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{{Short description|Nine manifestations of Hindu goddess Durga}}{{Infobox deity<!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Hindu mythology-->
| type = Hindu
| image = 
| caption = 
| name = Navadurga
| Devanagari = {{lang|sa|नवदुर्गा}}
| Sanskrit_transliteration = {{IAST|navadurgā}}
| affiliation = [[Adi Shakti]], [[Durga]], [[Parvati]], [[Devi]]
| god_of = Power, strength, protection, knowledge, wealth, fertility and Moksha
| abode = 
| mantra = oṁ aim hrīṁ śrīṁ mahādurgāyai namo namaḥ
| weapon = [[Khanda (sword)]], [[Bow and arrow]], [[Trishula]], [[Sudarshan Chakra]], [[Gada (mace)]], [[shield]], [[shankha]], [[Ghanta]]
| mount = [[Lion]], [[tiger]], [[Nandi (Hinduism)|nandi]], [[ox]], [[mule]] and [[Nelumbo nucifera|lotus]]
| planet = 
| offspring = 
| festivals = [[Navaratri]], [[Durga Puja]], [[Vijayadashami]], [[Durga Ashtami]]
| consort = [[Shiva]]
}}{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}

'''Navadurga''' ({{langx|sa|नवदुर्गा}}, {{IAST3|Navadurgā}}), also spelled '''Navdurga''' and '''Navadurgas''', are nine manifestations and forms of [[Durga]] in [[Hinduism]],<ref name="Navdurgaforms">{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/religion/rituals-puja/navdurga-nine-forms-of-energy/articleshow/68207186.cms|title=The Nine Forms of Goddess Mahadevi Durga|access-date=2022-05-03|website=Times of India|date=24 September 2014 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Melton2010p2600">{{cite book|author1=J. Gordon Melton|first2=Martin|last2=Baumann|title=Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices, 2nd Edition|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v2yiyLLOj88C&pg=PA2600 |year=2010|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-59884-204-3|pages=2600–2602}}</ref> especially worshipped during [[Navaratri]] and [[Durga Puja]].{{Sfn|Navaratri, TOI}} They are often considered collectively as a single deity, mainly among the followers of Shaktism and Shaivism sect of Hinduism.{{Sfn|Amazzone|2010|p=184}}

According to [[Hindu mythology]], the nine forms are considered the nine stages of Durga during the nine-day long duration of the war with demon-king [[Mahishasura]], where the tenth day is celebrated as the [[Vijayadashami]] ({{Literal translation|victory day}}) among the [[Hindus]] and is considered as one of the most important festivals.{{Sfn|Ramachandran|2020|pp=21-23}}

== Background ==
{{Main|Navaratri}}
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.{{Sfn|Amazzone|2010|p=187}} 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').{{Sfn|Ostor|2004|p=68}}

