Nabadurga
5. 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.
6. KATTAYANI
Kattayani is the sixth form of Devi Durga. Sage “Kattayan” was the son of the great sage “Kat”. Sage “Kattayan” was born in the “Kattya” clan. He was engaged in rigorous penance and worship of “Bhagabati Paramba”. His prayer was all about requesting the mother to appear in his house-hold as his daughter. Mother “Bhagabati” obliged him. After some time, when, the world was terrorized of Mahisasura, lord Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara with their divine powers gave form to a Goddess to combat asura and destroy him. Kattayan was the first to worship her and that is why she is known as “Devi Kattayani”.It is mentioned in the Shastra that Kattayani was born as the daughter of the sage Kattayan. Taking birth on the fourteenth day of the new moon in “Ashwin” (September-October), she accepted the worship of the sage Kattayan on Saptami, Astami and Navami and ultimately slew Mahisasura 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.
7. KALRATRI
Mother Goddess's seventh form is "Kalratri". 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. He is worshiped on the seventh day of the Durga puja. Devi Kalratri 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.
8. MAHAGOURI
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.
9. 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 "Brahmabaibarta Puran" in the "SriKrishna Janmakhanda" there are another ten types of success such as "Dursravan", "Parakayaprabeshan" "Baksiddhi", "Kalpabrikkhatta", "Sristi", "Sanharkaransamartha", "Amaratta", "Sarvanyaykatta","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.
