Brahamcharini
Second Day of Navratri : October 15 Thursday, 2015
Maa Brahmacharini is the second manifestation of Maa Durga who is worshippied on the second day of Navratri. Here word “Brahm” refers to “Tapa”. So Brahmcharini means Tapa Charini – The one who perform Tapa or penance. It is Said that the “Vedas”, “Tatva” & “Tapa” are synonyms of word “Brahm”. The form of Brahmacharini is tremendously effulgent and extremely majestic.
Goddess Brahamcharini is the second among the nine forms of Durga. Goddess Brahamcharini is worshipped on the second day of Navratri. The word Brahamcharini means the one who observes penance (tapa). Goddess Brahamcharini personifies love, loyalty, wisdom and knowledge. Rudraksha beads are Goddess Brahamcharini most adored ornaments.
She holds a rosary in her right hand and Kamandalu in her left. SHE personifies love and loyalty. Mata Bhramacharni is store-house of knowledge and wisdom. Rudraksha is HER most adorned ornament. When she was incarnated as the daughter of Himalaya, then influenced by the instructions of Devrishi Narada, she practiced very hard penances in order to obtain Lord Shiva as her divine consort. Due to her unearthly penances she was termed as Brahmacharini. She spent one thousand years, only on fruits and beet-roots. One hundred years she spent only by eating leafy vegetables. For a sufficient perfiod 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 a difficult routine she lived only on dry Bilva pattaras (leaves) fallen on the ground for three thousand years. She kept her engrossed for twenty-four hours in worshiping Lord Shiva. 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 dry Bilva leaves so she was known to be Aparna as one of her epithets.
After the hardship of penance for several thousand years her body became extremely lean and thin. She was reduced to skeleton only. Her penance, sharpened as it was, caused great disturbance in all the three worlds. The whole universe was shaken. The Gods, the Rishis, the Siddhas, the Munis all eulogized her penance as an unprecedented virtuous action. Ultimately Lord Brahma through an oracle addressed her and said to her in a very pleasant manner-O Goddess, so far nobody has ever practiced such an austere penance. Only you could have done it. This wonderful deed is being praised in all the four quarters. Your desire would be fulfilled. You will decidedly get Lord Shiva as your divine consort. Now stop your penance and go home. Your father would be shortly coming to take you back.
After Gauri reincarnated as Parvati, she meditated on Lord Shiva to attain him as her husband. Lord Shiva came in a saint’s getup to test Parvati. He then made fun of Lord Shiva which the saint doesn’t know that he himself is Lord Shiva. Parvati gets angry and tries to curse him, but she didn’t, she chanted the “Panchakshari Mantra” of Lord Shiva. The saint changed his real form to Lord Shiva. Parvati was blessed and asked him to marry her, Lord Shiva became emotional when he married Sati, tears were rolling down his eyes, Parvati wiped them away with her hands. Brahmacharini is adorned with flowers and wearing a necklace made of beads, wearing a white saree, wearing “Rudraksh” beads as her necklace and has a fair complexion. In this way, she attained Lord Shiva to be her husband. She is filled with bliss and happiness. Brahmachari means bachelor in male and Brahmacharini means bachlorette in female.