UP CM Yogi offers prayers to Maa Pateshwari as part of Navratri rituals
The Chief Minister and Goraksha Peethadheeshwar offered prayers to Jagatjanani Maa Bhagwati, seeking blessings for the well-being, health, and prosperity of Uttar Pradesh.
The festival of Navratri is celebrated to cherish the victory of (Dharam) goodness over (Adharam) evil. These nine days are associated with the battle that was fought between Goddess Durga and the Demon king Mahishasura. Throughout these nine days, the nine Avtar of God known as Nav Durga is worshipped each day dedicated to one incarnation.
Let us discover the story behind each of Avtar
1. Shailaputri- The meaning of Shailaputri is the daughter of the mountain who was born to the mountain king Himavan. She is also commonly known as Parvathi and she is the first in the nine Navdurga. She is depicted with two hands holding a trident in her right hand and a lotus in the left one. Being the wife of Lord Shiva, she rides on his bull named Nandi.
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2. Bharhmacharini- In the second avatar, the goddess is holding a rosary in her right hand and a Kamandal in her left hand. Brahmachari signifies meditation and sacrifice (Tapasya).
3. Chandraghanta- When lord Shiva brought with himself the strangest wedding procession known as Baraat, Consisting of ghosts, aghoris, sages and even some unimaginable beings. Upon seeing this site, Parvati’s mother and relatives were left in shock mostly out of terror. To avoid any embarrassment to her family or Lord Shiva, Parvathi transformed herself into the terrifying form, the Chandraghanta.
4. Kushmanda- Durga is worshipped on the fourth day of Navratri it is believed that Kush Manda is the ultimate source of life. She is beautiful armed with all the weapons and with a beautiful smile on her face She rides a lion.
5. Skandmata- The fifth avatar, Skanda Mata means the mother of Skanda. Skanda is another name of Lord Kartikeya, often known as Murugan in the south. She rides a lion and has four hands two of her arms caring lot, one is raised in blessing while the fourth holds her son Karthikeya.
6. Katyayani- Being one of the most worshipped forms of Durga, Maa Katyayani is worshipped on the sixth day of Navratri. This is the form that is often referred to as Durga. She took birth as the daughter of Sage Katyayan and hence came to know as Katyayni
7. Kaalratri- Kaal refers to death and Rathri means night. Hence, Maa Kaalratri is the one who brings an end or death to anything that is associated with evil or darkness. She is most commonly referred to as Kali and is worshipped on the seventh day. Kaalratri is the most terrorising form of Durga.
8. Mahagori- The story of Maha Gauri has many versions. Maha means great and Gauri means white or fair, this form of Durga is worshipped across India in different forms on the eighth day of Navratri eight girls are worshipped.
9. Siddhidatri- Siddhidatri, is worshipped on the last day, she is the Adi Shakti avatar of Durga. She existed as pure energy and had no physical form. Lord Rudra worship her for creating the universe and she appeared from the left half of Lord Shiva. That is why she and Shiva represent the duality of the universe in the form of masculine and feminine energies. They unite to form Ardhanarishvarar.
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