It consists of Chapters 74 to 86 (13 chapters) of the Markandeya Purana and has 700 stanzas. This Purana is also authored by Veda Vyasa and is a medium sized Purana.
The stories of Devi Mahatmya are as told by Sage Markandeya to Sage Baguri. He tells him that one king called Suradha, who was driven out of his kingdom by his own people met one Vysya (businessman) called Samadhi who was driven out of his home by his wife and sons, in the forest.
They discover that though their own people have driven them out, they are both worried about the welfare of their people. It appears to them that this is unnatural. So they approach Sage Sumedhas who was also living in the forest. The sage tells them that all this is the illusion created by the great Goddess called Vishnu Maya. They became curious and want to know about this great mother Goddess. He then relates to them the story of Devi Mahatmya, which consists of three stories in all of which the mother Goddess kills the enemies of Gods.
The first story is that of Madhu and Kaidabha.
They take birth from the earwax of Lord Vishnu while he was asleep and start troubling Lord Brahma who was sitting on the lotus originating from the belly of Lord Vishnu. Lord Brahma prays to the Goddess to help him continue his work of creation. The goddess appears and takes the form of Lord Vishnu and kills both Asuras after wrestling with them for thousands of years. Since both these Asuras were of Thamasic origin, she also had a thamasic form.
The second story is of how the mother Goddess helped the devas by killing Mahishasura.
This Asura who had the form of buffalo, drove away the devas and Indra from their homes. They all go and approach the holy trinity for the redressal of their grievances. This made those three gods very angry and the innate power of the Goddess in them came out and joined together. This goddess was further strengthened by the powers of the various Gods. She was equipped with arms by all devas. This goddess, mainly consisting of the anger-generated power killed Mahishasura.
The third story is of how the Great Asura brothers Shumbha and Nishumbha were killed by the goddess.
This time the gods approach Goddess Uma who was wandering in the Himalaya Mountains and told her of her sufferings. Out of the body of the Goddess came Koushikhi or Chandika. She was black in colour. She along with the powers generated by various Gods killed Shumbha and Nishumbha.
Sage Markandeya then tells of how, the king Suradha and Vysya Samadhi did penance on the goddess and got the boons that they wanted.
In the twelfth chapter of this great book, the Goddess tells that for one, who reads or hears, these three stories of her, there is nothing impossible to obtain including salvation.
The benefit of reading Devi Mahatmya several times is given below:-
Three times-to get rid of black magic
Five times-to get rid of difficulties caused by planets
Seven times - to get rid of great fear.
Nine times - Peace,
Eleven times - to get over fear of death, attraction of the king
Twelve times - getting desires fulfilled and destruction of enemies
Fourteen times - to attract women as well as enemies
Fifteen times - Pleaant life and getting of wealth
Sixteen times - to get sons and grand sons
Seventeen times - to get rid of fear of the King
Eighteen times - to get occult powers
Twenty times - For war to end
Twenty-five times - To come out of prison
Hundred times - to get rid of great sorrow, banishment from caste, Loss of life, salvation
Hundred and eight times - Fulfilling any wanted desire
One thousand times - Goddess Mahalakshmi will visit him and he will get all wealth.
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