How Samput Chandi Path Is Performed for the Durga Saptashati

The speaker says that in Navratri everyone hears of various anushthans: Chandi path, Navchandi path, samput path. He sets out what the difference between them is, beginning with the full original paath. When one looks at the Durga Saptashati, he says, the shastras describe its thirteen main chapters as being read together with six angas (Shadanga). The main ones are the Kavach, the Argala Stotra, the Utkilana and the three Rahasyas (Rahasya Traya) that come after. Alongside these, the Ratri Suktam and so on, the AtharvashirshaA Vedic Upanishadic hymn drawn from the Atharvaveda (here, to Ganapati) — self-proven (Siddha), but its Vedic mantras demand correct pronunciation., the Saptashati Nyasa and the Navarna vidhi are all done, and after the thirteenth chapter there is also the Devi Suktam and then the Rahasya paath. In this whole mool path, he says, the Navarna Mantra is chanted before the first chapter, one mala, or eleven malas as per vidhi, or nine malas, and after the thirteenth chapter the Navarna is chanted again. That is, the paath is chiefly enclosed, samputit, by the Navarna mantra. This entire vidhi, he says, is what is called Chandi Charitra, Durga Saptashati path, Chandi Path and so on. This is the mool path, and it makes one paath.

The speaker turns to how the Chandi Path becomes a Samput path. The most widely used mantra for the samput, he says, is the 13th verse of the 12th chapter, in which Bhagavati says that whoever does her paath and puja, she will remove their every trouble and fill them with wealth and grain: "Sarva-badha-vinirmukto dhana-dhanya-sutanvitah, manushyo mat-prasadena bhavishyati na samshayah". The samput is chiefly done with this. When anushthans are held in Navratri, he says, this is the mantra with which he and his people apply the samput, and wherever an anushthan is held the yajaman's chief brahmin applies this same one; it is the main samput mantra, though others are used too, and the whole Saptashati can be enclosed with any mantra. Enclosing the whole Saptashati, he explains, means the 700 verses of the thirteen chapters: the samput goes on every mantra, every verse. He says the samput vidhi has already been taught on the channel and gives one example here. Take the first mantra of the first chapter; after the dhyana and so on, the first mantra is "Markandeya uvacha". Before it the samput mantra is read: "Sarva-badha-vinirmukto…"; then it is said again; only then "Markandeya uvacha"; then the samput mantra once more. With that the samput of the first verse is complete. For the second verse the samput mantra is read again, then that verse, then the samput mantra again; before the third verse the samput mantra again; and so it runs through the whole text. That makes about 2,100 mantras, he says: the mool path had 700, and with the samput mantra it becomes three times as much. This is what is called samput path. Three times the paath of the mool is done in it each day, and its importance is greater. Whatever kamya mantras there are, the samput is done with them; he has given only the one, Sarva-badha-vinirmukto, but there are others, for instance a mantra for the destruction of calamity, and that mantra would then enclose all 700 verses, giving a paath of 2,100. As for time, where a mool path can take about three and a half to four hours, a samput path takes six or seven hours depending on one's capacity, speed and manner of reading, while some with very good practice and very good pronunciation finish one samput path in four or five hours. That, he says, is one vidhi of samput.

After the verse-by-verse method, the speaker says the Samput is also applied with the Apaduddharana stotra and the like of Batuk Bhairava, and with certain of his special mantras. Mantras from outside are all applied as samput in the Saptashati as well. Along with that, he says, the samput is also placed between certain chapters, or around each of the three charitras (charitra-traya). After the first chapter one charitra, the Pratham Charitra, is complete; the Madhyam Charitra begins from the second chapter; and the Uttam Charitra begins from the fifth. So the samput is also applied at the beginning and end of each chapter and of each charitra. That too, he says, is a main form of samput, done with different mantras, and especially with the mantras of Batuk Maharaj, Batuk Bhairav. In this way, he says, there are many vidhis of samput; only two or three have been discussed here. These are paath-bhedas, and one finds many such bhedas in the Saptashati. The two or three chiefly used ones have been given: the mool path and the samput path, and it is these vidhis that are used.