Goddess Kalaratri

Goddess Kalratri is the seventh form of Navadurga, the nine manifestations of Goddess Durga. She is worshipped on Saptami, the seventh day of Sharad Navratri on 09th October 2024, the nine nights of celebration in honor of the divine feminine. She is also known as Kalika, Shubhankari, Raudri, and Dhumorna. The Goddess is Durga's most fearsome and powerful aspect, who destroys all evil forces and grants protection and auspiciousness to her devotees.

According to one legend, Goddess Parvati took the form of Kalratri to kill the demons Shumbha and Nishumbha, who had conquered the three worlds and oppressed the gods and sages. Maa Kalratri peeled off her golden skin and became dark as night, with a terrifying appearance. The Goddess mounted on a donkey and rode to the battlefield, where she fought with the demons and their army. kalratri killed many demons with her sword and vajra and finally slayed Shumbha and Nishumbha with her bare hands.

According to another legend, Goddess Kalratri was created by Lord Shiva to end the tyranny of two demons, Sumbha and Raktabija. Sumbha had a boon that any weapon could not kill him, and Raktabija had a boon that every drop of his blood that fell on the ground would create another clone of him. The goddesses Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati, and others fought with them but could not defeat them. Then Lord Shiva invoked kalratri from his third eye and gave her his trident. She attacked the demons with her trident and drank their blood before it could touch the ground. The Goddess also devoured their clones and finally killed them both.

Goddess Kalratri is depicted as a dark-skinned woman with three eyes and four arms. She wears a garland of skulls around her neck and has long, disheveled hair. Flames emit out of the nostrils and mouth of the Goddess. She holds a curved sword and a hooked vajra in her left hand and shows the gestures of fearlessness (abhaya) and boon-giving (varada) in her right hand. kalratri rides on a donkey, lion, or tiger as her mount. She is sometimes shown wearing a snake as a necklace or a belt.

Goddess Kalratri is worshipped on the seventh day of Sharad Navratri with devotion and reverence. Her favorite color is blue, so devotees wear blue clothes and offer blue flowers to her. They also offer her jaggery, sesame seeds, honey, coconut, and rice as prasad (food offering). The devotees light a lamp with sesame oil or ghee and incense sticks in front of her idol or picture. They chant her names, mantras, prayers, and hymns to invoke her blessings. Devotees also perform aarti (ritual waving of light) to her with a camphor lamp.

Many legends associated with Goddess Kalratri demonstrate her power and compassion. Some of them are:

• Once, there was a demon named Dhoomralochana whom Shumbha and Nishumbha sent to capture Goddess Durga. He came with a vast army of demons to attack her. Goddess Durga then manifested as Kalratri and breathed fire on them. She burned them all to ashes with her breath.
• Once, a demon named Raktabija had a boon that every drop of his blood that fell on the ground would create another clone of him. He fought with Goddess Durga and her other forms, but they could not kill him as he kept multiplying. Then Goddess Durga summoned Kalratri from her forehead and asked her to help. Kalratri attacked Raktabija with her sword and vajra and drank his blood before it could fall on the ground. She also devoured his clones and finally killed him.
• Once, a sage named Medhas was performing penance in a forest. He was very devoted to Goddess Durga and worshipped her daily. One day, he saw a beautiful woman in the woods and fell in love with her. He asked her to marry him, but she refused. He then tried to force himself on her, but she revealed herself as Kalratri and cursed him to become an owl for his lustful act. He realized his mistake and begged for forgiveness. She then told him he would be freed from his curse when seeing Lord Rama in his human form.

Goddess Kalratri is said to control the planet Saturn (Shani), which is the lord of karma, justice, and discipline. Saturn is known to cause hardships, delays, and obstacles in life and reward perseverance, patience, and honesty. Saturn planet is also associated with longevity, wisdom, and authority. By worshipping Goddess Kalratri Mata, one can appease Saturn and get favorable results. One can overcome the adverse effects of Saturn’s transit (Sade Sati) or Shani Dosha or  Shani dasha (period) by invoking her grace.

Goddess Kalratri is the symbol of courage, strength, and protection. She represents the dark side of nature, which is essential for the balance of creation. The Goddess destroys the evil forces and clears the path for the good ones. She also removes ignorance and illusion from the mind and awakens true knowledge and wisdom. Kalratri grants fearlessness, confidence, and success to her devotees. She also bestows health, wealth, happiness, and salvation to those who seek her refuge.

