Devi Mahatmya

28/04/2023, 12:56 Devi Mahatmya - Wikipedia
Devi Mahatmya
The Devi Mahatmya or Devi Mahatmyam
(Sanskrit: देवीमाहात्म्यम्,
romanized: devīmāhātmyam, lit. 'Glory of the
Goddess') is a Hindu philosophical text
describing the Goddess Durga/Adishakti as the
supreme power and creator of the universe.[1][2]
It is part of the Markandeya Purana.[3][4][5]
Devi Mahatmyam is also known as the Durgā

Saptashatī (दुर्गासप्तशती) or Śata Chandī (शत् A 17th-century Devimahatmya manuscript written in
चण्डी). The text contains 700 verses arranged Newari script from Nepal
[6]
into 13 chapters.[7][6] Along with Devi-

Bhagavata Purana and Shakta Upanishads
such as the Devi Upanishad, it is one of the most important texts of Shaktism (goddess) tradition
within Hinduism.[8]
The Devi Mahatmyam describes a storied battle between good and evil, where the Devi
manifesting as goddess Durga leads the forces of good against the demon Mahishasura—the
goddess is very angry and ruthless, and the forces of good win.[9][10][11] In peaceful prosperous
times, states the text, the Devi manifests as Lakshmi, empowering creation and happiness.[12] The
verses of this story also outline a philosophical foundation wherein the ultimate reality (Brahman
in Hinduism) can also be female.[13][14][15] The text is one of the earliest extant complete
manuscripts from the Hindu traditions which describes reverence and worship of the feminine
aspect of God.[5] The Devi Mahatmyam is often ranked in some Hindu traditions to be as
important as the Bhagavad Gita.[16]
The Devi Mahatmyam has been particularly popular in eastern states of India, such as West
Bengal, Bihar, Odisha and Assam, as well as Goa[17] and Nepal.[18] It is recited during Navratri
celebrations, the Durga Puja festival,[19][20] and in Durga temples across India.[19][21]
Tulunadu, located in Coastal Karnataka draws inspiration from the Devi Mahatmyam for several
plays in the form of Yakshagana that are conducted throughout the year at most of Shakti temples
to depict the glorious powers of Devi to people of all generations since many centuries.[22] The
booking for Yakshagana troupes, not months but years in advance proves the devotion and
importance of Devi Mahatmya storyline.[23]
Etymology
Sanskrit māhātmya-, "magnanimity, highmindedness, majesty" is a neuter abstract noun of māha-
ātman-, or "great soul." The title devīmāhātmyam is a tatpurusha compound, literally translating
to "the magnanimity of the goddess."
The text is called Saptaśati (literally a collection of seven hundred" or something that contains
seven hundreds in number), as it contains 700 shlokas (verses).[7]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devi_Mahatmya 1/14
Caṇḍī or Caṇḍika is the name by which the

Supreme Goddess is referred to in Devī
Māhātmyam. According to Hindu Scriptures,
"Caṇḍikā is "the Goddess of Truth and Justice who
came to Earth for the establishment of Dharma ,"
from the adjective caṇḍa, "fierce, violent, cruel for
evil forces not for good forces ." The epithet has no The oldest surviving manuscript of the Devi
precedent in Vedic literature and is first found in a Māhātmyam, on palm-leaf, in an early Bhujimol or
late insertion to the Mahabharata, where Chaṇḍa Newari script, Nepal, 11th century
and Chaṇḍī appear as epithets."[24]
History
The Devi Mahatmyam, states C. Mackenzie Brown, is
both a culmination of centuries of Indian ideas about the
divine feminine, as well as a foundation for the literature
and spirituality focused on the feminine transcendence in
centuries that followed.[26]
One of the earliest evidence of reverence for the feminine

aspect of God appears in chapter 10.125 of the Rig Veda,
also called Devīsūkta.[27][28][note 1]
Hymns to goddesses are in the ancient Hindu epic

