Navratri 2021 Day 8: Worship Maa Mahagauri on Durga Ashtami, know mantras to chant

New Delhi: Today is the eighth day of the nine-day auspicious festival of Sharad Navratri which marks the victory of good over evil. On each day of Navratri, a different form of Maa Durga is worshipped by the devotees. Goddess Mahagauri, the eighth avatar of Goddess Durga and amongst the Navadurgas, is worshipped on the eighth day which is known as Ashtami. Maa Mahagauri is believed to be an avatar of Devi Parvati, the divine consort of Lord Shiva.

Unlike Maa Kalratri (one of the avatars of Maa Durga), who is ferocious, Maha Gauri is calm and compassionate. She is depicted in white clothes and mounted on a bull. It is believed that anyone who worships the goddess gets relief from all the sufferings in life. It is believed that Goddess Mahagauri has the power to fulfill all the desires of her devotees.

Mahagauri has four arms. Her right arm is in the pose of allaying fear and her right lower hand holds a trident in it. She holds a tambourine in her left upper arm and the lower one is in the form of a blessing. The name Mahagauri means extremely white, as she was white in color and believed to be very beautiful.

You can chant this mantra to seek Maa Mahagauri blessings:

श्वेते वृषे समारुढा श्वेताम्बरधरा शुचिः।

महागौरी शुभं दद्यान्महादेवप्रमोददा॥

Shweta Vrishe Samarudha Shwetambardhara Shuchi

Maha Gauri Shubham Dadhyana Mahadev Pramodda ॥

Dhyan mantra:

पूर्णन्दु निभां गौरी सोमचक्रस्थितां अष्टमं महागौरी त्रिनेत्राम्। 

वराभीतिकरां त्रिशूल डमरूधरां महागौरी भजेम्॥

Poornandu nibhaan gauree somachakrasthitaan ashtaman mahaagauree trinetraam. 

Varaabheetikaraan trishool damaroodharaan mahaagauree bhajem ॥

Navratri 2021 Maa Mahagauri: Puja muhurat

This year the muhurat for Ashtami Tithi starts at 09:49 PM on Tuesday, October 12, 2021 and will end at 08:09 PM on Wednesday, October 13, 2021. Ashtami will be worshiped on Wednesday, October 13.

Auspicious timings of Ashtami Tithi-

Muhurta of worship: Amrit Kaal - 03:23 AM to 04:56 AM,

Brahma Muhurta - 04:48 AM to 05:36 AM.

Puja Vidhi

To worship Maa Mahagauri on Durga Ashtami, devotees offer her white flowers, preferably jasmine, and recite the above mentioned mantras. On this day, young girls are invited home and offered an auspicious meal as a part of the puja. The prayer ritual is called Kanjak puja.