Nine aspects of Goddess Durga

Goddess Durga has nine aspects and all other goddesses are manifestations of one or another aspect of her.  In Navaratri Durga Puja, the nine aspects of Goddess Durga are worshipped in the following sequential order. 

1…Shailaputri

Shailputri is the first aspect of Goddess Durga.  She is the embodiment of primeval purity.  She is Citta Shakti, who is unborn and resides deep in our inner consciousness. 

The human consciousness is characterized by constantly outward flowing energy.  With deep dedication and concentration on Sailputri Durga, the out flow of our energy turns inward in search of perfection in our inner consciousness and eventually stilled. 

With veneration of Sailputri Durga, the devotees are able awaken her and with her begins our spiritual energy and progress through successive steps in pursuit of eternal peace and happiness. 

2…Brahmacharini

Brahmacharini is the second aspect of Goddess Durga.  Brahmacharini Durga is the embodiment of purity of mind which is the cumulative energy resulting from practicing of stillness and silence with continuous effort. 

Parvati as Brahmacharini did super natural austere penance.  As she attained the ultimate level of her austere penance, the whole universe was shaken.  With the blessing of Brahmachaini Durga our mind remains unshaken and do not deviate from the path of duty even in the most critical periods of physical and mental pressures.  By worshipping Brahmacharini Durga we cultivate self-confidence, ethical conduct and resolute determination.

Brahmacharini Durga bestows her devotees with purity of mind devoid of Ego and we are able accept things or situations as they are with humility.  She is the giver of spiritual wisdom for moving into the boundless space of pure awareness.  She personifies love and loyalty, and provides knowledge and wisdom. 

3…Chandraghanta

Chandraghanta is the third aspect of Goddess Durga.  Chandraghanta Durga is the embodiment of inner vibrations of the accumulated energies.  She signifies the inner call for entering into the poised mental state of pure consciousness.

Chandraghanta Durga provides peace and her worship is instantly fruitful.  As soon as a devotee invokes Chandraghanta Durga, she immediately takes her devotees in her refuse.  She bestows her devotees with bravery and fearlessness attributes along with serenity and humility.

Chandraghanta Durga provides justice, protects from evil forces, removes obstacles on the spiritual path, and enables to cultivate courage and fearlessness.  By contemplating on her divinity, her devotees are able to purify their body, speech, mind and actions, and get rid of worldly sorrows. 

4…Kushmanda

Kushmanda is the fourth aspect of Goddess Durga.  Kusmanda Durga is the core of our inner consciousness, referred as Surya Loka.  She is our deepest inner consciousness.  She embodies our Sankalpa, the mental projection, and the underlying energy with which the universe is created, and the phenomenons that continue without end.

Kusmanda Durga gets rid of ailments and sorrows and bestows with long life, good health, name and fame, and strength. 

5…Skandamata

Skandamata is the fourth aspect of Goddess Durga.  She is the embodiment of liberation, the energy that accelerates the single-pointed yearning for liberation.  It is in this manifestation Parvati gives birth to Skanda or Kartikeya, who destroys the formidable demon Tarakasura -the impeder of liberation.

With her blessing our mind becomes pure bereft of thought waves.  At the purest state of mind, the actions, both internal and external, are completely stopped and her devotees are liberated from illusion and begin to experience supreme joy –Sat-Citta-Ananda. 

6…Katyayani

Katyayani is the sixth aspect of Goddess Durga.  Katyayani Durga is the embodiment of faith and confidence.  She is the Citta-Shakti –power of our inner consciousness. 

With spiritual vision of Katyayani Durga, we receive blessing for being confident in our own ‘self’ and decisive in our actions.  Being confident in our own ‘self’ and decisive in our actions, we get rid of fear and doubt, the root causes of defeat and failure and become fearless and confident of successes. 

One who worships Katyayani Durga becomes immune to suffering caused by fear and doubt.  She signifies inner looking awareness and she is worshiped for self confidence and victory. 

7…Kalaratri

Kalratri or Kali is the seventh aspect of Goddess Durga.  Kalaratri is the most wrathful form of Goddess Durga and she takes this wrathful form to eliminate evils which are otherwise difficult to destroy.  Goddess Durga in this form of Kalratri Durga destroys the demon Raktabij, who is the embodiment of fleeting thoughts and desire that remains dissatisfied even after fulfilling it. 

In wrathful form Kalratri Durga provides protection and enables our ability to discern between the underlying truth and surface illusion as she is the embodiment of discerning wisdom.  The eminence of wrathful form of Kalratri Durga is to care, thus she is bountiful and benevolent. 

Kalratri Durga is the destroyers of most powerful demon entities residing in us.  With Kalratri Durga invoked, our Ego enters the dark space of our attention -the inner consciousness, where it experiences self-destruction.  With the vision of Kalratri Durga, the devotee becomes fit to earn all kinds of virtues. 

Kalratri Durga is the embodiment of spiritual energy that supports our mind –the outer consciousness, in facing the innermost deepest level of consciousness to which everything dissolves.  This event is referred to as Kal -death, and that is why she is referred as Kalratri –dark night.

Goddess Durga in her manifestation as Kalratri Durga destroys nescience in order to bestow knowledge.  She destroys darkness –the nescience so that we realize light, the spiritual knowledge and Sanskar –the human values.  She destroys Dukha -sorrow, misery, earthly travails and tribulations.  She destroys all those factors that bind us to Samsara.

8…Mahagauri

Mahagauri Durga is the embodiment of the purity of our inner consciousness and inherently resides in our heart.  She is the eternal light of Supreme Being.  Mahagauri Durga is also the embodiment of great vows Parvati had taken in this form.  Her power is unfailing and instantly fruitful.  

Mahagauri Durga signifies soaking our mind in the eternal light of Supreme Being after crossing over the utter darkness of the deepest level of our unconsciousness where our Ego in all its denominations, are considered dead. 

With blessing of Mahagauri Durga we are purified in all respects and become fit for inexhaustible virtues.  It was in this form Goddess Parvati married Lord Shiva as her eternal husband.  At the moment Lord Shiva adored Goddess Parvati in the form of Mahagauri, all gods had chanted:

“Sarva Mangala Mangalyae, Shiva Sarwartha Sadhike;

Saranyai Trei-Ambikae-Gauri Narayani Namustutey.”

‘Salutation to all auspicious Goddess Gauri,

eternal consort of Shiva and his principle.  You are Narayani. 

We take refuse unto you.’

9…Siddhidhatri

Siddhidhatri is the ninth aspect of Goddess Durga.  She is the ultimate form of Durga.  She is the embodiment of success.  She is the purest and absolute Vidya –knowledge.

Siddhidhatri Durga is the wish fulfilling Goddess and giver of all forms of successes.  She is the giver of Siddhi –perfections, and Riddhi –supernatural powers.  As giver of Siddhi, she is depicted as being always worshipped equally by Gods, Siddhas, Gandharvas, Yaktsas, and Raktsas -demon.  With the Siddhi bestowed by her,  the devotees realize equanimity across all beings and the universal oneness.

With Siddhis and Riddhis bestowed by Siddhidatri Durga, her devotees transcend all material desires and necessities.  They are completely out of lust and enjoyment.  The absolute nearness of the perfect Supreme Being becomes the only aim of her devotees.  After attaining all Siddhis and Riddhis there remains nothing to require.

Siddhidhatri Durga signifies that with continuously merging into the light of Supreme Being with Yoga Sadhana, we attain absolute ground of existence.  At that state, the only intension that remains is to help and free others from illusion and influence of negative Karmic forces.