Day 1:Maa Shailaputri
वन्दे वाञ्छितलाभाय चन्द्रार्धकृतशेखराम्।
वृषारूढां शूलधरां शैलपुत्रीं यशस्विनीम्॥
Shailaputri is one of the many names of Goddess Parvati, meaning the Daughter of the Himalayas. She is the daughter of the Himalayas, and she represents the embodiment of the power of the mountains.
Day 2: Maa Brahmacharini Roopam
दधाना कर पद्माभ्यामक्षमाला कमण्डलू।
देवी प्रसीदतु मयि ब्रह्मचारिण्यनुत्तमा॥
The second day is dedicated to Goddess Brahmacharini. She is the ascetic form of the Goddess, symbolizing self-control and penance. She frees us from Kaama and Krodha.
Day 3: Maa Chandraghanta
पिण्डजप्रवरारुढा चण्डकोपास्त्रकैर्युता।
प्रसादं तनुते मह्यां चन्द्रघण्टेति विश्रुता॥
On the third day, Chandraghanta is worshipped. She is depicted with a crescent moon on her forehead and is a symbol of bravery as she is known as the destroyer of demons. She derives her name from her most prominent ornament, a half moon shaped like a bell that smites all evil beings such as demons and instills fear in their hearts. She is the goddess, who rids our life of obstructions and evil energy. As a potent force and facet of the female energy, Goddess Chandraghanta claims as her own the Manipur Chakra. Symbolized by a lotus with ten petals, this chakra is also known as "nabhi" or navel chakra. This Manipur chakra embodies the change or conversion from simplicity to complexity.
Day 4: Kushmanda Mata
सुरासमूणरकलशंरिधरापुतमेव च !
दधाना हसपदाभाम कु षांडा शुभदासुमे !!
The fourth day is dedicated to Goddess Kushmanda. She is believed to have created the universe with her divine smile.
Goddess Kushmanda is always portrayed as radiating with an immense inner light. The radiance of a hundred thousand suns is contained in her, her brilliance is incomparable and she resides deep within the heart of the sun where no other god or goddess can withstand the brilliance. She alone illuminates the ten directions and all the worlds.
Day 5: Skanda Mata Devi
सिंहासनगता नित्यं पद्माश्रितकरद्वया।
शुभदास्तु सदा देवी स्कन्दमाता यशस्विनी॥
On the fifth day, Skandamata is revered. She is the mother of Lord Kartikeya (Skanda) and is a symbol of motherly love and protection.
Astride a Lion while holding the infant, Skanda, in her arms, the four-armed goddess is also known as
Pasmasana Devi ! Skandmata* is revered for having produced such a remarkable son and worshiped as the mother figure par excellence. she does not wield a weapon and holds instead 2 lotuses in her 2 upper hands.As a potent force and facet of the female energy, Skandmata claims as her own the Vishuddhi Chakra. Symbolized by a lotus with 16 petals, this Chakra is also known as the throat Chakra that symbolizes creativity and communications. *SkandMata - Mother of Skanda (Kartikey) is another name of Goddess Parvati.
Day 6: Katyayani Mata
चंद्हासुजलकरा शादरुलवरवाहना !
कातायनी शुभम दधादेवी दानवघाितनी !!
The sixth day is devoted to Goddess Katyayani, who is a fierce form of Durga and is associated with courage and strength.
The origins of Katyayani goddess are closely linked to bloodline of the sage KAT who beget the Saint Katya as his son. Eventually famous saint katyayan was born in this line. It was his desire that goddess be born in his house as his daughter. The world meanwhile was reeling under tyrannies of demon mahishasur.
The goddess appealed by the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva born on 4th Navratra. Goddess accepted the ritual worship of katayayan rishi for 3days and on the tenth day Durga slew the demon Mahishasur. Goddess was born in Katayan's house so she adopted the name Katyayani. Katyayani devi is depicted as a four armed goddess astride a lion. She holds a sword in one hand, a lotus in another, and remaining 2 hands are composed in mudras of blessing and the mudra of fearlessness, the blessing extended to all of katyayani's devotees. As a potent force and facet of female energy, Katyayani claims as her own the Ajna or Agya.
Day 7: Goddess Kalaratri Mata
एकवेणी जपाकर्णपूर नग्ना खरास्थिता
लम्बोष्ठी कर्णिकाकर्णी तैलभ्यक्तशरीरिणी ||
वामपादोल्लसल्लोहलताकण्टकभूषणा
वर्धनमूर्ध्वजा कृष्णा कालरात्रिर्भयङ्करी ||
Goddess Kalratri, also known as Maa Kaali, is the seventh avatar of Goddess Durga. Devotees worship her on the seventh day of Navratri. They seek her blessings to eliminate all troubles from their lives. This form of Maa Durga is believed to destroy all demons, ghosts and negative energies. She is also believed to be the destroyer of time and death. Although, intimidating in appearance, this Devi is benevolent towards all worshipers. Kalratri Devi, also known as Maa Kaali, is the most ferocious form of Goddess Durga. This Krishna (black) colored Goddess has long tousled hair and three round protruding eyes. She exhales flames through her nostrils while breathing and has four arms that depict her immense strength. Also, she holds a cleaver and a deadly sabre in each of her hands, while her other hands are in Abhay and Varada mudras to grant blessings and protection to her sadhakas.
Day 8: Mahagauri Mata
शेतेवृषेसमारढा: शेतामरधरा शुिच: !
महागौरी शुभम ददानहदेवपमोददा !!
Representing Calmness and absolute innocence, this form of goddess represents the parvati aspect of the
Great Goddess.
The eighth manifestation of Great Goddess Durga is MahaGauri. The white goddess, the fairness of her
being is constantly compared to the conch, moon and kund flowers. All her adornments, clothes and jewelery
are always white. She is always envisaged and worshiped as an 8-years old.
Due to Intense and prolonged nature of her arduous tapasya, the body of Sati was shriveled and blackened.
When Shiva was moved bu her devotion, he consented to take sati as his consort and bathed her body with the waters of the celestial river Ganga and immediately her body became dazzling white and returned to the fresh vitality of 8-years old, the age at which possibly the goddess as a young girl heard the words of Narada muni, which moved her to seek the most perfect of bride-grooms, Shiva as her consort. Mahagauri holds in 2 of her hands the Trishool and Damroo, symbols most closely associated with Lord Shiva. The benign goddess symbolizes the purity of childlike innocence as well as the unwavering determination needed to fulfill her arduous meditation.
Day 9: Siddhidhatri Mata
सिद्धगन्धर्वयक्षाघैरसुरैरमरैरपि।
सेव्यमाना सदा भूयात् सिद्धिदा सिद्धिदायिनी॥
At once of the world and the originator of that world, SiddhiDaatri is the summation of the manifesations of
Durga. She is the repository of all the Siddhis or Blessings, whether the 8 listed in Markandaye puraana or the 8
listed in Brahmveyvat Purana. Siddhidaatri is possessor and dispenser of all these Siddhis.
Siddhidaatri has 4 hands. She holds in her hands the Chakra, mace , a conch and a lotus flower. . Siddhidaatri is the summation of all manifestations of Durga and by merging and mingling with the energy of Shiva, she brings the world
and all its energy into perfect balance.epicted either astride a lion or, as is more common, sitting on a lotus.
