Celebrate Navarathri eighth day by knowing about Mahagauri

"Very Happy Navarathri to everyone."

Celebrate this Navarathri by knowing about the goddesses.

Now, let us know the story of the goddess Mahagauri who is worshipped on the eighth day of Navarathri.

Mahagauri Maa is known as the goddess of purity and she is the eighth among Navadurga. Her name represents that she is extremely white. "Maha" means "Extremely" and "Gauri" means white and she got the name "Mahagauri" as she has the extremely white appearance.

She rides a white bull and she is purely white in colour. She has four arms. She has trident or trishul in one of her right hand and her other right hand shows abhaya mudra which denotes fearlessness. One of her left hand shows varada mudra and it denotes the blessings of the goddess. She has damaru in the other left hand. Sometimes, the damaru is replaced by Lotus.

Story of Mahagauri devi

Shivdeva was detached from the worldy affairs after the death of his beloved wife Sati. He went into deep meditation and continued it for several years. Devi Parvathi was born as the daughter to the couple Himavat and Menavati. Lord Narada told her that her destination is to marry Shiva and she is the incarnation of Sati who was the first wife of Lord Shiva.

Knowing about her previous birth, Devi Parvathi started her severe penance towards Lord Shiva. But, lord shiva was in the deep meditation and he was unable to notice her penance. 

Several years went by and Devi Parvathi continued her tapasya (penance) without giving up her confidence. She did severe penance and she ate raw vegetables and fruits initially. Later, she ate dry leaves only and continued her hard tapasya towards Shiva. Years went by and she continued her tapasya without eating anything (with empty stomach).

After several years, Shiva noticed the devotion and dedication of Parvathi. He agreed to marry her after knowing that she is the incarnation of Sati. So, he approached her and felt sad after seeing her weak and strengthless appearance.

Parvathi's body was covered by mud and she remained very dirty. She was extremely weak and her body was just like a skeleton. Shiva felt very upset after seeing her weak appearance.

So, he thought of helping her to regain her glittering beauty and purity. He untied his hair and made her to bath with the waters of holy Ganga. Parvathi devi bathed in Ganga and regained her beauty and purity. She glittered in pure white colour after taking this holy bath. And this form of Parvathi is called as Mahagauri.

Matha Mahagauri ki jai!!

By praising this form of Devi, she will shower us with fearlessness and she also rewards the people who has inner beauty.

(To be continued...)

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