Chaitra Navratri is coming up between 22nd and 30th March 2023, and is a time for self-reflection, purification, and spiritual growth.
“Chaitra means the beginning of a New Year. So the New Year begins with nine days of turning inwards; prayer, meditation, and chanting. Recognizing the Divinity in the whole creation, and enlivening that aspect.” – Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Celebrating the triumph of good over evil, Chaitra Navratri commemorates the day the warrior Goddess Durga destroyed the evil buffalo demon, Mahisasur, which represents tamo-guna, the dark quality of inertia, ignorance, and laziness. It is said that Durga took nine different forms to battle the demon and it took nine days of fighting to reign victorious on the tenth. Nine happens to be a divine number that represents the power of shakti or cosmic energy.
The last day of Chaitra Navratri is celebrated as Ram Navami, the birth anniversary of Lord Rama – an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the Maintainer.
Navratri’s Warrior Goddess
Navratri is the festival of nine nights, each of which is associated with one of the nine forms of Goddess Durga. Durga is the fierce alter ego of Parvati, the wife of Lord Shiva, the all-pervading divine consciousness. Navratri occurs four times in a year, during the different seasons, and each is named after the Vedic month that it occurs in – ‘Chaitra’ in spring, ‘Ashadha’ in monsoon/summer, ‘Sharad’ in autumn and ‘Magha’ in winter.
The Sanskrit meaning for Durga is a place that is protected and cannot be reached by evil forces. The word Durga also means invincible, unbeatable and undefeated. She is considered to be the combined forms of three Goddesses, Saraswati (Goddess of Learning and Music), Lakshmi (Goddess of Wealth), and the fearsome Goddess, Kali.
Navratri is a fantastic period to cleanse yourself and invoke the power of the Goddess within you.
Chaitra Navratri Rituals - A Mantra for Each of the 9 Days
Day 1: 22nd March
Chant the mantra, ‘Aum Hreem Shailaputri Durgyaye Namaha,’ 108 times during Sun Hora (hour) to honor Goddess Shailapurti’s energies.
Shailaputri was said to be born of a mountain King, Himalaya, and she symbolizes the ultimate mother nature archetype, and has a connection to the Sun.
Day 2: 23rd March
Chant the mantra, ‘Aum Hreem Brahmacharini Durgaye Namaha,’ 108 times during Jupiter hora to draw on Brahmacharini’s energies.
Goddess Brahmacharini is said to have spent 1000 years on a diet of flowers and fruits and then another 100 years eating only leafy greens – all to win the favor of Lord Shiva. She is associated with the planet Jupiter.
Day 3: 24th March
Chant the mantra ‘Aum Hreem Chandraghanta Durgaye Namaha’ 108 times during Rahu Kalam (the 90 minute daily inauspicious time period dedicate to Rahu, the timing of which can be found on the align27 or Cosmic Insights app).
Goddess Chandraghanta bestows grace and bravery to eradicate physical suffering and mental turmoil. She is connected with the planet Rahu.
Day 4: 25th March
Chant the mantra ‘Aum Hreem Kushmanda Durgaye Namaha’ 108 times during Venus Hora.
Goddess Kushmanda is said to have created the whole universe with a smile, and is connected with the planet Venus.
Day 5: 26th March
Chant the mantra ‘Aum Hreem Skandamata Durgaye Namaha,’ 108 times during Mars Hora.
Connected with the planet Mars, Goddess Skandamata (“mother of Skanda”) refers to her war god son, Kartikeya or Skanda, who is usually depicted on her lap and is very much intertwined with her energetically.
Day 6: 27th March
Chant the mantra, ‘Aum Hreem Katyayani Durgaye Namaha,’ 108 times during Mercury Hora.
Goddess Katyayani is associated with the 6th chakra or third eye and it is said that you can connect with her through this energetic point between the eyebrows to draw on her fierce spirit of peacekeeping. She is connected with the planet Mercury.
Day 7: 28th March
Chant the mantra, ‘Aum Hreem Kalaratri Durgaye Namaha,’ 108 times during Saturn Hora.
Goddess Kalaratri is the fiercest form of Durga and one who rules the night. She has the power of courage and auspiciousness to destroy negative energies and entities. Kalaratri is associated with the crown chakra, so she bestows knowledge, power and wealth. She is associated with the planet Saturn.
Day 8: 29th March
Chant the mantra, ‘Aum Hreem Mahagauri Durgaye Namaha,’ 108 times during Moon Hora.
Goddess Mahagauri is said to fulfill the desires of those who show devotion, to relieve their suffering and to reward earnest spiritual seekers with liberation from the fear of rebirth. She is connected with the Moon.
Day 9: 30th March
Chant the mantra. ‘Aum Hreem Siddhidhatri Durgaye Namaha,’ 108 times during Yamaganda Kalam, the inauspicious time period connected with the shadowy lunar node, Ketu.
Goddess Siddhidhatri is said to have originated as the first light of the world, who entrusted the supreme creative trinity – Lord Shiva (The Dissolver), Lord Vishnu (The Preserver) and Lord Brahma (The Creator) with their divine responsibilities. She is associated with Ketu.
Wishing you a deep and blissful Chaitra Navratri.
The align27 app gives you specific Vedic rituals that you can do daily to enhance the positive effects and nullify the negative effects of planetary placements based on current celestial movements and your own birth chart.
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