Maa Mahalakshmi

[Guest guest]

I am so happy that so many of us have taken up the Parayana. Blessings

of Sree MAA and Swamiji.

 

I am waiting to hear from the members about their experience.

 

Today we will be reciting the chapters 2 & 3. These along with chapter

4 form the Madyama Charithra or the middle portion of the epic. These

are about the episode of Mahishasura. The Dhyana Sloka of chapter 2 is

of Mahalakshmi. Mahishasuramardhini is one of the most popular names

of MAA.

 

These Dhyana slokas in the beginning of the chapters are not part of

the Devi Mahatmya in original. These are part of the way of Parayana.

 

Chapter 2 is about the manifestation of MAA CHANDI. How she is the sum

total of the powers of all the gods. This chapter also deals with the

destruction of the armies of Mahishasura. Chapter 3 is about the

killing of the demon Mahishasura.

 

I started doing Parayana as per laid down procedures in 1994 Sharad

Navaratri. I was staying in a hotel in Bhopal at that time. There is

always a tendency to read the meaning of the verses at the time of

Parayana. I was doing Parayana from another text with literal meaning.

So I used to be engrossed in the story. I now do Parayana with a text

only book with large letters (helps when you have long sight), going

back to Swamiji's book to check up once in a while. In fact I have

four books at the time of Parayana. One each in Tamil, Hindi, English

and Sanskrit. I make heavy weather out of it.

 

I envy the people who have learnt the text by heart and recite it with

very little reference.

 

There is a temple of MAA CHANDI in Cuttack, Orissa. The deity has four

arms here. You can read all about the temple and also see the

beautiful photographs of MAA in different forms.

 

http://www.maacuttackchandi.com/

 

Jai MAA !!!