ॐ ज्ञानिनामपि चेतांसि देवी भगवती हि सा। बलादाकृष्य मोहाय महामाया प्रयच्छति॥
ōṁ jñāninām api cētāṁsi dēvī bhagavatī hi sā। balād ākṛṣya mōhāya mahāmāyā prayacchati॥
Translation
Om, the Goddess, indeed the divine one, she, as Mahāmāyā, forcibly attracts even the minds of the wise and bestows delusion.
Word by word
- ōṁ
- sacred syllable
- jñāninām
- of the wise
- api
- even
- cētāṁsi
- minds
- dēvī
- Goddess
- bhagavatī
- divine/auspicious
- hi
- indeed
- sā
- she
- balāt
- by force
- ākṛṣya
- having attracted
- mōhāya
- for delusion
- mahāmāyā
- great illusion
- prayacchati
- bestows
Meaning
This first core verse of Saptashloki Durga invokes Goddess Durga as bhagavatī (the divine one) and mahāmāyā (the great illusion), emphasizing her supreme power over all, including the wise (jñāninām). She forcibly draws their minds (cētāṁsi balād ākṛṣya) into delusion (mōhāya), showcasing her cosmic authority as the wielder of māyā, the illusory power that governs the universe. In the Shakta tradition, particularly within the Durga Saptashati, this verse establishes Durga as the transcendent śakti who controls both creation and delusion, guiding devotees toward liberation by revealing the illusory nature of the world. The verse sets a reverential tone, highlighting her ability to captivate even enlightened minds, underscoring her role as the ultimate divine force in the Kali Yuga.