रूपं देहि जयं देहि यशो देहि द्विषो जहि॥
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु माँ शांति रूपेण संशिथा
नमस्तय नमस्तय नमस्तय नमय नमय ।।
Navratri is a time when elaborate offerings are made to the Goddess Durga.
Those empty spaces were my silent prayers, asking Maa Durga to guide and protect YOU always in whatever YOU do and wherever YOU are! Happy Navratri and Maa Durga Puja .Nava Durga has come to our presence to grace us with her supremacy,Let us worship her with happiness and cherish with spirit of her blessings andcelebrate with our loved ones, wish you all a happy navaratri utsav to you and your loved ones
राम की शक्तिपूजा, काव्य से
"यह है उपाय", कह उठे राम ज्यों मन्द्रित घन-
"कहती थीं माता मुझे सदा राजीवनयन।
दो नील कमल हैं शेष अभी, यह पुरश्चरण
पूरा करता हूँ देकर मातः एक नयन।"
....
साधु, साधु, साधक धीर, धर्म-धन धन्य राम!"
कह, लिया भगवती ने राघव का हस्त थाम।
Those empty spaces were my silent prayers, asking Maa Durga to guide and protect YOU always in whatever YOU do and wherever YOU are! Happy Navratri and Maa Durga Puja .Nava Durga has come to our presence to grace us with her supremacy,Let us worship her with happiness and cherish with spirit of her blessings andcelebrate with our loved ones, wish you all a happy navaratri utsav to you and your loved ones
राम की शक्तिपूजा, काव्य से
"यह है उपाय", कह उठे राम ज्यों मन्द्रित घन-
"कहती थीं माता मुझे सदा राजीवनयन।
दो नील कमल हैं शेष अभी, यह पुरश्चरण
पूरा करता हूँ देकर मातः एक नयन।"
....
साधु, साधु, साधक धीर, धर्म-धन धन्य राम!"
कह, लिया भगवती ने राघव का हस्त थाम।
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18th century Marwar painting, Maharaja Ajit Singh (r. 1707-24) worshipping Durga. The Maharaja is depicted here performing the 'aarti'.
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Navaratri festival brings a lot of color in our lives May bright colors dominate in your life
May Maa Durga empower you with her nine blessings of name, fame, health, wealth, happiness, peace, humanity, knowledge
Hinduism's nine most holy days, Navratri represents a lot more than just prayers and abstinence from food.
Navratri--or the nine sacred days--mark the most auspicious days of the lunar calendar according to Hinduism. Celebrated with fervour and festivity all over India, and every Hindu community the world over.
When it comes to the importance of Navratri, like every other Indian festival, the core message remains the same – the victory of good over evil –
but the stories and the narratives differ. Even across the geography of India, while the eastern and north-eastern states refer to the celebrations as Durga Puja, For the northern and western belt, it is a nine-night festival that is observed to celebrate the victory of Rama over Ravana.
It is believed, that Goddess Durga battled with demon Mahishasura and defeated him. To celebrate her victory and Mahishasura’s defeat, the day is marked to worship and honour the Goddess. The first day of the festival, Mahalaya, begins with remembering Goddess Durga. It marks the end of the period of Shradhh or Pitri-Paksha.
On the sixth day, the goddess is welcomed into homes of people and pandals. The celebrations continue for the next few days and on the 10th day (Vijayadashami) the idol of the goddess is immersed in water.
During these days, people get together, hop across pandals, feast on bhog and offer food to the needy – to celebrate and honour the good in everybody.
In North India, the nine-day festival is observed to celebrate the victory of Rama over Ravana. For nine days, Ramlila (the mythological tale of Lord Rama according to the ancient Hindu epic Ramayana) is enacted on stage, and on the tenth and final day, when Rama ‘kills’ Ravana with his bow, the festival is celebrated by burning effigies of Ravana and his brothers Meghnad and Kumbhakaran. During the festival, people dress up in traditional clothing, observe fasts, and offer prayers.
Stage decorations, recitals of stories and the mythological legend, chanting of scriptures, prayers, and dances such as dandiya and garba are performed to keep in tune with the spirit of the festival. Families and friends get together to visit pandals and take part in the celebrations. On the final day, the idol is either immersed in water (in case of Durga Puja) or the effigies are burnt (in case of Dusshera).
These nine days are dedicated solely to Maa Durga (goddess Durga) and her nine avatars.
The prominent story associated with Navratri is the battle that took place between goddess Durga and the demon Mahishasura, who represents egotism.
All the nine days of the festival are dedicated to each distinct avatar of the goddess; and each of these days has a significant colour attached to it, which devotees are expected to wear while taking part in the festivities. So, we've tried to break it down in easier terms for you:
The nine avatars of Durga and the colours of each avatar:
1. Shailputri Puja on First Day of Navratri :
ॐ देवी शैलपुत्र्यै नमः॥
वन्दे वाञ्छितलाभाय चन्द्रार्ध कृतशेखराम् ।
वृषारूढाम् शूलधराम् शैलपुत्रीम् यशस्विनीम् ॥
Devi Shailaputri is the first among all which means daughter of Mountains. It is believed that she is the daughter of Himalayas Mountain. Her other names are Parvati, Hemavati, Rudramukhi, Aparna. She's the most prominent Devi among Nav-Durga.
Shailputri is the name of form of Maa Durga when she incarnated as daughter of King of Mountains Himachal. Shail means mountain and putri means daughter.
She represents the highest peak of consciousness. When you reach the peak of any experience or feeling, you experience the emergence of the Devi or Divine consciousness.
Praying to this form of the Devi brings strength, courage and composure.Her lustre is said equal to crores of moons. She rides on a Bull named Nandi. Her head is adorned with half-moon. She has a trident in her one hand and varmudra in other hand.
Mantra of worship of Shailputri Devi are :
( i ) Om Devi Shailputryai Swaha (ॐ देवी शैल्पुत्र्यै स्वाहा) (Do 108 recitation of this mantra)( ii ) Vande Vanchhit Laabhaay, Chandrardhkritshekharaam | Vrisharudham Shooldharaam Shailputriim Yashaswinim ||Which means, I worship Goddess Shailputri to fulfill my wishes, who is adorned with half moon on her head, rides on a bull, carry a trident and is illustrious.
She's worshiped on the first day of Navratri due to her endless glories. Widely known as Maa Parvati, she was the daughter of King Daksha, who was one of the sons of Lord Brahma. She was a devotee of Lord Shiva& wanted to marry him. But Daksha was against her wishes as he considered Lord Shiva not as a fit for a royal family. He forbade it, but she disobeyed & married Shiva. She moved with Lord Shiva to Kailash. Once, Daksha organized a Yagya & invited all the Devas except Shiva & Sati as he disliked Shiva. When Sati came to know about the grand event organized by her father, she wished to go there and attend the Yagya. Shiva advised her not to go, as they weren't called. It was obvious that Daksha didn't want them there. But Sati ignored and left for the ceremony. There at the event, she found that none of her relatives, including her father, were happy to see her since she wasn't invited. Though, her mother was delighted to see her daughter. At the event, Daksha started insulting her & her husband. It was too much to bear.
