History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.689.1

v6.c81.689.1

The Tithitattva (pp. 69–72), Nirṇayasindhu and other works provide that in the Navarātra the performer should hear the recitation of the Vedas (Vedapārāyaṇa) and that beginning with the first tithi up to the 9th he should himself mutter Caṇḍīpāṭha (recitation of Devīmāhātmya) or engage a person to do so, reciting it once on the first, twice on 2nd tithi and so on up to nine times on 9th tithi. The Devīpurāṇa provides for pūjā, japa and homa and the mantras therefore by saying that the worship of Devī is to be performed by casting into the fire sesame and with curds, milk and ghee. The Devī-mantra is either what is called the Jayantīmantra⁴⁴¹ (quoted in note) or the mantra of nine syllables (quoted in the note). The Dvaitanirṇaya-siddhāntasaṅgraha states that the mantra is either one that a man's *guru* has taught him, or the Vedic verse ‘Jātavedase sunavāma’ (Ṛg. I. 99.1) or one with nine letters or the one ‘namo devyai mahādevyai’ or the ślokas in the Saptaśatī.⁴⁴² The Tithitattva quotes (pp. 69–71) a long passage from the Vārāhī-tantra about the result of reciting Devīmāhātmya several times. A few verses are cited for sample. "When some great danger threatens, one should recite (Devīmāhātmya) seven times; if repeated twelve times one secures fulfilment of one's desires and the destruction of enmity; if repeated 14 times, an enemy would be subdued and a woman would be brought under one's control;