Navratri 2021 Day 7: Worship Maa Kalratri, the fiercest form of Durga on Saptami, know mantras to chant

New Delhi: Today is the seventh day of the nine-day auspicious festival of Navratri which began on October 7 and will end on October 15. Each day, a different avatar of Goddess Durga is worshipped and on the 7th day or Saptami, devotees seek blessings of Maa Kalratri or Kalaratri, also known as Kaalratri. Devi Kalratri is regarded as one of the many destructive forms of Maa Shakti which includes Kali, Mahakali, Bhadrakali, Bhairavi, Mrityu, Rudrani, Chamunda, Chandi and Durga. Often Kali and Kalratri are used interchangeably but the two deities are separate.

Chant this Kalratri Mantra:

ॐ देवी कालरात्र्यै नमः॥

Om Devi Kalaratryai Namah॥

Prarthana:

एकवेणी जपाकर्णपूरा नग्ना खरास्थिता।

लम्बोष्ठी कर्णिकाकर्णी तैलाभ्यक्त शरीरिणी॥

वामपादोल्लसल्लोह लताकण्टकभूषणा।

वर्धन मूर्धध्वजा कृष्णा कालरात्रिर्भयङ्करी॥

Ekaveni Japakarnapura Nagna Kharasthita।

Lamboshthi Karnikakarni Tailabhyakta Sharirini॥

Vamapadollasalloha Latakantakabhushana।

Vardhana Murdhadhwaja Krishna Kalaratrirbhayankari॥

(The mantras were mentioned in Drikpanchang.com)

Maa Kalratri Puja Vidhi 

Kumkum, red flower and roli are offered to Goddess Kalratri by the devotees. A lemon garland is offered to the deity and an oil lamp is lit in front of her. Red flowers and jaggery are also offered.

After performing the offering, recite the above-mentioned mantras or recite Saptashati to please the goddess. On this day, God Shiva and God Brahma are also worshipped after worshipping Maa Kalratri.

Goddess Kalratri is believed to be the fiercest form of Durga, and her appearance often invokes a feeling of fear. She is the destroyer of all demon entities, ghosts, spirits and negative energies, who flee upon knowing of her arrival.

Kalratri is also associated with the crown chakra (the sahasrara chakra). She bestows the believer with siddhis and niddhis, namely knowledge, power and wealth.

Also called the Shubankari which means auspicious in Sanskrit, it is said that she gives auspicious and positive results to her devotees, making them fearless. She is also known by the names Raudri and Dhumorna.

Maa Kalratri weapons include hooked vajra and curved sword, Abhayamudra, Varadamudra. She is mounted on a donkey, lion or tiger as per various legends.

The festival of Navratri is celebrated twice a year - one around March, which is referred to as Chaitra Navratri and one around September-October, which is called Shardiya Navratri. During Shardiya Navratri, Durga Puja festivities are also marked.