== The nine forms==

The main nine forms of Durga worshipped in Hinduism:
{|class="wikitable" width="98%" style="background:white;"
|- style="border-bottom:3px solid #CCCCFF"
!S. No.
!Image
{{Small|{{small|(Depiction)}}}}
!Name
![[Vahana]]
![[Varna (Hinduism)|Stage]]{{Refn|[[Parvati]] has been described in the nine stage in nine different depiction, where she become the [[Maha Shakti]] in last stage of [[Siddhidhatri]], after gaining [[Siddhi]]s.{{Sfn|Ramachandran|2020|p=67}}|group=upper-alpha}}
![[Mantra]]
!Depiction
!{{Abbr|Ref|Reference}}
|-
|1.
|[[File:Shailaputri Sanghasri 2010 Arnab Dutta.JPG|frameless|173x173px]]
|{{Big|'''[[Shailaputri]]'''}}
{{Small|"Daughter of Mountain"}}
|[[Nandi (Hinduism)|Nandi]] (bull)
|[[Parvati]] in her stage of childhood with the divine and principal form being [[Durga]]
|ॐ देवी शैलपुत्र्यै नमः
|She is adorned with light ornamentation on her limbs and was clothed in red and pink robes. She has two hands both holding a trident and lotus. She is seated upon the behind of a white bull.
|{{Sfn|Sharma|2021|p=73}}
|-
|2.
|[[File:Brahmacharini.jpg|frameless|158x158px]]
|{{Big|'''[[Brahmacharini]]'''}}
{{Small|"Mother of devotion and penance"}}
|None 
|Durga in her phase of asceticism.
|ॐ देवी ब्रह्मचारिण्यै नम:
|She is dressed as a female ascetic and is adorned by dried-up [[Rudraksha|Rudraksha beads]] and flowers as her ornamentation. She has two hands, both of which carried a rosary and a water utensil.
|{{Sfn|Ramachandran|2020|p=23}}
|-
|3.
|[[File:Chandraghanta Sanghasri 2010 Arnab Dutta.JPG|frameless|157x157px]]
|{{Big|'''[[Chandraghanta]]'''}}
{{Small|"Destroyer of demons"}}
|Tiger
|Durga in the form of [[Shaktism|Shakti]].
|ॐ देवी चंद्रघण्टायै नम:
|She has ten hands, nine of them are armed by a trident, mace, bow, arrow, lotus, sword, bell and a waterpot, while one other hand blesses her devotees. She is seated upon a fierce tiger.
|{{Sfn|Ramachandran|2020|pp=29-30}}
|-
|4.
|[[File:Kushmanda Sanghasri 2010 Arnab Dutta.JPG|frameless|154x154px]]
|{{Big|'''[[Kushmanda]]'''}}
{{Small|"Goddess of The Cosmic Egg"}}
| rowspan="3" |Lion
|Durga in the form of [[Maha Shakti|Mahashakti]].
|ॐ ऐं ह्रीं क्लीं कूष्मांडायै नम: 
|She has eight hands, six of which held a discus, mace, lotus, bow, and arrow in one hand, sword and rosary and the two other hands carried a jar of honey and waterpot. She is mounted upon the back of a lion.
|{{Sfn|Mittal|2006|p=63}}
|-
|5.
|[[File:Skandamata Sanghasri 2010 Arnab Dutta.JPG|frameless|164x164px]]
|{{Big|'''[[Skandamata]]'''}}
{{Small|"Goddess of motherhood and children"}}
|Durga in her stage of motherhood.
|ॐ देवी स्कन्दमातायै नम:
|She has four hands, two of which held lotuses, the third holding her son, the six-headed infant Kartikeya seated on her lap, and the fourth saves her devotees. She is seated upon the back of a lion.
|{{Sfn|Ostor|2004|p=34}}
|-
|6.
|[[File:Katyayani Sanghasri 2010 Arnab Dutta.JPG|frameless|168x168px]]
|{{Big|'''[[Katyayani]]'''}}
{{Small|"Goddess of Power"}}
|Durga in the warrior stage.
|ॐ देवी कात्यायन्यै नम:
|She is adorned with heavy ornamentation on her limbs and is dressed in green and pink vestments. Her four hands each carried a sword, shield, lotus and trident. She's seen seated on a fearsome lion.
|{{Sfn|Ramachandran|2020|pp=48-51}}
|-
|7.
|[[File:Kalratri Sanghasri 2010 Arnab Dutta.JPG|frameless|163x163px]]
|{{Big|'''[[Kalaratri]]'''}}
{{Small|"Goddess of Auspiciousness and Courage"}}
|Donkey
|Durga in her form of destruction.
|ॐ देवी कालरात्र्यै नम:
|She has three bloodshot eyes, unkempt hairs, and wears a garland of skulls around her neck, which shone like lightning. Her four hands all held a trident, scimitar, vajra, and a cup. She is seated upon the behind of a donkey as her vehicle.
|{{Sfn|Mishra|1989|p=36}}
|-
|8.
|[[File:Mahagauri Sanghasri 2010 Arnab Dutta.JPG|frameless|172x172px]]
|{{Big|'''[[Mahagauri]]'''}}
{{Small|"Goddess of Beauty and Women"}}
|Ox
|Durga in her form of recovery.
|ॐ देवी महागौर्यै नम:
|She has four hands, three of which carried a trident, mini-drum, and a pink lotus while her one hand promised her devotees protection. She is seated upon a white ox.
|{{Sfn|Sivkishen|2016|p=176}}
|-
|9.
|[[File:Siddhidatri Sanghasri 2010 Arnab Dutta.JPG|frameless|176x176px]]
|{{Big|'''[[Siddhidhatri]]'''}}
{{Small|"Goddess of Supernatural Powers or [[Siddhis]]"}}
|Lotus
|Durga in her stage of reaching her highest and supreme form as Mahashakti.
|ॐ ऐं ह्रीं क्लीं सिद्धिदात्र्यै नम:
|Each of her four hands carried a discus, conch shell, pink lotus and a mace. She is seated upon a fully bloomed lotus.
|{{Sfn|Ramachandran|2020|pp=68, 70}}
|}{{Saktism}}

