Sri Devi Khadgamala Stotram: A Practice Text. 2004 by the Shakti Sadhana Group. This version of the great Hindu religious text, Sri Devi Khadgamala Stotram, was prepared by the Shakti Sadhana Group (www.shaktisadhana.org) for use by its members and all sincere devotees of Sri Devi, the Divine Mother (LalitA MahA Tripurasundari). This document may be copied and distributed at will for respectful private and/or public religious use, but it is emphatically not to be sold or published (in part or in whole) for profit or commercial gain. Scholars and other writers who wish to excerpt this material in their work must contact the Shakti Sadhana Group (through the website noted above) for permission before doing so. The Shakti Sadhana Group would like to offer its sincerest thanks and appreciation to Sri Amritananda Natha and Sri Bhasurananda Natha and many other Sadhaks of the Shakti Sadhana Group, who kindly provided the detailed and substantive commentary contained herein.

I devI ofgmala Stae saiTvk kkararkpIQiSwt Imt! kameSverainlya Imt! kameSvrI devta . @e< bIj< KI zi> saE> kIlk< .om sya r uddha akti mal mah mantrasya pasthendriydhiy varuditya i dev gayatr chanda stvika kakra bharakaphasthita rmat kmesverganilay rmat kmesvar devat. ai bja k akti sau klaka.

Of this Khadgamala [the Pure Garland of Shakti], the Sword of Devi, the Seer is the Sun rising from the ocean, the ocean being the Divine Mother; Gayatri is the meter; passionate Kameshwari, sitting on the lap of [i.e., in coitus with] joyous Kameshwara, is the deity; Aim is the seed; Klim is the power; Souh is the pivot.

I devI ITyweR ofg is(weR jpe ivinyaeg>.r dev prtyarthe khaga siddhyarthe jape viniyoga.

The purpose of the recitation is for the pleasure of Devi and for the obtaining of the Sword that is the power to make everything in the Universe ones own and to fulfill all desires.

[This worship, which is the ocean's embrace with the Sun, gives the devotee a Sword, a power supreme that reaches the Heavens of the remotest galaxies. When the devotee visualizes such a sword, s/he becomes the protector and enjoyer of the 18 islands of jewels (or Shakti peetams), and five continents.]

Karanyasa, or Hand Empowerment

NOTE: The material is this box is contained in the accompanying mp3 recitation of Khadgamala Stotram but it is NOT essential to recitation of the Stotram. You may choose to simply skip this part without any negative effect. The governing concept here is that only the Divine can worship the Divine. You are in effect making yourself the Divine by empowering the hands and body with the appropriate beejas (seed mantras) at the apropriate places indicated. Please note that the finger movements indicated below are performed with both hands simultaneously, unless otherwise specified.

@e< Aa_ya< nm>.aim agubhy nama.I place the beeja AIM on my thumb. (While saying this, rub the thumb from its root upward with the tip of the index finger) and visualise the thumb to be permeated with this bIja[footnoteRef:1] [1: The same visualization for all the other fingers and the body parts that appear in the anganyasa.]

I tjRnI_ya< nm>.kl tarjanbhy nama.I place the beeja KLEEM on my index finger. (While saying this, rub the index finger from its root upward with the tip of the thumb.)

saE> mXyma_ya< nm>.sau madhyambhy nama.I place the beeja SAUH on my middle finger. (While saying this, rub the middle finger from its root upward with the tip of the thumb.)

saE> Anaimka_ya< nm>.sau anmikbhy nama.I place the beeja SAUH on my ring finger. (While saying this, rub the ring finger from its root upward with the tip of the thumb.)

I kinika_ya< nm>.kl kaniikbhy nama.I place the beeja KLEEM on my little finger. (While saying this, rub the little finger from its root upward with the tip of the thumb.)

@e< krtlkrp&a_ya< nm>.ai karatalakaraprubhy nama.I cover my arms with the beeja AIM. (Saying this, rub each hand from elbow down the forearm to the top of the hand with the other hand. Repeat on both hands.)[footnoteRef:2] [2: The six bIjas form the 6 lettered BAlA mantra.]

Anganyasa, or Body Empowerment

[Now that the hand is energized, with that energized hand you are going to energize the whole body, so that the body becomes Divine and hence authorized to recite the Khadgamala.]@e< dyay nm>.ai hrudayya nama.I place the bIja aim in the heart region. (Place your right fist on your chest.) Imagine the heart region to be energised and made divine by the bIja aIM.[footnoteRef:3] [3: Similarly the other parts of the body in Body Nyasa.]

I izrse Svaha.kl irase svh.I place the bIja klIM at the crown of the head. (Place the tip of the three fingers [thumb, index and middle joined together] at the crown of your head.)

saE> izoayE v;q.sau ikhyai vaa.I place the bIja sauH at the place where one has his tuft of hair. (Place the fist of your right hand, thumb extended, on the back of your head.)[footnoteRef:4] [4: If you look carefully you will see that the place is about 10 inches from the crown of the head towards the back. But if the position were 10 inches ABOVE the head the place would be the place of MahA bindu. This is a technicality just to be remembered; the information becomes useful when one really becomes an advanced sadhaka at a later point in time. And anyone who recites the Khadgamala consistently and sincerely will surely reach that stage.]

saE> kvcay ` #it idg!bNx>.bhrbhuvasvara om iti digbandha.