Durga temple depicting scenes from Devi
Mahabharata, particularly in the later (100 to 300 CE)
Mahatmyam, in Aihole temple, is part of a
added Harivamsa section of it.[26] The archaeological UNESCO world heritage site candidate.[25]
and textual evidence implies, states Thomas Coburn, that
the Goddess had become as much a part of the Hindu
tradition, as God, by about the third or fourth century.[30]
Date and provenance
Devi Mahatmyam is a text extracted from Markandeya Purana, and constitutes the latter's
chapters 81 through 93.[31] The Purana is dated to the ~3rd century CE,[9] and the Devi
Mahatmyam was added to the Markandeya Purana either in the 5th or 6th century.[3][4][5]
The Markandeya Purana is one of the eighteen major Puranas. Puranas are in the category of
ancient Hindi writings that is considered to be "Smriti" (remembered by ordinary human beings
and attributed to an author). Other Hindu scriptures, such as the Vedas, are considered (in
Hinduism) to have been heard and transmitted through direct knowledge by accomplished and
enlightened sages and seers (called "rishis"); those texts are not "Smriti" but instead are
categorized as "Śruti"[32]
The Dadhimati Mata inscription (608 CE) quotes a portion from the Devi Mahatmyam. Thus, it
can be concluded that the text was composed before the 7th century CE.[33] It is generally dated
between 400-600 CE.[34] Wendy Doniger O'Flaherty dates the Devi Mahatmya to c. 550 CE, and
rest of the Markandeya Purana to c. 250 CE.[35]
Philosophy
The Devi Mahatmya text is a devotional text, and its aim, states Thomas Coburn, is not to analyze
divine forms or abstract ideas, but to praise.[36] This it accomplishes with a philosophical
foundation, wherein the female is the primordial creator; she is also the Tridevi as the secondary
creator, the sustainer, and destroyer.[36] She is presented, through a language of praise, as the one
who dwells in all creatures, as the soul, as the power to know, the power to will and the power to
act.[36] She is consciousness of all living beings, she is intelligence, she is matter, and she is all that
is form or emotion.[36]
The text includes hymns to saguna (manifest, incarnated) form of the Goddess, as well as nirguna
(unmanifest, abstract) form of her.[37] The saguna hymns appear in chapters 1, 4 and 11 of the Devi
Mahatmya, while chapter 5 praises the nirguna concept of Goddess. The saguna forms of her,
asserts the text, are Mahakali (destroyer, desire principle of mother, Tamasic), Mahalakshmi
(sustainer, evolution principle of mother, Sattvic) and Mahasaraswati (creator, Action principle of
mother, Rajasic),[37] which as a collective are called Tridevi. The nirguna concept (Avyakrita,
transcendent) is also referred to as Maha-lakshmi.[37] This structure is not accidental, but embeds
the Samkhya philosophy idea of three Gunas that is central in Hindu scriptures such as the
Bhagavad Gita.[37]
The Samkhya philosophical premise asserts that all life and matter has all three co-existent innate
tendencies or attributes (Guṇa), whose equilibrium or disequilibrium drives the nature of a living
being or thing.[38][39] Tamasic is darkness and destructiveness (represented as Kali in Devi
Mahatmya), Sattvic is light and creative pursuit (Mahalakshmi), and Rajasic is dynamic energy
qua energy without any intent of being creative or destructive (Mahasaraswati).[37] The
unmanifest, in this philosophy, has all these three innate attributes and qualities, as potent
principle within, as unrealized power, and this unrealized Goddess dwells in every individual,
according to Devi Mahatmya.[36] This acknowledgment of Samkhya dualistic foundation is then
integrated into a monistic (non-dualistic, Advaita) spirituality in Devi Mahatmya, just like the
Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, the Bhagavata Purana and other important texts of
Hinduism.[40][41]
Contents
The Devī Māhātmya consists of chapters 81-93 of the Mārkandeya The Goddess in
Purana, one of the early Sanskrit Puranas, which is a set of stories Indian traditions
being related by the sage Markandeya to Jaimini and his students
(who are in the form of birds). The thirteen chapters of Devi The Devi-Mahatmya is
Māhātmya are divided into three charitas or episodes. At the not the earliest literary
beginning of each episode a different presiding goddess is invoked, fragment attesting to
none of whom is mentioned in the text itself.[43] the existence of
devotion to a goddess
The framing narrative of Devi Mahatmya presents a dispossessed figure, but it is surely
king, a merchant betrayed by his family, and a sage whose teachings the earliest in which the
lead them both beyond existential suffering. The sage instructs by object of worship is
recounting three different epic battles between the Devi and various conceptualized as
demonic adversaries (the three tales being governed by the three Goddess, with a capital
Tridevi, respectively, Mahakali (Chapter 1), Mahalakshmi (Chapters G.
2-4), and Mahasaraswati (Chapters 5-13). Most famous is the story
of Mahishasura Mardini – Devi as "Slayer of the Buffalo Demon" –
one of the most ubiquitous images in Hindu art and sculpture, and a —Thomas Coburn[42]
tale known almost universally in India. Among the important goddess forms the Devi Mahatmyam
introduced into the Sanskritic mainstream are Kali and the Sapta-Matrika ("Seven Mothers").[44]
First episode
The first episode (chapter 1) of the Devi Mahatmyam depicts