In extreme grief, she immolated herself by jumping into the sacrificial fire of Yagya. When the news reached Shiva, he invoked Virabhadra and went to destroy Daksha. He beheaded Daksha, annihilated the sacrificial canopy which was arranged for Yagya. He then carried the burnt remains as he couldn't part with her, even after her death. Since he carried the body with him, various body parts fell at different places. These places later became 52 Shakti-peethas. In her next birth, Sati born as the daughter of Himalaya & was named as Shailaputri. In this birth again, she married Lord Shiva. She is considered an embodiment of Shakti.
2. Brahmcharini Puja on Second Day of Navratri :
ॐ देवी ब्रह्मचारिण्यै नमः॥
दधाना कर पद्माभ्यामक्षमाला कमण्डलू।
देवी प्रसीदतु मयि ब्रह्मचारिण्यनुत्तमा॥
Brahmcharini is form of Maa Durga when she was incarnated as the daughter of King Daksh. Her name was sati in that incarnation and her unmarried form is worshipped as Brahmcharini Devi.She has rosary (Mala) and Kamandalu in her lotus hands. She gives eternal bliss by knowledge of Supreme Self (God).
we worship Maa Brahmacharini. Maa walks naked feet with a Rudraksha mala in one hand and a sacred Kamandalu in the other. The meditative form of this goddess symbolizes Goddess Parvati when she engaged in her deep meditation to please Lord Shiva. As compiled above that Sati immolated herself, she took birth as Parvati. When Parvati grew up, Narad Muni visited her. He told her about her previous incarnation and she has a chance to marry Lord Shiva by following the path of devotion & penance. Determined to marry Shiva, Parvati commenced for a challenging journey of penance and mortification. For the initial thousand years, she ate only fruits & flowers. After that, she ate only vegetables for thousands of years. For 350, she ate fallen leaves of trees. She slept on the land under an open sky for years.
She earned the name Brahmacharini, which means one who follows the path of penance. Finally, she gave up eating leaves as well and continued penance without food & water for thousands of years. Thousands of years of self-mortification had made her too weak & frail. The news of her penance was spread everywhere. It makes Lord Brahma appeared in front of Parvati. He said that no one had observed penance like the way she had. Her devotion to Shiva was pure and untouchable. He blessed that in this birth, she would have Lord Shiva as her husband. After this, she was known as Maa Brahmacharini. Later, her austere pursuit drew the attention of Shiva. He met her in disguised form & asked her wish.
When she revealed, he tried to discourage her by many ways. But, Parvati refused to listen and insisted on her resolve. Shiva finally accepted her as her wife. She's also known as Uma, Aparna.
Mantra for worship of Devi Brahmcharini are :( i ) Om Devi Brahmcharinyai Namah (ॐ देवी ब्रह्म्चरिण्यै नमः) (Do 108 recitation of this mantra)( ii ) Dadhaanaa Kar Padmaabhyaamakshmala Kamandaloo | Devi Prasidatu Mayi Brahmcharinyanuttamaa.Which means, O Goddess Brahmcharini, who holds rosary and Kamandalu in her hands, please on me. A devotee who is eager to know God, who want knowledge, he should worship Devi Brahmcharini on the second day of Navratri.
3. Chandraghanta Puja on Third Day of Navratri :
ॐ देवी चन्द्रघण्टायै नमः॥
पिण्डज प्रवरारूढा चण्डकोपास्त्रकैर्युता।
प्रसादं तनुते मह्यम् चन्द्रघण्टेति विश्रुता॥
Chandraghanta is form of Maa Durga who rides on Tiger. She holds a Gong (big bell) and adorned with half moon on head.
She’s known to give her devotees the courage & strength to fight challenges. One can open the door to great respect, fame & glory by worshipping avatar of Maa Durga. Story of the 3rd incarnation, Parvati was practicing penance for Lord Shiva. Shiva finally appeared, he agreed for the marriage. On the marriage day, Shiva reached King Himavan’s palace in a most terrorizing form along with the strangest marriage procession.
His procession consisted of ghosts, sages, goblins, ganas, ghouls, aghoris and Shivganas and many more. His body was smeared with ash, with hundreds of snakes
around his neck and in the matted locks of his unkempt hair. Upon seeing this terrorizing form of Shiva, Parvati’s mother & relatives fainted in terror. Parvati appeared to Shiva and saw her fearsome form, she transformed herself into Maa Chandraghanta to save her parents & family members.
Her complexion is golden, and she possesses 10 arms. In her 9 arms, she wields trident, lotus, sword, bow, arrow, mace, bell, kamandalu & goad while her 10th hand is for the blessings to her devotees. She rides a lion. She prayed, persuaded Shiva to re-appear in a charming form. Upon listening to the goddess, Shiva re-appeared in a charming form decorated with countless jewels. Parvati revived her parents & family members. And Shiva & Parvati marriage was solemnized as per rituals & made promises to one another. Today, we celebrate the day of their marriage as Maha Shivratri every year. By the grace of Maa Chadraghanta, all the sins, distress, physical sufferings, mental tribulations are eradicated. Riding on the lion, she exudes fearlessness to her devotees.
People who worship Maa develop an aura of divine splendor. Theirs emit invisible power-waves which exercise a great impact on those whoever comes in contact. It is said that they easily achieve success in every walk of life. Maa is always ready to destroy the wicked being but to a devotee, she always appears as the kind & passionate mother showering love, peace & prosperity.
Mantra for worship of Devi Chandraghanta is as follows :( i ) Om Devi Chandraghantayayi Namah (ॐ देवी चन्द्रघन्टायै नमः) (Do 108 recitation of this mantra)( ii ) Pindaj Pravaarudh chandkopastrkairyuta | Prasadam Tanute Madhyam Chandraghanteti vishrutaa ||Which means, O Goddess Chandraghanta, who rides on Tiger, angry on enemies, holds many weapons in 10 hands, please on me.Devotees who have many enemies and obstacles in their life, should worship Devi Chandraghanta on third day of Navratri. Goddess Chandraghanta then destroy all obstacles and fears of devotee and destroy enemies and demons.
4. Kushmanda Puja on Fourth Day of Navratri :
ॐ देवी कूष्माण्डायै नमः॥
सुरासम्पूर्ण कलशं रुधिराप्लुतमेव च।
दधाना हस्तपद्माभ्यां कूष्माण्डा शुभदास्तु मे॥
Kushmanda is the form of Goddess Durga which creates universe. Goddess Kushmanda rides on Lion. She hold weapons in her seven hands, holds rosary in eighth hand.
Maa is credited with creating the world with her divine smile, known as Smiling Devi by devotees. Maa’s name is made of 3 words; “Ku” means a little, “Ushma” means warmth/energy, ... “Anda” means egg. The veritable source of Shakti itself resides in the core of the Sun. It’s said that when the universe was non-existent & darkness was everywhere, she produced the little cosmic egg with her smile. The universe was then filled with light & energy.
Devotees believe that she’s the source of all the urja in this universe. She resides within the core of the sun, provides energy to all the beings. She is the power of the sun, gives direction to the sun & thus she is the Sun god. After creating the Universe, she created the first beings which were supreme goddesses. One with her left eye, another with her center eye and the last one with her right eye. She named them Mahakali, Mahalakshmi & Mahasaraswati respectively.
