The following nine Devee are worshipped in both Nava Durgaa days -Chaitra an Aashwin. Their names appear in this order in Devee Mahaatmya of Maarkandeya Puraan.

(1) Shail Putree
वंदे वाद्द्रिछत लाभाय चंद्रार्धकृत शेखराम  |  वृषारूढां शूलधरां शैलपुत्री यशस्विनीम्‌ ||

The first form of mother Durgaa among the nine is Shail Putree is worshipped on the first day of Nav Raatri. She is known as such, because she was born as the daughter of Himaalaya - the Emperor of mountains. She has a half Moon in her forehead, is mounted on the bull and holds a lance in her right hand and a lotus flower in her left hand. Paarvatee or Shail Putree is known as Hemaavatee too. According to one of the Upanishadik tales, she in her Hemaavatee aspect, defeated all prominent gods. Like her previous birth, in this life also Shail Putree got married to Shiv. The first and the most prominent among Nava Durgaa, Shail Putree is of immense importance and her glories are endless. In this Poojaa of the first day Yogees keep their mind concentrated on Moolaadhaar Chakra. This is the starting point of their spiritual discipline. She has a pleasant smile and a blissful looks.

(2) Brahmchaarinee
दधाना करपद्माभ्यामक्ष माला कमण्डलू । देवी प्रसीदतु मयि ब्रह्मचारिण्यनुत्तमा ॥

Brahmchaarinee is the second form of nine Durgaa. Here Brahm means penance, so, Brahmchaarinee is one who practices penance. It is said - Ved, Tattwa and Tap are synonyms for Brahm. The form of Brahmchaarinee is tremendously effulgent and extremely majestic. She holds a rosary in her right hand and Kamandal in her left hand. She personifies love and loyalty. She holds Jap Maalaa in her right hand and Kamandal in left hand. She is also called as Umaa and Tapashcharinee and provides knowledge and wisdom to her devotees.

In her previous birth when she was born as the daughter of Himaalaya, then influenced by the instructions of Naarad, she practiced terrible penance in order to obtain Shiv as her consort. Due to her unearthly penance she was termed as Brahmchaarinee. She spent 1,000 years only on fruits and beetroots and 100 years only by eating leafy vegetables. For a sufficient period of time observing complete fast she suffered tormenting of nature like torrential rains and scorching sun and biting cold, under the open sky. After such difficult routine she lived only on dry Bilva leaves fallen on the ground for 3,000 years. She kept her engrossed for 24 hours in worshipping Shiv. After that she gave up eating even these dry leaves. For several thousand years she went on without any food and water. Because she gave up eating even dry Bilva leaves, she was known as Aparnaa.

After the rigorous penance for several thousand years her body became extremely lean and thin. She was reduced to skeleton only. Watching her pitiable condition her mother Mainaa was very much worried. In order to divert her attention from the rigorous penance she exclaimed - 'U' 'Maa' meaning 'O! No, no, not'. Since then Goddess Brahmchaarinee was named Umaa.

Her penance, sharpened as it was, caused great disturbance in all the three worlds. The whole universe was shaken. The gods, the Rishi, the Siddh, the Muni all eulogized her penance as an unprecedented virtuous action. Ultimately Brahmaa Jee - "O Goddess, So far nobody has ever practiced such an austere penance. Only you have done it. This wonderful deed is being praised in all four quarters. Your desire would be fulfilled. You will definitely get Lord Shiv as your consort. Now stop doing penance and go home. Your father would be shortly coming to take you back."

This second aspect of Brahmchaarinee Durgaa is capable of providing unending benefits. By worshipping her the person inculcates doing penance, renouncing, dispassion, ethical conduct and restraint in himself. Even in the most critical periods of struggle the mind remains unshaken and he does not deviate from the path of duty. By the grace of mother Brahmchaarinee he gets success and victory always and everywhere. This way the mind of the striver moving upward is established in Swaadhishthaan Chakra. The Yogee, who makes his mind stay in this Chakra, gets the devotion and blessings of the Goddess.

ॐ नमो भगवती ब्रह्मचारणी सर्वजग मोहिनी,  सर्वकार्य करनी,  मम निकट संकट हरणी,  मम मनोरथ पूर्णी,  मम चिंता निवारानी,
ॐ भगवती ब्रह्मचारणी नमो स्वाहा!

