Mahagauri — The Sparkling White Goddess That Gives Enlightenment

Worshiping Mahagauri on the eighth day of Navratri brings respite from all of life's troubles. Goddess Mahagauri has the ability to grant the wishes of her followers at any time and in any place. Maha Ashtami is the day where little girls are invited and served sumptuous puri-chana in honor of Mahagauri. Let’s meet this dazzling Goddess of beauty and splendour!

Maa Mahagauri. Image Credits: Indiatimes

Mantras for Mahagauri:

*“Om Hreem Shreem Glaum Gam Gauri Geem Namah”

”Om Devi Mahagauryai Namah”*

Worshiping this goddess brings respite from all of life's troubles. Goddess Mahagauri has the ability to grant salvation to all her humble devotees. Her lower right hand wields a trident while her right upper hand is in the mudra of uplifting fear. She's got a tambourine in one hand and a blessing mudra in the other. Mahagauri is described as extraordinarily brilliant, clean-skinned with a moon-like glow. A white bull is her mount. There are several manifestations of the Mother Goddess, also known as Devi, Shakti, or Gauri. While she defends the innocent and punishes those who do wrong acts, she is auspicious and dazzling.

Kanya Puja or Kanjak is the most important part of Maha Ashtami or the eighth day of Navaratri, where devotees invite nine young girls and one boy at their home where they offer them food, gifts and worship them. With all love and devotion, the kids are fed halwa, puri, and chana, the same bhog which was made for the Goddess.

Mahagauri was born from the battle between demons, an incarnate of the power that can destroy strong opposing forces, for some these demons can be seen as all the hindrances that come in the way of an aspirants realization of enlightenment. Mahagauri shows up for those, removing the fear of terrifying death, and allowing them to be reborn into beauty and splendor.

The threatening demons Shumbha and Nishumbha, as it turned out, could only be destroyed by Parvati in her virgin, unmarried form. Brahma instructed Shiva to repeatedly taunt Parvati as Kali. When he mocked her, Parvati grew irritated, so she undertook extreme penance to Brahma in order to get a golden complexion. Brahma said that he was unable to offer her that blessing and instead asked her to end her penance and slaughter the demons Shumbha and Nishumbha, which was all a part of Brahma's ingenious plan. Parvati consented and proceeded to bathe in the Himalayan Ganga river. Immediately, her grime complexion dissolved completely, and she emerged as a lovely golden lady wearing white clothing, and she was known as "Mahagauri."

She then appeared in front of the gods who were praying to her for the annihilation of Shumbha and Nishumbha in the Himalayas, and worriedly inquired as to whom they were worshipping. Durga's various incarnations appear from this point in the story.

She mirrored herself as the black Kaushiki Durga and responded to her own query by claiming that the gods were praying to her after being beaten by the demons Shumbh and Nishumbh. She absorbed herself back as Parvati in an instant, then became black out of sympathy for the gods and from there she was known as Kalika. She proceeds, in different forms, to slay and defeat the demons who were creating problems for the gods.

She first took the shape of Chandi (also known as Chandraghanta) and destroyed Dhumralochan Asura. Goddess Chamunda, who emerged from Chandi's third eye, murdered Chanda and Munda. Raktabija and his clones were then slaughtered by Chandi, while Chamunda drank their blood. Parvati transformed into Kaushiki and murdered Shumbh and Nishumbh before transforming back into Mahagauri. As a result, Parvati murdered Shumbha and Nishumbha, earning her the names Mahasaraswati (in the Shiva Purana) or Ambika (in the Devi Mahatmya). She rode back home to Kailash on the back of an ox, where Mahadev awaited her. They were reunited and lived happily with their sons, Kartikeya and Ganesh.

As Chaitra Navratri begins, we remember these forms of goddess Durga to remind us of our aspirations for deep spiritual insight and overcoming our fears & demons to triumph at the end, and see newer sides of self!