Shri Durgayai Namaha: 5 Powerful Benefits

Benefits of Chanting Shri Durgayai Namaha

• Brings material prosperity and protection
• Enhances spiritual progress and devotion
• Grants mental peace and emotional stability
• Removes negative energies and obstacles
• Opens the path to liberation through Durga’s mercy

Shri Durgayai Namaha: The simplest and most effective Durga Mantra

One needs to understand the serious consequences of chanting Beeja mantras, especially, without the guidance of a guru. Well, each of our life problems whether material or spiritual can be compared to a disease, and a mantra (especially with Beejaksharas) is like a powerful chemical composition used to treat our condition.

Guru is the doctor who prescribes the mantra remedy for our problems. While mantras are freely available on the internet just as medicines lie openly in the chemist’s shop, one needs a Guru’s expert guidance before experimenting with any mantra. An incompatible mantra can do more harm than good, just as medicines can prove counterproductive when used in wrong combinations, especially if food habits and lifestyle are impure.

So what mantras can an ordinary man chant? Well, Nama mantras or names of the Lord can be chanted by anybody and everybody.

In this article, I shall share a Durga mantra that is safe to chant, irrespective of your food habits, or lifestyle. Let’s delve in-

Breakdown of Shri Durgayai Namah Mantra

Let’s break down this Sanskrit  mantra into its syllables to see what they mean.

1) Shree: The term Shri is used to address someone respectfully. It is the Sanskrit translation for the English word ‘honourable’. With regards to Durga Devi, the universal mother, it becomes important to include this syllable, showing respect and admiration towards the deity.

Shree also refers to goddess Lakshmi (also called Sridevi), the chief consort of Lord Vishnu. Thus including Shree in the mantra, brings the combined blessings of the two goddesses.

2) Durgayai: Durgayai is a compound of two sanskrit words, Durga and Yai, which together means ‘to Durga’ or ‘For Durga:

This syllable forms the essence of the mantra. The word Durga is as mysterious to interpret and know as the goddess herself. Durga comes from the sanskrit root  word Durg which means a fort. The empress who presides over this fort is called Durga.

A fort or Durg is impenetrable, built at a towering height. Hence most famous emperors established their capitals in well guarded forts, making them almost unconquerable strategically. Devi Durga embodies a fort qualitatively.

Her presence, mighty as a fort, intimidated the aggressors even before the war commenced.

Yet, many legends say she derived the name after slaying a demon called Durg. 

Finally Namaha means “Bow to” or “salutations” forming an integral part of most vedic mantras.

Benefits of chanting Shri Durgayai Mantra

The reciter develops devotion towards Durga Devi and enjoys material blessings such as fame, prosperity, good progeny, protection from negative energies, health, etc. However, these boons are temporary and their duration depends on your sincerity and karmic baggage.

Symbolism of Durga Devi: The Queen of the Material Universe

Material life is an impenetrable fort or Durg guarded by five chief demons of lust, anger, greed, envy and attachment. Countless creatures personifying  the varied types of life problems roam about freely in search of their prey, symbolizing a living entity. The jeeva aimlessly wanders in this fort and tackles the various impediments.

Seeking material boons from deities is like getting bonus points and boosters to temporarily escape the danger points encountered in our journey. However these are doses of euphoria which fizzle away shortly.

Again the demons of Desire and Karma resume their chase. The only solution and respite is to transcend this perilous fort once and for all, and enter a domain of permanent joy, where fear, worry or grief are unknown words. Shri Durga is in charge of this material prison by the Lord’s will, to torture rebellious souls and reward obedient ones She is thus unforgiving to the sinful and lenient to her worshippers, who are still confined in this worldly fort.

She gives them success and prosperity in material life, just as a jailer gives perks to the good-natured inmates within the confines of the prison. However, that doesn’t free one from imprisonment.

The True Purpose of Devi Sadhana

One’s real wellbeing lies when Durga Devi refers one’s name to the Supreme Lord, the highest authority urging Him to release her dear devotee and shoulder one’s complete responsibility. Hence through Durga Devi’s mercy, one can see the face of freedom.

Sri Durga is the beloved sister of Sriman Narayana. At her insistence the Lord surely frees the jeeva from Samsara, seating him in His private airplane to the isolated domain of Vaikuntha, where boundless Ananda prevails.

Hence, before chanting the mantra, do fix your intention. Is it to remain in this material world and enjoy the temporary perks, or experience permanent freedom, Mukti from Samsara. The reciter must decide his mood prior to the recitation and then I shall reveal the process of Devi mantra sadhana

How to chant Shri Durgayai Namaha?

The process is simple. Sit on a woolen asana holding a photograph or deity of Durga Devi for better visualization. You may begin the mantra Sadhana on a Tuesday or Friday. Before commencing, think of your Guru’s lotus feet and meditate on Sri Ganesha for 2 minutes seeking his blessings. This ensures successful completion of Sadhana and removal of obstacles. Kindly use a neem mala for chanting.

Avoid Tulsimala if you’re consuming non-veg/onion or garlic. Using Tulsi mala without following Yama and Niyama, gives rise to Dosha especially when lifestyle and eating habits are impure. To know how to use the neem japa mala, kindly watch our video titled 

Chant 2 rounds of Shri Durgayai Namaha every morning and evening. If time is a constraint due to work or domestic commitments,  one should surely chant 2 rounds before going to bed.

During the chanting period, Visualise the divine form of Durga Devi by glancing Her photograph. Your meditation room should be secluded and distraction free. Because, this process doesn’t mandate closing your eyes. If your room is crowded with people,  concentration shall become impossible.

During sadhana, whenever your mind wanders, bring it back to Sri Durga’s Devi image. But with practice and prayer, the frequency of material thoughts reduces, replacing them with Sri Durga ji’s remembrance. When this happens, know that your sadhana is leveling up. One can slowly increase the rounds. Once increased, do not reduce the count. 

7/8 Questions from Sanatana Dharma

The scores generated in this Quiz may or may not be absolute. There may be right or wrong answers to each Question. A percentage towards 100 indicates that you are more aligned to the overall subject matter.

Conclude with Devi Kshamapana Stotram

At the end recite the first verse of the Devi Kshamapana stotram that reflects child-like innocence and the jeevas’ sheer helpness in the divine path

Humbly recite the verse :
न मत्रं नो यन्त्रं तदपि च न जाने स्तुतिमहो
न चाह्वानं ध्यानं तदपि च न जाने स्तुतिकथाः ।
न जाने मुद्रास्ते तदपि च न जाने विलपनं
परं जाने मातस्त्वदनुसरणं क्लेशहरणम् ॥१॥

Na Mantram Na Yantram Tadapi Cha Na Jane Stutimaho
Na Chavhanam Dhyanam Tadapi Cha Na Jane Stutikatah
Na Jane Mudraste Tadapi Cha Na Na Jane Vilapanam Param
Jane Matastvadanusaranam Kleshaharanam

Meaning:
O Mother, I neither know Your Mantra, Nor Yantra. I don’t even know how to glorify you. I do not know Mudras, Dhyana, or your divine stories with conviction. I don’t even know how to simply cry for You. However, one thing I know for certain; By remembering You through effort however imperfectly, you Oh merciful one will take away all my mental Afflictions.

With these truthful confessions, conclude your daily Sadhana. Keep this as a lifelong sadhana or take a sankalpa of 41 days or 6 months. You may watch our video on how to take Sankalpa.

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