From the body of Mahakali, a male & female took birth. The male was named Shiva & the female was named Shakti. Similarly, from the bodies of Mahalakshmi & Mahasawraswati, a male & female took birth & they were named Vishnu & Lakshmi; Brahma & Saraswati respectively. She has eight hands and hence known as Ashtabhuja Devi. She wields kamandalu, bow, arrow, lotus, a pot of nectar, disc, mace & rosary in her eight arms. She rides a lion which shows fearlessness. Her worship brings prosperity, powers, pleasures & salvation.
Mantra for worship of Goddess Kushmanda is :( i ) Om Devi Kushmandayayi Namah (ॐ देवी कूष्माण्डायै नमः) (Do 108 recitation of this mantra)( ii ) Suraasampoorna Kalasham Rudhiraaplutamev Cha | Dadhaanaa Hastpadmaabhyaam Kushmanda Shubhdaastu Me ||Which means, Goddess Kushmanda who holds two pitchers full of Madira and Blood in her lotus hands, be propitious to me.Goddess Kushmanda is Mother of Sun. She creates the entire universe and solar system. Devotees must worship her in order to get success in her creation.Devotees who has malefic Sun in their birth chart should worship Kushmanda Devi.
5. Skandmata Puja on Fifth Day of Navratri :
ॐ देवी स्कन्दमातायै नमः॥
सिंहासनगता नित्यं पद्माञ्चित करद्वया।
शुभदास्तु सदा देवी स्कन्दमाता यशस्विनी॥
Skandmata is the form of Goddess Durga when she take incarnation of Parvati and gave birth to Lord Skanda or Kartikeya. She is known by her sons name as Skandmata.
Skanda is another name for Lord Kartikeya (Maa Parvati’s son), thus Skandamata means mother of Kartikeya or Skanda. It’s cleared by her name that she’s one of the forms of Maa Parvati. .Skandamata rides on Lion with six faced Kartikeya on her lap. She has 4 arms, she holds Kartikeya in one hand, lotus in 2 other hands and blesses her devotees with the forth hand. She rides a lion, also sits on Lotus and hence she is also known as Padmasana. She is also known as "The Goddess of Fire".
Skanda is also known as Lord Murugana Is rhe South of India. He’s also the commander-in-chief of the army of the gods. There’s an interesting story behind Skanda’s birth. After Sati immolated herself, Shiva became detached from the worldly affairs & started penance as an ascetic. At the same time, Devas were under an of Asuras who were led by Surapadaman & Tarakasura. They had a boon that only Shiva or his offspring could kill them. Fearing that Shiva may never have an offspring, the Devas rush to Lord Vishnu. But he said that they themselves are responsible for the circumstance. Had they not attended King Daksha’s yagya without Lord Shiva, Sati would’ve never immolated herself. He then tells them about Parvati, who’s an incarnation of Adi Shakti & destined to be Shiva’s consort.
Then Rishi Narad approached Parvati on the behalf of Devas and tells her to observe extreme penance to get Lord Shiva as her consort, who was also her husband from her previous birth. Shiv marries Parvati after her thousand’s years of penance. Shiva & Parvati energy combines, produces a fiery seed and Agni Dev carried the seed to the Saravana lake till radiance from the seed becomes Shiva’s offspring. The heat becomes unbearable even for Agni to hold and he hands over it to Ganga who safely carried to the lake in Saravana forest. Maa Parvati then took the form of the water body as she alone was capable of carrying the seed of her consort. Later six-faced Skanda was born on the bank of Ganga and is taken care of by six Krritikas (mother) and thus gets the name Kartikeya. He is taken care of by six Krritikas (mothers), thus called Kartikeya. He grew 5 more heads to end an argument of in between her mothers.. He grew up handsome, powerful & intelligent. He once asked Brahma about the meaning of OM (ॐ), Brahma explained the meaning in 12000 verse.
Then he asked his father about the same, Shiva explained the meaning of 1.2 million. But he was not satisfied and he himself explained its meaning in 120 million verses. He rides a peacock. He is also known as Murugan, Kumara, Subrahmanya. Maa Skandamata is worshipped as the mother of a supremely gifted child. When a devotee. When the devotee worships her, Lord Skanda, her son in her lap, is automatically worshipped. Thus, the devotee happens to enjoy the grace of Skandamata along with the grace of Lord Skanda.
The mantra for worship of Goddess Skandamata is ( i ) Om Devi Skandmatayayi Namah (ॐ देवी स्कन्दमातायै नमः)(Do 108 recitation of this mantra)( ii ) Sinhaasangataam Nityam Padmaanchit Kardwayaa | Shubhdaastu Sadaa Devi Skandmata Yashaswini ||Which means, Skandmata who rides on Lion with Kartikeya, holds lotus in her two hands and Varmudra in one hand, be propitious to me.Skandmata take care of a devotee as her own child. Devotees must worship Skandamata specifically if they have many obstacles in life. Skandmata then take care of devotee as her own child and remove his all obstacles. If a devotee worships her devoid of selfishness, the Mother blesses them with power and prosperity. Maa blesses them with power and prosperity. The devotees who worship her shine with divine splendor. Her worship is ultimately conducive to salvation.
6. Katyayani Puja on Sixth Day of Navratri :
ॐ देवी कात्यायन्यै नमः॥
चन्द्रहासोज्ज्वलकरा शार्दूलवरवाहना।
कात्यायनी शुभं दद्याद् देवी दानवघातिनी॥
Goddess Durga took incarnation as Katyayani, when Indian Rishi Katyayan meditate on Goddess to destroy demons. Goddess Durga incarnated in his home as his daughter, named Katyayani.According to Durga Saptshati, Goddess Katyayani is Mahasaraswati. Goddess Katyayani holds weapons in her 10 hands, rides on Lion. She has three eyes and adorned with half moon on head. You’ll see 18 or 10 or 4 arms of her. She wields a sword and a lotus in two of them. She blesses with third hand and protects with the fourth one. She is also known as Mahalakshmi.
In Shaktism, she is associated with the fierce forms of Shakti or Durga, a Warrior goddess, which also includes Bhadrakali and Chandika. She's traditionally associated with the red color. She rides a lion. According to the Vamana Purana, a sage named Katyayan had no offsprings. He started observing austere penance & worshipped the gods for a child. At the same time, The demon Mahisasur was creating a lot of troubles for the Devas. His oppression was increasing day by day. Hence, they approached Lord Vishnu for help. At Vishnu's behest, Brahma & Shiva joined him & then she was created from the combined energies of the Trinity when they emitted flames which took the form of Katyayani. She was created to end the sins and kill the sinners. and was a born fighter.
She had a resplendent for three eyes, 18 arms, and was refulgent as a thousand suns. Shiva gave her his trident, Vishnu a Sudarshan Chakra, Indra a thunderbolt, Varuna a shankha, Agni a dart. She received a bow from Vayu, a quiver full of arrows from Surya, a mace from Kuvera. Brahma gave her a rosary and water-pot, Kala a shield and sword, Visvakarma an axe and other weapons. She then took birth as the daughter of Sage Katyayan near the Vindhya Mountain range. From there, she headed towards Mysore Hills where Mahishasur lived. Mahishasur was born to Rambha was the the king of Asuras, and Mahishi who was curse to be a water buffalo. Mahisha is the Sanskrit word for buffalo. He was able to change his form between an Asura & buffalo. There, Asuras saw Katyayani and they were captivated by her beauty.
