Divine Mother Durga

The story of how Divine Mother Durga revealed herself to human consciousness
and why she is worshipped is quite interesting. This month being extremely
auspicious, when Durga worship is performed all over India and in numerous
countries abroad, let's meditate on the Divine Mother for a few moments.
Introduction
Sri Ramakrishna has declared time and again: He who is "Brahmna" (Eternal
Existence) is also "Shakti" (Power of God). When thought of as inactive, He is
called Brahman, and when thought of as the Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer,
He is called the Primordial Energy, Kali. Brahmna and Shakti are identical, like
fire and its power to burn.... If you accept the one you must accept the other.
From the indivisible sachchidananda, Brahmna, to the ever-blissful mother,
Durga, the so-called 'transformation' reads like a story.
Mother Goddess in the Vedas
Many great scholars have traced the origins of Mother Worship from the Vedas
down to the modern age. We shall meditate on what great masters say about
Durga. A number of goddesses have been mentioned and worshipped in the
Vedas, but Adi shakti owns an important place as she is considered to be the
mother of all the gods. Max Muller has commented that 'Adi shakti, an ancient
God or Goddess, is in reality the earliest name invented to express the Infinite.'
M. Hiriyanna also says that Adi shakti means the Infinite. This 'Infinite' has
gradually got transformed into the Divine Mother. The earliest mention of Adi
shakti is in a hymn of the first mandala of the Rig Veda (1.89.10), though her
children, the Adityas, are mentioned earlier (Rig Veda, 1.14.3). Sage Gautama is
the rishi of that special hymn; special because it introduces the Divine mother.
Gautama prays too many deities for protection, longevity for human beings,
health, wealth, etc, and finally describes Adi shakti in this way:

--Adi shakti is all the heavens. Adi shakti is the space. Adi shakti is the mother,
father, and children. Adi shakti is all the gods and goddesses. Adi shakti is the
five bases of creation. Adi shakti is the birth and Adi shakti is the source of
everything.
In quite a few other mantras too has Adi shakti been called the mother of all the
gods and goddesses? Apart from being called the mother of all the gods (devan

adityan avase) Adi shakti is also called the mother of the Rudras
(matarudranam). In the Katha Upanisad (2.1.7), Adi shakti has been described
thus:
--Adi shakti, who arises with life, is the soul of the gods (devatamayi). Having
entered the secret chamber of the heart, she who was born with the beings
remains there. She is verily that.
This shows that Adi shakti is both the soul of the gods, i.e., the Supreme, as well
as the one who is born with the beings. 'So she is the bridge to eternity'. But how
did Adi shakti become Durga?
From Adi shakti to Durga
A remarkable hymn of the Rig Veda (10.72), attributed to Sage Brihaspati, deals
with the birth of the gods. In it is mystical mantra, which says that Adi shakti is
called Daksa's mother and, surprisingly, also his daughter:
--We shall very clearly state the story of the birth of the gods... Before the birth of
the gods, being come into existence from non-being.... From the creation-tree
(uttanapada), came forth the earth (bhu), and the upper worlds (bhuvah) came
forth from desire. Adi shakti gave birth to Daksa, and Adi shakti was born of
Daksa again O Daksa! Adi shakti is your daughter! All the gods took birth later.
Pundits are baffled with this stanza and have explained it in several ways. Since
Adi shakti has been called the Infinite initially, mother next, and daughter later,
we can hazard a Vedantic meaning to all this: The Infinite, Brahmna, is static.
But when it is somehow enveloped by maya, it becomes the creator, preserve and
destroyer of the universe and is called Isvara. Isvara evolves further to become
Hiranyagarbha and Virat. This whole dynamic state of Brahmna is termed
Shakti. We saw that the name given to Shakti who created everything is Adi
shakti. So Adi shakti is the mother of everything and, therefore, of Daksa also.
