Chapter 4 · Caturtho’dhyāyaḥ (Fourth Chapter)
Verse 3
देव्या यया ततमिदं जगदात्मशक्त्या निश्शेषदेवगणशक्तिसमूहमूर्त्या। तामम्बिकामखिलदेवमहर्षिपूज्यां भक्त्या नताः स्म विदधातु शुभानि सा नः ॥ ३ ॥
dēvyā yayā tatamidaṁ jagadātmaśaktyā niśśēṣadēvagaṇaśaktisamūhamūrtyā | tāmambikāmakhiladēvamaharṣipūjyāṁ bhaktyā natāḥ sma vidadhātu śubhāni sā naḥ || 3 ||
Translation
The gods said: 'May she, Ambika, by whom this universe is pervaded through her own power, who is the very form of the aggregate power of all the hosts of gods, who is worshipped by all gods and great sages—may she, to whom we bow down with devotion, grant us auspicious things.'
Word by word
- devyā
- by the Goddess
- yayā
- by whom
- tatam
- is pervaded, spread out
- idam
- this
- jagat
- universe
- ātmaśaktyā
- by her own power
- niśśeṣa
- entire
- devagaṇa
- of the hosts of gods
- śakti
- power
- samūha
- aggregate
- mūrtyā
- who is the form
- tām
- her
- ambikām
- Ambika (the Mother)
- akhila
- all
- deva
- gods
- maharṣi
- great sages
- pūjyām
- who is worshipped
- bhaktyā
- with devotion
- natāḥ
- bowed down
- sma
- we are
- vidadhātu
- may she grant
- śubhāni
- auspicious things
- sā
- she
- naḥ
- to us
Meaning
This is the opening of the gods' hymn (Stuti). They acknowledge the Goddess's supreme nature: Cosmic Power: She is the energy (ātmaśaktyā) that pervades and sustains the entire cosmos. Source of All Divinity: She is the sum total (samūhamūrtyā) of the power of all gods. Supreme Object of Worship: She is revered even by the highest beings (gods and sages). Their prayer is simple: they prostrate themselves before her and ask for her blessings (śubhāni)—likely peace, protection, and the continued maintenance of cosmic order.