in the cultic context as if it were a Vedic hymn or verse with sage (), meter, pradhnadevata, and viniyoga (for japa). It has been approached, by Hindus and Western scholars, as scripture in and by itself, where its significance is intrinsic, not derived from its Puranic context. According to Damara Tantra "Like Aswamedha in Yagnas, Hari in Devas, Sapthsati is in hymns." "Like the Vedas; Saptasati is eternal" says Bhuvaneshwari Samhita. There are many commentaries on Devi Māhātmya. Guptavati by Bhaskararaya Nagesi by Nagoji Bhat Santhanavi Puspanjali Ramashrami Dhamsoddharam Durgapradeepam are some of them. The significance of Devi Māhātmya has been explained in many Tantric and Puranic texts like Katyayani Tantra, Gataka Tantra, Krodha Tantra, Meru Tantram, Marisa Kalpam, Rudra Yamala, and Chidambara Rahasya. A number of studies of Shaktism appreciate the seminal role of Devi Māhātmya in the development of the Shakta tradition. In popular tradition The recitation of Devi Mahatmya is done during the Sharad Navaratri (Oct - Nov) in India. It is recited during Navaratri celebrations, the Durga Puja festival and in Durga temples of India. The text is also recited during the Vasantha Navaratri (March - April) in Uttarakhand, Jammu, Himachal Pradesh and other states of north India. It is also chanted during special occasions like temple kumbabhishekam and as a general parihara. See also Brahmavaivarta Purana Chandi di Var Devi Upanishad Garh Jungle Mother Goddess Surath Notes References Bibliography Anna, Sri. Devi Māhātmyam with commentary in Tamil, Sri Ramakrishna Matam, Chennai, India, 1973. () Manna, Sibendu, Mother Goddess, , Punthi Pustak, Calcutta, India, 1993. () Jyotir Maya Nanda. Mysticism of the Devi Mahatmya Worship of the Divine Mother. South Miami, Fla: Yoga Research Foundation, 1994. Sankaranarayanan, S., Glory of the Divine Mother (Devī Māhātmyam), Nesma Books, India, 2001. () Sarma, Sarayu Prasad, Saptashatī Sarvasvam, in Sanskrit, - A cyclopaedic work on Devī Māhātmya. Rashtriya Sanskrita Samsthan, New Delhi, India, 2006. Sri Durga Saptashatī, - Original text and ritual manual with Hindi translation, Gita Press, Gorakpur, India. Swami Jagadiswarananda, Devi Māhātmyam English translation, Sri Ramkrishna Math, Madras, 1953. () Swami Satyananda Saraswati, , Devi Mandir Publications, USA and Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt. Ltd., Delhi, India, 1995. () Swami Sivananda, Devi Māhātmya (with a lucid running translation), The Divine Life Society, Shivanandanagar, India, 1994. () External links Devi Mahatmya, Devanagari text Devi Mahatmya, English Transliteration and commentary Devi Mahatmyam recitation by Pranavanundha Saraswati Avadhootha Swamigal Hindu