Navratri, nine festive nights dedicated to Goddess Durga, is an auspicious time to worship Nav Durga, nine aspects of Goddess Durga. Each day a Goddess or a form of Durga is worshipped during Durga Navratri. Though, nine Goddesses worshipped during Navratri may vary from place to place, the Navadurga Goddesses mentioned in the Scriptures are same in every region.
List of Nav Durga Goddesses – Dedicated days during Navratri:
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Skandamata Pooja – Fifth day – also observed Lalita Panchami – Upang Lalita Vrat in Maharashtra
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- Siddhidatri Puja – Ninth day – Mahanavami (Saraswati Puja in Kerala)
Skandamata is the fifth aspect of Navdurga Goddesses worshipped during Saran Navratri Durga pooja. In 2009, the date of Skanda mata puja is Septemner 23.
Spiritual importance of Skanda mata Navadurga pooja:
Skanda mata is the fifth form of among nine tremendous aspects of Durga worshipped during Saran Navratra. On this day, Yogis and other dedicated devotees stay their mind in Vishuddha Chakra. Skanda Mata represents Visuddha Chakra. Skanda as a child in the lap of Skanda mata represents the devotee’s dedicated and concentrated state of mind. Vishuddha Chakra indicated that the Yogi is in calm and completely submerged in Shakti worship. Sometimes, Skanda mata appears as seated on a lotus. Skandamata seated on lotus is called Padmasa Skanda mata.
Dhyana Mantra of Skanda mata Navdurga:
Simhasanagatha nityam padmashritha kara dwayaa
Shubhadaasthu sadaa devi Skandamaata yashaswini
The above Dhyana sloka or stotram is recited on the fifth day (Skandamata puja) in Durga Navrati pooja. Chanting the stotra of Skanda mata on Lalitha Panchami or Upang Lalita Pancham makes the devotee free from all his sorrows and keeps him happy forever.
Navadurga or the 9 forms or manifestations of Durga are the nine Goddesses worshipped on nine festive nights during Durga Navratri. Though, the nine manifestations or avatars of Durga that are worshipped during Navaratri may differ from place to place, the standard or primary Navadurga Goddesses remain same for every region.
Goddess Durga is a form of Shakti, the Mother Goddess. Three main forms of Shakti – Mahakali, Maha Saraswati and Mahalaxmi are evolved from the Trimurtis – Lord Shiva, Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu respectively. Each of these three main Goddesses gave rise to 3 more manifestations, who are referred as Nav-Durga. On each day of Durga Navratri, one of the Navdurga Goddesses is worshipped.
- Shailputri Mata
- Brahmacharini Maa
- Mata Chandraghanta
- Mata Kushmanda
- Skandamata
- Katyayani Mata
- Kalaratri Maa
- MahaGouri Mata
- Siddhidatri Mata