MAHĀKĀLI DHYANAM
Meditation on Mahākāli
From the Devī Mahātmyam [Mārkendeya Purana]
Om Namaś Chaṇḍikāyai.
Om khaḍgaṁ chakra-gadeṣu-chāpa-parighāñ
chūlaṃ bhuśuṇḍīṁ śiraḥ
śaṅkhaṁ saṃda-dhatīṁ karai-stri-nayanāṁ
sarvāṅga-bhūṣāvṛitām
Nīlāśma-dyutimāsya pāda-daśakāṁ
seve Mahākālikāṁ
yāmastaut-svapite harau kamalajo
hantuṁ madhuṁ kaiṭabham.
Om Namaś Chaṇḍikāyai.
Om, I bow to the Goddess Chaṇḍikā.
Om, holding a scimitar, disk, mace, arrows and bow, lance, club, a skull and a conch shell in Her ten hands. The three-eyed goddess, Her body covered with ornaments, Her countenance with the brilliance of blue diamonds, with ten limbs. We offer our service to Mahākāli, She who Brahma praised for protection from the demons Madhu and Kaitava, when Vishnu was in sleep.
Om, I bow to the Goddess Chaṇḍikā.
Book 3/Chapter 26/1:62
On the
narration of what are to be done in the Navarâtri
1. Janamejaya said :-- “O
Best of the Brâhmins! What are men to do in the time of Navarâtra?
Especially in the Navarâtra ceremony during the autumnal season how is the
ceremony to be performed? Kindly relate all this with the prescribed
rules and regulations.
2. O intelligent one! What are the fruits therein of the
Navarâtra ceremony? and what are the rules to be observed? Kindly
describe all these to me.”
3-5. Vyâsa said :-- O
king! Hear about the vow of auspicious Navarâtra. This has to be
performed with loving devotion in the vernal season; but its special season is
autumn. The two seasons, autumn and spring, are famous as the teeth of
Yama, the God of Death; and these are the two seasons, very hard for the
persons to cross over. Therefore every godfearing man should everywhere
perform this vow very carefully.
6-8. O king! The people are very much afflicted with
various terrible diseases in these two seasons autumn and spring and many lose
their lives during these portions of the year. Therefore the wise should
unquestionably worship with great devotion the Chandikâ Devî in these
auspicious months of Chaitra and Âs’vin.
9-11. On the day
previous to the commencement of the vow, when the Amâvasyâ tithi commences, one
should collect the materials that will be required in the worship and should
eat only once in that tithi what is called Habisyânna (sacred food, boiled rice
with ghee) and should on that day prepare an open shade in a temporary
building, twenty four (24) feet in dimensions, on a level piece of ground, that
is considered holy; it is to be equipped with a post and a flag. Next,
this is to be heaped over with yellow earth and cow dung. Then a
raised platform called the Vedî, six feet wide and one and a half foot high,
level and hard, is to be erected, and provided with an excellent space thereon
for the seat of the Devî. Provisions are to be made also for ornamented
gate ways and an awning over the top.
12-17. One should invite
then, those Brâhmins, that observe fully the customs and usages, who are self
restrained and versed in the Vedas and Vedângas, especially those who are
skilled in the ceremony of worshipping the Devî.
Next, in the Pratipad tithi (the first day of
the bright half), one should take one’s morning ablutions in a river, or in a
lake, tank or a well or in one’s own residence, according to rules, and one
should perform one’s every day practices of Sandhyâ Vandanam.
Afterwards he should appoint the Brâhmins and
give them water for washing their feet and Arghya (offerings of grass, rice,
etc.,) and Madhuparka (an oblation of honey and milk, etc.) and give then, as
his means permit, clothings and ornaments to them. If
he happens to be rich, he should never show his miserliness here in making
these gifts; for if the Brâhmins be satisfied, they will try their best to
make the ceremony a complete success.
O king! The Chandî paths (the reading of
the book called Chandî) and Bhâgavata paths (the reading of some portions of
the book named Bhâgavat) are done on this occasion, for the satisfaction of the
Goddess; and either nine Brâhmins or five or three or at least one Brâhmin should
be appointed for the purpose.
