Navratri 2020: Worship Maa Mahagauri on Durga Ashtami — Puja muhurat, vidhi, mantras

NEW DELHI: Goddess Mahagauri is the eighth avatar of Goddess Durga and amongst the Navadurgas. 

Mahagauri is worshipped on the eighth day of Navaratri. Maa Mahagauri is believed to be an avatar of Devi Parvati, the divine consort of Lord Shiva.

Unlike Kalratri, who is ferocious, Maha Gauri is calm and compassionate. She is depicted in white clothes and mounted on a bull. It is believed that anyone who worships the goddess gets relief from all the sufferings in life.

According to Hinduism, Goddess Mahagauri has the power to fulfill all the desires of her devotees. 

Mahagauri has four arms. Her right arm is in the pose of allaying fear and right lower hand holds a trident in it. She holds a tambourine in her left upper arm and the lower one is in the form of a blessing.

The name Mahagauri means extremely white, as she was white in color and very beautiful 

You can chant this mantra to seek Maa Maha Gauri’s blessings:

श्वेते वृषे समारुढा श्वेताम्बरधरा शुचिः।
महागौरी शुभं दद्यान्महादेवप्रमोददा॥

Shweta Vrishe Samarudha Shwetambardhara Shuchi
Maha Gauri Shubham Dadhyana Mahadev Pramodda ॥

Dhyan mantra:

पूर्णन्दु निभां गौरी सोमचक्रस्थितां अष्टमं महागौरी त्रिनेत्राम्। 
वराभीतिकरां त्रिशूल डमरूधरां महागौरी भजेम्॥

Poornandu nibhaan gauree somachakrasthitaan ashtaman mahaagauree trinetraam. 
Varaabheetikaraan trishool damaroodharaan mahaagauree bhajem ॥

Navratri 2020 Maa Mahagauri: Puja muhurat 

The sunrise timing for Ashtami is 05:37 am and the sun will set at 5:04 pm. 

The Maha ashtami tithi will start on October 23 at 6:57 am and will last till 6:58 am on October 24.

Navratri 2020 Day 8 colour

The colour purple should be worn on Navrati’s eighth day, Ashtami. 

Puja Vidhi: 

To worship Maa Mahagauri on Durga Ashtami, devotees offer her white flowers, preferably jasmine, and recite the above-mentioned mantras. On this day, young girls are invited home and offered an auspicious meal as a part of the puja. The prayer ritual is called Kanjak puja.