Devi in her form as Mahakali. Here Devi is central and key to
the creation as Maha-Maya, or, the great illusion/power that
induces Narayana's deep slumber on the waters of the cosmic
ocean prior to the manifestation of the Universe which is a
continuous cycle of manifestation, destruction and re-
manifestation. Two demons, Madhu-Kaitabha, arise as
thoughtforms from Vishnu's sleeping body and endeavour to
vanquish Brahma who is preparing to create the next cycle of
the Universe. Brahma sings to the Great Goddess, asking her to
withdraw from Vishnu so he may awaken and slay the demons.
Devi agrees to withdraw and Vishnu awakens and vanquishes
the demons. Here Devi is praised as the agent who allows both
the cosmic order to be upset & restored.[45]
Vishnu vanquishes Madhu-

Middle episode
Kaitabha, with Devi in the
background.
The middle episode (chapters 2-4) presents goddess
Mahalakshmi in her avatar as Durga. She is a great Warrior
Goddess, representing divine anger and the lethal energy against adharma. The episode stages a
world under attack by the shape-shifting Mahishasura, an evil demon who uses deception to
disarm his opponents, ultimately taking the form of a buffalo demon. He defeats the male gods
individually, who fear total annihilation of the forces of good. They team up, combine their
individual strengths and channel it to form a singular mass of Shakti from which Mahalakshmi is
born as the endowed Durga. Riding a lion into battle, Durga captures and slays the buffalo demon,
by cutting off its head. She then destroys the inner essence of the demon when it emerges from the
buffalo's severed neck, thereby establishing order in the world.[46][47][48]
In the theological practices of the goddess tradition of Hinduism, the middle episode is the most
important. If a community or individual cannot recite the entire Devi Mahatmyam composition,
the middle episode alone is recited at a puja or festival.[49] Further, when the recital begins, the
tradition is to complete the reading of the middle episode completely as a partial reading is
considered to create a spiritual chidra or "chink in the armor".[49]
Final episode
The final episode (chapters 5-13) depicts Devi in her form of Mahasaraswati. She is portrayed as
arising from the koshas (cells) of Devi Parvati (the supreme form of the Goddess) and hence she is
named Devi Kaushiki. Kali may be understood to represent the darker chthonic, transformative
qualities of Devi's power or Shakti. Kali's emergence is chronicled in the 7th chapter. Kali, in the
form of Chamunda emerges from Devi's eyebrows as a burst of psychic energy. She overpowers and
beheads Chanda and Munda, and when she delivers their severed heads to Devi, she is dubbed
Chamunda.
During a fierce battle in which the Great Goddess demonstrates her omnipotence by defeating
powerful demons who terrify the devas, she encounters the fierce Raktabīja (chapter 8). Every drop
of blood Raktabīja sheds transforms into another demon as it touches the earth. A unique strategy
has to be devised to vanquish him. While Kaushiki

attacks him with various weapons, Kali, with her
huge mouth and enormous tongue ferociously laps up
Raktabīja's blood, thus preventing the uprising of
further demons.
The Goddess Ambika leading the Eight Matrikas

in battle (top row, from the left) Narasinhmi,
Vaishnavi, Kaumari, Maheshvari, Brahmani.
(bottom row, from left) Varahi, Indrayani and
Chamunda or Kali against the demon Raktabīja.
A Folio from the Devi Mahatmya
A Pahari depiction of Kali (sometimes described

