The Householder Nine Nights — Saptashati by Mahavidya Krama, Navdurga Japa at Night, Havan and Paran

The speaker opens by naming the subject: at the time of Navratri especially, what mantras connected with BhagavatiThe Goddess addressed by her honorific, used across these talks for whichever form is under discussion. should an ordinary sadhak — one who has received no Diksha of any kind — jap over the nine days, and what vidhan should he keep, so that the TantroktaStated in the tantras, as against a vedokta form of the same rite or mantra. effect of that mantra, meaning its most intense effect, is obtained by him, Jagadamba"Mother of the World" — an epithet of the Devi.'s grace is obtained too, and his work and the like is accomplished. Along with this come the paths of the Durga Saptashati. He says the whole vidhan he is giving is also for those who are working, are not getting leave, and still want to do Navratri. Establishing full harmony between one's work, one's daily life and this Navratri anushthan, the sadhana will be done; it is dedicated to householders entirely. He asks listeners to hear it without worry and with a calm mind, reflect on it well, and afterwards prepare their own plan for how the nine-day sadhana is to be completed.

The speaker's first point is that in the new samvatsar that is starting, every person can keep Navratri — even if they are going to do it for the first time. On the day of PratipadaThe first tithi of a fortnight, on which navaratra anushthans begin. one does the Kalash sthapana and the rest in a shubh muhurat. He says the muhurat will be announced on the channel, and whichever Navratri one is listening in, that information is given. One may also go by one's region: whatever time the knowledgeable brahmins and scholars of one's area have given, on that day too, as suits one, one may do the kalash sthapana and Ghatasthapana in that manner and light the Akhand Jyot. The complete method — how kalash sthapana is done, what the vidhan of the akhand jyot is, what the rules of Navratri are — he says has already been published on the channel and will be linked. So too every doubt connected with Navratri: what happens if the lamp goes out, how and when havan is done, on which day the paran is taken, how the nine-kanya pujan is done and what is done for the nine kanyas, and especially for men, what to do if BrahmacharyaStrict celibacy required through an extended ritual observance. is broken through a nocturnal emission. That whole vidhan has been compiled separately, and he asks listeners to hear it as well.

The speaker begins the vidhan with the first day. When one starts the Navratri VratA vow kept with fasting and restraint for the span of an observance., on the first day one takes the SankalpaA formal ritual resolution spoken aloud before an offering or observance, declaring its intent and dedicating its merit. at the time of the morning pujan, sitting at one's own place. First the guru and Ganesha pujan is done; after Svastivacana, one takes the sankalp. If one does not know svastivachan, then take the name of Bhagwan Narayan three times, take Ganesha's name, do a Ganpati path, and after that take water, AkshatUnbroken raw rice grains, held in hand along with water and flowers while taking a Sankalpa. and flowers in the hand and resolve: we are taking the sankalp to keep the nine-day Navratri vrat. If one is not going to fast, or fasts only on the first day and the last day, one should say that with clarity in the sankalp.

Asked how it is to be done, the speaker says there are two things to carry along. The first thing is to do the path of the Shri Durga Saptashati. The second thing is that in the night hours, according to whatever TithiA lunar calendar day — some idols (like a Shivling) need daily bathing regardless, while others only need it on their dedicated weekly day or tithi. it is, the form of BhagavatiThe Goddess addressed by her honorific, used across these talks for whichever form is under discussion. Mahadurga that belongs to that day is worshipped: one does Japa of that Durga form's mantra and obtains her grace.

For the japa the speaker says one should have a rakta chandan Mala or a RudrakshaA sacred seed strung into rosaries and worn during shiva worship. mala — either of the two will do — and the japa can be done on it. It can be done on a SphatikA crystal rosary, chosen over Rudraksha when a practitioner's Venus is favorably placed and outside the 6th, 8th, or 12th houses. mala too. The mala should be given Prana Pratishtha and made chetan-yukt. The vidhan for this has been given on the channel. If one has not consecrated it so far, the Somvati Amavasya that is falling is a divya kaal, and one can do it on that day too and keep the mala ready. Those who have a TantroktaStated in the tantras, as against a vedokta form of the same rite or mantra. rudraksha or other such mala that reached them through the speaker at some anushthan or similar occasion do not need to do anything to it; they simply start the japa.

