Essence Of Devi Bhagavatha Purana

Procedure of worshipping Maha Devi

 After ensuring external and internal purity ( ‘Bahya Suddhi’ and ‘Antar Suddhi’) and squatted with concentration, one should initiate ‘Achamana’ ( sipping water thrice) with ‘Kesavaya Svaha, Narayanaya Svaha,  Madhavaya Svaha etc; be ready with articles of worship; perform ‘Pranayama’ or controlled breathing; follow by ‘Bhuta Suddhi’ or purification of the old and installing the new representaion of Devi Bhagavati and observe internal ‘dhyana’ (meditating) to mean:

dissolve Earth into Water, Water into Fire, Fire into Air, Air into Ether, Ether into ‘Ahamkara’, ‘Ahamkara’ into ‘Mahat’ (Great Energy) and ‘Mahat’ into ‘Prakriti’ or ‘Maya’, or in other words imagine transformation of the Five Elements into Moola Prakriti; follow Bhuta Suddhi by ‘Jeeva Suddhi’ or align the Self with Parama Devi; proceed further by mentally setting Six Chakras (outer- most circle inserted by an inner circle, further inserted by four more inner circles one within another) thus arranging the installation of ‘Shat chakropasthitha Samsthitha’ simultaneously pronouncing the afore mentioned nine lettered Mantra, viz. ‘Om Aim Hrim Kleem Chamundaya Vicche’ and align the Mantra to the six chakras as also touching the relevant body parts of the Worshipper concerned. The ‘Kartha’or the Worshipper should perform ‘Sankalpa’ or mentioning the ‘Tidhi’(date), ‘Vara’ ( day) ‘Nakshatra’ or the relevant ‘Star’of the day, ‘Aayana’or the Course of the Solar Movement, Month, Year, Manvantara, Yuga, Place, Name of the Performer, ‘Gotra’ etc.; sprinkle water on the self, surroundings, articles and place of worship and recite the Mantra to remove obstacles for worship viz. ‘Astraya Phat’; place the Sacred Copper Plate in position; [ readily available from contemporary markets  or draw two hexagonal triangles - one straight and another inverted- crossing each other, draw a figure outside that image, an octagonal form of eight petals and outside this a ‘Bhupura’ or boundary lines. On the eight petals are inscribed the Bija Mantras with the ninth word inscribed at the central Ovum].The ‘Bindu’ or  ‘Adhara Shakti’ or the Super Energy at the Central Ovum which one has to worship. The ‘Yantra’( diagram) is expected to resemble human body and is a mystical representation of  Devi Maha Bhagavati to be worshipped.
Actual Puja commences while seated facing east and looking at the tip of the top triangle of the Yantra. The lowest triangle at the bottom right represents Lord Ganesha whose prayer is a traditional must. The  bottom left hand side is governed by Sun God, top left Corner by Lord Vishnu, and top right corner by Lord Shiva. The ‘Lokapalas’ or Direction-wise Guards protect as follows: Indra guards East, Agni
( Fire) guards South East, Lord Yama guards South, Nirruti South West, Varuna the God of Rain and Water  guards the West, ‘Vayu’ the God of Air guards North West, Soma or Moon guards North, and Ishana protects North East.  After propitiating the Devas and Lokapalakas, Puja to Devi Bhagavati starts  by Kara Nyasa and Anga Nyasa. The Karanyasa Mantras are: Aim- angushttabhyam Namah, Hreem- Tarjaneebhyam Namah, Sreem - Madhyamabham Namah, Aim- Anamikabhyam Namah, Kleem Kanishthikam Namah, Souh Karatala prushthabhyam Namah.   Anganyasa Mantras are: Aim Hridayaya Namah, Hreem Sirase Svaha, Sreem Sikhayavoushat, Aim Kavachahum, Kleem Netratraya aushath, Sauh Astrayaphut. Salutations to Maha Devi as follows:
Om Aim Sreem Aim Kleem Souh-Kriya Shakti Peethayai-Shri Padukayam Pujaami
      Om Aim Sreem Aim Kleem Souh-Jnana Shakti Kundalinyai-                  -DO-
Om Aim Sreem Aim Kleem Souh- Iccha Shakti Maha Tripura Sundaryai- -DO-
Nithyamba Pujas: The following Mantras to added after each Nityamba:-
Om Aim Hreem Shreem Aim Kleem Souh XXXX  Sri Padukayam Pujaya  Namah
Example:                  Do                         Kameswari Nityamba                         Do
Bhagamalini Nityamba, Nityaklinna Nityamba, Bherunda Nityamba,Vahnivasini  Nityamba, Maha Vajreswari Nityamba, Sivaduti Nityamba,  Tvarita Nityama, Kula Sundari Nityamba, Nitya Nityamba, Neelapataka Nithyamba, Vijaya Nithyamba, Sarva Mangala Nithyamba, Jwalamalini Nitymaba,Chitra Nityamba, Maha Nitya Nityamba, Parameswara Nityamba, Parameswari Devi, Mitresamayi Devi, Shashtheesa Mayi Devi, Uddishamayi Devi, Charyanathamayi Devi, Lopamudramayi Devi, Agashyamayi Devi, Kala- tapanamayi Devi, Dharmacharyamayi Devi, Muthakesivaramayi Devi, Deepakalanathamayi Devi, Vishnudevamayi Devi, Prabhakara Devamayi Devi, Vasudevayamayi Devi, Ratnadevimayi Devi and Sri Ramanandamayi Devi.