Sahasranama position 325 of the 1,072 names

Dushta Samhartri

दुष्ट संहर्त्री

Duṣṭa Saṃhartrī

What Dushta Samhartri means

Dushta Samhartri is name 325 in the Adya Mahakali Sahasranama, the 1,072-name devotional text to Maa Kali. The Destroyer of Evil.

Also spelled

  • Dusta Samhartri
  • DushtaSamhartri
  • Source transliteration: DUSHHTA SAMHARTRI

Sanskrit names travel into English in several romanizations. This page keeps the common spelling, the IAST form, and the source transliteration together so the same name is discoverable under each spelling readers use.

Meaning and elaboration

Meaning: The Destroyer of Evil.

Elaboration

Dushhta Samhartri literally means "She who destroys (Samhartri) the wicked or evil (Dushhta)." This name reveals Kali's fierce and protective power, directed toward the destruction of those malevolent forces that threaten cosmic order and spiritual purity.

The Purpose of Destruction Kali's destruction is never wanton or malicious; it is a necessary act of cosmic surgery. Just as a surgeon removes a diseased growth to save the body, Dushhta Samhartri destroys evil in order to preserve dharma (righteousness) and protect the innocent and the devoted. Her destructive power is itself a form of divine compassion.

Destruction of External Evil At the cosmic level, she is the force that vanquishes demons (asuras) and all beings that embody adharma (unrighteousness), chaos, and oppression. Her fierce form, armed with weapons and blazing with wrath, destroys these outer manifestations of evil and restores balance to the universe.

Destruction of Internal Evil More profoundly, Dushhta Samhartri also refers to her power to destroy the "evil" within the devotee. This includes inner enemies such as ego, anger, lust, greed, delusion, jealousy, and the negative tendencies (vāsanās) that bind the soul to ignorance and suffering. She purifies the devotee's mind and consciousness, making spiritual growth and liberation possible.

The Benevolent Nature of Her Wrath Her wrath is always for the good. It is a divine fury that purifies, protects, and liberates. To invoke Dushhta Samhartri is to seek her aid against both external adversaries and the inner obstacles that obstruct the spiritual path, leading toward protection and inner peace.

Text and sources

The name list follows the Adya Mahakali Sahasranama as compiled for this project. The English meaning and elaboration are interpretive notes for devotional study, not a translation of a single critical edition.

Read the editorial method and source notes →

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