Navadurgā

Navadurgā · nava-durgā, “the nine Durgās”

Nanda has other meanings too: see all meanings of Nanda. Revatī has other meanings too: see all meanings of Revatī.

The Navadurgā are the nine Durgās, forms of Devī Durgā who are installed and worshipped together. The Agni Purāṇa names them in three places. In the teaching on the marks of sacred images, Bhagavān Hayagrīva names eight Durgās, Rudracaṇḍā, Pracaṇḍā, Caṇḍogrā, Caṇḍanāyikā, Caṇḍā, Caṇḍavatī, Caṇḍarūpā and Aticaṇḍikā, who stand in the eight directions, with Ugracaṇḍā, the ninth, in the centre. All of them ride lions, stand in the ālīḍha posture and hold by the hair the armed man who rose from the neck of Mahishāsura. To install and worship them brings increase of sons and grandsons.

In the teaching of the vratas, Agni Deva tells that on Mahānavamī the nine Durgās are installed and worshipped, with the eighteen-armed Devī, Mahālakshmī, Ugracaṇḍā Mahishamardinī Durgā, in the middle. And in the teaching of the mantras he tells that the nava Durgās, Bhagavatī, Kātyāyanī, Kauśikī, Caṇḍikā, Pracaṇḍā, Suranāyikā, Ugrā, Pārvatī and Durgā, are worshipped over the mātṛkā mantras, with the Durgā Gāyatrī.

Source: Agni Purāṇa, Chapters 50, 185, 348

The eight Durgās and Ugracaṇḍā

In the chapter on the images of the Devī, Bhagavān Hayagrīva first describes the twenty-armed Caṇḍī, Mahishamardinī, and the eighteen-armed Durgā worshipped on a pīṭha (seat) of nine lotuses. Then he names the eight Durgās. They are installed and worshipped in the eight directions, beginning from the east, and the ninth Durgā, Ugracaṇḍā, is installed and worshipped in the centre.

All of them ride lions. The man who arose from the neck of Mahishāsura holds a weapon, and these Durgā Devīs hold him by the hair. The Navadurgās stand in the ālīḍha posture, the right leg stretched back and the left leg bent forward.

Phala. Installing and worshipping these Durgās gives increase of sons and grandsons.

Source: Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 50

Their pūjā on Mahānavamī

Agni Deva teaches the Navamī vratas, which give bhukti (enjoyment in this world) and mukti (moksha). When the navamī of the bright fortnight of Āśvayuja falls on the nakshatra Mūla, with the Sun in Kanyā rāśi, that navamī is called Mahānavamī, and it destroys every pāpa (sin).

On that day the nine Durgās are installed and worshipped, either in nine places or in one place. In the middle the eighteen-armed Mahālakshmī is worshipped, and the other Durgās on the two sides. The nine Durgās are installed, with añjana and ḍamaru, in this order:

1. Rudracaṇḍā
2. Pracaṇḍā
3. Caṇḍogrā
4. Caṇḍanāyikā
5. Caṇḍā
6. Caṇḍavatī
7. Pūjyā
8. Caṇḍarūpā
9. Aticaṇḍikā

In the middle of them all is worshipped the eighteen-armed Ugracaṇḍā Mahishamardinī Durgā.

The ten-syllable mantra. The Durgā daśākshara mantra is oṃ durge durga rakshaṇi svāhā. One who does japa of it in this way suffers harm from no one.

The divine weapons of Durgā Devī. In her left hands she holds the kapāla (skull-bowl), the kheṭaka (shield), the ghaṇṭā (bell), the darpaṇa (mirror), the tarjanī-mudrā (the raised forefinger), the dhanus (bow), the dhvaja (banner), the ḍamaru (drum) and the pāśa (noose). In her right hands she holds the śakti (spear), the mudgara (mace), the triśūla (trident), the vajra, the khaḍga (sword), the kuntaka (lance), the śaṅkha (conch), the cakra (discus) and the śalākā (rod). These weapons too are worshipped.

The bali. Reciting kāli kāli vajreśvari lohadaṇḍāyai namaḥ, the worshipper slays the bali animal with the sword. Its blood and flesh are offered to Pūtanā in the south-west with pūtanāyai namaḥ, to Pāparākshasī in the north-west with pāparākshasyai namaḥ, to Carakī in the north-east with carakyai namaḥ, and to Vidārikā in the south-east with vidārikāyai namaḥ. The king bathes before the Devī and offers, for Skanda and Viśākha, a bali of an enemy made of flour.

At night the śaktis beginning with Brāhmī are worshipped, and the Devī is praised: “O Devī, Jayantī, Maṅgalā, Kālī, Bhadrakālī, Kapālinī, Durgā, Śivā, Kshamā, Dhātrī, Svāhā, Svadhā: namaskāra to you.” She is bathed with pañcāmṛta (the five nectars) and worshipped with the various upacāras (offerings).

Phala. The gift of a dhvaja, the ratha-yātrā (chariot procession) and the bali offered to the Devī grant every desired thing.

Source: Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 185

The nava Durgās over the mātṛkā mantras

In the teaching of the single-letter mantras, Agni Deva says that the nine letters beginning with a are themselves mantras, the uttama mātṛkā mantras. They are set on the petals of a lotus and worshipped, and over them the nava Durgās are worshipped:

1. Bhagavatī
2. Kātyāyanī
3. Kauśikī
4. Caṇḍikā
5. Pracaṇḍā
6. Suranāyikā
7. Ugrā
8. Pārvatī
9. Durgā

Their mantra is the Durgā Gāyatrī, oṃ caṇḍikāyai vidmahe, bhagavatyai dhīmahi tanno durgā pracodayāt: “We know Caṇḍikā, we meditate on Bhagavatī; may Durgā impel us.” The worship is done in the order of the shaḍaṅga (the six limbs) and the rest.

Source: Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 348

Per Bhavishya Purāṇa

Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa tells that when the daitya Raktāsura took Amarāvatī, the devas fled to Karachatrāpurī, where Bhagavatī Durgā, beloved of Bhava, dwells, and where Devī Cāmuṇḍā is enthroned with the nine Durgās. The devas praised the nine with bhakti:

1. Mahālakshmī
2. Nandā
3. Kshemakarī
4. Śivadūtī
5. Mahāruṇḍā
6. Pāyarī
7. Candramajalā
8. Revatī
9. Harasiddhi

The devas prayed: “Bhagavati! Protect us from this terrible calamity; we have no other support now.” Hearing this cry, Bhagavatī appeared in the form of a Kumārī with the nine Durgās, mounted on a lion, holding various weapons in her twenty arms.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 61

Sources

• Agni Purāṇa, Chapters 50, 185, 348
• Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 61