The story continues in which Devi, Kali and a group
as a form of Parvati) attacking Nisumbha with
of Matrikas destroy the demonic brothers Sumbha
her trident: Kali Attacking Nisumbha; c. 1740,
(chapter 10) and Nisumbha (chapter 9). In the final
colour on paper, 22 × 33 cm. Cleveland
battle against Shumbha, Devi absorbs Kali and the
Museum of Art
matrikas and stands alone for the final battle.[46]
After the battle, the devas praise Devi as the support

of this universe, as the intelligence in all men, as space, time and causation etc. Devi pleased with
the Devas grants them a boon that she will always destroy the demons and bring peace to earth.
She mentions her future incarnations and their respective acts (Chapter 11). Then the Devi
mentions the benefits, accrual of peace, bliss, etc., of worshipping her and disappears (Chapter
12).[50]
The sage finishes the tale. He tells the king and the merchant to take refuge in Devi to rid
themselves of their delusion. Both the king and the merchant undertake penance and Devi grants
them her vision. The king asks Devi for his lost kingdom and Devi grants it to him. The merchants
asks Devi for wisdom and she grants it to him (Chapter 13). [51]
Chapter 8 of the 700 Verses consists of the well-known 32 Names of Durga mantra, which is
chanted during the Navratri festival and, sometimes, as morning prayers in ashrams.
Symbolism of the three episodes
Who is this Goddess? Devadatta Kali states that the three tales are
"allegories of outer and inner experience".[52]
I resemble in form Brahman, The evil adversaries of the Goddess, states Kali,
from me emanates the world, symbolize the all-too-human impulses, such as
which has the Spirit of Prakriti and Purusha, pursuit of power, or possessions, or delusions
I am empty and not empty, such as arrogance.[52] The Goddess wages war
I am delight and non-delight, against this.[52] Like the philosophical and
I am knowledge and ignorance, symbolic battlefield of the Bhagavad Gita, the
I am Brahman and not Brahman. Devi Mahatmya symbolic killing grounds target
human frailties, according to Kali, and the
Goddess targets the demons of ego and dispels
—Devi Mahatmya[26]
our mistaken idea of who we are.[52]
Most hymns, states Thomas Coburn, present the Goddess's martial exploits, but these are
"surpassed by verses of another genre, viz., the hymns to the Goddess".[53] The hymnic portion of
the text balances the verses that present the spiritual liberation power of the Goddess.[54] These
hymns describe the nature and character of the Goddess in spiritual terms:
1. Brahma-stuti (part 1 start),[55]

2. Sakradi-stuti (part 2 end),[56]
3. The "Ya Devi" Hymn (part 3 start),[57]
4. Narayani-stuti (part 3 end).[58]
Angas (appendages)
As an independent text, Devī Māhātmya has acquired a
number of "limbs" or "subsidiary texts" or "appendages"
(angas) over the years "fore and aft". According to Coburn
"artistic evidence suggests that the angas have been
associated with the text since the fourteenth century." The
angas are chiefly concerned with the ritual use of Devī
Māhātmya and based on the assumption that the text will
be recited aloud in the presence of images.[59]
There are two different traditions in the Anga parayana.

