Durga Saptashati Chapter 12 (Dwadasha Adhyay): Bhagavati Vakya, the Phalashruti of the Chandi Path, with Meaning

Durga Saptashati Chapter 12, the Dwadasha Adhyay, is the Bhagavati Vakya, the words of the Goddess herself, and it is the Saptashati's phalashruti: the statement of what reading and hearing the text brings. It belongs to the Uttara Charitra, presided over by Mahasaraswati, and has 41 verses in the standard numbering. Every claim that tradition makes for the Chandi Path, that it removes fear, poverty and separation, stills epidemics and portents, turns bad dreams good, pacifies the grahas and frees the one who remembers it from any danger, comes from this chapter. It is given here in full, each verse followed by its meaning.

The chapter also settles the practical questions of the paath. When: on the eighth, ninth and fourteenth lunar days, at the autumn festival (verse 12, the origin of Sharadiya Navratri's Chandi Path), at every worship, fire rite and festival. Where: wherever it is read daily, the Goddess promises never to leave (verse 9). How much: a single recitation pleases her as much as a year of offerings (verses 20 to 22). The sage then closes the war and states the Saptashati's theology in five verses: the eternal Goddess appears again and again, she is both Lakshmi and Alakshmi, and she gives wealth, children, a mind set on dharma and a good end.

संक्षेप में: दुर्गा सप्तशती का बारहवाँ अध्याय (भगवती वाक्य) यहाँ पूरा दिया गया है: सभी 41 श्लोक संस्कृत में, हर श्लोक के हिंदी अर्थ के साथ। यह पूरे पाठ की फलश्रुति है: देवी स्वयं बताती हैं कि उनके माहात्म्य के पाठ और श्रवण से पाप, दरिद्रता, वियोग, शत्रु-भय, महामारी, बुरे स्वप्न और ग्रह-पीड़ा दूर होते हैं, और जहाँ नित्य पाठ हो वहाँ से वे कभी नहीं जातीं। अष्टमी, नवमी, चतुर्दशी और शरद की महापूजा में पाठ का विधान भी यहीं है। परंपरा में यह अध्याय मान-सम्मान के लिए पढ़ा जाता है। पूरा लेख हिंदी में पढ़ें →

This chapter is part of the complete Durga Saptashati path, with all 13 chapters and the angas in reading order.

Chapter 12 at a glance

• Chapter: Twelfth of 13, "Bhagavati Vakya" (भगवती वाक्य)
• Charitra: Uttara Charitra (the last episode)
• Presiding deity: Mahasaraswati
• Rishi: Rudra
• Chhanda: Anushtup
• Shakti · Bija · Tattva · Veda: Bhima · Bhramari · Surya (the sun) · Samaveda
• Verses: 41 in the standard numbering (uvacha lines counted)
• Traditional fruit of reading: Tradition reads the twelfth chapter for honour and respect in society, and it is the chapter that states the fruit of the whole paath.

The story of Chapter 12 in brief

The Goddess speaks. Whoever praises her with these hymns with a collected mind will have every trouble stilled. Those who proclaim the three deeds, the killing of Madhu and Kaitabha, of Mahishasura and of Shumbha and Nishumbha, and those who hear her Mahatmya with devotion on the eighth, fourteenth and ninth days, will know no sin, no calamity, no poverty, no separation from loved ones, and no fear of enemies, robbers, kings, weapons, fire or flood. Her Mahatmya stills epidemics and portents; wherever it is read daily she stays; it should be recited at every bali, puja, homa and festival, and she accepts worship whether offered with understanding or without. Whoever hears it at the great autumn worship is freed from trouble and gains wealth and grain. Hearing it makes a man fearless, destroys his enemies and gladdens his family; it is to be heard in rites of pacification, after bad dreams and in severe afflictions of the grahas, which it stills; it calms children troubled by spirits, reconciles the estranged, weakens the wicked and destroys rakshasas, bhutas and pishachas. One recitation pleases her as much as a year of offerings and feasts. The telling of her births protects from spirits; the telling of her battles removes fear of enemies; the hymns of the gods, the sages and Brahma give a good mind. In a forest, a wilderness, a forest fire, among robbers or enemies, pursued by lions, tigers or wild elephants, condemned by a king, imprisoned, tossed in a boat on the ocean, under falling weapons in battle, in every dreadful trouble and in pain, whoever remembers her deeds is freed, and lions, robbers and enemies flee from him. Then Chandika vanishes before the gods; they resume their offices, the surviving daityas go to the netherworld, and the sage tells the king that the eternal Goddess appears again and again to protect the world, deludes and creates the universe, is Mahakali and the great epidemic, is Lakshmi in good times and Alakshmi in bad, and when worshipped gives wealth, sons, a dharmic mind and a good end.