They so described her to Mahishasura, their king, that he was anxious to obtain her. On asking for her hand, she told him she must be won in a fight. A fierce battle started. At length Durga dismounted from her lion, and sprang upon the back of Mahisha, who was in a buffalo form.
With her tender feet so smote him on the head that he fell to the ground senseless, when she cut off his head with her sword and hence was called Mahishasuramardini, the Slayer of Mahishasura. The Bhagavata Purana describes the legend of Katyayani Vrata, where young daughters worshipped Goddess Katyayani and took a vrata or vow to get Lord Krishna as their husband. Adi shakti is worshiped as if you make a vow of fasting, would give you the husband you wish & pray for. Devi Kanya Kumari, The Adolescent Virgin Goddess worshipped South India is said to be the avatar of Devi Katyayani. She is worshipped during Pongal which also coincides with Makar Sankranti where young girls pray for rain and prosperity throughout the month.
Katyayani Mantra for worship in Navratri is :( i ) Om Devi Katyayanyayi Namah (ॐ देवी कात्यायन्यै नमः) (Do 108 recitation of this mantra)( ii ) Chandrahaasojjval Karaa Shaardoolvarvaahanaa | Katyayani Shubham Dadyaad Devi Daanavghatini ||Which means, Devi Katyayani who holds Chandrahaas Sword and other weapons in her ten hands, rides on Lion, and destroying demons, be propitious to me.
7. Kalratri Puja on Seventh Day of Navratri :
ॐ देवी कालरात्र्यै नमः॥
एकवेणी जपाकर्णपूरा नग्ना खरास्थिता।
लम्बोष्ठी कर्णिकाकर्णी तैलाभ्यक्त शरीरिणी॥
वामपादोल्लसल्लोह लताकण्टकभूषणा।
वर्धन मूर्धध्वजा कृष्णा कालरात्रिर्भयङ्करी॥
Kalratri is incarnation of Goddess in which she removed her golden skin and became lustrous black colored. She is naked, rides on an donkey.She holds sword and Varmudra in two right hands. She holds a torch and abhaya mudra in left two hands. She is the Master of Hypnotism. Kaal means time, as well as the death and ratri, refers to darkness/ignorance. Maa Kaalratri is the one who is the death of darkness. She is commonly referred to as Kaali.
Maa Kaalratri is the most terrorizing form of Durga. Her complexion is dark as night & has untied bountiful hair. She is regarded as one of the many r=destructive forms of Mother Goddess which includes MahaKaali, Chamunda, Chandi.
She rides a donkey. She has 4 arms, carries a scimitar & a thunderbolt in two of her hands. The rest two hands are held in the form of giving & protecting. She has 3 eyes & flames out of her nostrils when she breathes. Her necklace shines like the moon in the night. Once two demons named Shumbha-Nishumbha invaded Devloka and defeated Indra & his army. After losing his kingdom, Indra went towards Himalaya to seek help. He and other Devas prayed to Maa Parvati & sought her assistance to get Swarga back. She created Chandi to assist Devas by vanquishing the Asuras. Chanda-Munda were two demon generals sent by Shumbha-Nishumbha. When they came to battle her, she killed both of them, acquired the name Chamunda. Thereupon, a demon Rakhtbeeja arrived.
He had a boon from Brahma that as soon as a drop of his blood falls on the ground,a look-alike of him would get created. His blood will act as a seed and will create another Rakhtbeeja. When Maa saw this,she realized that it will be impossible to kill him as long as blood falls. Hence, she started drinking the blood of each clone that she attacked to prevent the blood from dropping on the ground. This way she killed Rakhtbeeja. She also killed Shumbha-Nishumbha and helped Devas to get their kingdom, the Swarga back. She's the form of Adi-Shakti that destroys the evil-doers & thus end cruelty. Her other names are Chandi, Chamunda. She is also known as Shubhankari as she always brings auspicious results to devotees. Her worship on the 7th day is given especially high importance by Sadhakas.
Kalratri Mantra for worship during Navratri is :( i ) Om Devi Kalratryayi Namah (ॐ देवी कालरात्र्यै नमः) (Do 108 Recittaion of this Kalratri Mantra)( ii ) Ekveni Japakarnpoora Nagna Kharaasthita | Lamboshthi Karnika karni Tailaabhyaktshariirini ||Vaam Paadollasallohlata Kantakbhushanaa | Bardhan Moordham Dhwajaa Krishnaa Kalratrirbhayankari ||This is the mantra to meditate on her. This mantra describes her form. She is naked, rides on ass. She has long lips and lustrous body. She is wearing ornaments in legs like lightning. She is black in color and has unlocked hair, big eyes and ears.She is very dangerous looking. Meditating on this form of Kalratri removes all obstacles as well as removes all magical effects created by others.
8. Mahagauri Puja on Eighth Day of Navratri :
ॐ देवी महागौर्यै नमः॥
श्वेते वृषेसमारूढा श्वेताम्बरधरा शुचिः।
महागौरी शुभं दद्यान्महादेव प्रमोददा॥
Mahagauri is the 16 years old form of unmarried Goddess Parvati. She rides on bull, holds trident and damru in two hands. She have varamudra and abhayamudra in other two hands.She wears pure white cloths. Her face is white like moon. Maa has the power to fulfill all the desires of her devotees. She has 4 arms, carries a trident and a Damaru in two. Third poses to allay fear and the last one for blessings. She rides a white bull, clothed and ornamented in white and believed to be 9 years old (the reason why people perform Kanya-pujan, worship young unmarried girls in various parts of India). She's as white as Jasmine and dressed in white.
The story of Mahagauri started after killing all the Asuras in form of Mahakali. Parvati was left with dark skin like night. This made Mahadev tease her with the nickname "Kali". Agitated, Parvati performed penance to Brahma to get her complexion back. Pleased, Brahma advised her to take a bath in the Mansarovar river in the Himalaya (Some people also believe the river to be the Ganges). Following the advice, she took a bath. As she bathed, her dark skin separated from her and took a form of a female.
She was called Kaushiki, being born from the skin of Maa Parvati. Maa Parvati regained her complexion and beauty. In another story, Parvati wished to beget Lord Shiva as her husband, hence she had undergone a severe penance to please Shiva. She renounced all the comforts and braved heat, cold, rains and storms for many years. Dirt, soil, insects, and leaves had covered her body. Pleased by her devotion, Shiva acquiesced her and gave his solemn word he would marry her. At the time, she had developed a blackish skin on her body. Hence, Shiva bathed her vigorously by the holy water of Ganges emanating from her matted hair. It washed off everything clinging and she emerged in the form of Mahaguari. She's worshiped by devotees to attain loyalty in relations & create life-long bonds. She is auspicious, brilliant & protects the good people and punishes those who perform evil deeds. Maa Gauri enlightens the spiritual seeker & removes the fear of rebirth by granting salvation.
