:नवदुर्गा), which literally means nine Goddess Durgas, constitute, according to Hindu mythology

Hindu mythology

Hindu religious literature is the large body of traditional narratives related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and the Puranas. As such, it is a subset of Nepali and Indian culture...

, the manifestation of Durga

Durga

For the 1985 Hindi Film of Rajesh Khanna see DurgaaIn Hinduism, Durga ; ; meaning "the inaccessible" or "the invincible"; , durga) or Maa Durga "one who can redeem in situations of utmost distress" is a form of Devi, the supremely radiant goddess, depicted as having eighteen arms, riding a lion...

 in nine different forms. These nine forms of manifestation are , , , , , , , and , together worshipped during the Navratri (Nine Divine Nights) celebration in Autumn each year.

Forms of manifestation

Durga, the Mother Goddess of the Hindu

Hindu

Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...

s and a form of Devi

Devi

Devī is the Sanskrit word for Goddess, used mostly in Hinduism, its related masculine term is deva. Devi is synonymous with Shakti, the female aspect of the divine, as conceptualized by the Shakta tradition of Hinduism. She is the female counterpart without whom the male aspect, which represents...

 and Shakti

Shakti

Shakti from Sanskrit shak - "to be able," meaning sacred force or empowerment, is the primordial cosmic energy and represents the dynamic forces that are thought to move through the entire universe in Hinduism. Shakti is the concept, or personification, of divine feminine creative power, sometimes...

, is believed to have manifested in various forms, and Navadurga Maa are believed to be the most sacred aspects of Goddess Durga. According to a Hindu tradition, it is believed that there are three major forms in which Goddess Durga manifested herself, namely, Mahasaraswati, Mahalakshmi and Mahakali

Mahakali

Mahakali , literally translated as Great Kali, is a Hindu Goddess, considered to be the consort of Shiva the God of consciousness, and as the basis of Reality and existence...

 who are the active energies (Shakti

Shakti

Shakti from Sanskrit shak - "to be able," meaning sacred force or empowerment, is the primordial cosmic energy and represents the dynamic forces that are thought to move through the entire universe in Hinduism. Shakti is the concept, or personification, of divine feminine creative power, sometimes...

) of Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra respectively (without these goddesses the gods will lose all their powers and would not have the energy to lift a finger). These three forms of Durga further manifested in three more forms each, and thus emerged the nine forms of Durga, which are collectively called Navadurga or Nine Durgas. Navadurga are famously worshipped during the Autumn Navaratri or the Nine days, initiating the devotees into a period of festivities according to Hindu calendar.

Science and concept of colors or Gunas in Nav Durga

Actually each Form in Nav Durga represents her special characteristic as per her guna which is in reference with color of their vestments i.e. red, yellow, blue, violet, green, orange, indigo, Grey and pink. Parvati represents white color vestments as white is combination of all colors that is why she is known as trigunatmika, combination of all gunas. Science says when white light goes from rarer (upper lokas like heaven) to denser medium (lower lokas like earth) it transforms to different colors. If density variation is less, then three colors are formed i.e. Red, Yellow and Blue, now the three primary colors represents Mahalakshmi or Mahismardini(Red), Mahasarswati or Shumbh-Nishumbh Vinashni(Yellow) and Mahakali or Madhukaitabh Vibhanjani(Blue), the Goddesses are none other than the powers of trinity. Further these splits to nine colors as their wavelength exceeds and forms above mentioned nine colors of Nav Durga i.e. now Shailputri or Hemavati who is Goddess as Nature represents green color, Brahmacharini represents devotion i.e. indigo color, Chandraghanta reperesents beauty i.e. pink, Kushmanda represents beginning i.e. voilet, Skandmata represents hard worker i.e. yellow, Katyani represents courage i.e. orange, Kaalraatri represents illusion i.e. blue, Mahagauri represents purity i.e. Red, Sidhidhaatri represents granter i.e. grey.

Meditative mantra

Each one of the Navadurga is known by a particular name and the deity has a particular dhyana-mantra, a mantra for meditation, a free English version of which is mentioned below:

• Shailaputri

May the illustrious Shailaputri Durga whom I salute and whose head is adorned by a halfmoon, who rides nandi a bull and carries a spear fulfil the desires of my heart. She was her known as 1st phase of Durga when she took birth as daughter of Great Himalyas.

• Brahmacharini

May the supreme Brahmachari Durga, who holds rosary

Rosary

The rosary or "garland of roses" is a traditional Catholic devotion. The term denotes the prayer beads used to count the series of prayers that make up the rosary...

 and kamandalu

Kamandalu

Kamandalu or Kamandal or Kamandalam is an oblong water pot made of a dry gourd or coconut shell or metal or wood of Kamandalataru tree or from clay, usually with a handle and sometimes with a spout. Hindu ascetics or yogis often use it for storing drinking water...

 in her lotus hands and whose nature is to attain Sachchidanandamaya Brahmaswarupa the Existence

Existence

In common usage, existence is the world we are aware of through our senses, and that persists independently without them. In academic philosophy the word has a more specialized meaning, being contrasted with essence, which specifies different forms of existence as well as different identity...

-Knowledge

Knowledge

Knowledge is a familiarity with someone or something unknown, which can include information, facts, descriptions, or skills acquired through experience or education. It can refer to the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject...

-Bliss absolute, be propitious on me. Devi is Devi's that phase when Maa Parvati before marriage as a Devi Yogni and Devi Tapsvini.

• Chandraghanta

May that Durga Devi, who rides on Tiger

Tiger

The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...