Who is Daksa? There are several meanings to the word, like the author of Daksasamhita' 'Atri' a capable person' etc. But the most important meaning is
Prajapati, the father of creation. In the Bhagavata (4.6.17-8), Daksa, the son of
Pracetasas, is called Prajapati, the creator of all living beings. Prajapati or
Brahma is the supreme creator of the gross universe. But in order to create all
this, he should be there first. So he is the firstborn. The Vedantic firstborn is
called Hiranyagarbha. So Daksa Prajapati is Hiranyagarbha, responsible for the
grosser manifestation of the universe. Adi shakti became the daughter of this
Daksa Prajapati. The Nirukta says: 'Daksa is called Aditya since he was Adi
shakti's son. Again, Adi shakti is called Daksayani since she is Daksa's daughter.

Yaska the author of Nirukta continues, saying that the divine origins
(devadharmena itaretara-janmanau) are difficult for us to understand. So Daksa
Prajapati as the creator of the gross universe is constantly engaged in the cosmic
sacrifice of creation. While Daksa is associated with creation, Rudra is always
associated with the terrible, destructive aspect in the Vedas. So Daksa Prajapati,
Brahma, creates and Rudra, who becomes Siva in the post-Vedic age, destroys.
The two powers-of creation and destruction-are like day and night. So Daksa and
Rudra can never go together. The 'sacrifice' of Daksa, creation, and the sacrifice'
of Rudra, destruction, on endlessly. This is jagat. We now come to the Puranas.
According to the Kalika Purana, Daksa performed a great many austerities in
order to have the Divine Mother as his daughter. And Mahamaya, also called Adi
shakti or devamata, was born as Daksa's daughter, Sati She married Rudra.
Sanskritists derive the term Sati from Asti or sat, meaning 'existence'. So the
daughter of creation, or being, became the wife of destruction! We can see a link
between creation, preservation or existence, and destruction here.
We know the famous Puranic story of Daksa's sacrifice: Bhagavata (4.1-7),
Kalika Purana (chapters 8-18) and other sacred works describe the sacrifice with
some variations. Daksa had invited all the other gods to the sacrifice he
performed; but he did not invite either Siva or Sati. Unable to bear the insult
meted out to her husband, Sati went to the sacrifice uninvited, and when her
father insulted her husband further, she created yogic-fire from her own body,
and gave up her body in anger.
Goddess Durga has been glorified by 10 different aspects of the manifestation her
"Shakti" or 'Power', called "Dasha-Mahavidya" as also Her 9 different forms
called "Nava-Durga", without knowing which, trying to know the real power and
divinity of Durga will be in vain.
In Tantra, worship of Devi-Shakti is referred to as a Vidya. Of the hundreds of
tantrik practices, the worship of the ten major Devis is called the Dasa
Mahavidya. These major forms of the goddess are described in the Todala
Tantra. They are Kali, Tara, Maha Tripura Sundari (or Shodasi-Sri Vidya),
Bhuvaneshvari, Chinnamasta, Bhairavi, Dhumavati, Bagalamukhi, Matangi, and
Kamala. These ten aspects of Shakti are the epitome of the entire creation.
Chapter 10 also outlines their consorts, although Dhumavati, the widow form, is
not allocated a consort. There are several "levels" at which these Devis can be
worshiped with the prescribed Mantra and Yantra. Like a simple worship of the
yantra with the mantra recitation, as a remedial astrological measure, elaborate
worship with all tantrak rituals for attaining various siddhis associated with
these tantras and for spiritual salvation. Successful sadhana of these Vidyas gives
several boons to the practitioner. The Tantrik-Yogi who has control over his

senses and positively inclined uses the boons to guide people and for the benefit
of mankind. The ones whose head starts spinning with success use them for the
gratification of the senses, gather a bunch of disciples around them and become
fake gurus.
The last chapter of todala Tantra equates Vishnu's ten incarnations with the ten
Mahavidyas as follows:
"Shri Devi said: Lord of Gods, Guru of the universe, tell me of the ten avatars.
Now I want to hear of this, tell me of their true nature. Paramesvara, reveal to
me which avatar goes with which Devi.
