Book Review: Joy Maa Durga by Atul Chandra Sarkar

Rating: 4/5

In today’s political climate, where senseless killings are taking place in the name of religion and nationality, Joy Maa Durga is like nectar for parched throats. The book is Atul Chandra Sarkar’s ambitious attempt at translating the shlokas of Durga Saptashati, composed by Sage Markandeya, into English. By and large, Sarkar has been successful in capturing the spiritual essence of the original work and not turning it into a dry translation.

Several translations of Sri Durga Saptashati are available in the market, but Sarkar’s work stands apart because it targets the English-speaking crowd primarily. It isn’t another “just for your reference” translation—it is meant to be read and enjoyed as an independent work.

A translation is never easy and to attempt one as challenging as Durga Saptashati is laudable. The original work is meant to evoke feelings of peace, devotion, and spirituality. I would go so far as to say that Sarkar’s work succeeds in transporting one to a plane of sublime happiness and transcendence.

The book also features some interesting illustrations of the various forms of Goddess Durga by Sourav Adhya. For those unfamiliar with Sanskrit or Hindi, I would highly recommend this book if you want to experience the beauty and magic of Durga Saptashati.

(Literoma Publishing Services offered a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.)