Ashtottara Shatanama
Every question on the site tagged Ashtottara Shatanama, each answered from a timestamped source rather than a summary written from memory.
A recitation of a deity's 108 names — shorter than a Sahasranama (1000 names) and commonly used as the accompanying Havan or daily Japa count.
182 notes from our sourcesNotes from our sources
Why shouldn't the popular Batuk Bhairav Aapaduddharana mantra be chanted on its own, and who can give initiation into it?
The widely circulated Aapaduddharana mantra of Batuk Bhairav is bound and bears no fruit chanted alone — even though its individual phrases are legitimately cited within Ashtottara Shatanama or Brahma Kavach recitation, only a Guru who has personally unbound and completed a Purashcharana of it can properly initiate someone into it.
Can a male practitioner continue his daily mantra practice while his wife is menstruating?
Yes — he may continue his daily recitation, but must not touch or consume food or water prepared by her before performing rituals, and must maintain physical cleanliness and a separate worship space.
Durga Ashtottara Shatanam Stotra: what it is and what its recitation grants
Asked for one stotra, stuti or mantra path that a person short of time can use for daily Durga upasana so that every desire is fulfilled and moksha comes at the end, the speaker answers that the best, easiest and simplest vidhan is the Durga Ashtottara Shatanam Stotra — the glory of Bhagwati's 108 names, composed and described by Bhagwan Sadashiva in the Vishwasara Tantra. Sadashiv himself has said, he reports, that one who recites it obtains all four Purushartha — dharma, artha, kama, moksha — along with wealth, grain, sons, grandsons, elephants and horses; nothing in life remains unattainable, no work fails to be accomplished, and even kings come under one's control. When it is done as an anushthan, especially in Navratri, he says kumari puja must be done with it, and the mantra path afterwards brings many benefits.
Yantra of Durga's 108 names worn on the right arm: the tithi and nakshatra for making it
The speaker says a further vidhan of the stotra describes a Yantra of the 108 names that is made and worn, for which a specific tithi and nakshatra are given: when Amavasya falls on a Tuesday and the Moon that day is in Shatabhisha Nakshatra, the yantra is constructed then and worn on the right arm, and the wearer obtains every kind of wealth — worn while the path is done, or made siddh and then worn. According to the tantra granths this yantra is of three kinds, he says, but the vidhan is somewhat complex with many constructions to draw, so he withholds it for a later detailed discussion.
When to undertake the siddhi of the Durga 108 names: Navratri or Ashtami to Chaturdashi
The speaker says that making the stotra siddh in Navratri is very simple and gives its effect very quickly; in Navratri the anushthan is begun from Pratipada. If one goes to do it in any other month, he says, do the anushthan from the Ashtami to the Chaturdashi tithi of either the Shukla or the Krishna paksha.
Daily recitation vidhi of the Durga 108 names in the anushthan
The speaker says 108 paths are done every day of Navratri. The opening of the stotra — Ishwar uvach, shatanam pravakshyami and so on — is left out, he says, and each path begins directly from the first name, Om Sati Sadhvi Bhavaprita, and runs to the 108th name, Savitri Pratyaksha Brahmavadini, at the 15th shloka; the phalashruti is read only with the 108th path. One keeps at least eleven red flowers: a flower is held in the hand, ten paths are done and it is offered to Bhagwati, and so on, with eight paths on the eleventh flower. Doing this after 9 PM is ati uttam, he says, because it is Navratri and the night has special importance; an Akhand Jyot keeps burning as long as the path goes on.
Total of 1,100 paths in the Durga 108 names anushthan and the Ashtami cut-off before a Navami havan
The speaker says that if the Havan is done on Navami, the paths should be completed within the Ashtami tithi, and the havan done early on Navami morning after first doing the path that morning. The full count of paths must be at least 1,100: since 108 paths a day are counted as 100, eight days give only 800, so the remaining 300 paths are to be done on any tithi between Pratipada and Ashtami, at any time in the daytime or afternoon, so that the 1,100 are complete.
Nine kanya pujan that completes the siddhi of the Durga 108 names
After the havan, tarpan and marjan, the speaker says, nine kanyas are to be worshipped. During the Kanya Pujan the sadhak keeps reciting the Ashtottara Shatanam Stotra — by then, he says, it will have become kanthasth, learned by heart. With this the stotra becomes completely siddh.
Repeating the Durga 108 names anushthan through the year for a changed life
The speaker says this anushthan should be done again and again — at least eleven times if possible. In a year four Navratris come, two Gupt Navratri and two prakat, so four anushthans happen that way; and if in the remaining months too one keeps doing the 1,100 paths with havan and the rest from Ashtami to Chaturdashi, then within a year, he says, it will change the sadhak's life — it is an extremely divine thing.
First remedy for a bound deity: refuge in its sahayak shakti, with Bhairav for a bound Devi
Once you know or sense that your devi-devatas are in bandhan, the speaker says, the very first thing to do is to take refuge in the Sahayak Shakti — the helping powers — of that deity. If a Devi is worshipped in your house — any form of Bhagavati, any partial yogini, any devi-tattva — you should take refuge in Bhairava ji, do his anushthan and invoke him. If the situation is very adverse, do the anushthan of the Bhairav of whatever Siddha Peetha is near you: for someone in Kolkata, where Bhagavati Kali sits at Kalighat, that is Nakuleshwar Bhairava. Go there and pray with the Bhairav stotra, the shatnam, the kavach and deep-daan in his name. After doing this there for some time, do the same process at home too, and the bandhan will break.
What is the minimum for someone who will do no sadhana at all?
Those who are going to do no sadhana, he says, should at least do this much: recite the ashtottara-shatanamavali and the like. Do this much, because by doing even this much you will become wholly clean, and the full effect of the Kumbh will be received.
Sandhya follows, requiring at the minimum the ashtottara satnam of one's aradhya
The second thing is sandhya. If you do snan and sandhya for the whole forty-five days, then by merely bathing, and in the sandhya doing nothing else but reciting the ashtottara satnam of your aradhya — doing even this much, he says, is such as to give you many crore times the punya at this time.
May the twelve-name stotra be used in place of the Sahasranama?
Asked whether, since the Sahasranama takes long, one may do the stotra of twelve names, he answers: do it, what problem would we have? If your work is getting done with a five-rupee note in place of a five-hundred-rupee note, then manage with it — what problem is it to us?
Can pomegranate seeds or black grapes recited over with the Yogini namavali be eaten as prasad?
Asked whether the Yogini namavali can be recited over two pomegranate seeds or black grapes each and the whole household can then eat them as prasad, the speaker says they can eat them; there is no difficulty in it, if you wish to eat them after doing archan.
Can the Ekdant stotra or a Baglamukhi 108-name anushthan be done on these nights?
Asked whether the Ekdant stotra can be done on the night of the mahanisha, the speaker says it can absolutely be done. Asked whether an anushthan of the 108 names of Bhagavati Baglamukhi can certainly be done on the night of Chaudas, he takes the question as put.
What extra offerings are made during a Bhairav anushthan at home?
Suppose you are doing a 41-day anushthan at home of Bhairav ji's Ashtottara Shatanama, or of some mantra or some stotra such as the Mahabhairav. Then a separate lamp and a separate naivedya must be offered for Bhairav ji for as long as the pujan runs, forty days. Once the pujan is complete and you are back to daily nitya karma pujan, no separate naivedya, dhoop or lamp is needed — worship him within the collective panchayatana.
Which Bhairav practice is the first grade for an ordinary worshipper?
The Ashtottara Shatanama of Bhagavan Batuk Bhairav is in itself an extremely prachand and tantrokta vidhan, with many matters of srishti karma and samhara karma through which tantric prayogas are performed. Its mool path alone is the first grade for you in the puja of Bhairav ji. Do its purashcharan: a mahapurashcharan is of 40000.
27 to 108 paths daily; viniyoga and nyasa are done once, then the 14 shlokas, closing with the single phalashruti shloka.
The speaker says one should do at least 27 up to 108 paths of the hriday every day. Viniyoga, nyasa and the rest happen once — after doing the nyasa and so on, one does the viniyoga once. There are 14 shlokas in it, 14 mantras, and one recites those mantras. After the paath there is a phalashruti, which is a single shloka only, and after doing that one makes the samarpan.
Why the phalashruti of the Durga Ashtottara Shatanama Stotram needs explaining
Because when people read the phalashruti of the Ashtottara Shatanama Stotram given in the Gita Press edition they invariably ask about the things written in it — that such a thing is written there, how will it happen, in what manner will it be accomplished. He says these should certainly be attended to.
What does the phalashruti of the Durga Ashtottara Shatanama promise?
That for whoever does its paath there is nothing at all in the three lokas that is not attainable — wealth and grain, sons and progeny, all four purusharthas, and at the end Bhagavati grants mukti, shashvat mukti, so that on going to the Devi loka one does not have to return. This, he notes, is the fruit of the paath of only 108 names of Bhagavati, and the speaker of those names is Ishvara himself.
What condition does the Ashtottara Shatanama phalashruti attach to its paath?
That whoever does its paath after worshipping the Kumari and while doing dhyan of Bhagavati obtains all these things. The kumari pujan, he says, may ordinarily be taken as the kumari kanya pujan we do; done together with the full vidhi vidhan, the fruit is obtained. It may also be done within one's own vrat.