The speaker says the very first thing is that the full Saptashati path is not to be done daily. It will be done in the Mahavidyas krama. The complete method of the Mahavidya krama has been given separately on the channel, and one can see that and become clearer. He says he will also describe now how all nine days are to be done together.

Asked what the first day's seva-pujan of BhagavatiThe Goddess addressed by her honorific, used across these talks for whichever form is under discussion. looks like, the speaker says that on the first day some time will simply go in doing the Ghatasthapana. After that there must be a morning and an evening AartiA ritual of waving a lit lamp or flame before a deity's image, performed here at the close of Deepdan once the lamps begin to burn down.. If one is worshipping with one's family and the family is going to join the aarti, do the aarti at a fixed time, and do one's own path after it. The path in the Mahavidya krama is done in the morning, and in the night hours or at SandhyaThe twice- or thrice-daily prayer rite performed at dawn and dusk — Vedic Sandhya requires eligibility under Varnashrama, while those without it may instead undergo Tantrik initiation and perform Tantrik Sandhya. one japs Bhagavati's mantras. This, he says, is to be kept in mind. Make a full effort to wear red cloth, or yellow. It should be coloured — red, yellow or orange; these three will do. The asana should be of KushaThe sacred grass used for seats, rings and purificatory sprinkling; treated as spiritually insulating., red or yellow, and red is the best. The direction should be east or north.

The speaker says that along with BhagavatiThe Goddess addressed by her honorific, used across these talks for whichever form is under discussion. one has to worship Ganesha, Bhairava, Hanuman and Bhagwan Narasimha — these four. If one offers even AkshatUnbroken raw rice grains, held in hand along with water and flowers while taking a Sankalpa. and flowers in the names of all four, one's puja is accepted, so one should not think too much about it. If one knows the vidhan, very good; if not, just this much. How? One sits on the asana and does achaman and the rest. One meditates on Ganpati and on one's guru. If one has no guru, then Bhagwan Dattatreya, who is the mahaguru, the guru of all, in whom Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh are gathered into one form — meditating on that form, one offers akshat and flowers in his name. Then in Ganpati's name, and then in Batuk Bhairava's name. After that, he says, one begins the path of the Shri Durga Saptashati.

The speaker says that when one worships and does the Saptashati path in the Mahavidya krama, there is no need to do the utkeelan or the Mrityu Sanjeevani — the sanjeevan krama — at all. He has explained this separately in that video and given the proofs for it there. One has only to recite the Kavach, argala and keelak, and on the first day the first adhyaya. After reciting the first adhyaya, one recites the TantroktaStated in the tantras, as against a vedokta form of the same rite or mantra. Devi Suktam — the stuti that goes 'ya devi sarvabhuteshu'. Later in the plan he repeats the rule for every day: kavach, argala and keelak are done daily; the adhyayas are read as they fall in the Mahavidya krama; and after them the Tantrokta Devi Suktam is recited.

The speaker says that if one does the Navarna Mantra and the like, then make a Samput with one Mala on each side: one mala before the first adhyaya, and one mala afterwards. If one is not doing that, then at the least do the Navarna nine times. Do it without Pranav. As for more extensive japa and the methods of siddhi and so on, he says one should take Diksha for those and do them then.

The speaker says that those who do not know how to recite in Sanskrit should please not do a wrong path. Do the whole path in Hindi, with bhav. There is no trouble in it — however much anyone may say that nothing happens by reciting in Hindi, Ma is hungry for bhav; and yet, he says, both things come in. Do not worry; if you are doing it for the first time, start in Hindi. He says that as two or three, four or five Navratris pass, Sanskrit will slowly begin to come; you will begin to understand it and know what the subject is. After that, when you have time, practise Sanskrit — there are many videos on YouTube; watching them and practising, you will slowly be able to recite the Saptashati. He is not saying you should recite in Hindi for the rest of your life. You have to learn Sanskrit. Give half an hour, or fifteen minutes, and you will learn it in six months. Give very little time — it is only 700 shlokas; at ten shlokas a day you will learn it in two months and ten days, and that is just to pronounce it, not to memorise it. If you learn the Saptashati in two months and ten days, he says, know that generation upon generation will be carried across; remember that. But for now, for the ordinary person who does not know Sanskrit pronunciation, the path is done in Hindi.

