• Betreuung: Marion Rastelli

The Devīrahasya is a Śakta tantra from late medieval Kashmir consisting of 60 chapters and an appendix. Chapters 46–60 are dedicated to the goddess Durgā. It has not been translated into any other language than Hindi and has not been thoroughly studied.

The Devīrahasya is primarily concerned with ritualistic aspects of worship. Typical for tantric practice, the acquisition of worldly pleasures (bhukti) is as—or even more—important than ultimate liberation (mukti).

The Durgāpañcāṅga, (chapters 46–50) consists of five chapters, each constitutes one limb (aṅga) of worship: (1) the extraction (uddhāra) of the root mantra and the yantra, (2) the ritual manual (paddhati); (3) the so-called armor (kavaca) as a spiritual protection, (4) recitation of the thousand names (sahasranāma) of Durgā, and (5), (stotra) to Durgā.

Thee Durgārahasya covers other sections pertaining to the practice of a spiritual aspirants. It contains knowledge of the mantra (mantravidyā), the mantra practice (mantrasādhana), the necessity and regulations for the initiation (dīkṣā) and much more.

The main research objective of this MA thesis is to provide an analysis of the chapters dealing with the goddess Durgā by summarizing their contents with both translated as well as original passages from the text. Through close reading, I will focus on the goals of worship, mantra recitation and practice, and ask the following questions: Which effects can be achieved and which supernatural powers (siddhi) can be gained, and how? Is liberation (mukti, mokṣa) the ultimate goal in the Devīrahasya?