Navratri: Celebrating the Divine Feminine

The Nine Forms of Durga and what they represent

Hi Friends,

I hope you’re having a great week! As I mentioned on Monday ¹, since we’re in the middle of Navratri, I thought I’d share the story of Durga Ma’s victory over evil and why this annual 9-day festival is dedicated to her and her nine forms.

The Story of Durga Ma’s Victory Over Mahishasura (in a nutshell)

Long ago, there was a powerful demon named Mahishasura who could shape shift between human and buffalo form. He had gained immense strength through his immense years of penance and was granted a boon that no man or god could defeat him.

Emboldened by this, Mahishasura waged a war against the gods and drove them out of heaven. The gods, desperate for help, turned to the supreme deities Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Due to a boon Mahishasura had been granted, the holy trinity knew that only a woman could defeat Mahishasura. So, they combined their powers to create Durga Ma - a fierce, warrior goddess.

Durga Ma went into an epic battle with Mahishasura that lasted, nine days and nights. The demon used all his powers and kept changing forms, but Durga matched him at every turn— with her nine forms. On the tenth day, as Mahishasura assumed his buffalo form, Durga finally overpowered him. She pierced his chest with her trident and beheaded him, ending his reign of terror.

Celebrating the Divine Feminine

In essence, the victory of Durga Ma over Mahishasura symbolizes the triumph of good over evil and is a timeless reminder for her devotees that with faith, determination and support of spiritual guides and loved ones, we can overcome any challenge that life sends our way.

The nine forms of Durga Ma that are worshipped during Navratri are the nine forms that the Goddess took each day to conquer the demon, Mahishasura. The deeper significance in these different forms lie in honoring and celebrating Adi Shakti, the embodiment of the supreme divine feminine and her innate power of strength, courage, grace—among many, many other virtues.

The Nine Forms of Durga Ma

1. Shailaputri (Daughter of the Mountain): Honored for purity, simplicity, and connection to nature. She represents new beginnings and the power of determination.

2. Brahmacharini (The One Who Practices Devout Austerity): Revered for her devotion, penance, and pursuit of sacred knowledge. She embodies discipline and dedication.

3. Chandraghanta (The One with the Moon Bell): Worshipped for her bravery and readiness to fight evil. She symbolizes courage and preparedness in facing life's challenges.

4. Kushmanda (The Cosmic Egg): Celebrated as the creator of the universe. She represents the primordial cosmic energy and the power of creation.

5. Skandamata (Mother of Skanda): Honored as a nurturing mother figure. She embodies the strength and love of motherhood.

6. Katyayani (The Warrior Goddess): Revered for her fierce determination and warrior spirit. She represents the power to overcome obstacles and defeat negativity.

7. Kalaratri (The Dark Night): Worshipped as the destroyer of ignorance and darkness. She symbolizes the fierce aspect of the divine that confronts and eliminates evil.

8. Mahagauri (The Great Fair One): Honored for her purity and cleansing power. She represents the purification of the soul and the attainment of inner peace.

9. Siddhidatri (The Bestower of Supernatural Powers): Celebrated for granting spiritual enlightenment and supernatural abilities. She embodies the fulfillment of divine knowledge and spiritual awakening.

The beauty of celebrating and observing Navartri traditions, is that it provides sincere spiritual seekers an opportunity to go within through their own spiritual practices —japa, kirtan and meditation. In addition, nightly community celebrations and prayers pay homage to her powerful energy and virtues that provide sincere devotees a beautiful path to spiritual growth, empowerment, and awakenings during the nine nights of Navratri.

Wishing you all a beautiful Navratri!

xo,

Kajal

P.S. This Saturday is Dusshera, the best day to start something new! So, if you’ve been wanting to start a meditation practice or some kind of self-care practice… it’s a ripe day to get started!

P.S.S. I’ll be going inward myself for the rest of Navratri, so this week’s recipe drop happened Monday. In case you missed it, it was Tapioca Kitchari! I do a lot of volunteer cooking at our meditation center and inevitably, no matter how much of this we make, it’s never enough :). Definitely a fan favorite! Hope you enjoy!

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