I also wanted to second 910's request. By the grace of Chinnamasta Devi, I pray that Her kavacham, etc. shall be made available here soon! Thank you for all of your work. The Matangi navaratri articles were indispensable & have made for amazing, powerful sadhana.

In "Vasishta Yoga" Book 3 there is Chapter 68 " The Story of the demoness Karkati, Visuchika (Cholera) and Suchi (Needle); Her Tapas" Chapter". It says that the rakshasi Karkati (huge as a mountain) performed tapas and asked Brahma for a wish to turn into a thin little needle (cholera germ) and cause people suffering. Appearing before her, Brahma fulfilled her wish. But I warned you: " The god pronounced “Be it so,” and added, “You will be like a pin (Suchi) and you shall be called choleric pain (Vishuchika) because you give pain to all bodies. You shall be the cruel cause of acute pain to all living beings, particularly to the intemperate and hard-working fools and loose libertines who are destined to be your devoted victims. Moreover shall you molest the dwellers of unhealthy districts, and the practitioners of malpractices by entering their hearts with your infectious breath, and by disturbing their sleep and deranging the liver and other intestinal parts of the body. You shall be of the form of wind (in the bowels) and cause bile and flatulence under the different names of colic diseases, and attack the intemperate both among the wise and unwise. The wise, when attacked by you, will be healed by repeating this magical mantra, which I will here propound for their benefit.” विषूचिकाभिधाना सा नाम्नाप्यन्यायबाधिका । तस्या मन्त्रः । ॐह्रींह्रांरींरां विष्णुशक्तये नमः । ॐनमो भगवति विष्णुशक्तिमेनां ॐहरहर नयनय पचपच मथमथ उत्सादय दूरेकुरु स्वाहा हिमवन्तं गच्छ जीव सः सः सः चन्द्रमण्डलगतोऽसि स्वाहा । इति मन्त्री महामन्त्रं न्यस्य वामकरोदरे । मार्जयेदातुराकारं तेन हस्तेन संयुतः ॥ १४ ॥ iṣūcikābhidhānā sā nāmnāpyanyāyabādhikā | tasyā mantraḥ | oṃhrīṃhrāṃrīṃrāṃ viṣṇuśaktaye namaḥ | oṃnamo bhagavati viṣṇuśaktimenāṃ oṃharahara nayanaya pacapaca mathamatha utsādaya dūrekuru svāhā himavantaṃ gaccha jīva saḥ saḥ saḥ candramaṇḍalagato'si svāhā | iti mantrī mahāmantraṃ nyasya vāmakarodare | mārjayedāturākāraṃ tena hastena saṃyutaḥ || 14 || “The mantra runs thus: ‘There lives Karkati, the rakshasi, in the north of the snowy mountain. Her name is Vishuchika, and it is for repelling her power that I repeat this mantra. Om, I bow to hring, hrang and ring, rang (the powers of Vishnu) and invoke the Vaishnavi powers to remove, destroy, root out, drive away this choleric pain far beyond the Himalayas, and afar to the orb of the moon. Om and swaha, be it so.’ ” This story says that the Rakshasas come up with new ways to appear on earth, and with the help of tapas and ask Brahma for new types of microbes and viruses. Keep your mind and body pure, don't panic and don't show fear, chant mantras to ward off the rakshasas that take form in the form of bacteria and viruses.

You can look up the Sanskrit dictionary available online for a Verbatim meaning. You may need to split some of the sandhied words and this may need some Sanskrit expertise. We have provided what comes with the Kavacam. There is no harm in using another dhyāna śloka, if wish to add to the list. I would however not recommend substituting what has been given. The current explanation should suffice for this śloka.

Hello, Sir! I have a question regarding the dhyana verse of this kavacham. I usually use the verse which starts with "raktakalambaram" to visualise Balambika during japa and prayers. Can I use that dhyana verse instead of the one in this kavacham before reciting the actual kavacham (which begins from "kavachamarambam")? If this is not advisable, could you kindly give a verbatim translation of the dhyana verse in this kavacham? It would be incredibly useful for someone like myself who has not learnt Sanskrit. Apologies for my deficiencies. Would sincerely appreciate your help. Many thanks.

It requires an initiation and a commitment to follow the proper procedures. She is considered as a Mahāvidyā by some Tantras and the suggested methods of worship should be followed.

The Śastras forbid it, but it is being performed these days, based on family considerations and circumstances. Only priests with a reformed mindset help with the rituals.

It is better to read and chant the mantra and understand its meaning. Later on, if meditated on the meaning of the sloka, it will give immense benefit. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ORpOwrIEgGPf-VPBX6NHw0fL_iVPrYmg/view?usp=drivesdk Try this link, you should be able to download the voice

I have a question. In order to derive benefits of some of these slokas, does one have to chant the sloka itself or do the meditation as described in the actual sloka? For example, in this 18th sloka, it describes meditation on the red form of Lalita, and the redness saturating the skies/universe/earth, etc. And meditation on this crimson hue, gains benefits. So, for example, if one wanted to gain benefits of this particular sloka, does one have to chant the actual sloka, or do the meditation on her red form as Shankara actually describes? Or both? Thank you

Hi is it acceptable or not for daughters to perform the final rites for there parents if they are not married and no under the menstrual cycle?