"Shri Shiva said: Tara Devi is the blue form, Bagala is the tortoise incarnation,
Dhumavati is the boar, Chhinnamasta is Nrisimha, Bhuvaneshvari is Vamana,
Matangi is the Rama form, Tripura is Parashurama, Bhairavi is Balabhadra,
Mahalakshmi is Buddha, and Durga is the Kalki form. Bhagavat Kali is the
Krishna murti". (Todalatantra, chapter 10)
The Dasha-Mahavidya
Kali (the Eternal Night) : The first Mahavidya is Kali. Seated on a corpse,
greatly terrifying, laughing loudly, with fearful fangs, four arms holding a
cleaver, a skull, and giving the mudras bestowing boons and dispelling fear,
wearing a garland of skulls, her tongue rolling wildly, completely naked
(digambara - clad in the directions), with just a garland of demon-hands round
her waist, with heaped locks of a black cascade of hair. Thus one should meditate
on Kali, dwelling in the centre of the cremation ground.
Tara (the Compassionate Goddess) : Tara is the second of the mahavidyas. She is
described as seated in the pratyaaleerrha asana, on the heart of a corpse,
supreme, laughing horribly, holding cleaver, blue lotus, dagger and bowl,
uttering the mantra Hum, coloured blue, her hair braided with serpents, the
Ugratara. She is the bestows all supernatural powers. She is the tantric form of
the Goddess Saraswati.
Shorashi (the Goddess who is Sixteen Years Old) : The third Mahavidya is
Shorashi (16-year-old lass), also known as Tripura-Sundari and Lalita, among a
string of other names. She is the zenith of the creative cycle when the entire
universe, like a flower, is in full bloom. She is the chief deity of the Sri Vidya
form of worship, and is contacted either in the central circuit of the Sri Yantra,
or in her own yantra, the Nava-Yoni Chakra. Her anthropomorphic qualities are
brilliancy, manifestation, sweetness, depth, fixity, energy, grace, and generosity.

She is seated on the lotus, that has bloomed out from the navel of Lord Shiva.
She is a beautiful young girl of 16 years with four arms. Her complexion is like
molten gold and Her beauty is continuously being viewed by Lord Shiva. She is,
at one point, being made one with Goddess Lakshmi, the consort of Lord Vishnu.
Bhuvaneshwari (the Creator of the World) : Means the Queen of the Universe,
Maya, power of love, peace within, as void. She is like the red rays of the rising
sun, with the moon as her diadem, and with three eyes, a smiling face, bestowing
boons, holding a goad, a noose and dispelling fears. On the right side of
Bhuvaneshvari, who in the heavens, on earth, and in the underworlds is known
as the Adya, worship Tryambaka. She is the fourth Mahavidya.
Chhinnamastaa (the Goddess who cuts off her Own Head) : The fifth
Mahavidya, Chhinnamastaa, looks like the red hibiscus. Her left foot forward in
battle, she holds her severed head and a scimitar. Naked, she drinks voluptuously
the stream of the blood nectar flowing from her beheaded body, along with her
two female celestial companions. The jewel on her forehead is tied with a serpent.
She has three eyes. Her breasts are adorned with lotuses. Inclined towards lust,
she sits erect above the god of love - Madana, who shows signs of lustfulness,
engaged in the act of love with his consort Rati. The image of Chinnamasta is a
composite one, conveying reality as an amalgamation of sex, death, creation,
destruction and regeneration. It is stunning representation of the fact that life,
sex, and death are an intrinsic part of the grand unified scheme that makes up
the manifested universe.
Bhairavi (the Goddess of Decay) : Tripura Bhairavi is Supreme Energy, Supreme
Goddess of speech, as Tapas, as woman warrior. Her head garlanded with
flowers, she resembling the red rays of 1,000 rising suns, smeared with red,
holding milk, book, dispelling fears and giving boons with her four hands, large
three eyes, beautiful face with a slow smile, wearing white gems. Bhairavi
embodies the principle of destruction and arises or becomes present when the
body declines and decays. She is an ever-present goddess who manifests herself
in, and embodies, the destructive aspects of the world. Destruction, however, is
not always negative, creation cannot continue without it.
