durgA nAma mahimA

The name durgA दुर्गा,  is made up of syllables: द da, उ u, र ra, ग ga, आ A.

brahma-vaivarta purANa:
daityanAshArthavacano dakAraH parikIrtitaH |
ukAro vighnanAzasya vAcako vedasammataH ||
It is said that the akShara da - द signifies "destroyer of demons", akShara u - उ means "destroyer of obstacles, conforming to the veda".

repho rogaghnavacano gazca pApaghna vAcakaH |
bhaya shatrughnavacanazcAkAraH parikIrtitaH ||
The letter ra - र denotes "destroyer of diseases", and the letter ga - ग suggests "destroyer of sins". The letter A - आ alludes to "destroyer of fears and enemies". 

according to saptashatI:
tatraiva ca vadhishyAmi durgamAkhyaM mahAsuram |
durgAdevIti vikhyAtaM tanme nAma bhaviShyati ||
In that place I am going to kill a great Daitya named Durgama, hence my name shall be durgA hereafter.

[Sanskrit - HK Transliteration]
rudrayAmala:
ziva uvAca |
Arogyasya ca sampatterjJAnasya ca mahodayaH |
nAmedaM paramo heturmuktaye bhavasaGginAm |

kalikAle vizeSeNa mahApAtakinAmapi |
nistArabIjaM vijJeyaM nAmasaMsmaraNaM priye ! |

paradArarato'pi syAt paradravyApahArakaH |
so'pi pApAt pramucyeta yo vA syAdatipAtakI |

brahmahatyA surApAnaM steyaM gurvaGganAgamaH |
tasmAdapi pramucyeta yadi nAma smaret sudhIH |

viSNunAmasahasrebhyo hyadhikaM paramezvari ! |
durgAnAma samAkhyAtaM caturvedavidAM matam |

durgAnAmajapAt pApaM sarvaM yAti hi tatkSaNAt |
vedeSvAgamatantreSu purANeSu sunizcitam |

harinAmnaH paraM nAsti vaiSNavAnAmidaM smRtam |
tAdRzAJca mate jJeyaM durgAnAma tato'dhikam |

na tasya durlabhaM kiJcit paratreha ca sundari ! |
yaH smaret satataM durgAM sa eva zrIsadAzivaH |

zaucAcAravihIno'pi saMsmaret paramezvarIm |
sa eva paramaM sthAnaM kathitaM vIravandite ! |

vaiSNavAnAJca zaivAnAM zuddhAnAM yAdRzI gatiH |
nAmasaMsmaraNAdyasya tathA zAktajanasya ca |

karmaNAnena devezi ! nAdhikArI yamo mama |
durgAnAmajapo yasya kiM tasya kathayAmi te |

ahaM paJcAnanaH kAnte ! varSakoTizatairapi |
yAvadbhUrvAyurAkAzaM jalaM vahniH zazI grahAH |

tAvattiSThanti te svarge durgAnAmaparAyaNAH | 
dhanI putrI sukhI so'pi cirajIvI bhavedbhuvi |

pratyahaM yo japed bhaktyA zatamaSTottaraM zuciH |
aSTottarasahasrantu yo japedbhaktimAn naraH |

pratyahaM paramezAni ! tasya puNyaphalaM zRNu |
dhanArthI dhanamApnoti jJAnArtho jJAnameva ca |

rogArto mucyate rogAt baddho mucyeta bandhanAt |
bhIto bhayAt pramucyeta pApAnmucyeta pAtakI |

putrArthI putramApnoti devi ! satyaM na saMzayaH |

ayutaM yo japedbhaktyA pratyahaM paramezvari ! |
nigrahAnugrahe zaktaH sa bhavet kalpapAdapaH |

tasya krodhAdbhavenmRtyuH prasAde paripUrNatA |
evaJca taM vijAnIyAt samarthaM sarvakarmaNi |

mAsi mAsi ca yo lakSaM japaM kuryAdvarAnane ! |
na tasya grahapIDA syAnnApi bandhuviyojanam |

na caizvaryaM kSayaM yAti na ca sarpakSataM kvacit |
nAgnicaurabhayaM vApi na cAraNye jale bhayam |

parvatArohaNe devi ! siMhavyAghrabhayAdike |
bhUtapretapizAcAnAM bhayaM vA kutracidbhavet |

na ca vairibhayaM kAnte ! na ca dasyubhayaM pathi |
jvarAdInAJca rogANAM na zarIre sthitiH kvacit |

paraloke bhavet svargI kathitaM vIravandite ! |
candrasUryasamo bhUtvA vaset kalpAyutaM divi |

vAjapeyasahasrasya yat phalaM syAdvarAnane ! |
pratyahaM tat phalaM durgAnAmajApAdvarAnane ! |

