Devi Mahatmya

A 17th-century Devimahatmya manuscript written in Newari script from Nepal

The Devi Mahatmya or Devi Mahatmyam (Sanskrit: देवीमाहात्म्यम्, romanized: devīmāhātmyam, lit. 'Glory of the Goddess') is a Hindu philosophical text describing the Goddess, known as Mahadevi or Adishakti, as the supreme power and creator of the universe.[1][2] It is part of the Markandeya Purana.[3][4][5]

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Devi Mahatmyam is also known as the Durgā Saptashatī (दुर्गासप्तशती) or Śata Chandī (शत् चंडी)[6] and Chandi Path (चंडी पाठ).[7] The text contains 700 verses arranged into 13 chapters.[8][6] It is one of the most important texts in Shaktism, along with Devi-Bhagavata Purana and Devi Upanishad.[9] The text is one of the earliest extant complete manuscripts from the Hindu traditions which describes reverence and worship of the feminine aspect of God.[5]

The Devi Mahatmyam describes a storied battle between good and evil, where the Devi manifesting as goddess Durga leads the forces of good against the demon Mahishasura—the goddess is very angry and ruthless, and the forces of good win.[10][11][12] The verses of this story also outline a philosophical foundation wherein the ultimate reality (Brahman in Hinduism) can also be female.[13][14][15]

It is recited during Navaratri celebrations, the Durga Puja festival,[16][17] and in Durga temples across India.[16][18]

  1. ^ June McDaniel 2004, pp. 215–216.
  2. ^ Kinsley 1988, pp. 101–102.
  3. ^ Cheever Mackenzie Brown 1998, p. 77 note 28.
  4. ^ Coburn 1991, pp. 13.
  5. ^ a b Coburn 2002, p. 1.
  6. ^ a b Tracy Pintchman 2014, p. 86.
  7. ^ "Chandi Path". Archive.org. 2020-02-17. Retrieved 2024-01-04.
  8. ^ Coburn 1991, pp. 27–31.
  9. ^ Constance Jones; James Ryan (2014). Encyclopedia of Hinduism. Infobase Publishing. p. 399. ISBN 978-0816054589.
  10. ^ Rocher 1986, pp. 191–192.
  11. ^ Tracy Pintchman 2014, p. 20.
  12. ^ June McDaniel 2004, pp. 215–216, 219–220.
  13. ^ Coburn 2002, p. 1, 53-56, 280.
  14. ^ Lochtefeld 2002, p. 426.
  15. ^ Kinsley 1988, pp. 101–105.
  16. ^ a b Dalal 2014, p. 118.
  17. ^ Gavin Flood (1996). An Introduction to Hinduism. Cambridge University Press. p. 181. ISBN 978-0-521-43878-0.
  18. ^ Kinsley 1997, pp. 30–35.