Day Ten of Navratri – Vijaya Dhashami

The day is the day when Goddess Durga kills demons and their King Mahishasur. It is a day when all the people of Universe worship Goddess Shakti. Shakti thus symbolizes power, ability and bravery. Today is the bisharjan of idol in to holy water (river) to end the celebration of Durga Puja and all devotees sits tight with tears and feel happy that Mother Durga will come back again.

This day also celebrates the victory of Lord Rama over the demon king Ravana.

This is the day when Lord Ram defeated Rakshash King of Lanka with the blessing of Devi Durga. This is the day where Evil been destroyed by Value and good positive force in form of Lord Rama.

Ravana was very brilliant and possessed all universe knowledge, but due to turning in to egoistic and wanting lust, he had turn in to evil person. Lord Rama protected Universe and killed Ravana. And in this particular day Good wins over evil. And from that day Ravaana idol is burnt to celebrate the win over evil.

Day Nine of Navratri – Siddhidatri

Here we are with the ninth form of Devi Durga and that is very well known and called as Siddhidatri. To explain the exact form about the form of Siddhidatri is that there are eight Siddhis, which means there are unusual and unique influences which can only be accomplished from rigorous atonement and meditation. The sidhis are as follows Anima, Mahima, Garima, Laghima, Prapti, Prakamya, Iishitva and Vashitva.

Maha Shakti provides all sorts of Siddhies that are mentioned above. It is very much scripted in ancient and holy book of Hindus in the Devi Puran.

It is also mentioned the Lord of Lord Shiva did get all these Siddhis by worshipping Maha Shakti.

Devi’s gratefulness, Lord Shiva’s body also possesses the Goddess and so he has the appearance and name of Ardha Narishvar. Ardha means half. The goddess rides on a lion. The Siddhidatri form is worshipped by all gods, rishis, munis, siddhas, yogis, sadhakas for achieving plus point and boons of their severe penances.

It is the last day of Shardhyee Navratri. Navdurga Navratri as described comes to end with devi Siddhidatri.

Day Eight of Navratri – Maha Gauri

Durga Ashthami is very auspicious among most of Bengalis and other communities; it is very important day in Navratri celebration. It is very well known that when the body of Goddess Gauri got dirty because of dust and earth at the same time as she was doing meditation as to get Lord Shiva as her husband. So, after this kind of meditation Lord Shiva was pleased and he cleaned her with the holy waters of Ganges. Her body changed into bright and glowing akin to lightening and so her eighth form is identified as “Maha Gauri”. It is really amazing that her clothes and ornaments are also white and bright in nature.

Her countenance is peaceful and quiet and she has three eyes and rides on a bull. Her four hands represent diverse meanings such as the left hand is in the intrepid signal and the lower on holds a trident. The above right hand has tambourine and lower right hand is in blessing style.

Day Seven of Navratri – Kalratri

Ratri in Sanskrit that turn out to translate in to night, and so her complexion is as dark as the night. She has very long, unmated hair with her three eyes that are shimmering and dazzling. She has four arms and is seen escalated on a Shav/Shava or dead body. Her right hand seizes and clutches a sword, while her lower hand is in a blessing stance. The left hand possesses a burning torch and the lower left hand is in courageous and valiant position.

She is very much well known and popular as Shubhamkari or the auspicious one. Her appearance supports her devotees to be brave and bold.

Day Six of Navratri – Katyayani

Great sage of Indian history is Sage Katyaayan, he was the son of the great sage Kat. He had performed meticulous and exact atonement and worship of Bhagavati Paramba with a wish to acquire Paramba as his daughter.

Sage Katyaayan was answered and a daughter was born and was named as Katyayani. She has four hands. The pinnacle right hand is placed in a nod of presenting bravery at the same time as the other hand is placed in a signal of giving a boon. The top left hand holds a sword and the other a lotus. The goddess sits on a lion and worshiped on the sixth day of the Durga puja.

Day Five of Navratri - Skanda Mata

Lord Kartik/Kartikeyan/Karthikeyan is also called as Skanda. As we all know that Goddess Durga is his mother, so she is very well known among every living being as Skanda Mata.

She is a deity of fire with four arms. She holds her son Skanda with the top right hand and lotus in her lower hand. The top left hand is placed in a consent sign or Abhaya Mudra. She is fair complexioned, seated on a lotus and so also referred to as Padmasana.

Day Four of Navratri – Kushmanda

Kush translates in to joy or delight and she generated or I say produced the universe with a smile. She is glowing and bright as the Sun and rides on a lion. She is very well known in this Universe as Ashtabhuja or eight handed.

