Durga Ashtami (Maha Gauri)
Why does Mahagauri always sit with Lord Shiva as his consort?
Writer:- Ruchi Tewari
Durga Ashtami
In Shardiya or Chaitra Navratri, Maa Durga is worshiped in the form of Mahagauri Mata. The 9 forms and 10 Mahavidhyaen of Maa Durga are all parts and forms of Adishakti, but Mahagauri always resides with Lord Shiva as his consort. Goddess Parvati was born in the house of King Himalaya. At the age of eight, he started remembering the events of her previous life. From then onwards she started doing severe penance to get Lord Shiva as her swami. Because of rigorous penance, Goddess Parvati attained great glory due to which she was named Mahagauri.
Mahagauri's complexion is Gaur i.e., white and her clothes and jewelery are also white in colour. Mother's vehicle is Vrishabha (bull), which is also the vehicle of Lord Shiva. The upper right hand of the mother is in Abhayamudra and the lower hand holds a trident, the symbol of Durga Shakti. Mahagauri has Shiva's Damru in her left upper hand. Mata is also known as Shivaa because of holding Damru. The lower hand of the mother is in Varamudra giving protection to her devotees and the Mata always remains seated on the Taurus in a calm posture. By worshiping Mahagauri Mata in the eighth form of Adishakti Maa Durga, one gets freedom from all planetary defects. By worshiping Maa Gauri, married life becomes happy and business increases. Wealth and prosperity increases. Her power is infallible and always virtuous and fruitful. By worshiping Mahagauri, all the sins of the worshiper are destroyed, and he becomes a partaker of inexhaustible virtue. After the puja, it is very auspicious to perform Kanya Puja at home on Ashtami Tithi. However, some people perform Kanya Puja on Navami Tithi. But worshiping and donating girls on the day of Ashtami is considered auspicious. In Kanya Puja, worshiping, feasting and giving donations to 9 girls is very auspicious, but if you are not able to get 9 girls then it is very important to worship at least two girls. After offering coconut on the day of Ashtami, the same coconut is distributed as Prasad to girls and other devotees. And for the feast of girls, the prasad of halwa-puri, vegetable and black gram is very good. Even if all these things are not arranged, you can give food and donations to the girls as per your devotion.
Method of worship
Wake up in the morning and perform daily rituals to become pure and start the worship by cleaning the place of worship. Sitting at the place of worship, first meditate on Goddess Gauri and pray for your happiness and good fortune. After this worship them properly. Mahagauri, the eighth form of Goddess Durga, is very fond of Mogra flower. In such a situation, the seeker should offer this flower at the feet of Mata on this day. Along with this, offer coconut, sweets and laddu to the Mata. Because coconut is considered to be the most favorite offering of the mother. . If you can recite 13 chapters of Durga Saptashati every day methodically then it is very good and very fruitful. But if there is shortage of time then these 13 chapters can be recited or listened to throughout the nine days as per your convenience. But chanting 108 names of Mother Goddess every day is very important and fruitful. While chanting the names of the mother, one should also understand the meaning of her names. By doing this the Mata becomes very happy and bestows blessings on the worshiper to attain happiness, prosperity, and success in life.
The 108 names of Mata Jagadamba are as follows.
1- Om Sati Namah, 2- Om Sadhvi Namah, 3- Om Bhavapreeta Namah (one who has love for Lord Shiva), 4- Om Bhavani Namah, 5- Om Bhavamochani Namah (one who frees from worldly bondage), 6- Om Arya Namah, 7- Om Durga Namah, 8- Om Jaya Namah, 9- Om Aadya Namah, 10 - Om Trinetra Namah, 11 - Om Shuldharini Namah, 12- Om Pinakdharini Namah, 13 - Om Chitra Namah, 14- Om Chandaghanta Namah (one who makes bell sounds with a loud voice) , 15- Om Mahatapa Namah (one who performs heavy penance), 16- Om Man Namah (power of contemplation), 17- Om Buddhi Namah (power of understanding), 18- Om Ahankara Namah (shelter of egoism), 19- Om Chittarupa Namah, 20- Om Chita Namah, 21- Om Chiti Namah (Consciousness), 22- Om Sarvamantramayi Namah, 23- Om Satta Namah (Sat-Swaroopi), 24- Om Satyanand Swarupini Namah, 25- Om Ananta Namah (Whose form has no end), 26- Om Bhavini Namah. (the one who gives birth to all), 27- Om Bhavya Namah (worthy of feeling and meditation), 28- Om Bhavya Namah (well-being), 29- Om Abhavya Namah (there is nothing more grand than this), 30 – Om Sadamaati Namah, 31- Om Shambhavi Namah (Shivpriya), 32- Om Devmata Namah, 33- Om Chinta Namah, 34- Om Ratnapriya Namah, 35- Om Sarvavidya Namah, 36- Om Dakshakanya Namah, 37- Om Dakshayagyavinashini Namah, 38- Om Aparna Namah (at the time of penance One who does not even eat leaves), 39- Om Anekvarna Namah (of many colours), 40- Om Patala Namah (of red colour), 41- Om Patlavati Namah (one who wears roses or red flowers), 42- Om Pattambarparidhana Namah (one who wears silk clothes), 43- Om Kalmanjiranjini