दृश्यस्य जननी सैव देवी सदसदात्मिका । पुरुषं रंजयत्येका कृत्वा ब्रह्माण्डनाटकम्
She alone is the mother of what is seen, the goddess who is both being and non-being; she delights the person, having created the drama of the universe.
रंजिते पुरुषे सर्वं संहरत्यतिरंहसा । तया निमित्तभूतास्ते ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वराः
When the person is delighted, she swiftly withdraws everything; Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara are made instruments by her.
कल्पिताः स्वस्वकार्येषु प्रेरिता लीलया त्वमी । स्वांशं तेषु समारोप्य कृतास्ते बलवत्तराः
These gods are fashioned for their respective tasks and are set in motion by her play; having placed her own portion in them, she has made them powerful.
दत्ताश्व शक्तयस्तेभ्यो गीर्लक्ष्मीर्गिरिजा तथा । ते तां ध्यायंति देवेशाः पूजयंति परां मुदा
She has given them powers—Speech, Lakshmi, and Girija; those lords of gods meditate on her and worship the Supreme with great joy.
ज्ञात्वा सर्वेश्वरीं शक्तिं सृष्टिस्थितिविनाशिनीम् । एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं देवीमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम्
Knowing her as the sovereign power, the cause of creation, preservation, and destruction, all this highest glory of the goddess has been told to you.
अथ चतुस्त्रिंशोऽध्यायः राजोवाच। भगवन्ब्रूहि मे सम्यक्तस्या आराधने विधिम् । पूजाविधिं च मन्त्रांश्च तथा होमविधिं वद
The king said: O blessed one, tell me properly the method of her worship, the procedure of worship, the mantras, and also the method of offering oblations.
ऋषिरुवाच। शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि तस्याः पूजाविधिं शुभम् । कामदं मोक्षदं नॄणां ज्ञानदं दुःखनाशनम्
The sage said: Listen, O king, I will explain the auspicious method of her worship, which grants desires, liberation, knowledge, and destroys suffering for people.
आदौ स्नानविधिं कृत्वा शुचिः शुक्लांबरो नरः । आचम्य प्रयतः कृत्वा शुभमायतनं निजम्
First, having performed the rite of bathing, a man, pure and clad in white garments, should sip water, make himself ready, and prepare his own auspicious place.
ततोऽवलिप्तभूम्यां तु संस्थाप्यासनमुत्तमम् । तत्रोपविश्य विधिवत्त्रिराचम्य मुदान्वितः
Then, on a purified ground, he should set up an excellent seat; sitting there properly, he should sip water three times, filled with joy.
पूजाद्रव्यं सुसंस्थाप्य यथाशक्त्यनुसारतः । प्राणायामं ततः कृत्वा भूतशुद्धिं विधाय च
Having arranged the worship materials according to his ability, he should then practice breath control and perform the purification of the elements.
कुर्यात्प्राणप्रतिष्ठां तु संभारं प्रोक्ष्य मंत्रतः । कालज्ञानं ततः कृत्वा न्यासं कुर्याद्यथाविधि
He should establish the life-force, sprinkle the materials with mantras, then, knowing the proper time, perform the nyasa ritual as prescribed.
शुभे ताम्रमये पात्रे चंदनेन सितेन च । षट्कोणं विलिखेद्यंत्रं चाष्टकोणं ततो बहिः
In a good copper vessel, with white sandalwood, he should draw a six-pointed diagram, and then an eight-pointed one outside it.
नवाक्षरस्य मंत्रस्य बीजानि विलिखेत्ततः । कृत्वा यंत्रप्रतिष्ठां च वेदोक्तां संविधाय च
Then he should inscribe the seed syllables of the nine-letter mantra, and after establishing the diagram as taught in the Vedas, proceed accordingly.
अर्चां वा धातवीं कुर्यात्पूजामंत्रैः शिवोदितैः । पूजनं पृथिवीपाल भगवत्याः प्रयत्नतः
He may make an image of metal and worship it with the mantras revealed by Shiva; O protector of the earth, he should worship the goddess with care.
कृत्वा वा विधिवत्पूजामागमोक्तां समाहितः । जपेन्नवाक्षरं मंत्रं सततं ध्यानपूर्वकम्
Or, having performed the worship properly as prescribed in the scriptures, with concentration, he should always recite the nine-letter mantra, preceded by meditation.
