Navarātri

Identify the text and the conversation

Learning goal: follow the Navarātra dialogue into two stories, identify who tells each account, and distinguish a source’s religious claims from your own questions and a current observance.

Begin with the historical English translation below, then read the selected chapter 27 accounts. The stories are supplied in attributed paraphrase on this page, with direct chapter links.

The shared chapter 26 reading also appears in the Durgā Pūjā guide. This guide focuses on the dialogue and its narrative continuation; the companion guide explores a later author’s festival and homecoming account.

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Source passages to read on this page

Read the selected passages in English below. Translation, commentary and handbook guidance are labeled separately; the adjacent links let you check the source.

Devī Bhāgavata Purāṇa 3.26.1–8, 12–17, 25–27

Janamejaya asks Vyāsa about Navarātra. Seasonal illness and fasting belong to the historical account; they are not medical advice.

Reference: Swami Vijñānānanda; English translation, early twentieth century (archive edition dated 1921). Check the cited passage or chapter →

English translation

1. Janamejaya said :-- “O Best of the Brāhmins! What are men to do in the time of Navarātra? Especially in the Navarātra ceremony during the autumnal season how is the ceremony to be performed? Kindly relate all this with the prescribed rules and regulations.

2. O intelligent one! What are the fruits therein of the Navarātra ceremony? and what are the rules to be observed? Kindly describe all these to me.”

3-5. Vyāsa said :-- O king! Hear about the vow of auspicious Navarātra. This has to be performed with loving devotion in the vernal season; but its special season is autumn. The two seasons, autumn and spring, are famous as the teeth of Yama, the God of Death; and these are the two seasons, very hard for the persons to cross over. Therefore every goodfaring man should everywhere perform this vow very carefully.

6-8. O king! The people are very much afflicted with various terrible diseases in these two seasons autumn and spring and many lose their lives during these portions of the year. Therefore the wise should unquestionably worship with great devotion the Candikā Devī in these auspicious months of Caitra and Āśvin.

12-17. One should invite then, those Brāhmins, that observe fully the customs and usages, who are self restrained and versed in the Vedas and Vedāṅgas, especially those who are skilled in the ceremony of worshipping the Devī. Next, in the Pratipad tithi (the first day of the bright half), one should take one’s morning ablutions in a river, or in a lake, tank or a well or in one’s own residence, according to rules, and one should perform one’s every day practices of Sandhyā Bandanam. Afterwards he should appoint the Brāhmins and give them water for washing their feet and Arghya (offerings of grass, rice, etc.,) and Madhuparka (an oblation of honey and milk, etc.) and give then, as his means permit, clothings and ornaments to them. If he happens to be rich, he should never show his miserliness here in making these gifts; for if the Brāhmins be satisfied, they will try their best to make the ceremony a complete success. O king! The Canḍī paths (the reading of the book called Canḍī) and Bhāgavata paths (the reading of some portions of the book named Bhāgavat) are done on this occasion, for the satisfaction of the Goddess; and either nine Brāhmins or five or three or at least one Brāhmin should be appointed for the purpose. Moreover one other Brāhmin, of a restrained and calm nature, is to be appointed, who would observe the fasting on the day previous (pārāyaṇa). All these being done, the able man is to perform the ceremony preparatory to the solemn Devī worship, (in which the priest utters the Vedīc mantra Svasti-vācana, Svasti na Indro vriddhaśravāh, etc.). Om Hrīm Śrīm Dūm Dūrgāyai namah is the nine lettered Dūrgā mantra.

25. On the previous night, one should observe fasting, or on the previous day one should take only one meal of Habiṣyānna (boiled rice and ghee) and on the next day one should make a Saṅkalpa (an avowal of the purpose to perform a rite) and then begin worship.

26. One should pray before the Goddess thus, “O Mother, Mother of the World! I will perform this excellent Navarātra vow; be pleased to help me in every respect.”

27. One is to observe, as far as possible, all the rules enjoined in this vow and then utter the mantras and do the worship according to the prescribe rules.

Public-domain historical translation; numbered groups and continuation paragraphs retained.