Which yantra is used for the Durga Ashtottara Shatanama?
Bhagavati has a yantra in which her 108 names are placed. There is the Saptashati yantra of Bhagavati Durga, a mahayantra with the complete aavaran, the full vidhi vidhan and all the shaktis included in it; and related to it a further yantra called the Ashtottara yantra — as one hears of the Bisa yantra of Durga ji, so there is an Ashtottara yantra.
Which of the two Durga yantras is made and worn on the Tuesday Amavasya in Shatabhisha
The speaker says it is that yantra that is caused to be made here. As far as he remembers there are those two yantras, and any one of the two is constructed in the prescribed manner at that very time, worshipped, and then worn. He adds that the vidhi vidhan of every yantra we make is stated symbolically in the stotra itself.
How does a sahasranama's phalashruti hint at the yantra procedure?
Taking the example of the Dakshina Kalika Sahasranama, he says that in its phalashruti one hears — and in some places reads — that if tarpan is done on the yantra with these mantras, then such and such tasks will be accomplished. That much has been told to you symbolically.
How is the archan of Hanuman ji done?
Upon the Shri vigraha of Hanuman ji, by means of his 108 or 1008 names, with red akshat — that is, colour the rice with food colour, with good food colour — and rakt pushpa, red flowers; mixing them, do the archan with that.
How should one properly begin with a yantra of one's own ishta?
Keep one yantra related to your own ishta aradhya at the place of pujan and learn it in the prescribed way. First of all, for six months to a year, only their archan and pujan should be done, before the aavaran — only their archan by the Shatanama and by the Sahasranama, and abhishek: let there be dugdhabhishek, let there be panchamrit abhishek, let there be archan. Do that much for a year, and then learn the aavaran pujan of it.
Which mantras are prescribed for the Sharad Purnima night?
For tomorrow night, Sharad Purnima, the speaker names mantras connected with Bhagavan Krishna, mantras connected with Bhagavati Lakshmi, and mantras connected with the saumya forms of Bhagavati Jagadamba — an Ashtottar Shatanam, a mala mantra, whether of Dhanada Lakshmi, of Shri Lakshmi, the Mahalakshmi Ashtakam and so on.
Where should the chakrarchan be performed?
Perform the chakrarchan in the house, on the roof of the house, in some solitary region where darshan of Chandra dev is occurring, or on a mountain peak, the speaker says. It has been stated that many, many shaktis, being present there, assist in that archan of Bhagavati, take part in it, and give you darshan in subtle form as well.
The same effect follows from the archan of Shri Vidya's anga vidyas
In exactly the same way, the speaker says, for all the anga vidyas connected with them, connected with Shri Vidya, this same effect of their archan and pujan is obtained.
The more divine form offers a hundred and eight lotuses, roses, white flowers or bilva patra
If you wish to do it in an exceedingly divine manner, the speaker says, take the Shri vigrahas of Bhagavati Lakshmi installed at your home, do their snan, abhishek and shringar, and then — if you have the means — offer with a hundred and eight lotus flowers; if not that, then a hundred and eight roses; if not that either, then a hundred and eight white flowers; and if not even that, then a hundred and eight bilva patra, doing a hundred and eight paths of Bhagavati and offering with each.
How is each offering made during the hundred and eight paths?
Take one lotus flower in the hand, the speaker says, and thereafter, having done one paath of the Mahalakshmi Ashtak, offer it to her; or take a bilva patra and offer it, or do it with a lotus flower, or take a rose petal and offer it, or offer a rose. Doing it in this way, do a hundred and eight paths — Bhagavati bestows special grace.
How should a whole family perform this pujan together?
If your whole family together, tomorrow at evening or at night, all bathe and put on auspicious clothing — red, white or yellow, let everyone wear it — the speaker says, then establish the Shri vigraha of Bhagavati Lakshmi upon a chowki and do her archan by the sahasranama.
How should the family be seated, and how is the vigraha bathed?
Suppose there are five people in the family — all five may sit comfortably, the speaker says; the only thing to watch is that nobody's face should be towards the south direction. First give Bhagavati her bath and do her shringar. If you do not know the mantras there is no difficulty: bathe her while reciting the Mahalakshmi Ashtak.
How is the archan divided among the people present?
After that, seat her upon a high singhasan and clothe her, the speaker says. Now there are five persons, so do her archan with five different substances: for the sahasra archan bring five books, or take PDF printouts in five places — or take out one only, with one person reciting while the others perform the archan.
Which five substances are used for the archan?
One person should collect the petals of roses, the speaker says — even if the roses cost as much as five hundred rupees out of your pocket. Another should do her archan with some kind of mewa, one with kumkum, one person with haldi, and one person with the petals of the lotus, with lotus flowers, or with bilva.
How is the sahasranama archan actually recited?
Now one person is doing the paath — "Shri Mahalakshmi" — and everyone together will say "namah" and, with whatever substance each has taken and sat with, perform her archan, the speaker says. "Shri Vishnu Priyayai namah" — everyone says "namah" together and offers again. In this manner do Bhagavati's archan. It becomes divine if you do the sahasra archan of Bhagavati Lakshmi ji, because archan is dear to Bhagavati; to all the forms of Jagadamba, archan is exceedingly dear.
What is prescribed for Krishna and for Radharani?
For Bhagavan Shri Krishna, the speaker says, Krishna ji's sahasranama, the Gopal Sahasranama, is exceedingly excellent, exceedingly wonderful. For Bhagavati Radharani, do what you can: do the paath of the Radha Ashtak, do the paath of the Radha kavach.
Which sahasranama may be used upon a Simhavahini Durga?
So if you perform archan upon Bhagavati's Simhavahini Durga ji with the Durga Sahasranama, or with the Mahalakshmi Sahasranama, then that too will bear fruit, the speaker says. Absolutely, you can do it.
How much japa is needed before divine grace begins?
This thing depends upon your japa and tap, the speaker says; this thing is not fixed — how much one will do and it will happen. But it is certainly so that when eleven hundred paths of a sahasranama and the like begin to be done, when more than eleven hundred paths have taken place, then divine grace certainly begins.
What if the affliction is a group of enemies and you hope for justice?
If you are very greatly afflicted by a group of enemies and you keep the hope of justice, then you can take the refuge either of the 32 Namavali or of the Ashtottar Shatnam of Bhagavati Baglamukhi. If you are doing Baglamukhi's, there is one further thing that can be done — and first of all, when you do japa of Bhagavati, a yellow cloth and a yellow asan must certainly be there. That is necessary.
Is deeksha needed for Baglamukhi's Stotra Satnam?
A listener some years into Shri Vidya deeksha asks about doing 108 paths of Baglamukhi's Stotra Sat daily in this Navratri. If you are initiated then you certainly can, and there is no difficulty in it at all; and even without deeksha you certainly can — in a Stotra Satnam there is no problem.
Which Batuk Bhairav sadhana for all the days of Navratri?
Asked by a listener who wishes to perform the sadhana of Bhagavan Batuk Bhairav ji on all the coming days of Navratri: do the Ashtottar Shatnamavali.
Can a housewife do the Vishnu and Lalita Sahasranama daily for money trouble?
A housewife with a twenty-one-year-old son and a money problem asks whether she may do the Vishnu Sahasranama, Lalita Sahasranama and Kanakdhara Stotra daily. In both the Vishnu Sahasranama and the Lalita Sahasranama, the speaker answers, the subject of Shankaracharya Maharaj ji comes up several times, and he says that it is best if only an initiated person does it. You can certainly do the Satnamavali and the Sahasranamavali, and according to me that will give you more effect; and if archan or stuti by each single name can be done, it is extremely excellent.
What should be done on Devshayani Ekadashi?
Tomorrow is Devshayani Ekadashi and Chaturmas begins from it. The first work of the day, the speaker says, is to do a havan as strength allows in the name of Bhagwan Narayan — do a sukshma havan, but do it — offering ahutis with his 108 names.
What may be recited by those who do not know the Rudrashtadhyayi?
If at home you do not know the mantras of the Rudrashtadhyayi and cannot do the Ashtadhyayi path, and know no particular pauranik mantras — do it with the Rudrashtak if you know it, do it with Shiv ji's 108 names, do it with the twelve Jyotirlinga names, or do the abhishek reciting any stotra or his ashtottara shatanama.
The kavach, stotra or satnam is what gets used; the ekakshari, panchakshari and saptakshari stay in the account of punya, spent very sparingly.
He says it is the kavach and the stotra or satnam that will be used — that will be more proper here. The ekakshari, panchakshari and saptakshari mantras are to be kept safe in your bank, in the account of punya; their use is to be made very carefully and sparingly. He says such use will also be made, but very little.
What is the significance of Vaikuntha Chaturdashi?
There is a subject for the day of Vaikuntha Chaturdashi that has been shared in the group, the speaker says — Kamalapati Bhagavan Shiva. This is the day on which Bhagavan Shri Hari Narayan performed the archan of Bhagavan Shiva with lotuses by the 1008 namavali. On that day Bhagavan appeared and the Harihar milan took place, each one's form becoming complementary to the other — half Vishnu ji, half Shiv ji, Harihar.
