• “भार्याम् मनोरमां देहि मनोवृत्तानुसारिणीम्, रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि“ !!

For centuries, the *Argala Stotram* has been recited by devotees seeking divine blessings. But what if the version you’ve been chanting isn’t the original?A subtle but powerful change has crept into one of its verses—shifting its meaning entirely. 

The widely circulated version reads:

• “पत्नीं मनोरमां देहि मनोवृत्तानुसारिणीम्, रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि “!!

“Patnīm manoramāṁ dehi manovṛttānusāriṇīm…”

Here, ”Patnīm” explicitly means ”wife”, making this verse appear relevant only for men seeking a spouse. 

But when we turn to the original Sanskrit from the ”Markandeya Purana”, we find:

“Bhāryām manoramāṁ dehi manovṛttānusāriṇīm…”The word ”Bhāryām” means ”spouse”—a neutral term that includes both husbands and wives. This means the verse was never meant to be gender-exclusive.Would an enlightened sage like Markandeya, who composed this sacred hymn, limit his prayer to only one section of society? Or is this another instance of how reproductions of ancient texts have altered their original intent?

It’s time to reclaim the authentic words. Because even the smallest distortion in a mantra can shift its power.

How many other sacred verses have we accepted without question?

Explore “Devi Tattva” for authentic “Argala Stotram” as provided in “Markandeya Purana” along with the audio rendition by Rudra OM.