Namah (one who is happy wearing the sweet-sounding Manjira), 44- Om Ameyavikrama Namah (one who has limitless bravery) ), 45- Om Krura Namah (harsh towards demons), 46- Om Sundari Namah, 47- Om Surasundari Namah, 48 Om Vanadurga Namah, 49- Om Matangi Namah, 50 - Om Matangmunipujita Namah, 51- Om Brahmi Namah, 52- Om Maheshwari Namah, 53- Om Aindri Namah, 54- Om Kaumari Namah, 55- Om Vaishnavi Namah, 56- Om Chamunda Namah, 57- Om Varahi Namah, 58- Om Lakshmi Namah, 59- Om Purushakriti Namah, 60- Om Vimala Namah, 61- Om Utkarshini Namah, 62- Om Gyana Namah, 63- Om Kriya Namah, 64- Om Nitya Namah, 65- Om Buddhida Namah, 66- Om Bahula Namah, 67- Om Bahulprema Namah, 68- Om Sarvavahanavahana Namah, 69- Om Nishumbha-Shumbhahanni Namah, 70- Om Mahishasurmardini Namah, 71- Om Madhukatbhahantri Namah, 72- Om Chandamundavinashini Namah, 73- Om Sarvasuravinasha Namah, 74- Om Sarvadanavghatini Namah, 75- Om Sarvashastramayi Namah, 76- Om Satya Namah. , 77- Om Sarvastradharini Namah, 78- Om Anekastrahasta Namah, 79- Om Anekastradharini Namah, 80- Om Kumari Namah, 81- Om Ekakanya Namah, 82- Om Kaishori Namah, 83- Om Yuvti Namah, 84- Om Yati Namah, 85- Om Aprudha Namah, 86- Om Pruddha Namah, 87- Om Vriddhamata Namah, 88- Om Balprada Namah, 89- Om Mahodari Namah, 90- Om Muktkeshi Namah, 91- Om Ghorrupa Namah, 92- Om Mahabala Namah, 93- Om Agnijwala. Namah, 94- Om Raudramukhi Namah, 95- Om Kalratri Namah, 96- Om Tapaswini Namah, 97- Om Narayani Namah, 98- Om Bhadrakali Namah, 99- Om Vishnumaya Namah, 100 - Om Jalodari Namah, 101 - Om Shivduti Namah, 102 - Om Karali Namah, 103 - Om Ananta Namah (destructionlessness), 104- Om Parameshwari Namah, 105- Om Katyayani Namah, 106 - Om Savitri Namah, 107 - Om Pratyaksha Namah, 108- Om Brahmavadini Namah.
The Mata is pleased with the devotion of her devotees and not with the show, therefore, whatever we do as per our capacity, we should offer it to the Mata with full devotion and do not be even the slightest bit egoistic and constantly keep in mind that we all are dedicated to Mata’s child.
Maa Durga is the form of Shakti who pervades every particle in the entire world. She is the same Yog Nindra who pervades the heart of Lord Vishnu who has put even Maha Vishnu in deep sleep. This Goddess is in the form of intelligence in all living beings. This same Goddess is present in all living beings in the form of sleep, this same Goddess is present in all living beings in the form of hunger, this same Goddess is present in all living beings in the form of shadow, this same Goddess is present in all living beings in the form of Shakti. This same goddess is present in all living beings in the form of thirst, this same goddess is present in all living beings in the form of forgiveness, this same goddess is present in all living beings in the form of shame, this same goddess is present in all living beings in the form of peace. This Goddess is present in all living beings in the form of Kanti (brightness). This same Goddess is present in all living beings in the form of faith. This same Goddess is present in all living beings in the form of Lakshmi. This same Goddess is present in all living beings in the form of instinct. This same Goddess is present in all living beings in the form of memory. This same Goddess is present in the form of satisfaction in all beings, this same Goddess is present in the form of mercy in all beings, this same Goddess is present in the form of mother in all beings, this same Goddess is present in the form of illusion in all beings. This same Goddess is present everywhere, in every particle, this same Goddess is present in the entire world in the form of consciousness, in all living beings, this same Goddess is auspicious, welfare and destroyer of all obstacles. Therefore, the power that is getting all the work done in the entire world is Maa Durga.
Navratri Puja is a nine-day festival of various forms of Goddess Durga. In these days, small girls are considered as the form of Mata .
During the entire Navratri festival, it is very fruitful and auspicious to feed these girls in the form of Durga and donate their favorite things or things as per one's capacity.
During the Navratri festival, it is auspicious to feed and donate food to the girls for all nine days, but if you are short of time and cannot feed the girls every day, then donate food and items to the girls on any day of the nine days.
This tradition has been going on since ancient times and it also has great social importance. This means that Sanatan society has always considered men and women equal. According to Sanatan Dharma, male power is completely useless without female power.
A woman plays a more important role in the upliftment of her family than a man plays in the upliftment of a family or lineage. Thus, this festival shows the importance of women in the society and the importance of the girl child in the house.
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About this Article
Maa Mahagauri, worshiped on Navratri's eighth day, blesses devotees with peace and prosperity. Know her significance and rituals.