What should be offered to Shiva on Vaikuntha Chaturdashi?
If one lotus flower can be had, or two, then having done the seva and puja of the Bhagavan Shiva seated in your home, offer him one lotus flower tomorrow without fail, and take one to the temple and offer it there. Wherever possible, at least one lotus should certainly be offered upon Bhagavan Shiva on the day of Vaikuntha Chaturdashi. If no lotus is available, offer the kamal gatta, the lotus seed, and perform the archan of Bhagavan Shiva with it by the 108 names, which is better still.
Should someone with tantra done on them go straight to the Mahakali beej mantra?
He tells Jai Singh ji, who says tantra has been done on him and is asking to do the Mahakali beej mantra directly, not to do so: first perform at least the initial sadhana related to Bhagavati herself — her Ashtottara Shatanama and the like — do the kavach, and only then go to the beej mantra.
What is the sadhana everyone should begin with?
The Ashtottar Shatnam of any Mahashakti. Whatever situation you may be in, whatever your troubles may be, when you go into the beginning of any sadhana it should be done with the Ashtottar Shatnam — even if it is chiefly Bhagavati whose sadhana you wish to do.
When guru, Ganpati and Bhairav are complete, the ishta aradhya is taken up beginning with his Ashtottar Shatnam
When the sadhana of guru, Ganpati and Bhairav ji is complete, after that go on taking your own ishta aradhya. Suppose you are proceeding with Mahakali — then which sadhana of Mahakali will you do first? It begins right here: first of all do her sadhana of the Ashtottar Shatnam.
How does one choose among the many Ashtottar Shatnams?
There are very many Ashtottar Shatnams. Read the phalashruti first of all, and the purva pithika — the things told at the beginning, that Bhairav ji asked, or Maa Bhairavi asked, which is the means by which creatures in the Kalikaal will be able to be liberated easily. Then Bhairav ji tells that if any person does nitya path of these 108 names of Bhagavati Kali, all kinds of siddhis become available to him very easily. Do its path first and see what is being said; then after the 108 names see what the phalashruti is.
What is the most positive feature of the Ashtottar Shatnam?
The most positive thing about the Ashtottar Shatnam is that anybody at all can do it. Only the phalashruti has to be looked at. Ordinarily, at the maximum, you do not get this thing in an Ashtottar Shatnam — you get it in the hriday and in the kavach and the like.
How many paths of the satnam should be done?
You should do the satnam of your ishta aradhya at least until it becomes 11,000 — that is, until 11,000 paths are complete in their entirety. Whether you are taking one single name 108 times, or taking the 108 different names of your ishta aradhya, from both you will obtain the proper fruit.
Once the path is siddha after six months, a sankalp of 1,100 paths within 11 days is taken for a specific material aim
Suppose you have done this path for six months. The path has become siddha, the kripa too has been obtained, and paths will open for your advancement. After that, even if you have some material desire, then take the sankalp that for such and such a purpose we take the sankalp of doing 1,100 paths of this Ashtottar Shatnam within 11 days. That then is its prayoga vidhi.
Can the satnam be recited outside of puja time?
The single greatest positive thing, he says, is that you can do the path of the Ashtottar Shatnam at the time of puja — and after that too, without the purva pithika, phalashruti, nyasa and the rest, you can do the path of the mool path even thousands of times in the day if you wish. For that too there is no restriction at all.
What happens once the satnam has been memorised?
Whether you are doing the Ashtottar Shatnam of Bhagavan Shri Ram, of Durga ji, of Bhagavan Krishna, of Maa Adya, of Maa Dakshina Kali, of Maa Kalika — of anyone at all — once the Ashtottar Shatnam has become memorised, you can do its japa in the day like ajapa jap. You can keep these names running inside your mind every moment. When you begin to do it in this manner, it goes to that level of chaitanyata where many works begin to be accomplished by your merely thinking of them.
What is the remedy when an abhichar returns on the sender?
At such a time it has been said that first of all, whichever ishta aradhya you do the seva puja of, begin the japa of his stotra and satnam without delay. The japa of the Ashtottar Shatnam should not stop. If you have perfected a naam japa mantra, then the mantra; if not, then the Ashtottar Shatnam has very great glory.
When no upsanhar vidhi can be performed, only naam japa is left, and the Ashtottar Shatnam is sharpest because its whole vidhan follows the 27 nakshatras
In such a situation, what will you do? Which upsanhar vidhi will you perform there at that time? Only naam japa. And in naam japa too, the Ashtottar Shatnam is so very sharp because the whole system of the Ashtottar Shatnam — its whole vidhan according to the chhand, or according to whichever rishi set it in whichever tantra — has been set according to the 27 nakshatras and four charans.
What is the brihad vidhi of the Ashtottar Shatnam?
In those, all these things are told: that when we do the complete brihad vidhi of the Ashtottar Shatnam too, then in the brihad vidhi there is a nyasa of each single name. How is the nyasa done? According to your lagna kundali, in which nakshatra your birth took place, which nakshatra is formed for you, and in which charan of that nakshatra it is — beginning from that charan, the 27 nakshatras are written in sequence, and then a counting is made there of which name is falling in which charan of which nakshatra.
Mrigashira nakshatra with birth in its first charan is taken as the example for counting the nyasa
Suppose ordinarily that your nakshatra is Mrigashira. Now Mrigashira nakshatra has four charans, and among the four charans your birth took place in the first charan — taken for example. So now, at what number is Mrigashira nakshatra? At what number is the first charan coming in it? Having made the whole count of how many nakshatras there are before it, that same name is then drawn out in the Ashtottar Shatnam — that yes, the name at such and such a number, when we join it with this name, this name is formed. Beginning from there, nyasa is done in each single name.
How is the Ashtottar Shatnam used in an utara?
In such a state, when the utara is done, then the vessel upon which we do the utara is also made abhimantrit — with the Ashtottar Shatnam itself. And even after doing the utara, and before doing it too, for the sake of one's own protection, one should do the path of the Ashtottar Shatnam itself with the sankalp that our protection may happen; and after the visarjan of the utara as well, the vidhi vidhan of the Ashtottar Shatnam should again be done with a sankalp. By this the parihar of these doshas happens to some extent — not 100 per cent.
The Ashtottar Shatnam must be brought into life beforehand, or the energy for an utara asked of you today will not be there
There are some such destructive prayogas that if your energy is simply not that much — if you never read the Ashtottar Shatnam in your life, and today the situation of doing an utara came and somebody told you to do it — then the effect too will be obtained in that same proportion. It will not be that you become fully safe; the effect will fall. Therefore bring the Ashtottar Shatnam into your life; it is going to come to use everywhere, in whomever's sadhana and upasana you do, and it has great importance in the panchang sevan of a deity.
How should devi archan be done?
Asked how to do devi archan: for doing archan you can do it with flowers, with raisins, with leaves, with bel patra and the like. Whether you are doing it with the Ashtottar or doing it with the Sahasranama, keep everything in that proportion and do it with that.
Which recension of the Durga Ashtottar Shatnam should be used?
The Durga Ashtottar Shatnam Stotram which is of the Vishwasara Tantra — if you can obtain it, do its path; or the one of the Siddheshwar Tantra which is popularly current. That too will be found, and the Vishwasara Tantra one will also be found. At Gita Press Gorakhpur.
Can Parvati be worshipped with Durga's 32 names?
Absolutely, the archan of Bhagavati Parvati can be done with the 32 names of Durga ji. To Mithilesh Pandey ji he says that when it is Bhagavati and Bhagavan Virabhadra, then do it with their Ashtottar Shatnam — begin from right here.
What should be done for Bhagavati Vindhyavasini?
For Bhagavati Vindhyavasini, do only the Ashtottar Shatnam.
Which mantra should be used for the smaran of Bhairav ji?
Asked which mantra to use for the smaran of Bhairav ji, the speaker says to use his dhyan mantra — "करकलित कपाल कुंडली दंड पानी" — and to remember him with that. Or use this mantra: "करतु समय सपरिया विघ्न विच्छेद हेतुर्जयति बटुकनाथ सिद्ध साधका नाम". Or utter his ten names: "कपाली कुंडली भैरवो भी मलोचना".
Can japa be done alone in a room without dhoop and deep?
Asked whether the Ashtottar nam japa of Bagla Mai can be done at night, seated on an asana in solitude in a room without dhoop and deep, he says there should be at least one sakshi lamp — a karma sakshi lamp; make arrangement for at least one and do japa, whether or not there is anything else. In a very difficult situation, the moon and the sun are made the witness, if there is some such state.
Case: a 41-day Navarna mantra sadhana copied from YouTube without diksha
The speaker presents a true case from the Corona period: a man with no Diksha of any kind, who had long served Bhagavati, went through every Navarna Mantra video on a very popular channel, was motivated by the experiences reported there, and began a night-time sadhana. On red cloth and a red asan he sat from about 10:30 pm to 2:30 am trying to complete 108 malas; for 41 days he kept an Akhand Jyot, offered Naivedya to Bhagavati in a solitary room, then did the Chalisa, the Ashtottara Shatanama, Navarna japa and one mala for Ganpati, nothing else. The sadhana completed calmly with no fear, no Avesh and no visitation; he continued nine malas daily and had beautiful dream experiences, which the speaker calls the proper, positive response for any Sadhak. That was 2021.
