Vijaya Dasami - Dussehra

Vijaya Dasami:
Vijaya Dasami or Dussehra is a day of celebration. Mata Durga defeats the mighty demon Mahisasur on this day. It heralds a new beginning of time where Good triumphs over Evil. 

Today is also called 'Dasha-Hara' or victory over bad fate or bad period. Vijaya Dasami is thus a very auspicious or 'Shubh' day. Its a day when people take major decisions of life..e.g. big purchases are made, homes are bought and 'Griha Pravesh' or start of living in a new house is begun, businesses are started and so on....

Today is a day of joy, hope, courage, confidence, success, and new beginnings...

HAPPY VIJAYA DASAMI

 

Siddhidatri - Navratra day - 9

Siddhidatri:
The ninth swaroop of Ma Durga is Siddhidatri. She is endowed with every possible power or 'Siddhi'...e.g. Anima, Mahima, Garima, Laghima, Prapti, Prakamya, Ishitwa, Vashitwa...

Devi Puran accounts credit Ma Siddhidatri as the one who endowed all Siddhis to Lord Shiva. The blessings of this Goddess gave Lord Shiva a form of half male and half female or 'Ardha Narishwar'. 

Siddhidatri Mata has four arms and rides a Lion. She is also seen seated on a 'Kamal' or Lotus flower. 9th day is the last day of the Navratras. All Vrat/fast ends after today's puja. It is believed a devotee who worships Ma Durga with complete faith, devotion, and surrender, receives many blessings and boons from Ma Siddhidatri on this day.

Every wish and desire of the devotee is fulfilled and he/she lives with 'Devi Kripa' or protection and blessings of  Durga Mata everyday.
 

Maha Gauri - Navratra day - 8

Maha Gauri:
The eighth swaroop of Ma Durga is Maha Gauri. Her complexion is very 'gaur' or fair. She is believed to be eight years old. Her clothes and ornaments are white. She has four arms. She carries the Trishul and rides on Nandi - the bull. She has a very quiet countenance and peaceful presence. 

It is believed that Ma Parvati received Lord Shiva as her husband after a long and very difficult penance. The constant torture to her body and the hardship made her face and body extremely dark. After the completion of her penance, Lord Shiva washed her in the Holy Ganges. Maha Gauri thus emerged, clensed, bright, shining, fair, and sparkling with a wonderful peaceful glow. She is extremely beautiful.

Praying to Mata Gauri cleanses the devotee's mind and body of every sin, past and present. Praying to this Goddess is extremely beneficial and one also receives the blessings of Shiva. A devotee's every 'manokamna' or desire/wish is fulfilled. One receives wealth, health, happiness, children, name and repute. 
 

Kalratri - Navratra day -7

Kalratri:
The seventh swaroop of Ma Durga is Kalratri. She has the face and body of complete darkness. Her hair is scattered and flames flare out from her nostrils. She has 3 round eyes and she rides a donkey. 

  In spite of the fact that Ma Kalratri looks so fierce and frightening, she is extremely kind and auspicious. She is quick to please and grants easily all the hard to achieve boons. She is very gentle to her devotees and very harsh on the enemies. One should not thus fear her but love her completely and seek her blessings.

Ma Kalratri grants her devotees every wish fulfillment, quickly and easily. She destroys all obstacles and enemies that come to harm her devotees. She also destroys all demons, ghosts, destructive and evil forces that come in way. She makes her devotees fearless and confident, to face every problem successfully.

Katyayani - Navratra day - 6

 

Katyayani:

The sixth swaroop of Ma Durga is Katyayani. Once there was a Rishi - Katyayan, who did hard penance and prayers for many years to please Maa Bhagwati. He asked the Goddess to take birth as his daughter. Katyayani was thus born in his home. 

It is believed Katyayani is the Goddess who was born on Ahwin Krishna Chaturdashi day. She received the prayers from all Tridev - Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, on the 7th, 8th, 9th day and finally killed the demon Mahisasur on the 10th day of Durga Puja.

She is shiny, bright, and golden in hue. She has four arms and rides a lion. She is very beautiful to look at. Ma Katyayani grants her devotees 'Dharma', 'Artha', 'Kama' and 'Moksha' or the four greatest boons of human life - Righteousness, Wealth, Pleasures, and salvation.

