Navadurga (, ), also spelled Navdurga and Navadurgas, are nine manifestations and forms of

Durga Durga (, ) is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars. Durga's legend centres around combating evils and demonic ...

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...

, especially worshipped during

Navaratri Navaratri () is an annual Hindu festival observed in honor of the goddess Durga, an aspect of Adi Parashakti, the supreme goddess. It spans over nine nights, first in the month of Chaitra (March/April of the Gregorian calendar), and aga ...

and

Durga Puja Durga Puja (ISO 15919, ISO: , ), also known as Durgotsava or Shaaradotsava, is an annual festival originating in the Indian subcontinent which pays homage to the Hinduism, Hindu goddess Durga, and is also celebrated because of Durga's victo ...

. They are often considered collectively as a single deity, mainly among the followers of Shaktism and Shaivism sect of Hinduism. According to

Hindu mythology Hindu mythology refers to the collection of myths associated with Hinduism, derived from various Hindu texts and traditions. These myths are found in sacred texts such as the Vedas, the Itihasas (the ''Mahabharata'' and the ''Ramayan ...

, the nine forms are considered the nine stages of Durga during the nine-day long duration of the war with demon-king

Mahishasura Mahishasura (, ) is a bovine asura in Hinduism. He is depicted in Hindu texts, Hindu literature as a deceitful demon who pursued his evil ways by shape-shifting. Mahishasura was the son of the asura Rambha (asura), Rambha and the brother of buf ...

, where the tenth day is celebrated as the

Vijayadashami Vijayadashami (), more commonly known as Dassahra in Hindi, and also known as Dashāhra or Dashain in Bhojpuri, Maithili and Nepali, is a major Hindu festival celebrated every year at the end of Durga Puja and Navaratri, Navarahtri. It is ob ...

() among the

Hindus Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

and is considered as one of the most important festivals.

Background

During the festival of Navaratri, nine unmarried virgin girls up to the age of nine years are worshipped and fed as they are considered to be the incarnations of these nine goddesses. The nabapatrika ritual during Durga Puja involves tying the branches of eight plants with their leaves with a banana plant (''naba'' meaning 'nine', and p''atrika'' meaning 'leaves').

The nine forms

The main nine forms of Durga worshipped in Hinduism:

Agni Purana

The

Agni Purana The ''Agni Purana'', (, ) is a Sanskrit text and one of the eighteen major Puranas of Hinduism. The text is variously classified as a Purana related to Shaivism, Vaishnavism, Shaktism and Smartism, but also considered as a text that covers them ...

lists the Navadurgas as: # Rudrachanda # Prachanda # Chandogra # Chandanayika # Chanda # Chandavati # Chandarupa # Atichandika # Ugrachanda

References

Notes

Citations

Sources

* * * * * * * * * {{refend Hindu goddesses Forms of Lakshmi Forms of Parvati 9 (number)