Durga: The Maha Shakti Swaroopa

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु शक्ति रूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नम:।।

Yaa Devi Sarva-Bhutessu Shakti-Ruupenna Samsthitaa | Namas-Tasyai Namas-Tasyai Namas-Tasyai Namo Namah ||

Which means: The Divine goddess who abides in all beings we bow to you we bow to you we bow to you.

Ma Durga is the sign of strength and the win of good over the evil, positivity over negativity, protection; she is the slayer of all the demonic energies and is known for her dangerous strength.

Mother goddess Durga is worshipped in many different forms of ‘Devis’ (godesses) like- Parvati, Kali, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Shilaputri, Bhramacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda etc.

The legend of Ma Durga by taking many different forms kills a demon named ‘Mahishasura’ and many other like: Chamar, Durmukh etc. in the battlefield as they started to overwhelming peace, divinity, Dharma, virtue.

Mahishasura did hard core ‘Tapasya’ or penance to please the creator Bhrama.

Bhrama got pleased by his hard penance and devotion after 12 years, he said to Mahishasura to ask for a Boon or ‘Vardaan’ so the demon asked that no ‘Dev’ will not be able to kill him, Bhrama said ‘Tathastu’ or I have granted your boon, he gave him this boon thinking that no ‘Dev’ will be able to kill him but a goddess will.

After Mahishasura was granted with this boon he captured the whole Swarga and became the king by fighting with all the powerful Devs like – Indra, Agni, Pawan etc.

Worried all of them ran to seek help form the Trimurti or Trinity which are the three supreme gods Bhrama, Shiva and Vishnu the gods tell them everything the demon has done, Shiva and Vishnu get extremely angry from their anger a figure of a woman emerges with 10 hands on the form of (Adi Shakti) or Durga afterwards all the gods give all their weapons to her one by one and Durga riding above a fierce lion goes to fight with Mahishasura.

A great battle begins between Ma Durga and Mahishasura in which Ma Durga slays this demon.

The victory of goddess Durga over this evil and it is celebrated by doing the worship of Ma Durga for 9 days called the Navratri and these 9 days each of her form is worshipped.

Day1. Shailaputri-  Shailaputri or Parwati is the form of goddess where she is worshipped like the daughter of the mountains, and she is the other form of Sati and Shailaputri or Parwati she again joins Shiva; Ma Shailaputri is the goddess of inspiration.

Day2. Bhramacharini- Bhramacharini is the form of goddess where she is depicted with a rosary and carries a Kamandal and she does penance to please lord Shiva; Ma Bhramacharani is the goddess of sacred knowledge and gives knowledge of the supreme to her devotees.

Day3. Chandraghanta- Ma Chandraghanta is cool like moon light and she is known to provide Param Shanti or Supreme Peace and she is always ready for a war with demonic powers; Chandraghanta is the goddess who provides peace and remover of all confusions and obstacles.

Day4. Kushmanda- Ma Kushmanda is the goddess who gave rise to creation when there was darkness everywhere and life is impossible without light so she created the sun; Kushmanda is the goddess of Strength, long life, good health, fame.

Day5. Skandamata- Skandamata is the mother of the commander chief of gods Kartik who is also called Skanda in some rare texts she created Skand by making a statue out of ‘Sindur’ and then Skandmata gives life to this statue; Skandmata is the goddess who gives divinity to devotees.

Day6. Katyayani- Ma Katyayani or Durga are same as there was big sage Maharishi Katyayana who worshipped ma Durga in front of all gods and Trimurti as ma Durga was first worshipped by Katyana she was also named Katyayani; she is the destroyer of all diseases, sorrows.

Day7. Kaalratri- Kaalratri is the goddess mother who is the destroyer of time and all the other things; she is the goddess who frees a person from fear.

Day8. Mahagauri- Devi Parvati was dark coloured due to her prolonged Sadhana and then she started doing ‘Tapasya’ and Shiva got pleased with her devotion and sprinkled Ganga water upon her and she became white afterwards she was called Mahagauri; Maha gauri is the goddess who destroys poverty and sufferings.

Day9. Siddhidatri- Siddhidatri is the goddess  who grants siddhi or perfection of devotion to all her devotees.

Therefore this is the legend behind the Navratri.