Ashadha Gupt Navratri 2022: Maa Katyayani Puja Date, Rituals, Legend, Mantras, And Significance

The festival of Navaratri is in full swing and the most popular festive event of Navratri that enjoys a special place in heart of Indians. Navratri is celebrated with great fervour and pomp annually. This period marks a ray and a season of hope, good tidings, and overall, blessings of Goddess Katyayani, whose puja is performed as per scriptural regulations on the 6th day of Navaratri.

Goddess Katyayani's worship begins soon after the puja and celebrations of Goddess Skandamata conclude the previous day. Each avatar of Durga represents certain virtues such as love, and wisdom and Goddess Katyayani represents, of all the avatars, the attribute of cheer and joy, and symbol of hope to the war-stricken world. Let us go through the article to gather more information about the day dedicated to Goddess Katyayani.

Maa Katyayani Puja 2022: Date

Goddess Katyayani's puja is conducted on the sixth day of Ashadha Gupt Navaratri, and this year it falls on 05 July 2022.

Maa Katyayani Puja 2022: Iconography

She is depicted as having four hands. With the lotus in two hands, and a sword in the other, she blesses her devotees with the Abhaya mudra and Vara mudra of her fourth hand. She rides on the magnificent lion which is known to be her vehicle.

Maa Katyayani Puja 2022: Puja Rituals

Take a vow or pledge for the peace and prosperity for your family and offer it to Goddess Katyayani. Meditate on her form. Next, invoke Lord Ganapati and get his blessings for the vrat to be successful. Offer a panchopachara puja to the Goddess by lighting a deepa or lamp, offering her incense (Gandha), flowers (Pushpa), Dhoopa, and lastly Naivedhya/ Bhog. As the concluding step, offer fruits, coconut, banana, paan haldi and Kumkum one by one, after which recite the following mantras. Honey and sweets are offered as bhog to Goddess Katyayani on this day.

Maa Katyayani Puja 2022: Legend Associated With This Day

Long ago, the great sage Katyayana, observed strict penance, for begetting Shakti as his daughter. He was an ardent devotee of Goddess Shakti, who spent days and nights in meditating on her. An evil demon by name Mahishasura, had just flourished beyond the control of devas and gained immense power as days passed. This worried the Gods and hence they prayed to Goddess Shakti as a last resort and prayed for her assistance and mercy. Goddess Shakti resolved to slay Mahishasura and blessed Rishi Katyayana that she will be born soon as his daughter.

She grew up to be a warrior, strong and beautiful, She was named as Katyayani as she was born to Katyayana Rishi. The messengers of Mahishasura, who once passed by the Ashram of Katyayana rishi were bewitched by Goddess Katyayani's looks. They informed Mahishasura about her and Mahishasura sent his messenger Dundubhi to initiate the marriage proposal between the asura and Goddess Katyayani. Dundubhi approached Goddess Katyayani and tried to convince that they would make a great pair and hence she should marry Mahishasura.

Goddess Katyayani emphatically told him that Mahishasura could marry her only if he could defeat her in a duel. Mahishasura was glad about this and began the preparations. A fierce battle ensued between Goddess Katyayani and Mahishasura in which she killed most of his commanders and came face to face with Mahishasura. He transformed into a buffalo, and this was a challenge to Goddess Katyayani. The Goddess climbed on him and sat firmly so that he could not shake her off, then pressed her foot firmly on his neck, drew out her Trishul and killed him with one blow.

Maa Katyayani Puja 2022: Mantras

ॐ देवी कात्यायन्यै नमः॥
Om Devi Katyayanyai Namah॥
Prarthana
चन्द्रहासोज्ज्वलकरा शार्दूलवरवाहना।
कात्यायनी शुभं दद्याद् देवी दानवघातिनी॥
Chandrahasojjvalakara Shardulavaravahana।
Katyayani Shubham Dadyad Devi Danavaghatini॥
Stuti
या देवी सर्वभू‍तेषु माँ कात्यायनी रूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥
Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Ma Katyayani Rupena Samsthita।
Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah॥
Dhyana
वन्दे वाञ्छित मनोरथार्थ चन्द्रार्धकृतशेखराम्।
सिंहारूढा चतुर्भुजा कात्यायनी यशस्विनीम्॥
स्वर्णवर्णा आज्ञाचक्र स्थिताम् षष्ठम दुर्गा त्रिनेत्राम्।
वराभीत करां षगपदधरां कात्यायनसुतां भजामि॥
पटाम्बर परिधानां स्मेरमुखी नानालङ्कार भूषिताम्।
मञ्जीर, हार, केयूर, किङ्किणि, रत्नकुण्डल मण्डिताम्॥
प्रसन्नवदना पल्लवाधरां कान्त कपोलाम् तुगम् कुचाम्।
कमनीयां लावण्यां त्रिवलीविभूषित निम्न नाभिम्॥
Vande Vanchhita Manorathartha Chandrardhakritashekharam।
Simharudha Chaturbhuja Katyayani Yashasvinim॥
Swarnavarna Ajnachakra Sthitam Shashthama Durga Trinetram।
Varabhita Karam Shagapadadharam Katyayanasutam Bhajami॥
Patambara Paridhanam Smeramukhi Nanalankara Bhushitam।
Manjira, Hara, Keyura, Kinkini, Ratnakundala Manditam॥
Prasannavadana Pallavadharam Kanta Kapolam Tugam Kucham।
Kamaniyam Lavanyam Trivalivibhushita Nimna Nabhim॥
Aarti
जय जय अम्बे जय कात्यायनी। जय जग माता जग की महारानी॥
बैजनाथ स्थान तुम्हारा। वहावर दाती नाम पुकारा॥
कई नाम है कई धाम है। यह स्थान भी तो सुखधाम है॥
हर मन्दिर में ज्योत तुम्हारी। कही योगेश्वरी महिमा न्यारी॥
हर जगह उत्सव होते रहते। हर मन्दिर में भगत है कहते॥
कत्यानी रक्षक काया की। ग्रंथि काटे मोह माया की॥
झूठे मोह से छुडाने वाली। अपना नाम जपाने वाली॥
बृहस्पतिवार को पूजा करिए। ध्यान कात्यानी का धरिये॥
हर संकट को दूर करेगी। भंडारे भरपूर करेगी॥
जो भी माँ को भक्त पुकारे। कात्यायनी सब कष्ट निवारे॥

Maa Katyayani Puja 2022: Significance

Goddess Katyayani is also extolled as Mahishasura Mardini as she killed the ferocious demon Mahishasura. She is essentially a goddess of war who brought peace to the world whenever there were instances of strife and unrest in the three worlds. Unmarried girls in India, fast and pray to Goddess Katyayani for a loving and caring husband on this day. By worshipping of Goddess Katyayani, all negative energy can be eliminated and the devotees are assured a life filled with peace and prosperity.

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Image sources: Wikimedia Commons