Navaratri Day 2 – Maa Brahmacharini

Navaratri Day 2 – Maa Brahmacharini

On the second day of Navaratri Goddess Brahmacharini is worshipped. She is the second manifestation of Goddess Durga. The word Brahm means Tapa and Charini means one who performs Tapa or penance so Brahmacharini often refers to Tapa Charini. Goddess Brahmacharini is seen to be extremely majestic, radiant and tremendously effulgent. It is believed that after the formation of Kusumanda Goddess Parvati took birth as the daughter of the king Daksha Prajapati.

There in this form Goddess Parvati was well known as a Great Sati. Since then the unmarried form of Sati is worshipped as Goddess Brahmacharini up till now.

Goddess BrahmachariniAccording to Hindu mythology Goddess Brahmacharini did very tough penance for several thousand in order to obtain Lord Shiva as her divine consort. Rishi Narad influenced her thoughts to obtain lord Shiva as her husband and advised to perform rituals and follow custom of rigid penance for longer periods. During her tough penance she spent thousand years by eating only fruits and beet roots and another thousand years she spent on leafy vegetables. It is believed that she observed complete fast for a longer period of time and suffered painful torments of nature such as torrential rain, intense flames of the Sun and extremely biting cold under the open sky.

Also it is said that she ate leaves of dry Bilva that were fallen on the ground for about three thousand years. Later on she abstained herself from food and water and kept her fully engrossed in worshipping Lord Shiva. As she stopped eating Bilva leaves so she was known as Aparna. Her body became lean and thin after the continuous hardship penance for several thousand years and was reduced to skeleton only. The whole universe got disturbed and was shaken due to her hard and sharp penance for thousands and thousands of years to get Lord Shiva as her husband. Lord Brahma at last addressed before her and said to stop her penance and that her all desires would be fulfilled. She would definitely get Lord Shiva as her divine consort.

goddess BrahmachariniGoddess Brahmacharini is depicted as walking on the bare feet and possess two hands. She holds a Kamandal in her left hand and Japmala in her right hand. She has been seen wearing white saree with bright orange border and is ornamented with Rudraksha. Her lustre is glorified by solar radiations present behind her head.

Goddess Brahmacharini is worshipped by the devotees on the second day of Navaratri in order to acquire the strength and power to abstain themselves from food and water till the nine days of Navaratri. The blessings of Goddess Brahmacharini help the devotees to maintain great emotional strength and to keep mental balance and confidence even in the darkest hour of life. She is worshipped to get rid of ego, selfishness, greed and laziness. She also blesses her devotees by enhancing their metabolism rates and stamina. Through her blessings one can live without meals without much effect on health and can endure unexpected torment of nature.

Article II:

On the second day of Navaratri, Maa Brahmacharini – a manifestation of Maa Durga – is worshipped. The form of Goddess Brahmacharini is extremely radiant and majestic. Maa signifies love and loyalty, wisdom and knowledge. She holds a rosary in her hight hand and a Kamandal in her left hand. She wears Rudraksha. The word “Brahm” refers to Tapa (penance) – Her name means “one who performs Tapa (penance)”.

She was born to Himalaya. Devrishi Narada influenced her thoughts and as a result, she practised tough penances as she was determined to obtain Lord Shiva as her divine consort. She spent hundred of years eating very little or nothing at all, but her penance was so pure and had so much strength, power that it caused great disturbance in all the three worlds. Her desire to obtain Lord Shiva as her divine consort was eventually fulfilled.

Goddess Brahmcharini blesses you with great emotional strength and you may be able to keep your mental balance and confidence even in the darkest hour. She inspires you to hold on to your ethics and march on the path of duty. By the grace of Maa Brahmacharini, you strive to move forward in life without getting disheartened by the numerous challenges coming your way. Her blessings help you get rid of selfishness, ego, greed and laziness.

Chant this mantra to seek Maa’s divine blessings…
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु माँ ब्रह्मचारिणी रूपेण संस्थिता।
नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नम:।।
दधाना कर पद्माभ्याम अक्षमाला कमण्डलू।
देवी प्रसीदतु मई ब्रह्मचारिण्यनुत्तमा।।

Yā dēvī sarvabhūtēṣu mām̐ brahmacāriṇī rūpēṇa sansthitā |
Namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namō nama: ||
Dadhānā kara padmābhyāma akṣamālā kamaṇḍalū |
Dēvī prasīdatu ma’ī brahmacāriṇyanuttamā ||