Chapter 1 · Prathamo’dhyāyaḥ (First Chapter)
Viniyogah
ॐ प्रथमचरित्रस्य ब्रह्मा ऋषिः, महाकाली देवता, गायत्री छन्दः, नन्दा शक्तिः, रक्तदन्तिका बीजम्, अग्निस्तत्त्वम्, ऋग्वेदः स्वरूपम्, श्रीमहाकालीप्रीत्यर्थे प्रथमचरित्रजपे विनियोगः।
ōṁ prathamacaritrasya brahmā ṛṣiḥ, mahākālī dēvatā, gāyatrī chandaḥ, nandā śaktiḥ, raktadantikā bījam, agnistattvam, ṛgvēdaḥ svarūpam, śrīmahākālīprītyarthē prathamacaritrajapē viniyōgaḥ |
Translation
Ōṁ, for the first charita (section) of the Durga Saptashati, Brahma is the seer, Mahākālī is the deity, Gāyatrī is the meter, Nandā is the power, Raktadantikā is the seed, fire is the element, Rig Veda is the form, and its purpose is the recitation of the first charita to please Śrī Mahākālī.
Word by word
- ōṁ
- sacred syllable
- prathamacaritrasya
- of the first charita (section)
- brahmā
- Brahma
- ṛṣiḥ
- seer
- mahākālī
- Mahākālī
- dēvatā
- deity
- gāyatrī
- Gāyatrī
- chandaḥ
- meter
- nandā
- Nandā
- śaktiḥ
- power
- raktadantikā
- Raktadantikā
- bījam
- seed
- agnistattvam
- fire element
- ṛgvēdaḥ
- Rig Veda
- svarūpam
- form
- śrīmahākālīprītyarthē
- for the sake of pleasing Śrī Mahākālī
- prathamacaritrajapē
- in the recitation of the first charita
- viniyōgaḥ
- application/purpose
Meaning
This viniyogaḥ establishes the ritual framework for reciting the First Chapter (Prathama Charita) of the Śrī Durga Saptashati, which narrates Mahākālī’s triumph over the demons Madhu and Kaitabha. It identifies Brahma as the seer (ṛṣiḥ), Mahākālī as the presiding deity (dēvatā), Gāyatrī as the meter (chandaḥ), Nandā as the power (śaktiḥ), Raktadantikā as the seed mantra (bījam), fire as the element (agnistattvam), and Rig Veda as the scriptural form (svarūpam). The purpose (viniyōgaḥ) is to please Śrī Mahākālī through the recitation (japē) of the First Chapter. In the Shakta tradition, this viniyogaḥ sanctifies the recitation, aligning the devotee with Mahākālī’s divine energy during Navaratri or other rituals to remove obstacles and gain spiritual merit.