Ashta dasa peeta Durga Stotram
(The prayer to Durga of the eighteen power centres)
Translated by
P.R.Ramachander
( Lord Shiva married Sathi the daughter of Daksha. Once when Daksha insulted Lord Shiva , he decided not to go to his house . But When Daksha conduced a great Yaga, Sathi wanted go there against the wishes of Lord Shiva. When Lord Shiva was again insulted By Daksha, Sathi jumped in the yaga fire and died. The furious Shiva came there beheaded Daksha, and in great anger he took the body of Sathi and holding it atop his head started the dance of the deluge. Lord Vishnu curt the body of Sathi in to pieces and the place where each piece fell was called a Shakthi Peeta(power centre. One group believes that there are eighteen Shakthi Peetas and another believes that there are one hundred and eight Shakthi peetas. The eighteen Shakthi peetas are:-
Trinkomali (Sri Lanka) Sankari Devi – Groin fell here
Kanchi (Tamil Nadu) Kamakshi Devi – Back
Pradyumna or Chotila (Gujarat) Sri Srunkala Devi – Stomach
Mysore (Karnataka) Chamundeswari Devi – Hair
Alampur (Andhra Pradesh) Jogulamba Devi – Upper teeth
Srisailam (Andhra Pradesh) Bhramramba Devi – Neck
Sholapur (Maharastra) Mahalaksmi Devi – Eyes
Nanded (Maharastra) Ekavenika Devi – Right Hand
Ujjain (Madya pradesh) Mahakalai Devi – Upper Lip
Pithapuram (Andhra Pradesh) Puruhutika Devi – Left Hand
Cuttack (Orissa) Girija Devi – Navel
Draksharamam (Andhra Pradesh) Manikyamba Devi – Left cheek
Guwahati (Assam) Kamarupa Devi – Vulva
Prayag (Uttar Pradesh) Madhaveswari Devi – Fingers
Jwala (Himachal Pradesh) Vaishnavi Devi – Head
Gaya (Bihar) Sarvamangala Devi – Breast
Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) Visalaksi Devi – Wrist
Kashmir Saraswati Devi – Right Hand
This great prayer mentions the eighteen Shakthi Peetas and praises the Goddess there.)
1.Lankhayaam Shankari devim, Kamakshi Kanchika pure,
Pradhyumne srunkala devi, Chamunda Krouncha pattane ,
Shankari in Sri Lanka, Kamakshi in Kanchipura,
Srunkala devi in Pradhyumna and Chamunda in Mysore
2.Alampure Jogulamba, Sri Shaile Bramarambika,
KOlhapure Mahalakshmi, Mahurye Eka veerika
Jogulkamba of Alampur, Brahmarambika of Sri Shaila,
The Mahalakshmi of Kolhapur, the Eka veerika of Mahurya
3.Ujaynyaam Maha Kali, peethikaayam Puruhuthika,
Odhayane Girija devi, Manikha Daksha vatike
The Mahakali of Ujjaini , Puruhuthika of Pethapura,
The Girija devi of Cuttack,The Manikhamba devi of Draksharamam
4.Hari kshethre Kama roopi, Prayage Madhaveswari,
Jwalayaam Vaishnavidevi, Gaya Mangala Gourika
The Kameswari devi of Gauhathi, The Madheswari of Allahabad,
The Vaishnavi devi of Jwalamukhi and Mangala Gourika of Gaya
5.Varanasyam visalakshi, Kashmere thu Saraswathi,
Ashta dasa Shakthi peedani , yogeenam abhi durlabham
The Visalakshi of Benares and Goddess Saraswathi of Kashmir,
These eighteen places of Goddess Shakthi are difficult to attain even by yogis
6.Sayam kale paden nithyam, sarva shatru vinasanam,
Sarva roga haram divyam, sarva Sampathkaram Shubham.
If this is read daily evening, it will lead to destruction of all enemies,
Curing of all diseases and gaining of all types of wealth.