Maa Brahmacharini
Second day of Shardiya/ Ashwin Navratri dedicated to
Maa Brahmacharini माँ ब्रह्मचारिणी
(04.10.2024)
- Rohit Kumar Parmar [1]
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु माँ ब्रह्मचारिणी रूपेण संस्थिता ।
नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नम:।।
Second day of Shardiya/ Ashwin Navratri is dedicated to Goddess Brahmacharini (female for Brahmachari meaning celebate, student, follower). Brahmacharini is the unmarried form of Goddess Parvati who lived an austere life, due to which she was called Brahmacharini, Aparna and Uma.
Brahmacharini walks bare feet, in a white saree, carrying a रुद्राक्ष माला Rudraksh माला (maala/ garland of Rudraksh beads, which aids chanting of mantras/prayers) in the right hand and a कमंडल (Kamandal, a special water vessel traditionally made from dry gourd) in the left. While the white saree symbolises purity, the lotus flowers attached to the goddess's body symbolize knowledge. Brahmacharini also adorns a crown much like Goddess Durga. The Rudraksh maala represents her penance for Shiva during her life in the forest, and the Kamandal symbolizes that in the final years of her penance, she had only water.
Worshiping Maa Brahmacharini on the second day of Navratri removes hurdles to progress and success and the family experience mental peace and satisfaction in all activities. By worshiping her, virtues such as penance, renunciation, dispassion and restraint improve inherently and one also improves his/ her ethical conduct. Brahmacharini is a symbol of love, loyalty, wisdom, and knowledge. Maa Brahmacharini is the provider of fortunes and represents the Swadhistana chakra in spiritual practice.
After the Kushmand form, Goddess Parvati took birth at the home of Daksha Prajapati. She did penance to get Lord Shiva as her husband by spending over a thousand years on a diet of flowers/ fruits and another hundred years on leafy vegetables while sleeping on the floor. Jasmine is believed to be the favourite flower of Brahmacharini.
माँ ब्रह्मचारिणी की आरती
जय अंबे ब्रह्माचारिणी माता।
जय चतुरानन प्रिय सुख दाता।
ब्रह्मा जी के मन भाती हो।
ज्ञान सभी को सिखलाती हो।
ब्रह्मा मंत्र है जाप तुम्हारा।
जिसको जपे सकल संसारा।
जय गायत्री वेद की माता।
जो मन निस दिन तुम्हें ध्याता।
कमी कोई रहने न पाए।
कोई भी दुख सहने न पाए।
उसकी विरति रहे ठिकाने।
जो तेरी महिमा को जाने।
रुद्राक्ष की माला ले कर।
जपे जो मंत्र श्रद्धा दे कर।
आलस छोड़ करे गुणगाना।
मां तुम उसको सुख पहुंचाना।
ब्रह्माचारिणी तेरो नाम।
पूर्ण करो सब मेरे काम।
भक्त तेरे चरणों का पुजारी।
रखना लाज मेरी महतारी।
[1] Author, Freelance, Indian Economic Service, Senior Economic Adviser (Retired), Government of India, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and former Adviser (P 4) UNDP, Yemen has in posts
on his website (https://rohitkparmar.wixsite.com/site),
YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@rohitkparmar),
X (formerly twitter) (https://twitter.com/rohitkparmar?s=09),
Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/rohit.parmar.5268750/),
been writing/ sharing varied topics and
can be reached at rohitkparmar@yahoo.com.
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