Durga Chandrakala Stuti of Appayya Dikshita

Durga chandrakala stuti is a devi stotra composed by Sri Appayya Dikshita the great shaiva and advaitin who lived in Tamil Nadu (1520-1593 CE). The Durga chandrakala stuti comprises of eighteen shlokas describing the glories of mother goddess Durga. This stotra is considered very powerful by the practitioners of Shakta and Shaiva faiths. The stotra is a summary of the most powerful text of “Devi mahatmyam” of Markandeya purana. It also refers to Devi’s glories from Varahapurana.The first shloka is the mangalacharana (invocation of the goddess) and the last shloka is the phala shruti (description of benefits which are attained by the recitation of this stotra.) This shows the remaining sixteen shlokas as the epicenter of the whole stuti and so the name reveals here by indicating Devi’s glories with the sixteen states (kala) of moon (chandra).It is strongly believed that reciting this stotra with utmost devotion and dedication bestows liberation from all three dukhas – adhidaivika (divine or unseen), adhyatmika (physical), adhibhoutika (wordly). The devotee with such bhakti (devotion) and self-surrender to lotus-feet of the mother goddess, the bhakta receives protection, wealth, wisdom, courage, good fortune, and liberation.