Kātyāyanyai namaḥ
By conducting the pārāyaṇa of Sārdha Navacaṇḍī, one can be relieved from the greatest of calamities and diseases. It also results in all round prosperity and happiness. The procedure for conducting Sārdha Navacaṇḍī (nine and a half) pāṭha is described as below:
नवसार्धं जपेद्यस्तु मुच्येत् प्राणान्तकाद्भयात् |
राज्यं श्रीः सर्वसंपत्तिः सर्वान् कामानवाप्नुयात् ||
प्रयोगोऽयं महागुह्यो देवानामपि दुर्लभः |
तत्तेऽहं संप्रवक्ष्यामि सावधानाऽवधारय ||
मधुकैटभनाशं च महिषासुरघातनम् |
शक्रादिस्तुतिरेवातो देवीसूक्तं पुनस्तथा ||
नारायणीस्तुतिश्चैव फलानुकीर्तनं तथा |
ततो वरप्रदानं तु ह्यर्धं पाठोऽयमुच्यते ||
अर्धं पाठस्त्वयं प्रोक्तः सर्वकामफलप्रदः |
अर्धपाठेन रहितं नवपाठफलं नहि ||
One desirous of performing Navacaṇḍī should select eleven Brāhmaṇas who are learned and initiated into Navārṇa Mahāmantra. Bṛhad Vārāhī Tantra lists the characteristics of Brāhmaṇas who are eligible to perform the pāṭha. Of these, nine Brāhmaṇas recite all the thirteen chapters of Durgā Saptaśatī followed by Rahasyatraya, etc. One of the Brāhmaṇas recites Rudrāṣṭādhyāyī from the Yajurveda. The eleventh Brāhmaṇa recites the crucial ardhapāṭha (half). What does this ardhapātha involve? Kavacha, Argalā, Kīlaka, Navārṇa Japa, Prathama Charitra, Madhyama Charitra, Starting with ‘devā ūcuḥ’ of the fifth chapter, one recites till the end of Devīsūkta (namastasmai). After this, one recites the complete eleventh chapter which contains the gem named Nārāyaṇī Stuti. He then finally recites the thirteenth chapter completely. This ardhapāṭha is concluded with Navārṇa japa, Rahasyatraya, etc.
It is said that without this ardhapāṭha, Navacaṇḍī does not grant the desired fruit. Of the seven variations of Kālī Krama (kādi, krodhādi, hādi, vāgādi, nādi, dādi and praṇavādi), three lineages insist on this method.