होमं दशांशतः कुर्याद्दशांशेन च तर्पणम् । भोजनं ब्राह्मणानां च तद्दशांशेन कारयेत्
He should perform the fire offering with one-tenth of the recitations, and with one-tenth of that, the offering of water; and with one-tenth of that, arrange food for the Brahmins.
चरित्रत्रयपाठं च नित्यं कुर्याद्विसर्जयेत् । नवरात्रव्रतं चैव विधेयं विधिपूर्वकम्
One should daily recite the three Charitras and then conclude; and the Navaratri vow should also be observed according to prescribed rules.
आश्विने च तथा चैत्रे शुक्ले पक्षे नराधिप । नवरात्रो(त्रा)पवासो वै कर्तव्यः शुभमिच्छता
O king, in the bright fortnight of Ashvina and likewise of Chaitra, one desiring auspiciousness should undertake the Navaratri observance with a period of retreat.
होमः सुविपुल: कार्यो जप्यमंत्रैः सुपायसैः । शर्कराघृतमिश्रैश्च मधुयुक्तैः सुसंस्कृतैः
A grand homa should be performed with well-prepared mantras, using offerings mixed with sugar, ghee, and honey.
छागमांसेन वा कार्यों बिल्वपत्रैस्तथा शुभैः । हयारिकुसुमै रक्तैस्तिलैर्वा शर्करायुतैः
Alternatively, the offering may be made with goat meat, or with auspicious bilva leaves, or with red flowers of the hibiscus, or with sesame seeds mixed with sugar.
अष्टम्यां च चतुर्दश्यां नवम्यां च विशेषतः । कर्तव्यं पूजनं देव्या ब्राह्मणानां च भोजनम्
Especially on the eighth, fourteenth, and ninth days, worship of the Goddess and feeding of Brahmins should be performed.
निर्धनो धनमाप्नोति रोगी रोगात्प्रमुच्यते । अपुत्रो लभते पुत्राञ्छुभांश्च वशवर्तिनः
The poor obtain wealth, the sick are freed from illness, the childless gain sons who are auspicious and obedient.
राज्यभ्रष्टो नृपो राज्यं प्राप्नोति सार्वभौमिकम् । शत्रुभिः पीडितो हंति रिपुं मायाप्रसादतः
A king deprived of his kingdom regains universal sovereignty; one afflicted by enemies destroys his foes by the grace of the Goddess.
विद्यार्थी पूजनं यस्तु करोति नियतेंद्रियः । अनवद्यां शुभां विद्यां विंदते नात्र संशयः
A student who worships with controlled senses surely attains flawless and auspicious knowledge—there is no doubt of this.
ब्राह्मणः क्षत्रियो वैश्यः शूद्रो वा भक्तिसंयुतः । पूजयेज्जगतां धात्रीं स सर्वसुखभाग्भवेत्
A Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, or Shudra, endowed with devotion, who worships the Mother of the worlds, becomes the recipient of all happiness.
नवरात्रव्रतं कुर्यान्नरनारीगणश्च यः । वांछितं फलमाप्नोति सर्वदा भक्तितत्परः
Whoever, whether man or woman, performs the Navaratri vow, always devoted, attains the desired fruit.
आश्विने शुक्लपक्षे तु नवरात्रव्रतं शुभम् । करोति भावसंयुक्तः सर्वान्कामानवाप्नुयात्
Whoever, with sincere intent, observes the auspicious Navaratri vow in the bright fortnight of Ashvina, attains all desires.
विधिवन्मंडलं कृत्वा पूजास्थानं प्रकल्पयेत् । कलशं स्थापयेत्तत्र वेदमंत्रविधानतः
One should properly prepare a mandala and arrange the place of worship; there, establish a pot according to Vedic mantras and procedures.
यंत्रं सुरुचिरं कृत्वा स्थापयेत्कलशोपरि । वापयित्वा यवांश्चारून्पार्श्वतः परिवर्तितान्
Having made a beautiful yantra, it should be placed atop the pot; barley grains and cooked offerings should be scattered around its sides.
कृत्वोपरि वितानं च पुष्पमालासमावृतम् । धूपदीपसुसंयुक्तं कर्तव्यं चण्डिकागृहम्
Above, a canopy should be made, adorned with garlands of flowers; the house of Chandika should be prepared, complete with incense and lamps.