Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation), Jen Bradford, Ashley Wells (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly
Story behind the nine avatars of Goddess Durga
These nine days, ending today, are associated with the battle that was fought between Goddess Durga and the Demon King Mahish-asura.
Throughout these nine days, the nine avatars of the Goddess known as Navadurga is worshipped, each day dedicated to one incarnation or facet of her personality. Let us see the story behind each avatar.
1. Shailaputri: "the daughter of the mountains" was born to the Mountain King Himavan (of the Himalayas). She is also commonly known as Parvati and is the first of the nine Navadurga. She is depicted having two hands, holding a trident on her right hand and a lotus on left. Being the wife of Lord Shiva, she rides on his bull named Nandi.
2. Brahmacharini: The second avatar, holding a 108-bead mala or rosary in her right hand and a kamandala (water pot) in her left hand, Brahmacharini signifies tapas (tapasya) or austerities does as penance.
3. Chandraghanta: The strangest wedding procession, known as baraat, consisting ghosts, Aghoris, sages, ascetics, and every being unimaginable, was conducted. Upon seeing this sight, Parvati’s mother and relatives were in shock, mostly out of terror. To avoid any embarrassment to her family or to Shiva, Parvati transformed herself into a terrifying form, Chandraghanta.
4. Kushmanda: Ma Kushmanda is worshipped on the fourth day of Navaratri. It is believed that she is the ultimate source of life.
5. Skandamata: The fifth avatar, Skanda-mata literally means the "Mother of Skanda." Skanda is another name of Lord Karthikeya, often known as Murugan in the South. She rides a lion and has four arms. Two of her arms carry lotus, one is raised in blessing while the fourth holds her son Karthikeya.
6. Katyayani: Being one of the most worshipped forms of Durga, Ma Katyayani is worshipped on the sixth day of Navaratri. This the form that is often referred to as Durga. She took birth as the daughter of the Sage Katyayan, and hence came to be known as Katyayani.
7. Kaalratri: Kaal refers to death and ratri means night. Hence, Ma Kaalratri is the one who brings an end or death to anything that is associated with evil or darkness. She is more commonly referred as Kali and is worshipped on the seventh day. Kaalratri is the most terrorizing form of Durga.
8. MahaGauri: Worshipped on eight day, the story of Mahagauri has many versions. Maha means great and gauri means white or fair.
9. Siddhidatri: worshipped on the final day, she is the Adi Shakti avatar of Durga. She existed as pure energy and had no physical form. Lord Rudra worshipped her for creating the universe, and she appeared from the left side of Shiva. That is why she and Shiva represent the duality of the universe in the form of masculine and feminine energies. They unite to form Ardhanarishwara.
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