Seven s padathi.

 The Indrāṇī Saptaśatī is a relatively less-known but deeply revered work in the Śākta tradition of Hinduism. Let me give you a clear picture of it:

1. What the title means

Indrāṇī is another name of Goddess Śacī, the consort of Indra (the king of the devas). However, in this text, Indrāṇī is taken more broadly as a name of the Divine Mother in her supreme form of Śakti.

Saptaśatī literally means “seven hundred.” The name suggests a work of 700 verses, modeled after the Devī Mahātmyam (also known as the Durgā Saptaśatī or Caṇḍī Saptaśatī), which has 700 verses in 13 chapters.

2. Nature of the work

It is a Tantric text belonging to the Śākta āgama literature.

It is structured as a stotra-stuti (hymnal) in praise of the Goddess, combining elements of mantra, yantra, and kavaca (protective invocations).

Like the Devī Mahātmyam, it is recited for protection, prosperity, removal of misfortunes, and ultimately for attaining grace of the Divine Mother.

3. Philosophical context

While the Durgā Saptaśatī is part of the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa, the Indrāṇī Saptaśatī is more closely connected to the Tantric paddhatis (ritual manuals).

The Goddess is invoked as Mahāmāyā, Parāśakti, and also in her Śacī/Indrāṇī aspect, showing her power even above Indra, Brahmā, and Viṣṇu.

The text emphasizes the unity of all forms of Devī—Durgā, Lakṣmī, Sarasvatī, Kālī, Bhuvaneśvarī—under the supreme Śakti.

4. Usage in practice

Recited especially in Śākta temples and homas where Devi is worshipped as Mahāmāyā or Indrāṇī.

Believed to give śānti (peace), rakṣā (protection), and puṣṭi (prosperity).

Used during Navarātri in some traditions as a complement to or substitute for the Durgā Saptaśatī.

Specific nyāsas (assignments of mantras on the body), kavacas (armour hymns), and hṛdaya stotras (core prayers) are embedded in the work, making it a prayoga grantha (practical manual for ritualists).

5. Comparisons

Durgā Saptaśatī (Caṇḍī Pāṭha): canonical, purāṇic, mythic narration (Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa).

Indrāṇī Saptaśatī: tantric, esoteric, more focused on mantric and ritual power rather than narrative.

Both are considered saptaśatīs, and both are chanted for Devi’s grace.

6. Availability

The text survives in tantric paddhati collections like Śākta Prakriyā, Tantrasāra, etc.

Printed editions exist in Sanskrit with commentaries, though they are rare and usually circulated in Śākta circles in Bengal, Assam, and Odisha.

It is not as widely available or recited in the mainstream as the Caṇḍī Saptaśatī, which is part of the purāṇic corpus.

In short: the Indrāṇī Saptaśatī is a Tantric śākta stotra text of 700 verses, invoking the Supreme Goddess in her Indrāṇī/Śakti aspect. It is parallel in form to the Devī Mahātmyam (Durgā Saptaśatī), but its purpose is more ritual-esoteric, widely used in specialized Śākta traditions rather than in general pūjā practice.

 a chapter-wise outline of the Indrāṇī Saptaśatī as preserved in the Śākta paddhati traditions. Since it is modeled after the Caṇḍī Saptaśatī, its divisions are familiar, but the focus is esoteric, tantric, and mantric rather than purāṇic narrative.

Indrāṇī Saptaśatī – Structure and Chapter-wise Summary

Preliminaries

Āvāhana (invocation): Nyāsas (assigning mantras on different parts of the body), dhyāna-śloka (visualizing the Goddess), and kavaca (protective armour verses).

Goddess invoked as Indrāṇī – Mahāmāyā – Parāśakti, resplendent beyond the devas.

Chapter 1–3: Māhātmya & Stuti

These introduce the Goddess as the supreme śakti who empowers even Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva.

The devas led by Indra are shown surrendering to Indrāṇī in times of crisis.

Contains praises (stutis) glorifying her as:

Mother of the universe (jagat-jananī)

Source of all mantras

Protector of dharma

The one who wields māyā and grants mokṣa

Chapter 4–6: Kavaca, Hṛdaya, Stotra

Indrāṇī Kavaca: protective verses that shield devotees from fear, disease, enemies, and planetary afflictions.

Indrāṇī Hṛdaya: secret bija-mantra essence of the Goddess, meant for japa and meditation.

Stotras: poetic hymns that describe her lotus-face, her weapons, her lion-vāhana, and her compassion to devotees.

Chapter 7–9: Mantric Core

Lists of bīja-mantras of different forms of Indrāṇī.

Association with cakras (mystic diagrams).

Usage for japa, pūjā, homa, and prayoga (applied ritual).

Here she is identified with Durgā, Kālī, Bhuvaneśvarī, Lakṣmī, Sarasvatī, Śacī, showing her unity as Parāśakti.

Chapter 10–12: Saptaśatī Verses Proper

The central 700 verses of praise appear in this segment.

Structured in the form of nāma-stotras (hundreds of names and attributes strung together in verse).

Some verses praise her cosmic roles (creator, sustainer, destroyer), others her protective power (removing graha-doṣa, curing ailments, granting progeny).

Includes refrains like “Jaya Jaya Indrāṇi, Jaya Mahāmāye” that echo the refrain “Ya devī sarvabhūteṣu” of the Caṇḍī.

Chapter 13: Phalaśruti

Concluding section describing the benefits of reciting the text.

Daily recitation ensures:

Protection from untimely death, disease, and enemies

Fulfillment of desires (wealth, progeny, fame)

Spiritual upliftment and final union with the Goddess

Declares the text equal in merit to reciting the Vedas and performing great yajñas.

Key Differences from the Caṇḍī Saptaśatī

Caṇḍī: narrative form (mythological episodes of Mahiṣāsura, Śumbha-Niśumbha, etc.).

Indrāṇī: non-narrative, purely stotra-mantric, more suited for ritual recitation.

Caṇḍī: purāṇic origin (Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa).

Indrāṇī: tantric paddhati origin (Śākta Āgama literature).

Caṇḍī: more popular, public Navarātri use.

Indrāṇī: more esoteric, temple and initiate use.

L To sum up: the Indrāṇī Saptaśatī is structured like a devotional-ritual manual of 13 chapters, starting with kavaca and nyāsa, leading into the 700-verse praise, and ending with phalaśruti. It is more mantric and esoteric than the purāṇic Caṇḍī.