(3) Chandraghantaa
पिण्डज प्रवरारुढ़ा चण्डकोपास्त्र कैर्युता |  प्रसादं तनुते मह्यं चंद्र घंष्टेति विश्रुता ||

The third form of Goddess Durgaa is Chandraghantaa. On the third day of Nav Raatri  her Chandraghantaa Vigraha (image) is worshipped. This particular form of the Goddess gives extreme peace and provides ultimate good. She has a half moon in her forehead in the shape of a bell. This is why she is called Chandraghantaa. The hue of her body is golden bright. She has ten arms. In her ten hands, she holds weapons like sword etc, and missiles like arrow etc. Her vehicle is the lion. She is always in a gesture as if prepared for fighting. Her roaring voice is like a tumultuous sound of a bell that always causes the atrocious Daanav, Daitya and Raakshas - all to tremble. Chandra + Ghantaa, meaning supreme bliss and knowledge, showering peace and serenity, like cool breeze in a moonlit night.

In the Durgaa worship of Nav Raatri the third day worship is of great importance. This day the mind of the striver enters Manipoor Chakra. At this stage by the grace of mother Chandraghantaa he becomes capable of seeing unearthly and Divine things. He smells the divine fragrance and many types of divine sound become audible to him. On this day and in this stage of discipline the striver is required to be most careful.

By the grace of Mother Chandraghantaa all the sins of the striver are burnt up and obstacles removed. Her worship is instantly fruitful. She is always in a gesture as if ready to proceed for the battlefield and thus she removes the difficulties of devotees very promptly. Her vehicle is also a lion and so her worshipper becomes valorous and fearless like a lion. The sound of her bell always protects her devotees from evil spirits. As soon as the striver invokes her, her bell immediately becomes active and starts ringing to protect the devotee under her shelter.

Even though she keeps her always busy in killing and suppressing the wicked, yet to her devotees and worshippers she looks most serene, gentle and peaceful. A very good quality that is developed in her devotees, who worship her, is the striver cultivates bravery and fearlessness accompanied by serenity and humility. His face, eyes and the entire body get effulgent. His voice becomes Divinely sweet. Wherever the devotee worshippers of Mother Chandraghantaa go, they disperse peace and blessings among the people. From the body of such a striver there always takes place an invisible radiation of divinely lighted atoms. The Divine action is beyond the perceiving capacity of physical eyes but the striver himself and his associates go on experiencing this fact every now and then.

By purifying his mind, words, deeds and body through prescribed manner we should worship the mother Chandraghanta and take shelter under her feet. Through worshipping her we can get rid of all worldly sorrows, and attain the supreme goal spontaneously. We should always try to advance on the path of spiritual discipline by contemplating on the sacred image of the mother. Contemplating on her, we can attain the mundane perfection and ultimate good in the other world.

(4) Kooshmaandaa
सुरा सम्पूर्ण कलशं रुधिराप्लुतमेव च । दधाना हस्तपद्माभ्यां कूष्माण्डा शुभदास्तु मे

Kooshmaandaa is the fourth form of the Mother Durgaa. (Ku+Ushma+And+Aa) - that is how the word has been derived. 'Ku' means 'a little'; 'Ooshmaa' is warmth, heat or energy and 'And' means the cosmic egg or universe; and "Aa" is added to make the word feminine. That is from whose fraction of warmth the Universe has emanated. So she is justifiably named Kooshmaandaa.

When there was only a void full of darkness, at that time, when even time was not there, the mother Kooshmaandaa created the Universe with her Sankalp as a mental projection. Before her advent there was neither Sat nor A-Sat. She has her abode in the inner portion of Soorya-Lok. Only she could live there and no one else. The hue and luster of her body is also just like that of the Sun glowing and effulgent, incomparable with any other god or goddess-herself being her own match. All the ten quarters are illuminated with her effulgence. Whatever brilliance is observed in the world-in living beings or objects is simply a reflection of her splendor.

She has eight arms, that is why Asht-bhujaa is here name. In her seven hands she holds Kamandal, bow, arrow, lotus, a jar of nectar, discus, mace, respectively. In her eighth hand there is rosary capable of giving eight Siddhi and nine Nidhi. Her vehicle is also a lion. Kooshmaandaa in Sanskrit stands for pumpkin, which she likes most as a sacrificial offer. She likes offerings of Kumhadaa (Kaasheephal, Kaddoo, pumpkin), hence her name Kooshmaandaa has become popular.

On the fourth day of Navaraatri, Kooshmaandaa is worshipped. This day the mind of the striver enters and stays in Anaahat Chakra. So the striver is required to meditate on this aspect of the Mother with a steady mind and worship her single-mindedly. As a result of her worship the devotees get rid of all ailments and sorrows. The life span, name, strength and health are on the increase. The mother Kooshmaandaa is easy to propitiate. If some body surrenders before her guilelessly, he is sure to reach her Supreme abode.

We should worship her in befitting manner prescribed in the Shaastra and be a true devotee of her. Later on the striver has unearthly perceptions and he feels her grace. This miserable world transforms for him into a divine place. Her worship is the best and easiest means to cross the mire of the world. So an aspirant should worship her for his mundane as well as spiritual success.

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