Argala Stotram: Durga Mantra for Specific Wishes

Reviewed by Acharya Ravi Teja, Jyotish Acharya & Vedic Priest, Tirupati — as of May 2026. Use the birth chart calculator to see how this plays out in your personal Vedic chart.

The Argala Stotram is the second of three preparatory hymns recited before the Durga Saptashati. Its name comes from the Sanskrit word argala, meaning a bolt or locking pin — the kind of iron bar that slides across a door to lock it. The metaphor is deliberate: the Durga Saptashati is a door to the Goddess's fiercer energy, and without the correct preparation, that door remains bolted. The Argala Stotram is the key that draws back the bolt, opening the devotee to receive the full power of the Saptashati's 700 verses. It is drawn from the Markandeya Purana, in the same textual complex as the Devi Mahatmya, and is recited as part of the obligatory angam (limb) of the Saptashati puja. What makes the Argala Stotram unusual among preparatory hymns is its extraordinary directness. Where most preparatory stotrams invoke divine protection and purification in general terms, the Argala Stotram names specific wishes: health, beauty, enemies destroyed, sons, fame, wealth, victory. It does not dress requests in philosophical language — it asks the Goddess plainly for what the devotee needs. This directness is its power. The tradition holds that the Argala Stotram, even recited independently without the full Saptashati, activates the wish-granting aspect of Devi — the Varada (wish-fulfilling) mudra she holds in most of her iconographic forms.

> Quick Answer: The Argala Stotram is a preparatory hymn from the Durga Saptashati (Markandeya Purana) that names specific worldly wishes — health, victory, enemies defeated, wealth, sons — and asks Devi to fulfil them. Its name means "bolt" or "key" because it "unbolts" the Saptashati's power for the devotee. It can be recited independently for wish-fulfilment.

The Argala Stotram opens with an invocation and then proceeds through a sequence of wish-verses, each closing with the refrain "Rupam Dehi Jayam Dehi Yasho Dehi Dvisho Jahi" — "Grant beauty, grant victory, grant fame, destroy my enemies."

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Opening Verse (Mangalacharana) ॐ नमश्चण्डिकायै॥ मार्कण्डेय उवाच — ॐ जयन्ती मङ्गला काली भद्रकाली कपालिनी। दुर्गा क्षमा शिवा धात्री स्वाहा स्वधा नमोऽस्तु ते॥

Om namashchaṇḍikāyai Mārkandēya uvāca — Om jayantī mangalā kālī bhadrakālī kapālinī Durgā kṣamā śivā dhātrī svāhā svadhā namo'stu te

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Verse 1 जय त्वं देवि चामुण्डे जय भूतार्तिहारिणि। जय सर्वगते देवि कालरात्रि नमोऽस्तु ते॥

Jaya tvaṃ devi cāmuṇḍe jaya bhūtārti-hāriṇi Jaya sarva-gate devi kālarātri namo'stu te

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Verse 2 मधुकैटभविद्राविविधातृवरदे नमः। रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि॥

Madhu-kaiṭabha-vidrāvi vidhātṛ-varade namaḥ Rūpaṃ dehi jayaṃ dehi yaśo dehi dviṣo jahi

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Verse 3 महिषासुरनिर्नाशि भक्तानां सुखदे नमः। रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि॥

Mahiṣāsura-nirnāśi bhaktānāṃ sukhade namaḥ Rūpaṃ dehi jayaṃ dehi yaśo dehi dviṣo jahi

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Verse 4 धूम्रनयन संहन्त्रि सर्वदेवस्तुते नमः। रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि॥

Dhūmra-nayana saṃhantri sarva-deva-stute namaḥ Rūpaṃ dehi jayaṃ dehi yaśo dehi dviṣo jahi

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Verse 5 रक्तबीजवधे देवि चण्डमुण्डविनाशिनि। रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि॥

Raktabīja-vadhe devi caṇḍamuṇḍa-vināśini Rūpaṃ dehi jayaṃ dehi yaśo dehi dviṣo jahi

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Verse 6 शुम्भस्यैव निशुम्भस्य धूम्राक्षस्य च मर्दिनि। रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि॥

Śumbhasyaiva niśumbhasya dhūmrākṣasya ca mardini Rūpaṃ dehi jayaṃ dehi yaśo dehi dviṣo jahi

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Verse 7 वन्दिताङ्घ्रियुगे देवि सर्वसौभाग्यदायिनि। रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि॥

Vanditāṅghri-yuge devi sarva-saubhāgya-dāyini Rūpaṃ dehi jayaṃ dehi yaśo dehi dviṣo jahi

