Devi Mahatmyam

by Swami Jagadiswarananda

It is an English translation of the Devi-mahatmya or Durga-Saptasati, popularly known as candi. The original text has been printed in Devanagari type with running lucid English translation. Footnotes have been added wherever necessary. The Candi is divided into 13 chapters and consists of 700 mantras and hence it is called the Saptasati. Three aspects of the Divine Mother have been depicted in the book and they are (1) Mahakali (Chapter I), (2) Mahalaksmi (Chapters II to IV) and (3) Mahasarasvati (Chapters V to XIII) and meditation on each of them has been added with English translation. The whole of the Devi-mahatmya is chanted on sacred occasions, especially during the Durga-Puja (Navaratri). For the sake of Parayana (chanting the whole Mahatmya of the Devi) author has added Dhyana (Meditation on Candika), Argala-Stotra, Kilaka-stotra and Devi-Kavaca (all salutations to Candika) in the beginning and Aparadha-Ksamapana-Stotra (hymn for forgiveness for omissions and wrong reading) and Devi-sukta at the end. Those who intend to do the Parayana are to chant the whole book from the beginning to the end.