Śrīmad Devī Bhāgavatam

Nārada said :-- I have heard the one thousand names or nāma stotras equivalent in its fruits to Śrī Gāyatrī, highly potent in making a good fortune and tending to a splendid increase of the wealth and prosperity.

Now I want to hear about how initiations in Mantrams are performed, without which nobody, be he a Brāhmin, a Kṣattriya, a Vaiśya or a Śūdra, is entitled to have the Devī Mantra. O Lord! Kindly describe the ordinary (Sāmānya) and the special (viśeṣa) rules thereof.

Nārāyaṇa said :-- O Nārada! Listen. I am now telling you about the rules of initiation (Dīkṣā) of the disciples, pure in heart. When they are initiated, they become entitled then and not before that, to worship the Devas, the Fire and the Guru. That method of instruction, and religious act and ceremony is called the Dīkṣā (initiation) by which the Divine Knowledge is imparted; and at once flashes in the heart and mind of the initiated that Knowledge and all his sins are then destroyed. So the Pundits of the Vedas and the Tantras, say.

(The Divine Knowledge is like lightning, fire, arising and permeating the body, mind, and spirit.) This Dīkṣā ought to be taken by all means. This gives excellent merits and pure results. Both the Guru and the Śiṣya (disciple) ought to be very pure and true. (This is the first essential requisite. Then the results are instantaneous). First of all, the Guru is to perform all the morning duties, he is to take his bath and perform his Sandhyā Vandanams.

He is to return home from the banks of the river with his Kamaṇḍalu and observe maunam (silence). Then, in order to give Dīkṣā, he is to enter into the assigned room (Yāga Maṇḍapa) and take his seat on an Āsana that is excellent and calculated to please all. He is to perform Ācanara and do Prāṇāyāma. Then he should take water in his Arghya vessel and putting scents and flowers in that, charge that water with Phaṭkāra mantra (that is, condense electricity Spirit in that).

Then uttering the Phaṭ mantra, he is to sprinkle the water on the doorways of the worshiproom and begin his Pūjā. Firstly, on the top of the door at one end invoke the Deity Gaṇanāthā by His mantra, at the other end invoke Sarasvatī by Her mantra and at the middle, invoke Lakṣmī Devī by Her mantra duly and worship them, with flowers.

Then, on the right side worship Gaṅgā and Bighṇeśa; and on the left side worship Kṣettrapāla and Yamunā, the daughter of the Sun. Similarly, on the bottom of the door, worship the Astra Devatā by the Phaṭ mantra. Then consider the whole Maṇḍapa as inspired with the presence of the Devī, and see the whole place as pervaded by Her through and through.

Then, repeat the Phaṭ mantra and destroy the Celestial obstacles as well as those from the middle space (Antarīkṣa); strike the ground thrice with the left heel and thus destroy the Terrene obstacles. Then touching the left branch on the left side of the coukāṭ, put the right foot forward and enter into the Maṇḍapa.

Then instal the Śānti Kumbha (the peace jar) and offer the ordinary Arghya (Sāmānyārgha). Next worship the Vāstunātha and Padmayoni with flowers and Ātapa rice and the Arghya water, on the south-west and then purify the Pañca Gavya. Next sprinkle all the Maṇḍapa and the entrance gate with that Arghya water.

And, while sprinkling with Arghya water, consider the whole space right through as inspired with the presence of the Devī and repeat the Mūla Mantra with devotion and sprinkle with Phaṭ mantra. The Kartā, then, uttering the mantra “Phaṭ,” is to drive away all the evils from the Maṇḍapa and uttering the mantra “Hūm” sprinkle water, all around, thus pacifying the atmosphere and bringing peace into the hearts of all present.

Then burn the Dhūpa incense inside and scatter Vikira (water, sandal-paste, yava, ashes, Durba grass with roots, and Ātapa rice). Then collect all these rice, etc., again with a broom made of Kuśa grass to the north east corner of the Maṇḍapa; making the Saṅkalpa and uttering Svasti vācana (invocation of good), distribute and satisfy the poor and orphans with feeding, clothing and money.