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Verse 8 अचिन्त्यरूपचरिते सर्वशत्रुविनाशिनि। रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि॥

Acintya-rūpa-carite sarva-śatru-vināśini Rūpaṃ dehi jayaṃ dehi yaśo dehi dviṣo jahi

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Verse 9 नतेभ्यः सर्वदा भक्त्या चण्डिके दुरितापहे। रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि॥

Natebhyaḥ sarvadā bhaktyā caṇḍike duritāpahe Rūpaṃ dehi jayaṃ dehi yaśo dehi dviṣo jahi

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Verse 10 स्तुवद्भ्यो भक्तिपूर्वं त्वां चण्डिके व्याधिनाशिनि। रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि॥

Stuvad-bhyo bhakti-pūrvaṃ tvāṃ caṇḍike vyādhi-nāśini Rūpaṃ dehi jayaṃ dehi yaśo dehi dviṣo jahi

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Verse 11 चण्डिके सततं युद्धे जयन्ति पापनाशिनि। रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि॥

Caṇḍike satataṃ yuddhe jayanti pāpa-nāśini Rūpaṃ dehi jayaṃ dehi yaśo dehi dviṣo jahi

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Verse 12 देहि सौभाग्यमारोग्यं देहि मे परमं सुखम्। रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि॥

Dehi saubhāgyam ārogyaṃ dehi me paramaṃ sukham Rūpaṃ dehi jayaṃ dehi yaśo dehi dviṣo jahi

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Verse 13 विधेहि द्विषतां नाशं विधेहि बलमुच्चकैः। रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि॥

Vidhehi dviṣatāṃ nāśaṃ vidhehi balam uccakaiḥ Rūpaṃ dehi jayaṃ dehi yaśo dehi dviṣo jahi

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Verse 14 विधेहि देवि कल्याणं विधेहि परमां श्रियम्। रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि॥

Vidhehi devi kalyāṇaṃ vidhehi paramāṃ śriyam Rūpaṃ dehi jayaṃ dehi yaśo dehi dviṣo jahi

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Closing Verse (Phala Shruti) सर्वभूता यदा देवी स्वर्गमुक्तिप्रदायिनि। त्वं स्तुता स्तुतये का वा भवन्तु परमोक्तयः॥

Sarva-bhūtā yadā devī svarga-mukti-pradāyini Tvaṃ stutā stutaye kā vā bhavantu paramōktayaḥ

> Quick Answer: The Argala Stotram has 14 principal verses plus one opening mangalacharana and one closing phala shruti. The central refrain "Rupam Dehi Jayam Dehi Yasho Dehi Dvisho Jahi" — Grant beauty, grant victory, grant fame, destroy enemies — repeats after every verse from Verse 2 onwards.

The full transliteration of each verse is embedded in the Sanskrit section above. For quick reference, the central refrain in Roman letters is:

Rūpaṃ dehi jayaṃ dehi yaśo dehi dviṣo jahi

Pronunciation guide: 1. Rūpam = ROO-pum (the long u is held for two beats) 2. dehi = DAY-hee (soft h, not aspirated harshly) 3. jayam = JAA-yum 4. yaśo = YAA-sho (the ś is a palatal sh, not a dental s) 5. dviṣo = DVEE-sho (the ṣ is retroflex — tip of tongue touches back of upper palate) 6. jahi = JAA-hee (soft h)

The opening names in the Mangalacharana — Jayantī, Maṅgalā, Kālī, Bhadrakālī, Kapālinī, Durgā, Kṣamā, Śivā, Dhātrī, Svāhā, Svadhā — are ten distinct names of Devi representing ten aspects: victory, auspiciousness, time-power, benevolent fierce power, skull-bearer, fortress, forgiveness, Shiva's consort, sustainer, and the two forms of fire-offering (Svaha for gods, Svadha for ancestors).

> Quick Answer: The refrain "Rūpaṃ dehi jayaṃ dehi yaśo dehi dviṣo jahi" means "Grant me beauty, grant me victory, grant me fame, destroy my enemies." The ṣ and ś sounds are distinct Sanskrit retroflex and palatal sounds — both similar to "sh" in English but produced at different points in the mouth.

Opening Mangalacharana: The ten names name Devi in her ten-fold cosmic function. By invoking all ten aspects before the stotram begins, the devotee signals to the Goddess that they approach her in totality, not selectively.

