Devi Upanishad: Verse 29
इदमथर्वशीर्षं योऽधीते पञ्चाथर्वशीर्षजपफलमवाप्नोति ।
इदमथर्वशीर्षं ज्ञात्वा योऽर्चां स्थापयति ।
शतलक्षं प्रजप्त्वापि सोऽर्चासिद्धिं च विन्दति ।
शतमष्टोत्तरं चास्याः पुरश्चर्याविधिः स्मृतः ॥
दशवारं पठेद्यस्तु सद्यः पापैः प्रमुच्यते ।
महादुर्गाणि तरति महादेव्याः प्रसादतः ॥२९–३१॥
इदम् । अथर्व-शीर्षम् । यः । अधीते । पञ्च-अथर्व-शीर्ष-जप-फलम् । अवाप्नोति ।
इदम् । अथर्व-शीर्षम् । ज्ञात्वा । यः । अर्चाम् । स्थापयति ।
शत-लक्षम् । प्रजप्त्वा । अपि । सः । अर्चा-सिद्धिम् । च । विन्दति ।
शतम् । अष्ट-उत्तरम् । च । अस्याः । पुरश्चर्या-विधिः । स्मृतः ।
दश-वारम् । पठेत् । यः । तु । सद्यः । पापैः । प्रमुच्यते ।
महा-दुर्गाणि । तरति । महा-देव्याः । प्रसादतः ।
idam atharvaśīrṣaṃ yo'dhīte pañcātharvaśīrṣajapaphalam avāpnoti |
idam atharvaśīrṣaṃ jñātvā yo'rcāṃ sthāpayati |
śatalakṣaṃ prajaptvāpi so'rcāsiddhiṃ ca vindati |
śatam aṣṭottaraṃ cāsyāḥ puraśceryāvidhiḥ smṛtaḥ ||
daśavāraṃ paṭhed yas tu sadyaḥ pāpaiḥ pramucyate |
mahādurgāṇi tarati mahādevyāḥ prasādataḥ ||29–31||
Jo yeh Atharva text padhta hai use paanch Atharva padhne ka phal milta hai. Jo isko jaanke murti sthapita karta hai aur ek lakh baar padhta hai, uski puja mein siddhi aati hai. 108 baar padhna uski taiyari ka vidhan hai. Jo das baar padhta hai uske paap turant dhul jaate hain. Mahadevi ke karan bade sankat se nikal jaata hai.
Whoever studies this Atharva-śīrṣa attains the fruit of reciting five Atharva-śīrṣas. Having known this Atharva-śīrṣa, whoever establishes an image for worship—having recited it a hundred thousand times, he also obtains success in that worship. One hundred and eight (recitations) is remembered as her rite of preparatory practice (puraścaraṇa). But whoever recites it ten times is immediately released from sins; by the grace of the Great Goddess he crosses great difficulties.
- yo'dhīte = yaḥ + adhīte
- atharvaśīrṣajapaphalam = atharvaśīrṣa + japa + phalam
- yo'rcām = yaḥ + arcām
- śatalakṣaṃ = śata + lakṣam (dvigu)
- prajaptvāpi = prajaptvā + api
- cāsyāḥ = ca + asyāḥ
- paṭhed yastu = paṭhet + yaḥ + tu (word boundary)
- mahādevyāḥ prasādataḥ (genitive + ablative construction)
About this Verse
- Central concept
- Upāsanā (devotional practice) as a means toward purification (pāpa-kṣaya) and liberation-supporting merit; grace (prasāda)
- The mahavakyas
- Indirectly supports the sādhanā-catuṣṭaya framework by emphasizing purification and focused practice as preparatory to brahmajñāna.
- Veda
- Atharva Veda
- Chandas
- Prose / mixed late-Upaniṣadic phalaśruti style (not strict Vedic meter).
Yoga and practice
Japa-yoga (repetition), puraścaraṇa discipline (counted recitation with ancillary observances), establishment of a devotional focus (arcā/pratimā) for dhāraṇā; ethical purification through regular recitation; cultivating bhakti and surrender as supports for meditation stability.
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