Then he should bow down to his own Guru and take his seat humbly on the soft Āsanam allotted to him with his face eastwards and meditate on the Deity (Īṣṭa Deva) of the mantra that is to be imparted to the disciple.

After meditating thus, he is to do the Bhūta śūddhi (purification of elements) and perform Nyāsa, etc., of the Deya mantra (the mantra that is to be imparted to the disciple) according to the rules stated below, i.e., the Ṛṣi on the head; the chandas in the mouth, the Īṣṭa Devatā in the heart, Bīja on the anus and Śakti Nyāsa on the two legs. Then he is to make sound thrice by the clap of his palm and thus thwart off all the evils of the earth and the middle space and then make digbandhan (tieing up the quarters) by the mudrā coṭikā three times (snapping the thumb and forefinger together ).

Then perform the Prāṇāyāma with the Mūla mantra of the would-be-Īṣṭa-Devatā and do the Mātrikā Nyāsa in one’s own body, thus :-- Oṃ Am namaḥ śirasi, Oṃ Ām namaḥ on the face, Oṃ Im namaḥ on the right eye, Oṃ Īm namaḥ on the left eye, and so on, assign all the letters duly to their respective places. Then perform the Karāṅga Nyāsa on the fingers and the Ṣaḍaṅga Nyāsa thus :-- Speak: Oṃ Hridayāya namaḥ, touching on the heart, utter Oṃ Śirase svāhā, touching the head; Oṃ Śikhāyai Vaṣat, touching the tuft; Oṃ Kavacāya Hūm, touching on the Kavaca, “Oṃ netratrayāya Vauṣaṭ,” touching the eye, and “Oṃ Astrāya Phaṭ” touching both the sides of the hand, the palm and its back. Then finish the Nayāsa by doing the Varṇanyāsa of the Mūla mantra in those places that are said in the cognate kalpas (i.e., throat, heart, arms, legs, etc.).

O Nārada! Next consider within your body the seat of an auspicious Āsana (a seat) and make the Nyāsa of Dharma on the right side, Jñānaṃ on the left side, of Vairāgyam (dispassion) on the left thigh, prosperity and wealth on the right thigh, of non-Dharma in the mouth and of Non-Jñānam on the left side,

Avairāgyam (passion) on the navel, and poverty on the right side. Then think of the feet of the Āsana (the body) as Dharma, etc., and all the limbs as Adharma (non-Dharma).

In the middle of the Āsana (body), i.e., in the heart consider Ananta Deva as a gentle bed and on that a pure lotus representing this universe of five elements. Then make Nyāsa of the Sun, Moon, and Fire on this lotus and think the Sun as composed of twelve Kalās (digits) the Moon composed of sixteen Kalās (digits) and the Fire as composed of ten Kalās. Over this make Nyāsa of Sāttva, Rāja and Tāmo Guṇas, Ātmā, Antarātmā, Paramātmā and Jñānātmā and then think of this as his Īṣṭa’s altar where the devotee is to meditate on his Īṣṭa Devatā, the Highest Mother. Nyāsa-assignment of the various parts of the body to different deities which is usually accompanied with prayers and corresponding gesticulations.

Next the devotee is to perform the mental worship of the Deya Mantra Devatā according to the rules of his own Kalpa; next he is to show all the Mudrās, stated in the Kalpa for the satisfaction of the Deva. The Devas become very pleased when all these Mudrās are shown to them.

O Nārada! Now, on one’s left side, erect an hectagon; inside it a circular figure; inside this again a square and then draw within that square a triangle and over it show the Śaṅkha Mudrā. After finishing the Pūjā of the Six Deities at the six corners of the hectagon, Fire, etc., take the tripod of the Śaṅkha (conch-shell) and sprinkling it with Phaṭ mantra, place it within the triangle.