Verse 1: "O Chamunda, victory to you who removes the suffering of all beings, who pervades all, O Night of Time — salutations." This verse names Devi as Chamunda (the slayer of Chanda and Munda) and Kalaratri (Night of Time — the dissolution form). The salutation acknowledges her most fierce aspects first, showing the devotee's courage in approaching the Mother directly.

Verse 2 — Wish: Victory over cosmic enemies. This verse invokes Devi as the one who drove away Madhu and Kaitabha (the two primordial demons who arose from Vishnu's sleep and attacked Brahma). The wish: "grant me the blessing given to Brahma" — the creator's protection from primordial chaos. The refrain follows.

Verse 3 — Wish: Happiness for devotees. Devi is invoked as the destroyer of Mahishasura and the one who gives happiness to her bhaktas. The refrain follows.

Verse 4 — Wish: Praise from all beings. Devi is invoked as the slayer of Dhoomranayana (Smoky-Eyed demon, a general of Shumbha). The worshipper desires to be praised by all beings as the divine Goddess herself is praised.

Verse 5 — Wish: Destruction of enemies, however they multiply. Devi is invoked as the slayer of Raktabija (who multiplied from his own blood) and the destroyers of Chanda and Munda. The wish is for the complete eradication of enemies — even self-regenerating ones. This verse is specifically recommended for those dealing with recurring problems or opponents who keep returning.

Verse 6 — Wish: Complete destruction of adversarial forces. Devi is invoked as the slayer of Shumbha, Nishumbha, and Dhoomraksha — the three commanders of the demonic army in the Saptashati. The wish is the neutralisation of all three kinds of obstacles: visible enemies (Shumbha), hidden enemies (Nishumbha), and obscuring forces (Dhoomraksha — Smoky Eyes, which clouds perception).

Verse 7 — Wish: All forms of good fortune. The worshipper bows at Devi's feet and asks for sarva-saubhagya — all-round good fortune. This encompasses relationships, health, wealth, and reputation.

Verse 8 — Wish: Destruction of all enemies. Devi's form is beyond comprehension (acintya-rupa) — she is worshipped for complete enemy-destruction.

Verse 9 — Wish: Removal of accumulated sins. Chandika who removes durita (accumulated wrong action and its karmic residue) is invoked for those who bow devotedly.

Verse 10 — Wish: Destruction of disease. The worshipper praises Chandika specifically as vyādhi-nāśinī — the destroyer of disease. This verse is particularly recited when someone in the household is ill.

Verse 11 — Wish: Victory in conflict. Chandika, ever-victorious in battle, is asked to confer the same victory on the devotee in their own conflicts — legal, professional, or personal.

Verse 12 — Wish: Good fortune, health, and supreme happiness. This is the most comprehensive wish-verse: saubhagya (good fortune), arogya (health), and parama sukha (the highest happiness — which in the Vedantic reading is moksha). The refrain follows.

Verse 13 — Wish: Destruction of enemies and strength. Direct: "Grant destruction of my enemies. Grant me great strength." The wish is unambiguous.

Verse 14 — Wish: Welfare and supreme prosperity. Kalyaṇa (welfare in the widest sense) and parama shrī (supreme Lakshmi-power) — the final direct wish before the phala shruti closes the stotram.

Phala Shruti: "When the Goddess is present in all beings as the giver of heaven and liberation — O praised one, what praise can adequately address you? Let the highest words be spoken." This closing verse does not praise with more epithets. It acknowledges that language is insufficient for the Goddess's totality.

> Quick Answer: The Argala Stotram's wishes, in order, are: cosmic protection (v2), happiness (v3), praise from all (v4), enemy-destruction including self-regenerating enemies (v5), removal of all adversarial forces (v6), all-round good fortune (v7), enemy removal (v8), sin-removal (v9), disease-destruction (v10), victory in conflict (v11), health and happiness (v12), strength and enemy defeat (v13), and supreme prosperity (v14).

The Durga Saptashati is not recited as a standalone text — the Markandeya Purana prescribes a formal puja structure in which three preparatory stotrams precede the main 700 verses. These three stotrams are known collectively as the Angam (limbs) of the Saptashati.

1. Devi Kavacham (the Armour): The first preparatory stotra. Devi Kavacham assigns a specific deity from Devi's retinue to protect each part of the reciter's body — the head, neck, chest, back, hands, feet. Before entering the fierce energy of the Saptashati, the physical body of the reciter is armoured part by part. Without this armour, the tradition holds that the Saptashati's power can be overwhelming or misdirected.

2. Argala Stotram (the Bolt/Key): The second preparatory stotra. Once the body is armoured, the Argala Stotram draws back the bolt — it opens the channel from the reciter to the Goddess and states the reciter's specific intentions and wishes. The Saptashati's energy now has a direction to flow.

