Devi Atharva Seersha also known as Devya Upanishad

Devi  Atharva  Seersha also known as  Devya  Upanishad

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

Sri Devi Atharva Shirsha, also called Devyupanishad, is a part of Atharvana Veda  .This sukta is considered to be very important in Atharvaveda.It is a tradtion to recite this sukta before " Durga Saptashati"  .It gives a rare insight into some of the deep concepts in Tantra ( Techiques). While reading   and understandint it hear it also https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wX7DVgqFns4

देव्यथर्वशीर्षोपनिषत्

Devi atharva  Seershopanishath

ऊँ सर्वे वै देवा देवीमुपतस्थुः
कासि त्वं महादेवीति ॥१॥

Om  Sarve  vai  devaa devim upadasthu,

Kaasi thwam Mahadevithi

Om All gods went near Devi,

“Who   are you , Oh great Goddess?

साब्रवीत्- अहं ब्रह्मस्वरूपिणी।
मत्तः प्रकृतिपुरुषात्मकं जगत्। शून्यं चाशून्यम् च ॥२॥“

Saa abraveth  aham Brahma  Swaroopini,

Matha   prakruthi  purushathmakamJagath,

Soonyam  chaa asoonyam cha. 2

She told”Ï am the  form of Brahma,

 This universe is born from me as Nature  as  well as Purusha

I am empty   as well as not empty

अहमानन्दानानन्दौ। अहं विज्ञानाविज्ञाने।
अहं ब्रह्माब्रह्मणी वेदितव्ये। अहं पञ्चभूतान्यपञ्चभूतानि । अहमखिलं जगत्॥३॥

Aham anandaananandou, Aham vijnana avijnane,

Aham  Brhama Brahmaani vedithavye,

Aham pancha boothaa anya  pancha bhoothaano.,

Aham akhilam Jagath

I am joy  and sorrow, I am knowledge  and ignorance,

I am Brahma   as well as non-Brahma,

I am the five elements and not the five elements,

I am the   entire  universe.

वेदोऽहमवेदोऽहम्। विद्याहमविद्याहम्।
अजाहमनजाहम् । अधश्चोर्ध्वं च तिर्यक्चाहम्॥४॥

Vedoham, avedoham , Vidhyaham  , avidhyaaham,

Ajaaham  Anajaa aham,

Adhscho oordhwa cha   thiryakchaaham.  4

I am Veda as well as not Veda, I am education  and not education,

I am that which is born and not born,

I am the top, the down and the middle.

अहं रुद्रेभिर्वसुभिश्चरामि।
अहमादित्यैरुत विश्वदेवैः।
अहं मित्रावरुणावुभौ बिभर्मि। अहमिन्द्राग्नी अहमश्विनावुभौ॥५॥

Aham rudhrobhirvasubhir scharaami,

Aham aadhithyairootha Viswa devai,

Aham Mithravarunaavubhou bhibharmi,

Aham Indragni aham asvinavubhow. 5

I move about   as Rudra as well as Vasu,

I look after   Sun, Maruths, Viswa devas,

I look after  Mithra and Varuna   also,

I look after  Indra, agni  and aswini devas.

अहं सोमं त्वष्टारं पूषणं भगं दधामि। अहं विष्णुमुरुक्रमं
ब्रह्माणमुत प्रजापतिं दधामि॥६॥

Aham somam  thwashtaram poshanam Bhagam  Dadhaami,

Aham  Vishnumurukraam, Brahmana mutha  prajapathim  dadhaami.  6

I am moon,  Twashta  , poosha as well  as Bhaga,(vedic Gods)

In me  are Vishnu  with his broad foot steps, Brahma   as well as Prajapathi.

अहं दधामि द्रविणं हविष्मते सुप्राव्ये उ यजमानाय सुन्वते
। अहं राष्ट्री सङ्गमनी वसूनां चिकितुषी प्रथमा यज्ञियानाम्। अहं सुवे पितरमस्य मूर्धन्मम
योनिरप्स्वन्तः समुद्रे । य एवम् वेद। स देवीं सम्पदमाप्नोति ॥७॥

Aham Dadhami  Dravinam   havishmathe, supraavye, yajamaanaaya  Sunvathe,

Aham  Raashtri   sanghmani vassonaam chikithushi pradhamaa  yajniyaanaam

Aham suve pithramasya moordhan mama, Yonirapawantha samudhre

Ya evam Vedhaa, sa devim  sampadhamaapnothi   7

I give you wealth and Havis(oblation)  to him   who offers the best,

I give  Havis to the Gods and I consecrate   Soma,

I am the chief of collection of countries and I give wealth to worshippers,

I observe   and the best among  all those who are  worth worshipping,

I  create myself all the   elements   of nature, I live in the ocean,

Those  who know me as the Goddess , would be awarded  wealth

ते देवा अब्रुवन्-

They Devaa  Abruvan

Then  the devas  told

नमो देव्यै महादेव्यै शिवायै सततं नमः।
नमः प्रकृत्यै भद्रायै नियताः प्रणताः स्म ताम्॥८॥

Namo devyai, maha devyai  , Shivaayai sathatham nama,

Namo prakruthyai  bhadraayai  niyathaa praNaathaa sma thaam 8

Salutations to holy goddess , the great goddess,
And salutations always to the  consort of Lord Shiva,
Salutations  to nature who is graceful, We  salute  her as   per the rules

तामग्निवर्णां तपसा ज्वलन्तीं वैरोचनीं कर्मफलेषु जुष्टाम्।
दुर्गां देवीं शरणं प्रपद्यामहेऽसुरान्नाशयित्र्यै ते नमः॥९॥

Thaam agni varnaam  thapasaa   jwalanthim  vairochanim   karma  phaleshu   jushtaam,

Durgaam   devim  Prapadhyamahe asura  nasayithyai   they nama. 9

She who is of the colour of fire, who shines due to meditation,

Who is being wordshipped for the sake of  getting  result of actions,

Who is Durga Devi, We  salute, Salutations to her   who destroys asuras.

देवीं वाचमजनयन्त देवास्तां विश्वरूपाः पशवो वदन्ति
सा नो मन्द्रेषमूर्जं दुहाना धेनुर्वागस्मानुप सुष्टुतैतु॥१०॥

Devim  vaachamajanayantha  devaasthaam   viswaroopaa  pasavo  vadhanthi,

Saa no  mandhreshamoorjam duhaanaa  dhenurvaagasmaanupa suShtaathaithu . 10

The devas  then created the goddess Vak  , who is said as super form by all  beings,

She grants through  manthras fuel and grants to all beings  all that is needed.

कालरात्रीं ब्रह्मस्तुतां वैष्णवीं स्कन्दमातरम्।
सरस्वतीमदितिं दक्षदुहितरं नमामः पावनां शिवाम् ॥११॥

Kala rathri  brahma sthuthaam vaishnavim  skanda matharam,

Sarswathimadhithim   daksha duhi tharam namama  paavanaam  Shivaam 11

WE salute  The  dark night prayed by Brahma  , the female poer of Vishnu as well as mother of Skanda,

And also sarasthi, Adithi who is mother of devass, the daughter of Daksha  and Goddess  Parvathi   who purifies.
महालक्ष्म्यै च विद्महे सर्वशक्त्यै च धीमहि।
तन्नो देवी प्रचोदयात् ॥१२॥

Mahalakshmyai cha  vidmahe   sarva sakthyai   dheemahi,

Thanno  Devi pracodhayaath

Let us  meditate  on   Mahalakshmi   Oh goddess of all power give me higher intellect,

And  let that  goddess  illuminate  my mind

अदितिर्ह्यजनिष्ट दक्ष या दुहिता तव
तां देवा अन्वजायन्त भद्रा अमृतबन्धवः ॥१३॥

Adithirhyajanishta dakshaa  yaa   duhithaa thava,

Thaam devaa anva jaayantha   badhraa   amruthabandhava.13

Oh Daksha , your daughter Adithi have  given birth,

To those devas and all others who  are worth praying to.

कामो योनिः कमला वज्रपाणिर्गुहा हसा मातरिश्वाभ्रमिन्द्रः।
पुनर्गुहा सकला मायया च पुरूच्यैषा विश्वमातादिविद्योम्॥१४॥

Kamo yoni  kamala   vajra panir guhaa hasaa  mathariswabra mindraa

Punarguhaa   sakalaa mayayaa   purichaishaa viswa mathaadhi  vidhyom. 

. Kaama, yoni, Kamalaa, Vajrapani (Indra), Guhaa, hamsa, Maatarishwa, Abhra, Indra,

Punarguhaa, Sakala, Maya, are the mantras (Vidya) of the Mother of the universe who herself is the Brahma.

This  manthra  is supposed  to indicate” Now is illustrated the highly secretive Shrividya Panchadashi Mahamantra, a 15 lettered mantra. The mantra gives the following letters for meditation: ka-e-ī-la-hrīṃ, ha-sa-ka-ha-la-hrīṃ, sa-ka-la-hrīṃ. These are the root knowledge about the Mother of the universe.

This is a very important mantra for Tantra but has to be learnt from a guru.”

एषात्मशक्तिः। एषा विश्वमोहिनी। पाशाङ्कुशधनुर्बाणधरा। एषा
श्रीमहाविद्या।
य एवं वेद स शोकं तरति॥१५॥

Yeshaa athma sakthi, Yeshaa viswa mohini. Pasangusa dhanur bana  Dharaa,

Yeshaa Maha Vidhyaa,

Ya evem veda   sa sokam tharathi

She is the  power of soul,She   is the enchantree  of universe who holds,

Rope  , goad  , bow   and   arrow.,

She is the great  knowledge,

He who knows this   would  overcome sorrow

नमस्ते अस्तु भगवति मातरस्मान् पाहि सर्वतः ॥१६॥

Namasthe    asthu  bhagawathi  maatharasmaan  pahi sarvatha

Oh Goddess  my salutations to you, please protect me always

सैषाष्टौ वसवः। सैषैकादशरुद्राः। सैषा द्वादशादित्याः। सैषा
विश्वेदेवाः सोमपा असोमपाश्च। सैषा यातुधाना असुरा रक्षांसि पिशाचा यक्षाः सिद्धाः
। सैषा सत्त्वरजस्तमांसि। सैषा ब्रह्मविष्णुरुद्ररूपिणी। सैषा प्रजापतीन्द्रमनवः ।
सैषा ग्रहनक्षत्रज्योतींषि। कला काष्ठादिकालरूपिणी। तामहं
प्रणौमि नित्यम् ।
पापहारिणीं देवीं भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायिनीम्।
अनन्तां विजयां शुद्धां शरण्यां शिवदां शिवाम्॥१७॥

Saisa  ashtou vasava, SAishai   yekadasa  rudraa, saishaaa   dwadasa  adhithyaa.

Saisha viswa devasomapaa asomapascha, SAisha  yathu dhaanaa asura  , rakshamsi  pisachaa  yakshaa  sidhaa

Saishaa  sathwa rajas thamasi  , SAishaa  Brahma Vishnu  Rudra  roopini., saishaa   prajapathi  Indra manavaa,

Saishaa  Graha nakshatra  jyothishi, kala kaashtaadhi   kala  roopini,

Thaanahan  Pranoumi   nithyam

Papa haarineem  devim bukthi mukthi  pradhaayineem

Ananthaam   vijayaam   sudhaam   saranyaam  shivadhaam  Shivaam.

She is the eight Vasus, the eleven rudras, the twelve  Suns,

She is the god of the universe, she is water  and not water,

She is the evil spirit  , Rakshasa  , demon, yakshaa    and Sidhaa

She is the three fold characters Sathwam Rajas  and Thamass,

She is the form of Vishnu  , Rudra    as well   as Brahma,

She is the  prajapathi  , Indra   as well as Manu

She is the planets , star  which are in the sky,

She has the form of time, wood  and the cresacent

I salute her   daily

Oh Goddess  who destroys sins who grants pleasure  as well  as salvation,

She is endless, victorioud, pure, to whom we surrender,She is peace and consort of Shiva

वियदीकारसंयुक्तं वीतिहोत्रसमन्वितम्।
अर्धेन्दुलसितं देव्या बीजं सर्वार्थसाधकम् ॥१८॥

Viyadhikaara samyuktham   veethi hothra  samanvitham,

Ardhendhu  lasitham  devyaa   bheejam sarvartha  sadhakam

She is merged with darkness  , who is also has fire   along with her,

She shines as half the moon and her root (hrim)   is capable of getting us anything

एवमेकाक्षरं ब्रह्म यतयः शुद्धचेतसः
ध्यायन्ति परमानन्दमया ज्ञानाम्बुराशयः ॥१९॥

Yevam yekaksharam  Brahma  yathaya   sudha  chethasa,

Dhyanthi   paramaanandha  mayaa, jnanambu  rasaya.

That  one letter Hreem  is  in the mind of Brahma  Rishis,

Those who meditate on it would be pervaded with joy and would become wise

वाङ्माया ब्रह्मसूस्तस्मात् षष्ठं वक्त्रसमन्वितम्
सुर्योऽवामश्रोत्रबिन्दुसंयुक्तष्टात्तृतीयकः ।
नारायणेन संमिश्रो वायुश्चाधरयुक् ततः
विच्चे नवार्णकोऽर्णः स्यान्महदानन्ददायकः ॥२०॥

Vaangmayaa  Brahma  soosthamath shashtam vakthra  samanvitham,

Suryo avaama srothra   bindhu   samayukthashaathrutheeyakaa,

Naarayanena sammisro vayusha adharayuk thathaa,

Viche  navarnako arna syan mahad ananda dhaayaka.

Vak aiṃ, Maya hrīṃ, Brahma or Kama klīṃ, the sixth consonant ca with Vaktra ā, Surya ma, the right ear u, and Bindu aṃ, the third from ṭ (ḍ), with Narayana ā, Vayu ya, with lips ai  and at the end vicce (so aiṃ hrīṃ klīṃ chamunḍāye vicce is formed). This navarna (nine-lettered) mantra gives pleasure, bliss, and nearness the meditator to Brahman.

om - The Pranava Mantra represents the Nirguna Brahman, the infinite beyond conception.

aim - The Vak beeja, the seed sound of Mahasarasvati. The knowledge that is consciousness. Creation, rajo guna, the energy of desire.

hrim - The Maya beeja, the sound of Mahalakshmi.  The all pervasive existence. Preservation, sattva guna, energy of action.

klim - The Kama beeja, the seed sound of Mahakali. The all consuming delight. Destruction, tamo guna, energy of wisdom.

camunda - The slayer of the demons Chanda and Munda, of passion and anger.

yai - the grantor of boons.

vicce - in the body of knowledge, in the perception of consciousness.

हृत्पुण्डरीकमध्यस्थां प्रातः सूर्यसमप्रभां
पाशाङ्कुशधरां सौम्यां वरदाभयहस्तकाम् ।
त्रिनेत्रां रक्तवसनां भक्तकामदुघां भजे ॥२१॥

Hrud  pundarikaa  madhyastham pratha   surya  sama prabham,

Pasankusa   dharm  sowmyam varadha, abhaya  hasthakam,

Trinethram raktha  vasanaam  bhaktha   kamadugham   BHaje

She who is in the  middle of my lotus like mind, who has the  luster of  morning sun,

Who holds the rope and  goad, who is peaceful, who shows her handsas giving of boons  and protection,

Who has   three eyes, who wears blood red cloths and who  fulfills desires of her devotees, I bow before such a goddess

नमामि त्वां महादेवीं महाभयविनाशिनीम्।
महादुर्गप्रशमनीं महाकारुण्यरूपिणीम् ॥२२॥

Namami  Thwaam Maha devim .Maha  bhaya  vinasinim,

Maha Durga  prasamanim , Maha   karunya  roopinim.

I salute youthe great goddess, who destroys   great fear,

Who solves   great difficulties and has form of great  kindness.

यस्याः स्वरूपं ब्रह्मादयो न जानन्ति तस्मादुच्यते अज्ञेया।
यस्या अन्तो न लभ्यते तस्मादुच्यते अनन्ता। यस्या लक्ष्यं नोपलक्ष्यते तस्मादुच्यते
अलक्ष्या ।
यस्या जननं नोपलभ्यते तस्मादुच्यते अजा। एकैव सर्वत्र वर्तते
तस्मादुच्यते एका। एकैव विश्वरूपिणी तस्मादुच्यते नैका।अत एवोच्यते अज्ञेयानन्तालक्ष्याजैका
नैकेति ॥२३॥

Yasyaa swaroopam brahmadhayo   ne jananthi  thasmadhuchyuthe  ajneyaa.

Yasyaa  antho   na labhyathe  thasmaduchyathe   ananthaa,

Yasyaa  Lakshyam  nopalakshyathe thasmaduchyathe alakshyaa,

Yasyaa  janmam  nopalabhyathe thasmaduchyathe ajaa

Yekaiva saravathrsa varthathe thasmaduchyathe  yekaa,

Yekaiva  Viswa roopini thasmaduchyathe naikaa,

Atha  yevochyathe ajneyaananantha lakshyaajaikaa naikethhi

Because  even Brahma and others do not know her form, She is called””one who is not known”

Beacause   we cannot find her end  , she is called  Ëndless”

Because we cannot  find her direction, she is called “Directionless”

Because  we do notnot know about her birth , she is called “ one who does not have  birth”

Because  though one , she  exists everywhere , she is called “She who is one “

In spite of being one  , because  she is everywhere, she is called”She who is not there”

Because of all these, she is called   by varied  names.

मन्त्राणां मातृका देवी शब्दानां ज्ञानरूपिणी।
ज्ञानानां चिन्मयातीता शून्यानां शून्यसाक्षिणी।
यस्याः परतरं नास्ति सैषा दुर्गा प्रकीर्तिता ॥२४॥

Manthraanaam Mathrukaa  devi  , sabdhaanaam  jnana roopini,

Jnaanaam   chinmayaatheethaa   soonyaanaam   soonya  saakshini,

Yasyaa  paratharam naasthi   Saishaa  Durgaa  prakeerthithaa.

Among the chants  , she is ideal , among words  she is form of wisdom,

Among the wisdom, she is divine, among the emptiness she is its witness

Because  nothing is better than her  m she is sung as  Durgaa the difficult  one

तां दुर्गां दुर्गमां देवीं दुराचारविघातिनीम्।
नमामि भवभीतोऽहं संसारार्णवतारिणीम् ॥२५॥

THaam  Durgaa  Durgamaam   devim  durachaara    vighathineem,

Namami   bhava  bheethoham  samsaraarnava    thaarineem.

That Durga  whi is difficult to attain goddess is the destroyer  of bad  conduct,

I who am scared of karma   salute her  because   she makes us cross  ocean of SAmsara

इदमथर्वशीर्षं योऽधीते स पञ्चाथर्वशीर्षजपफलमाप्नोति। इदमथर्वशीर्षमज्ञात्वा
योऽर्चां स्थापयति शतलक्षं प्रजप्त्वाऽपि सोऽर्चासिद्धिं न विन्दति। शतमष्टोत्तरं चास्य
पुरश्चर्याविधिः स्मृतः ।
दशवारं पठेद्यस्तु सद्यः पापैः प्रमुच्यते।
महादुर्गाणि तरति महादेव्याः प्रसादतः ॥२६॥

Idham adharva seersha yo adheethe sa   panchaadharva seersha  japa phalamaapnoththi,

Idham adharva seersham  yo  archaam sthapayathi   satha laksham prajapthwaapi so archa sidhim na vindathi

SAtham ashtotharam  chaasyapuraaschaaryaa vidhi smrutha

Dasa vaaram  padedhyasthu sadhya  paapai  pramuchyathe,

Maahaa durgaani   tharathi  maha  devyaa  prasaadathaa

Those who study this atharva seersha gets the effect of chanting it five times,

If one consecrates an image and worships it , without reading atharva seersha, he  will not, inspite of doing million times  ,get any benefit,

Repeating it 108 times gets you benefit of making preperations  of consecrations

If  one reads it for ten weeks   all sins would get destroyed

And he would cross   the greatest difficulties by the   grace of the  great goddess.

सायमधीयानो दिवसकृतं पापं नाशयति।प्रातरधीयानो रात्रिकृतं
पापं नाशयति।
सायं प्रातः प्रयुञ्जानो अपापो भवति।निशीथे तुरीयसन्ध्यायां
जप्त्वा वाक्सिद्धिर्भवति। नूतनायां प्रतिमायां जप्त्वा देवतासान्निध्यं भवति। प्राणप्रतिष्ठायां
जप्त्वा प्राणानां प्रतिष्ठा भवति। भौमाश्विन्यां महादेवीसन्निधौ जप्त्वा महामृत्युं
तरति। स महामृत्युं तरति य एवं वेद। इत्युपनिषत्॥२७॥

Saayam adheeyaano  divasa krutham paapam   naasayathi 

Praathar adheeyaano   rathri krutham paapam   naasayathi

Saayam praatha  prayujnaano   apaapo  bhavathi

Nisheedhe   thureeya  sandhyaam  japthvaa  vaak sidhir  bhavathi

Noothanaayaam   prathimaayaam  japthvaa   devathaa  saanidhyam    bhavathi

Prana  prathishtaayaam  japthwaa    praanaanaam prathishtaa  bhavathi

Baumashvinyaam  maha devi sannidhou japthwaa   maha  mruthyum tharathi

Sa maha mruthyum tharathi   yevam veda  , ithya Upanishad  

By reading it in the evening, the sins committed  in the day will vanish

By reading it in the morning   the sins committed in the night will vanish

By daily reading it in the evening and morning  , one becomes a non-sinner

By reading it in the setting of midnight,one gets expertise  with words

If one chants it before a new idol, divinity will come in it

If chanted when we   give life  to the idol, the idol will get life

If it is read on a Tuesday   with Asvini star , great death can be  prevented,

He will  get rid of death of great knowledge  by chanting iot.This is the upanishad