Name mantra
ॐ देवी कालरात्र्यै नमः ॥
Om Devi Kalaratryai Namah
oṃ devī kālarātryai namaḥ
Om — salutations to Goddess Kalaratri.
DurgaMantra
Kalaratri Mantra
Lyrics · Meaning · Audio
The mantras for Goddess Kalaratri — “The Dark Night of Time” — the seventh of the nine forms of Durga, chanted on day 7 of Navaratri.
Traditional Navadurga mantras for the seventh day of Navaratri
Listen
Kalaratri Mantra
Son of Kali · Sacred Navaratri Chants
0:007:03
- Deity
- Durga
- Type
- Mantra
- Verses
- 3
- Language
- Sanskrit
Kalaratri Mantra Lyrics with Meaning
Each line shows an easy way to say it, with its English meaning. Turn on the Sanskrit, the exact pronunciation or the word-by-word meaning whenever you want to go deeper.
Prayer (Prarthana)
एकवेणी जपाकर्णपूरा नग्ना खरास्थिता ।
Ekaveni Japakarnapura Nagna Kharasthita
ekaveṇī japākarṇapūrā nagnā kharāsthitā
With a single braid, red hibiscus flowers at her ears, unclad, seated on a donkey,
लम्बोष्ठी कर्णिकाकर्णी तैलाभ्यक्तशरीरिणी ॥
Lambhoshthi Karnikakarni Tailabhyakta Sharirini
lamboṣṭhī karṇikākarṇī tailābhyaktaśarīriṇī
with full lips, earrings in her ears, her body anointed with oil;
वामपादोल्लसल्लोहलताकण्टकभूषणा ।
Vamapadollasal Lohalata Kantaka Bhushana
vāmapādollasallohalatākaṇṭakabhūṣaṇā
her left foot gleaming with an ornament of thorny iron,
वर्धनमूर्धध्वजा कृष्णा कालरात्रिर्भयङ्करी ॥
Vardhana Murdha Dhvaja Krishna Kalaratrir Bhayankari
vardhanamūrdhadhvajā kṛṣṇā kālarātrirbhayaṅkarī
her hair raised high like a banner — dark Kalaratri, the terrifying one.
Praise (Stuti)
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु माँ कालरात्रि रूपेण संस्थिता ।
Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Maa Kalaratri Rupena Samsthita
yā devī sarvabhūteṣu mā̃ kālarātri rūpeṇa saṃsthitā
To the Goddess who dwells in all beings in the form of Mother Kalaratri —
नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः ॥
Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah
namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namaḥ
salutations to her, salutations to her, salutations to her, again and again.
About Kalaratri Mantra
Kalaratri — “the dark night of time” — is the seventh and fiercest form of Durga, worshipped on the seventh day of Navaratri. Her skin is black as the deepest night, her hair is wild, and fire flows from her breath.
She looks terrifying, but only to what harms her devotees. She is also called Shubhankari, “the one who does good,” because her fierceness destroys fear, negativity and ignorance.
Her prarthana describes her deliberately unsettling form — the Goddess beyond all conventions of beauty and propriety, wholly free.
The Stories Inside the Hymn
The night that swallows the demons
In the battle against Shumbha and Nishumbha, the demon Raktabija multiplied whenever a drop of his blood touched the ground. The Goddess took her darkest form and drank every drop before it fell, ending the demon’s endless copies.
Kalaratri is the power that ends what cannot otherwise be ended.
How to Chant Kalaratri Mantra
When to chant
- ✦Day 7 of Navaratri (Saptami), in both the autumn (Sharad) and spring (Chaitra) Navaratri
- ✦Morning and evening puja during Navaratri
- ✦Any time you wish to connect with Kalaratri
How many times
The name mantra 108 times on a mala; the prayer and praise once or three times.
- 1
Light a lamp before an image of Durga or Kalaratri, and offer a flower.
- 2
Chant the prayer first, picturing her form as it describes.
- 3
Repeat “Om Devi Kalaratryai Namah” on a mala.
- 4
Close with the Ya Devi praise and a bow.
Pronunciation Guide
The sounds that trip people up most in this hymn, and how to say them.
kālarātryai
kaa-la-raa-try-ai.
bhayaṅkarī
bha-yung-ka-ree.
mā̃
maa with a nasal ending (Hindi “Maa,” Mother).
The music
Sacred Navaratri Chants – Navadurga Mantras – Devi Stotras
by Son of Kali
More for Durga
Frequently Asked Questions
Which day of Navaratri is Kalaratri worshipped?
Kalaratri is the seventh of the Navadurga, worshipped on day 7 (Saptami) of Navaratri.
What is the mantra of Kalaratri?
The name mantra is “Om Devi Kalaratryai Namah” — “Om, salutations to Goddess Kalaratri.” It is usually chanted with her prayer (prarthana) and the Ya Devi praise, all given on this page.
What does the name Kalaratri mean?
“The Dark Night of Time.” The About section above explains the meaning and her story.
What are the nine forms of Durga?
Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri — one for each night of Navaratri. The Navadurga Stotram names all nine.