I protect my body and the place of sadhana with the bIjas bhoorbhuvaswaraH om and no negativity can penetrate this wall of blocks. (Snap your fingers around your head as protection.)

Xyan vrdae vtu,anay may krutena yvat citti pacopacra pjay bhagavat r bl tripurasundar, mah kmevar sahita guru paramevara suprta suprasanna varado bhavatu|

[Then pray:] May the Great Devi, who is BAlA Tripura SundariI, and also the Great KAmeshwarI, who is One with the great and first Guru Shiva, be pleased with the mentally offered universe of the five elements. May SHE be pleased, happy, and grant me blessings.

` @e< I I @e< I saE>,om ai hr rm ai kl sau

[Reciting the three-lettered BAlA mantra[footnoteRef:6] may you grant benediction of knowledge, power and grace; and the power over creation, nourishment and destruction.] [6: There are various forms of Baalaa mantra just as there are various types of Sri Vidya.]

@e< I I ` nmipursuNdrI[footnoteRef:7], [7: With each name, one should actually offer kumkum or rice rubbed with ghee and turmeric onto a plate or at the feet of idol if you have one; or on the SriYantra if you have one. If it is rice, it should be unbroken rice and it can be added to food that is prepared thereafter. If kumkum is used, it can be worn. It must be noted that either item will be charged with such positive energy that in any situation taking a bit internally, in the case of rice; or the wearing or carrying of this consecrated rice or kumkum in the purse -- will save you in any situation. We can also mentally do the same. In which event the power gets concentrated within and a mere desire to do good to another a desire that immediately gets fulfilled. It would be ideal not to use whatever power one gains (and you shall certainly have the powers in no time) for any selfish purpose however noble or righteous because we cannot be the judge of the correctness or otherwise of the desire. We can always judge the rightness of anothers situation, and if one desires to help another without any desire of gain (including the egotistic feeling I helped him/her), the desire to help shall manifest in an instant.]

ai hr r om namastripurasundar

I bow to you, the most beautiful Lady of all the waking, dreaming, and sleeping worlds.

dydeiv izraedeiv izoadeiv kvcdeiv nedeVydeiv kmeir gmailin inTyiKe e{fe vivaisin mhaveir izvit Tvirte klsuNdir inTye nIlptake ivjye svRme Jvalamailin ice mhainTye,hrudayadevi irodevi ikhdevi kavacadevi netradevyastradevi kamevari bhagamlini nityakinne bherue vahnivsini mahvajrevari ivadti tvarite kulasundari nitye nlapatke vijaye sarvamagae jvlmlini citre mahnitye

I bow to Your compassionate heart, to Your royal crown, to Your flowing hair, to Your protective hands, to Your graceful glance, to Your protective weapons. I bow to your 16 aspects known as the Nityas, the Eternals. These are the 16 Eternals corresponding to the 16 phases of the moon, starting from new moon to full moon. I bow to:

(1) KAmeshvari [She who controls Lust], (2) BhagamAlini [She who has a Garland of Suns], (3) Nityaklinna [She who is ever aroused], (4) Bherunda [She who is terrifying], (5) VahnivAsini [She who resides in fire], (6) mahAvajreshvari [She who is the mistress of Thunder], (7) SivadUti [Bringer of Joy as messenger of Shiva], (8) Tvarita [She who is unstoppable ], (9) Kulasundari [Beautiful Lotus on a Lake], (10) Nitya [She who is Eternal], (11) NilapatAka [She who has a Scarlet-tipped Blue Banner], (12) Vijaya [She who is ever Victorious], (13) Sarvamangala [She who is always auspecious],(14) JvAlamalini [the mistress of flames], (15) Citra [She who is ever changing],(16) MahAnitya [She who is the great eternal]

The Gurus

[Here we recite the names of Saints, who are the Rishis or persons who realized the union with Devi for the first time with the upasana of particular form of Sri Vidya:]

prmer prmeir imezmiy ;IzmYyuffIzmiy cyaRnawmiy laepamuamYygSTymiy kaltapnmiy xmaRcarmiy mukezIrmiy dIpklanawmiy iv:[udevmiy akrdevmiy tejaedevmiy mnaejdevmiy kLya[devmiy rdevmiy vasudevmiy ,paramevara paramevari mitreamayi ahamayy uamayi carynthamayi lopmudrmayy agastyamayi klatpanamayi dharmcramayi muktakevaramayi dpakalnthamayi viudevamayi prabhkaradevamayi tejodevamayi manojadevamayi kalyadevamayi ratnadevamayi vsudevamayi

