The Most Popular Hymn to the Goddess | Mahiṣāsura-Mardinī Stotram
Navarātri is never quite complete until we all get together and chant the Mahiṣāsura-Mardinī Stotram! This hymn is sometimes attributed to Adi Shankarācharya (as many, many hymns in the Sanskrit tradition tend to be) but it is also sometimes attributed to Rāvana, the antagonist of the Ramāyana! I like the second account much better for reasons I get into in the beginning of this discussion! After discussing the "bhāva" of this song (and making a case for "rajas in the service of sattva...