Durga Path / Durga Sapstati

Durga Saptashati which is also known as Devi Mahatmya and Chandi Path is a Hindu religious text describing the victory of the Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura. It is part of the Markandeya Purana, written by sage Markandeya.

The text contains Saptashata i.e. 500 verses and because of that, the whole composition is known as Durga Saptashati. The five hundred verses are arranged into 13 chapters. For ritual reading purposes a number of subsidiary texts are appended before and after 500 verses. A ritualistic reading of Durga Saptashati is part of the Navratri (nine days of worship in the months of April and October) celebrations in the honor of the Goddess Durga. It is the base and root of the Shakta tradition.