(1) Parameswara [the Ultimate God Himself (Shiva, the foremost of Gurus)],(2) Parameswari [the Ultimate Goddess Herself], (3) Mitresamayi [Devi having taken the form of the Guru MitreshAnanda Natha], (4) Sasthishamayi [Devi having taken the form of the Guru ShashtishAnanda Natha], (5) Uddisamayi [Devi having taken the form of the Guru UddishAnanda Natha], (6) Caryanathamayi [Devi having taken the form of the Guru CaryanathanAtha], (7) LopAmudrAmayi [Devi having taken the form of the Guru LopAmudrA](8) Agastyamayi [Devi having taken the form of Sage Agastya (one of the seven eternal rishis)](9) Kalatapanamayi [Devi having taken the form of the Guru KalattApana](10) Dharmacharyamayi [Devi having taken the form of the Guru DharmacharyAnanda NAtha],(11) Muktakesisvaramayi [Devi having taken the form of Guru MuktakaleisvarAnanda NAtha](12) Dipakalanathamayi [Devi having taken the form of the Guru DipakalA Natha], (13) Vishnudevamayi [Devi having taken the form of Vishnu as Guru], (14) Prabhakara devamayi [Devi having taken the form of Guru PrabhAkara (the Sun)], (15) Tejodevamayi [Devi having taken the form of agni or fire as Guru], (16) Manojadevamayi [Devi having taken the form of the Kamadeva or cupid as Guru ], (17) Kalyanadevamayi [Devi having taken the form of the auspiciousness as Guru], (18) Ratnadevamayi [Devi having taken the form of the jewel as Guru],(19) Vasudevamayi [Devi having taken the form of VAasudeva or Krishna as Guru], (20) Ramanandamayi [Devi having taken the form of the Guru RamAnanda NAtha].[ NOTE: Other interpretations of the Gurus names are also possible, to be used when pooja is conducted in the yoni. But those are not the interpretations to be used in Khadgamala Stotram. Here we just mention the Gurus name and that Devi takes the form as this Guru, and so on. There is no need here to go too far into the sexual aspects; thats not to say its bad, but simply that we need not stress it too much in this context. In this context it will be appropriate to state that each of the Gurus mentioned is a Rishi of one form of Srividya. They are not simple gurus, but Gurus who were the proponent of separate Srividya mantras. There are a lot of variations among Srividya mantras. But one cannot and need not know all of them. It is enough to know that there are various Sriviyas propounded by great gurus and that, as a representative list, these gurus are worshipped and remembered and their blessings invoked for this venture at reciting the Khadgamala. ]

[Now follow the Deities of the Nine Enclosures of Sri Chakra:]

The First Enclosure[Here follow the Devis of the 1st Enclosure: TrailokyaMohana Cakra.The Chakra that bewitches the three worlds.][Note: The walls of the first enclosure of Sri Chakra are generally represented in the SriYantra as three square enclosures with openings on 4 cardinal points, collectively forming the first of the nine enclosures. The three lines are respectively white, red and yellow in color. The yellow is not bright yellow, but pIta, the yellow color of butter. Nor is the red a deep blood red; it is aruna, the color of rising sun a sort of orangey red.]

Ai[maise li"maise mihmaise $izTvise vizTvise kMyise uiise #CDaise aiise svRkamise ,aimsiddhe laghimsiddhe mahimsiddhe itvasiddhe vaitvasiddhe prakamyasiddhe bhuktisiddhe icchsiddhe prptisiddhe sarvakmasiddhe [These are the Ten[footnoteRef:8] Siddhis, or Powers, guarding the white, outermost wall of the first enclosure white in color representing the sAtwic quality:] [8: NOTE: Sri Amritananda Nathas recitation actually names 11 Siddhis, the third being Garima [Heaviness]. This is an acknowledgement that Garima Siddhi is worshipped some systems; but in most She is not, and She is not one of the Siddhis represented at Devipuram. This information is merely academic, and is not relevant to the practice of Khadgamala.]

I bow to the Siddhi called: (1)AnimA [Atomic Reduction],(2)LaghimA [Lightness], (3) MahimA [Magnitude], (4) Isitva [Creative Control], (5) Vasitva [Enchanting Command],(6)PrakAmya [Achievement], (7)Bhukti [Enjoyment], (8) IcchA [Willpower], (9) PrApti [Attainment], (10) SarvAkama [Realization of All Desires].ai maheSvir kaemair vE:[iv varaih maheiN camuNfe mhalim ,brhmi mhesvari koumri vaiavi vrhi mhendri cmune mahlakmi [These are the Saptamatrikas, or Seven Mothers, plus mahALakshmi, guarding the red, middle wall of the first enclosure, and here representing the Eight Passions. The color red symbolizes the Rajo guna.]I bow to:(1/11) BrAhmi [Lust], (2/12) MAheshwari [Anger],(3/13) KaumAri [Possessiveness], (4/14) Vaishnavi [Obsessiveness],(5/15) VArAhi [Pride], (6/16) MAhendri [Jealousy], (7/17) ChAmunda [Individualism/I-ness], (8/18) MahALakshmi [Sovereignity of the Mind] svRs