Mantra for worship of Mahagauri during Navratri is ( i ) Om Devi Mahagauryayi Namah (ॐ देवी महागौर्यै नमः) (Do 108 Recitation of Mahagauri Mantra)( ii ) Shwete Vrishesamarudha Shwetaambardhara Shuchih | Mahagauri Shubham Dadyanmahadev Pramodadaa ||Which means, Goddess Mahagauri who rides on white bull, wear pure white clothes, giver of happiness, be propitious to me.
9. Siddhidatri Puja on Ninth Day of Navratri :
ॐ देवी सिद्धिदात्र्यै नमः॥
सिद्ध गन्धर्व यक्षाद्यैरसुरैरमरैरपि।
सेव्यमाना सदा भूयात् सिद्धिदा सिद्धिदायिनी॥
AadiPrashakti as Siddhidatri is master of eight siddhis and nine nidhis. Siddhidatri took incarnation when goddess Parvati enters in half body of Lord Shiva.Siddhidatri is Seated on Red Lotus and She also rides on Lion. She has Conch, Chakra, Lotus and Gada in her four hands. Dev, Humans, Brahmins, Demons, Kinnars are all worshipping her. She fulfills all the divine aspirations and completes the mundane. where "Siddhi" means supernatural power or enlightenment and "Dhatri" means bestower. this means she awards meditative abilities. It's believed that one side of Lord Shiva’s body is that of Goddess Siddhidatri. Therefore, he is also known by the name of Ardhanarishwar. According to Vedic scriptures, Lord Shiva attained all the siddhis by worshiping this Goddess. She mounts on a Lotus or a Lion. Story started when this universe was just a massive void completely full of darkness without any sign of life. Then a ray of divine light, which constantly spread everywhere, illuminated each and every nook of the void. The ocean of light was formless.
It started taking a definite size like a Divine Lady which was Mahashakti herself. The Supreme Goddess gave birth to the Trinity of Gods, Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahadev. She advised the three Lords to contemplate to understand their roles of performing their duties for the world. Following the words of Mahashakti, Tridev performed penances for years which pleased the Devi and she appeared in the form of Siddhidhatri. She assigned them their duties, Brahma as the creator, Vishnu as the preserver of the creation and its creatures and Shiva as the destroyer.
She bestowed upon them, their wives in the forms of Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati. She said that their powers are in the form of their respective wives, who will help them perform their tasks. Maa also provided them divine miraculous powers to carry out their duties. She gifted them eight supernatural powers, Anima, Mahima, Garima, Laghima, Prapti, Prakambya, Ishitva, and Vashitva. They also received nine treasures and ten other kinds of potentialities. Then, she created Ardhanarishwar from Shiva & Parvati, for the development of creation.
Ardhanarishwar created Gods, demons, monsters, heavenly beings, ogres, trees, damsels, animals, predators, prey, Aruna and Garuda & many more species of the world were originated from them. The 14 worlds were created and constructed altogether, for the creatures as their home. In this form, Maa has 4 arms, carries lotus, mace, Sudarshana Chakra and Shankha. Siddhas, Gandharvas, Yakshas, Devas, & Asura surrounded her to worship. The Siddhi that she provides is the realization that only she exists. She's the mistress of all achievements and perfections.
Siddhidatri Mantra for worship during Navratri is :( i ) Om Devi Siddhidatryayi Namah (ॐ देवी सिद्धिदात्र्यै नमः) (Do 108 Recititation of Siddhidatri Mantra)( ii ) Siddha Gandharva Yakshdyairasurairamarairapi | Sevyamaanaa Sadabhuyaat Siddhida Siddhidayini ||Which means, Goddess Siddhidatri, who is worshipped by Siddha, Gandharva, Yaksh, Gods, Demons etc., holds Conch, Chakra, Gada and Lotus in her hands, giver of all siddhis and victory all over, be propitious to me.Devotee must worship Goddess Siddhidatri on ninth day of Navratri because she gives the results of nine days worship.
Celebrated twice a year, the first Navratri that falls in the month of March or April is known as Chaitra Navratri. Most devotees of goddess Durga observe a fast for nine days, though some observe it for only two days. During the fast, one is meant to abstain from everyday grains like wheat, but can consume fruits, milk, tea, coffee, potatoes and one meal of sago food preparations--such as kuttu (singhada) atta and special rice. Instead of regular table salt, sendha (sea) salt is used for cooking.
Food eaten during Navratri:
- * Fried or boiled potatoes
- * Kadhi prepared with kuttu atta and sea salt
- * Aloo tikki
- * Banana chips
- * Makhane ki sabzi
- * Fruits and fruit juices
- * Sabudana kheer
- * Curd
- * Lassi
- * Kuttu atta roti with kaddu sabzi or aloo sabzi
So, go forth, have a fabulous Navaratri Utsav
ॐ देवी शैलपुत्र्यै नमः॥
वन्दे वाञ्छितलाभाय चन्द्रार्ध कृतशेखराम् ।
वृषारूढाम् शूलधराम् शैलपुत्रीम् यशस्विनीम् ॥
Shailputri is the name of form of Maa Durga when she incarnated as daughter of King of Mountains Himachal. Shail means mountain and putri means daughter.
Mantra of worship of Shailputri Devi are :
She's worshiped on the first day of Navratri due to her endless glories. Widely known as Maa Parvati, she was the daughter of King Daksha, who was one of the sons of Lord Brahma. She was a devotee of Lord Shiva& wanted to marry him. But Daksha was against her wishes as he considered Lord Shiva not as a fit for a royal family. He forbade it, but she disobeyed & married Shiva. She moved with Lord Shiva to Kailash. Once, Daksha organized a Yagya & invited all the Devas except Shiva & Sati as he disliked Shiva. When Sati came to know about the grand event organized by her father, she wished to go there and attend the Yagya. Shiva advised her not to go, as they weren't called. It was obvious that Daksha didn't want them there. But Sati ignored and left for the ceremony. There at the event, she found that none of her relatives, including her father, were happy to see her since she wasn't invited. Though, her mother was delighted to see her daughter. At the event, Daksha started insulting her & her husband. It was too much to bear.
In extreme grief, she immolated herself by jumping into the sacrificial fire of Yagya. When the news reached Shiva, he invoked Virabhadra and went to destroy Daksha. He beheaded Daksha, annihilated the sacrificial canopy which was arranged for Yagya. He then carried the burnt remains as he couldn't part with her, even after her death. Since he carried the body with him, various body parts fell at different places. These places later became 52 Shakti-peethas. In her next birth, Sati born as the daughter of Himalaya & was named as Shailaputri. In this birth again, she married Lord Shiva. She is considered an embodiment of Shakti.
ॐ देवी ब्रह्मचारिण्यै नमः॥
दधाना कर पद्माभ्यामक्षमाला कमण्डलू।
देवी प्रसीदतु मयि ब्रह्मचारिण्यनुत्तमा॥
we worship Maa Brahmacharini. Maa walks naked feet with a Rudraksha mala in one hand and a sacred Kamandalu in the other. The meditative form of this goddess symbolizes Goddess Parvati when she engaged in her deep meditation to please Lord Shiva. As compiled above that Sati immolated herself, she took birth as Parvati. When Parvati grew up, Narad Muni visited her. He told her about her previous incarnation and she has a chance to marry Lord Shiva by following the path of devotion & penance. Determined to marry Shiva, Parvati commenced for a challenging journey of penance and mortification. For the initial thousand years, she ate only fruits & flowers. After that, she ate only vegetables for thousands of years. For 350, she ate fallen leaves of trees. She slept on the land under an open sky for years.