Dhoomavati (the Goddess who widows Herself) : The colour of smoke
("dhoom"), wearing smoky clothes, holding a winnowing basket, dishevelled
clothes, deceitful, always trembling, with slant eyes, inspiring fear, terrifying,
sitting in a chariot, with the symbol of a raven on her chariot-flag. Symbolically,
she has devoured her own husband Lord Shiva in hunger, and hence, in the form
of a lustreless widow. This symbolises the supremacy of the Devi (Nature) over all
other forces (even Shiva, who himself is the cosmic force of destruction). She is

the great death of the death himself. She is the embodiment of "unsatisfied
desires". Her status as a widow itself is curious. She makes herself one by
swallowing Shiva, an act of self-assertion, and perhaps independence.
Bagala (the Goddess who seizes the Tongue) : Bagala or Bagalamukhi is the
eighth Mahavidya in the famous series of the 10 Mahavidyas.She is identified
with the second night of courage and is the power or Shakti of cruelty. She is
described as the Devi with three eyes, wearing yellow clothes and gems, moon as
her diadem, wearing champaka blossoms, with one hand holding the tongue of
an enemy and with the left hand spiking him, thus should you meditate on the
paralyser of the three worlds. Bagalamukhi means "The Crane-Headed One".
This bird is thought of as the essence of deceit. She rules magic for the
suppression of an enemy's gossip. These enemies also have an inner meaning, and
the peg she puts through the tongue may be construed as a peg or paralysis of
our own prattling talk. She rules deceit which is at the heart of most speech. She
can in this sense be considered as a terrible or Bhairavi form of Matrika Devi,
the mother of all speech. According to Todala Tantra, her male consort is
Maharudra. Seated on the right of Bagala is the Maharudra, with one face, who
dissolves the universe. The pulling of the demon's tongue by Bagalamukhi is both
unique and significant. Tongue, the organ of speech and taste, is often regarded
as a lying entity, concealing what is in the mind. The Bible frequently mentions
the tongue as an organ of mischief, vanity and deceitfulness. The wrenching of
the demon's tongue is therefore symbolic of the Goddess removing what is in
essentiality a perpetr
Matangi (the Goddess who Loves Pollution) : Dusky, beautiful browed, her three
eyes like lotuses, seated on a jewelled lion-throne, surrounded by gods and others
serving her, holding in her four lotus-like hands a noose and a sword, a shield
and a goad, thus I remember Matangi, the giver of results, the Modini. Texts
describing her worship specify that devotees should offer her uccishtha (leftover
food) with their hands and mouths stained with leftover food; that is,
worshippers should be in a state of pollution, having eaten and not washed. This
is a dramatic reversal of the usual protocols. She is the ninth Mahavidya. ator of
evil.
Kamala (the Goddess of creation, sustenance and prosperity) : Kamala, the
tenth, or the last of the Mahavidyas, is with a smiling face. Her beautiful lilywhite hands hold two lotuses, and show the mudras of giving and dispelling fear.
She is bathed in ambrosia by four white elephants and stands upon a beautiful
lotus. She is the real embodiment of Goddess Lakshmi ("Kamalekamini"), the
consort of Lord Vishnu. The name Kamala means "she of the lotus" and is a
common epithet of Goddess Lakshmi. Lakshmi is linked with three important

and interrelated themes: prosperity and wealth, fertility and crops, and good
luck during the years to come.
