Can I read the Durgā Saptaśatī myself at home — and what if I can’t finish it daily?

yes; read it with devotion, spreading the 13 chapters over the nine days if needed, or recite a shorter prayer like the Siddha Kuñjikā Stotra.

The Durgā Saptaśatī (Devī Māhātmya), about 700 verses in 13 chapters, is the central text of Navarātri. Anyone with devotion can read it at home; a printed edition with Hindi or English meaning (such as the Gita Press one) helps a lot. Traditionally it is preceded by the Kavaca, Argalā and Kīlaka and followed by the closing prayers.

If a full reading each day is too much, the well-known practice is to divide it: for example, chapter 1 on day one, chapters 2–4 on day two, and so on, finishing by Navamī. Others read one chapter a day, or just the fourth and eleventh chapters, which are hymns to the Goddess.

If Sanskrit is difficult, read slowly, or read in Hindi; you can also listen to a recording while following along. The Siddha Kuñjikā Stotra and the Devī Sūkta are short and much loved alternatives.

13 chapters, about 700 verses · Source: Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa (Devī Māhātmya)

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