Katyayani destroys all fears, diseases, saddness, and hardships. Praying to her destroys all sins from this and previous lives. She cleanses her devotees and lifts them to a higher level. One must thus completely surrender at her feet and pray to her with devotion and trust.

Skand Mata - Navratra day - 5

Skanda Mata:
The fifth swaroop of Ma Durga is Skand Mata. Kumar Kartikeya is 'Skand' and his mother, Parvati, is Skanda mata. Skand is the commander-in-chief of all the Gods. He rides a peacock. Praying to Skanda Mata, not only brings blessings from the Goddess but also from Lord Kartikeya.

Skanda Mata carries the child form of Kartikeya in her lap and rides a Lion. She has 4 arms.

So wonderful is the blessing of Skanda Mata that the devotee experiences every heavenly joy and fulfillment on earth. She blesses one with every happiness. Skanda also bestows the devotee with powers of success and victory. One should therefore, praise Skanda Mata with steadfast devotion and a clear heart.

Kushmanda - Navratra day - 4

Kushmanda:
The fourth swaroop of Ma Durga is Kushmanda. The creation of the entire cosmos or 'Brahmand' is credited to her. She is 'Adi Shakti' or the primordial ancient creative force and power. When there was nothing but darkness all around, she created everything.

Kushmanda is believed to reside in the 'Surya Lok' or in the region of the Sun. Nothing in this entire cosmos is comparable to her power, brightness, and might. She is also known as 'Ashta Bhuja' or one with 8 hands. She has the power to grant her devotees immense power, wealth, and might. She rides a lion.

She blesses her devotees with a Healthy strong body, Long life, Shining Name and Repute, Courage and Power. Along with worldly gains, she also grants boons beyond worldly life.

Chandraghanta - Navratra day - 3

 

 
Chandraghanta:
The third swaroop of Ma Durga is Chandraghanta.This swaroop is extremely peaceful and very beneficial. In this image, she has 10 hands and holds a weapon in each hand, ready for battle. Her body shines and shimmers like Gold. Her 'chand dhwani' or battle call leaves the deadly demons shivering. She rides a Lion.

Praying to Ma Chandraghanta destroys all 'paap' or sins and 'badha' or difficulties. All problems come to an end at her feet.  Her devotees become fearless like her Lion. Even though she is ready to destroy the demons, her form is very peaceful and blissful. Therefore, her devotees also become humble and quietly confident, as they receive the gift of fearlessness. 

If one is in a difficult situation in life or if one is surrounded with problems - one should pray to Ma Chandraghanta. She helps her devotees overcome all problems and emerge victorious.

Brahmacharini - Navratra day - 2

 

Brahmacharini:
The second 'swaroop' of Ma Durga is Brahmacharini. Brahmacharini means the one who practices penance. In this form the Goddess holds a 'mala' or rosary in her right hand and a 'kamandal' in her left hand. 

Parvati underwent 'tapasya' or hard penance for thousands of years in order to receive Lord Shiva as her husband. She lived the austere life of Brahmacharini, eating nothing but fruits and vegetation. Soon she gave up that also bearing heat, cold, and rain continuously for thousands more years. 

She is also know as Uma and Aparna. She grants her devotees many blessings and the fulfillment of many desires.

Shailputri - Navratra day -1

Shailputri:
The first swaroop of Ma Durga is Shailputri. She holds the Trishul in her right hand and a Lotus in her left hand. She rides on 'Nandi'.

Shailputri is the daughter of Parvatraj Himavan, the king of the Himalayas. She is also known as Parvati.

In her early incarnation, she was born as Sati. Her father in that life was Prajapati Daksha. Sati married Shiva but never received the full acceptance and support of her arrogant father. Unable to put up with the humiliation piled on her husband and herself, by her father, she jumped in the 'Yagna Agni Kund' and self-immolated herself.

Sati was reborn as Parvati. In this life she again married Shiva and set the example of the most auspicious, most superior, and most complete married life.

Durga Puja - Navratra begins

OM SHRI GANESHAY NAMAH

Sharad Navratri 2012 Dates
16 October 2012 - 24 October 2012

Shri Durga Puja is celebrated with pomp and glory twice a year. Once in the month of Chaitra and once in the month of Ashwin. This festival takes place during the 'Shukla Paksha' or bright half of the moon.