Navratri festival is a popular Hindi festival in India. The festival is dedicated to worship the Hindu deity Durga. The word meaning of Navratri is nine nights. It is celebrated all across India.
The eighth day of Navratri is dedicated to Goddess Mahagauri. She has the power to fulfill all the wishes of her devotees and those who pray to her, get relief from all their sufferings. Mahagauri stands for extremely white as the Goddess was white in colour and very beautiful. She is represented with four hands, holding a lotus, trident and a drum and fourth one being the blessing gesture.
Maa Mahagauri Significance
Goddess Parvati had to perform penance in order to get Lord Shiva as her husband. While undergoing that, she had to face a lot of hardships like survive on leaves, stay in wild forests and due to such conditions, her complexion turned black. Later, when Lord Shiva accepted her as shis wife, he bathed her with water from the Ganges which turned her complexion back to normal i.e. fair. This is why she is known as Mahagauri.
There is another story according to which, there was a hungry lion who saw Mahagauri performing penance. He waited for her penance to end to satiate his hunger but a long period passed and the lion grew hungrier and weaker. When the Goddess opened her eyes, she saw the lion sitting in front of her and felt bad for him because he had also performed penance along with the goddess. She then decided to make the lion as her vehicle and since then, the lion and the bull both are seen as the vehicles of the Goddess.
Maa Mahagauri Puja Vidhi
On the eighth day of Navratri which is Ashtami, offer red duppatta and red tilak to the idol of the goddess. Clean the area where you have to perform the puja and then place an idol or a picture of Goddess Mahagauri. Pray to the goddess while taking white flowers in your hands.
Kanya puja is also performed on Ashtami for which you need to invite nine girls to your home. Respect the little girls while washing their feet. Offer food which is actually kanya-prasadam to all girls including suji (semolina flour) ka halwa, pooriand kala chana along with a coconut and some money.
Maa Mahagauri Mantra
Seek the blessings of Maa Mahagauri by chanting the following mantra for peace and success in your life:
Vande Vanchit Kamarth Chandrardhkrit Shekharam
Sinhruda Chaturbhuja Mahagauri Yashswanim
Purnandu Nibhan Gauri Somchakrastithta Ashtam Mahagauri Trinetram
Varabhitikaran Trishool Damroodharan Mahagauri Bhajem
Patambar Paridhanan Mriduhasya Nanalankar Bhooshitam
Manjeer Haar Keyoor, Kinkini, Ratnakundal Manditam
Praful Vandana Pallavandhara Kaant Kapolan Trailokya Mohnam
Kamniya Lavanya Mrinal Chandangandhliptam.
Maa Mahagauri Stotr Path
Worship the eighth avatar of Durga -Maa Mahagauri while reading the below mentioned stotr:
Read the following stotr path while worshipping Maa Kalratri:
Sarvasankat Hantri Twahi Dhan Aishwary Pradayneem
Gyanda Chaturvedmayi Mahagauri Pranmabhyaham
Sukh Shantidatri Dhan Dhanya Pradayneem
Damruvadya Priya Adya Mahagauri Pranmabhyaham
Trailokyamangal Twahi Tapatrya Harineem
Vadadn Chaitanyamayi Mahagauri Pranmamayaham.
Happy Navratri to our readers!