pUjAkAle japedyastu gaGgAtIre ca mAnavaH |
zatAzvamedhayajJAnAM phalamApnoti sAdhakaH |

prAjApatyavrate yAdRk tathA cAndrAyaNe'pi vA |

ekAdasyupavAsena koTisaMkhyena yAdRzam |
candrasUryagrahe gatvA gaGgAyAJca surezvari ! |

kurukSetre ca sarvasvadAne yat phalamIritam |
prayAgAdiSu tIrtheSu mAghasnAne ca yat phalam |

zivarAtricaturdazyAM zambhozcaiva prapUjanAt |
rathasthaM vAmanaM dRSTvA kSetre zrIpuruSottame |

kAmarUpe mahAmAyAM kAmAkhyAyonimaNDale |
pUjayitvA phalaM yAdRk durgAnAma tato'dhikam |

aSTamyAJca caturdazyAM navamyAJca mahAnizi |
zmazAne ca japaM kuryAccANDAlahRdayopari |

digambaro nirAtaGko muktakezo bhavedyadi |
sa siddhiM samavApnoti devAnAmapi durlabhAm |

zanibhaumadine devi ! bhavedindukSayo yadi |
tatrAyutaM japedyastu nirAtaGko mahAnizi |

saMvandyo devatAnAJca munIndrANAJca sundari ! |
bhaumavAre mahAdevi ! yadi syAdaSTamItithiH |

bilvapatrasahasraistu tatra sampUjya pArvatIm |
baliM dadyAdvidhAnena japtvA nAmasahasrakam |

yadyadiSTatamaM loke tattadApnoti nizcitam |
kRSNASTamIsamAyuktanizAyAM sa gaNo bhavet |

tatra gatvA zmazAne vai zanivAre varAnane ! |
pazUnAM ghAtanaM kRtvA yonimudrAM vidhAya ca |

sarvapApavinirmuktaH sAdhakaH sAdhayecchivAm |
aSTamyAJca caturdazyAM navamyAJcaiva pArvati | |

zatamaSTottaraM yastu durgAnAmajapaM caret |
sa labhedvAJchitaM sarvamiha loke paratra ca |

gaGgAgodAvarIrevAyamunAjalasannidhau |
yo japet sAdhako bhaktyA sahasraJca tithikSaye |

parastrIharaNAt pApaM paradravyApahAraNAt |
sarvaM tat kSayamApnoti mahArauravakAraNam |

kAmarUpe mahAtIrthe kAmAkhyAyonisannidhau |
lakSamekaM japedyastu nizAyAM vIravandite | |

sa ca vAgIzvaro bhUtvA paratra zivatAM vrajet |
bhavAnIsannidhau yastu vArANasyAM japaM caret |
daridro'pi dhanI bhUtvA zivaloke mahIyate ||

[shiva to pArvatI]
durgA nAma japo yasya kiM tasya kathayAmi te |
ahaM pa~ncAnanaH kAnte tajjapAdeva suvrate ||1||
O dear, what more can be told about the japa of name durgA? It is due to the japa of that name I am called pa~ncAnana [five faced] my chaste wife.

dhanI putri tathA j~nAnI ciraMjIvI bhavedbhuvi |
pratyahaM yA japed bhakttyA shatamaShTottaraM shuchiH ||2||
Whoever recites it 108 times in pure state will get riches, posterity, knowledge & long-life in this world.

aShTottarasahasraM tu yo japed bhakti saMyutaH |
pratyahaM parameshAni tasya puNyaphalaM zRNu ||3||
Listen to me what merit one will get by reciting it 1008 times with devotion..

dhanArthI dhanamApnoti j~nAnArthi j~nAnameva ca |
rogArtto mucyate rogAt baddho mucyate bandhanAn ||4||
One who needs wealth will get it, those who are after knowledge will obtain knowledge, the diseased will be rid off diseases and the imprisoned will be released.

bhIto bhayAtmuchyote pApanmuchyate pAtakI |
putrArthI labhate putraM devi satyaM na saMshayaH ||5||
There is no doubt that the frightened will be rid of fears, great sinners will be rid of sins and those desiring offspring will get a son.

evaM satyaM vijAnIhi samarthaH sarvamkarmasu |
ayutaM yo japet bhakttyA pratyahaM parameshvari ||6||
Parameshvari, all this is true and a devotee who recites it 10,000 times will become efficient in all types of activities.

nigrahAnugrahe shaktaH sa bhaved kalpapAdapaH |
tasya krodhe bhavenmR^ityuH prasAde paripUrNamtA ||7||
Due to the japa of this nAma, if he becomes angry he can bring death, but at the same time if he is happy he becomes like a kalpa-vRkSha.

