The Cowherd

The Devi Bhagavatam is one of the most prominent of the Shakteya system. The Mahatmya of Mahamaya is described in this text which mainly praises Adiparashakti and the three aspects of Bhagwati namely Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati. The other major Sakta Puranas are Devi Purana, Kalika Purana, Mahabhagavatam (Goddess Mahabhagavatam), Bhagavathy Purana, Chandi Purana (Chandikapurana) and Sati Purana (Kalipurana, Kalikapurana).

This articles explores the benefit of reading or listening to Devi Bhagavatam based on the Phala Stuti, the last chapter of the scripture itself. The fundamental reference for this article has been The Devi Bhagavata Purana, by Swami Vijñanananda.

Benefits of Devi Bhagavatam

There is no other Purāṇa like Srimad Devī Bhāgavatam, in terms of punya, holiness and ability to destroy all sins.

Reading Devi Bhagavatam gives same benefit as performing many Aśvamedha yagas.

If people addicted to worldly affairs listen dispassionately to the recitation of Srimad Devi Bhagavatam by a Paurāṇik Brāhmaṇa (who has been worshipped, given clothes and ornaments), they will get as much punya as of giving lands to the Brāhmaṇas and they will enjoy all the pleasures of the world and will attain the region of the Devī post death.

If anybody writes the entire Devī Bhāgavatam with his own hand or gets it written by a writer from the beginning to the end or if he feeds as many Brāhmaṇas as there are the number of chapters of the Devī Bhāgavatam and worship as many Kumārīs with saffron, sandalpaste and ornaments and feeds them with Pāysānna, he gets the merits of giving lands and enjoys all the pleasures of the world and goes in the end to the region of the Devī. (Reference for finer details.)

He who daily listens to Devī Bhāgavatam with rapt devotion has no want of anything.

The poor gets abundant wealth, students get knowledge, one who has no sons, gets sons if one listens to Devī Bhāgavatam with true devotion.

A barren woman, or one who bears still-born children or whose offsprings never live long or who bears only a single child, gets all her defects removed, if she hears this Devī Bhāgavatam with a steadfast devotion.

Lakṣmī and Sarasvatī dwell in that house in which this Srimad Devi Bhagavata Purāṇa is worshipped.

By the influence of this Devī Bhāgavatam the Dākinīs, Vetālas, Rākṣasas, and other beings cannot cast a glance even on its devotee.

If anybody is suffering from fever and if the Śrī Devī Bhāgavatam is read by touching him with concentrated attention, he gets cured of the illness.

By reading this Devi Bhāgavatam one hundred times, even severe diseases more critical that phthisis are cured.

If after performing the Sandhyā, one reads only one chapter of Devi Bhāgavatam with a collected mind, he soon acquires the Real Knowledge.

If during the Śāradīya Pūjā (the autumnal Durgā Pūjā), at the Navarātra period, one reads with devotion this Devi Bhāgavatam, the Goddess becomes greatly pleased and awards him results more than what he desires.

This Purāṇa is the essence of the Vedas. Reading or listening to this yields results equivalent to reading or listening to the Vedas.