One is the trayanga parayana (Kavacha, Argala, Keelaka).
The other is the Navanga parayana (Nyasam, Avahanam,
Namani, Argalam, Keelakam, Hrudayam, Dhalam,
Dhyanam, Kavacham). The navanga format is followed in
kerala and some other parts in South India.
Preceding subsidiary texts

Artwork depicting the "Goddess Durga
Durga Saptasloki also known as "Amba Stuti" - They Slaying the Buffalo demon Mahishasura"
are introduced as one-verse query from Siva who asks scene of Devi Mahatmya, is found all
about the means of achieving what is desired, and a over India, Nepal and southeast Asia.
one verse response from the Goddess who says she Clockwise from top: 9th-century Kashmir,
will proclaim the relevant discipline (sadhana) by 13th-century Karnataka, 9th century
revealing Amba Stuti which consists of the seven Prambanan Indonesia, 2nd-century Uttar
verses indicated.[60] Pradesh
Devi-kavacham - The Devi Kavacham consisting of 61
Slokas is in Markandeya Purana. This Kavacham
(armour) protects the reader in all parts of his body, in all places and in all difficulties.[61]
Argala-stotram - Here Rishi Markandeya is telling his disciples in 27 inspiring couplets on the
greatness of Devi. She has been described in all aspects and names and at the end of each
Sloka, prayer is offered to Devi for material prosperity, physical fitness, fame and victory.[61]
Keelakam - Here also Rishi Markandeya tells his disciples in 16 Slokas, the ways and means
of removing obstacles faced by devotees, while reading Devi Mahatmya.[61]
Ratri Suktam (Vedic) - Ratri Suktam (8 Slokas) has been taken from Rig Veda, 10th Mandala,
10th Anuvaka, 127th Sukta, which shows that Devi was worshipped from time immemorial.
Devi is described as the all-pervading Supreme Lord of the Universe appearing in Omkara.
Here Ratri is the Goddess who fulfills our prayers.[61]
Kunjika Stotram is also a beautiful hymn written in the saptashati which is said to be the
mixture of the three hymns i.e., Kavacham, Argala stotram, Keelakam and also Rahasya
parvam (Murthy Rahasyam and Vaikrutika Rahasyam).It is said that Lord Shiva had recited this
shloka to Parvathi at her attainment of BramhaGyaan. This shloka plays an important role in
Devi Saptashati. It is at the ending of the book.
Ratri Suktam (Tantrik) - The hymn in the first chapter is the Tantrik Ratri Sukta.[62]
Either the Ratri Suktam (Vedic) or Ratri Suktam (Tantrik) is read depending upon whether the
ritual is Vaidic or Tantrik.
One of the texts recited by some traditions is the Devī-Atharva-Śirṣa-Upaniṣad (Devi Upaniṣad).
Succeeding subsidiary texts

