The ninth - Mother Siddhidatri

Today is the last and ninth day of Navratri and this is all about ninth Mother Siddhidatri.

The last among the nine forms of mother Durga is Siddhidatri. She is capable of giving all sorts of occult powers. According to Markandeya Purana there are eight types of these powers - Anima, Mahima, Garima, Laghima, Prapti, Prakamya, Isitwa and Vasitwa. And according to Brahmavaivarta Purana, Sri Krsna Janma Khanda, the number is eighteen as given under-

The mother Siddhidatri is competent enough to give all Siddhis to the strivers and her devotees. According to Devi Purana the Lord Siva acquired these powers only by the grace of this goddess alone. Only due to her grace the Lord Siva became Ardhanariswara. The mother Siddhidatri is four-armed. Her vehicle is lion. She is seated on a lotus flower. She holds a Cakra in her right lower hand and a mace in the upper. In the left lower hand there is a conch and in her upper left hand a lotus flower. On the ninth day of Navaratra Puja she is worshipped. This day in a prescribed manner and with his full faith the Sadhaka acquires all Siddhis. There remains nothing unattainable in the universe. He develops competency to conquer the whole universe.

It is the duty of every person to always try to propitiate mother Siddhidatri and earn her favor. By her grace only a devotee crosses the ocean of miseries and remaining quite untainted, enjoying all worldly pleasure attains Moksa in the end.

Among nine Durgas Siddhidatri is the last. After having worshipped the eight Durgas in an appropriate manner on the ninth day devotees undertake her worship. After the completion of Siddhidatri's worship the devotees and strivers get their desires mundane or otherworldly fulfilled. But the main thing is this that there remains no such desire in a favorite devotee of Siddhidatri which he may want to fulfill. Such a devotee transcends all material desires and necessities. Spiritually he moves in the divine abode of the Devi and always drinks the nectar of her favor. He becomes completely devoid of lust and enjoyment. The absolute nearness of the goddess becomes the only aim of his actions. After acquiring this position there remains nothing for him to require.