Should women add the pranav to beej mantras when giving ahuti?
Asked whether women should attach the pranav when giving ahuti with the beej mantras of the navagrahas, the first mantra of the Argala and the ashtottara shatanama of the deities, the speaker says it should not be attached. The Maya beej may be attached if you very much wish it.
What is the chakra vidhi of Bhagavati's thirty-two namavali?
The method of doing sadhana by the chakra vidhi of Bhagavati's thirty-two namavali is broadcast on the channel; search "32 namavali chakra vidhi grihastha tantra" on YouTube and it will be found. The whole PDF is uploaded too, so that you need not construct the chakra vidhi yourself, with the thirty-two mantras each made into its own paragraph.
What fruit comes from abhishek and shringar of Jagadamba?
Do abhishek of Jagadamba, he says: the more shringar you do, the more she will adorn your life — for when you read the Shri Devi Bhagavat Mahapuran you will find described what fruit belongs to each thing done in Jagadamba's service, whether the shringar of flowers, offering shringar materials, offering flowers, or offering cloth. And do archan too, whether by twenty-seven or twenty-eight names, by thirty-two, by a hundred and eight, or by a thousand and eight; archana is exceedingly dear to Jagadamba.
Is a havan necessary after completing a Baglamukhi satnam, and may a janeu be offered daily with the chola?
Asked whether a havan is necessary after someone completes the satnam of Mata Baglamukhi, the speaker says no, it is not necessary; no dosha will attach, and you may recite with an easy mind. Asked whether a janeu may be offered along with the chola every day, he says if you yourself wear a janeu then you may offer one, and if you do not wear one then do not; and if you offer it daily, then the rule must not be broken — so he himself would say not to do it every day, and to offer it daily only if you are entirely certain that you can.
How is a havan for a satnam to be done?
The 108 names of the satnam have to be separated out and an ahuti given with each name, the speaker says. If you are a man, mix haldi into ghee; if you are a woman, mix haldi into the havan samagri.
Why is the Surya stotra and sahasranamavali recited, and how?
Asked why the stotra and sahasranamavali path of Suryadev is done and what its vidhi is, he says it is done for the pleasure of Suryadev and, if there is any obstruction born of that graha, for its removal. The vidhi is that the path is done especially seated before Suryanarayan when the sun is rising.
Ten days from Chaturthi to Chaturdashi, one durva offered on each of the 108 recitations, with abhishek and archana on the first and last day.
Ten days, Chaturthi to Chaturdashi in either Paksha. Each day 108 Durva are needed: offer one Durva to Ganapati on each recitation of the Sankat Nashan Ganesh Stotra. On the first and last day add milk Abhishek, Shringar, Panchopachara and Archana with the 108 names, then 108 recitations.
When should the Batuk Bhairav Anushthan be held, and with what Sankalpa?
From the Ashtami tithi of the Krishna Paksha, or during the Navratri falling in March–April. The Sankalpa is for Batuk Bhairav's full grace, for his grace to remain over the lifelong sadhana to come, for no obstacle to arise in any sadhana, and for every sadhana to complete under his protection.
Does a Tantrokta Havan require the same entitlement as a Vedic one?
No. A Vedokta Havan should be performed only by those authorised for it, but a Tantrokta or Shabarokta Havan raises no obstruction for you — perform it. What must not be dropped, he adds, are the Maryadas; not everything can be carried at every time, but not those.
Does the daily sitting keep growing as sadhanas accumulate?
No — once each is accomplished, every count is reduced. One mala of the Datta Ekakshari, the Mala Mantra five times or once, Sankat Nashan once, the Batuk Ashtottar Satnam once, the Hanuman Kavach once, and the nine grahas gathered into a single Navagraha Stotra. Five minutes in all.
At Ashadha Purnima a havan with 108 recitations of the Datta Mala Mantra makes the first sadhana conscious again.
The first sadhana — Dattatreya's. At Ashadha Purnima, Guru Purnima, everything is made conscious again through a Havan, with 108 recitations of the Datta Mala Mantra. Panchanga worship means completing each of the principal deity's recitations in turn, after which only one recitation of each remains daily.
What if a Chhinnamastika Shakti Peeth is nearby?
If a Shakti Peeth of Chhinnamastika Ma is nearby, then use her stotra, satnam and stuti, use the sahasranama, and please her by doing the path.
Can Kali's Trilok Vijayi kavach be added to the Panchakshari vidhi?
Asked whether, along with the Panchakshari vidhi, one may do japa of Ma Kali's Trilok Vijayi kavach at night because of a greater shraddha towards Ma Kali, and whether Ma Kali's 108 namavali may be read in place of Ma Durga's in the Panchakshari sadhana, the speaker answers: absolutely do so. You may do japa of Ma Kali's Trilok Vijayi kavach, and you may also read the 108 namavali.
Can tarpan for a devata be done with their names?
Asked whether tarpan can be done for the shanti of a devata with their names, as with the ashtottara satnam, he answers yes, absolutely it can be done.
The deepdaan vidhi, the dev diksha vidhan and the mahima of the twelve names of Bhagavan Datta have all been given already.
Sit down yourself, the speaker says: you know the whole vidhi of doing the deepdaan of Bhagavan Datta. You know the dev diksha vidhan of Bhagavan Datta. You know what the mahima of his twelve names is, in what manner his japa is done, how his prashan is done.
Can the Lalita Sahasranama be recited without diksha?
There is a great deal of controversy over the Lalita Sahasranama without diksha, the speaker says. In his opinion too, the subject of the viniyoga and nyasa in it comes up, because it is a tantrokta subject; and on the matter of diksha for Bhagavati Lalita, Shankaracharya Maharaj too has spoken in favour of diksha for it. Even so, if you insist so much, then first do at least five lakh japa of the Panchakshari; after that do dev diksha and so on — or do dev diksha first and then do it after completing the five lakh japa. And learn the viniyoga and nyasa well, or simply take upadesh for the Lalita Sahasranama from someone who recites it.
Can a namavali be recited while lying down in a train?
Asked whether five hundred or a thousand recitations of the namavali of the devi devatas may be done while sitting or lying idle in a train, and what would be proper from the point of view of purity, maryada and spirituality, the speaker says there is no dosha in the path of a namavali — you are doing japa of the name mantra itself. If you are only doing the path of the name, there is no difficulty; you can do it.
When should the clove bhog be given during a namavali path?
A listener says he gives the bhog of a clove after each chakra following the path of the 32 namavali. Why are you giving it after each chakra, the speaker asks — give it all at once. When one chakra has been fully completed and you are not going to do any further path, then give it. It is given at the end.
Is there harm in listening to the Mahakali Sahasranama during puja?
Asked by a listener who listens to the Mahakali Sahasranama at the time of morning and evening puja whether any harm will come from it, the speaker says no — why would there be any harm from listening? There is no harm at all in listening to the name of the mother.
How many recitations make a sahasranama siddh?
If a sahasranama is to be made siddh, how much purashcharan will be done — then it will be done a thousand times, the speaker says. If one does the path 1008 times, then it becomes exceedingly excellent. Ordinarily it is only four hundred, he says, but you may take out a thousand too.
Is it a problem to have read the Ram Sahasranama without nyasa?
Aditya ji writes that he did the path of the Ra-kara and other Ram Sahasranama without nyasa. Do it having done nyasa, the speaker answers: if it is to be done, what is the problem, do it with nyasa. Take upadesh from some vipra or some guru for its sake, for the sake of the sahasranama. And if your father is a person who does seva, pujan and path, then you may take upadesh for all these from your father too — ask him to give you the upadesh for it. No dosha will attach. The vast subject of tantric sadhanas needs a guru in abundance; but if your father is learned and is a devoted person who does pujan, path and seva, then take the upadesh of the sahasranama, of the satnam, from him as well. That too will be fully fruitful and will be gracious for you.
What is the third option besides the stotra and the mala mantra?
Here is the Ashtottara Shatanama of Bhagavan Mahamrityunjay. Anyone at all can recite it, he says. If you are not doing the stotra and do not want to do the Shiv Mala Mantra either, then simply do the Mahamrityunjay Stotra Satnamavali.
How can the Mahamrityunjay namavali be used against an akal mrityu dosha?
If in someone's birth kundali there is a dosha of Akala Mrityu and some pandit ji or jyotish ji has said so, and the person is under great tension because he does not have the capacity to have a Mahamrityunjay anushthan performed, or has no faith in the vipras that they will do it well — then do it yourself, the speaker says. Perform the anushthan of these 108 names of Mahamrityunjay given here; do 1000 recitations of them.
Which kundali doshas can the Mahamrityunjay namavali be used for?
If in your kundali any Dosha of that kind is present, whatever it may be — a grahan dosha, a yoga of alpayu, some dosha of a very great disease and so on, some difficulty connected with the sixth bhava — and you know it or have been told, then in order that this thing not become effective upon you, you may take refuge in this Ashtottara Shatanamavali of Mahamrityunjay. Recite it 1000 times, 1008 times.
How is abhishek done with the namavali?
