Navratri 2014 : "Durga Mantra" on the days of worshiping Goddess

By Priyanka

Navratri 2014 date is September 23. Sharadiya Navaratri, starting from the first day of bright half of Hindu month Ashwin (Ashwin Shukla Pratipada), is celebrated with great zest. From this day, the complete atmosphere reverberate with alleluias, bhajans and Navratri songs like “aayo aayo navratri tyohar ho ambe maiya teri jai jai kaar”.

It is one of the most special festivals of Hinduism in every possible way, which is important from religious, devotional, moral and materialistic standpoints. On this occasion, devotees worship all nine forms of Goddess Durga, and that’s why it is called Navratri. Goddess Durga has nine names as follows: shailputri, brahmcharini, chandraghanta, kushmanda, skandmata, katyaini, kaalratri, mahagauri, and siddhatri. In Navratri, worshiping all these forms of Goddess Durga is important.

Shardiya Navratra is started with the Kalash Sthapana. According to Hindu customs, Kalash is considered to represent Lord Ganesha, so establishing Kalash is the first step. To establish a Kalash, land should be clean. For land cleanliness, it is painted with the cow dung and Gangajal.

According to rituals, a slab is made by seven different types of sands. If seven types of sands are not available, the Kalash can establish on mixture of soil brought from a river with the soil of holy Ganga.

Different forms of primeval mother Durga is worshipped by these following mantras:

1. Shailputri Mantra

वन्दे वाञ्छितलाभाय चन्द्रार्धकृतशेखराम्‌ ।
वृषारुढां शूलधरां शैलपुत्रीं यशस्विनीम्‌ ॥

2. Brahmacharini Mantra

दधाना करपद्माभ्यामक्षमालाकमण्डलू ।
देवी प्रसीदतु मयि ब्रह्मचारिण्यनुत्तमा ॥

3. Chandraghanta Mantra

पिण्डजप्रवरारुढा चण्डकोपास्त्रकैर्युता ।
प्रसादं तनुते मह्यां चन्द्रघण्टेति विश्रुता ॥

4. Kushmanda Mantra

सुरासम्पूर्णकलशं रुधिराप्लुतमेव च ।
दधाना हस्तपद्माभ्यां कूष्माण्डा शुभदास्तु मे ॥

5. Skandamata Mantra

सिंहासनगता नित्यं पद्माश्रितकरद्वया ।
शुभदास्तु सदा देवी स्कन्दमाता यशस्विनी ॥

6. Katyayani Mantra

चन्द्रहासोज्वलकरा शार्दूलवरवाहना ।
कात्यायनी शुभं दघाद्देवी दानवघातिनी ॥

7. Kaalratri Mantra

एकवेणी जपाकर्णपूरा नग्ना खरास्थिता ।
लम्बोष्टी कर्णिकाकर्णी तैलाभ्यक्तशरीरिणी ॥
वामपादोल्लसल्लोहलताकण्टकभूषणा ।
वर्धनमूर्धध्वजा कृष्णा कालरात्रिर्भयङ्करी ॥

8. Mahagauri Mantra

श्वेते वृषे समारुढा श्वेताम्बरधरा शुचिः ।
महागौरी शुभं दघान्महादेवप्रमोददा ॥

9. Siddhidatri Mantra

सिद्धगन्धर्वयक्षाघैरसुरैरमरैरपि ।
सेव्यमाना सदा भूयात्‌ सिद्धिदा सिद्धिदायिनी ॥

Goddess Shailaputri is worshipped on first day, and successively, goddess Siddhidatri on the ninth day. If one can recite Durga Saptashati once throughout these nine days, all of his/her problems get resolved certainly. If one worships mother of entire unverise goddess Durga with selflessness, one’s life becomes blessed with divinity.

If someone puts his problems in front of goddess with pure heart and recites Durga Saptshati with devotion, all his/her troubles vanish for sure. The way we worship Ma Durga, we should similarly worship our mother too, only then it will be called a true worship.