Many mantras are used to worship Maa Kalratri. Some of them are:

Om Aim Hreem Kleem Chamundaye Vichche Namah

Om Devi Kalratryai Namah

Om Hreem Shreem Kleem Kalike Hreem Shreem Kleem Svaha

Om Kalaratryai Vidmahe Kalikaye Dhimahi Tanno Durga Prachodayat

Many prayers are used to praise Goddess Kalratri. Some of them are:

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Maa Kalratri Rupena Samsthita Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah

Ekaveni Japakarnapura Nagna Kharaasthita Lamboshthi Karnika Karni Tailaabhyakta Sharirini Vamapadollasalloha Latakantakabhushana Vardhana Murdhadhwaja Krishna kalratrirbhayankari

Namo Namo Durge Sukh Karani Namo Namo Ambe Dukh Harani Nirakar Hai Jyoti Tumhari Tihun Lok Phaili Ujiyari

Some specific rituals are performed to worship Goddess Kalratri on the seventh day of Navratri. They are:

• The devotees should wake up early in the morning and take a bath. They should wear blue clothes and apply sandalwood paste on their forehead.
• They should clean their house and the puja area. They should place a red cloth or a banana leaf on a wooden platform and put an idol or a picture of Goddess Kalratri on it.
• They should light a lamp with sesame oil, ghee, and incense sticks in front of the goddess. They should also offer her blue flowers, jaggery, sesame seeds, honey, coconut, and rice as prasad.
• They should perform a puja with water, milk, curd, sugar, honey, ghee, and flowers. They should chant her mantras, prayers, and hymns with devotion.
• They should perform aarti with a camphor lamp and distribute the prasad among their family members and friends.
• They should also donate food, clothes, money, or other items to the poor and needy as a part of charity.

The Temples of Goddess Kalratri

There are some temples dedicated to Goddess Kalratri in India. Some of them are:

• Kalighat Temple in Kolkata, West Bengal: This is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas where the right toe of Goddess Sati fell. It is also one of the oldest temples in India dedicated to Goddess Kali.
• Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, Assam: This is another Shakti Peetha where the yoni (vagina) of Goddess Sati fell. It is also one of the most famous temples in India dedicated to Goddess Kamakhya.
• Bhadrakali Temple in Warangal, Telangana: This temple is dedicated to Goddess Bhadrakali, considered an aspect of Goddess kalratri. It is one of the oldest temples in South India, built by the Kakatiya dynasty.
• Kalika Mata Temple in Chittorgarh Fort, Rajasthan: This temple is dedicated to Goddess Kalika Mata, another form of Goddess kalratri. It is one of the most revered temples in Rajasthan, built by Bappa Rawal.
• Kalratri Temple in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh: This temple is dedicated to Goddess Kalratri, who is worshipped as the presiding deity of Ujjain. It is one of the most ancient temples in India, built by King Vikramaditya.
• kalratri Temple in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh: This temple is dedicated to Goddess kalratri, who is also known as Dhumavati, the widow form of Goddess Sati. It is one of the rare temples in India where this form of Goddess is worshipped.

Worshipping Goddess kalratri can bring many benefits to the devotees. Some of them are:

• Help overcome fear, anxiety, and depression and gain courage, confidence, and peace of mind.
• Destroy the enemies, rivals, and hostile forces and bestow victory and protection in life.
• Remove the obstacles and difficulties in life and help achieve success and prosperity in all endeavors.
• Cure diseases and ailments and grants good health and vitality.
• Grant spiritual enlightenment and liberation from the cycle of birth and death.
• On the day, honor the goddess Kalratri and wear gray. The color grey makes a person feel calm and keeps them stable.

If you are interested in worshipping Goddess kalratri and seeking her blessings, you can contact Sulekha Astro and Pooja Services, the leading online platform for astrology and pooja services in the USA and Canada. Our team of experienced and qualified astrologers, priests, and pandits can perform various rituals and ceremonies for Goddess Kalratri according to your needs and preferences.

The astrologers, priests, and pandits can also provide personalized horoscope readings, predictions, remedies, and guidance based on your birth chart and planetary positions. You can book their services online or by phone and get them delivered to your doorstep or at your preferred location. 

You can visit our website or app to learn more about Sulekha Astro and Pooja Services and their services for Goddess kalratri. For more updates and information, you can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, or Pinterest.

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