Durga Saptashati Chapter 12: Sanskrit text with meaning

The Sanskrit follows the standard text of the Devi Mahatmya; the numbering is the common 700-verse numbering, in which the uvacha lines are counted. Each verse is followed by its meaning in plain English.

Dhyanam

ॐ विद्युद्धामसमप्रभां मृगपतिस्कन्धस्थितां भीषणां
कन्याभिः करवाळखेटविलसधस्ताभिरासेविताम् ।
हस्तैश्चक्रगदासिखेटविशिखांश्चापं गुणं तर्जनीं
बिभ्राणामनलात्मिकां शशिधरां दुर्गां त्रिनेत्रां भजे ॥

Meaning: Om. I worship Durga, three-eyed and bearing the moon, whose radiance is like lightning, who is seated on the shoulder of a lion, terrible, attended by maidens whose hands shine with sword and shield; who holds in her hands the discus, the mace, the sword, the shield, arrows, the bow, the bowstring and the threatening finger, and whose nature is fire.

Verses 1 to 41

ॐ देव्युवाच ॥१॥

Meaning: Om. The Goddess said:

एभिः स्तवैश्च मां नित्यं स्तोष्यते यः समाहितः ।
तस्याहं सकलां बाधां शमयिष्याम्यसंशयम् ॥२॥

Meaning: "Whoever, with a collected mind, praises me constantly with these hymns, for him I shall without doubt bring every trouble to rest."

मधुकैटभनाशं च महिषासुरघातनम् ।
कीर्तयिष्यन्ति ये तद्वद्वधं शुम्भनिशुम्भयोः ॥३॥

Meaning: "Those who will proclaim the destruction of Madhu and Kaitabha, the slaying of Mahishasura, and likewise the slaying of Shumbha and Nishumbha..."

अष्टम्यां च चतुर्दश्यां नवम्यां चैकचेतसः ।
श्रोष्यन्ति चैव ये भक्त्या मम माहात्म्यमुत्तमम् ॥४॥

Meaning: "...and those who, with one-pointed mind, will listen with devotion to this supreme Mahatmya of mine on the eighth, the fourteenth and the ninth lunar days..."

न तेषां दुष्कृतं किञ्चिद्दुष्कृतोत्था न चापदः ।
भविष्यति न दारिद्र्यं न चैवेष्टवियोजनम् ॥५॥

Meaning: "...for them there will be no wrongdoing, nor calamity born of wrongdoing; there will be no poverty, nor separation from those they love."

शत्रुभ्यो न भयं तस्य दस्युतो वा न राजतः ।
न शस्त्रानलतोयौघात् कदाचित् सम्भविष्यति ॥६॥

Meaning: "For such a one there will never be fear from enemies, from robbers or from kings, nor from weapons, fire or flood."

तस्मान्ममैतन्माहात्म्यं पठितव्यं समाहितैः ।
श्रोतव्यं च सदा भक्त्या परं स्वस्त्ययनं महत् ॥७॥

Meaning: "Therefore this Mahatmya of mine should be read by those of collected mind, and always heard with devotion; it is the great and supreme way to well-being."

उपसर्गानशेषांस्तु महामारीसमुद्भवान् ।
तथा त्रिविधमुत्पातं माहात्म्यं शमयेन्मम ॥८॥

Meaning: "May my Mahatmya bring to rest all the afflictions born of great epidemics, and likewise the threefold portents."

यत्रैतत्पठ्यते सम्यङ्नित्यमायतने मम ।
सदा न तद्विमोक्ष्यामि सान्निध्यं तत्र मे स्थितम् ॥९॥

Meaning: "Where this is read properly and daily in my shrine, that place I shall never forsake; my presence is established there."

बलिप्रदाने पूजायामग्निकार्ये महोत्सवे ।
सर्वं ममैतन्माहात्म्यम् उच्चार्यं श्राव्यमेव च ॥१०॥

Meaning: "At the offering of bali, in worship, in the fire rite and at great festivals, this whole Mahatmya of mine should be recited and heard."

जानताजानता वापि बलिपूजां यथा कृताम् ।
प्रतीक्षिष्याम्यहं प्रीत्या वह्निहोमं तथाकृतम् ॥११॥

Meaning: "Whether done with knowledge or without, I shall accept with love the bali and the worship offered, and the fire oblation likewise made."

