Description
On the 7 th day of Navratri Maa Kaalratri is worshipped. Devotees worship Goddess Kaalratri , . She is the destroyer of all evil and negative energy .
Maa Kaalratri rides a donkey and wear a garland of skulls around her neck which makes her beautiful. Kaalratri means who bring death and darkness for the evil spirit and demons.She has four hands the right hand in Abahya Mudra and the left hand a sword (kirpaan). Her body is blue. It held on 09 October 2024.
Kalaratri is the seventh of the nine forms of the Goddess Parvati, known as the Navadurga. She is first referenced in the Durga Saptashati, Chapters 81-93 of the Markandeya Purana, the earliest known literature on the Goddess Durga. Kalaratri is widely regarded as one of the many destructive forms of the Mother Goddess, which include Kali, Mahakali, Bhadrakali, Bhairavi, Mrityu, Rudrani, Chamunda, Chandi and Durga.
It is not uncommon to find the names, Kali and Kalaratri being used interchangeably, although these two deities are argued to be separate entities by some. Kali is first mentioned in Hinduism as a distinct goddess around 3000 BC. Chronologically then, Kaalratri (described textually in the Mahabharata, dated 3137 BC - 3067 BC) predates but most likely, informs, present representations of Kali.
Kaalratri is traditionally worshipped during the nine nights of Navratri celebrations. The seventh day of Navratri pooja (Hindu prayer ritual) in particular is dedicated to her and she is considered the fiercest form of the Mother Goddess, her appearance itself invoking fear. This form of Goddess is believed to be the destroyer of all demon entities, ghosts, evil spirits and negative energies, who flee upon knowing of her arrival.
The Saudhikagama, an ancient Tantric text referenced in the Silpa Prakasha, describes Goddess Kalaratri as being the goddess that rules the night portion of every day and night. She is also associated with the crown chakra (also known as the sahasrara chakra), thereby giving the invoker, siddhis and niddhis (particularly, knowledge, power and wealth).
Kaalratri is also known as Shubankari - meaning auspicious/doing good in Sanskrit, due to the belief that she always provides auspicious results to her devotees. Hence, it is believed that she makes her devotees fearless.
Other less well-known names of Goddess Kaalratri include Raudri and Dhumorna
Mahabaharta
One of the earlier references to Goddess Kaalratri is found in the famous epic, the Mahabharata (dated between 3137 BC - 3067 BC), specifically in the Sauptika Parva (Book of Sleeping), the tenth book of eighteen forming the full epic. The context of her appearance in this portion of the epic occurs at the end of the historic battle between the Pandavas and Kauravas. After the historic battle between the Pandavas and Kauravas had come to an end, Dronacharya, a warrior on the Kaurava side, had been tricked into surrendering to the Pandavas, thus accepting his defeat. His son Ashwatthama was determined to avenge the death of his father.
Going against the rules of war, in the stealth of the night, Ashwatthama creeps into the Kuru camp dominated by the followers of the victorious Pandavas who were all sound asleep. With the power of Lord Shiva, he attacks and kills the followers in their sleep.
During his frenzied assaults on the followers, Kaalratri appears on the spot.
This reference in the Mahabharata appropriately depicts Goddess Kaalratri as representing and personifying the horrors of war, laying its unpleasantness bare.
Markandeya Purana
You are the dark might of periodic dissolution
You are the great night of final dissolution and the terrible night of delusion
To know more about this:
Seven Day of Shardiya Navratri worship Maa Kaalratri
Seven Day of Navratri Maa Kaalratri puja vidhi mantra bhog
7th Day of Navratri Maa Kaalrati puja vidhi in Shardiya
Maa Kaalratri puja vidhi vrat bhog by Jansatta
Sakanda Purana
The Skanda Purana describes Lord Shiva beseeching his wife, Parvati (the cosmic feminine creative force), to help the gods when they are terrorised by the demon-king, Durgamasur (NB: distinct from Goddess Durga, who is so-named for having killed this very demon). She accepts to help and sends Goddess Kaalratri, "...a female whose beauty bewitched the inhabitants of the three worlds...". Some sources claim that the Skanda Purana describes the Mother Goddess as Parvati (Durga) removing her golden skin, to reveal her Kaalratri black-skinned form.
Devi-Bhagavata Purana
After Goddess Ambika (also known as Kaushiki and Chandika) comes forth from the body of Goddess Parvati, Parvati’s skin turns extremely dark (almost black, like the hue of dark clouds). Therefore Parvati is given the names ‘Kalika’ and ‘Kalaratri’. She’s described as having two arms, holding a scimitar and half broken skull (that acts as a bowl to collect blood), and she eventually kills the demon king, Shumbha. This version in the Devi Bhagwatam is quite different than the one mentioned in the Mahatmyam.
