मन्त्राणां मातृका देवी शब्दानां ज्ञानरूपिणी। ज्ञानानां चिन्मयातीता शून्यानां शून्यसाक्षिणी। यस्याः परतरं नास्ति सैषा दुर्गा प्रकीर्तिता ॥ २४ ॥
mantrāṇāṁ mātṛkā dēvī śabdānāṁ jñānarūpiṇī | jñānānāṁ cinmayātītā śūnyānāṁ śūnyasākṣiṇī | yasyāḥ parataraṁ nāsti saiṣā durgā prakīrtitā || 24 ||
Translation
The Goddess is the mother of all mantras, the knowledge within words; among all knowings she is beyond consciousness itself, and among all voids she is the witness of the void. She beyond whom there is nothing higher is renowned as Durgā.
Word by word
- mantrāṇām
- of mantras
- mātṛkā
- the mother (the alphabet)
- dēvī
- the Goddess
- śabdānām
- of words
- jñānarūpiṇī
- in the form of knowledge
- jñānānām
- of knowings
- cinmayātītā
- beyond even consciousness
- śūnyānām
- of voids
- śūnyasākṣiṇī
- the witness of the void
- yasyāḥ parataram nāsti
- beyond whom there is nothing higher
- sā ēṣā
- she
- durgā
- Durgā
- prakīrtitā
- is renowned
Meaning
Mātṛkā, the mother, is the alphabet from which every mantra is built, so the Goddess is the source of every sacred sound. She is the witness even of emptiness, and nothing stands higher. That supreme one is known by the name Durgā.