Moreover one other Brâhmin, of a restrained and
calm nature, is to be appointed, who would observe the fasting on the day
previous (pârâyana). All
these being done, the able man is to perform the ceremony preparatory to the
solemn Devî worship, (in which the priest utters the Vedîc mantra
Svasti-vâchana, Svasti na Indro vriddhas’ravâh, etc.). Om Hrîm S’rîm Dûm
Dûrgâyai namah is the nine lettered Dûrgâ mantra.
18-20. O king! When
the ceremony has been thus commenced, one should place on the Vedî (a raised
platform; an altar), the throne fitted with double silken clothes; and, on that
throne, he should place the image of the Devî.
The Devî, the Eternal World- Mother, is to be
four-armed or eighteen armed, (4 or 18) fully provided with all the weapons,
ornamented with garlands of pearls and jewels, decorated with various ornaments
of gems and precious stones, wearing excellent heavenly clothings, all the
parts of the image being artistically finished and endowed with all the
auspicious signs, mounted on a lion, and holding conch shell, wheel, club,
and lotus in Her hands.
Note :-- The Devî, here, is represented with four (4) or eighteen
(18) hands.
21-22. In the absence of
the image, one should place an earthen water-pot, on that throne, thoroughly
purified by the Vedîc Mantras, filled with gold and jewels, and filled fully
with the water, brought from a sacred river or a sacred place of pilgrimage and
with five young shoots of plants, the extremities of branches bearing new
leaves immersed in water. Beside the water-pot on the throne, there
should be a symbol (Diagram or Yantra) with the nine lettered Mantram (Om Hrîm
S’rîm Chandikâyai namah) in it for the purpose of worship.
23. One should place
on one’s side all the materials of worship in their due places, and then have
the music and other sounding drums played, for the good fortune and prosperity
of the family.
Note :-- Look for the mantras in the book Mantramaho Dadhi.
24. O king! If
the first day be the Nandâ tithi (i.e., the first day of the bright half with
the asterism Hastâ in the ascendant), then that is the best time for
worshipping duly the Holy Goddess. There is no doubt that special
fortunate results would arise on this.
25. On the previous
night, one should observe fasting, or on the previous day one should take only
one meal of Habisyânna (boiled rice and ghee) and on the next day one should
make a Sankalpa (an avowal of the purpose to perform a rite) and then begin
worship.
26. One should pray
before the Goddess thus, “O Mother, Mother of the World! I will perform
this excellent Navarâtra vow; be pleased to help me in every respect.”
27. One is to observe, as far as possible, all the rules
enjoined in this vow and then utter the mantras and do the worship according to
the prescribe rules.
28-31. First of all, one
should worship duly the Goddess Jagaddhâtri, presenting Her Chandan (sandal
paste), Aguru (a fragrant wood, the aloe wood), Camphor, the flowers Mandâra
(one of the five trees of the celestial regions), Karaja a kind of fragrant
flower)! As’oka, Champaka, Karavir, Mâlatî, and Brâhmî and various lovely
sweet scented flowers and good Bel leaves, Dhûpa (incense, a fragrant gum burnt
before idols) and lamps.
Next one should present the fruits cocoanut,
Mâtulinga, the pomegranate, bananas, oranges, the jack fruits, Bel and various
other delicious fruit and
then, offering Her arghya, present boiled rice
and other food with a heart, full of devotion.
32. Those who eat
meat, they can sacrifice animals in this worship of the Devî; and, for this
purpose, goat and wild boars are the best.
33-34. O sinless one! The
goats, etc, offered as a sacrifice before the Devî attain to unending
heavens. Therefore persons offering the sacrifices of goats do not incur
any sin. O king! The goats, etc., and other beast offered as a
sacrifice before the Devas undoubtedly go to the heavenly regions; therefore,
in all the S’âstras, it has been decided that this killing of animals in a
sacrifice is considered as non-killing.
35. Now, for doing the
Homa ceremony one should prepare, according to one’s requirements, a triangular
pit from one to ten hands in dimension and a triangular level piece of ground
covered with sand.
36. Daily, thrice, one
should worship the Devî with various lovely
articles and finally make a great festivity
with dancing, singing and music.
37. Everyday he should
sleep on the ground and worship the virgins (young girl from the age of two to
the age of ten) with nectar like sweetmeats and beautiful clothings aud
ornaments.
