Forms of Devi During Navaratri

They say this universe was created out of God's will. Any creation needs three powers - power of will - icchashakti, power of knowledge - dnyanashakti and power of action - kriyashakti. The source of all these powers is Goddess Lalita. Navaratri - nine divine nights - is a time when each day a different form of Devi, that represents her unique aspect, is worshiped.

Method of worshiping Devi during Navaratri

Devi can be worshiped during Navaratri as follows:

• Reading Devi Mahatmya, Devi Bhagwat
• Reciting Mahakalistortra, Mahalakshmi stotra, Maha Sarasvati stotra, Soundarya lahari shlok
• Reciting Lalita sahastranama daily is considered most auspicious. 
• Performing suvasini puja and kanya puja at least once during the 9 days of Navaratra.

Flowers to be used while worshiping Devi during Navaratri

Day 1,2,3 – Red, yellow and blue colored flowers

Day 4,5,6 – Jasvanti, bilva, red lotus, red rose

Day 7,8,9 – Jaai, Mogara, Tagar, white lotus, tulas etc

Benefits of worshiping Devi during Navaratri 

Below is a day by day chart that describes various forms of Goddess, her incarnation, her goal, her appearance and benefits, of worshiping her, on each day. 

Day	Avatar of Devi	Shakti	Goal	Devi's Form	Devi's appearance	Benefits of worshiping Devi on this day
1	Durga	Icchashakti	Vadha of demons Madhu and Kaitabha	Maheshwari	Abhaya hasta, varada hasta, book, akshamala (kumari durga holding akshamala)	Get rid of poverty Increase in the life span
2	Durga	Icchashakti	Begins the journey for killing Mahishasura	Kaumari	Rajeshwari holding sugarcane bow, flower arrow and parashu	Get rid of diseases and improvement in health
3	Durga	Icchashakti	Vadha of demon Mahishasura	Vaaraahi	Kalyaan Durga having trishul and standing on the head of Mahishasura	Increase in the wealth and food grain
4	Lakshmi	Kriyashakti	She accepts the various obeisances paid by Devas	Mahalakshmi	She is sitting on lion as Jai Durga	Getting rid of enmity
5	Lakshmi	Kriyashakti	Hears the message from messenger Sugriva	Vaishnavi	Kali Durga	Achieving the desired wealth
6	Lakshmi	Kriyashakti	Vadha of demon Dhumralochana	Indrayani	Chandika Devi with a serpent, akshamala, skull, and lotus flower	Win in disputes. Prosperity
7	Saraswati	Dnyanashakti	Vadha of demons Chanda and Munda	Brahmi	She is in the form of Shambhavi Durga, sitting on diamond throne with one leg on lotus flower and playing veena	Will get mukti and siddhi
8	Saraswati	Dnyanashakti	Vadha of demon Raktabija	Narasimhi	Karuna Durga with a sugarcane bow, surrounded by ashta maha shakti	Will get all boons that you ask for
9	Saraswati	Dnyanashakti	Vadha of demons Shumbha and Nishumbha	Chamundeshwari	She is in the form of Subhadra Devi having bow and arrow, trishula and ankusha in her hand	Will get desired siddhi
10	Mahashakti	Mahashakti	The day on which she wins	Shivashakti	In the form of sthoola rupa	Get all the happiness and wealth etc

Compassionate concern of the great mother

 

When it comes to compassion there is no one equal to mother. Mother is ever concerned about welfare of her children. The best well-wisher of any person is his/her own mother. That’s why Upanishads say matru devo bhava – revere mother as god. If this is the truth about compassion of one’s own mother, what can we say of the mother of this universe – Mother Parvati. Universe is her child and so she is ever concerned about all jivas in this universe.

Once, out of great compassion, she asked Shri Shankara, guru of gurus, about the path to be pursued by all jivas so that they can attain the highest goal of life i.e. becoming one with Parabrahma.



In his answer Shri Shankara revealed about the path of serving Guru, to achieve the highest goal of life. This great dialogue between mother of the universe and guru of gurus is popularly known as Guru Gita.

Great are the parents whose children get into devotion to the Guru. Great is that lineage where such devotees are born. They indeed please the Mother Earth.

Punya – an earning that can be carried

Throughout life we pursue the goal of earning wealth – that includes money, health, property, relations. These are all important earnings and one should pursue them with all dedication because these earnings make life livable, enjoyable. However there is one earning which is unseen and is the basis of all these earnings and that is punya. Punya is the basis of all good life experiences. Even the ability to earn earthly earnings results from savings of punya.

There is a difference between earthly earnings and earning of punya. The major difference is all earthly earnings cannot be carried beyond this life. Whereas one carries earnings of punya and papa beyond this life. The good experiences in this life are results of punya from previous life and so earnings of punya in this life become cause of good experiences in next life.

Like money punya is also to be earned. Don’t we earn and save money so that we have constant source of income? In the same way punya also has to be earned so that there is constant source of punya. Due to savings of money we experience uninterrupted joy. In the same way savings of punya help in having uninterrupted joy in this and next life.

However there is a challenge of how to measure punya? One may be able to measure all other earnings but punya. In fact it is not in human capacity to measure punya. The only action human is capable of performing is the act that can help earn punya.

Like there is a challenge to measure punya, there is a challenge in understanding what act should be performed to earn punya.

That is where guidance of saints and scriptures comes into play. Scriptures contain advises from Saints, who are authentic repositories of knowledge as well as experiences. Guidance of Saints, if followed with devotion, never goes waste. Saints advise us to perform rituals such as abhishek (offering sacred bath to idol of God while chanting veda suktas – hymns from Vedas). These rituals, if performed with devotion, are authentic ways of earning punya. Any effort in performing these acts never goes waste. These rituals act like a seed. A seed grows slowly to become a giant tree. In the same way effects of these rituals grow into giant tree of punya, the fruits of which are blissful experiences.

Like when one becomes successful in life one is able to help others to follow path of success. In the same way when one understands the importance of punya one can help others as well by introducing them to the ways of earning punya.

The great Sage Vyasa wrote 18 puranas and then summarized all puranas in just two sentences - Helping is punya and hurting is papa. Even not hurting is a great help. And so it is very important to refine speech and action so that one never hurts but always helps.