Utter, then, the Mantra “Maṃ Vahniman dalāya Daśa Kalātmane Amuka Devyā Arghyapātrasthānāya namaḥ” and thus worshipping the Śāṅkhya vessel place it within the maṇḍala. Then worship in the Śaṅkha pātra, the ten Kalās of Fire, beginning from the East, then south-east and so on. Sprinkle the Śaṅkha, conchshell, with the Mūla Mantra and meditating on it, place the Śaṅkha (conch shell) on the tripod.

Repeating the mantra “Am Sūrya maṇḍalāya Dvadaśakalātmane Amukodevyā Arghyapātrāya namaḥ” worship in the Arghyapātra Śaṅkha, sprinkle water in the Śaṅkha with the Mantra “Saṃ Śaṅkhya namaḥ.” Worship in due order the twelve Kalās of the Sun Tapinī, Tāpinī, Dhūmrā, etc., utter the fifty syllables of the Mātrikā in an inverse order (i.e., beginning, see the Sāradā Tilaka, with Kṣaṃ, Haṃ, Ṣaṃ, Sam, Śaṃ, etc.,) and repeating the Mūla Mantra also in an inverse order, fill the Śaṅkha, three-fourths, with water.

Next perform in it the Nyāsa of Candrakalā and uttering the Mantra “Uṃ Soma maṇḍalāya Ṣoḍaśakalātmane Amukademtāyā Arghyā-mritāya namaḥ,” worship in this conchshell. Next with Aṅkuśa mudrā, invoke all the tīrthas there, repeating the Mantra “Gange Ca Yamune chaiva, etc.,” and repeat eight times the Mūla Mantra (the basic Mantra). Then perform the Śaḍamga Nyāsa in the water and with the Mantra “Hridā namaḥ, etc.,” worship and, repeating eight times the Mūla Mantra, cover it with Matsyamundrā. Next place on the right side of the Śaṅkha, the Prokṣaṇī Pātra (the Kośā vessel from which water is taken for sprinkling) and put a little water in it. By this water sprinkle and purify all the articles of worship as well as one’s own body and consider one’s Ātman as pure and holy.

After doing works thus far the until Viśeṣārghya is placed, the devotee should erect Sarvato bhadra maṇḍala within the altar and put the Śāli rice within its pericarp. Next spread Kuśa grass on that Maṇḍala and put on one Kurcha, looking well and auspicious within it, made of twenty-seven Kuśa grass knotted with Venyagra granthi. Worship here the Ādhāra Śakti, Prakriti, Kūrma, Śeṣa, Kṣamā, Sudhāsindhu, Maṇimaṇḍala, Kalpa vrikṣa and Īṣṭa devatā and the Pīṭha. (Durgā Devī yoga pīṭhāya namaḥ). Then have an entire kumbha (waterjar) having no defect, wash it inside with Phaṭ mantra, and encircle it with the red thread thrice as symbolising the three Guṇas. Place within this jar the Nava ratna (nine jewels) with Kurcha and worshipping it with scents and flowers put them in the jar repeating the Praṇava, and place that on the Pīṭha (seat).

Next consider the Pītha and Kumbha (waterjar) as one and the same and pour waters from the Tīrthas, repeating in an inverse order the Mātrikā Varṇas (from Kṣa to Ka) and fill it, thinking of the Īṣṭa Deva and repeating the basic mantra, put the new and fresh twigs (Pallavas) of Aśvattha, Panasa and mango trees, etc., in the jar and cover its mouth and place over it fruits, rice, and caṣaka (honey) and wrap it with two red cloths.

Then perform the Prāṇa-Pratiṣṭhā and invoke the Spirit of the Devī by the Prāṇasthāpana Mantra and show the Mudrās, Āvāhana, etc., and thus satisfy the Devī. Then do the Ṣoḍaśopacāra Pūjā of the Devī after meditating on the Parameśvarī according to the rules of the Kalpa.

First offer “welcome” in front of the Devī and then duly offer the Pādya, Arghya, Ācamanīya water, Madhuparka, and oils, etc., for the bath. Then offer nice red silken clothes and various jewels, ornaments; repeating the Mātrikā syllables electrified with the Deya Mantra, worship the whole body of the Devī with scents and flowers.