Goddess Kushmanda’s each of seven hands possess the holy pot - Kamandal, a bow, an arrow, a lotus, a pot full of wine, a disc and a club. The eighth hand of goddess possesses a string of rosary beads that is understood and assumed as to give as blessing in form of success, good sense and cautiousness.

Day three of Navratri – Chandraghanta

Here we all are celebrating the third day of Navratri. We must be enjoying the fabulous days and night of beautiful weather of celebration.

Goddess Durga’s third form is known as Chandraghanta or Shakti. Chandra stands for moon and Ghanta is associated with the bell.

This name Chandraghanta does uncovers and locates its elucidation and enlightens in the half-circular moon on the temple of the Goddess that look a lot resembles to a bell.

 In this form if described well enough with full devotion and respect, she has three eyes and has ten hands. Each of her hand does possess ten diverse weapons. She is seated on lion and is worshipped on the third day of the Navratri celebration.

Her shade and tone is golden and her look is forever spreads a peaceful, quiet and everlasting peace all round. She is extraordinary and unparalleled image of courage and valor. The appalling and terrible sound of her bell terrifies all the evil and demon. Worship of this deity helps to eradicate and destroy the sorrow, hazards and dangers in ones life.

Day two of Navratri – Brahmacharini

We are here in the second day where we will be worshiping Durga mata in form of Brahmacharini or Tapasyacharini, which is Goddess’s second form. The name does seize the significance of proper and exact atonement and meditation. Her form portrays her as holding a rosary beads in her right hand and a Kamandalu, a pot containing holy water in her left hand. As by now we all know that in her previous life, when she was reborn as the daughter of Himalaya, she performed strict atonement to have Lord Shiva as her husband.

Narad Muni, the divine sage of heaven and son of Lord Brahma advised her to take up meditation to win over Lord of Lord Shiva. Her powerful and strong devotion, commitment and severe meditation for years under tremendous conditions, gave her the name of Brahmacharini.

As due to hard way of meditation led goddess to get lord of lord Shiva as her husband and this positive day is worshiped on her name – Brahmacharini. Meditation brings peace and also help in destroying negative impact and so Bramacharini is worshiped so that via meditation all can attain positivism.

Day one of Navratri – Shailputri

Shailputri is worshipped in the first night of Navratri and it does stands for as the daughter of the mountain, Himalaya. In this appearance we can view with great devotion the divine Mother carrying a trident in her right hand and a lotus on her left hand. She is seen very much seated on an ox.

It is very well known to every part of the World that Shailputri or Durga or Parvati was born as Sati to King Daksh on her previous birth.

After a bunch of atonement, she married Lord Shiva. But her father King Daksha was against this marriage of union and was quite upset. Later in such period he did arrange great yagna and thus invited every lord and lord of lord to part in this magnificent yagna but he was so upset with Lord Shiva that he didn’t invite him to this Magnus opus ceremony. Lord Shiva was considering as lord of lords and most of invitees were surprised by this decision.

Sati did mention to Shiva that she was going to her father’s house to attend yagna, but lord Shiva ask her to not to go as after marriage if husband not asked to come then wife shouldn't go their, but Sati insisted and told to Shiva that it is her father and no need to get any invitee from him.

Sati went to the yagna place and in return King Daksha insulted Lord Shiva and by not able to withstand the humiliation Sati jumped in to the yagna.

Lord Shiva after receiving the news of Sati death he was very furious and angry, ordered his followers to destroy the Yagya. After this episode Sati was again reborn as the daughter of the king of the mountains, Himalaya in the name of Parvati – Hemvati and got married with Lord Shiva again. This Swaroop of shakti is worshipped on the first day of the Navratri celebrations.

Introduction to Navratri

The festival of worshipping devi is very much popular in India and all over World, but in the state of Gujarat, Navratri festival celebrates the worship of Goddess Jagdamba, while in West Bengal, Durga Puja is the motive and cause to celebrate. Though, every region in India celebrates this festival in it’s possess way, Navratri Festival is very much appropriately dedicated to the 3 avatars of Goddess Shakti - Durga (the warrior Goddess), Lakshmi (the Goddess of wealth), and Saraswati (the Goddess of knowledge).

Navaratri in 2012 will begin on Tuesday, the 16th of October and will carry on for 9 days until Wednesday, the 24th of October 2012.

The Navarathri festival is the diverse and different forms of Mother Mahisasura-mardini (Durga) are worshiped with dedication, passion and devotion.

The different forms are as follows:

·      Shailputri

·      Brahmacharini

·      Chandraghanta

·      Kushmanda

·      Skanda Mata

·      Katyayani

·      Kaalratri

·      Maha Gauri

·      Siddhidatri