mAsi mAsi ca yo lakShaM japaM kuryAd varAnane |
na tasya grahapIDam syAt kadAcidapi shA~Nkari ||8||
na chaishvaryakShayaM yAti naca sarpabhayaM bhavet |
nAgni caurabhayaM vApi na cAraNye jale bhayam ||9||
parvatArohaNe nApi simha vyAghrabhyaM tathA– |
bhUtapretapishAcAnAM bhayaM nApi bhavetkvacit ||10||
na ca vairibhayaM kAnte nApi duShTabhayaM bhavet |
paraloke bhavet svargI satyaM vai vIravandite ||11||
candrasUryasamobhUtvA vaset kalpAyutaM divi |
vAjapeya sahasrasya yat phalaM syAd varAnane ||12||
tatphalaM samavApnoti durgA nAma japAt priye |
na durgAM nAma sadR^ishaM nAmasti jagatI tale ||13||
tasmAtta sarva prayatnena smartavyaM sAdhakottamaiH |
yasya smaraNa mAtreNa palAyante mahApadaH ||14||
O lovely-faced lady, if one recites the name 100,000 times month after month, he can get rid of troubles due to planets/eclipse etc.. , his prosperity is never lost, he is not afraid of snakes, fire, thieves, forest and water. While climbing mountains there is no fear of lions, tigers, spirits, demons, ghosts etc. There will be no fear from enemies and the wretched, and those who recite this name enjoys bliss of heaven and become celebrated. Just like the sun or moon, he remains bright in durgA loka for thousands of kalpas. O beautiful faced devI, he gets the fruit of 1000 vAjapeya yag~yas as the effect of reciting Durga's name. In this world there is no name that can be compared to the divine name of Durga. Thus sAdhakas must carefully recite this name always. All the difficulties just disappear by merely remembering this name.

From tantra
atha durgAnAmamAhAtmyaM tatra svarUpaM darzayatri rudrayAmale |
tavargatRtIyo varNaH paJcamasvarasaMyutaH |
kavargasya tRtIyazca rephaM tasyopari priye ! |
dvitIyasvarasaMyuktaM nAmedaM parikIrtitam |

muNDamAlAtantre dvitIyapaTale |
na hi durgAsamA pUjA na hi durgAsamo japaH |
na hi durgAsamaM jJAnaM na hi durgAsamaM tapaH |
durgAyAzcaritaM yatra tatra kailAsamandiram |

tRtIyapaTale |
durgAsmaraNajaM devi ! durgAsmaraNajaM phalam |
durgAyAH smaraNenaiva kiM na sidhyati bhUtale |
zaivo vA vaiSNavo vApi zAkto vA girinandini ! |
bhajeddurgAM smareddurgAM yajeddurgAM zivapriyAm |
tatkSaNAddevadevezi ! mucyate bhavabandhanAt |

durgAyA mantramAkAraM nAnAtantre zrutaM tvayA |
durge durgeti durgAyA durge nAmaparaM manum |
yo bhajet satataM caNDi ! jIvanmuktaH sa mAnavaH |
he durge ! durge ghorasaGkaTe durgAyAH paraM manuM durge iti nAmazataM yo 
bhajejjapet sa jIvannapi mukto bhavedityanvayaH |

mahotpAte mahAroge mahAvipadasaGkaTe |
mahAduHkhe mahAzoke mahAbhaye samutthite |
yaH sadA saMsmareddurgAM yo japet paramaM manum |
sa jIvaloke devezi ! nIlakaNThatvamApnuyAt |

caturthapaTale |
zraddhayA'zraddhayA vApi yaH kazcinmAnavaH smaret |
durgAM durgazataM tIrya sa yAti paramAM gatim |

saptamapaTale |
nAnAtantramataM devi ! nAnAratnaM prakAzitam |
brahmasvarUpaM vijJAtuM kaH samartho mahItale |
nAnAmArge pradhAvanti pazavo hatabuddhayaH |
zrIdurgAcaraNAmbhojaM hitvA yAnti rasAtalam |
satyaM vacmi hitaM vacmi pathyaM vacmi punaH punaH |
na bhuktizca na muktizca vinA durgAniSevaNAt |

picchilAtantre pUrvakhaNDe tRtIyapaTale |
na durgAnAmasadRzaM nAmAsti jagatItale |
yasya smaraNamAtreNa palAyante mahyapadaH |

durgAnAmasmaraNena sarvavidyAsmaraNamAha |
tAriNI sundarI kAlI durgA ca bhairavI tathA |
bhuvanezI mahAlakSmIstAsAM durgeti nAma vai |

durgAnAmamahAmantraH sarvamantrottamottamaH |
lakSasaMkhyAjapenaiva purazcaryA vidhIyate |

rAjAdibhayamApanne durgAnAma parA gatiH |
mahApadi mahAtrAse mahAdAridryasaGkaTe |
lakSasaMkhyAjapenaiva palAyante mahApadaH ||

iti durgAnAmaphalam |