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.

The Holy Name of Eightth Durga - Maha Gouri

"Maha Gauri" is the eight incarnation of Goddess Durga. She is as white as a conch, moon and Jasmine. She is of eight years old. Her clothes and ornaments are white and clean. She has three eyes. She rides on bull. She has four hands. The above left hand is in "Fearless - Mudra" and lower left hand holds "Trishul." The above right hand has tambourine and lower right hand is in blessing style. She is calm and peaceful and exists in peaceful style. It is said that when the body of Gauri became dirty due to dust and earth while observing penance, Shiva makes it clean with the waters of Gangas. Then her body became bright like lightening. Therefore, she is known as "Maha Gauri".

The worship of Mahagauri is recommended for the eighth day of Navaratra Puja. Her power is unfailing and instantly fruitful. All sins of devotees are washed away with the result of her worship. Even accumulated sins get destroyed and in future no sins or sufferings come to him. He gets purified in all respects and becomes fit for inexhaustible virtues.

The Seventh Name - Kaalratri

The seventh aspect of Maa Durga is Kalratri Devi. Her complexion is as dark as the night. Her cascading hair are loose and she is seen wearing a garland that radiates light as bright as lightning. She is fearsome with her menacing three eyes radiating fire. She is mounted on an ass. She has four hands, of which, the top right hand is in a gesture of rendering boon to all. The other hand on her right is rendering fearlessness. The top left hand is holding an iron dagger and the other hand is holding a sickle. Although she has a menacing appearance, she always delivers favorable results. So she is also called “Shubhankari”. Devi Kalratri destroys the evil. By the Goddess's grace, the devotees overcome their fear of fire, water, animals and foes.

Mother Durga's sixth form - Devi Katyayani

The sixth form of mother Durga is known as Katyayani. The legend about her name runs as follows-

There was a great sage named Kata. His son was Katya. In his lineage Katyayana became a sage of worldwide repute. He practiced austere penance for several years in order to get the mother goddess propitiated. He cherished a keen desire in his heart to have the goddess in the form of his daughter. The mother was pleased to accede to his request.

After sometime when high-handedness of Mahisasura, the demon, crossed every limit, the trinity of Gods-Brahma, Visnu and Siva, got infuriated and they created a goddess by apportioning some part of their splendor, in order to destroy the demon. The sage Katyayana had the first privilege to worship her, so she was called Katyayani.

Another story tells that she did take birth as his daughter. She was born on the 14^th dark of the month Asvina. Accepted the worship of Katyayana for three days-e.g. on 7^th, 8^th and 9^th of the bright fortnight in the same month and killed the demon on Vijayadasami.

She is ever unfailing in granting the wishes of the devotees. The Braja damsels worshipped this very goddess with a desire to have Sri Krsna as their husband. She is an established presiding deity of Braja area. Her form is extremely divine and radiant. Her complexion is golden bright and radiant. She has to use arms. 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 lion.

On sixth day of Navaratra it is her Katyayani form that is worshipped. That day the mind of the striver stays in Ajna Cakra. In the Yogic discipline Ajna Cakra is of greatest importance. His mind staying in Ajna Cakra the striver makes a complete surrender and offers himself to the goddess and then such a devotee very easily gets the direct vision of the mother Katyayani. All the four objects-Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksa are in easy reach of a Sadhaka who worships mother Katyayani with devotion and faith. Even though living on a mundane plane the devotee is equipped with an unearthly splendor and influence. He becomes immune from all diseases, sorrows and fears etc. There is no better and easier way than the worship of mother Katyayani for the destruction of sins accumulated in the previous lives. Her worshipper always remains in close company and becomes fit for the supreme abode.

The Fifth Durge - Skandmata

The fifth day of Navratra is of Mother Skandmata and this is all about Her.

The fifth aspect of Mother Durga is known as Skandamata. She is the mother of Kumara or Skanda or Kartikeya, who was chosen by gods as their commander in the war against the demons. His glory has been narrated in the Puranas and he is referred to as Kumara and Saktidhar. His vehicle being peacock he is called Mayuravahana.

Thus being the mother of Skanda she is Skandamata. She is particularly worshipped on the fifth day of Navaratra. This day striver's mind reaches Visuddha Cakra and stays therein. In her image the Lord Skanda in his infant form is always found. She holds him in her lap.

This Mother Goddess has four arms. She holds Lord Skanda in her right upper arm and a lotus flower in her right lower hand, which is slightly raised upward. The left upper arm is in a pose to grant boon and in left lower hand, which is raised, she again holds lotus. The hue of her body is very bright. She is seated on lotus flower so she is called Padmasana.

The scriptures are very eloquent in glorifying the fifth day of Navaratra period. As the mind of the aspirant, on this day, is in the Visuddha Cakra. So all his actions internal as well as external completely stop and the mind bereft of all thought-waves, is calm like a wave less ocean. It would be advancing towards the state of pure consciousness. It is completely submerged in the meditation of Mother Padmasana, quite devoid of worldly thoughts or coats of Maya. It is time when the aspirant should be most careful and cautious on the path of his Sadhana.

By worshipping the goddess in the form of Skandamata, the devotee gets all his desires fulfilled. He starts tasting the Supreme joy even in this very mortal world. The gateway for salvation to him is spontaneously opened. Her worship automatically includes the worship of Lord Skanda in his child form. Only she has got this pride of place. So the striver should particularly be attentive to her worship. Being the presiding deity of sun god, she bestows an uncommon luster and radiance on her devotee. He is always surrounded by an invisible divine halo, which always maintains his 'Yoga-Ksema'.

Therefore, we should try very sincerely to take refuge under her. There is no better way to cross-mire of this mundane existence.