Himavān’s Stotra to Parāmbikā Devī
Himavān’s Stotra to Parāmbikā Devī is a stotra of 1008 names (nāma). Himavān, the king of the mountains (parvata-rāja), sang it to Parāmbikā Devī when he saw her cosmic form (viśvarūpa) at the birth of his daughter Pārvatī. It is found in the Kūrma Mahā Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, chapter 12.
The stotra praises Parāmbikā Devī as Śakti, Māyā, Prakṛti, Vishṇu-svarūpā, Brahmasvarūpā and the root of all creation.
The setting
Himavān had done very hard tapas (austerity). He was given the birth of Pārvatī as his daughter. When she was born, his wife Menakā called him to see the divine child.
Himavān came and saw a girl with a face like a lotus. At that moment Parāmbikā Devī wished to give him darśana (a sight of herself), and she showed him her cosmic form. It had the brightness of ten million suns and was not twisted or broken. Thousands of lines of flame (jvāla-paramparā) surrounded it. It had fangs (daṃshṭrā) and a crown. It held the gadā (mace), śaṅkha (conch), cakra (discus) and triśūla (trident). It had three eyes and wore the crescent moon (ardha-candra). Its wonder was without limit, and it filled the inside and the outside of the cosmic egg.
Himavān saw Parāmbikā Devī as the full Parameśvarī. He trembled with awe, bowed to the ground, and sang the stotra. (Kūrma Mahā Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, chapter 12)
The stotra
The stotra has 1008 names. These are some of the names and epithets as the text gives them.
On her nature beyond the world: Śivā, Umā, uttama Śakti, anantā, avibhāgā, nirmalā, śāntā, Maheśvara-sambandhinī, nityā, śāśvatā, uttamā, nāśarahitā, acintā, kevalarūpiṇī, śivātmikā, paramātma-rūpiṇī, anādināśā, svacchā, devātmā.
On her as the highest awareness: Mahā-Maheśvarī, Satyasvarūpā, Mahādevī, nirañjanā, dīrgharūpā, sarvatra vyāpinī, Jñānaśaktirūpā.
On her power to create: Saṃsārahetu, sarvarūpiṇī, sarvaśaktīnāṃ utpattiśtānā, saṃsāratāriṇī-naukā, durlabhā, sudurlakshyā, dushprāpā.
On her as the ground of all: Prāṇaśakti, Prāṇavidyā, Yogayutā, Mahākalārūpā, Mahāaiśvaryeṇa durlabdhā, Mūlaprakṛti, Īśvarī, Kārya-kāraṇa-śaktīnāṃ svarūpā.
On her as the wife of Bhagavān Śiva: Śarvaṇī, Śambhoḥ ardhaśarīradhāriṇī, Bhavānī, Rudrāṇī, Mahālakshmī, Ambikārūpiṇī, Maheśvarajanyā, Bhogamokshaphalapradā.
On her as the devīs of the tradition: Sāvitrī, Kamalā, Lakshmī, Nārāyaṇa-vakshaḥsthita Śrīdevī, Kamalā-nivasā, Gaṅgārūpiṇī, Yoganidrā, Rakshoghnī, Sarasvatī, Sarvavidyāsāra, Jagajjeshṭhā, Atyantamaṅgalarūpā, Vāgdevatā.
On her as Mahishāsuramardanī: Mahishāsuramardanī, Trilokamanoharā, Namaskaryadā, Sundararūpiṇī, Yatheccham-carinī, Mahānubhāvā.
Closing epithets: Kāmeśvarasya patnī, Samudramadhyanivāsinī, Nirmāla, Ādhārarahitā, Śāśvatasiddhimatī, Kāmadhenuḥ, Buddhi, Mohanāśinī. (Kūrma Mahā Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, chapter 12)
The phalaśruti
Himavān finished the stotra of 1008 names and fell flat on the ground before Parāmbikā Devī.
The Kūrma Purāṇa says that a person who recites this stotra every day with śraddhā (faith) and bhakti (devotion) at dawn, at midday and at dusk gets all the fruits they wish for. That person is freed from all pāpa (sin) and in the end reaches the supreme pada (state) of Parāmbikā Devī. The stotra is recommended above all for those who seek jñāna (knowledge) and moksha as its fruit. (Kūrma Mahā Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, chapter 12)
Sources
- Kūrma Mahā Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, chapter 12