She earned the name Brahmacharini, which means one who follows the path of penance. Finally, she gave up eating leaves as well and continued penance without food & water for thousands of years. Thousands of years of self-mortification had made her too weak & frail. The news of her penance was spread everywhere. It makes Lord Brahma appeared in front of Parvati. He said that no one had observed penance like the way she had. Her devotion to Shiva was pure and untouchable. He blessed that in this birth, she would have Lord Shiva as her husband. After this, she was known as Maa Brahmacharini. Later, her austere pursuit drew the attention of Shiva. He met her in disguised form & asked her wish.
When she revealed, he tried to discourage her by many ways. But, Parvati refused to listen and insisted on her resolve. Shiva finally accepted her as her wife. She's also known as Uma, Aparna.
Mantra for worship of Devi Brahmcharini are :( i ) Om Devi Brahmcharinyai Namah (ॐ देवी ब्रह्म्चरिण्यै नमः) (Do 108 recitation of this mantra)( ii ) Dadhaanaa Kar Padmaabhyaamakshmala Kamandaloo | Devi Prasidatu Mayi Brahmcharinyanuttamaa.Which means, O Goddess Brahmcharini, who holds rosary and Kamandalu in her hands, please on me. A devotee who is eager to know God, who want knowledge, he should worship Devi Brahmcharini on the second day of Navratri.
ॐ देवी चन्द्रघण्टायै नमः॥
पिण्डज प्रवरारूढा चण्डकोपास्त्रकैर्युता।
प्रसादं तनुते मह्यम् चन्द्रघण्टेति विश्रुता॥
She’s known to give her devotees the courage & strength to fight challenges. One can open the door to great respect, fame & glory by worshipping avatar of Maa Durga. Story of the 3rd incarnation, Parvati was practicing penance for Lord Shiva. Shiva finally appeared, he agreed for the marriage. On the marriage day, Shiva reached King Himavan’s palace in a most terrorizing form along with the strangest marriage procession.
His procession consisted of ghosts, sages, goblins, ganas, ghouls, aghoris and Shivganas and many more. His body was smeared with ash, with hundreds of snakes
around his neck and in the matted locks of his unkempt hair. Upon seeing this terrorizing form of Shiva, Parvati’s mother & relatives fainted in terror. Parvati appeared to Shiva and saw her fearsome form, she transformed herself into Maa Chandraghanta to save her parents & family members.
Her complexion is golden, and she possesses 10 arms. In her 9 arms, she wields trident, lotus, sword, bow, arrow, mace, bell, kamandalu & goad while her 10th hand is for the blessings to her devotees. She rides a lion. She prayed, persuaded Shiva to re-appear in a charming form. Upon listening to the goddess, Shiva re-appeared in a charming form decorated with countless jewels. Parvati revived her parents & family members. And Shiva & Parvati marriage was solemnized as per rituals & made promises to one another. Today, we celebrate the day of their marriage as Maha Shivratri every year. By the grace of Maa Chadraghanta, all the sins, distress, physical sufferings, mental tribulations are eradicated. Riding on the lion, she exudes fearlessness to her devotees.
People who worship Maa develop an aura of divine splendor. Theirs emit invisible power-waves which exercise a great impact on those whoever comes in contact. It is said that they easily achieve success in every walk of life. Maa is always ready to destroy the wicked being but to a devotee, she always appears as the kind & passionate mother showering love, peace & prosperity.
Mantra for worship of Devi Chandraghanta is as follows :( i ) Om Devi Chandraghantayayi Namah (ॐ देवी चन्द्रघन्टायै नमः) (Do 108 recitation of this mantra)( ii ) Pindaj Pravaarudh chandkopastrkairyuta | Prasadam Tanute Madhyam Chandraghanteti vishrutaa ||Which means, O Goddess Chandraghanta, who rides on Tiger, angry on enemies, holds many weapons in 10 hands, please on me.Devotees who have many enemies and obstacles in their life, should worship Devi Chandraghanta on third day of Navratri. Goddess Chandraghanta then destroy all obstacles and fears of devotee and destroy enemies and demons.
ॐ देवी कूष्माण्डायै नमः॥
सुरासम्पूर्ण कलशं रुधिराप्लुतमेव च।
दधाना हस्तपद्माभ्यां कूष्माण्डा शुभदास्तु मे॥
Maa is credited with creating the world with her divine smile, known as Smiling Devi by devotees. Maa’s name is made of 3 words; “Ku” means a little, “Ushma” means warmth/energy, ... “Anda” means egg. The veritable source of Shakti itself resides in the core of the Sun. It’s said that when the universe was non-existent & darkness was everywhere, she produced the little cosmic egg with her smile. The universe was then filled with light & energy.
Devotees believe that she’s the source of all the urja in this universe. She resides within the core of the sun, provides energy to all the beings. She is the power of the sun, gives direction to the sun & thus she is the Sun god. After creating the Universe, she created the first beings which were supreme goddesses. One with her left eye, another with her center eye and the last one with her right eye. She named them Mahakali, Mahalakshmi & Mahasaraswati respectively.
From the body of Mahakali, a male & female took birth. The male was named Shiva & the female was named Shakti. Similarly, from the bodies of Mahalakshmi & Mahasawraswati, a male & female took birth & they were named Vishnu & Lakshmi; Brahma & Saraswati respectively. She has eight hands and hence known as Ashtabhuja Devi. She wields kamandalu, bow, arrow, lotus, a pot of nectar, disc, mace & rosary in her eight arms. She rides a lion which shows fearlessness. Her worship brings prosperity, powers, pleasures & salvation.
Mantra for worship of Goddess Kushmanda is :( i ) Om Devi Kushmandayayi Namah (ॐ देवी कूष्माण्डायै नमः) (Do 108 recitation of this mantra)( ii ) Suraasampoorna Kalasham Rudhiraaplutamev Cha | Dadhaanaa Hastpadmaabhyaam Kushmanda Shubhdaastu Me ||Which means, Goddess Kushmanda who holds two pitchers full of Madira and Blood in her lotus hands, be propitious to me.Goddess Kushmanda is Mother of Sun. She creates the entire universe and solar system. Devotees must worship her in order to get success in her creation.Devotees who has malefic Sun in their birth chart should worship Kushmanda Devi.
ॐ देवी स्कन्दमातायै नमः॥
सिंहासनगता नित्यं पद्माञ्चित करद्वया।
शुभदास्तु सदा देवी स्कन्दमाता यशस्विनी॥
Skanda is another name for Lord Kartikeya (Maa Parvati’s son), thus Skandamata means mother of Kartikeya or Skanda. It’s cleared by her name that she’s one of the forms of Maa Parvati. .Skandamata rides on Lion with six faced Kartikeya on her lap. She has 4 arms, she holds Kartikeya in one hand, lotus in 2 other hands and blesses her devotees with the forth hand. She rides a lion, also sits on Lotus and hence she is also known as Padmasana. She is also known as "The Goddess of Fire".
