Katyayani Shasthi

On the sixth day of Shardiya or Chaitra Navratri, the form of Maa Durga's Katyayani Mata is worshipped. The grand and divine form of Mata Katyayani is a symbol of beauty and superpower.

Her four arms symbolize her unique strength and power. Her right upper hand is in Abhaya mudra, which provides fearlessness to the devotees. She has a sword in her upper left hand, which symbolizes the power to fight evil.The Vara Mudra in her lower right hand symbolizes her grace and blessings, while her lower left hand holds a lotus flower, which symbolizes purity and good fortune.Her vehicle is the lion, which symbolizes strength and courage and reveals her divinity.By worshiping her, the devotees easily attain the four fruits like wealth, religion, work and salvation. Her diseases, sorrows and fears are all destroyed. Apart from the, by worshiping Mata Rani, the sins of all the births of the worshiper are destroyed.It is given in the Puranas that the appearance of Mata was due to the glory of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. There are many facts about her miracles, one of them is that Katyayan, son of Maharishi Katya, did penance to Goddess Durga to have a child. Maa Durga was pleased and took birth as a daughter in her house, from then on, her name became Katyayani.

Method of worship

On the sixth day of Navratri, wake up in the morning, take a daily bath etc. and purify yourself and start the worship by sitting at the place of worship. Decorate the Goddess and then offer fruits, rice, roli, sweets, white or yellow flowers etc. to the Goddess. 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 favourite things or things as per one's capacity.During the Nauratri 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.

Related topics

• Navratri
• Shailputri Prathma
• Brahamcharini Dutiya
• Chandraghanta Tratiya
• Kushmanda Chaturthi
• Skandamata Panchami
• Kalratri Saptami
• Durga Ashtami (Mahagauri)
• Siddhidatri Navami