Navaratri, a nine-night and ten-day festival celebrated with great zeal in India, holds immense cultural and spiritual significance. It symbolises the victory of good over evil and is a time for devotion, reflection, and community celebrations.
Each day of Navaratri is dedicated to a different manifestation of the Goddess Durga, allowing devotees to connect with various aspects of the divine. On the fifth day of Navaratri, Goddess Skandamata is worshiped with deep reverence.
Goddess Skandamata – The Deity of the Fifth Day
On the fifth day of Navaratri, Goddess Skandamata is venerated. She is the fifth manifestation of Goddess Durga and is known by this name because she is the mother of Lord Skanda, also known as Kartikeya. She is often depicted holding her son Skanda in her lap while riding a lion, and she radiates a nurturing and protective aura.
Qualities and Symbolism of Goddess Skandamata
1. Motherly Love: Goddess Skandamata symbolises motherly love, care, and protection. She is often depicted holding her infant son, Lord Skanda, in her lap, emphasising the strong bond between a mother and her child.
2. Lion Rider: She is depicted riding a lion, signifying her strength and fearlessness as she protects her devotees. The lion represents her control over the powerful and wild forces in the world.
3. Four Arms: With four arms, she holds various items, including lotus flowers and a bell. Each of these objects represents her blessings and protection that she bestows upon her worshippers.
4. Divine Mother: Goddess Skandamata is regarded as the epitome of divine motherhood. Her presence is a source of solace, compassion, and unconditional love for her devotees.
Why Goddess Skandamata is Worshiped
Goddess Skandamata is worshiped to seek her blessings for motherly love, protection, and strength. Devotees look up to her as a source of comfort and compassion, seeking her blessings for the well-being and safety of their children.
By venerating Goddess Skandamata, they hope to invoke her motherly energy to nurture and protect their loved ones, just as she protects Lord Skanda, the commander of the gods.
Navaratri is a time of spiritual reflection and celebration of the divine feminine energy. On the fifth day of Navaratri, the worship of Goddess Skandamata reminds us of the significance of motherly love, protection, and strength.