The speaker says that on the day of PratipadaThe first tithi of a fortnight, on which navaratra anushthans begin., in the night or at SandhyaThe twice- or thrice-daily prayer rite performed at dawn and dusk — Vedic Sandhya requires eligibility under Varnashrama, while those without it may instead undergo Tantrik initiation and perform Tantrik Sandhya., once the AartiA ritual of waving a lit lamp or flame before a deity's image, performed here at the close of Deepdan once the lamps begin to burn down. and the rest are done with the family or alone, one may jap earlier as well. Otherwise, around eight o'clock, sit again on your asana. The Akhand Jyot is burning; light one Karma Sakshi lamp separately as well, and do DhoopIncense offered during worship; its smoke is treated as an offering in its own right within the sequence of upacharas., deep, NaivedyaThe food offering (Bhog) presented to a deity during worship, accompanied by water offerings and dedicatory mantras. and so on. Offer AkshatUnbroken raw rice grains, held in hand along with water and flowers while taking a Sankalpa., flowers and the like in the names of the guru, Ganesha, Batuk Bhairava and Bhagwan Narasimha. After that comes the japa of BhagavatiThe Goddess addressed by her honorific, used across these talks for whichever form is under discussion.'s first form, Shailputri Durga. He says he is putting a PDF in the video description of which mantras are to be japped on each of the nine nights — what on Pratipada, what mantra of Brahmacharini on the second day — and nine malas of each are to be japped. So one japs nine Mala at night of the mantra of Shailputri Durga, the first form of Bhagavati, and offers it up to Bhagavati. That is all that has to be done. If one wishes, light nine camphors and nine cloves in some vessel. With that the first day's pujan is complete: it will take very little time, it will be completely authentic, and Bhagavati's full grace will be obtained.

The speaker goes tithi by tithi. On PratipadaThe first tithi of a fortnight, on which navaratra anushthans begin., as already given, the first adhyaya is read by day and Shailputri is japped at night. On the Dwitiya tithi one again recites Kavach, argala and keelak, reads the second and third adhyayas of the Durga Saptashati and the TantroktaStated in the tantras, as against a vedokta form of the same rite or mantra. Devi Suktam, and in the night japs nine Mala of BhagavatiThe Goddess addressed by her honorific, used across these talks for whichever form is under discussion. brahmacharini — her mantra too is in the PDF in the description, which holds all nine Durgas together. On Tritiya: kavach, argala, keelak, the fourth adhyaya and the Tantrokta Devi Suktam by day; nine malas of Bhagavati Chandraghanta at night. On Chaturthi: kavach, argala, keelak, the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth adhyayas, the Tantrokta Devi Suktam, and at night nine malas of Bhagavati KushmandaAn ash gourd (winter melon), used with burning camphor as a remedy for persistent evil-eye affliction (Drishti Dosha) when a coconut alone is insufficient.'s mantra. On Panchami: with kavach, argala and keelak, the ninth and tenth adhyayas, and at night the mantras of Skandamata. On Shashthi: the eleventh adhyaya, with kavach, argala, keelak and the Tantrokta Devi Suktam. He stresses that this is daily: kavach, argala and keelak every day, the adhyayas as they fall in the Mahavidya krama, then the Tantrokta Devi Suktam — the stuti 'ya devi sarvabhuteshu'. On Shashthi night, nine malas of Bhagavati Katyayani. On SaptamiThe seventh tithi of a fortnight.: with kavach, argala and keelak, the twelfth and thirteenth adhyayas, the Devi Suktam, and at night nine malas of Bhagavati Kalratri. Now the thirteen adhyayas are complete, so on AshtamiThe eighth tithi of a fortnight, held especially favourable for shakta rites. one recites, with kavach, argala and keelak, the three Rahasyas — Murti Rahasya and the rest, which are given after the thirteen adhyayas and the Tantrokta Devi Suktam — and afterwards, in the night, japs the mantras of Mahagauri.

