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

Known as great Dusshera in the Northern and western parts of India, Navratri is a widely celebrated occasion which goes on for a relentless 10-day period. It is generally referred to as Durga Puja in eastern India.

The nine major avatars of Durga are worshipped, one each day of the Navratri festival. Navratri begins with Goddess Shailputri puja and is subsequently followed by worship of Goddess Chandraghanta, Goddess Kushmanda, and other avatars of Goddess Shakti who is also known as Durga. Goddess Mahagauri is worshipped on the 8th day of Navratri. Let us go through the detailed information to know more about Goddess Mahagauri.

Maa Mahagauri Puja 2022: Date

On the eighth day of Ashadha Gupt Navaratri, Goddess Mahagauri is worshipped and this year, it will be observed on 07 July 2022. is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Mahagauri.

Maa Mahagauri Puja 2022: Iconography

The vehicle of Goddess Mahagauri is a bull, and therefore she is called Vrisharudha. Goddess Mahagauri 's four hands carry Trishul in one of the right hands and Abhaya Mudra on the other right hand. In one of her left hands, she holds Damaru and blesses the devotees with Abhaya mudra with the other left hand. She is of extreme fair complexion, which can be compared only with Moon, Conch and Kunda flowers. She prefers white robes and hence devotees call her Shvetambara.

Maa Mahagauri Puja 2022: Legends Associated With The Day

Scores of yugas ago, Lord Shiva, deeply grieved by his consort Devi Sati's death, takes to a serious meditation that goes uninterrupted for too long a time. In the meanwhile, the devatas were left unattended and they had to face an unusual torture from a powerful demon called. Gods prayed to Goddess Sati to reincarnate as Lord Shiva's wife again.

Goddess Sati consented and hence Goddess Parvati was born as Shailputri, the daughter of the Himalayas. She was also named as Parvati, the daughter of King of Parvatas ( Parvata: Mountain). Gods inform Parvati that she was destined to marry Lord Shiva and beget a son who will be able to kill Tarakasura and thus allow gods to rest in peace. Sage Narada informs her about her previous lifetime and blesses her with success in this endeavour. All this, he said, will happen only when she completes a very strict Tapasya (penance), which appeases Lord Shiva and inspire him to grant her wish to marry him.

Goddess Parvati went into serious austerities and thousands of years passed, but she was made of a sterner stuff and continued her penance. She gradually stopped drinking, eating, tolerated extremes of weather conditions with a smile, because of which she turned unrecognizable. Lord shiva finally noticed this, and finally agreed to marry her after testing her devotion. He let the holy Ganges from his matted locks to cleanse Goddess Parvati due to which Goddess Parvati regained her splendour and radiance.

Due to this extreme radiance, Goddess Parvati came to be called Gauri. She wears white robes, has a white bull as her vehicle, holds a trident and a damroo (drum) in the upper right and left hands respectively, to bless her devotees with her Abhaya and Varamudra.

Through her penance, Goddess Mahagauri taught the world how to gracefully fight against the odds and emerge victorious. On the eighth day of Navaratri 9 little girls are invited to the houses where Navratri is celebrated, and they are worshipped as avatars of Durga Devi for that day. They are showered with gifts and are given delicacies to eat.

Maa Mahagauri Puja 2022: Puja Rituals

Take a vow or pledge for the general prosperity for your house, submit it to Goddess Durga and begin to meditate on her radiant form. Now invoke Lord Ganesha, seeking his blessings for the vrat to be successful. Light a deepa or lamp and begin the Panchopachara puja (incense (Gandha), flowers (Pushpa), Dhoopa, oil lamp (Deepa) and Naivedhya/ Bhog). Naivedya or bhog should be ideally prepared with coconut or any sweet with coconut as ingredient can be offered. It is even better if puri, vegetable curry, halwa are offered as bhog. As the last step, offer, one by one, some fruits, a whole coconut, bananas, paan and supari, haldi and kumkum. Subsequently recite the below mantras.

Maa Mahagauri Puja 2022: Mantras

ॐ देवी महागौर्यै नमः॥
Om Devi Mahagauryai Namah॥

श्वेते वृषेसमारूढा श्वेताम्बरधरा शुचिः।
महागौरी शुभं दद्यान्महादेव प्रमोददा॥
Shwete Vrishesamarudha Shwetambaradhara Shuchih।
Mahagauri Shubham Dadyanmahadeva Pramodada॥

या देवी सर्वभू‍तेषु माँ महागौरी रूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥
Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Maa Mahagauri Rupena Samsthita।
Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah॥

On this auspicious day, aarti should be performed using camphor, after which puja concludes and prasad is distributed.

जय महागौरी जगत की माया।
जय उमा भवानी जगत की महामाया।
हरिद्वार कनखल के पासा।
महागौरी तेरा वहां निवासा।
चंद्रकली और ममता अम्बे।
जय शक्ति जय जय मां जगदम्बे।
भीमा देवी विमला माता।
कोशकी देवी जग विख्याता।
हिमाचल के घर गौरी रूप तेरा।
महाकाली दुर्गा है स्वरूप तेरा।
सती संत हवन कुंड में था जलाया।
उसी धुएं ने रूप काली बनाया।
बना धर्म सिंह जो सवारी में आया।
तो शंकर ने त्रिशूल अपना दिखाया।
तभी मां ने महागौरी नाम पाया।
शरण आने वाले संकट मिटाया।
शनिवार की तेरी पूजा जो करता।
मां बिगड़ा हुआ काम उसका सुधरता।
भक्त बोलो तो सच तुम क्या रहे हो।
महागौरी मां तेरी हरदम ही जय हो।

Maa Mahagauri Puja 2022: Significance

Goddess Mahagauri puja is slotted for the eighth day of Navratri. The name Mahagauri has a familiar ring to it as it is a widely used name for shakti Devi, but when translated, it means maha (great) Gauri (radiant and fair). As Maha Gauri, she is the embodiment of love, gentleness, compassion, and care, all of which she expresses towards her devotees and those who surrender to her.

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Image sources: Wikimedia Commons