Devi Mahatmya - Great Story of the Goddess

On the last day of Navaratri the 13th chapter of Devī Māhātmya is traditionally recited, which recounts the story of king Suratha and merchant Samadhi praying to the Great Goddess and having their boons fulfilled. The story is more than just a promise of Divine Mother to grant our wishes, whenever we contemplate on Her great stories - it is also a reminder to choose wisely what we pray for.

On the 8 day of Navaratri the 12th chapter of Devī Māhātmya is traditionally recited, in which the Goddess Herself explains about the great transformative of contemplating upon Devī Māhātmya. She says: “I shall without doubt destroy every misfortune of those who with collected mind will praise me always with these hymns.” She assures everyone that when one listens to this great story with love and devotion, even if without proper knowledge about it, She will still grant Her benedictions upon one and destroy one’s miseries. The Goddess is also saying in this chapter that apart from reciting Devī Māhātmya for nine consecutive days during the first nine days of any bright fortnight, it is also very auspicious to meditate upon those stories on Ashtami tithis (Mahakali), Navami tithis (Mahasarasvati) and Chaturdashi tithis (Mahalakshmi).

On the 7 day of Navaratri 11th chapter of Devī Māhātmya is recited and contemplated upon. In this chapter the gods celebrate the victory of the Goddess over evil and extol Her with the prayer known as Narayani Stuti - praising Her as Narayani, who assumes many forms, to guide us from within and direct the drama of cosmic creation. The Goddess also makes Her promise that whenever the evil arises again, She will appear - again and again, to uplift all and bring balance to the universe.

On the 6 day of Navaratri chapters 9 & 10 of Devī Māhātmya are recited, in which the final battle between the Goddess and demons Śumbha & Niśumbha takes place - the battle between our limitless, divine self and attachments to “I” and “mine” represented by those two asuras. Before slaying Śumbha the Goddess withdraws the 8 Matrikas, Her expansions, within Herself, and thus shows Him and reminds us all that in reality it is She alone who does everything in the universe - for there is nothing that is not Her.

On the 5 day of Navaratri 8 Chapter of Devī Māhātmya is traditionally recalled and contemplated upon. In this Chapter the Divine Mother fights with demon Raktabija, representing our never-ending desires. During the battle, the Supreme Mother expands Herself into 8 forms known as eight Matrikas or eight Yoginis. Each of those 8 mothers helps us to overcome one of the 8 negative qualities fuelling our mind’s negative patterns. They also represent the 8 arms of Goddess Mahasarasvati.