Varaha Purana
In this text, the name Raudri is used to reference Kaalratri. Chapters 90-96 describe Goddess Raudri (Kaalratri) killing the demon, Ruru.
Maa Katyayani mantra pooja vidhi
shardiya Navratri 2024 Day 5 Maa Sakandamata pooja vidhi aatri mantra
nshardiya Navratri 2024 Day 4 Kushmanda Devi pooja mantra
shardiya Navratri 2024 3rd Day Maa chandraganta pooja aarti mantra
Maa Bramhacharini pooja aarti vidhi Mantra
kalratri mata
Once there were two demons named Shumbha and Nishumbha, who invaded devaloka and defeated the demigods. Indra the ruler of the gods, along with the othergods went to the Himalayas to get Lord Shiva's help in retrieving their abode. Together, they prayed to Goddess Parvati. Parvati heard their prayer while she was bathing, so she created another goddess, Chandi (Ambika) to assist the gods by vanquishing the demons. Chanda and Munda were two demon generals sent by Shumbha and Nishumbha. When they came to battle her, Goddess Chandi created a dark goddess, Kali (in some accounts, called Kaalratri). Kali/Kaalratri killed them, thereby acquiring the name Chamunda.
Thereupon, a demon named Raktabija arrived. Raktabija had the boon that if any drop of blood of his fell onto the ground, a clone of him would be created. When Kaalratri attacked on him, his spilt blood gave rise to several clones of him. As such, it became impossible to defeat him. So while battling, Kaalratri furious at this, drank his blood to prevent it from falling down, eventually killing Raktabija and helping goddess Chandi to kill his commanders, Shumbha and Nishumbha. She became so fierceful and destructive that she stated killing everyone whoever coming in front of her. All the gods prayed in front of god shiva to stop her so shiv decided to come below her foot trying to stop her. When she was engaged in killing everyone, god shiva appeared below her foot. By seeing her beloved husband below her foot, she bit her tongue(Her idols and pictures contain this look) and helped him(God Shiva) to stand and in the guilt, she forgot about the fight and hence god shiva calmed her down.
Another legend says that Goddess Chamunda (Kali) was creator of Devi Kaalratri. Riding a powerful donkey, Kalraatri chased the demons Chanda and Munda and brought them to Kali after catching and incarcerating them. Then these demons were killed by goddess Chamunda. This story is closely related with another goddess named Chandamari.
She is the power of the most darkest of nights. At night, the animal kingdom take break from work and they all fall asleep. As they sleep, their exhaustion is removed. At the time of final dissolution, all the creatures of the world seek shelter, protection and refuge onto the lap of the mother goddess. She is the time of the dark night, the death-night. She is Maharatri, (the great night of the periodic dissolution) as well as Moharatri (the night of delusion). At the end of Time, when destruction makes its arrival, the goddess transforms herself into Kaalratri, who devours all Time, without leaving any remains.
Yet another legend recounts that, there was a demon named Durgasur who want to destroy world and drove away all the devas from swarg and snatched four Vedas . Parvati got to know about this and created Kaalratri, instructing her to warn Durgasur against an attack. Durgasur's guards however tried to capture Kaalratri when she turned up as a messenger. Kaalratri then assumed a gigantic form and delivered the warning to him. Subsequently, when Durgasur came to invade Kailash, Parvati battled him and killed him gaining the name Durga. Here Kaalratri serves as an agent who gives the message and warning from Parvati to Durgasur.
The complexion of Kalaratri is that of the darkest of nights with bountiful hair and a heavenly shaped form. She has four hands - the left two hands hold a scimitar and a thunderbolt and the right two are in the varada (blessing) and abhaya (protecting) mudras. She wears a necklace that shines like the moon. Kaalratri has three eyes which emanate rays like lightning. Flames appear through her nostrils when she inhales or exhales.Her mount is the donkey, sometimes considered as a corpse. Blue, red and white colours should be used to wear on this day.
Nirvana Shastakam- History Lyrics and Meaning
The appearance of Goddess Kaalratri can be seen as bearing doom for evil-doers. But she always bears good fruits for her devotees and should avoid fear when faced with her, for she removes the darkness of worry from life of such devotees. Her worship on the seventh day of Navratri is given especially high importance by Yogis and Sādhakas.
Viganharta- Lord Shree Ganesha
maa kalratri mantra
Kaalratri pooja vidhi