Next offer to the Devī the sweet scent of Kalāguru mixed with camphor and the Kāśmīri sandalpaste mixed with Kastūrī and various nice scented flowers, for example, the Kuṇḍa flowers, etc. Then offer the Dhūpa prepared from Aguru, Guggula, Uśīra, sandalpaste, sugar, and honey and know that the Dhūpa is very pleasing to the Devī. Next offer various lights and offerings of fruits, vegetables and fooding.

Be particular to sprinkle everything with the water of the Kosā, thus purifying, before it is offered to the Devī. Then complete the Aṅga Pūjā, and the Āvaraṇa-Pūjā of the Devī, then perform the duty of Vaiśvadeva. On the right side of the Devī erect an altar (sthanḍila) six feet square and instal Agni (Fire) there.

Invoke there the Deity, thinking of Her Form and worship Her with scents and flowers. Then with the Vyārhiti Mantra with Svāhā prefixed and Mūla (Deya) Mantra perform the Homa ceremony with oblations, caru and ghee, twenty five times. Next perform Homa again with Vyārhiti.

Next worship the Devī with scents, etc., and consider the Devī and Pītha Devatā as one and the same. Then take leave of (visarjana) the Agni (Fire). Offer valis (sacrifices) all round to the Pārśvadas of the Devī with the remnant caru of the Homa.

Now again worship the Devī with five offerings and offer betel, umbrella, cāmara and others and repeat the Mūla mantra thousand times. After finishing the Japam, place Karkarī (a water-jar with small holes at the bottom, as in a sieve) on the rice in the north-eastern corner and invoke the Devī there and worship Her. Uttering the mantra “Rakṣa Rakṣa” moisten the place with water coming out of Karkarī, and repeat the Phaṭ mantra.

After re-worshipping the Devī, place Karkarī in due position. Thus the Guru finishes the Adhivāsa (foregoing) ceremony and takes his meals with the disciple and sleeps that night on that altar.

O Nārada! Now I am describing briefly about the Homa Kuṇḍa (a round hole in the ground consecrated to the Deity) and the Samskāra ceremony of the Sthanḍila (the sacrificial altar). Uttering, first, the Mūla Mantra, see, fix your gaze on the Kuṇḍa; then sprinkle it with water and the Phaṭ mantra and drive away the evil-spirits from there.

Then with mantra “Hūm” again sprinkle it with water. Then draw within it three lines Prāgagra and Udagagra (on the eastern and northern sides). Sprinkling it with water and the Praṇava, worship within the Pīṭha, uttering the mantras from Ādhāra Śaktaye namaḥ to Amuka Devī Yoga Pīṭhāya namaḥ. Invoke, in that Pītha, the Highest One, Who is Śiva Śivā with all one-ness of heart and worship Her with scents and offerings.

Then think for a moment the Devī as having taken bath and as one with Śaṅkara. Bring then fire in a vessel and taking a flaming piece thereof throw that in the south-west corner. Then purifying it by the gaze and quitting the portions of Kravyādaḥ, impart the Caitanya by “Raṃ,” the Vahnivīja repeat “Oṃ” over it seven times.

Shew, then, the Dhenumudrā and protect it by Phaṭ Kāra and cover, veil, it with the mantra “Hūm.” Then turn the fire, thus worshipped with sandalpaste, etc., thrice over the Kuṇḍa and with both the knees on the ground and repeating the Praṇava, consider the Agni as the Vīrya of Śiva and throw it on the yoni of the Devī in the Pītha. Then offer Ācamana, etc., to the Deva and the Devī and worship.

Then light the flame with the mantra “Chit Piṅgala Hana Hana Daha Daha Pacha Pacha Sarvajñā Jñāpaya Svāhā.” Then utter the stotra to the Agni Deva with great love, repeating the mantra “Agnim Prajvalitam vande Jātavedam Hutāśanaṃ suvarṇa varṇamamalam samiddham Visvatomukhaṃ.”