38. Everyday one
virgin or increased by one, two, or three every day or nine virgins in all the
days respectively are to be worshipped.
39. O king! One should perform worshipping this Kumârî
(virgin) Pujâ for the satisfaction of the Devî, as his means allow; never one
is to shew miserliness in this.
40. O king! Hear
the rules of the virgin worship that I am going to tell you. The virgin,
aged one year, is not to be worshipped; for they are quite ignorant as to smell
and tasting various delicious things.
41-43. The virgin aged
two years is named the Kumârî; aged three years is named the Trimurtî four
years, is called the Kalyânî; five years, Rohinî; six years, Kâlikâ; seventh
year, Chandikâ; eighth year, S’âmbhavî; ninth year, Dûrgâ; and a virgin, aged
ten years, is called Subhadrâ.
Virgins aged more than ten years are not allowed in all ceremonies.
44. One should worship
these virgins, taking their names and observing all the rules. I am now
mentioning the different results that arise from the worship of these nine
classes of virgins.
45. The worship of Kumârî leads to the extinction of miseries and poverty, to
the extirpation of one’s enemies and the increment of riches, longevity and
power.
46. The Trimurtî Pujâ yields longevity, and the acquisition of the three
things, Dharma, wealth, and desires, the coming in of riches, sons and
grandsons.
47. Those who want
learning, victory, kingdom and happiness, they should worship the Kalyânî, the fructitier of all desires.
48-49. Men should worship Rohinî duly for the cure of diseases.
For the destruction of enemies, the worship of the Kâlikâ with devotion is the best.
For prosperity and riches, Chandikâ is to be worshipped with devotion. O king!
For the enchanting and overpowering of one’s
enemies, for the removal of miseries and poverty, and for victory in battles, S’âmbhavî worshipis the best.
50-51. For the
destruction of awfully terrible enemies and for happiness in the next world,
the worship of Dûrgâ is the safest and best.
People worship Subhadrâ when they want their desires to be fulfilled.
52. People should,
with great devotion, worship the Kumârîs (virgins) with the mantrams
“S’rîrastu” or other mantrams, beginning with “S’rî” or with the seed mantrams.
53. The Goddess who
can create without any difficulty all the sacred tattvas of the Kumâr Kârtikeya
and who effects, as if in sport, the creation of all the Devas Brahmâ and
others; I am worshiping the same Kumârî Devî.
54. She who is
appearing under the three forms as differentiated by the three gunas Sâttva,
Râjas, and Tâmas, and who is appearing in multiple forms, owing to the
differentiations of the three gunas again into various minor differences, I am
worshipping Her the Trimûrtî Devî.
55. She who being
worshipped always fares us with auspicious things, I am worshipping Her,
with devotion, the Kumârî Kalyânî, the awarder of all desires.
56. I am worshipping
the Rohinî Devî with a heart, full of devotion who is germinating all the
karmas in seed forms, that have accumulated owing to past deeds.
57. She who, at the
end of a Kalpa gathers unto Her in the form of Kâlî all this Universe, moving
and unmoving, I worship that Kâlikâ Devî with devotion.
58. She, who is
furious and wrathful and hence is called Chandikâ and who killed the two Demons
Chanda and Munda I bow
down to Her humbly with devotion, to that Chandikâ Devî, who destroys the terrible sins.
59. I worship that
S’âmbhavî Devî, the giver of all pleasures and happiness, whose form is the
Veda Brahmâ, and whose origin is without any cause, and whe is so recited in
the Vedas.
60. She who saves
from danger her devotees and who always delivers from various difficulties and
troubles, whom all the Devas are incapable to know, I worship with devotion that Dûrgâ Devî the
destroyer of all calamities.
61. I, with my mind
devoted, offer my salutations to that Subhadrâ Devî, Who procures all
auspiciousness to Her devotees and removes all inauspicious incidents.
62. Thus, in the mantrams, above described, people should
always worship the virgin girls, giving them clothings, ornaments, garlands,
scents, and various other articles.
Here ends the 26th Chapter on the narration of what are to be done
in the Navarâtri in the Mahâ Purânam in S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18000
verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
Source: Translation of The Srimad Devi Bhagvatam by Swami
Vijnanananda