3. Kilakam (the Nail/Pin): The third preparatory stotra. If the Kavacham is the armour and the Argala is the key, the Kilakam is the nail that pins the Goddess's presence in place for the duration of the recitation. The Kilakam invokes Shiva to act as guarantor of the Goddess's continued presence. Without the Kilakam, traditional acharyas consider the Saptashati's power to "escape" — the Goddess is invoked but not secured.

The correct sequence for a complete Saptashati puja is therefore: (1) Kavacham, (2) Argala Stotram, (3) Kilakam, (4) the 700 verses of the Devi Mahatmya across three charitas (episodes), and (5) closing prayers including the Devi Suktam and the Aparadha Kshamapana Stotram.

> Quick Answer: The three preparatory stotrams for the Durga Saptashati are the Kavacham (body armour), the Argala Stotram (wish-statement and unbolting), and the Kilakam (pinning Devi's presence). All three must be recited before the 700 main verses for a complete and protected Saptashati path.

The Argala Stotram is valid and complete as an independent recitation for specific wish-fulfilment. This is confirmed by the stotram's own phala shruti and by the Devi Bhagavata Purana, which states that Devi's individual stotrams carry independent power when recited with sincere bhava (devotion) and specific sankalpa (intention-statement).

The reason the Argala functions independently is that it is structurally self-contained. Unlike the Kavacham, which names Devi's attendant deities to protect individual body parts (and therefore requires the armour context), or the Kilakam, which invokes Shiva as guarantor (and therefore functions as a seal for a larger puja), the Argala Stotram consists entirely of direct wish-statements to the Goddess. Each verse stands alone as a petition.

When reciting the Argala Stotram independently, the sankalpa (intention) is stated before beginning. The sankalpa names: (1) the reciter's lineage and name, (2) the specific wish, and (3) the number of repetitions being offered. For major wishes, a 40-day commitment of one complete recitation per day is the standard anushthana. For general daily recitation, once per morning at dawn is sufficient.

The traditional teaching from Tirupati shaktipeeth lineage is that reciting the Argala 21 times in a single sitting on a Friday (Devi's day) during Navratri is equivalent to one complete Saptashati path for the purpose of wish-fulfilment — though not for the purpose of liberative power, which requires the full Saptashati.

> Quick Answer: Yes, the Argala Stotram is fully valid as a standalone recitation. It does not require the full Saptashati to work. For specific wishes, recite it once daily for 40 consecutive days with a stated sankalpa. The Devi Bhagavata Purana confirms that Devi's stotrams carry independent power when recited with devotion.

The Navratri Argala Stotram protocol is the most powerful context for this hymn. The nine-night festival corresponds to the nine nights of Devi's war in the Saptashati narrative — the war ends with Mahishasura's death on Vijayadashami, the tenth day.

Daily practice during Navratri: Wake before sunrise — ideally at Brahma Muhurta (4:00–5:30 AM). Bathe and wear clean clothes. Sit facing east on a clean mat. Place Devi's image or a yantra (the Shri Yantra or Durga Yantra) in front of you. Light a ghee lamp and offer incense. State the sankalpa clearly: "For the fulfilment of specific wish], I recite the Argala Stotram once daily for the nine days of Navratri." Recite the stotram once completely. After completion, offer flowers at Devi's feet and bow three times.

The specific wish focus per day follows the Navratri Navaratri calendar: 1. Days 1-3: Recite with focus on enemy removal and protection (Durga Swarupa) 2. Days 4-6: Recite with focus on prosperity and health (Lakshmi Swarupa) 3. Days 7-9: Recite with focus on wisdom and liberation (Saraswati Swarupa)

The Durga Saptashati itself (Chapter 12, the Phala Shruti chapter) states that Navratri recitation of preparatory stotrams yields results equivalent to a full year of daily practice — this is the concentrated power of the collective devotion of millions of practitioners reciting simultaneously.

Foods and vows: The Markandeya Purana recommends observing brahmacharya (celibacy), eating once per day, and avoiding meat, alcohol, and onion-garlic during the nine days for those performing serious anushthana. These are not mandatory for casual recitation, but they amplify the effect of serious wish-fulfilment practice.

> Quick Answer: During Navratri, recite the Argala Stotram once before sunrise each of the nine mornings with a stated sankalpa. Days 1-3 focus on protection, Days 4-6 on prosperity, Days 7-9 on wisdom. The Markandeya Purana states that nine days of Navratri recitation equals one full year of daily practice.