- Edited
Śrī Yantra drawn by Guruji
The Devī Khaḍgamālā Stotram is a short but potent stotra containing the names of all the deities residing in the Śrī Cakra. As one progresses in the chanting of this stotram, it reveals the secrets of the nine different Āvaraṇas (enclosures) of the Śrī Cakra. This stotra is from the Vāmakeśvara Tantra from the dialogue between Uma and Maheśvara. Many Devi Bhaktas read this stotra on a daily basis.
The celebrated Śrī Vidyā Upasaka Śrī Bhāskararāya’s Sanskrit commentary on the 'Pañcadaśa Mālā Mantroddhāra’, contained within Śrī Lalitā Rahasya Pariśiṣṭa Tantra, is the scriptural source along with Guruji’s Devipuram Telugu publication “Maa”. There are actually 15 Khaḍgamālās - 5 Mālās addressing Śakti, 5 addressing Śiva and 5 addressing Śiva-Śakti as Mithunas. Each of this set of 5 Mālās has the names with different forms of salutations - Sambudyanta, Svāhānta, Tarpaṇānta, Jayānta and Namonta. The Sambudyanta Śakti or Suddha Śakti mala is the one that is usually chanted.
It is said that mere recitation (Pārāyaṇa) of the Khaḍgamālā bestows the benefit of the entire Śrī Cakra Navāvaraṇa Pūjā upon the devotee. What better time than the Śarada Navaratri to immerse oneself in the adoration of the Mother!
This presentation of the Khaḍgādi Pañcadaśa Mālā is a light version, compiled for the benefit of devotees. We are recommending this set of 15 Khaḍgamālās as a Pārāyaṇa Paddhati only and accordingly have suggested a simple set of practices. Each day starting from Padyami, a specific Khaḍgamālā is to be read. Our sole aim is to seek the apāra anugraha of the Divine Mother.
A more detailed and descriptive Upāsana Paddhati will also be compiled, along with the symbolic representations, and shared with initiates, soon.
May the blessings of Devi and Guruji be in abundance!
Excerpt from “Understanding of Śrī Cakra Pūjā
The Khaḍgamālā Stōtram is a hymn in Devi’s praise, listing her powers as arrayed in the Sri Chakra. It can be recited in five different ways:
śuddha śakti mālā means you’re not adding any ending, you’re just being the power yourself, seeing no difference between it and yourself.
namō antaḥ mālā means you add namaḥ at the end; i.e., you see a difference, but know you are not different from the power.
jaya antaḥ mālā means you say jaya (“victory to”) at the end.
svāhā antaḥ mālā means you say svāhā and offer ghee into the fire.
tarpaṇa antaḥ mālā means you say tarpayāmi and offer the water of your life in the cause of the power (i.e., each individual shakti).
You can think of Devi in three ways—as a female, as a male, or as a loving couple in union. Combine these three approaches with the above five endings to make 5 × 3 = 15 methods of worship. And these 15 methods are indeed an integral part of Devi worship via the Khaḍgamālā, and offer yet another meaning of the 15 letters of the Pañcadaśī Mantra.
One of these 15 methods is associated with each of the 15 days of the lunar calendar—this is called Tithi Nityā Pūjā Vidhi, where the first letter is the first day, the second letter the second day, and so on.
In the Pañcadaśī Mantra of Devi, called the kādi vidyā, there are five letters representing the male—three kas and the two has. Thus, on the corresponding lunar days (1, 6, 8, 9 and 13), Devi is worshiped in a male form (the lingam). Because Shiva is said to be the Destroyer, these days are considered inauspicious for materialistic gain, but auspicious for spiritual gain. Worshiping Devi as a male is considered the third-best method and helps us detach ourselves from this world.
The seed letters representing the female (ē, ī, la, and the two sas) correspond to days 2, 3, 4, 7 and 12 of the lunar calendar. On these days Devi is worshiped as a female (yoni = mother = source). This is our normal understanding of Devi, the Mother who—in the form of the Three Shaktis discussed earlier—gives us life, nourishes us with her milk and gives us knowledge. So these days are obviously considered auspicious, because she is taking care of our material needs. It is considered the second-best method to worship Devi as a female.
But the very best days are those where Devi is worshiped in the form of a couple—the union of the male (seer) and female (seen). These days correspond to the second and third la and the three hrīms and to days 5, 7, 10, 11, 14 and 15 of the lunar calendar. The bīja hrīm is the union of male and female, which gives us life. So it’s best at the outset to worship her as male and female in union, as this gets all forms of creativity invoked into us. Worship of the genitals therefore yields Kriyā Śakti (called Parvati or Durga or simply Ma), which manifests all sorts of creative powers in real life.
Yes, all of this information is coded into the the Pañcadaśī Mantra!