===Agni Purana===
The [[Agni Purana]] lists the Navadurgas as:<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gangadharan |first=N |title=The Agni Purana |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publishers |year=1954 |isbn=9788120803596 |pages=132 |language=English}}</ref>

# Rudrachanda
# Prachanda
# Chandogra
# Chandanayika
# Chanda
# Chandavati
# Chandarupa
# Atichandika
# Ugrachanda

== See also ==
{{Portal|Hinduism}}
* [[Mahavidya]]
* [[Navaratri]]
* [[Shaktism]]

==References==
===Notes===
{{reflist|group=upper-alpha}}

===Citations===
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
{{refbegin}}
* {{Cite news|title=Navratri 2021: What are the nine forms of Maa Durga and the special prasad offered to them|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/events/navratri-2019-what-are-the-nine-forms-of-maa-durga-and-the-special-prasad-offered-to-them/articleshow/71335962.cms|access-date=2021-12-31|website=[[The Times of India]]|date=7 October 2021 |language=en|ref={{SfnRef|Navaratri, TOI}}}}
* {{Cite book|last=Ramachandran|first=Nalini|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kUcAEAAAQBAJ|title=Nava Durga: The Nine Forms of the Goddess|date=2020|publisher=[[Penguin Books]]|isbn=978-93-5305-981-1|language=en}}
* {{Cite book|last=Amazzone|first=Laura|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JBNtQYFEjeAC|title=Goddess Durga and Sacred Female Power|date=2010|publisher=[[University Press of America]]|isbn=978-0-7618-5313-8|language=en}}
* {{Cite book|last=Ostor|first=Akos|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6ASi04hC0BQC|title=The Play of the Gods: Locality, Ideology, Structure, and Time in the Festivals of a Bengali Town|date=2004|publisher=[[Orient Blackswan]]|isbn=978-81-8028-013-9|language=en}}
* {{Cite book|last=Mishra|first=P. K.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gCpuAAAAMAAJ|title=Culture, Tribal History, and Freedom Movement: Dr. N.K. Sahu Commemoration Volume|date=1989|publisher=Agam Kala Prakashan|language=en}} 
* {{Cite book|last=Pintchman|first=Tracy|title=Seeking Mahādevī: Constructing the Identities of the Hindu Great Goddess|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JfXdGInecRIC|date=2001|publisher=[[State University of New York Press]]|isbn=9780791490495|language=en}} 
* {{Cite book|last=Sharma|first=Vidya Sagar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SXhUBQAAQBAJ|title=Mata Vaishno Devi (Prabhat Prakashan)|year=2021|publisher=Prabhat Prakashan|isbn=978-81-7315-903-9|language=hi}} 
* {{Cite book|last=Mittal|first=J. P.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b7gOBW8oDFgC|title=History Of Ancient India (a New Version) : From 7300 Bb To 4250 Bc|date=2006|publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Dist|isbn=978-81-269-0615-4|language=en}}
* {{Cite book|last=Sivkishen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kmVZBgAAQBAJ|title=Kingdom of Shiva|date=2015|publisher=Diamond Pocket Books Pvt Ltd|isbn=978-81-288-3028-0|language=en}}
{{refend}}



[[Category:Navadurgas| ]]
[[Category:Hindu goddesses]]
[[Category:Forms of Lakshmi]]
[[Category:Forms of Parvati]]
[[Category:9 (number)]]