Pradhana Rahasyam - "Deals with the process of creation. It is the secret about mula Prakrti
who is the cause of creation."[63]
Vaikritika Rahasyam - "Describes how the Godhead beyond change subjected itself to change,
how the mula prakrti (productive), became vikriti (produced); hence the name Vaikritika
Rahasyam."[63]
Murti Rahasyam - "The incarnations, the Avatar murtis of the Goddess are mentioned."[63]
Devi Suktam (Rig Vedoktam) - (According to Rig Veda): "The 8 Slokas composed by Vak, the
daughter of Maharshi Ambharin, are from the Rig Veda, 10th Mandala, 10th Anuvaka, 125th
Sukta. These Slokas express the truth realised by Vak, who identifies herself as Brahma Sakti,
and expresses herself as 11 Rudras, 8 Vasus, 12 Adityas and all the Devas,— Indra, Agni and
Asvini Kumaras—who are sustained by Her and She is the source, substratum and support of
the whole world. She is verily Brahmasvarupini (embodiment of Brahman)."[61]
Devi Suktam (Tantrik) - The hymn in chapter 5 is Tantrik Devi Suktam.[62]
The number and order of these depend on the Sampradaya (tradition).[64][65]
Either the Devi Suktam (Vedic) or Devi Suktam (Tantrik) is read depending upon whether the
ritual is Vedic or Tantrik.
At the end of a traditional recitation of the text, a prayer craving pardon from the Goddess known
as Aparadha Kshmapana Stotram is recited.
In many places, especially where the edition of Devi Mahatmya by Gita Press, Gorakhpur is
chanted, an ancillary shloka called Siddha Kunjika stotra is chanted.
It is considered to be a stotra which completes the conferment of benefits of chanting the Devi
Mahatmyam. It is small 10 line poem, describing a conversation between Lord Shiva and his
consort Parvati with Lord Shiva revealing that the SiddhaKunjika stotra is a mysterious esoteric
sloka to be chanted after the chanting of Devi Mahatmyam to be used with great care and
precaution by practitioners. It says that the Goddess rules over certain characters of the alphabet,
then praises her as the slayer of demons Shumbh, Nishumbh, Madhu, Kaitabh and prays to her to
she rules as "Aimkar", sustains the world as "Hreem", lords over love as "Kleem", and as "Aimkaar"
grants boons. As "Dham Dheem Dhoom", she is praised as "Dhurjati" (wife of Shiva) and as "Vaam
Veem Voom", she is praised the Lord who rules Vaani (Sound) and as "Kraam Kreem Kroom", she
is worshipped as Lord Kali and bestows prosperity when meditated as "Sham Sheem Shoom". It
proceeds along these lines and closes out with Lord Shiva telling Goddess Parvati that chanting
Devi Mahatmyam without chanting Siddha Kunjika Stotra leaves the reader bereft of getting the
complete benefits of chanting the Devi Mahatmyam and says it is akin to crying out loud in an
empty forest.
Significance
The Devi Mahatmya was considered significant among the Puranas by Indologists. This is
indicated by the early dates when it was translated into European languages. It was translated into
English in 1823, followed by an analysis with excerpts in French in 1824. It was translated into
Latin in 1831 and Greek in 1853.[66]
Devi Mahatmya has been translated into most of the Indian languages. There are also a number of
commentaries and ritual manuals. The commentaries and ritual manual followed vary from region
to region depending on the tradition.
Place in the Hindu canon
Devi Māhātmyam has been called the Testament of Shakta

philosophy.[67] It is the base and root of Shakta doctrine.[68] It
appears as the centre of the great Shakti tradition of
Hinduism.[69]
It is in Devi Mahatmya, states C Mackenzie Brown, that "the

various mythic, cultic and theological elements relating to
diverse female divinities were brought together in what has
been called the 'crystallization of the Goddess tradition."[70]
The unique feature of Devi Māhātmyam is the oral tradition.

Though it is part of the devotional tradition, it is in the rites of
the Hindus that it plays an important role. The entire text is
considered as one single Mantra and a collection of 700
Mantras.
The Devi Māhātmyam is treated in the cultic context as if it

were a Vedic hymn or verse with sage (ṛṣi), meter,
pradhnadevata, and viniyoga (for japa). It has been Devi portrayed as Mahishasura
approached, by Hindus and Western scholars, as scripture in Mardini, Slayer of the Buffalo
and by itself, where its significance is intrinsic, not derived Demon — a central episode of the
from its Puranic context.[71] Devi Mahatmya
According to Damara Tantra "Like Aswamedha in Yagnas, Hari