Take more time or less, he says, and develop your own capacity — much happens through sadhana, and it will happen when you do it. Second, perform the abhishek with this same namavali. For the abhishek he will not tell you to offer water with 108 lotas; you can offer with a spoon, not a lota, or else make a stream in the lota so that the stream keeps falling upon Bhagavan Shiva while you go on reciting. Do as many recitations as you can — do 11, do five — but the effect is divine.
What is the relation of the namavali to the Shiv Mala Mantra?
This same Ashtottara Shatanamavali of Mahamrityunjay is embedded — garbhastha — within the Shiv Mala Mantra; more or less the names that are there are embedded in it. So it becomes divine, most divine, that if you take up the practice of the Shiv Mala Mantra and perform its purashcharan, then both the Mahamrityunjay Stotra above and the Mahamrityunjay Ashtottara Shatanamavali below will be found embedded there, and the effect of both, and an effect beyond that, will be obtained in the Shiv Mala Mantra.
How is the havan done to make the anushthan more intense?
To make it swifter and utterly effective, you should also perform its Havan, he says. All the namavalis from top to bottom — Bhairav ji's, Bhagavati's and Mahamrityunjay's here — havan is done with all their namavalis. If you have done 1100 recitations of the Mahamrityunjay Stotra or of its namavali, then offer 100 ahutis with their stotra satnam, so that in total you will give 1100 ahutis. Give Ahuti with every name; even 10 ahutis per name will comfortably make 1008.
How little time do the namavalis actually take?
One abhishek and second the japa of Panchakshari, he says. Taking the 12 names of Bhagavan will not take you even a minute. How long will taking the 108 names of Bhairav ji take you; how long will taking the 108 names of Bhagavati take. It will take less time than the number of times you remember your beloved through the day — to take the name 108 times, to read the 108 names. And do 21 mala of japa. Take the enjoyment.
What should be done with a Tantrokta Rudraksha or Vigraha in these days?
Those with a Tantrokta Rudraksha — received from the Guru lineage or otherwise — should certainly perform the Sahasrarchan upon it these four days. Sahasrarchan means offering flowers and the like with the Sahasranamavali. Do it at least the four days.
Should a desire be attached to this worship?
Yes — at this time worship with a desire; it is not that you should not. But take one principal desire rather than fifty kinds, make the Sankalpa for that single one, and worship and offer Archana through the four days with it.
Mahabhairav or Batuk Bhairav?
If there is trouble from an enemy, then do Mahabhairav; otherwise do Batuk Bhairav ji's. And more than Batuk Bhairav's mantra the speaker stresses the Ashtottar Satnam, because it is wondrous in itself — its use runs in the order of creation, sustenance and Shringar.
How far may one go with a Mahavidya without initiation?
Up to the Ashtottara Shatanamavali, the speaker says — but only one in whose phalashruti it is not written that people of the virachara paddhati should do it only after being initiated. If that is written in it, then it should not be done. Many Ashtottara Shatanams are available.
What should be recited while performing the abhishek of a yantra?
For Bhagwan Datt, he says, you will be reciting his Vajra Panjar kavach, his mala mantra, his stotra and satnamavali. Recite these and perform the abhishek at the same time; or commit the stotra and satnamavali or the stotra to memory and perform the abhishek while reciting it or doing japa, with more than one repetition.
May naivedya be placed on the yantra?
No — do not place naivedya on the yantra. The naivedya is the bhog offered before them. It is at the time of archan that things are placed on it: if you wish to do archan by the sahasranama or by the satnaam, with raisins, cashews, makhana, lotus seeds or some other substance, then you may place these on the yantra.
A shatarchan or sahasrarchan with flowers from your own garden yields punya that never comes to an end
If you have a flower garden at home and 108 flowers can be had, or 1000 flowers can be had, and you perform their shatarchan and sahasrarchan, then such fruit is obtained that that punya can never come to an end. This much is the fruit, he says, if you do the archan of a deity with flowers grown in your own garden.
The brihad pujan of a yantra — shatarchan or sahasrarchan, with the Shiva mala mantra recited over each bel-patra
That much is the ordinary pujan of a yantra. If you have more time and wish to do a brihad pujan, do shatarchan or sahasrarchan. For Bhagwan Shiva, recite the Panchakshari daily, or recite the Bhagwan's ashtottara satnaam, and most divine of all, recite Bhagwan Shiva's mala mantra and offer with it. If, say, you got five bel-patras, take one bel-patra in the hand, recite the whole Shiva mala mantra, and offer it on the yantra.
How the names are spoken in a yantra tarpan
You will do the tarpan using the ashtottara satnamavali: "Shri Mahasiddhaya tarpayami namah, Shri Dattatreyaya tarpayami namah, Shri Anaghaya tarpayami namah" — in this manner you will perform their tarpan. If it is Bhagavati's: "Shri Durgayai tarpayami namah, Shri Satyai tarpayami namah, Shri Bhagavatyai tarpayami namah", and however many names there are in it. Take the satnamavali with the chaturthi vibhakti attached.
What is the smallest tarpan that can be done daily?
If you are a divine devotee, have the time and have the capacity to sit, you may do the tarpan with the sahasranamavali as well; but if you wish to do tarpan daily, the smallest tarpan is with twelve names. Whether it is Ganapati ji's, Bhagwan Datt's or Bhagavati's — Bhagavati has sixteen names, eighteen names; do the tarpan with the shodash naam. Bhagavati Durga ji has a namavali of thirty-two, and you may do the tarpan with that too. The archan is to be done with those same thirty-two names. It has to be done one by one, he says: in a mala mantra we read them together — "Durga Durgati Shamani" — but in tarpan or archan it becomes name by name: "Durgayai tarpayami namah", "archayami namah", and so on.
What does the Ashtottara Shatanama accomplish at this place?
It has been said that whether one is Shaiva, Vaishnava or Shakta, whoever comes to this punya sthan and does japa of the Ashtottara Shatanama has his mantra accomplished in a moment. Whichever form of Bhagavati you worship, always do japa of their Ashtottara Shatanama. It is for the sake of all — whether you are Shaiva, Shakta or of any other sampradaya or panth — but for the sake of mantra siddhi the chief subject of the panchang is the Ashtottara Shatanama, so its japa should certainly be done; by it mantra siddhi takes place.
Every place at Kamakhya consists of siddha and jagrat pithas seated from endless time, with ganas and dwarapalas present
They reach Mai's door. However much of a place you are seeing, the speaker says, all of it consists of siddha and jagrat pithas, seated from endless time; at all these places of Jagadamba there is the presence of various ganas, dwarapalas and yoginis. He tells listeners to keep doing darshan, pujan, japa and tapa while they are there, and that if you sit at this place and do japa of Bhagavati Pitambara's Ashtottara Shatanama — especially if you get a way into the garbhagriha and are allowed darshan, and if you have the Ashtottara Shatanama by heart — then know it; for here there is never as much crowd as there always is in Bhagavati Kamakhya's garbhagriha, for which you must buy a ticket. At the other seven outer pithas there will not be crowd of that kind.
What should one do at the water source inside a pitha's garbhagriha?
If it is available to you, then after darshan and pujan, go to that place in Bhagavati's garbhagriha from where the water is issuing, put your hand there, and remembering Mai with a full feeling of bhakti, if you do japa of the Ashtottara Shatanama even once, or japa of the mantra even 108 times, then that mantra and the Ashtottara Shatanama become awakened and accomplished. This is the word of the shastras: read the Kalika Mahapuran, study the Yogini Tantra, the Mahanil Tantra and the rest and you will find it. Leave aside the claimed experience of others; if you go by the letter, look at what is written and then experience it in your life — you will not accept it merely because he says it happened to him. Do it yourself.
What should someone who has done nothing at all begin with?
If you have done nothing — no Ganpati sadhana, no Dev Deeksha Vidhan, nothing of Bhagavan Datta, no Guru tradition, nothing of Batuk Bhairav — then at the very least recite Bhagavati's Ashtottara Shatanamavali. If you cannot even read the names in Sanskrit, recite the Durga Chalisa by the Chakra Vidhi, or simply the Durga Chalisa.
Stuti is very dear to Bhagavan Shri Narayana, and in the japa of the Sahasranama both the japa and the stuti get done at once
The speaker gives three works. Commit the Sahasranama, or whatever japa you do, gradually to memory. From time to time also perform archan with his namavali. And since stuti is very dear to Bhagavan Shri Narayana, make a habit of doing his stuti. In the japa of the Sahasranama the japa also gets done, and the stuti as well — the mahima of the Sahasranama is great, that of the Vishnu Sahasranama is endless.
What is adhivas and how is it done?
After doing that much, and after an abhishek with ordinary water and so on, have their adhivas done. Adhivas of five kinds means keeping them in five places, leaving them there fifteen minutes each — as in grain, in fruit, in flowers, in sweets, in cloth, in water: in any five kinds of things among all these, in five places, keep them fifteen minutes each. And so long as they do the adhivas, that is remain steady there, at that time recite Ganpati ji's bhajan, his stotra, sahasranama and the like.
Is sandhya necessary daily, and does the Kali Sahasranama have a trik effect?