In their strong associations with death, violence, pollution, and despised marginal
social roles, they call into question such normative social "goods" as worldly
comfort, security, respect, and honor. The worship of these goddesses suggests
that the devotee experiences a refreshing and liberating spirituality in all that is
forbidden by established social orders. The central aim here is to stretch one's
consciousness beyond the conventional, to break away from approved social
norms, roles, and expectations. By subverting, mocking, or rejecting conventional
social norms, the adept seeks to liberate his or her consciousness from the
inherited, imposed, and probably inhibiting categories of proper and improper,
good and bad, polluted and pure. Living one's life according to rules of purity
and pollution and caste and class that dictate how, where, and exactly in what
manner every bodily function may be exercised, and which people one may, or
may not, interact with socially, can create a sense of imprisonment from which
one might long to escape. Perhaps the more marginal, bizarre, "outsider"
goddesses among the Mahavidyas facilitate this escape. By identifying with the
forbidden or the marginalized, an adept may acquire a new and refreshing
perspective on the cage of respectability and predictability. Indeed a mystical
adventure, without the experience of which, any spiritual quest would remain
incomplete.
The Nava-Durga
Shailaputri - Goddess Durga's first form in the Nava-Durga series of divine
forms, amongst the nine, is Shailaputri. She was nomenclatured as Shailaputri
after being born in the house of the king of the mountains, Himalaya . In this
mold the mother is seen holding a trident in her right hand and a lotus in her left
and she is mounted on an ox. In the past life she was the daughter of Daksha, the
son of Lord Brahma. She was known as Sati then. As the daughter of Daksha she
was married to the God of Gods, Mahadeva. Daksha once arranged for a
ceremony of the holy fire (Yagna), and chose not to invite his daughter and sonin-law. Sati was restless to join the ceremony at her father's place and even defied
her husband's advice of not attending the Yagna without an invitation. On going
uninvited to the ceremony, she felt that everyone was giving her a cold shoulder
except her mother who greeted her with a hug. Her siblings too were no
exception and were sarcastic in their remarks. The guests too present in the
function were uttering disrespectful comments about her husband. To her
surprise her father too was harsh and rude in his approach. She was dejected
and was so heart broken that she burnt herself to ash in the holy fire. Shiva, on
hearing this incident was enraged and ordered his followers to immediately

demolish the Daksha Yagna. After burning herself to death, Sati was reborn as
the daughter of the king of the mountains, Himalaya and became known as
Shailaputri. Thus amongst all the nine forms of Devi Durga, Shailaputri is the
most powerful and glorified of all. She is worshiped in the first day of the
Navratri celebrations. According to the Upanishads this form of Durga broke the
pride of the Gods by assuming the mold of Haimabati.
Brahmacharini - Durga's second appearance is in the form of Brahmacharini.
Here "Brahma" means meditation. That is, the Goddess is the meditator or a
practitioner of penance. She is seen here holding a string of rosary beads in her
right hand and a Kamandalu (an urn containing holy water) in her left hand. In
her previous life, when she was reborn as the daughter of Himalaya , she
performed severe penance to have Mahadeva as her husband. The sage God
Narada advised her to take up meditation to win Shiva. For undergoing strict
meditation she was known as Brahmacharini or Tapasyacharini. Ignoring the
beating sun and thundershowers, she began a three hundred year meditation
living only leaves that fell on the forest floor. She furthered her penance making
it even stricter by relinquishing food and water for another few hundred years.
As she gave up eating leaves she is also referred to as "Aparna". Practicing this
painstaking contemplation she became weak and skinny. Unable to withstand the
plight of her daughter her mother, Manoka requested her to give up her
resolution. Shocked at the sight of Durga she exclaimed "u" and "ma". In
Sanskrit 'u' is a word of address, and 'ma' means 'don't' or 'not wanted'). That is
why Durga is also called "Uma". On the other hand overwhelmed by Durga's
devotion and perseverance, all the Gods and sages in the heaven were placated.
At last, grandfather Brahma, pleased with devi's austerities made an oracle, "O
maiden! No one could achieve or endure the penance you have performed till
date. I am captivated by your meditation and devotion. Your wish will be fulfilled
and you will certainly have Shiva as your husband. You may now return home
and rest. Your father will come soon to take you". This form of Durga gives the
devotees everlasting success. Worship of this appearance enriches the faculties of
sacrifice, honesty and self-discipline. In times of utter distress the worship of this
form gives success and the willpower to come out victorious. This form of Durga
is worshiped in the second day of the Durga puja.
