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In the eternal culture and spiritual traditions of India, this sacred festival of Sharad Navratri (Sharad Navratri 2026) is not just a festival, but it is the Mahakumbh of the primal power of the universe and the energy of creation which fills every house with consciousness and enthusiasm. During these nine days, echoes of Mother Goddess are heard everywhere and devotees worship different forms of Goddess Durga with full devotion. But do you know how these nine goddesses worshiped during Navratri originated and how they got these divine names? In the mythological texts and especially in the sacred ‘Devi Bhagavata Purana’, this mystery has been described very beautifully and in detail as to how the Supreme Power Mahakali had assumed these different forms for the welfare of the world and to destroy the evil ones. If you also want to know in detail about the appearance of these nine forms of Maa Durga and the history of their naming, then let us know this entire sacred saga from the pages of the scriptures.
According to the ancient texts and especially the Devi Bhagwat Purana, the original energy of the universe is only one which is called ‘Adishakti’ or Mahashakti, and this same power manifests itself in different forms from time to time as per the call of the devotees and the need of the creation. The names of the nine goddesses who are worshiped during the nine days of Navratri are as follows – the first form is of Maa Shailputri, the second is of Brahmacharini, the third is of Chandraghanta, the fourth is of Kushmanda, the fifth is of Skandamata, the sixth is of Katyayani, the seventh is of Kalratri, the eighth is of Mahagauri and the ninth is of Siddhidatri Devi. The appearance of all these goddesses has their own supernatural stories which tell how these superpowers had incarnated to remove the distress of the gods and to shatter the ego of the demons. It is clearly stated in the Puranas that these nine goddesses are none other than the different stages and forms of the same almighty Adishakti, who always showers her mercy on her devotees.
Mother Shailputri, who is worshiped on the first day of Navratri, was born as the daughter of mountain king Himalaya, due to which she was named Shailputri and she is a symbol of steadfastness and stability. Mother Brahmacharini had performed rigorous penance to get Lord Shiva as her husband, due to which she was named Brahmacharini i.e. one who practices penance, while Mother Chandraghanta has a half-moon shaped bell ornament adorned on her forehead, hence she is known by this name. The goddess who created this universe i.e. Anda or the universe with her gentle smile was called Kushmanda, while being the mother of Lord Kartikeya (Skanda), the fifth form was named Skandamata. Pleased with the penance of Maharishi Katyayan, the goddess who was born in the form of a daughter was called Katyayani, and due to her fierce and dark darkness-destroying form, the mother was named Kalratri. The goddess who is of extremely fair complexion and bright appearance is called Mahagauri, and on the last ninth day, the mother who bestows all kinds of siddhis is worshiped as Siddhidatri.
The systematic worship of these nine goddesses during these nine holy days of Navratri has been said to have great importance both from the scientific and spiritual point of view. When a seeker or a devotee meditates on these forms of Mother with complete discipline and purity, the negative tendencies hidden within him like fear, anger, greed and ego start getting destroyed and positive energy starts flowing. Devi Bhagwat Purana teaches that this worship of Shakti is not limited to mere worship, but it gives respect to women power, awakens self-confidence and inspires to fight every obstacle of life. On this Sharad Navratri, when you worship these nine forms of Maa Durga, understand their history and the meaning of their names and move your life forward on the path of devotion and action, so that with the grace of Mother Goddess, there can be permanent happiness, peace and prosperity in your home.