Asked whether sandhya must be done daily and whether another sadhana will be perfected without sandhya, he answers that in a fully Vedic-tantrokta way it is not needed. Asked whether reciting the Shri Kali Sahasranama produces any trik effect, he answers no, no, no — no trik effect is produced by the recitation of a sahasranama; there is no such thing.
Can the house's own Ganesh murti be used for the pujan?
Asked whether the pujan may be done of the Ganesh ji murti that is in the house, he answers absolutely, absolutely. If possible, offer 1008 dub to Ganpati ji from their thousand-and-eight namavali; and if that too cannot be done, then from this same mantra, Shri Ganeshaya Namah, having taken a sankalp. Do even one puja of the year, even of one day, and Ganpati will be greatly pleased with that much; a great many things will be obtained by you.
With what should the sahasrarchan of Ganpati be done?
Asked with what substance the sahasrarchan of Bhagavan Ganpati should be done so that one is freed of disease and obtains blocked wealth, he answers: for freedom from disease, green dub — and for the obtaining of wealth as well. Sahasrarchan with dub is most excellent.
Hanuman Shatnamavali can be recited without the bija
The speaker says Bhagavan Shri Hanuman's Shatnamavali stotra can certainly be done without the bija.
Pushparchan vidhi from the opening rites to samarpan
The speaker lays out the pushparchan vidhi: first the opening process — achaman, pranayam, pavitri dharan, Shikha bandhan and the asana vidhi — then Swastivachan, Sankalpa, guru and Ganpati pujan, then pujan of Bhairav, Narsimha and Hanuman (brief or elaborate). After the Avahan mantras, do Dhyan of the very form you will worship, using the Tantrokta Devisuktam for the invocation; Bhagavati's tattva will surely be present and a consecrated vigraha or Yantra will awaken. Then recite that deity's Kavach, mix flowers with Kumkum, turmeric and fragrant substances, and with each name of the Shatnamavali or Sahasranamavali release the material onto the yantra or vigraha. When the Sahasrarchana is complete, do Aarti, Kshama Prarthana, stuti and samarpan.
Daily Devi order: kavach, Shatnam stotra, japa, Bhavani Ashtakam
A listener describes his daily practice for Devi ji — first the Kavach, then the Shatnam stotra, then mantra japa, then the paath of Bhavani Ashtakam — and asks if the order is right. The speaker says it is absolutely right and he is doing very well.
With which mantra should each rice grain be offered?
After that, he says, offer with the 108 names of Bhagavan Shiva, or with the authorised Panchakshari mantra — whether you are a woman or a man, whether you have the yajnopavita or not, according to the full vidhi he has spoken of many times. According to whichever mantra you are authorised for in the Panchakshari, take one rice grain at a time and begin offering it upon Bhagavan Shiva with the wish that we may obtain dhan and dhanya.
Is there a shorter nama stotra for Nikha Lakshmi?
Asked whether Mata Nikha Lakshmi has some short nama stotra such as a dvadasha or shodasha, he says the dashansh should be done of the kavach itself, and that he will put it in the group.
May one do Dattatreya tarpan for the pitrs under a bilva tree?
A listener says he is doing the path of the seventh adhyaya of the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita as instructed, and asks whether he may sit under a bilva tree and perform the tarpan vidhi for the pitrs with Bhagavan Dattatreya's ashtottara namavali. He answers: if you have done the path of the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita for at least a sava mahina, then start the Bhagavan Dattatreya vidhan, the tarpan one.
Which mool mantra of Batuk Bhairav precedes the Bhairav Namavali?
Asked whether the twenty-one-syllable or the twenty-two-syllable mantra, or some other, should be recited before the Bhairav Namavali, he asks in return which Bhairav Namavali is being done — that of the Kaal Sankarshan Tantra, of the Rudrayamal, of the Bhairav Yamal, of the Devi Yamal. According to whichever it is, the mantra also changes; the Kaal Sankarshan one will be different, the Rudrayamal one different, and all the remaining tantras have their own separate ones.
How does one please Bhagavati Kali?
Do the daily seva of Jagdamba, he says, to please Bhagavati Kali. If you can do archan, then do it — do it with rice, colouring the rice with red roli, and offer to Bhagavati with the hundred and eight names. Otherwise do as much japa as you can, according to your capacity, of the first mantra of the Argala, Om Jayanti Mangala Kali. If you have no other mantra, Neha ji, then surrender yourself to Jagdamba and do only that much.
Is there a wealth stotra whose paath alone is enough, without havan?
Asked for a stotra for wealth whose paath alone suffices, without need of havan, marjan and the like, the speaker says you may look to a stotra relating to your own ishta — the paath of a sahasranama is the best.
May children do japa of the 108 names of Ma Durga?
They absolutely can, the speaker answers; children can absolutely do the paath of the 108 names of Bhagavati, and there is no dosha in it.
What can be recited for peace of mind during Datta japa?
Therefore, in the japa of this mantra especially, do not think that there is some negative shakti and that if we do japa somewhere it will take it. Even so, for the satisfaction of your own mind, you may do the utterance of the twelve names of Bhagavan Datta, which have already been given on the channel. If you do not recite the whole shloka there is no difficulty — there is no need at all to recite the whole shloka; recite just the twelve names that have been given.
Which part of Dattatreya's twelve-name stotra should be recited most?
Yes, certainly, the speaker says: in Bhagavan Dattatreya's twelve-name stotra it is the mool stotra in particular that is to be recited more. The rest — the Phalashruti and so on — has been given for your information.
May the twelve names be recited lifelong purely for material desires?
Deepak ji asks that, since there is not much need to hold Guru Datta as param guru, he may still — only for his grace and for some material desires — do a lifelong recitation and sadhana of the twelve names. Yes, certainly you may, the speaker answers.
Does one need special permission to recite the names of a deity?
For sadhana of the names of the Lord and so forth, there is never any need to ask anything special, the speaker says — especially for the Ashtottara Shatanama, for the twelve names, and for the sahasranama and the like. In the sahasranama, in the "da"-syllables, the "ka"-syllables and all of them, one has to look a little at whether you have the practice, because clarity of the tongue becomes very necessary: it should not be slurred, the pronunciation should not be wrong. Beyond that there is no special matter.
What order does the daily sitting follow, and are the Kavach, Argala and Kilak done every day?
Guru, Ganpati and Batuk Bhairav ji's Ashtottar Satnam first, then the recitation of that day in whatever manner the Mahavidya krama prescribes. And yes — perform the Kavach, Argala and Kilak daily, and only then go on to that day's recitation.
What is the minimum for someone in very great distress on these nights?
Especially for those in whose lives there are very special kinds of calamity, very great distress, where the situation feels altogether unbearable — in these two or three days, taking it as Trayodashi, Chaturdashi and Amavasya, if they can do nothing else, then after nine at night, remembering the names of both Bhagavati Tara and Akshobhya Shiva, lighting one or two lamps, a joint lamp, of mustard oil with a red-coloured wick, and remembering Bhagavati, they should simply do the paath of the Durga Sahasranama.
One paath of the Durga Sahasranama, the Shiv Sahasranama if possible, on the sankalp of a single problem
Do one paath only — but the paath of the Durga Sahasranama, and if possible the paath of the Shiv Sahasranama, in these three days. Take the sankalp of only some one problem: that yes, this is the problem and it is not being solved; O Bhagavati, do grace. And do it at night.
If pran pratishtha is done, which kind should it be?
If you wish to have pran pratishtha done, that is very good — have chal pratishtha done, not achal; that is, at home one should have done only that by which you can take it elsewhere as well. And even if you do not have pratishtha done, whenever a murti is brought home, if you do its abhishek with panchamrit and the rest and after that, if you wish, an abhishek with milk by the hundred and eight names or by the thousand and eight names, then it is exceedingly good.
Archan and tarpan on the tantrokta yantras must be added to the japa
Whichever devi or devata you have been japa'ing for years, you should obtain their tantrokta yantras and do both archan and tarpan of them. Tarpan is not only of the pitrs, he says. When you do tarpan on the yantras of the devi-devatas with their sahasranama, then they will be satisfied — and anant grace is done when tarpan and archan take place.
For how long should the sadhana of any deva be done for grace to be had?
Asked how long a sadhana such as the paath of the Ganesh Sahasranama should be done for deva grace to be had, he says: according to him it is to be done again and again; and if you have time, do it from Chaturthi to Chaturthi, one month — at least this much. If you wish to go into a mandal then forty-one days, and if you wish to do three months it is better still, or if you do a hundred and eight days continuously it will be very good indeed.
What is the simple puja vidhi for Maa Bhuvaneshwari Jayanti?
In the live, he says, in a simple pujan vidhi of this kind he can speak only of the Sahasranama. For the rest, panchang sevan would have to be told separately, taking everything related to her Bhairav and related to Ganpati. Asked about a chalisa in which, along with the chaupais, there are also dohas so that the number exceeds forty, he says it is all right, there is no difficulty; apply the chakra vidhi to the chaupais, and you may apply it to the dohas as well.
Can the sahasra japa purashcharan of Maa Tara's Ashtottar Shatnam be done at home?
Yes, it can be done, there is no difficulty, he says. Do it before Bhagavati; there is no need to install her swaroop — you may do the anushthan before that very swaroop of Bhagavati which you have kept.
