śrī durgāṣṭakam (kātyāyanī mahāmāye)

Eight verses in anushtubh, each ending on the same salutation, and the Goddess addressed in them is the one born to Nanda's house who slipped from Kamsa's hands. She is called the daughter of Vasudeva and the sister of Vasudeva, born in the family of the Vrishnis; Yoganidra, Mahanidra and Yogamaya; and Nanda, the fortune of the earth. Shaiva and Vaishnava attributes stand side by side without apology — Katyayani with sword, bow and arrow in the first verse, conch, discus and mace with the Sharnga bowstring and yellow silk in the fourth. The fifth makes her the four Vedas and the form of Brahman, and the eighth calls her eight-armed, dear to the eighth and the ninth days of the fortnight, and fond of loud laughter.