaped branch of a tree, tie a thick rubber band to it, and this is used to shoot stones. In villages you will still find children making this to shoot at mangos and all. The only difference is that there was no rubber at that time, so leather was used in its place. This is called Bhushundee. Parigha is an iron rod, steel rod, sometimes with a club-like end. In gada the end is big, heavy. Here it is small.

सौम्यासौम्यतराशेषसौम्येभ्यस्त्वतिसुन्दरी

We said she is ghora; she is holding a cut head of a demon in her hand. But at the same time, you are sowmya and sowmyatara. Sowmya is gentle, manojna, beautiful; you look at her and your mind becomes happy. This is the quality of beauty. Why are beautiful people popular? Merely looking at them will make you feel happy.

You are ghora and sowmya at the same time. Ghora by the fact that you are holding the cut head of a demon, which evokes fear. Sowmya at the same time. You are not just sowmya—you are sowmyatara, more beautiful than anyone else—the comparative degree. Not even that: ashesha sowmyebhyaha tu atisundaree. Among all those who are beautiful, you are the prettiest, most beautiful. Ashesha—after considering every beautiful being in all the worlds, you are the most beautiful.

सौम्यासौम्यतराशेषसौम्येभ्यस्त्वतिसुन्दरी।

परमेश्वरी।
त्वमेव परमेश्वरी।

Saumya, sowmyatara, ashesha sowmyebhyaha tu atisundaree—after considering every beautiful being, you are the most beautiful. Ashesha means after considering all beautiful beings in all the worlds.

परा, सौम्या, सौम्यतरा, परमेश्वरी—among all the great, noble beings, you are the ultimate.

Ishwari means one who rules over, someone who commands others. There are many such Ishwaris. Every goddess is an Ishwari. But among all of them, you alone are Parameshwari, the ultimate. There are many Ishwaris, but among all of them, you alone are Parameshwari.

We use these terms very casually, interchangeably, as if they have the same meaning. You should go into such depth. Then only you will understand the essence of all this.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi