Tantrokta Devi Suktam: Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu

The Tantrokta Devi Suktam – "the Devi Sukta as told in the Tantra" – is the hymn of the gods from the fifth chapter of the Durga Saptashati, recited again at the end of the Path as a hymn in its own right. It is the most recited passage of the whole Devi Mahatmya: the twenty-two salutations to the Goddess who dwells in all beings as consciousness, intelligence, sleep, hunger, power, peace, faith, compassion and mother, each ending "Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah".

In Chapter 5 the hymn is spoken by the gods on the Himalaya after Shumbha and Nishumbha have stripped them of their powers, and each form of the Goddess is saluted in three separate units. In this form, the one recited at the close of the Path after the Rigvedokta Devi Sukta, the three salutations are gathered into a single line, so that the hymn's seventy-four units become thirty verses. It is also called the Aparajita Stuti, the hymn to the Invincible One.

All thirty verses are given below in Sanskrit, with transliteration and a simple English meaning.

Tantrokta Devi Suktam at a Glance

Particular	Details
Name	Tantrokta Devi Suktam; also the Aparajita Stuti, and "Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu" after its refrain
Source	Durga Saptashati, Chapter 5, Verses 9–82 (Devi Mahatmya, Markandeya Purana)
Speakers	The gods, led by Indra, praising the Goddess on the Himalaya
Verses	Thirty in this form; seventy-four units in Chapter 5
Metre	Anushtup (Verses 1–28); Vamshastha (Verses 29–30)
The Goddess addressed	Aparajita, the Invincible – Vishnumaya, the Goddess in all beings
Position in the Path	Within Chapter 5; and again after the Rigvedokta Devi Sukta, before the Pradhanika Rahasya
Famous refrain	"Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu … Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah"
Not to be confused with	The Rigvedokta (Vedokta) Devi Sukta – Rigveda 10.125, "Aham Rudrebhir Vasubhish Charami"

Why the Hymn Is Recited Twice

The Durga Saptashati Path recites the Tantrokta Devi Sukta in two places. The first is its home in Chapter 5, where the gods, robbed of the three worlds by Shumbha and Nishumbha, remember the Goddess's promise to come whenever she is remembered, and praise her. The second is at the end of the Path: after the thirteen chapters, the Navarna japa of the Upasamhara and the Rigvedokta Devi Sukta, the Sankalpa prescribes "the Devi Sukta told in the Veda and in the Tantra", and this hymn is recited again in its condensed form.

The two Devi Suktas are paired as the two Ratri Suktas are paired before the Path – a Vedic hymn and a hymn of the Devi Mahatmya, placed side by side. In the Rigvedokta hymn the Goddess speaks of herself; in the Tantrokta hymn the gods speak of her, and say where she is to be found: in every being, as everything that makes it live.

How This Form Relates to Chapter 5

In Chapter 5 each of the twenty-two forms of the Goddess is saluted in three units – "Namastasyai (14), Namastasyai (15), Namastasyai Namo Namah (16)" – so that the hymn runs from Verse 9 to Verse 82. Here each form has one verse: the first line names the form, and the second line gathers the three salutations into "Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah". The five opening salutations, the verse on the senses, the verse on consciousness and the two closing prayers are unchanged. The wording is identical throughout; only the counting differs.

Structure of the Tantrokta Devi Sukta

The hymn can be understood in five parts:

Salutations to the Goddess by her names – Verses 1–5
The Goddess in all beings: twenty-one forms – Verses 6–26
The Goddess who presides over the senses – Verse 27
The Goddess as the consciousness pervading the universe – Verse 28
The prayer: may she destroy our calamities – Verses 29–30

Tantrokta Devi Suktam Sanskrit with Meaning

॥ अथ तन्त्रोक्तं देवीसूक्तम् ॥

Verse 1

नमो देव्यै महादेव्यै शिवायै सततं नमः। नमः प्रकृत्यै भद्रायै नियताः प्रणताः स्म ताम्॥१॥

Namo Devyai Mahadevyai Shivayai Satatam Namah | Namah Prakrityai Bhadrayai Niyatah Pranatah Sma Tam || 1 ||

Meaning: Salutations to the Goddess, to Mahadevi; salutations always to Shiva, the auspicious one. Salutations to Prakriti, to Bhadra, the gracious one. Disciplined, we bow to her.

Verse 2

रौद्रायै नमो नित्यायै गौर्यै धात्र्यै नमो नमः। ज्योत्स्नायै चेन्दुरूपिण्यै सुखायै सततं नमः॥२॥

Raudrayai Namo Nityayai Gauryai Dhatryai Namo Namah | Jyotsnayai Chendu-Rupinyai Sukhayai Satatam Namah || 2 ||

Meaning: Salutations to the terrible one, to the eternal one, to Gauri, to the supporter of the world – salutations again and again. Salutations always to her who is moonlight, who is of the form of the moon, who is happiness.

Verse 3

कल्याण्यै प्रणतां वृद्ध्यै सिद्ध्यै कुर्मो नमो नमः। नैर्ऋत्यै भूभृतां लक्ष्म्यै शर्वाण्यै ते नमो नमः॥३॥

Kalyanyai Pranatam Vriddhyai Siddhyai Kurmo Namo Namah | Nairrityai Bhubhritam Lakshmyai Sharvanyai Te Namo Namah || 3 ||

Meaning: To Kalyani, the auspicious; to her who is the growth and success of those who bow – we bow again and again. To Nairriti, the power of destruction; to the Lakshmi of kings; to Sharvani, the consort of Shiva – salutations to you again and again.

Verse 4

दुर्गायै दुर्गपारायै सारायै सर्वकारिण्यै। ख्यात्यै तथैव कृष्णायै धूम्रायै सततं नमः॥४॥

Durgayai Durgaparayai Sarayai Sarva-Karinyai | Khyatyai Tathaiva Krishnayai Dhumrayai Satatam Namah || 4 ||

Meaning: Salutations always to Durga; to her who carries us across difficulties; to the essence of all; to the doer of all; to Khyati, renown; and likewise to Krishna, the dark one, and Dhumra, the smoke-coloured one.

Verse 5

अतिसौम्यातिरौद्रायै नतास्तस्यै नमो नमः। नमो जगत्प्रतिष्ठायै देव्यै कृत्यै नमो नमः॥५॥

Atisaumyatiraudrayai Natastasyai Namo Namah | Namo Jagat-Pratishthayai Devyai Krityai Namo Namah || 5 ||

Meaning: To her who is most gentle and most terrible we bow – salutations again and again. Salutations to the Goddess who is the foundation of the world; to her who is action itself – salutations again and again.

Verse 6

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु विष्णुमायेति शब्दिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥६॥

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Vishnumayeti Shabdita | Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah || 6 ||

Meaning: To the Goddess who is called Vishnumaya in all beings – salutations to her, salutations to her, salutations to her, again and again.

Verse 7

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु चेतनेत्यभिधीयते। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥७॥

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Chetanety Abhidhiyate | Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah || 7 ||

Meaning: To the Goddess who is known as consciousness in all beings – salutations to her, salutations to her, salutations to her, again and again.

Verse 8

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु बुद्धिरूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥८॥

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Buddhirupena Samsthita | Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah || 8 ||

Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings in the form of intelligence – salutations to her, salutations to her, salutations to her, again and again.

Verse 9

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु निद्रारूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥९॥

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Nidrarupena Samsthita | Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah || 9 ||

Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings in the form of sleep – salutations to her, salutations to her, salutations to her, again and again.

Verse 10

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु क्षुधारूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥१०॥

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Kshudha-Rupena Samsthita | Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah || 10 ||

Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings in the form of hunger – salutations to her, salutations to her, salutations to her, again and again.

Verse 11

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु छायारूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥११॥

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Chhaya-Rupena Samsthita | Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah || 11 ||

Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings in the form of shadow – salutations to her, salutations to her, salutations to her, again and again.

Verse 12

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु शक्तिरूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥१२॥

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Shaktirupena Samsthita | Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah || 12 ||

Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings in the form of power – salutations to her, salutations to her, salutations to her, again and again.

Verse 13

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु तृष्णारूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥१३॥

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Trishna-Rupena Samsthita | Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah || 13 ||

Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings in the form of thirst – salutations to her, salutations to her, salutations to her, again and again.

Verse 14

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु क्षान्तिरूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥१४॥

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Kshanti-Rupena Samsthita | Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah || 14 ||

Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings in the form of forgiveness – salutations to her, salutations to her, salutations to her, again and again.

Verse 15

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु जातिरूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥१५॥

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Jatirupena Samsthita | Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah || 15 ||

Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings in the form of kind and birth – salutations to her, salutations to her, salutations to her, again and again.

Verse 16

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु लज्जारूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥१६॥

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Lajjarupena Samsthita | Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah || 16 ||

Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings in the form of modesty – salutations to her, salutations to her, salutations to her, again and again.

Verse 17

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु शान्तिरूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥१७॥

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Shantirupena Samsthita | Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah || 17 ||

Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings in the form of peace – salutations to her, salutations to her, salutations to her, again and again.

Verse 18

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु श्रद्धारूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥१८॥

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Shraddha-Rupena Samsthita | Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah || 18 ||

Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings in the form of faith – salutations to her, salutations to her, salutations to her, again and again.

Verse 19

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु कान्तिरूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥१९॥

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Kantirupena Samsthita | Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah || 19 ||

Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings in the form of radiance and beauty – salutations to her, salutations to her, salutations to her, again and again.

Verse 20

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु लक्ष्मीरूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥२०॥

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Lakshmi-Rupena Samsthita | Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah || 20 ||

Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings in the form of Lakshmi, good fortune – salutations to her, salutations to her, salutations to her, again and again.

Verse 21

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु वृत्तिरूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥२१॥

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Vrittirupena Samsthita | Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah || 21 ||

Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings in the form of livelihood and activity – salutations to her, salutations to her, salutations to her, again and again.

Verse 22

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु स्मृतिरूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥२२॥

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Smritirupena Samsthita | Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah || 22 ||

Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings in the form of memory – salutations to her, salutations to her, salutations to her, again and again.

Verse 23

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु दयारूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥२३॥

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Dayarupena Samsthita | Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah || 23 ||

Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings in the form of compassion – salutations to her, salutations to her, salutations to her, again and again.

Verse 24

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु तुष्टिरूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥२४॥

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Tushtirupena Samsthita | Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah || 24 ||

Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings in the form of contentment – salutations to her, salutations to her, salutations to her, again and again.

Verse 25

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु मातृरूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥२५॥

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Matrirupena Samsthita | Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah || 25 ||

Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings in the form of the mother – salutations to her, salutations to her, salutations to her, again and again.

Verse 26

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु भ्रान्तिरूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥२६॥

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Bhranti-Rupena Samsthita | Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah || 26 ||

Meaning: To the Goddess who dwells in all beings in the form of delusion – salutations to her, salutations to her, salutations to her, again and again.

Verse 27

इन्द्रियाणामधिष्ठात्री भूतानां चाखिलेषु या। भूतेषु सततं तस्यै व्याप्तिदेव्यै नमो नमः॥२७॥

Indriyanam Adhishthatri Bhutanam Chakhileshu Ya | Bhuteshu Satatam Tasyai Vyaptidevyai Namo Namah || 27 ||

Meaning: To the Goddess who presides over the senses of all beings and who pervades all the elements always – to that all-pervading Goddess, salutations again and again.

Verse 28

चितिरूपेण या कृत्स्नमेतद्व्याप्य स्थिता जगत्। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥२८॥

Chitirupena Ya Kritsnam Etad Vyapya Sthita Jagat | Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah || 28 ||

Meaning: To the Goddess who, in the form of consciousness, pervades this whole universe and abides in it – salutations to her, salutations to her, salutations to her, again and again.

Verse 29

स्तुता सुरैः पूर्वमभीष्टसंश्रयात् तथा सुरेन्द्रेण दिनेषु सेविता।

करोतु सा नः शुभहेतुरीश्वरी शुभानि भद्राण्यभिहन्तु चापदः॥२९॥

Stuta Suraih Purvam Abhishta-Samshrayat Tatha Surendrena Dineshu Sevita |

Karotu Sa Nah Shubhahetur Ishvari Shubhani Bhadrany Abhihantu Chapadah || 29 ||

Meaning: May she – praised by the gods of old for the fulfilment of their wishes, and served by Indra, the king of the gods, day after day – the Ishvari who is the cause of all good, bring us good and auspicious things, and destroy our calamities.

Verse 30

या साम्प्रतं चोद्धतदैत्यतापितै- रस्माभिरीशा च सुरैर्नमस्यते।

या च स्मृता तत्क्षणमेव हन्ति नः सर्वापदो भक्तिविनम्रमूर्तिभिः॥३०॥

Ya Sampratam Choddhata-Daitya-Tapitai- Rasmabhir Isha Cha Surair Namasyate |

Ya Cha Smrita Tat-Kshanam Eva Hanti Nah Sarvapado Bhakti-Vinamra-Murtibhih || 30 ||

Meaning: She who is now bowed to by us, the gods, tormented by the arrogant demons – she, the sovereign, who, remembered by us with bodies bent in devotion, destroys all our calamities that very moment.

Conclusion

॥ इति तन्त्रोक्तं देवीसूक्तं समाप्तम् ॥

|| Iti Tantroktam Devisuktam Samaptam ||

Meaning: Thus the Devi Sukta as told in the Tantra is complete.

Significance of the Tantrokta Devi Suktam

The Tantrokta Devi Sukta is the Devi Mahatmya's answer to the question "Where is the Goddess?" The Rigvedic Devi Sukta has her say "I move with the gods, I have entered heaven and earth"; this hymn has the gods say where, in each creature, she is: as its consciousness, its intelligence, its sleep, its hunger, its shadow, its power, its thirst, its forgiveness, its kind, its modesty, its peace, its faith, its radiance, its fortune, its livelihood, its memory, its compassion, its contentment, its motherhood – and even its delusion. Nothing in a living being is outside her.

The hymn's inclusiveness is its teaching. Hunger, thirst, shadow and delusion are saluted alongside peace, faith and compassion. The Goddess is not only the good in a creature but the whole of it; the same hymn that calls her "most gentle" calls her "most terrible". The refrain, with its triple "Namastasyai", makes the salutation itself the practice: the reciter bows twenty-two times to the Goddess in everything that lives, including himself.

Sung at Durga Puja, taught to children, and recited daily by Shakta devotees, "Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu" is for many people the whole of the Durga Saptashati; the Path recites it twice, and here, at the close, it is the gods' hymn offered once more in the reciter's own voice.

Main Teachings of the Tantrokta Devi Sukta

The Goddess is named in every aspect: Mahadevi, Shiva, Prakriti, Raudri, Gauri, Durga, Kalyani, Lakshmi – and most gentle and most terrible at once (Verses 1–5).
She dwells in every being: as twenty-one forms of its life, from consciousness to delusion (Verses 6–26).
She is behind the senses and pervades the elements (Verse 27).
She is the consciousness of the whole universe (Verse 28).
Remembering her is itself the rescue: she destroys calamity the very moment she is remembered (Verse 30).

The Forms of the Goddess in All Beings

Verse	The Goddess in all beings as	Sanskrit
6	Vishnumaya, the power of Vishnu	विष्णुमाया
7	Consciousness	चेतना
8	Intelligence	बुद्धि
9	Sleep	निद्रा
10	Hunger	क्षुधा
11	Shadow	छाया
12	Power	शक्ति
13	Thirst	तृष्णा
14	Forgiveness	क्षान्ति
15	Kind and birth	जाति
16	Modesty	लज्जा
17	Peace	शान्ति
18	Faith	श्रद्धा
19	Radiance and beauty	कान्ति
20	Good fortune	लक्ष्मी
21	Livelihood and activity	वृत्ति
22	Memory	स्मृति
23	Compassion	दया
24	Contentment	तुष्टि
25	The mother	मातृ
26	Delusion	भ्रान्ति
27	The presiding power of the senses, pervading all	व्याप्तिदेवी
28	Consciousness pervading the universe	चिति

Verse Concordance with Chapter 5

This hymn	Chapter 5	Content
Verses 1–5	Verses 9–13	Salutations to the Goddess by her names
Verses 6–26	Verses 14–76 (three units each)	The twenty-one forms of the Goddess in all beings
Verse 27	Verse 77	The Goddess presiding over the senses
Verse 28	Verses 78–80	The Goddess as the consciousness of the universe
Verses 29–30	Verses 81–82	The closing prayer

Vedokta and Tantrokta Devi Sukta

Particular	Rigvedokta (Vedokta) Devi Sukta	Tantrokta Devi Sukta
Source	Rigveda 10.125	Durga Saptashati, Chapter 5
Speaker	The Goddess herself, as the seer Vak	The gods, praising the Goddess
Opening words	Aham Rudrebhir Vasubhish Charami	Namo Devyai Mahadevyai
Length	Eight verses	Thirty verses in this form; seventy-four units in Chapter 5
Recited	After the Upasamhara's Navarna japa	Within Chapter 5, and again after the Rigvedokta Devi Sukta

Why Is It Called the Tantrokta Devi Suktam?

The name means "the Devi Sukta as told (ukta) in the Tantra", to distinguish it from the Devi Sukta of the Rigveda. The Durga Saptashati is a Tantric scripture in the sense the tradition intends – a text of the Goddess's worship, recited with Nyasa, Bija mantras and Dhyana – and its hymns are "Tantrokta" as the Vedic hymns are "Vedokta". The same distinction gives the two Ratri Suktas their names. The hymn is also called the Aparajita Stuti, after the "invincible Goddess" (Aparajita) whom the gods remember in Chapter 5 before they begin it.

Traditional Recitation of the Tantrokta Devi Sukta

In the Durga Saptashati Path the hymn is recited twice: in its place in Chapter 5, and again at the end, after the Rigvedokta Devi Sukta and before the Pradhanika Rahasya, in the condensed thirty-verse form given above. In the second recitation no separate Viniyoga or Dhyana is prescribed; the hymn follows the Vedic Devi Sukta directly.

Outside the Path it is the most widely recited of all Devi hymns – sung at Durga Puja pandals, at the Sharad and Chaitra Navratri, and as a daily prayer. Many devotees recite only Verses 6–28, the "Ya Devi" verses, as a hymn on their own. The exact procedure varies by tradition, lineage and method, and devotees should follow the method prescribed by their Guru or family tradition.

Traditional Spiritual Significance

The hymn carries its own promise in its closing verse: the Goddess, remembered with devotion, destroys all calamities that very moment (Verse 30). Devotees traditionally approach it for:

Seeing the Goddess in every living being, as the hymn teaches
Protection in calamity, through remembering her
Peace, faith, contentment and compassion – the forms in which she lives in the heart
Devotion to the Goddess as Mother, saluted in Verse 25
The completion of the Durga Saptashati Path with its own best-loved hymn

These are traditional devotional associations and should not be understood as guaranteed worldly or medical outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Tantrokta Devi Suktam?

The hymn of the gods from Chapter 5 of the Durga Saptashati – the salutations to the Goddess who dwells in all beings as consciousness, intelligence, sleep, hunger, power, peace, faith, compassion, mother and more – recited again at the end of the Path in a condensed form of thirty verses. It is also called the Aparajita Stuti and, after its refrain, "Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu".

Why does it have thirty verses here but more in Chapter 5?

In Chapter 5 each form of the Goddess is saluted in three separate units – "Namastasyai, Namastasyai, Namastasyai Namo Namah" – giving seventy-four units in all. In this form the three salutations are gathered into one line, so that each form has a single verse and the hymn has thirty. The words are the same.

What is the difference between the Tantrokta and the Rigvedokta Devi Sukta?

The Rigvedokta Devi Sukta is the Rigvedic hymn of eight verses in which the Goddess speaks of herself. The Tantrokta Devi Sukta is this hymn from the Devi Mahatmya in which the gods praise her in all beings. The Path recites both, the Vedic hymn first.

How many forms of the Goddess does the hymn name?

Twenty-two in all beings – Vishnumaya and twenty-one qualities from consciousness to delusion – with Verse 27 adding the Goddess who presides over the senses and Verse 28 the consciousness that pervades the universe.

Why does the hymn salute the Goddess as hunger, thirst and delusion?

Because the Goddess is the whole of a living being, not only what is pleasant in it. The hymn places hunger, thirst, shadow and delusion beside peace, faith and compassion, and Verse 5 has already called her "most gentle and most terrible". Nothing in life is outside her.

Where in the Path is the Tantrokta Devi Sukta recited?

Twice: within Chapter 5, and again after the thirteen chapters, the Upasamhara and the Rigvedokta Devi Sukta, before the Pradhanika Rahasya.

Can the Tantrokta Devi Sukta be recited on its own?

Yes. It is the most widely recited of all Devi hymns and is sung and chanted on its own at Durga Puja and Navratri and in daily worship; many recite only the "Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu" verses.

Continue Reading Durga Saptashati

After the two Devi Suktas, the Path continues with the three Rahasyas.

Next: Pradhanika Rahasya – the first of the three Rahasyas

Previous: Rigvedokta Devi Suktam

Durga Saptashati Chapter 5 – Devi-Duta Samvada, where this hymn belongs
Durga Saptashati Upasamhara
Durga Saptashati Path Vidhi
Navarna Vidhi · Saptashati Nyasa
Devi Kavacham · Argala Stotram · Keelakam Stotram
Vedoktam Ratri Suktam · Tantroktam Ratri Suktam
Shri Devi Atharvashirsham

All 13 chapters of the Durga Saptashati: Chapter 1 – Madhu-Kaitabha Vadha · Chapter 2 – Mahishasura-Sainya-Vadha · Chapter 3 – Mahishasura-Vadha · Chapter 4 – Shakradi Stuti · Chapter 5 – Devi-Duta Samvada · Chapter 6 – Dhumralochana-Vadha · Chapter 7 – Chanda-Munda Vadha · Chapter 8 – Raktabija-Vadha · Chapter 9 – Nishumbha-Vadha · Chapter 10 – Shumbha-Vadha · Chapter 11 – Narayani Stuti · Chapter 12 – Phala Stuti · Chapter 13 – Suratha-Vaishya Vara-Pradana