Is there a mantra of Krishna by which tantra can be cut?
The mantra of the astras related to Bhagavan Krishna, he answers; or if nothing else, then if you do the paath of the Sahasranama and the like, that too will do it.
How can the Bagla Ashtottara Shatanama be made more effective?
The vidhan for it is already on the channel, the speaker says, and if you have gained the practice of it, then do it by the chakra vidhi. The video put up today also describes this subject.
How is the havan done for a Sahasranama anushthan?
If you perform a Sahasranama anushthan then the havan will be with the Sahasranama itself; a full 1008 ahuti is excellent. And if you cannot do that much, then give 108 ahuti of the ahuti belonging to its first name. Having recited the Sahasranama, if you do not wish to give ahuti with the Sahasranamavali, then give 108 ahuti of the first name alone.
How is the havan of a kavach performed?
Write out separately all the names that are in the kavach, and give the ahuti with those names, the speaker says. Ahuti will not be made with the shloka.
What if one begins doing tarpan with the Sahasranama?
If you begin doing tarpan and the rest with the Sahasranama, then the matter will become wonderful, the speaker says.
The Rudrayamala hundred-and-eight name stotra of Pitambara
The speaker says the 108-name stotra of Bhagavati Pitambara described in the Rudrayamala is filled with supreme divinity. Whatever a person wants from Pitambara, that she destroy their enemies utterly, that vichar and the like be fully destroyed, or that their attraction increase in an assembly so that people are drawn to them, this shatnam stotra is, in a manner of speaking, capable of accomplishing all of it. So one should do its anushthan; and without Diksha, he says, its path can absolutely be done.
Sankalp of 3600 paths of the Pitambara shatnam stotra
After the preliminary sadhanas, the speaker says, take a sankalp of 3600 paths of the Rudrayamala shatnam stotra of Bhagavati Pitambara, starting from any Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday. Take it either for 36 days or, if one does not want to do that much, a sankalp of 11 days. With the sankalp of 100 paths daily, one should recite the stotra every day.
What should be done after the morning bath in Kartik?
After bathing, go to the puja place and do whatever nitya pujan you can. Best of all is archan or path of your ishta aradhya by the satnam or the sahasranama; this should certainly happen in Kartik maas, early in the morning. After that, whatever mala japa or other procedure you have, do it — that is excellent.
How much daily seva should a householder do in Kartik?
Carrying the household along — not in the manner of a vairagi, but detached even within the household — one should serve as much as one can. In whatever hour is available after the morning bath, do archan and pujan of the ishta aradhya by the satnam or the sahasranama; along with it recite shlokas relating to Narayan, or his ashtottara satnam, or sing some stuti of his; and let Tulsi ji's seva happen. Chaukhat pujan should happen in all twelve months.
How is the archan with Kali ji's 108 names done?
Asked whether archan with flowers may be done along with Kali ji's 108 names, the speaker says it may absolutely be done. If there are 108 names then 108 flowers are needed for the archan; you may also do it with petals, mixed with kumkum and the like.
How does one draw mantras out of a sahasranama for the shodashopachara puja?
The speaker says one does it with the ordinary mantra and may also do samput with the sahasranama and the rest. Which mantra to use, you will understand yourself when you do the path. If in a sahasranama the name says that kumkum is exceedingly dear to Bhagwati — kumkumapriya — then where we offer sindoor in the shodashopachara vidhi, there the kumkumapriya mantra may be used, or both mantras recited together while offering.
What other names of a sahasranama map onto which upachara?
In the same way, the speaker says, where Bhagwati has been called vastra-alankrita, where she has been called vaidurya-mani-bhushita, it means that at the place where the saubhagya sutra and the ratnas for ornamenting are to be offered, we may use these mantras. Where she has been called madhupriya, where it is said that the naivedya of honey is exceedingly dear to her, it means we shall recite that where we offer naivedya in the shodashopachara pujan vidhi.
How is the Baglamukhi sadhana to be done without deeksha?
You should do panchopachar, dashopachar or shodashopachar pujan daily, he says. The easiest way to perform pujan in sixteen ways is to gather the objects together and keep them in sixteen separate vessels, and after that first of all do their puja. After performing the shodashopachar pujan, the best thing will be to do archan — that is, to perform her archan with 1108 names using flowers mixed with haldi.
What is the right method of Kali puja so that no tona-totka has effect?
Asked what the correct vidhi of Maa Kali's puja is such that no tona-totka has effect on one, the speaker says: recite Bhagavati's panch — the Sahasranama, the panchang sevan, the Kavach and the Sahasranama. Perform havan every Amavasya, Amavasya after Amavasya. After three to six months no tantra-mantra will have any effect.
What is chiefly done at Pushkar for the pitrs?
Sadhana is done there particularly for the gati and mukti of the pitrs, he says: recitation of the Sahasranama, the Vishnu Sahasranama and the like, by brahmins; or recitation of the Gayatri and so on, and japa, which you may do having taken a sankalpa. That is the best of all. If there is any pitru dosha or anything connected with them, or even for their gati, then by doing sadhana there you may also obtain the grace of the pitrs.
Durga 108-names siddhi with daily havan in Navratri, and verifying the result afterwards
The next vidhan was for Navratri. The speaker says he told the sadhak to do the siddhi of the Durga Ashtottara Shatanama — the 108 names — by the siddhi method given on his channel, beginning the path and doing Havan; the one thing he had him do was a havan every day. For all nine days, through Navami, there was the full path and havan, and on Navami morning Kanya Pujan. The sadhak said that for the first time in his life he saw an anushthan completed: from Pitr Paksha to now no possession had come on anyone. Only occasionally did someone start speaking very loudly or feel the body stiffen, but it settled fully; and many bad dreams came in between, almost like threats to stop, which only strengthened the conviction that the right thing was being done. After Navratri the speaker told him — since he had earlier shown the case to many local readers — to show it again to some local reader and satisfy himself of what level the thing was at; they told him that the Muslim thing that had been in the house was, for now, nowhere to be seen, it had somehow been removed. Whatever happened, he says, was by divine coincidence and Bhagavati's kripa.
Which sadhana makes the grahas favourable and protects from enemies?
Just as with the earlier question about 11,000 japa of Baglamukhi's satnam: do 11,000 japa of the kavach, or of the ashtottara satnam, of whoever your aradhya is. Eleven thousand will not be done at once — it will take at least three, four, six months. After that, go on doing 11 paths of it daily according to your capacity, for the whole of your life. You will not need to do anything else in particular; and if a need does arise, your work will be done with very little.
How many paths of the Kaal Sankarshan tantrokta stotra should be done?
For the Kaal Sankarshan tantrokta he cannot say anything, he answers, because the same matter will arise again: there is a beej mantra in it too, the mool beej given within it. And attend to this — on separating them out, there are not 108 names, only 105. If you get the mool stotra you will find 108 in it: the Kaal Sankarshan tantrokta Batuk Bhairav stotra. Read it once and see; it will be only 105. If you have the mool book, the mool grantha, you will find 108 in it. Otherwise it is called ashtottara, but three names are found short there. And since the mool mantra and all the rest is given in it, guru kripa becomes necessary there.
Niyams of Pitambara sadhana that get skipped
The speaker asks whether the other niti-niyams of Pitambara sadhana were kept at all: yellow cloth is said to be necessary (not green or bhagwa, which is why she is named Pitambara), so does the sadhak wear a pitambari dhoti and know how to tie its lang; is the asana yellow; was Bhagavati ever worshipped with haridra-samskarit materials, with her Sahasranama, her shatnam or her 108 namavali before even a photo; was she ever given abhishek, and was her Bhairav, Bhagwan Shiva, ever given abhishek. He also asks whether the sadhanatmak side was looked at first: the Tithi, the Nakshatra, how and what is to be done and when it is not to be done. If none of this was done, he says, that is the root cause of the trouble, though other causes may also exist.
How long should one do archan before learning the avaran vidhi?
The beginning pujan, he says, is at the least for a sava month; for some people even for a year or more. First the suktas and the rest should be memorised, and if not that, then archan by satnam and the like should be done beforehand for six months, for a year or more. Only then should the avaran vidhi also be learnt.
Avaran pujan is taken up only once a daily niyam of archan is settled, learnt slowly over many sittings, and the beej mantras only after that
When it becomes memorised for you and a niyam is formed — that we are sitting for roughly half an hour or a sava hour and doing a good archan, doing the sahasra archan, doing the shat archan, it has come into our niyam, we are doing it for our own gods and goddesses — then you should sit and learn the avaran pujan. You will not learn it in one sitting; learn it in ten sittings, slowly and slowly.
What should be recited for the Ganga on Ganga Dashehra?
The 108-name stotra of Ganga ji, the satnam and the like, should be recited.
How is the Havan of the Kamakhya Kavach Anushthan done?
You may give Ahuti with Bhagavati Kamakhya's 108 mantras, with her 108 names, or with her nama-mantra — saying Shri Kamakhya Devyai swaha. If the 108-name Namavali cannot be found online, you may give all hundred and eight Ahutis with the single name alone.
Can a Hanuman mantra be done without Deeksha?
