Devi Mahatmyam

[Guest guest]

!! Sri Rama Jayam !!

 

Navaratri is celebrated four times a year. They are Ashada Navaratri,

the Sharada Navaratri, the Maha Navaratri and the Vasantha Navaratri.

Of these, the Sharada Navaratri of the month of Puratashi and the

Vasantha Navaratri of the Vasantha kala are very important. If you

refer to the agni purana, then it is said that the Puratashi and

Panguni (in Tamil months) i.e. Asvin and Chaitra are like the two

jaws of Lord Yama. If one wants to escape the mouth of Yama, then one

should celebrate Navaratri on these two occasions. A similar analogy

is presented in the devi bhagavatam. Devi bhagavatam also talks in

detail on how one should observe fasts, and how one should

meditate/work on these days. According to legend, Durga sat on the

tip of a needle for nine days, doing a severe penance to destroy the

evil Asura Mahisha. On the first three days, she meditated as

Herself, the next three days as Mahalakshmi and the last three days

as Sarasvati. This signifies progression from tamsik, to rajasik to

satvik and eventually obtaining liberation. The tenth day during

Sharada Navaratri is called 'Vijayadashami' to signify the victory on

the day of dashami. It is, however, a long tradition that one reads

the devi-bhagavatam or the devi mahatmyam (Durga saptasati, 700

verses on Durga) during this period. Devi bhagavatam notes that Lord

Rama meditated and fasted for nine days after Sita was kidnapped by

Ravana. There are numerous such incidents on how people's wishes were

granted. The reading of Devi Maahaatmyam during Navaraatri is to be

done follows

 

Chapter 1 (Madhu kaitabha samhaara) is to be read for 1st day,

 

ch 2 thru 4 (Mahishhasura samhaara) to be read on 2nd day,

 

ch 5 and 6 (Dhuumralochana vadha) on the 3rd day,

 

ch 7 (Chanda Munda vadha) on 4th day,

 

ch 8(Rakta biija samhaara) on 5th day,

 

ch 9 and 10 (Shumbha Nishumbha vadha) on 6th day,

 

ch 11(Praise of Narayani) on 7th day,

 

ch 12 (Phalastuti) on 8th day,

 

ch 13 (Blessings to Suratha and the Merchant)on 9th day

 

ch 14 (aparaadha KshamaapaNa) on 10th day

 

 

Hare Krishna

Hare Rama