Then perform the Ṣaḍaṃganyāsa to the Agni Deva “Om Sahasrārcciṣe namaḥ, Om Svasti Pūrṇāya Svāhā,” “Om Uttiṣṭha puruṣāya vaṣat,” “Om Dhūma vyāpine Hūṃ Om Sapta Jihvāya vauṣat” “Om Dhanur dharāya Phaṭ.” Repeating the above six mantras, perform the Nyāsa on the heart, etc., the six places.

Now meditate on the Agni as of a golden colour, three-eyed, seated on a lotus and holding in His four hands signs of granting boons, Śakti, Svastika and sign of “no fear,” also meditate on Agni, as the seat of the greatest auspiciousness. Then moisten the Kuṇḍa on the top of the belt (mekhalā) with water.

Next spread the Kuśa grass all around and draw the Agni yantra over it, i.e., triangle, hectagon, circle, eight-petalled figure and Bhūpura; rather have this drawing before the Agnisthāpanā. Now meditate this only. Then, within the Yantra, recite “Vaiśvānara Jātaveda Lohitākṣa sarvakarmāṇi Sādhaya Svāhā” and worship Agni. Then worship in the centre and in the hectagon at the corners worship the Saptajihvā (seven tongues Hiraṇya, Gaganā, Raktā, Kṛṣṇā, Suprabhā, Bahurūpā, Atiraktikā) and next worship within the pericarp of the lotus the Anga Devatās.

Then recite the following mantras within the eight petals :-- “Oṃ Agnaye Jātavedase namaḥ,” “ Oṃ Agnaye Saptajihvāya namah,” “ Oṃ Agnaye Havyavāhanāya namaḥ,” “Oṃ Agnaye Aśvodarajāya namaḥ,” “Oṃ Agnaye Vaiśvānarāya namaḥ,” “Oṃ Agnaye Kaumāra tejase namaḥ,” “Oṃ Agnaye Viśvamukhāya namaḥ,” “Oṃ Agnaye Devamukhāya namaḥ” and considering the forms to hold Śakti and Svastik, worship them. Then consider Indra and the other Lokapālas (Regents of the several quarters) situated in the east, south-east, and so on together with their weapons, the thunderbolt and the other weapons, and thus worship them.

O Nārada! Next purify the sacrificial ladles, etc., sruk, sruva, etc., and ghee; then, taking ghee by sruva, go on with the Homa ceremony. Divide the ghee of the Ājyasthālī (the vessel in which the ghee for the Homa purposes is kept) in three parts; take ghee from the right side and saying “Oṃ Agnaye Svāhā” offer oblations on the right eye of the Agni; take ghee from the left side and saying “Om Somāye Svāhā” offer oblations on the left eye of the Agni; take ghee from the centre and saying, “Oṃ Agniṣomābhyāṃ Svāhā,” offer oblations on the central eye of the Agni.

Take ghee again from the right side and saying “Oṃ Agnaye Sviṣṭakṛte Svāhā” offer oblations to the mouth of the Agni. Then the devotee is to repeat “Oṃ Bhuḥ Svāhā,” “Oṃ Bhuvaḥ Svāhā,” “Oṃ Svaḥ Svāhā” and offer thrice the oblations; next he is to offer oblations thrice with the Agni mantra.

After this, O Muni! for impregnation and each of the ten Samskāras, natal-ceremony, tonsure, etc., he is to repeat the Praṇava Mantra and offer the eight oblations of ghee on each occasion. Now hear of the tenfold Saṃskāras :--

:-- (1) Impregnation, (2) Puṃsavan (a ceremony performed as soon as a woman perceives the foetus to be quick), (3) Sīmantonnayana (a ceremony observed by women in the fourth, sixth or the eighth month of pregnancy), (4) Jāta Karma (ceremony at the birth of a child), (5) Nāmakaraṇa, (naming the child), (6) Niṣkrāmaṇa (a ceremony performed when a new-born child is first taken out of the house into the open air usually in the fourth month), (7) Annaprāśana (when the rice is put in the mouth of the child), (8) Cūḍākaraṇa (the ceremony of the first tonsure), (9) Upanayana (holding the sacrificial thread; (10) Godāna and Udvāha (gift of cows and marriage). These are stated in the Vedas. Next worship Śiva Pārvatī, the Father and the Mother of Agni and take leave of them.