शरत्काले महापूजा क्रियते या च वार्षिकी ।
तस्यां ममैतन्माहात्म्यं श्रुत्वा भक्तिसमन्वितः ॥१२॥

Meaning: "At the great annual worship performed in the autumn, whoever hears this Mahatmya of mine, filled with devotion..."

सर्वाबाधाविनिर्मुक्तो धनधान्यसमन्वितः ।
मनुष्यो मत्प्रसादेन भविष्यति न संशयः ॥१३॥

Meaning: "...that person, by my grace, will be freed from every trouble and endowed with wealth and grain; of this there is no doubt."

श्रुत्वा ममैतन्माहात्म्यं तथा चोत्पत्तयः शुभाः ।
पराक्रमं च युद्धेषु जायते निर्भयः पुमान् ॥१४॥

Meaning: "Hearing this Mahatmya of mine, and the auspicious accounts of my manifestations, and my valour in battles, a man becomes fearless."

रिपवः सङ्क्षयं यान्ति कल्याणं चोपपद्यते ।
नन्दते च कुलं पुंसां माहात्म्यं मम श‍ृण्वताम् ॥१५॥

Meaning: "The enemies of those who hear my Mahatmya come to destruction, well-being comes to them, and their family rejoices."

शान्तिकर्मणि सर्वत्र तथा दुःस्वप्नदर्शने ।
ग्रहपीडासु चोग्रासु माहात्म्यं श‍ृणुयान्मम ॥१६॥

Meaning: "In every rite of pacification, likewise on seeing a bad dream, and in severe afflictions by the grahas, one should hear my Mahatmya."

उपसर्गाः शमं यान्ति ग्रहपीडाश्च दारुणाः ।
दुःस्वप्नं च नृभिर्दृष्टं सुस्वप्नमुपजायते ॥१७॥

Meaning: "Calamities and the cruel afflictions of the grahas are stilled, and the bad dream a man has seen turns into a good dream."

बालग्रहाभिभूतानां बालानां शान्तिकारकम् ।
सङ्घातभेदे च नृणां मैत्रीकरणमुत्तमम् ॥१८॥

Meaning: "It brings peace to children seized by the spirits that afflict the young, and it is the best maker of friendship where people have fallen out."

दुर्वृत्तानामशेषाणां बलहानिकरं परम् ।
रक्षोभूतपिशाचानां पठनादेव नाशनम् ॥१९॥

Meaning: "It is supreme in weakening the strength of all evildoers, and by its mere reading rakshasas, bhutas and pishachas are destroyed."

सर्वं ममैतन्माहात्म्यं मम सन्निधिकारकम् ।
पशुपुष्पार्घ्यधूपैश्च गन्धदीपैस्तथोत्तमैः ॥२०॥

Meaning: "This whole Mahatmya of mine brings me near. By offerings of animals, flowers, arghya and incense, by fragrances and the finest lamps..."

विप्राणां भोजनैर्होमैः प्रोक्षणीयैरहर्निशम् ।
अन्यैश्च विविधैर्भोगैः प्रदानैर्वत्सरेण या ॥२१॥

Meaning: "...by feeding brahmins, by homas, by sprinkling rites day and night, and by various other enjoyments and gifts over a whole year..."

प्रीतिर्मे क्रियते सास्मिन् सकृदुच्चरिते श्रुते ।
श्रुतं हरति पापानि तथारोग्यं प्रयच्छति ॥२२॥

Meaning: "...the pleasure that is given to me, that same pleasure is given when this is once recited or heard. Heard, it takes away sins and bestows health."

रक्षां करोति भूतेभ्यो जन्मनां कीर्तनं मम ।
युद्धेषु चरितं यन्मे दुष्टदैत्यनिबर्हणम् ॥२३॥

Meaning: "The proclaiming of my births gives protection from evil spirits; and that deed of mine in battles, the destruction of the wicked daityas..."

तस्मिञ्छ्रुते वैरिकृतं भयं पुंसां न जायते ।
युष्माभिः स्तुतयो याश्च याश्च ब्रह्मर्षिभिः कृताः ॥२४॥

Meaning: "...when it is heard, no fear from enemies arises in people. The hymns composed by you, and those made by the brahmarshis..."

ब्रह्मणा च कृतास्तास्तु प्रयच्छन्तु शुभां मतिम् ।
अरण्ये प्रान्तरे वापि दावाग्निपरिवारितः ॥२५॥

Meaning: "...and those made by Brahma, all bestow an auspicious mind. In a forest or on a lonely road, surrounded by a forest fire..."