It would be better taken with Deeksha. Doing japa of the mantras of any of the Vir-bhava deities without Deeksha increases the fierceness considerably. Until Deeksha is obtained, perform his Ashtottar Satnam Anushthan instead, or his Kavach — the Chalisa and Bajrang Baan everyone may do.
What should a sadhak feel when Sawan closes?
When Sawan is complete, after Rakshabandhan, there should be a divine aura within us, and it should feel that yes, this Sawan did not go in vain — we have done the sava lakh of the Panchakshari, we have done the ashtottara shatanam, we have done such-and-such of their mala mantras. Then there will be a peace within you; you will become far more calm than before, and your intellect will become far sharper. A gladness will remain in the mind at having done so much, and from that itself the path will form. The path is not going to form out of haste.
With what is the purnahuti of a daily Harihar 108-name havan done?
Asked with what the purnahuti should be done in a daily havan with the 108 names of Harihar, he says the purnahuti is done with that with which it is done; nothing separate is to be done for it.
In what form are the twelve Jyotirlinga names used in abhishek?
Asked about the abhishek of the twelve Jyotirlingas, he confirms that it is to be done in this way — as the transcript has it, "सोमनाथाय नमः, मल्लिकार्जुनाय नमः". It is to be done exactly like that.
Can the Ram Raksha stotra be done as well?
If you wish to do Ram ji's, he says, then yes, do the Ram Raksha stotra. You can do it after doing 1100 of the Satnam.
A Gujarat sadhak performs a sahasrarchan every Ram Navami before a very old family photograph of Ram ji's bal swaroop
A sadhak from Gujarat, he says, has a very old image of the bal swaroop of Bhagavan Shri Ramchandra ji Maharaj — he thinks perhaps a photograph from his grandfather's time, an entirely old photograph — and every year on the day of Ram Navami he performs a sahasrarchan of Bal Ram ji, of the child image of Ram ji Maharaj. That condition, he says, should be within you; do it, and there is no need to create any complex within yourself over it.
What does six months of Bhairav or Baglamukhi anushthan produce in a sadhak?
Suppose someone performed the anushthan of Bhagavati Bagla's satnaam many times, and of Bhairav ji many times, for six months. Within those six months his sorrow and pain may not end and the suffering of his life may not finish, yet such ojasvita will come into him that people will be charmed simply by hearing him speak, and his whole personality will develop. That, the speaker says, is the effect of sadhana — the devatva arising within him by Bhagavati's grace.
Which Bhairav sadhana can a listener begin with?
Begin from here, he tells a questioner: either do the sadhana of the Mahabhairav mantra, or do the Ashtottara Satnaam sadhana which is recorded and will be uploaded the next morning. Those in greater difficulty may also do the Bhairav Hriday, and it will be good.
Should Bhairav be coated with kajal as is done in Chhattisgarh?
A listener says that in Chhattisgarh Bhairav ji is coated with kajal, so he has blackened his household Baal Bhairav, and asks what if Baal Bhairav did not like being black. Very well, the speaker answers — do according to what is done in your region. Asked whether pushp archan may be done during Bhairav ji's anushthan, he says it may certainly be done, with his Satnamavali or with his Sahasranamavali.
Does the pratyakshikaran of Batuk Bhairav's 108 names take six months?
No, the speaker answers — do it now and it will happen now. As soon as the 108 names are completed, as soon as you read the last name, Bhairav ji will manifest before you and say, ask, child, what boon do you seek. Whether you will hear it or see it, he says, he does not know; but the moment you read the 108 names he will become pratyaksha. The rest is your own capacity, whether you can speak with him or not.
How should Laddu Gopal be kept and served in the house?
If you keep Laddu Gopal at home, keep him in the bhaav in which a small child is looked after. If you worship him as the chief adhishthatri deva, then his nitya pujan should be done first thing in the morning: bathe him, dress him in clothes, then the bhog of makhan and mishri, aarti and so on — and only then whatever nitya pujan of yours follows. At night do his evening puja, and after the night pujan he should be put to sleep, entirely in the bal bhaav. For his pleasure, the path of the Gopal Sahasranama is the very best.
Can the Batuk Dashanaam stotra be recited?
Yes, you may absolutely do the Batuk Dashanaam stotra, the speaker says, reciting: कपाली, कुंडली, भैरव, भीमो, भूमलोचना. It can be done, he repeats.
Bhairav smaran, Mahadev stotra and camphor aarti after any Kalika stuti or japa
The speaker says that whenever you do stuti, path or japa of Bhagavati Kalika, you must remember Kaal Bhairav. Choose Batuk Bhairav, Kaal Bhairav or whichever Bhairav form you hold to be Kalika's, and recite either one's 108 namavali (the ashtottara-shata-nama stotra) or the Bhairav Ashtak beginning "काल भैरवम भजे", whichever seems right. Then at least remember, or recite, Mahadev's Panchakshar stotra or the Dwadash Jyotirlinga stotra, and after that always do an aarti with camphor.
Concluding havan of the Kali kavach anushthan: black pepper in mustard oil with the 108 names
On the last day, the speaker says, a Havan is done: 1100 ahutis for 1100 paths. Take the opening vidhan from the channel's Navratri videos up to the ahutis with the first mantra of the Argala Stotra, and certainly give 108 ahutis with "ओम जयंती मंगला काली". The main ahutis are then given with black pepper dipped in mustard oil, using Kali's 108 Namavali as the mantra with "namah" replaced by "swaha" — "ओम काली स्वाहा": 10 or 11 ahutis per name for 1100 paths, one per name if the total was 108. The samagri can carry plenty of pepper, more than one grain per ahuti; the 1100 version needs much more samagri, which he says he will list with the mantra in the description or a PDF.
What is promised in the Ashtottar Shatnam, and what about Argala?
If you are doing a wealth-related sadhana connected with Bhagavati Durga — for instance the Ashtottar Shatnam — the speaker recalls that Bhagavan Shiva has said in it that whoever does it with whatever purpose will obtain dharma, artha, kaam and moksha, will be filled with wealth and grain, and will obtain sons and grandsons. If you had taken it up, do it now too and do not leave it. If you do abundant japa of the Argala mantras and have been doing its havan, then in this Navratri too you must do exactly that.
How should the first mantra of the Argala be done in Navratri?
Asked how the vidhan of the Argala's first mantra should be done for Navratri, the speaker answers that if you wish to do it at two times, then he would say do the japa of the Argala mantra at night-time, and the Ashtottar Shatnam in the day, at noon, at any time. The first point about Navratri, he adds, is that you may do the puja at any time at all: there is no difficulty according to the hour. It is not that you cannot do it at noon or in the evening; you may do it according to whatever capacity the body gives.
Preconditions before a beginner starts Baglamukhi sadhana: kuldevi seva first, Narayan japa, and checking the household shaktis
The speaker says the anushthan he gave the farmer was the stotra of the 108 names of Bhagavati Bagla described in the Rudrayamala Tantra, done with Sankalpa and full vidhi-vidhan. But because the man was new, he first had him look at the sthan of his Kuldevi and devata and begin their puja-seva, slowly and without hurry, and before Bagla he had him do some japa connected with Narayan, because he says he repeatedly forbids going straight into Baglamukhi sadhana. He also looked at what shaktis were in the house and what the Kula Parampara was, and only then decided the sadhana. He says everything is to be done with patience: one cannot message today, do it at once and expect a result the day after tomorrow; there is no fast track, and only step by step does it come right.
First round of the Bagla 108-names anushthan: the daily vidhan and an eleven-day sankalp
The speaker says the farmer sat four to five hours daily after a full day in the fields. At the sthan in his house he worshipped Bhagavati Durga herself, dressed in yellow cloth, took Sankalpa, offered Haldi water, ordinary yellow flowers and itra, made besan halwa daily as Bhog, lit a ghee Deepak with haldi mixed in, real ghee from his own cow, and a mustard-oil lamp in Bhairava ji's name, then did 108 paths of the stotra and a Havan of eleven Ahuti for each name. The first Sankalpa was for only eleven days, because the speaker says a long sadhana is not right for a beginner. After eleven days there was no particular effect, but the man's manobal grew; he said he did not know whether it would succeed but found great joy in doing it, and asked when he could begin again.
Second round of the Bagla 108-names anushthan: a thirty-six-day sankalp with kaner flowers and havan only at the end
The speaker says the second round was begun with a fresh Sankalpa on a Tuesday that fell on the Krishna Paksha Chaturdashi tithi, for thirty-six days. This time he told the farmer not to do daily Havan, since thirty-six days of havan would cost too much, but to do it once on the final day, and to do 108 paths daily. Flowers being easy to get in a village, he brought 108 yellow kaner flowers each day, smeared them with Haldi and gandh and offered them to Bhagavati with the path, sitting from about 6:30 or 7 in the evening till 10 at night, and said that however hard the day's work, no tiredness remained once he sat for puja. After the thirty-six days, three to four months in all, nothing at all had happened about the land, not one percent of result.
What may an upasak of Bhagavati read on Holika night instead of japa?
If you perform the upasana of Bhagavati, you may do a path of whichever of the related puranas you wish — the Skanda Purana, the Markandeya Purana, the Devi Bhagavat Mahapuran — or a path of the sahasranama and the like, or hear the katha.
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