, who is endowed with intense anger and violence and is renowned by the name of Maa Chandraghanta, bestow her grace on me. Chandraghanta Ma is known and named Chandraghanta or Chandra-Khanda as Maa Durga wears the semi-circular moon (Chandra) which appears like a bell (Ghanta) on her forehead.

• Kushmanda

May Kushmanda Ma Durga who holds two pitchers full of blood in her lotus hands and the universe is created, sustained and drawn within Devi's ownself in a wink be propitious for me. In this form Mother Durga creates solar system by liberating her power to Lord Sun.

• Skandamata

May the renowned Durga Devi Skandamata who is eternally seated on a throne and whose hands are adorned with lotuses, be ever propitious to me. As Mother of Skanda or Kartikeya, Maa Parvati or Maa Durga is known as Skandmata.

• Kathyayini
  Kathyayini
  Kathyayini is the sixth form of the Durga, part of the Navadurga or the nine forms of Hindu goddess Durga or Shakti, worshipped during the Navratri celebrations....
  
  

May the ever watchful Durga Devi Katyayani, who holds shining Chandrahasa (Sword) in Devi's hand and rides a magnificent lion and destroys the demons, bestow welfare on me. When Maa PArvati's Partial expansion took birth in Sage Katya's home and gets energy from trinity and demi Gods, then the Goddess the known as Maa Katyani.

• Kaalratri

May she Bhayankari Maa Durga who is naked with long lips, riding an ass, shining in various hues looks formidable because of the halo of Devi's lustre and is adorned with multi coloured ornaments remove my darkness of ignorance. In skand Purana, Maa Parvati liberates Devi's golden outer sheath and becomes dark comlexioned then Goddess becomes Goddess Kaalratri.

• Mahagauri

May the Mahagauri Ma Durga who rides a white Rishabha

Rishabha

Rishabha also spelled as Rsabha or Vrsabha may refer to:* Rishabha , the first Jain tirthankar* Rishabha , a sage mentioned in the Vaishnava texts, incarnation of Visnu, the son of King Nabhi and Merudevi; father of the great king - BharatIn Sanskrit, Rishabha may also mean:* The bull* The great one...

 bull and who wears spotless white clothes and remains ever pure and also provides ever lasting bliss to Mahadeva Lord Shiva bestow all auspiciousness. Devi is 16 years old unmarried Goddess Parvati.

• Siddhidaatri

May the ever victorious Siddhidayini Ma Durga, who is always worshipped by the hordes of siddha

Siddha

A Siddha सिद्ध in Sanskrit means "one who is accomplished" and refers to perfected masters who, according to Hindu belief, have transcended the ahamkara , have subdued their minds to be subservient to their Awareness, and have transformed their bodies into a different kind of body dominated by...

, gandharva

Gandharva

Gandharva is a name used for distinct mythological beings in Hinduism and Buddhism; it is also a term for skilled singers in Indian classical music.-In Hinduism:...

, yaksha

Yaksha

Yaksha is the name of a broad class of nature-spirits, usually benevolent, who are caretakers of the natural treasures hidden in the earth and tree roots. They appear in Hindu, Jain and Buddhist mythology. The feminine form of the word is ' or Yakshini .In Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist mythology,...

, asura

Asura

-In Hinduism:In Hinduism, the Asuras constitute a group of power-seeking deities, sometimes considered sinful and materialistic. The Daityas and Danavas were combinedly known as Asuras. The Asura were opposed to the Devas. Both groups are children of Kasyapa...

, and Deva

Deva (Hinduism)

' is the Sanskrit word for god or deity, its related feminine term is devi. In modern Hinduism, it can be loosely interpreted as any benevolent supernatural beings. The devs in Hinduism, also called Suras, are often juxtaposed to the Asuras, their half brothers. Devs are also the maintainers of...

, bestow success at my every venture. She is one who was worshiped by Lord Shiva to become in the form of Goddess Ardhnarishwara, then Goddess Shakti Appeared from the left side of Lord Shiva

NavaDurga Life Phases

Parvati

Parvati

Parvati is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti, the wife of Shiva and the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess...

, the Supreme Goddess of Power known as sagun form of Devi Adi-Parashakti primarily gives the concept of Nav-Durga Devi. In Reality Nav Durga are the life phases of Maa Parvati.

1. In beginning When Lord Rudra worshiped Maa Adi-parashakti for creation, Lord Rudra cleared different levels of Shakti and Maa Shakti appeared in 'Saguna' form from the left half of Lord Shiva. The Goddess was Siddhidatri.

2. Then Goddess started living inside center of Sun so that Sun liberates energy by the grace of Goddess, the Goddess is known as Goddess Kashmunda.

3. The same Goddess then took birth in home daksha, Goddess was a great sati and her unmarried form is known as Goddess Brahmacharini.

4. After the self immolation of Maa Sati she appeared as daughter of Lord Himalya, the Goddess is then recoganized as Goddess Shailputri.

5. At the age of 16 Goddess Durga was extremely beautiful and very fair complexion and known as Goddess Mahagauri.

6. When Devi gets married with Lord Shiva, as Lord Shiva, Devi also liked to wear half chandra on her forehead, and recoganized as Goddess Chandraghanta.

7. When Devi became the mother of Lord Skanda or Lord Kartikeya, Devi was then known with name Goddess Skandmata.

8. Then Devi took the form of Goddess Katyani to destroy Demon Mahishasura.

9. Goddess Gauri or Goddess Parvati removed Devi's outer golden skin to fight against demons Shumbha-Nishumbha, Devi became very dark Goddess's this form is called Goddess Kaalratri.