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Sankata Devi namashtakam

 

Translated By

 

P.R.Ramachander

Sankata Devi is known in Kashi as one of the most powerful temples in the entire city. Sankata Ji as she is called, is located high above the Sankata Ghat in the labyrinthine lanes of the city. Sankata Devi means "Goddess of Dangers", for she is the one who vanquishes dangers for her devotees. Sankata Devi was originally a Matrika, one of the mothers. In Puranic Stories she is called Vikat Matrika, the "Fierce Mother". Sankata Devi is a self-manifested goddess and has ten hands. She is believed to have   the power to protect faraway husbands and to ensure their safe return and so  her temple in Benaras became an important pilgrimage site during the peak period of colonial migration.

 

Ananda kanane devi, SAnkata nama vishrutha,

Veereswothare bhage poorvam chandreswarasya cha.                         1

 

To the north of Veereswara  and to the east of Chandreswara,

In the forest of joy , exists the very famous Goddess Sankata

 

Srunu namashtakam thasya sarva sidhikaram nrunam,

Sankata prathamam namam, dwitheeyam vijayasthadha,

Thritheeyam Kamada proktham, chahurtham Dukha harini,

SArvani panchamam nama shashtam karthyayani thadha,

Sapthamam Bheema nayana Sarva rogaharshtamam,

Nama ashtakamidham  punyam trisandhyam sradhayanvitha,

Ya padethpadeyedwapi  naro muchyathe sankatath.                           2-4

 

Hear those eight names  of her , who fulfills all desires,

Remover of dangers is her first name,

Victorious Goddess is her second name,

Fulfiller of all desires is her third name,

Destroyer of sorrows is her fourth name,

She who is everything is her fifth name,

Daughter of Kathyayana is her sixth name,

Goddess with very large eyes is her seventh name,

She who cures all diseases is her eighth name.

 

He who reads these holy names with faith,

At  the times of dawn. Noon and dusk ,

Or he who gets them read  would never suffer dangers.