Navratri Day 2: Maa Brahmacharini Puja and Mantra

Story of Brahmacharini:

On the second day of Navratri, Goddess Brahmacharini is worshipped with elaborate puja rituals. Brahmacharini appears in the form of a maiden girl filled with wisdom. She has two hands carrying a rosary and a kamandal. She blesses the devotees with eternal knowledge and bliss. The term Brahamacharini means the unmarried and youthful one. The benign and peaceful form of Brahmacharini brings serenity and calmness in the minds and instils a great degree of self-confidence in people. After the Goddess took the form of Kushmanda, the incarnation of Brahmacharini followed. Parvati took birth in the home of Daksha Prajapati who had a deep contempt for Lord Shiva. Her maiden form is worshipped as Brahmacharini. The Goddess undertook a severe penance to get a good father in her next birth who would respect Lord Shiva. She walked on barefoot and did several thousands of years of penance to attain Lord Shiva in marriage. She lived on flowers and fruits and later only leaves and stopped even that eventually, living on mere air. Therefore, Brahmacharini came to be called as Aparna too (one who lived even without leaves).

Maa Brahmacharini's importance

Scriptures say Goddess Brahmacharini is the ruler of the planet Mars. She is the giver of all fortune and she dispels the deepest sorrow of her devotees removing all their mental afflictions. She is worshipped to remove Mangal Dosh and the problems resulting from the unfavorable position of Mars in the horoscope.Worship of Brahmacharini equals a severe penance. It gives the values of renunciation, virtues, and nobility to the devotees. The hurdles to progress and success are removed and the family experiences great mental peace and satisfaction in all their activities.