Navratras: Ma Kaalratri is Worshipped on the Seventh Navratra

Maha Saraswati

Maha Saraswati, the Goddess of Knowledge, Learning and Art is revered for the next set of three days. It is an implicit belief that her worship enhances the spiritual knowledge of a devotee, freeing him of all materialistic bonds and earthly attachments.

Durga, the Mother Goddess

The seventh form of Durga, the Mother Goddess, is Ma Kaalratri and She is worshipped on the seventh day of the Navratras.

Ma Kaalratri

Ma Kaalratri

Black or blue-hued like the ratri or night with flowing tresses, Kaalratri is the seventh form of Nav-Durga. Her neck is adorned with necklaces flashing like lightening. She has three bright eyes which are round like the universe and terrible flames emanate from her breath. Her vehicle is a faithful donkey.

Her raised right hand grants boons to all worshippers and her right lower hand is in the mudra of allaying fears, thus making her devotees fearless. Her left upper hand clutches a cleaver, made of iron and there is a mashal or torch held in the lower left hand. She is black-hued like Goddess Kali. Acclaimed as the destroyer of ignorance, Kaalratri is the scourer and enemy of darkness. Her posture of protection assures us of freedom from the miseries of this mundane world.Being auspicious she is also hailed as ‘Shubhamkari’ – one who does good.

Ma Kaalratri Annihilates Raktabeeja

She killed Raktabeeja (a asura who had the power to produce a demon from every drop of blood that fell from his body.) The Goddess eventually licked the blood before it trickled to the ground and hence conquered and overpowered him.

Navratras: Katyayani Devi is Propitiated on the Sixth Navratra

Katyayani Devi

Katyayani Devi

The sixth form of Durga is Katyayani Devi. There was a great sage by the name of Kata and his son was Rishi Katyayana who brought worldwide repute to the Katya lineage. He yearned to get Paramba as his daughter and practised austere penance for several years. Consequently the Mother Goddess was pleased and took birth as his daughter. Therefore She was named Katyayani and Her vehicle is the lion. She persistently and relentlessly battles against the evil, deceitful and devious entities.

The legend centred around her says that when Mahishasur, the demon, crossed every limit, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva were furious and created a goddess in order to destroy the demon. Sage Katyayana had the first privilege to worship her, so she was called Katyayani.

Ardently Longing for Krishna,Braj Gopis Worship Goddess Katyayani

Unfailingly She is known for granting the wishes of Her devotees. The cowherdesses of Braj worshipped goddess Katyayani with each of them being intensely desirous of having Lord Krishna as their husband.

Goddess Katyayani Relentlessly Battles Against Evil Forces

Her form is extremely divine and radiant with a golden bright and radiant complexion.She has three eyes and eight hands. There are eight types of weapons in her hands. Her vehicle is the lion. She persistently and relentlessly battles against the evil, deceitful and devious entities. Her right upper hand is in a pose of allaying all fears and the lower one is in a pose of granting boon. In her left upper hand she holds a sword and a lotus flower adorns her lower left hand. Her vehicle is the lion.

Ajna Chakra

On the sixth day of Navaratras it is Ma Durgas's Katyayani form which is worshipped. On this particular day, the mind of the spiritual aspirant stays in the Ajna Chakra or the third eye where the striver makes a complete surrender to the goddess.Soon after, such a devotee easily gets a direct vision of Mother Katyayani. Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksa are easily attainable for a sadhaka who worships this goddess with dedicated devotion. There is no better way than the worship of mother Katyayani for the destruction of sins accumulated in his previous lives and the aspirant soon becomes immune to diseases, griefs and fears.

Navratras: Skanda Mata is Worshipped on the Fifth Navratra

Skanda Mata

Skanda Mata, the Fifth Durga

Skanda Mata is the fifth name of Ma Durga.She blesses the world with the gift of differentiation and discrimination of right from wrong.Riding a lion, Her chosen vehicle, She holds Her son Skanda on her lap. Skanda Mata is endowed with three eyes and four hands; two hands holds lotuses while the other two display the defending and granting mudras, respectively.The Shakti is a deity of fire. White-hued she is called Padmasana since she is seated on a lotus.

Skanda or Kartikeya

The daughter of Himalaya,She got married to Lord Shiva after observing penance. Soon after, She had a son named Skanda or Kartikeya who was chosen by the gods as their commander, when they warred with the demons.The Puranas sing of His glory and he is referred to as Kumara and Saktidhar.He is often called Mayuravahana since the peacock is His vehicle.

Visuddha Chakra, Centred in the Throat

It is said that by the grace of Skanda Mata even a fool transforms into an ocean of knowledge.The aspirant's mind reaches the Visuddha Chakra and is posited there on this day. Therefore all his internal and external actions stop completely and his mindset devoid of worldly thoughts is calm like an ocean without waves. The devotee advances towards the state of pure consciousness.Being absolutely absorbed in meditating upon Ma Padmasana, he needs to tread with utmost caution on the path of his sadhana.