in Devas, Sapthsati is in hymns." "Like the Vedas; Saptasati is eternal" says Bhuvaneshwari
Samhita.[72]
There are many commentaries on Devi Māhātmya.
Guptavati by Bhaskararaya
Nagesi by Nagoji Bhat
Santhanavi
Puspanjali
Ramashrami
Dhamsoddharam
Durgapradeepam are some of them.[73]
The significance of Devi Māhātmya has been explained in many Tantric and Puranic texts like
Katyayani Tantra, Gataka Tantra, Krodha Tantra, Meru Tantram, Marisa Kalpam, Rudra Yamala,
and Chidambara Rahasya.[73] A number of studies of Shaktism appreciate the seminal role of Devi
Māhātmya in the development of the Shakta tradition.
In popular tradition
The recitation of Devi Mahatmya is done during the
Sharad Navaratri (Oct - Nov) in India. It is recited
during Navaratri celebrations, the Durga Puja festival
and in Durga temples of India.[19] The text is also
recited during the Vasantha Navaratri (March - April)
in Uttarakhand, Jammu, Himachal Pradesh and
other states of north India. It is also chanted during
special occasions like temple kumbabhishekam and
as a general parihara. Recitation of Durga Mahatmya on Mahalaya
marks the formal beginning of the Durga Puja
festival
See also
Brahmavaivarta Purana
Chandi di Var
Devi Upanishad
Garh Jungle
Mother Goddess
Surath
Notes
1. Devi Suktam hymn (abridged):[29]
I am the Queen, the gatherer-up of treasures, most thoughtful, first of those who merit worship.
Thus gods have established me in many places with many homes to enter and abide in.
Through me alone all eat the food that feeds them, – each man who sees, breathes, hears the
word outspoken.
They know it not, yet I reside in the essence of the Universe. Hear, one and all, the truth as I
declare it.
I, verily, myself announce and utter the word that gods and men alike shall welcome.
I make the man I love exceeding mighty, make him nourished, a sage, and one who knows
Brahman.
I bend the bow for Rudra [Shiva], that his arrow may strike, and slay the hater of devotion.
I rouse and order battle for the people, I created Earth and Heaven and reside as their Inner
Controller.
On the world's summit I bring forth sky the Father: my home is in the waters, in the ocean as
Mother.
Thence I pervade all existing creatures, as their Inner Supreme Self, and manifest them with
my body.
I created all worlds at my will, without any higher being, and permeate and dwell within them.
The eternal and infinite consciousness is I, it is my greatness dwelling in everything.
–Devīsūkta, Rigveda 10.125.3 – 10.125.8,[27][28][29]
References
1. June McDaniel 2004, pp. 215–216.
2. David Kinsley 1988, pp. 101–102.
3. Cheever Mackenzie Brown 1998, p. 77 note 28.
4. Coburn 1991, pp. 13.
5. Coburn 2002, p. 1.
6. Tracy Pintchman 2014, p. 86.
7. Coburn 1991, pp. 27–31.
8. Constance Jones; James Ryan (2014). Encyclopedia of Hinduism (https://books.google.com/b
ooks?id=hZET2sSUVsgC). Infobase Publishing. p. 399. ISBN 978-0816054589.
9. Rocher 1986, pp. 191–192.
10. Tracy Pintchman 2014, p. 20.
11. June McDaniel 2004, pp. 215–216, 219–220.
12. June McDaniel 2004, pp. 216–217.
13. Coburn 2002, p. 1, 53-56, 280.
14. Lochtefeld 2002, p. 426.
15. David Kinsley 1988, pp. 101–105.
16. Rocher 1986, p. 193.
17. Kerkar, Rajendra. "Navratri celebrated in honour of Goddess Durga" (https://timesofindia.indiati
mes.com/city/goa/Navratri-celebrated-in-honour-of-Goddess-Durga/articleshow/5029246.cms).
Times of India.
18. Dutt 1896, p. 4.

19. Dalal 2014, p. 118.
20. Gavin Flood (1996). An Introduction to Hinduism (https://archive.org/details/introductiontohi000
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pp. 79–81. ISBN 978-0-7914-5305-6.
37. Thomas Coburn (2002). Katherine Anne Harper, Robert L. Brown (ed.). The Roots of Tantra (ht
tps://books.google.com/books?id=M7Fbj5hrmQoC). State University of New York Press.
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40. Tracy Pintchman 2015, pp. 131–132.
41. Coburn 1991, pp. 157–158.
42. Coburn 1991, p. 16.