Next in the name of Agni, offer five Samidhas (fuel) soaked in ghee and offer one oblation of ghee to each of the Āvaraṇa Devatās. Then take the ghee by the Śruk and covering it with the Śruva, offer ten oblations to Agni, and Mahā Ganeśa with mantras ending in Vauṣaṭ, The Mahā Ganeśa mantras run as follows :-- (1) Oṃ, Oṃ Svāhā (2) Oṃ Śrīm Svāhā, (3) Oṃ Śrīm Hrīm Svāhā, (4) Oṃ Śrīm Hrīm Klīm Svāhā, (5) Oṃ Śrīm Hrīm Klīm Glauṃ Svāhā, (6) Oṃ Śrīm Hrīm Klīm Glauṃ Gaṃ Svāhā, (7) Oṃ Śrīm Hrīm Klīm Glauṃ ityantaḥ Gaṃ Gaṇapataye Svāhā, (8) Oṃ Vara Varada ityantaḥ Svāhā, (9) Sarvajanaṃ me Vaśaṃ ityanto Svāhā and (10) Ānaya Svāhā ityantaḥ.

Next perform in the Agni the Pīṭha Pūjā and meditate on the Deya Īṣṭadeva and worship him. Next offer twenty-five oblations to his face, repeating the Mūla Mantra.

Then think of that and Agni Deva as one and the same, and then again as one with Ātman. Then offer oblations to each of the Ṣaḍaṃga Devatās separately. Then search for the Nādis (veins) of Vahni and Īṣṭa Devatā and offer twenty one oblations.

Then offer oblations to each of the two Devatās separately. Next offer one thousand and eight oblations to the Īṣṭa Deva with Til soaked in ghee or with the materials enumerated in the Kalpa.

O Muni! Thus finishing the Homa ceremony, consider that the Īṣṭa Deva (the Devī), Agni and the Āvaraṇa Deities are all satisfied. Then, by the command of the Guru, the disciple is to take his bath and perform his Sandhyā, etc., and put on new clothes (cloth and cādar) and golden ornaments.

He is to come then, to the Kuṇḍa with Kamaṇḍalu in his hand and with a pure heart. He is to bow down to the elders and superiors seated in the assembly and take his seat in his Āsana.

Śrī Guru Deva then would look at the disciple with kind eyes and think the Caitanya of the disciple within his own (the Guru’s) body. Then the Guru Deva would perform the Homa and look at the disciple with a divine gaze, so that the disciple becomes pure-hearted and able to get the favours of the Devas. Thus the Guru must purify all the Adhvas (the passages) of the body of the disciple.

Then the Guru is to touch respectively the feet, generative organ, navel, heart, forehead, and the head of the disciple with Kūrca (a bundle of Kuśa grass) and til soaked in ghee, in his left hand and offer at each touch eight oblations, repeating the mantra “Oṃ adya Śiṣyasya Kalādhvānam Śodhayāmi Svāhā, etc.” Thus the Guru would purify Kalādhva (in the feet) Tattvādhva (in the generative organ), Bhūvanādhva (in the navel), Varṇādhva (in the heart), Padādhva (in the fore-head) and Mantrādhva (on the head), the six Adhvās and think these all to be dissolved in Brahmā (Brahmalīna).

Then, again, the Guru would think all these to be re-born from Brahmā and transfer the Caitanya of the disciple that was in him to the disciple. Then the Guru must offer Pūrṇāhuti and consider the Īṣṭa Devatā, placed in the fire by the visarjana mantra for the Homa purposes, as entered into the water-jar.