Representative image
Happy Navratri 2021! Today (October 9) is the third day of Navratri. On day three, Maa Chandraghanta, the third avatar of Goddess Durga is worshipped. This reincarnation of goddess Durga represents knowledge, justice and bliss. She is known to be the married form of mother Parvati who started wearing half moon on her head after her marriage to Lord Shiva. That’s how she came to be known as Chandraghanta which means half moon that looks like a bell.
Her third eye is considered to be open all the time and she is ready to battle with the demons. Goddess Chandraghanta is usually portrayed with ten hands who has Trishul, Gada, Sword, and Kamandal in her four left hands and her fifth left hand is in Varada Mudra. Meanwhile, in the rest of her four hands she carries lotus flower, Arrow, Dhanush and Japa Mala and keeps the fifth right hand in Abhaya Mudra. The third day of Navratri dedicated to her as a popular belief says that the sound of her moon-bell/Chandraghanta keeps the evil spirits and negative omens at a bay from her devotees.
Maa Chandraghanta Puja Vidhi
Place the idol of goddess Chandraghanta on a chowki or table. And once you are done doing it, clean the area with gangajal. Now keep a pot of silver, copper or clay filled with water and place it on the same chowki with mounting a coconut on it. After doing so, it's time to bathe the goddess's idol. Later offer akshad, roli, prasad, flowers/garlands, bindi, bangles, coconut etc. Once the whole process is complete, pray to Ishta Devta followed by the aarti.
Maa Chandraghanta Mantra
During the puja chant Om Devi Chandraghantayai Namah (ॐ देवी चन्द्रघण्टायै नमः॥). You can even recite a prayer for the goddess- Pindaja Pravararudha Chandakopastrakairyuta Prasadam Tanute Mahyam Chandraghanteti Vishruta (पिण्डज प्रवरारुढ़ा चण्डकोपास्त्र कैर्युता प्रसादं तनुते मह्यं चंद्र घंष्टेति विश्रुता)
Maa Chandraghanta Aarti
जय माँ चन्द्रघण्टा सुख धाम। पूर्ण कीजो मेरे काम॥
चन्द्र समाज तू शीतल दाती। चन्द्र तेज किरणों में समाती॥
मन की मालक मन भाती हो। चन्द्रघण्टा तुम वर दाती हो॥
सुन्दर भाव को लाने वाली। हर संकट में बचाने वाली॥
हर बुधवार को तुझे ध्याये। श्रद्दा सहित तो विनय सुनाए॥
मूर्ति चन्द्र आकार बनाए। शीश झुका कहे मन की बाता॥
पूर्ण आस करो जगत दाता। कांचीपुर स्थान तुम्हारा॥
कर्नाटिका में मान तुम्हारा। नाम तेरा रटू महारानी॥
भक्त की रक्षा करो भवानी।
