Navratri is a vibrant and deeply spiritual festival, celebrated with great devotion across India and other parts of the world. It spans nine nights (hence the name, “Nav-ratri”), during which the nine different forms of Goddess Durga, also referred to as Navadurga, are venerated. Each form represents a different power or quality, reflecting the goddess’s roles as a creator, preserver, and destroyer of evil.
On the fourth day of Navratri, October 6, 2024 (Chaturthi Tithi of Shukla Paksha in Ashwina), devotees honour and invoke the blessings of Goddess Kushmanda, the creator of the universe whose radiant energy brought light to the darkness.
Mantra - या देवी सर्वभूतेषु मां कूष्माण्डा रूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥
Her smile ignites the sun, symbolizing the power of inner joy and the ability to manifest hope and abundance. This day celebrates her divine energy, which inspires us to find strength and brightness within ourselves, no matter how dark life may seem.
Goddess Kushmanda, is also known as Ashtabhuja Devi due to her eight hands. Her name, “Kushmanda,” is derived from three Sanskrit words: Ku (small), Ushma (warmth or energy), and Anda (egg), symbolizing her as the creator of the universe, often depicted as an egg. The universe, or Brahmanda, is said to have been created with just a flash of her radiant smile, and from this smile, the cosmos began to take form.
Her eight hands hold various symbolic objects, such as:
• Kamandalu (a water pot)
• Dhanush (a bow)
• Bana (arrows)
• Kamala (lotus)
• Amrit Kalash (a pot of nectar)
• Jap Mala (a rosary, which holds the power of Siddhis and Niddhis)
• Gada (a mace)
• Chakra (a discus)
The Jap Mala in her hand signifies her divine power to bestow both spiritual perfections (Siddhis) and worldly riches (Niddhis), reinforcing her role as the granter of blessings. Additionally, her association with the white pumpkin (Kushmanda) ties her to agricultural abundance and the nurturing of life.
Her bright, radiant energy brings light to the dark and chaotic void, making her revered as the source of creation and the dispeller of ignorance. Devotees pray to her for health, strength, and prosperity, as well as for the power to face and overcome challenges.
Meera began her pooja by offering pumpkins, the sacred vegetable associated with Goddess Kushmanda. She placed them gently at the foot of the goddess’s idol, a symbol of her gratitude for the abundance in her life.
Next, she lit a diya filled with ghee, its flame a reminder of the divine light that Kushmanda had bestowed upon the world. As the flame flickered, Meera whispered her prayers for courage, strength, and clarity—hoping to manifest her own inner light.
She then sprinkled kumkum and rice grains (Akshat) on the altar, each grain a prayer for prosperity, each dot of kumkum a sign of devotion. With every offering, Meera felt her connection to the goddess grow stronger, knowing that with the right devotion, she too could overcome the darkness and bring light into her life.
As you light your diya and offer your prayers to Goddess Kushmanda, let the brilliance of your devotion reflect the light she has gifted to the universe. With every flower you place and every diya you light, trust Pooja Lok to bring you the Pooja Samagri that honors the goddess’s radiant energy.
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