Chandraghanta - Mother Durga's third form is known as Chandraghanta. This
name finds its justification in the half moon seen on the temple of the Goddess
that resembles a bell. The deity has ten arms. The ten hands of the Goddess
brandish ten different weapons. Mounted on a lion this form of the mother is
worshiped on the third day of the Navratri celebration. It is believed that a
devotee who manages to earn the devi's blessings can set himself free from his
sins and hazards that he has committed or may face in his life. The devotee gains

the power to sense the supernatural, to see it and even smell the eternal
fragrance. He is also able to distinguish the otherwise inaudible celestial sounds.
This is the time when the devotee should be alert. Although the deity is always
envisaged in the fearsome mood of demolishing the evil, her appearance always
spreads a calm and eternal peace all round. Mother Chandraghanta's devotees
spread peace and happiness wherever they go. We should all whole-heartedly
worship the mother with a devoted soul. Worship of the deity helps one eliminate
the sorrow, hazards and dangers in ones life.
Kushmanda - The fourth appearance of the devi is in the form of Kushmanda.
The mother gets the name as she created the universe with a smile. When there
was darkness everywhere and there was no existence of the universe she created
the universe with a smile. She is believed to be the source of eternal power. The
Goddess has eight arms and that is why she is also known as "Ashtabhuja". The
deity's seven hands hold the holy urn (Kamandul), a bow, an arrow, a lotus, a pot
containing wine, a disc and a club. The eighth hand holds a string of rosary beads
that is believed to provide success and prudence. Pumpkin is termed as
"Kushmandam" in Sanskrit. Amongst the sacrificial vegetables that are offered
in the worship of the Goddess (naibidhya), pumpkin is the most important
vegetable with which Devi Kushmanda is most placated. That is why she is
named "Kushmanda". She is worshiped on the fourth day of the Navratri
celebration abiding by the rituals that are described in the Sashtra and the
Purans. Worship of this form of the Devi exterminates sorrow and diseases and
augments life, fame and strength. Mother Goddess is appeased with the slightest
of devotion and if any one whole-heartedly worships the deity he will certainly
gain her favour.
Skandamata - Fifth form of the mother is known as Skandamata. Kumar
Kartik's other name is Skanda. As devi Durga is the mother of Kartik, she is
referred to as "Skandamata". This form of the deity has four arms. The mother
is seen holding her son Skanda with the top right hand and she is holding a lotus
in her lower hand. The top left hand is positioned in a blessing gesture and the
other hand holds a lotus. The goddess is fair and sits on a lotus. That is why the
devi is also known as "Padmasana". Here she is seen mounted on a lion. If
anyone worships her whole-heartedly, she fulfills the wish of the devotee.
Katyaayani Katyaayani is the sixth form of Devi Durga. Sage Katyaayan was the
son of the great sage Kat. Sage Kattayan was born in the "Katya" clan. He was
engaged in rigorous penance and worship of "Bhagavati Paramba". His prayer
was all about requesting the mother to appear in his house-hold as his daughter.
Mother Bhagavati obliged him. After some time, when, the world was terrorized
of Mahishasura, Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva with their divine

powers gave form to a Goddess to combat asura and destroy him. Katyaayan was
the first to worship her and that is why she is known as "Devi Kattayani". It is
mentioned in the Shastra that Katyaayani was born as the daughter of the sage
Kattayan. Taking birth on the fourteenth day of the new moon in "Aashwin"
(September-October), she accepted the worship of the sage Kattayan on Saptami,
Astami and Navami and ultimately slew Mahishasura on Dashami. The deity's
complexion is as bright as gold. She has four hands. The top right hand is
positioned in a gesture of providing courage and the other hand is positioned in a
gesture of rendering a boon. The top left hand is holding a sword and the other
holding a lotus. The Goddess is mounted on a lion and she is worshiped on the
sixth day of the Durga puja. If one worships the deity with a pure soul he attains
success in religion, wealth, passion and salvation. Disease, sorrow and fear are
eliminated. Worship of this deity helps one to emancipate himself from the sin he
may have committed over the cycle of his births and rebirths. We should all
devote our prayers to the mother to lead a better life.
