Devotees Celebrate Day Four of Sharadiya Navratri with Worship of Goddess Kushmanda
On the fourth day of Sharadiya Navratri, devotees seek blessings from Goddess Kushmanda for prosperity and health through rituals and prayers.
Noida, October 14 (Daily Kiran) : The fourth day of Sharadiya Navratri is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Kushmanda, the fourth form of Goddess Durga. Devotees engage in rituals to seek blessings for happiness, prosperity, and good health during this auspicious occasion. According to religious beliefs, Goddess Kushmanda created the universe with her gentle smile, earning her the title of the primordial power and the goddess who brings forth creation.
Worshipping Goddess Kushmanda is believed to infuse positive energy into one’s life, granting devotees blessings of joy, peace, and abundance. She is often depicted as a radiant and divine figure with eight arms, which is why she is also known as Ashtabhuja Devi. In her seven hands, she holds a kamandal (water pot), bow, arrow, lotus flower, pot of nectar, discus, and mace, while her eighth hand carries a rosary, symbolizing the granting of spiritual achievements and wealth to her devotees.
Her vehicle, a lion, represents strength, courage, and valor. In mythology, Goddess Kushmanda is regarded as the creator of the universe. It is said that when darkness enveloped everything, she brought light into creation with her smile, which is how she got her name. Devotees believe that worshipping her dispels fear and enhances confidence and vitality.
On the fourth day of Navratri, devotees begin by bathing and wearing clean clothes before cleaning the worship area. They light a lamp while focusing on Goddess Kushmanda, offering flowers, rice, incense, light, and food. After this, they chant her mantra to pray for family well-being and prosperity. The mantra to be recited is: “Aim Hreem Devyai Namah.”
It is believed that chanting this mantra with faith and devotion brings peace to the mind and blessings from the goddess. After the worship, an aarti is performed, and prasad is distributed. Traditionally, offerings of malpua, yogurt, and halwa are considered auspicious. Devotees present these offerings according to their faith and capacity, sharing prasad among family and fellow worshippers.
Religious beliefs suggest that worshipping Goddess Kushmanda grants longevity, fame, strength, and wisdom. She is also seen as a deity who alleviates ailments and suffering. Devotees pray for the removal of obstacles, good health for their families, and the maintenance of prosperity in their homes. The fourth day of Sharadiya Navratri conveys a message of strength, positivity, and creation, as devotees seek new energy, confidence, and happiness in their lives through the worship of Goddess Kushmanda.
