The Navarna Mantra and the Shodashi mantra are two of the most crucial moola mantras in the Sri Vidya tradition. In some traditions, the Navarna Mantra is considered to be a shorter version of the Shodashi Mantra. The first nine syllables of the Shodashi Mantra are identical to the Navarna Mantra, while the final seven syllables of the Shodashi Mantra are believed to represent the deeper aspects of the goddess Tripura Sundari. The Navarna mantra is an essential key mantra during Devi Mahatmya recitation. It is composed of the following syllables:

Om Aim Hreem Kleem Chamundaye Vicche

In Guptavati, Bhaskararaya writes that a perfect explanation of the Navarna Mantra can be found in the Devi Upanishad. The opening lines of this Upanishad state:

Sabravit ahim brahma swarupini

Mattah prakruti purushatmakam jagat

Shunyam chashunyam cha

I am of the same form of Brahman. I am an aspect of Brahma. This Universe, in the form of Purusha and Prakruti, are generated from me. It is both the void and non-void

Aham Ananda qnanandau

Aham vijnanavijnane

Aham brahma brahmani veditavye

Aham panchabhutanyapanchabhutani

Aham akhilam jagat

I am both bliss and non-bliss

I am knowledge and non-knowledge

I am brahman in the manifest state and non brahman in my unmanifest state

I am the five primordial principles and non- principles

I am the whole perceived Universe.

The Navarna Mantra

Rishi: Markandeya

Chandas: Jagati

Devata: Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati

Bija: Hram

Shakti: Hrim

Kilakam: Hroom

Viniyoga: securing the prasada siddhi of Durga, Laksmi and Saraswati

Om Aim Hreem Kleem Chamundaye Vicche	“We seek the blessings from Mother Durga who takes various forms such as Saraswati, the giver of knowledge and wisdom, Mahalakshmi, the giver of abundance and wealth and Mahakali, the giver of justice and peace. We pray to you to shield us from evil and negativity and help us breakthrough the tight knot of ignorance an illusion and liberate us.
Om	Om stands for the primordial sound that is always used at the beginning of every mantra. It represents the entire cosmos as nirguna brahman.
Aim	Aim is the bija mantra associated with Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge. It represents the principle of divine wisdom that exists in nature. It is the second most common bija mantra after Om, chanted after it in many mantras. Aim is a Shakti mantra and acts as an aid in communication and expression.
Hreem	Hreem is the bija mantra of goddess Bhuvaneshwari, one of the many forms of Shiva’s consort, Parvati. Hreem is used as a tool to call upon Shakti to promote healing, creativity, compassion and purity. Hreem is also seen as the mantra that connects the sadhaka with both Shiva and Shakti energy simultaneously.
Kleem	Kleem is the bija mantra of Mahakali, used to stimulate the divine feminine energy. It is said that Kleem has a magnetic energy which helps draw things (aiding in the process of manifestation) to the person chanting.
Chamunda	Chamunda is the fearsome form of er Durga when she appears as Chandi. She is one of the sixty four yoginis who are attendants to Parvati. In the Devi Mahatmye, Chamunda emerges as Chandika Jayasundara from an eyebrow of Goddess Kaushiki, who herself was created from a kosha of Durga and was assigned the task of killing the generals of the demon-kings Shumbha-Nishumbha. She fought fiercely to emerge victorious and earned the title of Chamunda – the slayer of Chanda and Munda and has always been seen as an icon of the victory of good over evil.
Yai	Yai refers to the one who grants boons and blessings to the sadhaka
Vicche	Vicche in this context refers to one who helps in granting the boon of perception to actually see the universe for what it is. Some commentaries also describe it as a shield to guard the sadhaka from all external influences and help untangle themselves from the knots of illusion and negativity and finally to lead to moksha or liberation.

The Navarna mantra is one of the most potent mantras used in Srividya practice which helps to harness the fears aspect of Shakti. Several benefits are said to accrue from a regular chanting of this mantra. They include improving focus and concentration, bringing a sense of fearlessness to deal with everyday issues and unusual circumstances and feeling powerful positive energy in the body, mind and soul. Sreenivas Rao S, writes in his blog: “The Navarna mantra of nine syllables is closely related to the extended Mahashodashi mantra of twenty eight bijas of Sri Lalitha tradition. Both are Navarna; as they are worshipped in nine levels (Nava–avarana), where the Devi is worshipped in her nine forms. It is described as a mantra that grants the highest bliss – mahad-ananda dayakah.”

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