दस्युभिर्वा वृतः शून्ये गृहीतो वापि शत्रुभिः ।
सिंहव्याघ्रानुयातो वा वने वा वनहस्तिभिः ॥२६॥

Meaning: "...or surrounded by robbers in a desolate place, or seized by enemies, or pursued by lions and tigers in a forest, or by wild elephants..."

राज्ञा क्रुद्धेन चाज्ञप्तो वध्यो बन्धगतोऽपि वा ।
आघूर्णितो वा वातेन स्थितः पोते महार्णवे ॥२७॥

Meaning: "...or sentenced to death by an angry king, or thrown into prison, or tossed by the wind standing in a boat on the great ocean..."

पतत्सु चापि शस्त्रेषु सङ्ग्रामे भृशदारुणे ।
सर्वाबाधासु घोरासु वेदनाभ्यर्दितोऽपि वा ॥२८॥

Meaning: "...or when weapons are falling in a most terrible battle, or in all dreadful troubles, or even tormented by pain..."

स्मरन् ममैतच्चरितं नरो मुच्येत सङ्कटात् ।
मम प्रभावात्सिंहाद्या दस्यवो वैरिणस्तथा ॥२९॥

Meaning: "...a man who remembers this deed of mine is freed from danger. By my power, lions and the like, robbers and enemies..."

दूरादेव पलायन्ते स्मरतश्चरितं मम ॥३०॥

Meaning: "...flee far away from him who remembers my deeds."

ऋषिरुवाच ॥३१॥

Meaning: The sage said:

इत्युक्त्वा सा भगवती चण्डिका चण्डविक्रमा ॥३२॥

Meaning: Having spoken thus, the blessed Chandika of fierce valour...

पश्यतां सर्वदेवानां तत्रैवान्तरधीयत ।
तेऽपि देवा निरातङ्काः स्वाधिकारान्यथा पुरा ॥३३॥

Meaning: ...vanished there and then, as all the gods looked on. And the gods, freed from fear, their enemies slain, resumed their offices as before...

यज्ञभागभुजः सर्वे चक्रुर्विनिहतारयः ।
दैत्याश्च देव्या निहते शुम्भे देवरिपौ युधि ॥३४॥

Meaning: ...all enjoying their shares of the sacrifice. And when Shumbha, that enemy of the gods, had been slain in battle by the Goddess...

जगद्विध्वंसके तस्मिन् महोग्रेऽतुलविक्रमे ।
निशुम्भे च महावीर्ये शेषाः पातालमाययुः ॥३५॥

Meaning: ...he who destroyed the world, most fierce and of unequalled valour, and Nishumbha of great might, the remaining daityas went to the netherworld.

एवं भगवती देवी सा नित्यापि पुनः पुनः ।
सम्भूय कुरुते भूप जगतः परिपालनम् ॥३६॥

Meaning: Thus, O king, that blessed Goddess, though eternal, appears again and again and carries out the protection of the world.

तयैतन्मोह्यते विश्वं सैव विश्वं प्रसूयते ।
सा याचिता च विज्ञानं तुष्टा ऋद्धिं प्रयच्छति ॥३७॥

Meaning: By her this universe is deluded, and she it is who gives birth to the universe; when entreated she grants knowledge, and when pleased she grants prosperity.

व्याप्तं तयैतत्सकलं ब्रह्माण्डं मनुजेश्वर ।
महादेव्या महाकाली महामारीस्वरूपया ॥३८॥

Meaning: This whole universe, O lord of men, is pervaded by her, the great Goddess, in the form of Mahakali and the great epidemic.

सैव काले महामारी सैव सृष्टिर्भवत्यजा ।
स्थितिं करोति भूतानां सैव काले सनातनी ॥३९॥

Meaning: She alone, at the proper time, is the great epidemic; she alone, unborn, is creation; and she alone, the eternal one, at the proper time sustains all beings.

भवकाले नृणां सैव लक्ष्मीर्वृद्धिप्रदा गृहे ।
सैवाभावे तथालक्ष्मीर्विनाशायोपजायते ॥४०॥

Meaning: In the time of prosperity she alone is Lakshmi in the homes of men, giving growth; and in the time of lack she alone becomes Alakshmi, for destruction.

स्तुता सम्पूजिता पुष्पैर्गन्धधूपादिभिस्तथा ।
ददाति वित्तं पुत्रांश्च मतिं धर्मे गतिं शुभाम् ॥४१॥

Meaning: Praised and worshipped with flowers, fragrances, incense and the rest, she gives wealth and sons, a mind set on dharma, and an auspicious course.