Skanda is also known as Lord Murugana Is rhe South of India. He’s also the commander-in-chief of the army of the gods. There’s an interesting story behind Skanda’s birth. After Sati immolated herself, Shiva became detached from the worldly affairs & started penance as an ascetic. At the same time, Devas were under an of Asuras who were led by Surapadaman & Tarakasura. They had a boon that only Shiva or his offspring could kill them. Fearing that Shiva may never have an offspring, the Devas rush to Lord Vishnu. But he said that they themselves are responsible for the circumstance. Had they not attended King Daksha’s yagya without Lord Shiva, Sati would’ve never immolated herself. He then tells them about Parvati, who’s an incarnation of Adi Shakti & destined to be Shiva’s consort.
Then Rishi Narad approached Parvati on the behalf of Devas and tells her to observe extreme penance to get Lord Shiva as her consort, who was also her husband from her previous birth. Shiv marries Parvati after her thousand’s years of penance. Shiva & Parvati energy combines, produces a fiery seed and Agni Dev carried the seed to the Saravana lake till radiance from the seed becomes Shiva’s offspring. The heat becomes unbearable even for Agni to hold and he hands over it to Ganga who safely carried to the lake in Saravana forest. Maa Parvati then took the form of the water body as she alone was capable of carrying the seed of her consort. Later six-faced Skanda was born on the bank of Ganga and is taken care of by six Krritikas (mother) and thus gets the name Kartikeya. He is taken care of by six Krritikas (mothers), thus called Kartikeya. He grew 5 more heads to end an argument of in between her mothers.. He grew up handsome, powerful & intelligent. He once asked Brahma about the meaning of OM (ॐ), Brahma explained the meaning in 12000 verse.
Then he asked his father about the same, Shiva explained the meaning of 1.2 million. But he was not satisfied and he himself explained its meaning in 120 million verses. He rides a peacock. He is also known as Murugan, Kumara, Subrahmanya. Maa Skandamata is worshipped as the mother of a supremely gifted child. When a devotee. When the devotee worships her, Lord Skanda, her son in her lap, is automatically worshipped. Thus, the devotee happens to enjoy the grace of Skandamata along with the grace of Lord Skanda.
The mantra for worship of Goddess Skandamata is ( i ) Om Devi Skandmatayayi Namah (ॐ देवी स्कन्दमातायै नमः)(Do 108 recitation of this mantra)( ii ) Sinhaasangataam Nityam Padmaanchit Kardwayaa | Shubhdaastu Sadaa Devi Skandmata Yashaswini ||Which means, Skandmata who rides on Lion with Kartikeya, holds lotus in her two hands and Varmudra in one hand, be propitious to me.Skandmata take care of a devotee as her own child. Devotees must worship Skandamata specifically if they have many obstacles in life. Skandmata then take care of devotee as her own child and remove his all obstacles. If a devotee worships her devoid of selfishness, the Mother blesses them with power and prosperity. Maa blesses them with power and prosperity. The devotees who worship her shine with divine splendor. Her worship is ultimately conducive to salvation.
ॐ देवी कात्यायन्यै नमः॥
चन्द्रहासोज्ज्वलकरा शार्दूलवरवाहना।
कात्यायनी शुभं दद्याद् देवी दानवघातिनी॥
In Shaktism, she is associated with the fierce forms of Shakti or Durga, a Warrior goddess, which also includes Bhadrakali and Chandika. She's traditionally associated with the red color. She rides a lion. According to the Vamana Purana, a sage named Katyayan had no offsprings. He started observing austere penance & worshipped the gods for a child. At the same time, The demon Mahisasur was creating a lot of troubles for the Devas. His oppression was increasing day by day. Hence, they approached Lord Vishnu for help. At Vishnu's behest, Brahma & Shiva joined him & then she was created from the combined energies of the Trinity when they emitted flames which took the form of Katyayani. She was created to end the sins and kill the sinners. and was a born fighter.
She had a resplendent for three eyes, 18 arms, and was refulgent as a thousand suns. Shiva gave her his trident, Vishnu a Sudarshan Chakra, Indra a thunderbolt, Varuna a shankha, Agni a dart. She received a bow from Vayu, a quiver full of arrows from Surya, a mace from Kuvera. Brahma gave her a rosary and water-pot, Kala a shield and sword, Visvakarma an axe and other weapons. She then took birth as the daughter of Sage Katyayan near the Vindhya Mountain range. From there, she headed towards Mysore Hills where Mahishasur lived. Mahishasur was born to Rambha was the the king of Asuras, and Mahishi who was curse to be a water buffalo. Mahisha is the Sanskrit word for buffalo. He was able to change his form between an Asura & buffalo. There, Asuras saw Katyayani and they were captivated by her beauty.
They so described her to Mahishasura, their king, that he was anxious to obtain her. On asking for her hand, she told him she must be won in a fight. A fierce battle started. At length Durga dismounted from her lion, and sprang upon the back of Mahisha, who was in a buffalo form.
With her tender feet so smote him on the head that he fell to the ground senseless, when she cut off his head with her sword and hence was called Mahishasuramardini, the Slayer of Mahishasura. The Bhagavata Purana describes the legend of Katyayani Vrata, where young daughters worshipped Goddess Katyayani and took a vrata or vow to get Lord Krishna as their husband. Adi shakti is worshiped as if you make a vow of fasting, would give you the husband you wish & pray for. Devi Kanya Kumari, The Adolescent Virgin Goddess worshipped South India is said to be the avatar of Devi Katyayani. She is worshipped during Pongal which also coincides with Makar Sankranti where young girls pray for rain and prosperity throughout the month.
Katyayani Mantra for worship in Navratri is :( i ) Om Devi Katyayanyayi Namah (ॐ देवी कात्यायन्यै नमः) (Do 108 recitation of this mantra)( ii ) Chandrahaasojjval Karaa Shaardoolvarvaahanaa | Katyayani Shubham Dadyaad Devi Daanavghatini ||Which means, Devi Katyayani who holds Chandrahaas Sword and other weapons in her ten hands, rides on Lion, and destroying demons, be propitious to me.
ॐ देवी कालरात्र्यै नमः॥
एकवेणी जपाकर्णपूरा नग्ना खरास्थिता।
लम्बोष्ठी कर्णिकाकर्णी तैलाभ्यक्त शरीरिणी॥
वामपादोल्लसल्लोह लताकण्टकभूषणा।
वर्धन मूर्धध्वजा कृष्णा कालरात्रिर्भयङ्करी॥
Maa Kaalratri is the most terrorizing form of Durga. Her complexion is dark as night & has untied bountiful hair. She is regarded as one of the many r=destructive forms of Mother Goddess which includes MahaKaali, Chamunda, Chandi.
She rides a donkey. She has 4 arms, carries a scimitar & a thunderbolt in two of her hands. The rest two hands are held in the form of giving & protecting. She has 3 eyes & flames out of her nostrils when she breathes. Her necklace shines like the moon in the night. Once two demons named Shumbha-Nishumbha invaded Devloka and defeated Indra & his army. After losing his kingdom, Indra went towards Himalaya to seek help. He and other Devas prayed to Maa Parvati & sought her assistance to get Swarga back. She created Chandi to assist Devas by vanquishing the Asuras. Chanda-Munda were two demon generals sent by Shumbha-Nishumbha. When they came to battle her, she killed both of them, acquired the name Chamunda. Thereupon, a demon Rakhtbeeja arrived.