Now comes the NavamiThe ninth tithi of a fortnight, on which a navaratra anushthan is completed. tithi. The speaker says that on Navami the Havan is done early in the morning, because the Kanya Pujan has to be done. He tells listeners not to be anxious: do BhagavatiThe Goddess addressed by her honorific, used across these talks for whichever form is under discussion.'s havan in the morning hours and do the kanya pujan; there is no difficulty, and that is completed there. But, he says, keep in mind that you are not to take the paran yet. According to us, he says — as in the Vindhya region and the whole vidhan we see — this is how it is; if anyone gives some proof or says something else, that is their own matter, and one may look at it as one sees fit. On Navami night one must jap nine Mala of Bhagavati Siddhidatri's mantra, and on Dashami one takes the ParanThe formal breaking of a vrat at its appointed time, without which the observance is held incomplete.. You have done the Purnahuti, but the night sadhana that was going on should also still be done.

The speaker says that if a doubt sits in the mind — no, no, how can that be, how will we do it — there is no difficulty; there is a second road for you. On the AshtamiThe eighth tithi of a fortnight, held especially favourable for shakta rites. tithi itself, in the night, when you jap the nine Mala of Mahagauri, after that jap nine malas of BhagavatiThe Goddess addressed by her honorific, used across these talks for whichever form is under discussion. Siddhidatri as well, all at one go. On Ashtami night you have then japped both. On the NavamiThe ninth tithi of a fortnight, on which a navaratra anushthan is completed. tithi in the morning, give at least 27 Ahuti each into the fire with the mantras of every one of the nine Durgas. If you are a woman, offer with GuggulA fragrant resin burnt as dhoop or mixed with ghee for ahutis, used heavily in protective and prosperity rites.; if a man, offer with ghee. Do it this way, he says. He adds that he has tried to cover everything in this ordinary vidhan, and that if one wants to take the paran on Navami, that is one's own matter to look at as one sees fit.

The speaker says that if you are a woman, give the Ahuti with GuggulA fragrant resin burnt as dhoop or mixed with ghee for ahutis, used heavily in protective and prosperity rites.; if a man, give it with ghee. He then takes up a question that may arise: if we are women, can we offer ahuti or not? Look, he says: in the Vedic vidhan it should not be given; in the vedokta vidhan it is not done. The rest of the people, he remarks, have become very clever these days. But this is a TantroktaStated in the tantras, as against a vedokta form of the same rite or mantra. vidhan — it is Jagadamba"Mother of the World" — an epithet of the Devi.'s vidhan. In it a woman can do the ordinary ahutis and the rest; there is no difficulty in it.

The speaker says that apart from the japa of the two Durgas on AshtamiThe eighth tithi of a fortnight, held especially favourable for shakta rites. night, which he has already given, the pujan of the sandhi that comes between Ashtami and NavamiThe ninth tithi of a fortnight, on which a navaratra anushthan is completed. has its own full vidhan. The last twenty minutes of Ashtami and the first twenty minutes of Navami are called the Sandhi KaalThe juncture where one tithi gives way to the next, in particular the ashtami-navami joint held most potent in Navratri.. It is in this juncture that BhagavatiThe Goddess addressed by her honorific, used across these talks for whichever form is under discussion.'s most prominent form appeared — the one called Jagadamba"Mother of the World" — an epithet of the Devi.'s ChamundaThe form the Goddess takes on slaying Chanda and Munda, from whom the name is given. swarup, which he says is Jagadamba's greatest TantroktaStated in the tantras, as against a vedokta form of the same rite or mantra. form. Its pradurbhav took place at this time, so this form should be worshipped at this time. There is a separate video on how Deepdaan is done, how Bali is given, to whom bali is given and to whom it is not; he asks listeners to see that too, and to do it if possible. If one cannot manage that large a vidhi, then at the least one must give the bali of one coconut and three lemons, and burn camphor, cloves and the like.

After all of this, the speaker says, when you take the ParanThe formal breaking of a vrat at its appointed time, without which the observance is held incomplete. on the last day, before it some grain and the like has to be given in daan, and DakshinaThe offering made to a guru or officiant that completes a rite; a ritual is held incomplete without it. and the like given in daan, with a SankalpaA formal ritual resolution spoken aloud before an offering or observance, declaring its intent and dedicating its merit.. And at the end there is the samarpan: that the whole Navratri VratA vow kept with fasting and restraint for the span of an observance. we have kept, Jagadamba"Mother of the World" — an epithet of the Devi., we offer to you. Only after that, he says, take the paran.