Kaalratri - Mother Goddess's seventh form is "Kaalratri". Her complexion is as
dark as the night. Her cascading hair is let loose and she is seen wearing a
garland that radiates light as bright as lightning. She is fearsome with her
menacing three eyes, radiating fire. She is mounted on an ass. She has four
hands, of which, the top right hand is in a gesture of rendering boon to all. The
other hand on her right is rendering fearlessness. The top left hand is holding an
iron dagger and the other hand is holding a sickle. Although she has a menacing
appearance, she always delivers favorable results and her devotees need not fear
her manifestations is holding an iron dagger and the other hand is holding a
sickle. Although she has a menacing appearance, she always delivers favorable
results and her devotees need not fear her manifestations. She is worshiped on
the seventh day of the Durga puja. Devi Kaalratri destroys the evil. If anyone
whole-heartedly pleads of saving him from any impending danger, she protects
him. As and when the Goddess is called, the evils instantaneously disappear from
the place. By the Goddess's grace, the devotees overcome their fear of fire, water,
animals and foes.
Mahagouri - The Mother's eighth form is known as "Mahagouri". Her
complexion is totally white. Her garments are also white. She is mounted on an
ox and has four hands. Her top right hand is rendering fearlessness and the hand
below holds a trident. The top left hand holds a "Damru" and the hand below is
in a gesture of giving a boon. To have Shiva as her husband she went through a
rigorous penance in the form of "Parvati". As a result of this arduous meditation
her complexion turned dark. Lord Shiva, pleased with the devotion of Parvati,
bathed her in the holy water of the Ganges . As she bathed in the holy water she
turned fair. From then onwards she became known as "Mahagouri". She is

worshiped on the eighth day of the Durga puja. The devotee is benefited on all
fronts as he worships the deity. Due to the Goddess's grace the devotee attains
supernatural salvation, he is relieved from all his pains and fatigue and can set
himself free from his previous sins. He is never faced with sorrow and poverty
and never commits any sin. The devotee wins pure and endless virtue.
Siddhidatri - Durga's ninth mold is the form of "Siddhidatri". She delivers
success. According to "Markendeo Puran" there are eight types of success, such
as "Anima", "Laghima", "Prapti", "Prakashya", "Mahima", "Ishhattya",
"Bashittya", "Sarvakaam bashayita" and "Sarvagyata". But in the "SriKrishna
Janmakhanda" of the "Brahmavaivarta Puran", there are another ten types of
success such as "Doorsravan", "Parakayaprabeshan", "Baksiddhi",
"Kalpavrikshattwa", "Srishti", "Samharkaransamartha", "Amarattwa",
"Sarvanaykattwa", "Bhavna" and "Siddhi". Thus there are eighteen types of
successes. Mother Siddhidatri is capable of rendering all these forms of successes
to her devotees. According to the Purans, Lord Shiva achieved salvation by the
grace of this deity. The deity is seen sometimes sitting on a lotus and sometimes
mounted on a lion. She is four armed. The lower right hand of the Goddess holds
a disc and the upper right hand holds a club. The lower left hand holds a conch
shell and the upper hand holds a lotus. She is worshipped on the ninth day of the
Durga puja. She is the ultimate form of the Goddess among the Navadurga. After
having performed the worship of the other forms of the Goddess according to the
rituals mentioned in the Sashtra, the devotee can then start the worship of this
deity. Those who worship the Goddess with full devotion are bestowed with all
the success. She has been unified with the forces of sustenance and salvation of
the great Lord Vishnu.