He had a boon from Brahma that as soon as a drop of his blood falls on the ground,a look-alike of him would get created. His blood will act as a seed and will create another Rakhtbeeja. When Maa saw this,she realized that it will be impossible to kill him as long as blood falls. Hence, she started drinking the blood of each clone that she attacked to prevent the blood from dropping on the ground. This way she killed Rakhtbeeja. She also killed Shumbha-Nishumbha and helped Devas to get their kingdom, the Swarga back. She's the form of Adi-Shakti that destroys the evil-doers & thus end cruelty. Her other names are Chandi, Chamunda. She is also known as Shubhankari as she always brings auspicious results to devotees. Her worship on the 7th day is given especially high importance by Sadhakas.
Kalratri Mantra for worship during Navratri is :( i ) Om Devi Kalratryayi Namah (ॐ देवी कालरात्र्यै नमः) (Do 108 Recittaion of this Kalratri Mantra)( ii ) Ekveni Japakarnpoora Nagna Kharaasthita | Lamboshthi Karnika karni Tailaabhyaktshariirini ||Vaam Paadollasallohlata Kantakbhushanaa | Bardhan Moordham Dhwajaa Krishnaa Kalratrirbhayankari ||This is the mantra to meditate on her. This mantra describes her form. She is naked, rides on ass. She has long lips and lustrous body. She is wearing ornaments in legs like lightning. She is black in color and has unlocked hair, big eyes and ears.She is very dangerous looking. Meditating on this form of Kalratri removes all obstacles as well as removes all magical effects created by others.
ॐ देवी महागौर्यै नमः॥
श्वेते वृषेसमारूढा श्वेताम्बरधरा शुचिः।
महागौरी शुभं दद्यान्महादेव प्रमोददा॥
The story of Mahagauri started after killing all the Asuras in form of Mahakali. Parvati was left with dark skin like night. This made Mahadev tease her with the nickname "Kali". Agitated, Parvati performed penance to Brahma to get her complexion back. Pleased, Brahma advised her to take a bath in the Mansarovar river in the Himalaya (Some people also believe the river to be the Ganges). Following the advice, she took a bath. As she bathed, her dark skin separated from her and took a form of a female.
She was called Kaushiki, being born from the skin of Maa Parvati. Maa Parvati regained her complexion and beauty. In another story, Parvati wished to beget Lord Shiva as her husband, hence she had undergone a severe penance to please Shiva. She renounced all the comforts and braved heat, cold, rains and storms for many years. Dirt, soil, insects, and leaves had covered her body. Pleased by her devotion, Shiva acquiesced her and gave his solemn word he would marry her. At the time, she had developed a blackish skin on her body. Hence, Shiva bathed her vigorously by the holy water of Ganges emanating from her matted hair. It washed off everything clinging and she emerged in the form of Mahaguari. She's worshiped by devotees to attain loyalty in relations & create life-long bonds. She is auspicious, brilliant & protects the good people and punishes those who perform evil deeds. Maa Gauri enlightens the spiritual seeker & removes the fear of rebirth by granting salvation.
Mantra for worship of Mahagauri during Navratri is ( i ) Om Devi Mahagauryayi Namah (ॐ देवी महागौर्यै नमः) (Do 108 Recitation of Mahagauri Mantra)( ii ) Shwete Vrishesamarudha Shwetaambardhara Shuchih | Mahagauri Shubham Dadyanmahadev Pramodadaa ||Which means, Goddess Mahagauri who rides on white bull, wear pure white clothes, giver of happiness, be propitious to me.
ॐ देवी सिद्धिदात्र्यै नमः॥
सिद्ध गन्धर्व यक्षाद्यैरसुरैरमरैरपि।
सेव्यमाना सदा भूयात् सिद्धिदा सिद्धिदायिनी॥
It started taking a definite size like a Divine Lady which was Mahashakti herself. The Supreme Goddess gave birth to the Trinity of Gods, Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahadev. She advised the three Lords to contemplate to understand their roles of performing their duties for the world. Following the words of Mahashakti, Tridev performed penances for years which pleased the Devi and she appeared in the form of Siddhidhatri. She assigned them their duties, Brahma as the creator, Vishnu as the preserver of the creation and its creatures and Shiva as the destroyer.
She bestowed upon them, their wives in the forms of Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati. She said that their powers are in the form of their respective wives, who will help them perform their tasks. Maa also provided them divine miraculous powers to carry out their duties. She gifted them eight supernatural powers, Anima, Mahima, Garima, Laghima, Prapti, Prakambya, Ishitva, and Vashitva. They also received nine treasures and ten other kinds of potentialities. Then, she created Ardhanarishwar from Shiva & Parvati, for the development of creation.
Ardhanarishwar created Gods, demons, monsters, heavenly beings, ogres, trees, damsels, animals, predators, prey, Aruna and Garuda & many more species of the world were originated from them. The 14 worlds were created and constructed altogether, for the creatures as their home. In this form, Maa has 4 arms, carries lotus, mace, Sudarshana Chakra and Shankha. Siddhas, Gandharvas, Yakshas, Devas, & Asura surrounded her to worship. The Siddhi that she provides is the realization that only she exists. She's the mistress of all achievements and perfections.
Siddhidatri Mantra for worship during Navratri is :( i ) Om Devi Siddhidatryayi Namah (ॐ देवी सिद्धिदात्र्यै नमः) (Do 108 Recititation of Siddhidatri Mantra)( ii ) Siddha Gandharva Yakshdyairasurairamarairapi | Sevyamaanaa Sadabhuyaat Siddhida Siddhidayini ||Which means, Goddess Siddhidatri, who is worshipped by Siddha, Gandharva, Yaksh, Gods, Demons etc., holds Conch, Chakra, Gada and Lotus in her hands, giver of all siddhis and victory all over, be propitious to me.Devotee must worship Goddess Siddhidatri on ninth day of Navratri because she gives the results of nine days worship.
When we worship Maa Durga this Navratri, Don't forget that most of our goddesses are still lying in this condition. Their feet, breasts, neck, nose broken by Invaders.
This is the condition of our Gods in a Hindu majority country.
When you have faith in yourself your will power can even move a mountain.
Force your government to reclaim our Temples, donate, let us work to bring those days of glory back.
It is us now. It was always us. We have to do it ourselves and if Adharma is not trembling then Dharma is not being practiced.
So This Navratri, remember to give thanks to those whose sacrifices made celebrating Navratri possible.
So Take this sword, O Son of Jijabai, and let the world know that Bhagwa is coming.
Reclaim. Regain.
ॐ जयंती मंगला काली भद्रकाली कपालिनी|
दुर्गा क्षमा शिवा धात्री स्वाहा स्वधा नमोऽस्तुते||
आपको एवं आपके पूरे परिवार को नवरात्रि की हार्दिक शुभकामनायें
माता रानी आप सभी का कल्याण करें |
जय माता दी
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