43. Coburn, Thomas B., Encountering the Goddess. p 100
44. Kali, Davadatta, p. xvii
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2007-10-14.
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the Devi-Mahatmya and a Study of Its Interpretation (https://books.google.com/books?id=zaTtI
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the-devi-mahatmya/), The Divine Life Society, p.122-130
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the-devi-mahatmya/), The Divine Life Society, p.134-135
52. Kali 2003, p. xvii.
53. Coburn 2002, p. 72.
55. Coburn 2002, p. 290.
56. Coburn 2002, p. 291.
57. Coburn 2002, p. 295.
58. Coburn 2002, p. 298.
59. Coburn, Thomas B., Encountering the Goddess.p 100–101
60. Coburn, Thomas B., Encountering the Goddess.p 223
61. Swami Sivananda, p 3
62. Swami Satyananda Saraswati, Chaṇḍī Pāṭh
63. Sankaranarayanan. S., p 271–273
64. Sarma, Sarayu Prasad, Saptashatī Sarvasvam
65. Sri Durga Saptashatī, Gita Press
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68. Swami Sivananda p 5
69. Coburn 2002, p. 55.
70. C Mackenzie Brown 1990, p. ix.
71. Coburn, Thomas B., Devī Māhātmya. p 51–55
72. Anna, p vii
73. Anna, p v
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and a Study of Its Interpretation (https://books.google.com/books?id=c7vIzNrC-coC). State
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Coburn, Thomas B. (2002). Devī Māhātmya, The Crystallization of the Goddess Tradition (http
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John Stratton Hawley; Donna Marie Wulff (1998). Devi: Goddesses of India (https://books.goog
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2001. (ISBN 81-87936-00-2)
Sarma, Sarayu Prasad, Saptashatī Sarvasvam, in Sanskrit, - A cyclopaedic work on Devī

Māhātmya. Rashtriya Sanskrita Samsthan, New Delhi, India, 2006.
Sri Durga Saptashatī, - Original text and ritual manual with Hindi translation, Gita Press,
Gorakpur, India.
Swami Jagadiswarananda, Devi Māhātmyam English translation, Sri Ramkrishna Math,
Madras, 1953. (ISBN 978-8171201396)
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Banarsidass Publishers Pvt. Ltd., Delhi, India, 1995. (ISBN 81-208-1307-3)
Swami Sivananda, Devi Māhātmya (with a lucid running translation), The Divine Life Society,
Shivanandanagar, India, 1994. (ISBN 81-7052-103-3)
External links
Devi Mahatmya (http://sanskritdocuments.org/doc_devii/durga700.html?lang=sa), Devanagari
text
Devi Raksha Kavach (https://templeknowledge.com/durga-kavach-free-pdf-download/)
Devi Mahatmya (https://archive.org/details/DeviMahatmyamEnglishTransiteration), English
Transliteration and commentary
Devi Mahatmyam recitation (https://archive.org/details/DeviMahatmyam-AyyarmalaiPranavanu
ndhaSwamigal) by Pranavanundha Saraswati Avadhootha Swamigal
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28/04/2023, 12:56 Devi Mahatmya - Wikipedia

Devi Mahatmyam is also known as the Durgā

into 13 chapters.[7][6] Along with Devi-

Caṇḍī or Caṇḍika is the name by which the

One of the earliest evidence of reverence for the feminine

Hymns to goddesses are in the ancient Hindu epic

Date and provenance

The first episode (chapter 1) of the Devi Mahatmyam depicts

Vishnu vanquishes Madhu-

has to be devised to vanquish him. While Kaushiki

The Goddess Ambika leading the Eight Matrikas

A Pahari depiction of Kali (sometimes described

After the battle, the devas praise Devi as the support

Symbolism of the three episodes

1. Brahma-stuti (part 1 start),[55]

There are two different traditions in the Anga parayana.

Preceding subsidiary texts

Succeeding subsidiary texts

The number and order of these depend on the Sampradaya (tradition).[64][65]

Place in the Hindu canon

Devi Māhātmyam has been called the Testament of Shakta

It is in Devi Mahatmya, states C Mackenzie Brown, that "the

The unique feature of Devi Māhātmyam is the oral tradition.

The Devi Māhātmyam is treated in the cultic context as if it

According to Damara Tantra "Like Aswamedha in Yagnas, Hari

There are many commentaries on Devi Māhātmya.

–Devīsūkta, Rigveda 10.125.3 – 10.125.8,[27][28][29]

18. Dutt 1896, p. 4.

42. Coburn 1991, p. 16.

Sarma, Sarayu Prasad, Saptashatī Sarvasvam, in Sanskrit, - A cyclopaedic work on Devī

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