Navratri 2019: Puja Vidhi For Devi Skandmata On Day 5

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On day 5 of Navratri, Goddess Durga is worshipped in her Skandmata form. The name Skandmata means mother of Skand or Kartikeya. Since Goddess Durga is also the mother of Lord Kartikeya, she is known as Skandmata. Goddess Skandmata is the deity of the solar system. If one worships her with full faith and devotion on the fifth day of Navratri, the Goddess showers immense happiness and prosperity on his life. This year in 2019, the festival will begin from 29 September and end on 7 October.

The Goddess in this form is often depicted having a fair or a golden complexion. She sits on a lion and has four arms. She carries lotuses in two of her hands and has Lord Skanda or Kartikeya seated on her lap, and another hand is in Abhaya mudra. This form of Devi Durga is especially significant because it shows the Goddess in her mother form. The Skandmata form signifies that the goddess looks after the whole universe like her own child.

Story Of Skandmata:

Devi Skandmata or Parvati is the daughter of Himalaya and the wife of Lord Shiva. According to the scriptures, once a demon named Tarakasur had become a reason of trouble for the whole universe. He had a boon that he could be killed only by the son of Lord Shiva. But since Lord Shiva was a hermit, he did not want to marry. So, Tarakasur became more violent as he believed that he would become immortal.

Later, Lord Shiva was married to the daughter of Himalaya, Goddess Parvati. With the union of Shiva and Shakti, Lord Kartikeya or Skand was born. Hence Goddess Parvati came to be known as Skandmata. Later, he killed Tarakasur. The Goddess is extremely protective about her devotees as a mother for her son. Whenever the oppression of the negative forces increases, she rides on a lion and accompanies her son to kill them.

Skandmata form of the Goddess is very loving and motherly. She showers all her motherly love on her devotees. She fulfils all the desires of her devotees and blesses them with supreme joy and bliss.

Goddess Skandmata is worshipped along with Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva on the fifth day of Navratri. The puja begins with chanting the mantras and offering a herb called Alsi. It is believed that, if the Goddess is offered Alsi, she blesses the devotee with good health. The person is relieved of ailments like cough, cold and other serious health problems. Also, the people who are already suffering from such ailments can worship Skandmata with Alsi. If they take the Alsi as prasad after this, it is believed they would get instant relief.

One can please the Goddess Skandmata using the Mantra given below:

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Ma Skandmata Rupena Sasthita |
Namasteseya Namastaseya Namastaseya Namoh Namah ||

So, worship Skandmata today with full faith and devotion and get her blessings.