The fourth day of Navratri 2022

Today is the fourth day of Navratri, which is also known as Chaturthi Tithi.

The fourth day of Navratri

This day is dedicated to Maa Kushmanda also known as the 4th form of Goddess Durga.

On this day devotees wake up early and after taking a bath, worship goddess Kushmanda.

Red colour flowers are her favourite. Devotees offer hibiscus and different kinds of sweets to her. After performing the Aarti, the sweet is distributed between the devotees as a blessing of Maa Kushmanda.

Kushmanda is the Sanskrit name of the goddess which means energy or light.

It is believed that when Lord Vishnu started creating this universe then there was darkness all over then a formless light spread everywhere when she smiled, which lighten up the whole universe including the galaxy and other planets.

This was in the form of a Goddess and that Goddess is known as Kushmanda.

She created the world from nothing from zero as without light is impossible anywhere.

It is also believed that she became the source of energy light, even the sun gets the energy light and heat from Goddess Kushmanda.

This Swarup of Maa Durga is the ultimate source of all and she is called Adi Shakti Maa.

She is depicted as she is riding on a lioness and she has eight hands.

In her right hand, she holds kamandal Dhanush baan and Kamal, and in her left hand.

She is holding Amrit Kalash japmala, gada, and chakra. She was named as Ashtbhuja Devi because she has eight hands.

Mantra which is being enchanted by the devotees to get the blessings of Maa kushmanda:

या देवी सर्वभू‍तेषु माँ कूष्माण्डा रूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥ सुरासम्पूर्ण कलशं रुधिराप्लुतमेव च।

-Priya Kashyap