Begging excuse to Durga Maa - 'Kshyamaprarthana' from Durgāsaptaśatī

‘Kshyamaprarthana’ is a eulogy chanted to please Goddess Durga. During the performance of rites in worship, we commit mistakes like – incorrect pronunciations (of the hymns and chants) or wrong physical procedures etc.

Hence, this hymn is recited in the end to pray for forgiveness and for any mistakes of incomplete offerings. This ‘Devi aparadha kshyama prarthana/stotram’ has been derived from Hindu Holy text ‘Durgāsaptaśatī', which is considered as the prime text in the worship of Goddess Durga, who possesses the epithet ‘Mahisamardini’.

Durga Maa

Kshyamaprarthana

Aparaadhasahasraani kriyante aharnisham mayaa,
Dasoaayamiti maam matwaa kshyamaswa Parameshwari. //1//

Aavahanam na jaanaami, na jaanaami visarjanam,
Poojaam chaiva na jaanaami, kshyamyataam Parameshwari. //2//

Mantraheenam, kriyaaheenam, Bhaktiheenam, Sureshwari,
Yat poojitam mayaa devi paripoornam tadastu mey. //3//

Aparaadhasatam krutwaa Jagadambeti chochcharet,
Yaam gatim samvaapnote na taam Brahmaadaya suraah. //4//

Saaparaadhoaasmi saranam praaptasthvaam Jagadambike,
Idaaneemanukampyoaaham Yathecchasi tathaa kuru. //5//

Agyaanaadwismruterbhraantyaa yanyoonamadhikam krutam.
Tatsarvam kshyamyataam Devi praseeda Parameshwari. //6//

Kaameshwari Jaganmaatah Sachchidaanandavigrahe,
Gruhaanaarchaamimaam preetyaa praseeda Parameshwari. //7//

Guhyaatiguhyagoptree twam gruhaanaasmatkrutam japam,
Siddhirbhavatu mey Devi twatprasaadatSureshwari. //8//


Meaning


O supreme Goddess. Thousands (it means a lot of) of offences are committed by me every moment including day and night. (Still) please forgive me as I happen to be your servant (the term servant has been used to show deep devotion and surrender). //1//

I don’t know your invocation. I don’t know the concluding rites; even don’t know how to worship. (still) O Goddess (Parameshwari) please forgive me. //2//

Those prayers offered by me are without mantras, without Kriya (Physical procedures of worship) and without devotion. (Still) whatever I have offered (in worship and prayer) accept it as absolute. //3//

Having done hundreds( a lot of) of offences, even then if someone utters your name ‘jagadamba’ his course of soul attains that (divine) achievement, which is rare for even Brahma and other demi-gods. //4//

I am full of offences and taking Your refuge, O Jagadambikā! Do pity on me and do whatever you wish for me.//5//

O Goddess! Please forgive my mistakes which has occurred due to doing it either less or more then actually required, which are result of lack of knowledge, lack of memory and lack of wisdom. Please be happy on me, O Supreme Ruler.//6//

O Universal Mother, Who fulfils our wishes, Who has got a blissful appearance (or whose idol makes devotees get the real mind-blowing joy) accept these offerings (during prayers) with happiness and blesses me. //7//

O Goddess! You possess the most secret knowledge. (Still) Accept (grant my recited mantra as correct by doing pity on me) the mantra from me. O Goddess, Who rules over the demi-gods! May I become perfect by Your shower of compassion on me? //8//

writer's view :

When we chant the ‘Kshyamaprarthana’, we should feel the same emotion from our inner heart that actually I have committed the mistake. More clearly, suppose someone is praising us but uttering our name wrongly, then we should be annoyed with it, because taking someone’s name with a wrong pronunciation is dishonor to him. But finally if he bags excuse that he has wrongly uttered the name not to dishonor us, but due to lack of proper knowledge, then we would like to excuse him and bless him as per our capacity.

Applying this logic for this great sacred hymn, we  praise the supreme mother that whatever mistakes I have performed, that is unknowingly and I surrender at your feet to beg excuse and then the affectionate Universal mother will pardon our mistakes and bless us.

She always waits for Her sons and daughters (i.e. we, the people of this Universe) to show a small bit of affection or esteem to her and She will bestow Her great divine blessings on us.