Sushmajee
Devee | Durgaa Sapt Shatee

Durgaa Sapt Shatee

Home | Devee | Sapt Shatee

4-How to Read Durgaa Sapt Shatee

Previous | Next

 
How to Read Durgaa Sapt Shatee
From  Durgaa Sapt Shatee,

There are many methods of reciting / doing Saadhanaa with Devee Charitra. It also contains maximum number of Mantraakshar than most of other similar works or Sahastra Naam or Ashtottar, Stotra etc. That is why it is considered most sacred and revered and contended that it should not be recited just like any other Geetaa. Special ways of recitation has been advocated to create a resonance so that the Mantraakshar does not get diluted or modified.

There are also Paaramparik / Taantrik methods attributing to the Charitra to the forms of Devee to suite the purpose. However the most common and general form any ordinary person (Grihasth included) can adopt is the following one ---

Devee Charitra has been given in many Tantra like Rudra Yaamal Tantra, Kaatyaayanee Tantra etc with slight variations. However, the commonly followed is as provided by Maarkandeya Puraan.

Pratham Charitra - Chapter 1
Pratham charitrasya brahmaa rishih mahaakaalee devtaa gaayatree chhandah nandaa shaktih raktadantikaa beejam agni statwam rig ved swaroopam shree mahaa kaalee preetyarthe pratham charitre jape viniyogah

The first Charitra is thus attributed to Mahaa Kaalee, the fierce form of Devee. Its Beej is Rakt Dandikaa, Tattwa is Agni and the Swaoop is Rig Ved.

Madhyam Charitra - Chapters 2-4
Madhyam charitrasya vishnur rishih mahaa lakshmirdevtaa ushnik chhandah shaakambaree shaktih durgaa beejam vaayu statwam yajur Ved swaroopam shree mahaa lakshmee preetyarthe jape viniyogah

The second Charitra starting from the 2nd chapter to the 4th chapter is attributed to Mahaa Lakshmee, Its Beej is Durgaa and the Swaroop is Yajur Ved.

Uttar Charitra - Chapters 5-13
Asya shree uttar charitrasya rudra rishih mahaa saraswatee devtaa anushtup chhandah bheemaa shaktih bhraamaree beejam soorya statwam saam Ved swaroopam mahaa saraswatee preetyarthe uttar charitra paathe viniyogah

The rest of the chapters are called Uttar Charitra and is attributed to Mahaa Saraswatee. Its Beej is Bhraahmaree, and her Swaroop is Saam Ved.

So you can see that the three Charitra attributed to Mahaa Kaalee, Mahaa Lakshmee and Mahaa Saraswatiee respectively. One should keep this in mind when reciting the Durgaa Sapt Shatee.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From PVR Narasimha Rao's book "Vedic Wisdom", p 40-

Should we really read Chandee Paath with Devee Kavach, Argalaa, Keelak and Raatri Sookt before 13 Adhyaaya and Devee Sookt, etc in the end? Suppose we recite only 13 Adhyaaya only after Sankalp - will it not be sufficient in daily routine worship? Or it is compulsory?
A. The beauty of Chandee Paath is that it instills a great sense of discipline in one. Even 13 chapters take a long time, without anything before or after. Kavach, Argalaa, Keelak, Raatri Sookt, Nyaas and Mool Mantra are recommended before reading 13 Adhyaaya, while Nyaas, Mool Mantra and Devee Sookt are recommended after the 13 Adhyaaya recitation. However, in my humble opinion, nothing is really compulsory. Doing just the 13 chapters everyday can be very powerful after a while. I see nothing wrong in it.
Whatever you eat, eat it happily and positively to get the most energy from it. Similarly, read whatever you want to read with a sense of surrender and limited ego, instead of doing everything with a lower focus. It is better to just do 13 chapters with a higher focus.

Can you guide me the proper uttering of Beej Mantra in Navaarn Mantra? Some say it is Aing, Hreeng, Kleeng.... and some say it is Aim, Hreem, Kleem......
A. Both are correct and work differently. However, those who try who pronounce the Beej Mantra as "aing hreeng" invariably mispronounce them. The "g" becomes explicit. Ideally, you should start pronouncing as though you are going to say "aing" and abruptly stop just when you are about to say "g", without saying it. It is not easy to pronounce this correctly. Instead of trying "aing hreeng" and messing it up, it is better to just say "aim hreem...". Internal purity and lack (or minimization) of individualized ego is the key in any Saadhanaa. Thousands of hours of Saadhanaa without them is fruitless. One who is pure and has a very limited ego achieves results quickly. There is a lot of misinformation and unfounded fears that are spread regarding Chandee Paath. Do not worry about them.

It is said that Chandee Paath can be done only after bathing. Can I recite Chandee Paath at evening or at night after just washing my hands and feet? Or Bath is necessary?
A. The vibrations produced by the subtle body are far more important than the vibrations produced by the gross body. Thus, Mantra is more of a subtle body activity than a gross body activity. Thus, purity and cleanliness of the subtle body is more important than that of gross body. However, people cannot perceive the subtle body and its purity. Maintaining the purity of subtle body and mind is far more difficult than taking bath, wearing clean clothes and being in pleasant surroundings. Thus, people shoot for the easier external thing (which is a symbol), in the hope that it eventually brings the desired internal end result. If one takes bath, wears clean clothes, keeps one's surroundings clean and pleasant, it will make the mind only feel clean. It eventually can bring purity to the mind too. Thus, even while maintaining external purity, remember that what matters is the internal purity and that external purity is being maintained only to promote internal purity in the long run. So it all depends upon your own state of mind.

If somebody comes at home and I have to attend him for half an hour, can I continue the Chandee Paath from that completed chapter Or should I start from the first chapter again?
A. I personally give priority to my ritual and not receive anyone in the middle of my rituals, i.e. I make them wait. If you must interrupt your Poojaa, then I see nothing wrong in continuing where you left off.

I am doing Chandee Hom with Ksheer (boiled milk with rice) in Nava Raatri but sometimes after offering Ksheer, the fire goes off. What to do?
A. That is a good offering, but the fire has to be sufficient. Laddoo may be a fine sweet, but we cannot feed them to a two month old baby. Similarly, you cannot offer much Ksheer to a small fire. I do my daily Chandee Homam with a log of wood and there is a big fire. I can pretty much burn anything in it. I can offer Ksheer, I can offer Laddoo or any other sweets. If you also have a big enough fire, you can offer anything without troubling fire. When your fire is small, you have to exert discretion.

Lamp made of steel, copper, silver or what?
A. If you are at a stage where external things are just used as symbols based on the momentum of previous Karm and do not mean much to you, then all this is irrelevant. Otherwise, I suggest using silver, brass, bronze, copper, clay etc instead of steel.

 

 

Home | Devee | Sapt Shatee

 

Previous | Next

Created by Sushma Gupta on 3/15/03
Contact:  sushmajee@yahoo.com
Updated on 04/21/13