॥ स्वस्ति श्रीमार्कण्डेयपुराणे सावर्णिके मन्वन्तरे देवीमाहात्म्ये
भगवती वाक्यं द्वादशोऽध्यायः ॥ १२॥
उवाच २, अर्धश्लोकौ २, श्लोकाः ३७, एवमादितः ॥ ६७१॥

Meaning: Thus ends the twelfth chapter, the Bhagavati Vakya, of the Devi Mahatmya in the Markandeya Purana, in the Savarnika manvantara. Two uvacha lines, two half-verses and thirty-seven verses: six hundred and seventy-one from the beginning.

Significance and benefits of reading Chapter 12

Tradition assigns a fruit to each chapter, and the twelfth is read for honour and standing in society. But its real place is as the phalashruti of the whole Saptashati: it is the Goddess's own charter for the Chandi Path, and the chapter from which every custom of the paath descends, the Ashtami, Navami and Chaturdashi readings, the Sharadiya Navratri recitation (verse 12), the reading at homas and festivals, and the rule that the text should be heard as well as read.

Verses 25 to 30 are a small sankata-nashana prayer in their own right, listing the dangers from which remembering the Goddess's deeds brings release, and many devotees keep them for emergencies. Verse 9 is the reason Saptashati paath is maintained daily in Devi temples: "that place I shall never forsake". The sage's closing verses 36 to 41 state the Saptashati's theology in brief, and verse 40, on Lakshmi and Alakshmi, echoes the Shakradi Stuti of Chapter 4.

How to read Chapter 12 (vidhi)

In a complete Saptashati path the chapters are read in order after the three angas, Devi Kavach, Argala Stotram and Keelak Stotram, and the Ratri Suktam. Many traditions also do the Navarna mantra japa with nyasa before and after. If you are reading this chapter on its own, begin with its dhyana as given above, read the verses without hurry, and close with the Kshamapana or the Siddha Kunjika Stotram.

Sit facing east or north on a clean asana, light a ghee lamp, keep water in a kalash, and read from a printed or clearly displayed text rather than from memory. Do not break a chapter in the middle; if you must stop, finish the chapter first. A samput mantra can be added before and after each verse for a specific purpose, but a plain reading with attention is the foundation.

Astrological relevance

In the Jyotish tradition the Devi Mahatmya is read as a remedy of the widest kind: the Prathama Charitra is associated with Mahakali and with the pacification of Rahu, Ketu and Shani, the Madhyama Charitra with Mahalakshmi and the Sun and Jupiter, and the Uttara Charitra with Mahasaraswati and Mercury and Venus. Chapter 12 belongs to the Uttara Charitra, so it is read with the rest of that episode when those grahas are difficult in a chart, and during their dashas. Nothing here replaces reading your own chart; it is the devotional side of the same picture. Start with a free kundli or talk to an astrologer to see which dasha is running.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Phalashruti of the Durga Saptashati?
Chapter 12, the Bhagavati Vakya, in which the Goddess herself states the fruit of reading and hearing her Mahatmya: freedom from sin, calamity, poverty and separation; no fear of enemies, robbers, kings, weapons, fire or flood; the stilling of epidemics, portents, bad dreams and the afflictions of the grahas; and release from every danger for the one who remembers her deeds.

On which days does the Goddess say the Saptashati should be heard?
Verse 4: on the eighth (Ashtami), the fourteenth (Chaturdashi) and the ninth (Navami) lunar days. Verse 12 adds the great annual worship of autumn, which is the Sharadiya Navratri, and verse 10 every bali, puja, homa and festival.

Does the Saptashati have to be read, or is hearing it enough?
Verse 7 says it should be read by those of collected mind and always heard with devotion, and the whole chapter speaks of hearing as much as reading. Verse 11 adds that the Goddess accepts worship offered with understanding or without it.

Which verses are remembered in danger?
Verses 25 to 30: in a forest, among robbers or enemies, pursued by wild animals, condemned by a king, imprisoned, tossed at sea, under falling weapons in battle, or in pain, whoever remembers the Goddess's deeds is freed, and lions, robbers and enemies flee from him.

What is Chapter 12 read for?
Tradition reads it for honour and respect in society. It is also read at the end of every complete paath as the statement of its fruit, and verse 9, the promise never to leave a place where the text is read daily, is why temples keep a daily Saptashati recitation.