What are some secrets of Durga Saptashati?

When Brahma was troubled by Madhu and Kaitabh, he asked Narayan to help him. But Narayan was absorbed in his Yoganidra atop the coils of AdiAnantaShesa. He knew Mahamaya Mahakali had put Vishnu into a void slumber.

Thus he sang hymns of praise to YogaNidra of Narayan. After that Devi emanated from every body part of Narayan and stood in front of Brahma in her full glory. She materialised from the body of Narayan.

The point to note is that she wasn't created, just discovered.

Similarly, when Devas were tired of the havoc created by Mahishasur, every one of them and the Trinity released power bolts from their body which transformed into Mahalakshmi Durga.

Again, they released their inner strength. They invoked Durga, didn't create her.

Another time, when Devas remembered Ambika for another time as they were troubled by Shumbh Nishumbh , they sang praise to her. It is then that Mahasaraswati Durga materialised from the body of Parvati. She came when they called her.

Next instant, as Durgā became angry, Chamunda sprang from her forehead. Again, for yet another time, as these two Goddesses were fighting against the Asuras, every God remembered and released their very own Shakti, that led to the appearance of Matrikās.

Why everytime Devi materialises from the body and why only when she is remembered?And that's where the answer is.

Devi is Shakti that inhabits us, the inner strength that dwells in every cell of our body.

Everyone of us has Shakti, the power within, waiting to be discovered. The power has existed since the beginning but never realized.

Only when we realise there is a power (Devas remember her and praise her), we discover it is within us (As Devi materialises from the body)!

The talent within us materialises as our work in the physical form. But first one actually needs to realize that talent.

All of it is inside, waiting to be summoned. Don't seek for the solution outside, it's already there within us. Devi is within us. Let's invoke her inside this body temple. Let's do her pran Prathishta in our hearts. Only when we do the darshan of Shakti, the Prakriti, we shall step out on our endless journey of wisdom, for nature is full of wise ideas. Nature encapsulates all wisdom. And this Nature is inside us, as Devi.

It may sound hollow and impractical, but really I have realised that most of the answers we searching outside are often answered when we take time from our daily life and contemplate deeply. Many unknowns surface when things are observed, not judged. Just that ‘observation’ is required and we'll become the observers, rishis. Let us all discover her within, because that's where she truly resides.

And hence, it's for the same reason, that while her Arati-krama is performed, the priest turns around and waves the lamp, chamara, etc. in the direction of the devotees, atleast for once. It's the acknowledgement of the divine within all of us.

And have you ever wondered from where is the God summoned to reside in the icon via the process of Prana-prathishtha? The Divine is first invoked inside the body of the priest, or the one who's performing this ceremony, from where it is transferred to the kalasha and the icon. Thus, the God is firstly invoked in the 'living temple' and then transferred in the temple made of rocks.

Such is the secret communicated via Durga Saptashati!!